Scott's Blog

Hello all!

It's been a little busy and I've had a bladder infection that knocked me out for a week, and I tried a new medication for spasms that made me very dizzy and kept me in bed as well, so I apologize for not posting sooner. It's sure been a roller coaster ride.

When I have been feeling well, therapy has been going very well. In PT (Phyhsio Therapy), I'm still doing the motorized bike and am up to about 35 minutes/session. I'm getting stronger at the arm bike and my therapists simply remove gravity, and I do the rest of the work. In OT (Occupational Therapy) my arms are getting stronger and I even do some work 'against' gravity trying to lift my right hand/arm. I also got my power wheel chair which has head controls, so I'm a free man! I've had a few minor mishaps including nearly breaking my toes...twice and nearly running over my nurse, Jan. She said I didn't get her, but her colleagues tell me she has bruises! It's a bit scary when that happens because it's quite powerful and I could do some serious damage. On the flip side, I can't wait for the Spring to come so I can get outdoors and go for drives along the waterfront.

I did get out to a couple of the boys' hockey games, so that was a highlight. I'm not loving the Access Bus as it books up very quickly so it's hard to get. So I was disappointed I didn't get to any of Kobe's games, but I did get to see one of Rhys' and one of Tanner's and they were happy to have me there.

Kirsty's folks left last week and we cannot thank them enough for all their help! They were real troopers giving up their winter in Arizona for beautiful, sunny Kingston Dad is seriously considering a move to Ontario just to enjoy the winters...lol We are all missing them already, including their little dog, Sophie.

My folks are leaving next week to drive across Canada with their 5th-Wheel to help us out through the summer, so we are looking forward to that.

Kirsty and the boys are on their own for the first time, and they seem to be coping very well. Of course a school bus strike and additional ice time for hockey are also keeping Kirsty busy, but our Kingston family is helping out in the parents' absence.

We're working on getting approvals for short-term renovations to the house to get me home for some day visits, with some further additions for weekend visits. I'm excited to go home as it's been 5 months since I've been there, and Kirsty's folks have worked hard to get the house all organized for the major renovation to come. We are also working towards purchasing a new van to be converted, and this is what we plan to use the fundraiser money for. There is a lot of leg work involved, and some delays awaiting DND funding approvals, but we keep plugging away and are optimistic things will start happening soon.

That's about all for now. Again, thank you for all your help and support! I'll try to update more frequently in the coming weeks.

Scott

Hello all,

On the home front, let me start by thanking EVERYONE who has helped our family with meals, with a special thank you to the Knight Family and Cheryl McKinnon for receiving/delivering these delicious meals. This has been a HUGE HELP and got us through this critical stage of Scott's accident. With Scott progressing so well, and the boys' schedules so busy, the moms have agreed to do the cooking until I am home more (and Scott gets home) to do the cooking. For those of you who do not know, Scott is a WAY better cook than me

At the hospital - MORE great news. Scott has been breathing off the ventilator 24hrs/day for approximately a week now!! Since Scott is now breathing on his own, they removed his traecheotomy Monday, so he is now officially tube-free! This is very exciting and so nice to see his face/neck without tubes. He got fitted for a new collar today as he no longer requires the hole in the front for the traech - so now it just looks like he has whiplash

Another piece of great news is that with Scott breathing on his own and all of his tubes removed, he is now ready to go to a rehabilitation hospital. The lack of a ventilator also opened the doors to St. Mary's on the Lake as an option for rehabilittion and after visiting last week, Scott has decided that St. Mary's is the place for him. So, he's going to St. Mary's tomorrow - yes, tomorrow, Thursday, January 15th!!!

With this VERY exciting transition in Scott's recovery, comes one drawback. While visitation is less 'policed' at St. Mary's than it is in ICU, there will be fewer times when Scott will be allowed to receive visitors. This move will provide Scott with a far more structured environment. He will be able to receive visitors in the evenings and on weekends and I don't know the timings yet, but will post them as soon as I do. I will also ask you to keep in mind that particularly in the early weeks, Scott will be exhausted, and not always up for visitors. If you do come to visit Scott and notice that he seems exhausted or preoccupied (or he simply falls asleep on you, and he has done this), please do not take it personally. He's made terrific progress to date, but has suffered a very serious injury, and will be undergoing very extensive rehabilitation and his body will need to rest. He is particularly bad at telling folks when he's too tired and not up for visiting, so if you do visit, please just keep this in mind.

