Home "Improvements"
The ceiling mounted lift has been installed. A track is over Jack's bed and over Jack's throne (the couch) in the family room. In the pic of Jack's room, you can only see the headboard to Jack's bed since the bed has been temporarily dismantled to make room for the hospital bed. It wasn't financially (or aesthetically) practical to install a track system throughout the first floor because there are too many different ceiling heights along the way. How it works (for those who are clueless) is that Jack will be in a large sling that attaches to a portable motor that hangs from the track (and which is not pictured) and the motor will lift him from the bed to his wheelchair or bathchair and from his wheelchair to the couch. The lift is not something Mark or I expect to use much, but Jack's nurse -- who is all of 4'11" can no longer lift him. We don't ever want to lose Kristi as Jack's nurse, so the lift is really for her use.
I'm not quite as thrilled with the whole thing as I thought I'd be. I have to admit, when I first walked in the house after it was installed, I got tears in my eyes. It is just another one of those "in your face" reality checks. Plus, it's not exactly my decor of choice. Oh well ... I'm really OK with it now. I don't even notice it anymore. As with everything in life ... you do what you gotta do!
Have a great rest of the week.
3 comments:
I can understand why Kristi would need it - I'm only 4ft 11 too. Sam is nearly 4 and I have trouble lifting him into the car. He's doing the stairs and getting into bed by himself now (thankfully) but won't climb into the car!
When I look around our home and see all the equipment it certainly brings it home to me how fragile our little ones are. we've only got a small house and there would be so much more room if all this stuff were gone. I hope you get used to it soon. Maybe you could hang some tinsel off it at Christmas, or dress it up with different things according to the season hehe.
Lots of love
Julie
Ann -
I was wondering what it would eventually look like. Now you can never change your living room arrangement :) I'm with you that I don't even notice things like this anymore in my own house, but I'm thrown back into the we-are-not-typical mode when a new person comes in and is taken back by all the equipment.
Keep the good nurses! Driving the Hoyer lift is not easy, so I can understand why you want to accomodate someone so important to your family.
- betty
Wow! That's quite a set up. I'm sure it will help A LOT!
Post a Comment