gym

Farewell Fred. Cake, pizza then a much needed workout. #TSJ

As expected, Janet was partying the afternoon away as I arrived at Connect today. A large crowd turned out to wish Fred well on his move to Connect Langley. Janet had helped Jess make a cake for the event and it was being devoured when I walked in. I surprised Janet a little as she was quite focused on her cake but also enjoying the festivities. Her and Fred got along really well right from day one at Connect and we will miss him.

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After the party I gave Janet the choice of going to the gym or having a nap. She chose nap and actually had one for over an hour. It was pizza night at Connect which seemed like it would be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, someone tried making the pizza dough from scratch and that caused a little stress during prep time which prevented anyone from helping which to me is half the fun of at home pizza. By the time it was ready everyone thought it was delicious and Janet even asked for seconds. A first.

Having had a little time to digest Janet reluctantly agreed to go to the gym. It was more like she knew I wasn’t backing down this time. A new staff member, Tiffany, joined us to try and get to know Janet a little better. She got to see pretty much every mood Janet can have. I promised Janet this session would not be long or particularly difficult but I don’t think she was convinced. After an excellent sliding board transfer onto the table mat we started some leg stretches. I haven’t done this with Janet for a long time which made it good for Tiffany as we reviewed the instructional videos on the computer before starting anything. I was disappointed with how stiff Janet was but don’t think that’s her norm as no one has commented on her tightening up anymore recently. Janet had a little breakdown on the Shuttle but actually performed quite well on it. If we could get those hamstrings to relax she’d be on her way.

That was not the greatest workout ever but at least we got her in there before the weekend and I was able to use that experience to help her with standing transfers tonight. She managed one at home tonight where I really could feel her using her legs most of the time. They still are mostly lifts as opposed to transfers but its something for her to work on.

We got home just in time for dessert after saying goodby to Fred. Janet gave him two happy face lollypops as he played bingo with a bunch of people in the neighboring house. That happens every Friday night and combined with the pizza makes for a compelling reason to have Janet stay Fridays. We’ll see. Janet’s nighttime routine went really well and she settled into her own bed quite willingly. There was one funny moment of confusion just before dessert. Janet was playing ball with Nash and as I was about to feed him I asked her to tell him to sit. I spelled out the word sit so the command could come from her instead of me. She spoke loudly and firmly to him but said “come on Cameron, S I T now, come on, S I T”. She even laughed out loud when she realized what she’d said. I’d be worried about it but she often got Cam and Nash mixed up before getting sick. All is well.

Praying for lots of rest tonight and a productive day tomorrow.

A Good Excuse. Janet waits for a nap. #TSJ

Once again Janet was in the living room at Connect when I arrived this afternoon. She had not had a nap and said she was waiting for me before having one. I told her I delayed my arrival today in hopes she would be well into her nap and I would join her for the last little bit. She laughed and I accepted her excuse as I wasn’t feeling that great this morning and welcomed the opportunity to lay down for a bit. Janet was quiet for maybe fifteen minutes but I sensed nowhere near sleeping, then wouldn’t stop talking. She demonstrated an arm exercise she had done in the gym earlier and talked a lot about swimming tomorrow and music therapy. I don’t think she’s getting worked up about either one, she just knows tomorrow is a busy day.

I let Janet get up from the right side of the bed for a change and after I helped get her right foot over the edge she used her abs to sit herself up. High five! It actually seemed easier for her than pushing with her arm on the left side but I really had to help get the leg over where as on the other side she can do it herself sometimes. Our first task was to have a Skype chat with Leslie. While we were waiting I went to get waters for us and Janet asked if she should say hi first or Leslie. I explained we weren’t calling until I got back but thought that was really good awareness to ask that. The conversation went well for the first fifteen minutes then Janet started to lose focus. We are excited that Leslie and Gavin are coming out to visit at the end of June as in person chats are always better than Skype.

