Thanks to everyone for the cards, emails, messages, etc. My parents and I read the cards, especially, together and usually there are a few tears. But then again my mom cried at my 5th grade graduation. She cries about everything.
Correction from previous blog: My friend Jake doesn’t actually have 90% free time now. I was making a joke. Sorry Jake. My mom felt that I needed to point that out.
Response to a repeated question: My main injury is a crushed T12 vertebrae. The surgeon, Dr. Muro, at Illinois Masonic on Diversey Ave in Chicago, fused a restructured T12 with the two above (T10-11) and the two below (L1-2), using a kind of cage of 4 titanium rods going through all the vertebrae. Other than that I cracked 2 ribs. Also my helmet somehow caved in a little in the back which peeled back a little skin on the back of my head. It bled a lot which concerned them at first but it ended up just being a serious scrape. No other real injury, shockingly, other than a couple bruises that have never hurt. I’m not really sure but I think I just tensed up when I collided with the van and kind of just bounced off of it.
I’ll go with the time format again to attempt brevity. I always end up writing more than I planned. If I haven’t mentioned it, this has become very good therapy for me. It’s basically my journal. It helps me remember the small victories of each day and also holds me accountable during the day since I know I’ll be writing about it later. I don’t want to have to say, “Not much happened. I was lazy and skipped everything.”
9-9:30am - Lesson on skin care. If I don’t take pressure breaks, I’ll get sores on my skin from sitting in the wheelchair too long, or not moving in bed, etc.
9:30-10am - Sensation test. Eyes closed, reporting what I feel to the therapist. First a light cotton ball then a pin prick. Apparently the feeling of those are two different nerve systems. Interestingly, I felt the light cotton throughout most of my right leg and a lot of my left leg (and feet). For the pin prick, I had to tell him if he was using the sharp end of a safety pin or the dull end. My right leg felt all dull and my left leg felt all pin pricks, even though he kept it fairly even with both. Supposedly the pin prick sensation is closely related to motion neurons, which would suggest my left leg has a hope of movement again. Good news!
11am-noon - “Hot Topics” session explaining our ideal dietary habits
noon-1pm - Lunch and work.
1-2pm - Group therapy. New girl came from the 10th floor which is all brain injuries. I don’t think she was used to us being limited with our spines. It was really hard and I had to request lighter weights.
2-3pm - This was cool. I got to sit up with my legs stretched out in front of me, which I haven’t been able to do, yet, because of the strain on my back. It felt amazing.
The goal was to do it 2 minutes. I guess it usually hurts people. I did it for like 30 minutes before she made me switch to the groin stretch position that also felt great and for which I didn’t need to pull myself up by a strap.
3 goals for the week met in one hour! (the 3rd was to do a catheter by myself during therapy, which I was doing at 2pm… but then I’ve been doing those myself for days now).
By the way, I keep forgetting to mention that around here they refer to my brace as the turtle shell. It’s perfectly named, because I’m 10x stronger with it on. As soon as it’s off I can barely move and am really weak. 2-3 people sent cards with turtle themes, which I thought was pretty ironic.
3-4:15pm - Tango (iPhone app to talk over internet) with Rebecca in Mozambique.
4:15pm - Alone, successfully attempt to go from wheelchair to bed.
4:25pm - Therapist comes in to give me a wheelchair backpack and simultaneously congratulates me and scolds me for my risky behavior in the transfer to bed.
4:40pm - They took the staples out of my back. OWWWWWWW!!!! They said it wouldn’t hurt!!! Liars! Holy cow that sucked. Making it worse, I hadn’t had a pain pill for 5 hours. Before and after photos below. 49 staples, all with varying levels of pain for removal. Sorry if this is kind of gross…
Those string-looking things are from where the drains were. Those will go in a few days.
Dear Lord, please give me strength. Give me courage. Give me hope. Give me healing. Dear God, please help me to focus on what is important in life, to see clearly, to be wise in my choices, to love as You would have me love, to follow Your plan in a way that would please You the most. Please guide me and show me the way. My will is to do Your will. My life is in your hands. Thank you for all the support of my family and friends. Thank you for giving me this wonderful life and all the blessings I have received. Thank you for this day. It was a good day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
G’night.
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