update- 7.28.06

hey all:

mom is still chugging along in rehab! unfortunately, the feed tube was not removed yesterday. turns out, mom has lost 4 lbs. or so. since she's losing a bit of weight, they can't remove the tube until she starts eating more. a little frustrating, but as soon as she clears up a bit more and is less confused...her eating should improve. right now, the confusion is making it pretty difficult for her. she does eat...just not full meals.

dad got a chance to meet with the outpatient social worker who will be taking mom's case when she is discharged from inpatient rehab (still set for aug. 17th). she'll work with dad when it gets closer on setting up mom's outpatient therapy schedule and such. she'll probably start out with 3 days/week, all day sessions.

other than that, dad is starting preparations for bringing mom home. there is much to be done!! since she is still quite confused, dad will have to make sure the house is mom-proof. it's not a huge deal...but we have to make sure the house will work with her and not against her, if you know what i mean. dad will have to put the car keys away, medicine away, those types of things. she's already expressed desire to drive....so we have to make sure we do everything we can to keep her safe!

overall, mom seems to be in good spirits. she is not so fixated anymore, and talks about a wide variety of things. she writes, reads words and her short term memory is improving bit by bit. she is also walking almost completely on her own! she is definitely gaining her strength back...she even tried a few taekwondo moves outside the other day. go mom! she's really only been in this confusion phase for about 2 weeks now, so it will be a little while longer before things really start to clear up. there are times that she asks questions about what happened to her, but other times she is not at all self-aware (meaning she doesn't realize she's in a hospital and recovering from an accident). mom also has some emotional bouts where she gets pretty upset/confused. while the therapists say this is good (these are the times when she is self-aware), it's difficult to see her so upset. one can only imagine what she is going through.

i can't tell you how important it is to stay positive during this phase! mom has made HUGE improvements since the accident....but there is still a long road of recovery ahead before she will be able to return to her normal routine. dad really needs our support as well. when mom first arrives home, it is expected that he will have to watch her 24/7. he's going to need a lot of love and support during this time as it will probably be stressful at first! thanks to everyone for all the thoughts and prayers thus far. keep on praying, though, becuase there is still much work to be done.

keep working hard mom. hang in there....and stay strong. things will start to clear up and you will be returning to your nest soon! love you so much :)

much love,
xoxox
steph

happy tuesday!

hey all:

just wanted to provide everyone with an update! mom's team of doctors met today for their weekly meeting and filled dad in on her progress. the docs and therapists say they are very pleased with her progress. her discharge date is still set for august 17th.

good news about mom's eating...it's getting better! it has been difficult for her because the ritalin she is taking may be suppressing her appetite. her dr. says between fluids and shakes, as well as the food she eats, she's getting enough calories so that she won't be needing the feed tube anymore! they are planning on removing it on thursday. yay!!! after it's out, they'll watch her pretty closely to make sure she's getting enough to eat...but they seem to think her appetite will improve as time goes on.

also, every day mom is getting more and more thoughtful. she's asking a lot more questions about where she is and what's going on. even better, after being told (by my dad) that she's in a hospital and going to therapy sessions, she can remember and relay that information when asked a few minutes later.

overall...baby steps in the right direction. keep the faith and positive thoughts going, she needs it all! to mom- keep your head up. you are doing amazing. we are so proud of your strength. hang in and keep working hard. you'll be home before you know it!

much love,
xoxox
steph