Janet helped set the table for dinner tonight then ate a big bowl of pasta that Chris made. Pretty cool to see him standing at the stove making dinner. Could be Janet one day? Garrett and I convinced Janet to go to the gym for some leg stretches. She only had a minor breakdown regarding the gym tonight as I was able to commend her on the good workout Lorne gave her in the morning and how much better she’s doing her “standing” transfers today. It seems like giving her tangible evidence of why to do something weighs big for her. We also made it fun with Garrett challenging her to make her own way to the gym. She had a little break in her room then I sent her off. She immediately turned right out of her room as that’s the way she goes 99% of the time so after I corrected her on that she took off. I stayed back and spied on her as she slowly but surely made her way all the way to the gym. She never crashed into one wall and kept propelling herself with her foot and by using her hand on the wheelchair wheel. Something I constantly have to remind her about when I’m with her. She overshot the gym door as it’s on her right side so that was expected and then went in for a good stretch with Garrett.

After her workout, Brian, Garrett and I had a good chat about Janet’s Mondays. She is definitely not at her best on Mondays and I am concerned that the weekends at home are too much for her as Monday has turned into a catch up day. Now that she has swimming Monday mornings the routine has changed and if I can get her to bed in decent time Sunday night that may help. We agreed to have me take her home later on Fridays so she can get another gym session in before the weekend and I will try and do a little stretching at home with her. Janet continues to improve her conversation abilities and her overall awareness although her volume level was low for me today. Jess said she was talking well this morning.

We read some more Slow Dance before bed and Janet picked up right away on the description of the ladies dog getting all depressed when he saw a suitcase getting packed. Our dog has always behaved that way and Janet recognized that without help. We got some bittersweet news today. We knew it was coming but had hoped it wouldn’t be this soon, at least that’s how I feel. Fred will be moving to a Connect facility in Langley this Sunday. He has been a reliable source of laughter from day one at Connect and it has been a privilege to watch him progress. This is a good move for him but he will be missed. Praying for lots of rest tonight in preparation for a busy day tomorrow.

Reluctant Progress. The bad gym attitude returns. #TSJ

I arrived at Connect this afternoon surprised to see Janet hanging with Jess in the living room. She had turned down an offer to rest for a little while and was waiting to go upstairs to a birthday party for one of the other residents. Janet was able to tell me she had helped Jess make cabbage rolls this morning, had a shower and went to the gym. Lorne said he gave her a good arm and shoulder stretch and Jess said she helped just fine with the cooking. John came in to sing with Janet this afternoon and she said that was fun. Janet willingly went off with the Jess to the party and returned an hour later saying it was so so and not really her thing. Good she went though.

Nap time started late and ended late with Janet getting almost a couple hours of sleep before a late and short happy hour. Her speech was very good this evening as far as awareness and intelligence goes but the volume level was low most of the time. I was impressed with a lot of her comments and responses and wish she would stay at this level for longer periods of time. There are still moments of confusion that creep in quickly and leave quickly too. I want to say the trend is towards a higher level of awareness but those confused times bother me.

Garrett and I had a very challenging time with Janet in the gym after dinner. He asked for my help so he could take Fred at the same time and Janet fought tooth and nail against going. We got her on the Shuttle and she did a so so workout there for me. From that performance I can safely say she hasn’t gained a bit of leg strength since the last time I went to the gym with her which was a month ago. Garrett assured me she’s done better recently and I’ve had her standing fairly well recently too. Hopefully the hydrotherapy will allow her hamstrings to relax while we wait for the Botox then she’ll be able to get the kind of leg extension that’ll enable her to build strength. I left her with Garrett for some leg stretching and he said that went very well. He sent Janet off from the gym on her own to see if she could find her way back. Unfortunately I went down to see how they were doing and found her half way to her room. I told her I’d go hide and she could try and find me. She found her room just fine but not me. I am a good hider. Just sayin.

In good spirits and talking really well Janet went down to poker night to share more Easter treats then proceeded to eat two oranges as her bedtime snack. We read more of Slow Dance and once again looked at each other numerous times and laughed a couple times at the similar events being described. Janet didn’t argue abut going to bed as I thought she might. She was not showing any real signs of fading even at nine o’clock but she happily did her nighttime routine and was pretty sleepy by the time I said goodnight.

