Rehab

Janet, A Success Story. June 24. #TSJ

When we were in Ottawa last week there was an event on called Rib Fest. A bunch of world famous rib restaurants had food trucks set up competing against each other for who made the best ribs. It was fun to watch but neither of us eat ribs, or so I thought. Curtis made some for dinner tonight and to my shock Janet gobbled them up! Who knew she was such a carnivore? All she would eat at Rib Fest was corn on the cob but tonight she was licking her fingers with a smile on her face. Recipes anyone?

I had Janet walking a lot tonight including all the way up to Games Night. I found that she had better form when not hanging onto me at all. She stood straighter and her steps were more deliberate. She didn’t like having to freestyle walk as much as she did but smiled each time she completed a trip. There were a couple of stumbles when holding my hand and zero when she was on her own. Going to keep pushing her to do more on her own.

There was a bit of a delay before Janet could use the Standing Frame today so she wasn’t in it till after dinner. The timing actually was perfect as she got to watch the last part of Genie Bouchard’s round one victory at Wimbledon. That was probably the quickest forty five minutes Janet has spent in that machine as she really enjoyed the match and made some excellent observations during it.

Praying that Janet has a deep and healing sleep that brings lots of energy for a productive Wednesday.

Janet, A Success Story. June 23. #TSJ Back to Work

The transition back to “work” for Janet seemed to go real well as when I got to Connect late this afternoon Janet gave me one of her best daily run downs ever. She seemed very bright and her memory was working almost shockingly well. According to her, all her exercises were done and the report she gave me was so good I didn’t feel a need to verify it.

By the time we were done talking and Janet was up and dressed it was dinner time. We ate outside in the beautiful 28 degree sunshine while the rest of the house sat in the freezing cold air conditioning. They think we are crazy. I think Janet may come home sooner if Connect is going to be so ridiculously cold.

In keeping with her increased brightness, Janet, on a number of occasions started walking around her room unassisted and without being asked. Her confidence level has never been higher I don’t think and it translated into me sometimes not even watching as she moved about her room. Considering she barely freestyle walked at all in Ottawa I was really surprised she attempted and did it so much today. Near the end of the night she relied on me more, even to the point of refusing to go to the kitchen from the living room for a cookie. Because I wouldn’t hold her hand she turned around in the middle of the floor and walked back to the couch, turned and sat all by herself. She thought she was depriving me of something I wanted her to do when in fact she practiced turning and sitting without hanging onto anything. I could not have gotten her to do that voluntarily and may have discovered a new strategy.

We spent some time reading and catching up on emails. Janet did a good job on all fronts especially typing where once she got warmed up was even hitting the space bar without prompting. A new thing for her.

The wedding of course is top of everyone’s discussion list with Janet and she was thrilled to sit and share some pictures with Chelsea and Karl tonight. She gets a little excited when doing things like that and sometimes skips over some detail she ought to point out and forgets names but all in all she did a good job describing each pic. She very smoothly recounted the great job Courtney did with her hair and laughed along with the rest of us at the pig tails that were put in to hold some hair out of the way for a bit. It’s nice to hear Janet laugh at things like that instead of commenting on how “awful” she thinks she looks.

The process begins

The process begins

Funny but cute too

Funny but cute too

Final touches

Final touches

Ready!

Ready!

Praying for another outstanding day tomorrow.

Janet, A Success Story. June 20. #TSJ Wedding Eve

I used to write how Janet seemed to be on a roller coaster during the first months of her recovery and today could very well be summed up as that. It started a little later than planned as it took longer for the morning routine than usual but by 9:30 we were having breakfast with Janet’s dad, Doug, and his wife Joan. It has been four years since we have seen them in person and Janet was very excited to do so. Doug suffered a stroke a year before Janet’s aneurysm which made him even less of a talker than he used to be but Janet and Joan kept the conversation going really well and it was an enjoyable start to the day.

