I just flew in to seattle Wednesday night. We stopped in to see mom. I was AMAZED at how much she has improved in a week and a half. She looked so good.
Dad, Kerri and I spent the day with her yesterday. We had a family meeting in the morning with her team of Doctors and therapist. They are all very encouraged with her progress. They think that she will be released in two weeks.
Here is her progress:
Medical:
She is going great medically. Her skin is mostly cleared up from the multiple rashes. They removed the cathedar yesterday.....Much to her pleasure. She had a small infection at the site of the feeding tube. That is mostly gone. But due to antibiotics she developed another small rash. Her blood pressure is FINALLY stabilizing.
Speech: Speech is coming very slowing. Her favorite word to say is AWESOME. I love to hear her say it especially after she takes 1 step and then says "Awesome!". She is communicating much better. Tries to talk alot which is really good. It is amazing how much our facial features can talk :) They are working with helping her to sound out letters. That is coming very slow. She answers about 80-90% of her questions right. Still has a hard time processing information, but it is coming along. She is eating GREAT! They upgraded her to the next step up from pureed food. She is drinking from a cup now. She is working hard to get the tube out of her stomach.....She HATES the tube. They are not feeding her anymore from the tube.
Physical Therapy:
She is doing very well in physical therapy. She tries very hard and doesnt give up easily even though it wears her out. She is walking better with lots of help. Yesterday she walked about 50 feet. She uses a cane and not the rail anymore. Her right leg (paralyzed side) is supporting her to take steps. The therapist kicks and scoots it along. After walking about 40 feet they were both in a sweat and the therapist asked her if she wanted to stop and rest. She nodded yes, and then told him to keep walking with her. They walked another 10 feet. She had alot of feeling in her right leg, mostly pain but it was good to feel that :)
Occupational Therapy:
Yesterday she was moving her shoulder on her right side. Very little but she was consistent in moving it. The therapist said that her muscles on her right side are WAKING UP! She has tone in her biceps. She is also moving her leg some. We are very excited about this!
Recreational Therapy:
They are ready to plan an OUTING. Next we we are going to go somewhere in the community. Mom was a bit nervous about getting out among alot of people. That is the point to learn how to be in an environment that is not tailored for the handicap. We think we are going to go to a huge landscape nursery business. It is supposed to be all indoors and very beautiful. She was excited about that over the first suggestion to go to target.
Social Worker:
We met with the social worker to make some hard but important decisions on where mom will go in two weeks. Overall we as a family came to the decision that it will be best for them to move to Missouri. They are going to move in with us while we build them a home next to us. Mom sat in on the meeting and was in on the discussion. We asked her what she thought and she cried and cried and pointed to me to come to Missouri. She has been very concerned about the next step and worried. I think she is worried about being a burden. She has been very teary the last week and has cried alot. We all know this is best, but it is so hard to give up their beautiful home, friends, job, coworkers and their good life in Aberdeen. They will have a good life in Missouri also :) It is just hard to make such a big change.
Tonight moms brother David is flying in. We are so thankful for the help he has been and for his good wife Nancy to let him leave her as she just had a major surgery. He helping us make a plan for the move and put things in order. It will be fun to spend the weekend with him. Mom really enjoys visits from her family and friends and is excited to see him.
It was a GREAT day!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Update
Mom is showing little improvements each day. Since I last blogged.......
She passed her swallowing test! YAY! She has been eating pureed food. She loves their Italian Icees and pudding. Robin has been with her this last week. She leaves for home to Missouri tomorrow. She was helping mom get a drink of water and mom said, "This is so good" Shocked, Robin asked her mom did you just say this is so good? and Mom said it again. She told the therapist "Yes" the other day. She is slowing making more sounds. But she gets frustrated very easily.
She is dressing herself by herself mostly now. It just takes her a very long time.
She is up to walking 40 feet in the hallway now. Yesterday she walked with just one person helping her and a cane. It really wears her out to walk that far and she still needs ALOT of help to do it. But it is encouraging that she can hold her head and body up.
The occupational therapist has her working on a craft...not sure what it is.
She is understanding and comprehending more and more each day.
Her brother Dave came up and stayed the day with her and went to all her therapy sessions with her. He really lightened the mood. Mom really enjoyed having him there. I think she put forth some extra effort to show off in front of him :) He and dad went to lunch and that was super for dad also.
I can't really think of anything else....just tiny baby steps. I am so thankful for such a wonderful family and all the support you have given us.
Our next step is to figure out where she will be going home to. We meet with a social worker this week. I am flying out there on Wednesday for another week.....or so :) Pray for us that our family will be united in deciding what and where is the best place for mom to go home to.
Thank you again for all your notes, calls and support.