Our video from the Easter services at Trinity continues to get an amazing response from those that have seen it. Thanks again for all the encouraging feedback. If you’d like to watch the entire Easter message and see how Wayne used our story and that of two other amazing people you can do so here.

Praying for rest and healing tonight, energy and brightness tomorrow with a good attitude towards getting stronger.

Tan Lines. Janet basking in her glory. #TSJ

Jess said Janet had reluctantly gone to bed for a nap around 1:30 and could be sleeping when I arrived just after two. I left her alone for a bit in hopes she was but when I tried sneaking into her room at three she was looking at me with a huge grin on her face and said she had not slept and was just listening to music. She described her day as OK and said she had done “nothing”, except have breakfast but that was only toast with jam. Garrett later confirmed that Janet said no to a shower and no to the gym this morning and had a decent sleep in. That seems to be common for Monday’s so it’ll be interesting to see how she does in the pool next week.

Janet started getting up from bed and I asked her what she was doing. She told me she had to go to the bathroom so once she was up I got her over to the toilet and away she went. Another good sign of improved awareness. We then headed for the patio and happy hour. Janet devoured an orange and drank her water while I read the comments on our video that so many of you sent our way. Janet is truly encouraged by the feedback even from those of you we’ve never met. In fact some of those comments have gotten the most reaction from her. She still struggles a little with thinking she didn’t look good or do good in the video but the more feedback I read her from all of you the better she feels about it all. Thank you!

Garrett and I convinced Janet to go to the gym before dinner and she returned from a good workout an hour later with a smile on her face. She did seem a little confused at times this evening. Giving silly answers to simple questions and not knowing some basic family questions. When we Skyped with Andrew after dinner she thought he was her brother and even told Garrett that later. Andrew asked Janet about the church video and Janet couldn’t remember what he was talking about even after a pretty good explanation. I played it for her after we talked to Andrew and it all came back to her minus the crying. Yay! She never seemed to be in a state of total confusion so I’m not overly concerned but I would like to get in and see the neurologist sooner rather than later.

The first of each month is weigh in day for everyone and Janet logged another gain. She wisely said “that’s a lot” when I asked her if she thought she weighed 412 pounds. She did guess 117 pounds which is not too far off. As long as I’ve known her she has feared being too big so she always looks a little concerned when I tell her she’s gained weight but I’ve given her an arbitrary goal and we’re not there yet so all is well. As part of reporting her weight to Garrett I had Janet take some Easter candy that Kiko kindly dropped off today to share with those that were hanging around. Janet smiled the whole time she was offering the treats and seemed genuinely happy to be doing it. It’s good to share.

Before bed, Janet asked if I would read some Slow Dance to her. We certainly aren’t moving through that book very fast and it’s too bad because what we read tonight had a lot of similarities to Janet’s experience. She even shot me a few knowing glances as I read. Again, more awareness. The bedtime routine went well and because Janet didn’t nap this afternoon the lights were out a little earlier than usual. All things considered Janet had a pretty good day and even has a little tan line starting on her chest. That’s why we live here folks.

Praying for a restful night that enables lots of healing and brings energy and awareness for a productive tomorrow.

Music to My Ears. More singing for Janet. #TSJ

Today, Janet, Mary Lou and I met with a music therapist, Stephanie. I’ve long been searching for an accredited MTA that could work with Janet and thanks to Brian and friends we found a possibility. The timing as far as Janet goes could not be better as she seems to have fully rebounded from her Dilantin overdose and is offering much more in the way of starting conversations and expressing her opinions. Stephanie outlined how she would work with Janet and although similar to what John does she has a more clinical approach and will aim for the same goals Mary Lou has for Janet. Namely, increasing the volume of Janet’s voice and improving her ability to find and use appropriate words. The meeting went well and Janet seemed to like Stephanie so dependent on what exactly she proposes I think we’ll give it a go. Janet will still do the sing along stuff with John as every little bit helps and Janet has fun with him.

