{Karlton Bontrager}

Monday started out fairly slowly around the ward. Karlton did not have a physiotherapy session; his usual PT is on vacation for the week, and the replacement had not yet set a schedule with Karlton. However, he is expected to have physiotherapy for the rest of the week. At lunch time, Karlton informed me that [...]

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Because he’d stayed up until almost midnight on Friday night, we expected Karlton to have slept in on Saturday. Not so! When Mom and I went to pick him up for the trip to the airport, he said he’d awoken at the usual time. I drove the three of us to the airport, reminding Karlton [...]

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It’s been a little while since an update has been written, mainly because it’s been pretty busy here. I arrived in New Zealand on Wednesday, the 25th of September. It was a great surprise to have Karlton at the airport to meet me. We then went with Mom to lunch at a Japanese restaurant, where [...]

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Monday, 23rd of September – a sunny and warm day again! Karlton is working on balance. Without realizing what he is doing, Karlton lets his right side take over and do a lot of the work when he is trying to stand up, sit down, or walk. And it’s payback time … his right foot [...]

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I would like to start off with special thanks and appreciation to the following people: Mary Jane, Pat, Helen, Maree, Nina, Sam, and Vailoa. Our thank-you also go to all of you who are making Karlton’s rehabilitation easier by sending us e-mails, prayers and positive energies, text messages and phone calls. Sunday, September 22nd, was [...]

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Winter was back in Dunedin on Friday, the 20th. It rained hard off and on all day with strong gusts. It was just a very cold day out, but of course Karlton’s world at ISIS was the same. It is always warm here – in some instances, too warm. Karlton has pretty much adjusted to [...]

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Wednesday 18th & Thursday 19th of September, 2002. Both mornings, I have been working on clearing insurance (based in London) issues and have started to “wean” myself from spending 12-14 hour days at ISIS. Karlton is at a point where he is able to do a lot for himself and with some assistance shower and [...]

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Yesterday Karlton had physio in the afternoon because of the meeting in the morning, and the PT noticed a big difference in his energy level. He was definitely fatigued and did not perform at his best, so we decided it would better to have physio in the morning. I had asked at the meeting if [...]

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Monday, 16th of September, sunny and warm. Karlton was weighed today, and he has gained two more kilograms to 72kg. His face is filled, and he no longer looks gaunt. We had a “family meeting” with the director of ISIS, a nurse, PT, OT, social worker, speech therapist, and the case manager from ACC. The [...]

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Sunday, the 15th of September was a very warm day here Dunedin. I went to a health food store to get primrose oil to put on Karlton’s scars and to check out Manuka honey hand lotions for Jef. I also got some Bach flower essences made up for Karlton, since I didn’t bring my kit [...]

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