Thursday update
Wow the days run together. I almost labeled this post "Monday update" but then I caught my error and changed it to "Wednesday update." You can see I realized my error there too.
I spent most of the day running errands, so I didn't make it to most of her therapies. Karen Smith was here for most of the day though and said things went well. Linda is eating well and faster. She only needed an hour and a half for dinner tonight.
Linda seemed pleased with how her therapies went today. She wanted me to report that she has a new skill. She can flex her right wrist up and down, and she's pretty pleased about that (she was formerly right-handed).
Her new wheelchair is working out well. She has no problem holding her own head, and I know she feels more actively engaged in the world since she isn't so reclined. She did report last night that she was short of breath whenever in her wheelchair, but it turned out to just be posture. Once she straightened up it was fine. Strangely she has a bit more trouble voicing when sitting up well, but she seems to be working through that obstacle quickly.
She personally feels that her progress is very slow despite the reality that her recovery is so good as to be off the charts (or at least an extreme outlier as my stat friends would put it). I told her that rehab is like a dissertation: weeks and months of mental anguish feeling like you are going nowhere at all, then looking back and seeing that you did a lot. Or maybe dissertations are like rehab. You probably never want to have to do either.
She said she likes me to stay the night because the sound of my breathing makes her relax. Then she told the nurse that I snore. So I don't know if the sound of my snoring makes her relax. All I know is that she likes to have me around.
During our conversations I discovered that Linda doesn't remember the hospital at all. She doesn't remember being visited, or the nurses, or much of anything other than small fragments. It's not really much of a surprise, and probably a blessing. She does remember a few tiny things, including the plexi-pulse boots that squeezed her feet, and the sound of her neurologist's voice, and the manicure that one of the volunteers gave her (thanks again, Doreen). I was really surprised when she remembered the manicure. I didn't even know she was awake for it.
The creation plexi-glass letter board seems to be the turning point for forming lots of memories. I suppose that just goes to show how important being able to communicate is for establishing memory.
Wow the days run together. I almost labeled this post "Monday update" but then I caught my error and changed it to "Wednesday update." You can see I realized my error there too.
I spent most of the day running errands, so I didn't make it to most of her therapies. Karen Smith was here for most of the day though and said things went well. Linda is eating well and faster. She only needed an hour and a half for dinner tonight.
Linda seemed pleased with how her therapies went today. She wanted me to report that she has a new skill. She can flex her right wrist up and down, and she's pretty pleased about that (she was formerly right-handed).
Her new wheelchair is working out well. She has no problem holding her own head, and I know she feels more actively engaged in the world since she isn't so reclined. She did report last night that she was short of breath whenever in her wheelchair, but it turned out to just be posture. Once she straightened up it was fine. Strangely she has a bit more trouble voicing when sitting up well, but she seems to be working through that obstacle quickly.
She personally feels that her progress is very slow despite the reality that her recovery is so good as to be off the charts (or at least an extreme outlier as my stat friends would put it). I told her that rehab is like a dissertation: weeks and months of mental anguish feeling like you are going nowhere at all, then looking back and seeing that you did a lot. Or maybe dissertations are like rehab. You probably never want to have to do either.
She said she likes me to stay the night because the sound of my breathing makes her relax. Then she told the nurse that I snore. So I don't know if the sound of my snoring makes her relax. All I know is that she likes to have me around.
During our conversations I discovered that Linda doesn't remember the hospital at all. She doesn't remember being visited, or the nurses, or much of anything other than small fragments. It's not really much of a surprise, and probably a blessing. She does remember a few tiny things, including the plexi-pulse boots that squeezed her feet, and the sound of her neurologist's voice, and the manicure that one of the volunteers gave her (thanks again, Doreen). I was really surprised when she remembered the manicure. I didn't even know she was awake for it.
The creation plexi-glass letter board seems to be the turning point for forming lots of memories. I suppose that just goes to show how important being able to communicate is for establishing memory.
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