In the world of tournament golf, moving day is when the golfers try to “move” themselves into position by making a final push to qualify for the final round so they can have a chance at winning. In our recent tournament of rehabilitation, today was Harry’s version of “moving day.” This afternoon he moved to Glenburnie Rehabilitation Rehab Center, a skilled nursing facility in Richmond, in hopes of continuing to make a push towards improved mobility and winning back his quality of life. 

       The transfer happened because Sheltering Arms is a rehabilitation hospital which means the number of days he could stay was limited. This extra time at Glenburnie will give him the chance to continue to work on his rehab “game” under the safety of 24/7 nursing assistance. Our ultimate goal of course is to have him return to his home (course), his favorite chair, his own bed and (maybe?) my cooking. But right now, he is still not able to sit, stand or walk on his own. After much discussion, we decided it would be best for him to make this move so he has more time to build his strength and capabilities. So he's all "teed" up for this next phase. 

       The good news is that Harry made good progress at Sheltering Arms these past weeks. Though still not exactly up to “par”, he’s accomplished a lot in physical and occupational therapy and his cognitive function has greatly improved! He realizes he’s still got a lot of “practice rounds, roughs and bunkers” to tackle but he is focused on the fundamentals of his game that have served him so well - his positive attitude and steadfast determination. 

 
At this point I want to apologize for the golf analogies and warn you that this next paragraph may sound like a commercial for Sheltering Arms. 

      
     As we prepare to get to know another health care facility’s routines, here is what we’ll miss about Sheltering Arms. We’ll miss the beautiful new campus and building, the huge room with a view, the great meals, and the biggest tv we’ve ever seen. We’ll miss the state-of-the-art equipment that made lifting and moving Harry so seamless, the weekly updates when the entire care team meets and evaluates his progress, and the education we received about rehabilitation techniques. But most of all, we’ll miss the exceptional group of professionals on his rehab “bag” who, under the leadership of Dr. Timothy Silver, provided incredibly skilled physical, occupational and speech therapy; kind and attentive nursing care; and unwavering encouragement and support. As you all know, Harry is not known to be a big talker (unlike your author) so I’m always struck by the powerful connections he makes during all of his medical visits. He takes time to get to know the people, whether it’s the person bringing his meals, emptying his trash, assisting him with therapy or directing his care. When we leave, there’s always a parade of people he’s impacted with his gentle, thoughtful ways ready to wish him well. It’s one of the many examples of God’s grace I've been privileged to witness throughout this journey. 

      Before I finish this “round”, I wanted to invite all the locals who have been vaccinated to visit Harry at Glenburnie Rehab. Their visiting hours are all day until 7:00 pm, provided you bring proof of vaccination. The joy of seeing your faces will be a welcome change from mine and just the medicine he needs!!