Really, part deux

[*Jen*]

Always so wonderful to read about her progress! Thanks for checking in

 

[Kasey]

Bumping Lee back to page one! She posted on Facebook today!

 

[Aceon6]

Bumping Lee back to page one! She posted on Facebook today!

Yup. She’s heading back to the facility near home.

 

[NeilJLeonard]

Yup. She’s heading back to the facility near home.

Rimbey Hospital is what she posted on Facebook.

NJL (ETA: I looked on MapQuest and, if memory serves, she is not that far away from home. If nothing else this make for a shorter drive for Gerry to visit her.....)

 

[skatesindreams]

Will we be able to resume our flower deliveries while she is there?

 

[Aceon6]

Will we be able to resume our flower deliveries while she is there?

@pat c would know. IIRC, we were close to using up the funds.

 

[pat c]

Lee is still in Red Deer. We had a nice visit from PatC and her husband at the end of April, and Lee really perked up for a bit.

Lee's eyesight has been a bit sketchy as you all know. So one of the things I did while visiting Lee was catch her up on FSU. I took my laptop and I asked her what threads she wanted caught up in and I'd read them to her. Lee would comment occasionally, for those of you who remember how she wrote.........use your imagination.

Will we be able to resume our flower deliveries while she is there?

She got one today.

@pat c would know. IIRC, we were close to using up the funds.

Still a few deliveries to go - I"m thinking about 4.

 

[skatesindreams]

Still a few deliveries to go - I"m thinking about 4.

Keep us posted.
I believe our flowers lift Lee's spirits!

 

[victorskid]

Yeah for being closer to home again

Here's to continued forward progress - slow and steady can win the race

 

[Gerry]

Hi everybody!

Here we are, Day 933... and as I type this, Lee is sitting beside me, eating her supper. Despite her jaw not working properly, for the last week she has eaten everything they bring her, managing it all by herself! Every day she seems a bit straighter, a little stronger, and a touch more with it. I should know better by now, but I'm pretty optimistic about how she is doing!

It's good to be back in our little hospital... the docs and nurses all know her, and are happy to have her back. They notice changes right away, and spend time bantering with her... if she needs specialized scans or tests, those live at the end of an hour-long ambulance ride, but as long as she is stable, that's not really an issue.

She also isnt getting as much Physio or Therapy as she did in the big hospital, but now that Summer is almost here, I can help out... I might know a little about that department.

Still on the list is another visit to the optometrist, to try and find a prescription that works. Once she can see to type and read, you guys are in trouble. She will be on her own, with time on her hands and an internet connection.

I am not responsible. Just sayin'...

 

[Aceon6]

Yay, @Really and yay @Gerry.

 

[Spun Silver]

How lovely to get a report without a crisis in it... finally! And how nice to hear you sounding relaxed, Gerry (relatively).

Here's to small steady improvements! Celebrations are in order!

 

[Jayar]

<3

 

[attyfan]

Thank you, G-d, and thank you Gerry for posting the update.

 

[MrSatterwhite]

I love good news!

 

[paskatefan]

Keep the good news coming, Gerry. We're all pulling for you & Lee!

 

[once_upon]

Yay! I think good thoughts and pray her recovery continues

 

[Finnice]

Looking forward her posting again! Yay for the good news! Thank you,@Gerry!

 

[skatesindreams]

Once she can see to type and read, you guys are in trouble. She will be on her own, with time on her hands and an internet connection.

I look forward to that!

 

[Lizziebeth]

Hope Lee gets those glasses soon and can join in the snark during the off season and when the new skating season starts!!

 

[NeilJLeonard]

NJL

 

[Gerry]

Hi guys!

Things continue to move right along, here... Lee is eating everything at every meal, is working on her strength and is generally more alert and focused every day. I got her some of those 'one-reader' reading glasses (yeah, I know... I went to Walmart in Denver to buy some sneakers and they were hanging at the cashier)... anyway, they sort of work to let her focus, so you might see her online a bit more.

She made me a card today, wish I could share it with you, but it's nice. She wrote inside it "Just because I love you - Lee". On cue: "Awwww..."

Another batch of flowers arrived today from 'Her friends on FSU"... thank you to those who are doing this... they really brighten up her room and her spirits.

Tonight, her care aides "took her swimming"... hauled her off to the big tub for a long soak and bath... banished me to the TV room for an hour. She will sleep well tonight. Good thing, too... the other night, when I was in Denver, she called 4 times through the night. Just wanted to talk; couldn't sleep; was lonely; missed my face... good thing the next day was a travel day, so I could sleep on the plane.

I'm done work for the summer, so I'll be able to stay with her more; I plan on lots of physio with her; because I'm a little more aggressive than the physio people, we'll see how that goes. My long-forgotten biomechanics and physiology training is going to get some exercise...

We have to work on getting her vision sorted out (Optometrist appointment in early July, these readers were only a stopgap), are going to work on legs (straightening knees, has some hamstring contractures to stretch out) and ankles (has some calf (gastroc/soleus/achilles) contractures to stretch out, and one foot (plantar fascia is overly tight, gives her ballerina foot) before we can think about getting upright. We will work on more core strength and also try to remediate her neck for range of motion.

