She ready to drive, not!

Peggy-san has been home for over 2 weeks and is progressing wonderfully! The PT and OT persons come in 3-4 times a week. She doesn't need speech therapy, so it's just learning new exercises for strengthening and balance work. She is welcoming anyone who wants to visit or call. I take her out about 2 times a week. We've been to the mall, to lunch, to breakfast, asian market and she's been to my house. Peggy-san thinks she might be able to drive, she mentioned today that she has use of her right leg and that's the one she drives with! I told her to hold off on that thought! Let's wait til' you can walk to the car yourself first!

Home again and back to reality

Peggy left the hospital yesterday. She was so excited to get home. I rolled her around the 8th floor and through Rehab so she could say goodbye to everyone. It was a bittersweet farewell, she made so many friends there. I know that the caregivers see patients come and go on a daily basis. I just hope they know how much of an impact they make on their patients, my mom will never forget them! She plans on visiting and taking them
"flied lice", you know, "fried rice!"
Once Peggy got home, I saw the reality set in...........Peggy just might be wondering
"how the heck am I gona' get back to normal?"
We absolutely take for granted our appendiges!! Have you ever tried to peel a banana with one hand? How about open a bag of Fritos, or butter toast? Yeah, it ain't easy, folks! Thank goodness Peggy is getting a grasp (no pun intended) of the situation. She does have good ole' common sense and strong teeth! In rehab she has been learning to hold items with her very, very weak left hand. Eventually it will have a stronger grasp and the ability to hold items securely but it takes time and practice, practice, practice!! So, the rehab will continue at home, 3 days a week. She looks forward to rehab and learning new ways to do things at home and one day soon, "get back to normal!"

To Dust or NOT to Dust!

Saturday Peggy-san went home to her Ranch style Townhouse. (thank goodness it is one level)
She FREAKED OUT! It was very overwhelming for her. She hasn't been walking on carpet. Her tennis shoes kept sticking as she tried to shuffle across the livingroom. New challenge for PT: no shuffling, pick the feet up off the ground. This was the whole idea of going home for a few hours, see what needs to be worked on. She took a little nap and was able to get into her bed with no trouble.
Remember when Peggy-san said that she'd be doing some DUSTING! Well, she didn't do much of that! Just the ride home made her tired. Seven weeks NOT riding in the car made her a "nervous nelly" perhaps because she was use to being behind the wheel!
She did eat several tacos for lunch, even Taco Bell was a pleasant change from the hospital food!
Peggy-san has annouced that she will NOT be coming home the next day for a "pass"!
"The next time I come home, it will be for good!"

Weekend Pass Plus

Peggy-san's hard work is paying off! She will have a few hours this Saturday and Sunday out of the hospital! The OT's & PT's are wanting her to go home and see what needs to be
worked on, in regard to her abilities of getting around her house. The nurses asked her what will she do when she gets home, Peggy-san said "dust"!!
The "PLUS" is..........she is being release on Wednesday the 5th of August!! IF she continues
with her progress! She is working REALLY deligently! Walking with her cane 150 feet became 300 feet because Peggy-san insisted! When you see her raise her little fist and say "I am
determination" , you gotta' love her!
Once again, thanks for the happy thoughts!

Colorado Maggie-net

I visited Peggy-san after being gone for the last week. (Scott and I were in Colorado)
When I entered her room today, she says to me,
"did you have a good time, did you bring me a Maggie-net?" And you know, by golly, I had that Colorado Magnet and even a Colorado T-shirt with me! Thank goodness!!
It was amazing how much Peggy-san has improved this past week. The best part for me was seeing her smile more. The slight paralysis on the left side of her face looks totally absent! While telling me stories of the week, she was laughing and looked like her "natural" self!
This was very uplifting for me............I am so amazed by her humor in a situation like this.
Today Peggy-san said, " I told the nurses, I am their best patient". Well she must be a pretty good patient, Peggy-san received some beautiful garden flowers from one of her nurse's yesterday, a bouquet fresh from nurse C's yard!

Left, Right, Cane!

This deal with Peggy-san has been such a learning experience!! It is all about "cues". She is learning to work the left arm and leg though she does not "feel" them. She is doing really well at walking with a cane with very little assistance! It is "left foot, right foot, cane", over and over again. I have so much respect for the PT and OT people! What patience and compassion they all seem to possess! One young lady, Kristin, an intern, left the hospital yesterday to go back to school. She gave my mom a beautiful thank you note. She was thanking my mom for being such a happy and determined lady and that it was a pleasure to work with her AND she would miss my mom! That says it all, don't you think? My mom is a "gem" in the rehab unit and continues to shine on!!
Scott and I are going to take our vacation, we leave in the morning for Colorado. It was a hard decision but we got Peggy-san's OK!! She is in good hands and will be there for perhaps 2-3 more weeks. Vacationing will be a little more difficult once she is home, I think I will be hanging out with her a lot!
I will get back to the blog in a week when we return.
Give Peggy-san a call, at noon or after 4pm. 816-932-3051, thanks!

Getting stronger everyday!

Here she is with Peyton, who brought Peggy-san a wonderful puppy dog that keeps her arm raised and comfy!

Peggy-san shows signs of improvement everyday! What I have noticed the most is the strength she has gained in her right side (the good side). She can stand onto her "steady eddy", this is a really cool transport device on which she can stand and get rolled into the bathroom. Her balance is really good and her control of the left side is sooooo much better! Peggy-san with her good/right hand will pick up her left hand then let it drop and says "I don't feel a thing!" But the Rehab people tell me it is so good that she is aware that she has the left arm and leg, some people totally forget their paralyzed side. The Rehabbers are delighted with her attitude! so positive! Today she walked with the four legged cane for 45 minutes, that is a major achievement!

Thank you for all who have visited and the positive thoughts flowing her way!!