In PT, Jason went through family training with me. As, you know, he is the only person going to be taking care of me! He helped me walk through the community gardens, up and down ramps, curbs, and stairs, and he helped me when I was feeling fatigued. They taught him how to transfer me to the wheelchair and showed him how to assist me with rolling over. We both had agreed that I don't want a wheelchair at home. Our home is truly not fit for one. But I have a new goal I gave them:
PT Patient, Caregiver Goal: wants to go camping with her family.
Being able to camp with my family like I used to would be fantastic!! I definitely dream of it and playing laser tag with them and making meals every day for my family on the camp stove. It's definitely something I want.
My husband brought my phone so I can attempt to use it and check the 100+ messages that were left for me to open up and read! I'm not sure which day this was on though, but I feel like it should be said for others to really be educated on this. I messaged my dad at some point, though I don't remember what it was about. My dad wanted to make sure it was actually me though because he thought it was my husband. Now keep in mind my husband had my phone for THREE months, he could have been messing with people and reading things that entire time. But he didn't, so why would he get the need to now? Truly I had so many messages and notifications waiting for me. It was insane! My home screen had nothing but red numbers on it. So back to my dad wanting to make sure it was, in fact, me. He had asked me a challenge question on which theater did he take me to when we saw, '8 mile' when I was in high school. I, obviously, got that question wrong and he stated that his daughter would know that answer. I didn't though! So, we stopped talking.
My ask for people who know someone who has had a brain injury. PLEASE do NOT ask them for answers to challenge questions. They are likely going to get the questions WRONG. This is also not good and healthy for their brain. Especially when you add in, they have had a thalamic stroke. The thalamus houses memories, both long and short term. With a stroke, the tissue gets damaged. Depending on how severe the stroke is, depends on what memories are gone away. With my stroke, I hold bits and pieces of my memories. My best friend since kindergarten has sent me pictures and I honestly don't remember them. I don't remember where we were or anything! I thanked her so much for sending them to me though. There are sometimes where a picture will trigger a snapshot of memory for me. Then there are times it doesn't help at all. I don't remember my son's 12th birthday. I don't remember getting married. It's going to happen. The doctors all tell me that as the tissues regenerate and become good again, I might have memories come back here and there. But they also told me that I need to be okay with NEVER getting those memories back.
See, I don't remember these moments. The grade I was in or what the event was that I was a part of.
Today with SLP, she was with me, and I had a good breakfast with her supervision. They had me drink an Ensure drink as well to make sure I am getting the appropriate amount of nutrients.
We worked on jaw mastication, and I verbalized that I knew where my deficits lie.
We played some cards after breakfast, which I grew to love and looked forward to. I definitely miss that the most out of rehab. She asked me ADL problem questions to see if I could come up with a good and clear solution. I passed those!
In OT today I got to plant my flowers!! She put them in my room for me to keep! Definitely the sweetest thing. We also performed some ADL tasks in the kitchen. I stood at the counter, and she told me how many plates or cups to get out and then she had me put away the plates and cups. Just so everyone is aware, the plates and cups are plastic! They definitely don't have glass dishes in rehab.
For therapeutic recreation we worked on my upper extremity for endurance to perform ADL activities and other activities I wish to participate in with my family. They gave my husband and I a TON of information on the awesome Brain Injury support group here in Harrisonburg. Have I mentioned just how amazing they are?!
Do me a favor. Please read 1 Peter 1: 6-9. Feel free to comment or message me privately on what you feel or hear the Lord saying to you in this moment of these verses. Many prayers to everyone!! If you have read this, know that I am praying for you right in this moment.
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