Moved in!

Timothy is in his new room!! And the lift and slings have arrived - you can see the lift at the top of the picture. Not all is finished in there yet - I haven't moved his dresser down from upstairs, and his closet isn't finished, but he is on the main floor!

The lift capacity is something like 400 pounds, so the next older brother had fun testing out the "zip line" over the tub in the bathroom!

Our original purpose - making a barrier free living area for Timothy - is now just about complete. The eternal renovations, however, continue - not just the finishing details in Timothy's area, but insulating and modifying the basement, changing windows and re-dry-walling in the master bedroom, etc. But it does feel like the end could truly be in sight.

Bathroom (all but toilet...and curtain)

The tiling, walls, tub, and cabinets are all finished now. We do need a better curtain on the window! And a toilet. And a mirror, but otherwise, it is useable.  Compare the bottom picture in this post with the bottom picture in the January 31, 2009 post!

One picture shows the ceiling track that will take Timothy from his wheelchair into the tub and out again. Yesterday the equipment vendor and occupational therapist came by to fit Timothy with the right size sling for the lift - he quite liked it! 

So now the paperwork is in for the lift motor and the slings, and it's just a matter of time before lifting Timothy in and out of the bath, and in and out of bed, and carrying him up and down stairs, will be a thing of the past!

Bannister manufacturing

It has been a while since the last time I posted - most of that can be blamed on computer woes! One of the most interesting developments in the last month was this fellow who came and made the bannister between the dinette and family room and alongside the ramp. He pretty much moved in with his sort of portable workshop, and bent and laminated this beautiful right angle curve.

The plywood flooring  you see is now all beautiful hardwood and nearly finished - more photos soon. And the bathroom has been painted, ceiling track for the lift installed. Photos of that coming soon too (we're only missing the toilet in the bathroom now!).

Timothy's room also has ceiling track for the lift; the hardwood is being finished there today, and all that remains after that is his pedestal sink, baseboards, closet doors, and, eventually, window coverings. He doesn't need all of that completed to move into the room, so he may be there as soon as next week. Not a moment too soon either - I finally did strain my back lifting him a couple of weeks ago!