Home Improvements

We were lucky to find a home for Damien. Paula found a nice two-story home in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX. It was a foreclosure that was handled by Fanny Mae. The home was 20 years old. It is very open, with wide doorways. It is very well suited for wheelchair mobility. Paula had to be firm with the real-estate agent to get this house. The agent was pushing new garden homes that were small, narrow and cramped. Paula was not interested in his commission; she knew what was best for Damien.

The first change we made was to the Master bathroom. We had Rankin DeSpain's company remove the bathtub and install a special shower. He designed the entrance so that a shower chair could easily fit through. Then he designed the partition so the nurses could bathe Damien and be protected from splashing water.

The second change made by Rankin DeSpain was to build ramps so we could access the living room and the entrances to the garage and patio. The ramps are very precise and easily allow us to move Damien from the activity center to the living room (or onto the patio) while he is in the sanding frame. The ramps also allow for easy entrance with the wheelchair.

When we first brought Damien home, we rented a hospital bed. I realized that we could buy a used bed  for what I had paid on rental of the first several months. The rental was an old crank design. The used bed has an electric motor that changes the head and foot positions. We bought a magnetic mattress and a pad that provides alternating pressure. The alternating pressure pad has helped keep Damien from developing pressure sores for these 16 years.

Damien had lived in an apartment for several years and we saw no need to have him start living with his parents again. We had nursing staff stay with Damien 24 hours a day. We did not want Damien to be alone for any period of time. The nurses lived with Damien 5 days a week and I took care of him on weekends. For 13 years, I slept on a palette next to his bed. Friday and Saturday nights. I would get up to tend to Damien when he coughed, stirred and needed attention, and to give him a bolus at 2:00 am.

Staffing problems causes us to need to move into Damien's house. We moved upstairs so he would still have some independence . Paula tried to sleep on the floor but could not. Therefore, after a few months of sleeping apart, we bought a secondary bed so that we could be near Damien at night as well as be together.

We changed the proposed dining room into an activity room for Damien. Here he has the standing frame, the Quadricizer, the Lite Gate, the Chi Machine and the exercise mattresses. Damien uses the standing frame for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon/early evening. He is on the Quadricizer for 40 minutes in a forward pattern and 40 minutes in a backward pattern . This is his schedule for every day we are at home. When he has appointments, he exercises as time allows. However, he does some exercise each day.

We have living room furniture that will allow Damien to watch TV. He sits on the right side of a love seat and Paula or I sit on the left side. Damien tends to look toward the left so this position lets him see the TV easily. Damien and the nurse sometimes watch comedy programs. Damien will grin, chuckle or laugh appropriately at the humor (usually adolescent humor). Damien also likes to watch hockey games and cartoons-especially South Park.

We furnished the home with artwork that Damien created. Damien tried several art styles; paint, chalk, pencil. He also created collages. We did buy an Indian Blanket from a group that was raising money. It is a numbered version of a 1906 blanket. This hangs in the entry way as you enter the front door.

I think the home is a warm, pleasant environment for Damien.