counting

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #smarts

A smiling Janet greeted me as I arrived at Connect late this afternoon. She had just gotten up from a nap where she actually slept and I could tell. She was very bright and spoke well as she excitedly told me she had done a big workout in the gym this morning. There was no arguing with me when I suggested she was only telling me that so I wouldn’t make her do more tonight. Janet truly did have a good session with Curtis and Garrett this morning doing everything except the Standing Frame. Curtis worked on free standing with Janet in an area no where near a transfer pole and Janet did very well. A couple of times lately I’ve noticed her free standing while pulling her pants up or down but I haven’t said anything to her as I don’t want her to be thinking about it. I love that she’s doing it and I feel she’s getting closer to taking an unassisted step. It may be using an undesirable technique but I sense it coming.

After a lively dinner Janet wanted to get the Standing Frame over with and stood for an hour quite comfortably. The rest of the night was hers and after checking her emails which gave her some reading practice she counted out some pennies to be rolled. Her math skills are excellent and as long as she takes her time she can count accurately as well. For each roll she laid out stacks of two pennies in a five by five grid confidently answering that there were fifty pennies there. She has rolled eleven rolls of pennies so far and quickly calculated that is $5.50. Sounds like enough for that Blizzard she owes me.

Last night as we were reading Janet complained that the light in her room was too bright for her while she’s laying there listening to me so I asked her to remind me next time and I’ll turn it off, to my surprise, tonight she did. She also knew right away that SheLife is tomorrow and there were a number of other intelligent comments and strong displays of short term memory tonight too. Fun times.

Praying for full and complete healing and a positive day tomorrow.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #cranky

Janet had just let herself down from the Standing Frame as I walked into the living room at Connect this afternoon. She was in good spirits and knew it was time to get down. Jess said Janet had refused all offers to go to the gym today as well as the group chatting session that happens every Tuesday morning. Janet was pretty cranky about it all as we talked and could have used a nap but I vetoed that idea as she slyly used it as an excuse not to go to the gym. I spent the entire evening trying to convince Janet to keep working hard to reach her goal. I think I had some success as she agreed to a Shuttle and bike session before dinner. She did really well on the Shuttle despite being quite cranky but had the weakest one legged pedal on the bike she’s had. There was no hint of an ability to pull her leg back up after pushing down. On the flip side, her attempts to stand from her wheelchair were brilliant again today.

There certainly is no shortage of an appetite with Janet and even long time resident and professional eater, Chris, agreed she was giving him a run for his money. Janet finished dinner and an apple long before most folks were finished their dinner and she gets a real kick out of the attention given to her eating prowess.

Hanging out in her room for a bit Janet got caught up on some email correspondence and is getting good at using the voice to text function in Gmail. I had brought a jar of pennies to her room long ago with the intention of practicing counting and finally decided to do that tonight. Janet thought it was a silly idea at first but when paired with rolling them up to deposit in the bank she was all for it. I asked her to count out groups of fifty pennies and she did so very methodically, placing stacks of two side by side and counting the stacks periodically until she had twenty five of them. I was impressed with her mathematical ability and her only real challenge was in counting the stacks and that was mostly a vision thing. Once she learned to touch them as she counted she was fine.

The gym was too busy when we went down to try and do some of the new exercises for Janet’s right leg and that made her a little happy. She got to have me read a little before we went to watch some tennis. Janet sat very still and focused on the TV, not saying much or reacting much but when she did she came up with observations that were accurate and well timed. She laughed as we left to get ready for bed saying “I really like watching that for someone who doesn’t play”. When I told her they have wheelchair tennis and we should try it in the Spring, she retorted with “I won’t be in a wheelchair then”. Now that’s the attitude I want to see all the time.

Praying for a night of uninterrupted, deep and healing sleep that brings lots of energy and a positive attitude for tomorrow.