Will I get to wear my night splints tonight?

Therapy worked with me for over two months stretching my hips and knees end assisting me by using a gait belt when I stood to transfer. I asked if I might get ankle/leg night splints which would put my ankles in a better position when I slept in might keep them from turning more. The therapist said I would get them but she did not say when.

Therapy ended over a week ago and I had received no night splints. But the therapist said they would be coming.

I was surprised to see the brace lady come up to me on Monday. She showed me the boxy braces she selected for night splints.

She did not try them on because I had my inside the shoe plastic braces on when she came. I reminded her I would wear them on bare legs at night.

On Monday evening a therapist dropped in and explained how the night splints worked. I told him I wanted to wear them at night. He said he wanted me to wear them for a trial – for two hours. I told him I did not think that was necessary.. But since I've had to do this before, I told him to go ahead and put them on. I have not had night splints for a while but used to wear extra splints on the outside of my inside the shoe braces in the daytime. I wore those for several years, and for about three years after I came here. But I can no longer get that brand.

I got a lot of pushback about those outside braces that stretched my heel cords and keep my ankles straight. I always wondered why the aides gave me so much trouble about them.

Monday night I had a disagreement with the nurse. She said she would not let anybody put the braces on me until I built up my tolerance for them. I tried to explain to her that I could do that at night. I said the night splints could be be taken off me if/when they started to her. I wanted to just put my call light on if the braces were uncomfortable and needed to come off. I did not want them to wake me to remove them.

There was an all staff meeting yesterday and I thought my new night splints would be demonstrated. Of course, not all the aides were there.

But I did discuss it with the therapist earlier and she said she would work it out so I could wear them at night. But she also seemed really hesitant.

Tonight the second shift aides told me they will not put the night splints on because they are not familiar and do not know the schedule.

I called my nurse and she said the therapist had set them up to be put on by night shift and they arrive at 11 PM when I am asleep. I did not want to have to wake up to have them put on.

I know they like to divide up the aides' duties. But dayshift always does more than afternoon or night shift. It's really hard to get things even, it just is.

So, I don't know if they will be put the splints on tonight or not. They may consider the time I wear them as similar to physical therapy, since my ankles and lower legs will be stretched.

I will write another installment here when I find out how this turns out.