Linda is well enough now to move from Indiana University Hospital to Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, where she will begin the effort of getting back on her feet after two solid months in a hospital bed. Linda is getting stronger every day now. She gets out of bed with assistance and walks to the bathroom when she needs to go. Yesterday we took two walks outside the hospital room together, the first time to the nurses’ station and back, and the second time 300 feet down the hallway and back to bed.
Today at 1 p.m. Indianapolis time the ambulance will pick up Linda and take her to RHI, located at 4141 Short Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46254. The general phone number there is 317-329-2000. As soon as Linda has moved into her room I'll send everyone her direct dial number. The rehab hospital will give Linda four physical therapy sessions of 45 minutes each every day to help get her stronger and ready to return home. Meanwhile, RHI will bring her back to IU Hospital Tuesdays and Fridays for her liver clinic visits, for the required biopsies, blood draws and other tests to keep her anti-rejection medications adjusted to the proper dosages. This will go on for about four weeks before we can take Linda back to the Chicago area.
During this time the rehab hospital will not let me stay in Linda's room overnight, though I can be with her from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. I'll be staying at InTown Suites, 5820 West 85th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46278-1341, room 351. I can get mail there. My cell phone is still here, and the number in the room is 317-871-0810-351, and there is voicemail on both lines.
The rehab hospital is a little different from IU Hospital, in that Linda will go to the cafeteria for her meals, and wear street clothes during the day and for her workouts, rather than a hospital gown. Linda is cheered measurably by these small changes in her routine. Besides the physical therapy for gait, balance and strength, she will be getting some speech therapy as the combination of repeated intubations for her surgeries and dry mouth caused by some of her medications has made her voice less intelligible than formerly. We are both looking forward to quick and steady progress toward bringing Linda home, though we apparently still have another month or so down here before we can return home full time.
I will still keep you all updated, though probably only a couple days each week. We have both been particularly cheered by all the balloons, cards puzzle books, DVDs, candy and other little presents all of you have sent Linda, and we are feeling very lucky to have so many wonderful friends to help see us through this difficult and rocky process to such a wonderful conclusion.
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