**Cindy
She passed her swallowing test! YAY! She has been eating pureed food. She loves their Italian Icees and pudding. Robin has been with her this last week. She leaves for home to Missouri tomorrow. She was helping mom get a drink of water and mom said, "This is so good" Shocked, Robin asked her mom did you just say this is so good? and Mom said it again. She told the therapist "Yes" the other day. She is slowing making more sounds. But she gets frustrated very easily.
She is dressing herself by herself mostly now. It just takes her a very long time.
She is up to walking 40 feet in the hallway now. Yesterday she walked with just one person helping her and a cane. It really wears her out to walk that far and she still needs ALOT of help to do it. But it is encouraging that she can hold her head and body up.
The occupational therapist has her working on a craft...not sure what it is.
She is understanding and comprehending more and more each day.
Her brother Dave came up and stayed the day with her and went to all her therapy sessions with her. He really lightened the mood. Mom really enjoyed having him there. I think she put forth some extra effort to show off in front of him :) He and dad went to lunch and that was super for dad also.
I can't really think of anything else....just tiny baby steps. I am so thankful for such a wonderful family and all the support you have given us.
Our next step is to figure out where she will be going home to. We meet with a social worker this week. I am flying out there on Wednesday for another week.....or so :) Pray for us that our family will be united in deciding what and where is the best place for mom to go home to.
Thank you again for all your notes, calls and support.
**Cindy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Swallowing Test
Today they are going to give mom a swallowing test. She will drink a berium (spelling) drink and then they will take X-Rays to see how she is swallowing so they will know what kind of food they can safely give her. They feel her swallowing has improved quite a bit.
She has developed a small infection around the feeding line and have started her on another set of antibiotics....Hopefully she won't break out in a rash again and hopefully we can get rid of the whole line. It has caused her quite a bit of discomfort.
She was up and walking, with ALOT of assistance yesterday. They walked down the hall. She had an air bag on her leg and held on to the rail and Physical therapist.
She is doing better in her speech, she can pronounce about 5-6 letters, She is communicating alot better with getting answers correct. I think they said 80%. They feel she can understand everything you tell her. Sometimes it takes a few seconds to process it.
Robin flew in yesterday and will be here for a week. Hopefully she can fill us in a little better than I have been doing :)
We are making baby steps but at least we are moving forward! Keep her in your prayers.
She has developed a small infection around the feeding line and have started her on another set of antibiotics....Hopefully she won't break out in a rash again and hopefully we can get rid of the whole line. It has caused her quite a bit of discomfort.
She was up and walking, with ALOT of assistance yesterday. They walked down the hall. She had an air bag on her leg and held on to the rail and Physical therapist.
She is doing better in her speech, she can pronounce about 5-6 letters, She is communicating alot better with getting answers correct. I think they said 80%. They feel she can understand everything you tell her. Sometimes it takes a few seconds to process it.
Robin flew in yesterday and will be here for a week. Hopefully she can fill us in a little better than I have been doing :)
We are making baby steps but at least we are moving forward! Keep her in your prayers.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Update from Grandma
I am in Puyallup with Linda for the weekend. they have wonderful therapy here, but it just takes time for the healing to take place. There still is no movement in her right side. She is understanding better, and is responding more clearly. Her swallowing is improving some. She tries to talk, but we are unable to understand her. We do better with "yes and no" questions. Most of the time she understands us and can answer with a shake or nod of the head.
She is learning to dress herself, and take care of her immediate needs. It is a long and slow process. Your prayers and faith are much needed.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Update
I just heard from the Case worker this morning. This is what I know:
Yesterday mom was fighting going to therapy. We are afraid she is a bit depressed and frustrated. The PT finally said, Linda you better do this or you can't be here and we will send you somewhere else. Mom finally started cooperating. She needs lots of encouragement right now. They said there is not any medical issues,(FINALLY!)
Today they said was better. She is responding better to written instructions vs verbal instructions. She is doing better with dressing herself. She is following simple commands. The speech therapist said it takes her about 10 min into therapy and then she starts participating and focusing better.
Tomorrow we have a family meeting with her care team (Doctor, Case worker, Speech, Physical, Occuational and recreational Therapists) They are anticipating her being there 3-4 weeks at this time. It can also change at anytime. Then we are looking at either a nursing home or home and then therapy at one of those locations.
Yesterday mom was fighting going to therapy. We are afraid she is a bit depressed and frustrated. The PT finally said, Linda you better do this or you can't be here and we will send you somewhere else. Mom finally started cooperating. She needs lots of encouragement right now. They said there is not any medical issues,(FINALLY!)
Today they said was better. She is responding better to written instructions vs verbal instructions. She is doing better with dressing herself. She is following simple commands. The speech therapist said it takes her about 10 min into therapy and then she starts participating and focusing better.
Tomorrow we have a family meeting with her care team (Doctor, Case worker, Speech, Physical, Occuational and recreational Therapists) They are anticipating her being there 3-4 weeks at this time. It can also change at anytime. Then we are looking at either a nursing home or home and then therapy at one of those locations.
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