Again, thank you for your continuing support of Scott and our family. We are SO grateful and know we are truly blessed to have so many people who care and are always willing to help us out.

Many, many thanks!

Team Milne

*** Added Jan 16th: Cheryl McKinnon now has fundraiser tickets for sale at the Military Fitness Center - Claude - ***

*** Mick & Lu Halerewich also have tickets available for sale - Claude - ***

Happy New Year everyone! Our family had a very nice holiday season with all of my progress, and Santa (& family & friends) spoiling us all rotten. Hope your families had a wonderful holiday season as well.

I did want to share a few highlights of my Christmas with you...I've been receiving gifts since I've arrived in hospital, but Mickey brought in an autographed photo of Roberto Luongo...which is now framed and waiting to be hung. Then Kirsty got a parcel in the mail from R. Orr in Florida, which was Bobby Orr's famous 'leap of faith' photo with a personal note signed by Bobby Orr which Kirsty had framed for me for Christmas. I want to hang it in the dining room, but Kirsty's not sure about that I don't know how he found out...but thank you whoever told him! On Christmas day, Deanna, Scott and their boys came down with Cheryl's delicious Christmas dinner for me, and suprised me with an autographed Roberto Luongo jersey, a Canuck hat signed by Ryan Kessler, and a Trevor Linden retiree pennant - Deanna's not a hockey fan, but boy does she have connections! Tanner, Kobe & Rhys also gave me a Superman t-shirt, because I've told them (and they know) that I am Superman and am going to overcome this injury.

I cannot thank everyone enough for all the gifts, but these ones are definitely the envy of the ICU (well, maybe not for those TO & Habs fans!).

I have been progressing well. I have been breathing off the ventilator and have been going for 16 hours/day for the past five days. When I'm off the ventilator, I have a valve in my traecheotomy that allows me to speak. It's far less frustrating and much nicer for me and the people around me. Kirsty says it's great to hear my voice - never thought she'd say that

Lexi, my physio-terrorist has also been putting me through the ringer. I have gained some motion in my right arm allowing me to move it slightly, so Lexi has rigged up a some resistance bands to remove gravity from the picture, which allows me to exercise this more freely.

Nicole, Jen and Sandi (my three primary caregivers) have also been pushing me. Nicole ripped my feeding tube out on Christmas morning, so now I get to eat my three squares a day, plus snacks. I've lost some weight so they're trying to fatten me up a little Jen was checking my range of motion and noticed when I was trying to wiggle my toes on my left foot (which I'm very good at), that I can now flex my left foot at the ankle as well. These three sound tough, but they truly are angels and there is no doubt in my (or my family's) mind(s) that I wouldn't have progressed this well without them and Lexi! Thank you ladies!

2009 is looking to be a good year. Kirsty has been checking out rehabilitation facilities and we are looking at Ottawa or possibly Toronto, or even possibly Kingston if I get off this ventilator. My family and I know it's a very long road ahead, but we want to thank you for your continued support - it's been absolutely incredible!!!

Scott, Kirsty, Tanner, Kobe & Rhys (aka Team Milne)

Here is some great news. In the course of the last few days, Scott has had periods where he was using his chest muscles/diaphragm to breath. Even though those breaths were still supplemented by the respirator, it shows great determination from his part and it is great progress. One of those periods lasted for 4 hours.

Kirsty and I asked Scott if it was OK to post that great progress on here. We could not get a clear answer from him so we decided to wait for his approval. By now, I have had two reports of Tanner proudly telling people the great news, so I decided that there was no harm in telling you all.

I will not be able to make it to the hospital for a few days. We have stomach flu in the house and I do not want to show up there while possibly contagious.

-Claude-