Gabe Gets New Digs (Note from Donna)

Wednesday Sept. 16, Day 35 was moving day for Gabe. Insurance approved his move to a long term acute care facility, the Kentfield Rehabilitation and Specialty Hospital 20 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Within 4 hours the ambulance team had him all bundled in and ready to travel. I zipped through SF rush hour traffic in my trusty Honda and beat them to his new room. Gabe arrived with his eyes the widest open I have seen them. He knew something was happening that involved wheeled movement.

He settled in while the facility scurried to find him an extra tall bed. Gabe and I met head nurses and chief clinical officers, and the first wave of rehab folk. His new bed and air mattress arrived. He was soon changed over propped by 8 pillows. Staff will change his position every 2 hours. Respiratory therapy came in to set up his equipment for his trach tube. I left for the night and the one hour drive back to the SF apartment.

Yesterday, his second day at Kentfield, he met with the Dr. of Physiatry who will run a battery of blood tests, more EEGs, CTs and a future MRI. She did a thorough neuro exam and checked all his reflexes. She listened to my observations of his behavior. By the beginning of next week with her tests and baselines from the other departments she will be plotting his individual treatment plan. Keirie and I and visitors will be a big part of it she promises.

The head of Speech Therapy came in for baseline evaluations with the goal to get him safely swallowing and off his trach tube. The head of Physical Therapy came in and introduced himself. Gabe will be up and dressed quite often for PT and will be off to the shower at least once a week. He will be up and about in a reclining wheelchair by Friday (or as soon as the “tall” wheelchair has been assembled. I think over the weekend therapies will back off. On Monday Gabe will be busy traveling a mile down the road to the bigger Marin County General for the CT scan.

So with the move, Kierie busy handling their apartment packing in NYC (returning Monday), and Summer due to arrive back this Saturday there is a lot going on around Gabe. On Tuesday we move in with friends for a week — so no more cards and letters to the Potrero Ave. San Francisco address please.

Each visiting team found a lot of reflexive movement to build on. Now we just need
more of his brain cells to relax back into their old shape and new pathways to form and he will start to interact with his therapists. Till then he is in his own laid back “chill” mode opening his eyes and exploring all his tubes, pillow hems, and hands of visitors with his ever curious right hand.

Ready or not Gabe, the game starts today.

Cards and letters may be sent to Gabe:

Gabe Allen, Room 209 A
Kentfield Rehabilitation and Specialty Hospital
1125 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Kentfield CA 94904-1455