A Few Steps Forward, A Few Steps In Place

Well, today was frustrating.

Kathy did real well with breakfast and some PT this AM.

Second try for PT went well at first, (made it to restroom & back plus some standing & bedside sitting), However, Kathy ended up in so much pain we had to upgrade the pain meds to Dilaudid (like heroin ), so that shot the rest of today's therapy plans AND lunch, since it knocked her out for almost four hours.
Right now Kathy's up (in bed) & nibbling at dinner (veggie burger, mashed potatoes, sliced peaches, vanilla Ensure, ice cream and Vernor's. We are hoping for maybe 10 -15 bites. & some Ensure.

We managed one more trip to the restroom & then the request for the anti barf meds came. We have three available but can only have one type at a time and must space them, trouble is we never know which one will work when.

Today I received training on all the exercises Kathy will have to do now & when she gets home (I actually practiced each one myself). Some of these are tough even if you don't have vestibular issues!

So today we are another day behind schedule now hoping for home next Monday & still weeks of work to do.

Today my name is Dale again , however Kathy said to Mom & I "I love you both but would really like to kick you!" Of course my retort "Too bad you will not manage to do that until you get better AND you have to do your therapy before that will happen" was not received too well.

A word about courage...

We have all heard what courage 'means'. Grace under fire, not the absence of fear but the mastery of fear.....

I personally have spoken one on one with WWI vets that were gassed & went back to the front, WWII vets that survived the Normandy invasion & hand to hand combat, more than a few Holocaust survivors & Vietnam vets that told of unimaginable scenes of carnage and pain yet kept fighting.

So why do I bring this up?

Because I'm sitting here in this hospital on the neuro wing surrounded by 'common people' that are some of the most courageous people I have ever seen or met.

People like my wife who know if they simply open their eyes or move their head they are going to experience overwhelming pain & nausea but know they must to get better even though days of this suffering lie ahead.

People that have both eyes bandaged and are in pain yet have no idea if they will ever see again and refuse to give up hope and say I will find a way even if.....

Family members that have the courage to come every day to cheer, prod, encourage and love .

And the nurses, aides, techs, doctors and all the support personnel that come each day to help, heal & comfort even though some days they are surrounded by such pain and misery.

And yet do we ever read about this? All this courage every day, in countless hospitals around the world?

You don't have to be religious or believe in G-d to count your blessings my friends.

Thanks to all the ladies in HR @ Ikea, Thomas in Austria, Kay (you are an inspiration), Larry & all at the Heritage Center, Rich D, my very dear friend Renee, AND Bobby Jo, Kathy's dear friend in Kentucky (you make her smile).

dale