I convinced Janet to have a nap after the meeting and she did so for over an hour and a half giving her good energy for the rest of the day. She had a good Skype chat with Leslie and is excited about the possibility of her and Gavin coming out for a visit at the end of June. In fact she could hardly stop talking about it every time she was asked a question about her family which seemed to happen a lot today. I grilled her after she woke up from her nap then Garrett and Connie started in on her after her nighttime gym session.Janet is much more confident in her answers now and needs less prompting to get them correct.

We sat outside for happy hour again and Janet was very chatty and maybe even a little restless as she kept working her left leg to move her chair back and forth. Once she moved ahead while drinking her water, hit the patio railing and spilled a bunch of water all over herself. She thought that was very funny and it was. Connie was in the house this evening after her trip to England. We had a nice chat with her about her trip and Janet was really glad to have her back and enjoyed hearing about her trip.

It took a lot of convincing to get Janet to go to the gym with Garrett tonight but eventually she relented and of course came back all smiles and somewhat accepting that it was good for her. Garrett is very good with Janet and we are blessed to have him working with her. He reported that Janet did well with her stretches tonight even getting onto her tummy herself and staying there for three minutes or so with no discomfort. Previously it was a huge struggle to get her onto her tummy and she always seemed in a little pain while she was there. This is a nice improvement that Janet credits to “doing it lots of times”. High five!

To help her wind down and enjoy the rest of the evening I got her a cup of tea and we watched some Ellen on YouTube. Janet laughed out loud at a couple of the clips and was genuinely touched by one of the sappy ones we watched. That’s the most reaction I’ve gotten from her watching YouTube and speaks to her continued rise in brightness.

This was another encouraging day with Janet. She was strong on all her transfers today, she talked well 90% of the time I was with her, participated well in the meeting with Stephanie and Mary Lou excitedly reported that “Janet is back and then some” in regards to her speech therapy. It had been a tough few weeks for Mary Lou when Janet was going through the Dilantin overdose so it was nice to see her all fired up again today.

Praying for a night of deep rest and healing that brings lots of energy for tomorrow.

Angry Janet. The fighting spirit returns. #TSJ

Janet was laying in bed listening to music and starting to nod off when I arrived this afternoon. Jess and Lorne excitedly reported that she produced a “massive” bowel movement earlier in the day and she found it both relieving and humorous. I share this only in light of how good for Janet it is that she finally is getting things moving out of there. She smiled large when I asked her about it.

After her nap we picked out what to wear to the pool tomorrow. She wanted no part of her actual bathing suits as they’re all bikini style and Janet has retained her modesty throughout this journey. I found my favorite pair of shorts she used to wear and we settled on those with a t shirt overtop of a bathing suit top. Not the most styling but easy for me to put on her and she seems fine with it. I checked with Leanne and Jen who were upstairs at the time just to make sure.

Chris made a yummy pasta dish for dinner tonight that was served quite early and judging by the speed with which Janet ate I’d say it was good he served it then. I had picked up some macaron from Sandrine in honor of Macaron Day and shared them with everyone for dessert. They were a huge hit. As expected. Janet had laundry duty after dinner then Garrett would take her to the gym and while she was wheeling to the laundry room she started to tell me how angry she was about all this. This apparently is how she has to do all these different things and everyone telling her to do them. She seemed to understand that she is actually given choices whenever she’s asked to do anything and all the things she’s asked to do are geared towards making her better. This is the first time in a while I’ve seen that fight and anger in her. It’s good I think and this was a much brighter Janet than I’ve seen in a few weeks.

She did a good job putting her laundry away only needing a few gentle reminders to read the labels on the drawers. Her workout with Garrett went well. He had Janet and Fred in there at the same time and doesn’t know why but they both broke out into laughter at him at the same time at one point. As they were all coming back down the hall I could hear Janet very loudly saying “Larry Dieno is my husband”. Garrett was getting her to talk about her family but not sure why she was so loud all of a sudden. Hopefully that continues.

