Discharged, but not discouraged

I woke up this morning feeling a bit down. With each new procedure to control BR's pain, my expectations get set at ever decreasing levels. Yet still, I have expectations. When pain relief didn't find BR yesterday, disappointment found me and decided to stay the night.

But after a nice hot shower, I decided to take stock of some of the good things that we've discovered.

• BR tolerated the three hour drive to Houston quite well, and is willing to consider some leisure travel.
• He is able to rest comfortably on a regular bed with just the alternating pressure pad, a foam wedge, and lots of pillows. This opens us back up to air travel. We'll just need to rent a shower chair, and of course a ramp van for cities without ramp taxis.
• Caregiving duties seem a bit less burdensome in new environments. At home, anything that upsets the routine is viewed negatively. On the road, there is no routine. My problem solving instincts get a workout as we adapt to each situation.

So when I went to pick up BR from the hospital, I did so with an intentional optimism. There are still four more days left in the trial, and pain relief may still find BR.

We see the doctor next on Wednesday for another adjustment.