Speed limits, SC fails and showers

Another suitcase and another door for the family yesterday.  Yesterday Alex was moved from Presby Dallas - the Trauma Floor - to Baylor Dallas Rehab, the best rehab facility in Dallas according to the parking lot flags.  Acute care was over!  In theory, that means a more comfortable night to sleep as they don't check to make sure you are breathing every two minutes however, that was not the case.  We have now experienced the first night of horrible sleep which should make therapy an interesting event today for the Kiddo.

He looks fine - smiling and all...most times anyway
There is something about being hurt like Alex is that is odd.  I am not sure if odd is the right word but it is the one I am using as I can't think of another one.  Anyway, Alex looks fine if he is sitting in a chair. He looks fine if sitting in the hospital bed too other than the fact that he is in a bed with rails (although he doesn't mind that at all as he rested his head up against them - teenage boys can get comfy anywhere if it means sleep).  It is only when Alex tries to stand up that it is very evident something is wrong.  That is sometimes offsetting for people but all you have to do is talk to him to know that this kid isn't going to quit no matter how hard standing up or walking is.  When the three docs who are in charge of him checked us in, they were very impressed with his drive and really how far he has already progressed in a week.  The cognitive test was interesting, you try to count back from 100 by 7s and see how far you get before you invent new math equations.  Maybe that is where this New Math everyone is talking about comes from?  Moving on, the check-in was good.  They gave him a lot of hope that maybe he may only be here a week which would be AWESOME as his dogs really miss him.  No - really, they leave presents to remind him how much.  Wait, no that can't be right.  Back to the tests, he got a charlie horse (oh yes, that angered the bear so we poked it with a stick of course - that is what PT is all about) in the left side to which he discovered first hand how much he had been compensating on his left for his lack of usage on the right.  Oops.  Oh and Dodgeball!  No - they didn't throw red balls at Alex at a speed that could cause another fracture, rather they asked him to name all the words he could that started with a D in 30 seconds.  No joke, the Doctor (not the residents, the actual Doctor) and I had to stop ourselves from laughing out loud - it would blow the test - when he said 'Dodge, Duck, Dive, Dodge'.  Even better?  He actually forgot to say the word dodgeball, and yes, she called him out on it making it even more funny for me.  It now occurs to me he also forgot to say the word doctor....

It is Saturday - Sports Center says no work until Monday...wrong again guys
As it is Saturday morning, the SC guys said celebrate - no work.  Wrong dudes.  Alex starts the real work today - PT and OT for the win.  Alex has convinced himself that small goals aren't needed.  When he is asked what his small goal is for today, he responds "I want to walk."  Well clearly, you want to walk but we like to have little goals...Reillys aren't really big on little goals.  As Alex reminded us that first night - we GO BIG OR GO HOME and oh man, he is going big.  PT was a huge success so he got clearance to go anywhere he wants in his wheelchair.  This should be interesting when his buddies come by this week...

I went the speed limit on 75 
While the rehab people thought we could transport Alex ourselves, that was a big no (I didn't want to drive him anyway - hello?!?!? skull fracture!!)   I can now honestly say I have driven the speed limit on 75 - the Dallas Autobahn.  I have only done that because I was following my son who was in a wheelchair transport.  This should not happen again - the having to follow my son in a wheelchair transport or going the speed limit on 75.  Yes, I might have cried-ish on this little trip.

It's the fun

• Alex "At two in the damned morning the bed alarm when off!  I have to lift myself to roll over and you set a bed alarm on me?  Seriously?  Where am I going to go exactly?"  Needless to say, they haven't turned the bed alarm for Alex again.  But it could be a fun prank...
• PCT "Do you want a shower?  Because I can make that happen and I have manly smelling stuff and you can take as long as you want.  Nothing like a shower."  Alex "You are my new favorite."  Showers are second only to his buddies visiting.
• Tall One "Hand me the Tiff's Treats box - that is dinner man."  Guess I should cook and leave food at home...although chocolate chip cookies have dairy and protein so really he is fine.
• Buddy "Dude, you should be milking this for girls."  Alex "Um, no."  It really is good teen age logic if you think about it.
• Buddy "Wait, you don't have to do homework? What do I have to do to get that gig?"  Alex - "Break your head - totally not worth it."
• Buddy "Rehab will give you muscles!!"  Other Buddy "Alex with muscles - get ripped man!"  Do you even lift?  Well, yes, now you do.  Oops.
• Young Nurse "I will get alcohol swabs to get the med tape off" Experienced Nurse & me "Pull it off all at once - no pain no gain."  Alex "I like you (to the young nurse) - you two can leave now (to us).  We won as she walked up and pulled it off all at once.  hee hee hee