Wanting to get out in the sun, Janet and I went for what was to be a nice exploratory walk with the option of finding me some new sunglasses. After a two block false start (Janet needed her sweater) we maneuvered along the very bumpy sidewalks for almost an hour. Janet wasn’t enjoying it much because of the bumps and said she needed to go to the bathroom. I love it when she initiates that task and hate it when she doesn’t make it to the toilet in time. We were less than three minutes from the time she mentioned it to the time she was getting out of her wheelchair, but it was too late. I was most unimpressed, as a large part of the morning had already been spent in the bathroom and I have no idea what brought on the increased need to go. Back to the hotel we went, now late for our lunch date with Mary/Gaga and Keith and by the time we did catch up to them the sun had pretty much left the area we were to have lunch in. It was still nice to hang out with them for a while even in the shade.

While Janet tried to nap, I got to do laundry. At least there was a soccer game on. Janet had her eyes closed for maybe twenty minutes and probably didn’t sleep at all so got up to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. Things seemed to be improving toileting wise and after getting dressed with hair by Courtney and make up by Heather, off we went. Allan’s parents hosted the rehearsal dinner at their house out in the country a little bit and it was a nice change from the bustle of Ottawa. Most places we’ve been to on this trip are not wheelchair friendly and I found it easier to have Janet walk into the house tonight rather than try and lift her wheelchair up the steps. She did a great job stepping up again, with lots of support but doing more of the work than she’s been capable of before. People were helpful in getting Janet down the steps at the back and out onto the grass where the sun was. The rehearsal was short and sweet and we learned Janet is going to have a tough time walking with Heather down the aisle so I will likely be there for support too. Janet really enjoyed sitting out in the sun for dinner watching the dogs play, the chipmunks hop around and the dogs chase the chipmunks. People kept asking us if the bugs were bothering us and we had to respond with “what bugs?” Janet and I were bug free until the sun disappeared but it was time to head for the hotel then anyways.

So, a good start, a bad middle and a good finish to the day for Janet. The toileting challenge seems to have corrected itself and we are all focused on making tomorrow an enjoyable one for Heather and Allan. Praying that Janet sleeps well tonight and is fully able to participate and enjoy tomorrow. Praying also for God’s blessing on Heather and Allan.

Janet, A Success Story. June 16. #TSJ Ready and Waiting

Janet and I spent most of today wondering why we decided to leave for Ottawa tomorrow and not today. She figures it must have been a money thing and she’s probably right, all I know is there must have been a good reason.

There wasn’t much to do today other than the last check of our packing job and cleaning the house a little. Janet skipped her nap today, wanting to be really tired so she could sleep tonight. So far there’s no indication that plan worked but she is in bed now and her eyes are closed.

We watched bits of the World Cup soccer games today and Janet saw the second half of the USA Ghana game by herself while I dropped the dog off and ran another errand. I got back just after the USA scored the winning goal and Janet was all excited telling me how “the play was all in that end then the other team scored”. It’s awesome to see her improving ability to understand what she’s watching.

For exercise today I had Janet do quite a few laps around the house and one stint of helping me wash dishes that required her to stand at the sink with me. What a great feeling to have her standing beside me, and she thought it was cool to be able to look out the window instead of at the backsplash. Hopefully that translates into more willingness to stand and walk at every opportunity.

The snores have started. Praying for a good night of rest and God’s guidance through our travel day tomorrow.

Janet, A Success Story. June 15. #TSJ Singing in the Sun Video

Today was very relaxing for Janet and I as we continue to prepare for Ottawa. There was no problem waking up at 9am Eastern Time although it was a little weird to actually be up before others in the neighbourhood. I let Janet use her wheelchair a lot this morning so she could get around and help with things easier and also so I could get my bike ride in. She happily listened to a Stuart McLean story while I was gone and gave me a good recap of it when I got back.

In trying to stay on Eastern Time, dinner was real early for us tonight but one big benefit was our patio table was still soaked in sunshine when we were ready to eat and that made the meal even more enjoyable. The fun continued after as we relaxed in the sun. I can’t describe how positive that is for Janet, she literally soaks up the warmth and is fuelled by it. I sneak shot this video as she sang along to The Swon Brothers version of Danny’s Song. It may not mean much to all of you but if you watch closely, especially at the end where Janet closes her eyes and drinks in the sun, you may get a sense of why I love her so much.

Feeling totally blessed.