Our before bed activity tonight was to work on the script for our little video to be shown during the Easter service at Trinity. It is a very brief snap shot of our story and for the first time I didn’t hesitate at all in talking to Janet about the details of what she’s been through. I’ve previously been cautious about it but this time just went right into it and she was fine. As we went deeper into each item she did get some tears going but overall I am pleased with how she is relating to her situation. She still has no memory of any of it but knows there was a big change in her life and that she is getting better. That part we need to keep reinforcing but its there.

I finally said goodnight to a Janet anticipating a busy and exciting day tomorrow. Praying for a restful night so she has lots of energy to enjoy and learn.

Thirsty? Not Janet. #TSJ

Just to see how things were going and to make sure Janet was OK to sing with John today I called in to Connect this morning. Jess reported Janet seemed brighter and was talking well right from when she got up. Everything seemed like it was a go.

I intentionally stayed away to let Janet have her sing along time then a nap and she was sound asleep when I arrived and stayed that way till around four. She was a little bit out of it when she woke up but came around fairly quickly and well enough to have a decent Skype chat with Leslie. The first one with her in three weeks and I could tell Janet had stepped up her game as soon as the connection was made. She still has difficulty lasting more than twenty minutes but that increased focus is good for her.

As usual this was Janet’s night to help prep dinner and her first task was shredding cabbage. Really hard for me to do never mind her so she moved on to measuring and adding spices then Garrett took her down to help with some laundry and said she did really well, measuring detergent and loading the machines. One of those crazy things she loves to do. We had time to Skype with Mary/Gaga before dinner was ready and Janet managed to talk fairly well and blew her mom and Keith lots of kisses at the end. Janet ate a good dinner and has shown no signs of a diminished appetite at all but the battle continues in the drinking department. She took a few good gulps right after she got up from her nap but I had to nag her constantly after that and got limited results. Jess said it was the same way the first half of the day with her and Lorne. They would ask, remind and insist, each time getting a mostly negative response. When it’s explained to her how important it is she seems to listen and understand but won’t follow through.

Garrett took Janet to the gym after dinner and had a really good workout with her saying she did really well getting herself onto her tummy and back again. There was no indication of pain anywhere and no tears. Yay. I was surprised how long she lasted in the gym as her workout ended when she is usually tucked into bed. Still having some energy she snacked on an apple with Fred and me as he savored his big win at poker tonight. I’m trying to convince Janet to play sometime but the gym is better for her.

Quite a nice improvement in Janet today again. She is no longer arguing about the afternoon nap, she didn’t complain of any unusual pain today, she ate well and talked well at times but there were still frequent moments of Klingon. Both John and Jess reported that the sing along session was a lot of fun. Janet was not any louder but was very smiley as she sang away. Jess caught her singing Who Let the Dogs Out on the toilet afterwards. I finally spoke to her doctor and she will send a referral to see Dr. Adams the neurologist as soon as possible and I’ll take Janet in to the GP Thursday after swimming. Hopefully we can get some solid answers to the Dilantin questions and Janet’s overall condition soon. With her improving so much now I fear we won’t know what was wrong on the weekend but I’m glad to see her brightening up.

Praying for a night of deep rest and healing that brings lots of energy for tomorrow.

Green Lights. Janet moving forward. #TSJ

According to Janet I “got here just in time” today. She said it with such a big smile on her face I thought I was in for some big news but it was just her way of saying she was glad I was there. Jess said they’d had a busy day so far. Shower, breakfast, gym, clean room, laundry, label drawers and cupboards, lunch. I know that pace is good for Janet and she was happy to hear all those things listed off and recanted her comment that she was having “a weird day”.

