Rehab plan: Huntington, then Casa Colina

Here's a picture of Denise & Gracie during a recent visit. Look at that smile on Gracie's face!
Now for the latest in the rehab saga, as of this evening... Looks like she'll transfer to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena for a while, then to Casa Colina when she's ready. The doctors and case managers all felt that a good step for Denise would be to get out of an acute hospital setting and into a setting where rehab takes the center stage. But Denise is still sick, and until some current health issues are fully resolved, they want to make sure that acute care is down the hall, instead of an ambulance drive away to another hospital. Casa Colina is our first choice for rehab, but would not be able to provide the specialists that Denise does still need, nor is it focused on providing care in the event of a crisis. Huntington is a leader in the area for acute care, but their rehab facilities aren't as new or well-equipped as Casa Colina. I asked about the possibility of checking into acute rehab at Arcadia Methodist, but Denise's medical group doesn't contract with them for rehab. I asked about just staying at USC until the health issues resolve, and go to Casa Colina from there. Denise loves her USC therapists, and the USC rehab workout room is better-equipped than Huntington's. The glitch is that she'd still be in an acute care facility, and the main focus still isn't rehab. So when it's all said & done, as stated above, the compromise of going to Huntington first and then Casa Colina is the best workable option.
We're disappointed that she doesn't get to enjoy the resort-like atmosphere & sparkly new equipment at Casa Colina (yet). But some time at Huntington certainly does offer some very big benefits. It offers the acute care that she hopefully won't need. Better safe than sorry. Her current doctor from USC is also on staff at Huntington. Denise really likes him (he makes funny remarks as he pops in to check on her, and thats lifted her spirits many times). It'll be nice to have the consistency of him being involved at Huntington if needed for an acute situation. There will be a new doctor overseeing her at Huntington, and he's also on staff at Casa Colina. Three hospitals, only two doctors doing the handoffs... could be a lot worse. Huntington is an easier drive than USC. Visiting hours are more flexible than at Casa Colina. Best of all, several parents from my school work at Huntington. If you're one of them, stop by to cheer her on, and please put in a good word to the rehab staff to take extra special care of my sweetie!

So here's your prayer concern cheat-sheet:
- pseudomonas present again
- fevers low, but still present
- liver numbers normal, sometimes high
- ascites (ab swelling) due to liver function or protein deficiency
- throwing up once in a while
- I'm getting a slight tickle in the throat & ear. Getting sick?
Good news:
- ejection fraction is up to 45%
- I found a driver to return that casserole dish to Huntington Beach
- now when the hospital calls, it's about progress instead of crisis.
- rehab is on the horizon!

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