Janet, A Success Story. June 14. #TSJ

This pretending to change time zone thing is not that easy, especially trying to tie it into Janet’s nap time and regular bedtime. If she’s not tired she can’t sleep. We are making progress on it though and hope to be on Eastern Time tomorrow.

Today was fairly routine save for one big moment this evening. The morning consisted of Miss Independent making her breakfast then having a bit of a giggle session with her mom on Skype. Then the work began. At risk of being old and prepared way too soon, we started packing. It feels like we are forgetting something already as Janet is packed in a very small suitcase and I’m not using my largest one either. Seems odd but good if it works.

Nash was on a sleep over with our friend Annie, who is going to look after him while we’re gone and we made a quick trip to pick him up. He was OK with coming home but seemed very comfortable at Annie’s house too. We went without the wheelchair and Janet did some nice walking up a large ramp to the front door of the building.

Nap time was a little early with the time change but Janet didn’t protest, she just didn’t sleep that long. The sun was shining bright when she woke so I plunked her out in it for forty five minutes while I made our early dinner. All warmed up and fed we headed out to church where I helped Janet walk all the way to the door to the auditorium. I then challenged her to walk down the aisle to our seats. This time there was resistance but she caved in quickly and for the first time walked freestyle all the way down the aisle and right into her seat! Outstanding!

As we continue to pretend its later than it really is we had dessert after church instead of dinner while watching some touching and amazing stories and performances on America’s Got Talent. A reluctant Janet was in bed at 9:30 real time, 11:30 pretend, saying she would not go to sleep, she’s snoring as I write.

Praying for a fun and productive Sunday on Eastern Time.

Janet, A Success Story. June 13. #TSJ

Friday the thirteenth turned out to be pretty “lucky” for us. Janet was awake fairly early so was able to have a shower. I tried having her get her breakfast while walking about the kitchen but that seemed a little too much yet. She was willing to try at least.

After running through our clothes for the trip we agreed there were a few things we both could use so we took advantage of the rain and went to the mall. Janet was very excited that we both found the things we went there for in relatively quick fashion. By the time we were home Janet had done a lot of walking and helping out so I made her a sandwich while we watched a little World Cup soccer.

Dinner tonight was a special evening out with our neighbours, Bonnie and Toly. We had hoped to walk the two blocks to The Fixx Cafe but the weather didn’t cooperate so we drove and Janet walked well through the parking lot and negotiated a three inch curb very nicely. She also gobbled up her dinner pretty quick saying it was “delicious”. That’s high praise from Janet.

Twice today I had Janet doing assisted walking in public places and each time she did so with lots of confidence. Not long ago you would get some resistance to the idea or at least a lot of looking around for who is watching. Not today, and that makes it more fun.

We are easing into running on Eastern Time so our clocks are on Alberta time tonight and we’ll switch to Central Time tomorrow and hopefully be on Eastern Time for Monday so that it’s not a big shock when we arrive in Ottawa Tuesday. I want Janet to be able to enjoy every minute she’s there.

Praying for a good night of sleep and a productive Saturday.

Janet, A Success Story. June 12. #TSJ Home for a holiday.

And so it begins. Janet is home for the next ten nights, five here then five in Ottawa, and she is very excited. It was a good day of transition for her as she did an express version of her gym routine this morning then went with the rest of the house to a park in Vernon for a picnic lunch. She has a little trouble in figuring out what to wear for outings like that and ended up over dressed for what was a warm day even though it looked cool.

The "ducky" weather is coming.

The “ducky” weather is coming.

Getting a head start on nap time.

Getting a head start on nap time.

We packed Janet up after a brief nap and drove to her doctor’s for one last round of power washing her ears. Our car went through a power wash on the way as we hit a massive thunderstorm with some of the heaviest rain I’ve ever seen. Janet was actually a little nervous about it but by the time we hit Kelowna proper it was like it hadn’t rained at all. That’s why we live here folks.

Janet was very brave at the doctor’s and her ears are now squeaky clean. My plan for her at home and on the trip to Ottawa is to do as much walking as possible and use the wheelchair only when necessary. That began nicely as soon as we got home. Janet walked in from the car to the bathroom then out to the kitchen where she chopped veggies on her own for dinner. She seems to be at a perfect height sitting in a real chair at the island for chopping and stirring. Janet did an awesome job tonight and rewarded herself with a glass of wine with dinner.

