Hi Everyone,
If the nurses from our homecare agency thought they were going to have a cake assignment, they are sadly mistaken! I think Corey has hit the agitated stage of the coma recovery scale. She is pulling her hair, trying to pull out her feeding tube, kicking her leg trying to hit us, beginning to get restless in her wheelchair and started to hum when she’s angry.
This morning she was wide awake at 5am. She was up and out of bed by 6:30 and ready to go! By 8am, she was leaning forward trying to get up and out of her chair. The day nurse that came today has not seen Corey in awhile. Her usual assignment is at night. She was very surprised to see Corey’s activity. Before I left for work, we got her on the matte and I instructed her on the exercise routines that will keep Corey busy. I also had Corey standing up and Corey took two steps towards her wheelchair. She lifted her right leg and Sharise manipulated the left step. Corey was so happy.
Today was the official start to our district therapy. All three disciplines arrived, PT/OT/ST. Sharise reported that all three therapists were pleased with Corey’s abilities and all three are excited about working with her. I know how excited I get when I see Corey’s progress, but it’s especially reassuring when the nurses and new therapists witness her achievements.
Corey was so energized by her therapy, Sharise reported that she wouldn’t rest all day. She tried to put Corey into her bed for a rest period between activities but Corey would swing her legs to the side of the bed, reached for the bedrail and tried to get out of bed! Miss Party Pants wanted no parts of naptime…exactly the same response when she was little. The nurses better get ready for this one; she’s high energy! I can hear my mother now, ‘apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’.
Corey I’m glad that when life pushes against you, you push back. I wasn’t always happy about that characteristic of your personality, but I’m very grateful you still have that today! You have always expected the best of yourself and then would push a little more…only towards what interested you. The one aspect of your life that you never compromised was your dedication to being physically fit. It used to amaze me that no matter how many hours you were rehearsing in the gym, you kept pushing and would go back 3-4 nights a week. You are a true athelete. Thank goodness for that mindset and discipline. I never thought I’d say this but thank goodness for that stubbornness and relentless determination.
The following motivational reading must have been written with you in mind;
“Successful people push themselves. Everyone else waits to be pushed. When someone else does the pushing, you don’t get where you want to go. Inside of you are unlimited possibilities that will take you wherever you want to go. The desires you have, the things you want for your life, come to you only because you know, at some level, that they are possible. You have what it takes, so use it. When you push yourself toward your dreams, nothing can push you away” ~ Ralph Marston
Corey you are capable, full of life and energy. You have what it takes to move past this. Don’t let anything stop you. Keep pushing yourself and keep pushing us to help you achieve your goal. Go for it! xoxo