Door to Remain Open

Thursday 6 December 2001
(NOTES):
more work on independence today. He worked on balance and memory, getting dressed. For the first time, Marshall and Kellie came to see how Brian's therapy works. Since he will be going home soon, they need to know how to work with him. Brian also played soccer and walked outside later in the day, and worked on the computer. Comprehension skills and memory work are ongoing. 
In the evening, Dave and Brian were doing the usual hike around and around the Unit hallways (Brian's boundless energy requires these endless circuits). At one point, outside the closed gym doors, Brian noted the sign that read: "Door to remain closed when room is unoccupied". Thinking this utterly ridiculous, he responded, "Then how do you get in?" He and Dave returned to Brian's room, got paper and pens, and Brian wrote his question as a sign. He signed it, and the two of them, giggling madly, taped the sign to the door. It remained there until Brian left, when I retrieved it so it wouldn't get thrown out. The doors remained open thereafter, and Dr. Byers, the head psychiatrist, wrote on it, "Yeh?!"
Brian weighs 154 pounds.

Here is the original sign from that evening. Click on it to enlarge.

This is still one of my favorite rehab moments. They were so funny, and this joke dragged on for months after Brian left. He eventually created his own version of a proper sign for the door, and printed it up with the help of his speech therapist. If I can find a copy, I will post it at a later date.