I thought if we went for an after dinner walk we might see some of the neighbours but our after dinner is closer to a lot of folk’s bedtime around here so no one was out. It was nice to get some air before watching So You Think You Can Dance. Janet made some really intelligent remarks during the show and overall is showing more improvement in the memory and awareness department. Her walking tonight was solid and she did all of her nighttime stuff in the bathroom unassisted, with no wheelchair.

Praying for a great night of sleep and a productive Friday.

Janet, A Success Story. June 11. #TSJ

Nap time was late for Janet today. She called me at 2:40 to say she’d finished her workout and was going for a nap. There was no particular reason for being so late and she didn’t even do all of her gym activities, everything just took a long time to get done. There was an opportunity to go sailing this morning but Janet turned it down thinking she’d only have to do all her other stuff later in the day. When I explained its OK to do different things once in a while and not do every single regular activity, a light seemed to come on, so maybe next time she’ll say yes.

Janet was ready to get up when I arrived and she asked to get her bike ride over with. The walk to the gym was not Janet’s best but she did it then put in a really good bike ride. The walk back was better but she still seemed a little off so I let her hold my hand all the way to her room then down for dinner. Seeming a little off was an understatement after dinner. Janet’s chore of the day was to empty the sanitizer and put away the dishes. Last time she did this it went really well, tonight she got it done but under major protest and with a couple pretty good meltdowns. Not sure why, but it seemed like her confidence level was way down and her balance a little off. Her right leg action appeared to be coming much more from her hip than usual too. The freestyle walking trip to get her meds at the end of the evening was pretty good so I’m putting it all down to a bad day and hope that a more relaxed day tomorrow will rejuvenate her.

Since its Janet’s birthday next week and Humberto’s on Sunday the house is having a picnic for them in Vernon tomorrow. Janet doesn’t think it’ll be fun but I know Jess made a carrot cake for her so that at least is one good thing.

Praying that Janet has a solid night of healing sleep and wakes up tomorrow with a positive attitude and a willingness to fully participate in everything she’s asked to do.

Janet, A Success Story. June 10. #TSJ

Thankfully, Janet slept well last night and is no longer experiencing any ear pain. Her gym activities went well this morning and she was in good spirits when she called me while in the Standing Frame.

I tried to go to Connect a little later than usual but find it hard to do that and got there with Janet still napping. I lay down beside her and twenty minutes later she woke up looking at me and said “that was a nice idea”, followed by a bunch of mumbled words. When she really woke up a few seconds later she acknowledged she had been dreaming. I’ve asked Janet a few times during her recovery if she had dreamt at all and her answer has always been no. I’ve heard her talking in her sleep and am not sure if that’s connected so today will be noted as Janet’s first dream and I’m thrilled to report that it involved the entire family on a cruise somewhere sunny and warm, possibly Hawaii. There’s hope yet!

As soon as Janet was up she walked freestyle down to the kitchen to ask what her house chore was to be today. Chelsea assigned her dusting duties and Janet walked a lap of the living room with a feather duster as I coached her on where to stand in order to reach everything. She did a great job and was justifiably tired when she got back to her room. I’d say she was on her feet with no assistance for a good half hour. In light of that I helped her walk down to dinner going as fast as she could without tripping over herself. If I have to help her I’m going to make sure she’s going fast each time so she gets that rhythm going better. One negative about her freestyle walking right now is she pauses between steps too long sometimes and doesn’t believe me she’s wasting energy that way. It wouldn’t be so bad if she was putting equal weight on both legs but Janet still favours her left one significantly.

We practiced some reading before walking up to Games Night. Janet put in her best performance yet and actually said “it was kinda fun” after. Her Dilantin levels are in a really good range now and I credit that with some of her cognitive improvements.

Janet enjoyed the chapter of Unbreak My Heart that we read tonight and understood it very clearly and that makes it fun for me to read to her. Praying for another good night of rest and an active Wednesday.