Brian met us in her room and we had Janet transferring from wheelchair to bed and back a number of different ways as well as laying down then getting back up again. Tez even dropped by and offered a few pointers. Janet worked really hard and did a great job with everything. We even tried a transfer disc that she stands on then you spin her to line up with wherever she’s going and plunk her down. She’s not ready to do that routinely but Brian will procure some better discs then have that incorporated into Janet’s gym workouts. The standing transfer I’ve been using is not very good for my back and has no therapeutic value for Janet so I will use it only for toileting. Janet does really well with the sliding board and the focus is on that now as its something she’s close to doing completely on her own.

Nurse Jen stopped by as we finished with the transfers to have a look at Janet’s former peg site and without hesitation gave Janet the green light to go “swimming”! I think I’m more excited about this than Janet is but am confident she’ll enjoy it and it also means she can have a bath instead of the showers she’s complained about.

After a lot of ups and downs and rolling around it was time for a nap. Janet welcomed that opportunity and was snoring within minutes. I used that time to call Jim the KGH pool guy. He was very open to times that Janet could go there and suggested Thursdays at noon as that is a fairly quiet session which is probably good for Janet to start with. He mentioned a routine that made it clear to me he didn’t know any details about Janet’s condition so I filled him in and we agreed that the first session would be just floating and familiarizing with future sessions leading towards leg and arm exercises. Tez agreed and suggested trying to get Janet to float on her back and kick her legs. We’ll see how it goes next Thursday and Tez will try and drop by.

In a further conversation with nurse Jen I told her Janet’s Dilantin levels still seem high and her next blood test isn’t until Wednesday. She looked at the requisition for that test and noted there is no date on it so I’m taking Janet tomorrow. Hopefully her doctor will have the results Monday and we can chat about the situation. I will also ask for a referral to the neurologist as there are too many unknowns out there for me to keep going like this. Janet has lost learning opportunities because of the overdose and its time to get this straight.

Janet’s across the hall neighbor, Clint, is moving out tomorrow so I had Janet present him with a happy face lollipop. She started giving it to Karl first then clued in and said some nice words to Clint. Good to see her talking to others. Curtis took a brave Janet to the gym after dinner and had a good workout with her after I assured her it would not be a big one as she’d already worked hard today. She came back pleased with herself and seemingly realizing some benefits to all this. We sat on the couch in the living room watching TV while she munched on an apple before bed.

The afternoon nap was Janet’s last sleep in a hospital bed, he writes with confidence. Brian found a regular bed and frame for Janet and with some modifications from Ray she is sleeping tonight in a real bed which she says is very comfy. It is also the perfect height for transferring her to and from her wheelchair. Another step forward.

Today was a good one and I think Janet gained some confidence through all the activity. Praying for a good rest in her new bed and a fun day tomorrow.

Permission to Sleep Through a Meeting. Janet does what most of us want to. # TSJ

Janet is really catching onto this napping idea. I encouraged her and the staff yesterday to have her nap right after lunch today so she would be awake for the two o’clock team meeting. I arrived at 1:30, Janet was sleeping after Jess put her down a little before one. I quietly went into her room at 1:55 and she was very deeply asleep. So much so that she didn’t wake up until I came back in after the meeting at 3:20. I can remember many meetings in the past I would have loved to sleep through, not this one though but I’m glad she did. With over two hours of nap time I was expecting a very bright Janet. That’s not exactly what I got but there were some bright moments.

Heather requested a Skype chat and I thought Janet would be raring to go like she said she was. We connected with Heather about twenty minutes after Janet woke up and I think she could’ve used another twenty as she was very quiet and not focused in the conversation at all. She kept playing with the game boxes and other things on her desk and just wasn’t participating so we ended the call sooner than anticipated.

We made our way down to the kitchen to see if Janet could help with dinner. Her laundry was there for some reason so we took that back to her room and she very diligently put it all away. Strange how she enjoys that task so much.

Chris made a nice BBQ chicken dinner for everyone and we had an enjoyable time at the table. Janet wasn’t talkative at all but I could sense she was enjoying the chatter and she certainly ate well including ice cream for dessert.

Janet accepted Garrett’ s offer to go to the gym tonight and I made sure to praise her for that decision. She came back with a little more energy than when she left and Garrett was pleased with how things went, more so than Janet was. She chose to use her energy to watch some YouTube before bed and really enjoyed that and had some good comments about what we watched.

