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WEEKS FOUR AND FIVE
The fourth and fifth weeks began with Barry graduating to INPATIENT REHAB. The rehabilitation was spent at the Mapleton Rehabilitation Center which is part of the Boulder Community Hospital. The center is located off of Mapleton and 4th streets and up against the mountains.
Barry spent the first night in a small room near the nurse's station. They wanted him close because they didn't know how stable and mobile he was. They also were a little apprehensive about the tremendous support system that came over with Barry. I think they had heard about us at the main hospital. Hopefully nothing bad. But he DID have a very large support system. Barry probably had ten times the traffic through his room than any other patient. And so again the signs went up limiting visitors to two at a time and for limited times. Like anybody paid attention to them.
Barry was transported by ambulance to Mapleton Rehabilitation Center and had entered the center with the gang following
The two paramedics
Tikie, Joyce and Wayne waiting in the hallway of Mapleton for Barry to get all checked in.
The next day (Monday), they moved Barry to a two bed private room under the stipulation that there was somebody in the room with him all the time. Now that stipulation was an INSULT to even be mentioned. Well, the family endured and kept the visitors down to under five or so most of the time. His room was on the third floor and overlooked the city of Boulder.
Actually, Barry had a busy therapy schedule each day which included five or six half-hour sessions. Two sessions each of speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy each day for two weeks. Barry was not in his room during the therapy sessions and in between sessions he needed to rest. Therefore, the busy therapy sessions kept the visiting to an absolute minimum during the mornings and early afternoon. It was in the evenings that the visiting was the greatest. During the night, one family member (Joyce, Bryan or Wayne) stayed til morning. Barry was sleeping well at this time and so the night stays were a lot easier than during the third week.
Patio on the side of Mapleton where we spent some time
Barry continued to get stronger during this time. In the fourth week, Judy, his speech therapist, gave him the opportunity to leave the hospital and go to a place of his choosing. He chose to go to the ice cream store. In the fifth week, he made up a grocery list to fix lunch and went to the grocery store with Judy to do the shopping. He fixed the lunch in the kitchen on his floor with the occupational therapist. The lunch included a pasta dish of noodles and sauce and he sauteed some vegetables. Hey, these events were significant. He had come a long way from where he was.
Shortly after Barry entered Mapleton Rehab Center, the family along with Jeremy, Effie, Chris and Jackie enjoyed an evening at The Med. Thanks in part to Jeremy's parents.
Here's to Barry's quick recovery
Jeremy and Effie
Jackie and Chris
Double-fisted Courtney
Single-fisted Tikie
Watch it, brother!
Lucky Colby
Looks like a food fight
How does he look now?
At the end of the fifth week on Saturday, July 21st was Colby's birthday. And so the whole family that was not already in Boulder flew in to celebrate Colby's birthday. We had a barbecue up at Flagstaff Park which was toward the top of the mountain. Approximately 20-25 people showed up including the two paramedics, Pam and Marcy. We celebrated Colby's birthday but of course he was not the significant person at this party. Barry was able to leave the hospital and participate for the duration of the barbecue which lasted nearly four hours. Click on the picture to see all the pictures at the park.
On Sunday afternoon, Barry with Bryan, Colby and Courtney went to a movie, Legally Blonde.
And Sunday evening, the family of eight went to the Outback Restaurant for dinner. Barry ate like he never had before. During this weekend, he would get tired but it was also a busy weekend.
Click HERE for Week 6.
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