Pre-discharge advice?

We are preparing for discharge and need advise and or suggestions for Must Haves and criteria prior to discharge from the hospital after a AVM rupture. Thank you all in advance!
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How is Carson? Has he awakened? Advice will depend on his condition.

Hi, Amy - I was an inpatient for 2.5 mo in Oregon before I was allowed to fly home to Maryland to my parents' house. My brother and his lovely wife set up the home for us and took delivery of my wheelchair, and "aunties" from church stocked the kitchen. Some thoughts - I'm not sure who had the AVM, so depending on age, condition, level of awakeness, etc. some stuff might not apply - I was THRILLED to come home. I'm glad discharge is soon for you.

:) www.annninglearninghow.com

1. Entryway: are there stairs leading into the house, maybe the front or back door would be more accessible
2. Renovations: probably more applicable if there is a wheelchair involved. Do any doorways need to be widened, ramps put in, grab bars installed
3. Transfers: The family needs to be trained by the therapists on bed, toilet, car transfers, and possibly floor (in case of a fall) transfers
4. Where will Carson receive outpatient care? Your calendar will be filled with appointments if he is going to be an OP. My parents chose a hospital closer to home instead of the one downtown (with more equipment and resources). We were there so often I was glad of the shorter drive. I learned to walk there - the clincher is in the skill level of the practitioners, I found. It was the right choice.
5. Bath and bed: Do you need a shower seat, bath bench, bed rails etc.? I got mine from Amazon or Walgreens.
6. Food: Any dietary restrictions? Does he have a PEG (food tube)? If yes, you may wish to invest in a high speed blender like a Vitamix. I don't have a PEG anymore and I LOVE my Vitamix. Smoothies are good for me bc my digestive system still isn't functioning on all cylinders.
7. Understanding: I was thrilled to come home but it was then that I realized that this is real life, and I had to start making plans for recovery and my new disabled life. Thank God I had Mom and Dad to help me. I called my siblings the first week I was home and made them tell me the story of what happened. Reassurance, patience, and love saved the day for me. I became confident that even though this awful thing happened, my family was committed to caring for me and seeking the best treatment.
8. Time off for Caregivers, special time for siblings: It would be great to have some trusted friend/family member willing to keep C company for a few hours. I am highly invested in Mommy getting some time off periodically. I have to figure out how to make it happen more often. If siblings are in the picture they need to know they are special and cared for, too. Here's a post I wrote on caring for a special-needs child.