ChloeWatts.com

Wednesday, Jan 13, 2010

Hum… I forgot to do the blog tonight. Go figure. Guess it was because Dana and I finally got a night out to dinner for the first time in a month and a half. WooSong and Larrys never tasted so good. It took all night to wind down though. Chloe really doesn’t like to see Dana leave… and visa versa.

Wednesday started out with a bang and never stopped. Respiratory Care was in before 8 am and Dana just got out of the shower. It was a little tricky with that combination but things got resolved well. Then Chloe’s day began and continued, and continued, and continued. She had lots of PT/OT that continues to show improvement. She stood for over 5 minutes today! They measured her for her ankle brace so maybe she will be able to stand without much help after that is made for her.

OT worked with her hands a lot and she wrote quite a bit with her right hand. It gets better each time with the words more recognizable each day. Her pinch is coming along as well and I notice her trying to use her right hand more and more. She says it’s her right forearm that is most of the problem. It’s very strange how the nerves work!

Speech was fun for her again as it’s her only chance to have food in her mouth. They are working on her tongue and trying to regain movement in it so food can be moved from the front of her mouth to get ready to swallow in the back. This is a process most of us take for granted but it’s really a huge process. After the tongue gets working well, then there is the throat process that actually needs to be taught to work so she doesn’t aspirate when she swallows. During her swallow test I reported she had not aspirated anything. That was inaccurate. She actually did aspirate a little but it was suctioned right out and they ended the test at that point.

She had visits today that lifted her spirits. Two of her best friends visited and then and adult good friend, Cathy and Kodak… the little furry friend… showed up. Four-legged friends brighten Chloe’s spirits better than any two-legged friend ever could.

By BINGO this afternoon she was pretty wiped out. Although, Sandy and Dana decided to make her go pick her own present out after the first game. They loaded her in the chair and wheeled her down, with O2 pole and all, to the game room. She picked her presents and played the next two games there… and won. There was a problem with the mist so she ended up needing to be suctioned a lot by Dana but they trip was made. All three of them were wiped out by the time they got her back in bed.

When I arrived to pick Dana up, Chloe looked like she had run a marathon. It was a good kind of tired from my perspective. Tomorrow her schedule looks a lot lighter, starting in the afternoon. Maybe everyone can sleep in for a change. Sandy has the ugly shift again.

Regina was to come down next week but she has been pretty sick herself so, wisely, she has opted out of the trip, knowing it would be a bad idea for her and Chloe. That put Sandy on edge as she needs a break. I think Dana has comforted her enough about coverage here that she will actually take time off and not feel tooooo bad.

All in all we had a pretty good day again. Every day that we don’t have a crash tends to be huge as far as I’m concerned. Dana did remind me tonight that during the meeting she was presented with a disabled parking permit form. That brought her down, as she doesn’t want to consider that possibility. We see Chloe operating on all cylinders very soon. So I reminded her that any short-term help is good help. Long-term is as well but won’t be as needed.

Be well,
Ron