Hi Everyone,
I know many of you were concerned about the missed carepage entry. Corey has had a rough few days and last night by the time I headed to bed the energizer bunny ran out of battery!
The heat and her migraines have been a problem. Although we have the air conditioning, she’s still warm. Corey can not regulate her body temperature; therefore we have to be very careful to keep her cool. Heat can promote headaches and seizures! Speaking of seizures, Corey is not currently on migraine medicine. Prior to the accident, she was. Unfortunately, we can not simply add the medication she was on before because of the possible conflict with the existing medications. The doctors are also hesitant to switch her current seizure medications with the old one that helped the migraines because they don’t want the potential for break-through seizures or the possibility of the old medication not working. It’s been difficult to watch her discomfort. Tomorrow morning we will have her first outing to the Doctor’s office to have a baseline physical and talk about the alternative treatment for the migraines. At the moment, we help Corey with head massages and cold compresses to relieve her pain.
Now for the good news;
PT came today. Our day nurse reported a few new firsts for Corey. She is wiggling her left toes and moving her left leg more. The therapist has also noted some positive changes in just 3 visits with Corey. The therapist, with the nurse’s help, had Corey standing at the kitchen sink. She wants her to begin weight bearing on her legs.
The nurse also reported that after therapy she found Corey with both her legs to the side of the bed. She had moved herself down and closer to the side of the bed…she was trying to get out! Needless to say, we are now sitting next to her bed rather than in the kitchen so we can keep an eye on her escape tactics. Corey is also sporting bangs as of this evening. She has begun to pull her hair forward covering her face. We’re not sure if she’s just discovered her ability to pull her hair, if she’s bored or if this is part of the pain of the migraines. Regardless, she no longer looks like “Cousin It” from the Addams Family!
I do have a very exciting surprise to share with all of you. We have a shower bed! A friend of mine in the healthcare field called some vendors and found us a demo bed. It arrived today! It’s just like the shower bed we used at Bryn Mawr. This evening, Corey had her first real shower in 12 days. I was teasing her that she won’t be the smelly kid in the neighborhood anymore! We had a wonderful spa night. Thank you so much to two more angels taking care of Corey’s basic needs. You could just see how wonderful she felt after her shower…PS – I didn’t flood the bathroom either!
Corey first it’s standing at the sink…soon it will be the stove! I was so surprised when the nurse told me about your swinging your legs to the side of the bed, wiggling your left toes and moving your left leg. I was even more excited to hear that you were standing at the sink…and not because I need help with the dishes either!
Each day my heart is filled with a confident hope for your progress instead of a wishful hope. There is a difference. I was driving home from work thinking about you and the people that you have in your life. I was also thinking of all the people that you have touched and may never meet. Dedema used to say that people come into your life for a reason. Sometimes you are meant to be in their lives and sometimes they are meant to be in yours. It’s been extremely difficult for me to except that there is a “reason” for this accident to change your life…our lives. But there have been circumstances in the last 8 months that make me wonder. Meeting the congressman and senators, becoming friends with the founders of the BIA, the healthcare connections and relationships we’ve established, friends, neighbors and people we’ve never met reaching out to help educate, support and share their friendship are examples of what Dedema meant.
When I look back at the timeline and the people that entered our lives just when we needed help, a conversation, a hug, a shoulder to cry on or a friendly voice on the phone, makes me believe in the “reason”. All of these “blessings” are too coincidental…or are they? It doesn’t really matter. What is most important is to Let Go and Let Life Happen. Be grateful. When we are grateful and appreciative for what we have, our mind is occupied with positive thoughts. Gratitude helps us see how problems can change into opportunities, how difficult challenges can lead to magnificent accomplishments. It keeps us focused on the positive. Being positive about right now means being thankful for what we already have. That comes from practicing gratitude on a moment-by-moment basis. I am so grateful for today’s accomplishments. Thank you for reminding me to enjoy the life we have today. Happy dreams, xoxo