Weekend Pass

Mike is coming to the house in Edmonton for a weekend pass.  Because this is not the house we will be living in when Mike comes home, we do not plan on making any modifications to the home.  Therefore, we do have some barriers!  

Stairs – This home is a bi-level and we come in the front door to a small landing with six stairs going up to the main floor or six stairs going down to the basement!  We will use the back door which has three steps outside the house into a small landing but only three steps up to the main floor once you get in.  This will be easier than the front door provided his wheelchair will fit through the gate to the back yard.  Needless to say he’ll get “bumped” up and down the stairs a few times during the weekend.

Bathroom – Mike will not be able to get his wheelchair into the bathroom on the main floor.  He should be able to use the bathroom downstairs but the shower may be too small for a shower bench so he will have to forego the shower!

Bed – Mike usually slept in a twin bed at home but if he sleeps in that bed for the weekend, he’ll have to have help turning during the night.  He has to turn every four hours so rather than have someone come in to help, if he sleeps in Matt’s bed (a double), he’ll be able to turn himself.  That suits me just fine since the “person” helping him would probably be me! Matt’s bedroom is on the main floor…only bathroom Mike can use is in the basement. More bumping up and down the stairs!

Table – The table at the house here is a high table.  It might have been in style but it is no longer practical for someone in a wheelchair!  We figure he could scoop the food into his mouth while sitting up to the edge but that could get messy.

BUT other than those few barriers, Mike can hardly wait to get out of the hospital for a few days.  He’s already been thinking about what he wants me to cook (Cook?  I haven’t hardly cooked since the accident!) and what kind of things he wants to do.  I think it won’t really matter what we do, it will be simply be nice to be together as a family outside of the hospital.  Now if only Steve and Lori were here, things would be perfect!