The team meeting today was a good sharing of information and planning for the next couple of months. Overall the team feels Janet is progressing as expected, slowly but surely. We talked in depth about the Dilantin overdose and all agreed they saw signs of its affect on Janet. I still think her levels are high but we won’t know until her next blood test which is next week. There is still concern about the spasticity in her legs and Tez is motivated to throw every available treatment at her to try and gain some improvement. I expect Janet to be cleared for the pool tomorrow and hopefully start some hydrotherapy next week. There may be a way to bump up her Botox appointment but I need some cooperation from CPP and the good folks at Pharmacare first. It was mentioned that Janet is transferring using the sliding board quite well and Garrett reiterated that tonight saying she did her best one from wheelchair to table mat yet. Jess agreed that Janet loves to be involved in household activities and will try and get her doing more. The other big issue of course is the afternoon nap and all agree that Janet needs one and I think finally Janet is acknowledging that as well. Brian will start to transition Janet out of the hospital bed and that might help Janet feel better about napping if its in a real bed. I’m very pleased with the people that are caring for Janet and I think she is too. Yes, she’s progressing slowly but she’s come a long way her three months at Connect.

Praying for a restful night that provides healing and lots of energy for an active day tomorrow.

Surprise Ending. Janet finishes strong. #TSJ

By the time I was half way through my visit with Janet today I was prepared to write about another day where she took a step back. Our visit started off with her eating pieces of cantaloupe while watching TV in the living room. Lorne told me she didn’t want any lunch today hence the fruit snack. Janet told me she didn’t have time for a nap yet and reluctantly went to her room with me to try. No dice, as there was a lot of noise outside her room with Derrick moving in and Clint getting ready to move out. Every time I felt like Janet was nodding off she would open her eyes and smile at me like she was playing a game. Her day had been busy but not too busy for a nap. Jess had her in the gym and said it wasn’t Janet’s best effort ever. The singing session with John was cancelled again as he is still sick so actually Janet had lots of time to nap. It was very obvious the rest of the day that she felt the effects.

I got her up and ready for the scheduled Skype chat with her mom. Janet was talking much better than a couple weeks ago but not as good as yesterday with Cam. She still demonstrated an increased ability to recall short term memory stuff and relate to the topic of the conversation. We called Laurel right afterwards, Janet’s volume was turned down a notch and she wasn’t quite as engaged but still came up with good answers to questions and enjoyed the chat.

Tuesday is Janet’s day to help prep dinner for everyone. Tonight’s menu was salmon, quinoa and asparagus. Garrett coached Janet through opening the packages of salmon and placing them on baking sheets. Janet poured and spread teriyaki sauce on them then chopped some peppers and cucumber to add to the quinoa she had measured into a pot. Despite being visibly tired Janet did a good job with everything needing help with the peppers but not the cucumber. She thought it was fun to chop and measure things. She ate a relatively small portion for dinner and I attribute that to her tiredness.

The plan after dinner was for Janet to go to the gym with Curtis once he’d had his dinner. While we waited we looked at Nancy’s pictures from Africa on Facebook and Janet put away her laundry. Another task Janet strangely gets pleasure from. She got more and more tired as time passed saying she’d rather just go to bed early tonight. Curtis came in and I asked Janet one more time if she wanted to try the gym for half an hour. To my shock and awe she said yes and off she went. I’ve been speaking to Janet a lot about the need to keep working at getting better and so have others and I think it’s starting to sink in a little. There is no other explanation for her decision to go to the gym tonight. It would have been so easy to give into the tiredness and go to bed. I was really happy with her choice and we had a good talk about it when she got back forty five minutes later. She didn’t have the big smile on her face like last night but was able to understand she had done some good for herself.

So ended a decent day for Janet, not a full step back from yesterday, just a notch down and with a good strong finish. Praying for a good night of rest that provides lots of energy for tomorrow.