The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 51

Zeke put the walker in the closet.
Thus began the first of many
paradoxes we encountered on this
journey: We were facilitating Zeke's
comfort and quality of life, all the while
supporting his approaching death. And
he was thankful that he could continue
being his own boss at home.

father, now a terminally ill patient. I was grateful
for the invite, and readily agreed.
Zeke put the walker in the closet.

ACCEPTANCE

Thus began the first of many paradoxes we
encountered on this journey: We were facilitating
Zeke's comfort and quality of life, all the while
supporting his approaching death. And he was
thankful that he could continue being his own
boss at home.
Over a year, the disease slowly robbed him of
flesh, strength and endurance, and we moved into
the "rehabilitation in reverse" phase of his palliative
care: Therapies were less frequent and focused
on adaptations that would allow him maximum
independence. Energy conservation strategies
allowed him to make simple meals. The physical
therapist pulled the dusty walker out of the closet.
We removed doors and installed a lift chair.
I gained new appreciation for the demands
of caregiving. As a wife and mother working
full time, I was shopping for both households
and constantly stopping at Zeke's to check on
him. I grew especially worried when he began to

experience falls. Once, he even fell backward into
his empty bathtub and lay there for six hours until
discovered-cold and hungry. Zeke finally agreed
to a medical alert system, and as I placed the
emergency call button necklace around his shirt
collar, I realized he had made this compromise for
me.
I also realized that for patients with advanced
illness, supporting their letting go of lifelong
functions such as eating, talking and even life
itself, is a part of our role as SLPs. The gift my
father gave me was the opportunity to push and
pull each other as we together addressed the
paradox of a good life while dying. And to face
the fears we all face when it comes to death,
terminal illness and grief.
I asked his nurse if I should take family/medical
leave to care for Zeke. She responded, "Not yet.
You'll know when it's time."

REhAbiliTATioN iN REvERsE

One night is etched in my memory. As Zeke stood
from his lift chair at bedtime, I saw swollen legs
and feet attempting to feel the floor underneath.
When he finally reached the bed 15 minutes later,
le ader .pubs. asha .org

51



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The ASHA Leader - February 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The ASHA Leader - February 2015

Contents
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - Intro
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - Cover1
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - Cover2
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - Contents
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 2
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 3
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 4
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 5
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 6
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 7
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 8
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 9
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 10
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 11
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 12
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 13
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 14
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 15
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 16
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 17
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 18
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 19
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 20
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 21
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 22
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 23
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 24
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 25
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 26
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 27
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 28
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 29
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 30
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 31
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 32
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 33
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 34
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 35
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 36
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 37
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 38
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 39
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 40
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 41
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 42
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 43
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 44
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 45
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 46
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 47
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 48
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 49
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 50
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 51
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 52
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 53
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 54
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 55
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 56
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 57
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 58
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 59
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 60
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 61
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 62
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 63
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 64
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 65
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 66
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 67
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 68
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 69
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 70
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 71
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - 72
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - Cover3
The ASHA Leader - February 2015 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0816
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0716
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0616
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0516
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0416
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0316
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_1215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_1115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_1015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0915
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0815
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0715
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0615
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0515
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0315
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_1214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_mediakit2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_1114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_1014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/leader_0914
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/theleader_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/theleader_20100921
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/theleader_20090811_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/asha/theleader_20090811
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com