I am still recuperating here at my apartment in Kunming.  My injured knee seems to be a little better each day, but in the evenings the neuropathic pain is still a lot to contend with.  Unfortunately, my brother Colin just told me that my knee may take more than a month to really heal properly.

Anyway, today I  just remembered that last week I promised to post photos of the new rooms now ready for international SCI patients coming to the Tongren Hospital.

The idea behind these new rooms is as follows.

International SCI patients can choose to live “off campus” in an attractive new apartment complex located across the street and within easy (10 minute) wheelchair commute from the hospital.  This is how I am set up.

The alternative is to live right inside the hospital, which is what some other program participants do.  Presently, living in the hospital means taking a very nice twin-bedded private room on the 7th floor, which offers 24-hour nursing care and is run pretty much like a modern private hospital ward elsewhere  in the world.

Now that rehab operations have been relocated to the spacious new 2nd floor centre, the next development phase is to offer international SCI patients residential accommodation on a turn-key (everything included) basis on the recently-renovated top floor of the hospital overlooking the Himalayan foothills.

The concept is to offer international SCI patients an opportunty to get right to work on rehab and save the time and expense of setting up a private residence in China.  In my case, my sister Tiffany was our “advance man” and came over here in early January to secure an apartment and get it fitted out for me.  With some assistance from long-term expats living here, getting an apartment up and running is not too hard, but not being rushed at the beginning is definitely an advantage and will both reduce cost as well as get a better end result.

So Tongren’s new offer to international SCI program participants is to live inside the hospital on a month-to-month basis in a residence-like environment on the top floor.  And then if an individual wishes later to rent a private apartment across the street, this can be arranged without rush or waste.

The 8th floor of the hospital has therefore been designed with this idea in mind and should appeal to individuals who wish to come here on their own and get right into the rehab program without having to set up their own household right away.

There are 14 large rooms or suites on the 8th floor, each with ensuite bathroom with wheelchair accessible shower.  Of these, 11 are so-called “Standard VIP” rooms + one is an over-sized  “Studio” room + there are two large “Suites” that comprise separate bedroom and living room.

These rooms were originally intended for VIP Chinese patients, so they’re very nice … hospital beds hidden inside wooden frames, green leather upholstery, wall-mounted flat screen TVs in every room, maid service, etc.

Here are some photos.

My sister Tiffany + Dr. Zhu at 8th floor entrance

Wide, sunny corridors on top floor

“Standard VIP” room (maid service included)

Spacious “Studio” with desk + work area

“Studio” viewed from living area corner

Sister Tiffany in the “Suite” living room

Also located on the new 8th floor is a kitchen where residents can choose to prepare their own meals if they don’t like the hospital cafeteria food, and there is also a general purpose recreational room for movies, reading, games and general social activities.

24-hour nursing care and a full range of hospital medical resources are obviously also available, as required.