She can't open her mouth much... it looks like a closed-lock situation, like you can get with jaw dislocation. She can open her mouth enough to eat (sort of... not enough to chew, so no teenburger yet. Blender food.) and to talk. Other than that, she can't get a spoon in there, can't chew, and has no sideways motion in her lower jaw, which is likely muscle spasm. She suffered some stress there in her last surgery, when they had to pry her open to re-establish a failed airway, so I'm thinking she may be suffering from anterior displacement of her TMJ discs. We have some options with that, and I'll keep learning about it ... the docs don't seem to be very 'up' on that particular issue... and we just AREN'T looking for more surgery right now; having a closed mouth makes intubation a nightmare.

Gawd, look at me... trying to make it so she can open her mouth more. After all these years of telling her to close it...

Anyway, things are good here. I'll let you know how things keep progressing.

Thanks for being there for us!

Gerry

 

[antmanb]

Gawd, look at me... trying to make it so she can open her mouth more. After all these years of telling her to close it...

thinking of you both and sending you best healing wishes.

 

[barbarafan]

Hi guys!

Things continue to move right along, here... Lee is eating everything at every meal, is working on her strength and is generally more alert and focused every day. I got her some of those 'one-reader' reading glasses (yeah, I know... I went to Walmart in Denver to buy some sneakers and they were hanging at the cashier)... anyway, they sort of work to let her focus, so you might see her online a bit more.

She made me a card today, wish I could share it with you, but it's nice. She wrote inside it "Just because I love you - Lee". On cue: "Awwww..."

Another batch of flowers arrived today from 'Her friends on FSU"... thank you to those who are doing this... they really brighten up her room and her spirits.

Tonight, her care aides "took her swimming"... hauled her off to the big tub for a long soak and bath... banished me to the TV room for an hour. She will sleep well tonight. Good thing, too... the other night, when I was in Denver, she called 4 times through the night. Just wanted to talk; couldn't sleep; was lonely; missed my face... good thing the next day was a travel day, so I could sleep on the plane.

I'm done work for the summer, so I'll be able to stay with her more; I plan on lots of physio with her; because I'm a little more aggressive than the physio people, we'll see how that goes. My long-forgotten biomechanics and physiology training is going to get some exercise...

We have to work on getting her vision sorted out (Optometrist appointment in early July, these readers were only a stopgap), are going to work on legs (straightening knees, has some hamstring contractures to stretch out) and ankles (has some calf (gastroc/soleus/achilles) contractures to stretch out, and one foot (plantar fascia is overly tight, gives her ballerina foot) before we can think about getting upright. We will work on more core strength and also try to remediate her neck for range of motion.

She can't open her mouth much... it looks like a closed-lock situation, like you can get with jaw dislocation. She can open her mouth enough to eat (sort of... not enough to chew, so no teenburger yet. Blender food.) and to talk. Other than that, she can't get a spoon in there, can't chew, and has no sideways motion in her lower jaw, which is likely muscle spasm. She suffered some stress there in her last surgery, when they had to pry her open to re-establish a failed airway, so I'm thinking she may be suffering from anterior displacement of her TMJ discs. We have some options with that, and I'll keep learning about it ... the docs don't seem to be very 'up' on that particular issue... and we just AREN'T looking for more surgery right now; having a closed mouth makes intubation a nightmare.

Gawd, look at me... trying to make it so she can open her mouth more. After all these years of telling her to close it...

Anyway, things are good here. I'll let you know how things keep progressing.

Thanks for being there for us!

Gerry

Glad there is so much improvement Gerry. I am wondering if you have consulted with an accupuncturist re: her mouth.
I have a terrific one but I live in Mtl. I went to her first when I managed to get a nice hole in my rotater cuff in my shoulder.In agony if I moved it. I was sent to physio for 10 treatments but they told me I would be better with accupuncture (I had had cancer 2yrs b4 and so they could not use anything electronic on me)and just gave me the card. I felt good after 1 session ,great after the 2nd, and perfect after 3. My followup ultrasound was a month later and hole was completely closed. She also introduced me to the world of magnets for spinal damage I had which I have used ever since. Anyways she may have some ideas and will let you know if accupuncture can fix or improve situation.

 

[Finnice]

Great news!

 

[skatesindreams]

Thank you for sharing such positive news, Gerry.
I wish that the appointment with the eye specialist could be "fast-tracked".

 

[once_upon]

Tell Lee Hi!
The card sounds sweet.

 

[NeilJLeonard]

GOOD! Please keep posting the good news...

NJL (…..…)

 

[insideedgeua]

I know you don’t think so, but you really deserve a medal Gerry! Lee is a very lucky woman to have you in her life.

I hope she continues to make such wonderful progress.

 

[skipaway]

Continuing to send you and Lee best wishes with her recovery. Glad to see such positive movements.