More big changes

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!