Friday Update

June 27, 2008

by Judy

Today we began to see a bright light at the end of the tunnel! We can be fairly sure that no more surgeries lie ahead, and we said good-bye to intensive care. Doreen had 7 different visitors (in 3 groups) and a long phone call, and handled them all very well. She cooperated with the therapists and initiated some of the exercises herself. She fell asleep only a few times. We have lots of reasons to feel positive and optimistic!

When Dr. Kachmann came to see her in ICU, it took very little time for him to say it was time to get her out of that unit. He said it was time to get her closer to home. Clearly, the shunt surgery did what it was supposed to do, and he feels we are ready for the next step.

The therapists came to ICU before she was transferred, and they had Doreen sit on the edge of the bed, which she did with only minimal support, and she was able to correct her balance reasonably well. They had her lift her legs while sitting, and they had her push against resistance with her arms and her legs. Her left side is still clearly weaker, but she was able to lift her left arm by herself. To get it over her head, though, she needed help. When they asked her to comb her hair (what is left of it), the purpose was occupational therapy, but she wanted a wider-toothed comb. We are afraid there will need to be a little more attention to her hair before it will meet her standards.

Eating remains a concern. Anything that seems too heavy is difficult for her to handle. So she has more interest in fruit, Jello, and drinks than in main dishes. She does have a lot of flexibility in what they will allow her to eat, though, so we are continuing to look for new and appetizing options that will also be nutritious.

When Judy did a crossword puzzle with Doreen today, she was doing it very quickly. She did not get a confused about some of the clues as she had in the past few days. So it may be time to try harder puzzles, although it will get easier when she is better at using her vision. Some confusion still shows in the understanding of when things will or did occur in her social schedule. We will gradually try to help her understand the extent of interruption that is occurring in her life. The increased awareness and functioning is both an advantage and disadvantage as she remembers her plans and needs to be told what will not be possible.

This weekend will be a time to visit with some grandchilden and others. It is wonderful that she will be able to enjoy it more after these advances!