From time to time, you find yourself taking a step backward before you are able to find the best path for you to move forward in your journey. It's kind of like a little dance. This is where we found ourselves this morning with mom's journey of recovery from her stroke.
She was moved to Legend Oaks Rehabilitation this weekend, but she has fallen out of her bed two of the three nights she has spent there so far. We think she forgets that her left side doesn't work, and try's to get up in the middle of the night. This morning the fall landed her back in the emergency room at Baylor Waxahachie, but luckily nothing was broken. They did find a touch of pneumonia on her lungs, and the wound on her left arm is starting to ulcer so she is on another round of antibiotics.
For now mom is back at Legend Oaks, and it's believe it or not - she fell out of her bed a third time this afternoon after returning from the emergency room! So we are working to get mom transferred from Legend Oaks to another facility, that can help prevent her from falling. Legend Oaks doesn't have beds with guardrails to prevent falls, or a lot of other safety protocols they can put in place for patients with fall risks. They said this is because of the legislation Texas has on not allowing restrictive care in these types of facilities in order to promote a better quality of life. We told them we are most concerned with safety, because if she falls and breaks anything this can set her physical therapy and recovery back even further.
We are now looking into 'inpatient rehabilitation facilities', which is a level of care below the Baylor Hospital but above Legend Oaks. Dad checked out a center in Arlington called Encompass which specifically specializes in stroke rehabilitation. This facility received the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for their stroke program, and have treated over 287 stroke patients in the past year. They have a lot of protocols at this facility for fall risk patients including beds that they can not fall out of. She will also receive 3 hours a day of rehab which will include physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.
Why we weren't recommended inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the first place... we don't know? But, now we are only concerned about moving forward. We are crossing our fingers insurance approves the prior authorization for the transfer to Encompass as soon as possible, but it may take a couple days.
In the meantime, mom will continue to stay at Legend Oaks, and Dad, Heidi and I are going to trade nights staying at the facility with her to try to help prevent a fourth fall. We feel thankful and blessed nothing was broken in the first three falls! One step back... and hopefully two positive steps forward as we continue this recovery dance. Please pray that insurance approves the transfer to Encompass and for mom's continued recovery.
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