Join with me as I embark on a 31-Day Writing Challenge! Inspired by Lisa-Jo and created by the Nester, this exercise takes writers on a journey to write on one topic for 31 days straight.
Me? I’m attempting to go through our journey and countdown 31 things I used to have to do for Danny, that I don’t have to anymore. This exercise has already taken me down roads I haven’t traveled in my mind in quite some time. It has, and will allow me to be reminded just how far we really have come since August 16, 2005.
14. Hoyer Lift
It’s 11:17pm and I’m barely getting this under the wire for today.
Danny is already in bed, turned on his right, huggin a pillow with his legs positioned just so. His breathing is beginning to set it’s nightly rhythm.
It’s quiet.
I can reflect.
Have you ever seen an engine being hoisted out of a car? As a mechanic’s daughter, I guess it’s just a natural comparison; an engine and Danny.
It was more than two years after his accident that he could bear any weight to stand.
Two years +.
Getting him out of bed, back into bed, into his wheelchair and out of it required a Hoyer lift and a sling. Lifting him into the air and then wheeling the lift over to his bed or his chair, we trusted a polyester sling and the lift itself.
It was useful, helpful and probably saved our backs.
However, it was cumbersome, took up a bunch of floor space and every time I looked at it, it made me mad.
I was thankful to have it-thankful that he could be home with us, but I hated that thing; hated having to have that thing.
It under girded the fact that we were still treading water-literally with no legs to stand on.
It became routine, second nature.
And, it was a manual Hoyer lift; not those fancy push button, ceiling mounted ones they have in the hospitals.
Today, I no longer have that stupid, but useful lift parked in our shower (there was no where else to put it while it wasn’t being used). Danny is able to use his walker to get into the bed and we do a stand and pivot transfer to get out of the bed. I heard recently, that he does all his own transfers when he is at therapy. I can’t wait for the day when we don’t have wheelchairs or walkers or any other mobility aid in our house and Danny is able to move about on his own. What a day that will be!
Not only is this a countdown, but it’s a checklist. We’ve been able to check many things off our lists of to-dos since all this began and in the Lord’s timing and by His grace, we will continue to check things off and have fewer needs!
