For those of you too young to have ever heard this particular piece of sonic sewage, allow me to digress a minute and quote:
"They took the whole Indian nation
Locked us on this reservation
And though I wear a shirt and tie
I still part Redman deep inside
Cherokee people
Cherokee tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die"
Yeeeowch. And it sounds far worse than you can possibly imagine..
Anyway, my feeling was validated when I got to the hospital to find Nancy lucid and shaking off any lingering effects of the dilaudid. The improvement in her communication and clear-headedness over yesterday is striking. Yesterday she wanted me to be her "brain", because she was having trouble with her short-term memory. Today I have been demoted to "supplemental brain." I don't mind, the word 'supplemental' wasn't even available in her vocabulary yesterday.
The Physical Therapist came in to work with her this morning, helping her stand and use her walker. I don't know exactly how tall she is now, but I'd estimate she has gained at least three inches, and her posture is spectacular! Using the walker, she walked without assistance out of the room and into the hall, turned around and came back to sit in the chair for a clean-up/comb-out and an Occupational Therapy session with her new collection of reachers, sock installers, and other vaguely mysterious implements.
The PT asked how she felt after the walk, and she replied "Happy!"
Other cool developments:
- She will have her first liquid refreshment today besides ice chips- she's been fed intravenously till now. Maybe even Jello. Mmmmmmm.
- Her lung volume is such that the respiratory therapists can stop using a particularly stinky and irritating drug in her breathing treatments.
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| A gift from the operating staff - a bone-shaped pen |
I sit in Germany on the phone with Mom and Dad who sit on the phone in Pentwater, and I've read David's blog to them after Mom and Dad passed the link on to me today.
ReplyDeleteWe 3 really are amazed and happy to hear of the amazing progress! Way to go Nancy!!!! We're all pulling for you and and David and send bunches and bunches of love!!!!
Diane, Hollis and Betty
Once again, a new day a new way! Go Nancy!!!! Keep rockin' the hallways! xoxox Peg
ReplyDeleteHey Nancy and David: I just spent an hour and a half with Mom and Dad trying to get them into your blog so they could write you a message and it just didn't work (this time, anyway). Suffice it to say we are all rooting for you both and you are in our thoughts and prayers and we're following the progress with baited breath!
ReplyDeleteGive em hell in PT and OT! Hugs and love. Diane
Nancy says:
ReplyDeleteHollis and Betty, Betty O has access to the blog, maybe a visit is in order!
Thanks, everyone for the encouragement, it means a lot to me. - N
Dave -- thank you so much for all of the detailed and heart-full updates. love to you Nancy, I am very excited to hear of your seemingly quick (from afar) and determined progress onto the road of recovery. xx
ReplyDeleteKeep it up Nancy! We cheer for you everyday. And now I will disagree with David about the song Cherokee Nation. It was written by an Indian rockabilly artist in the late 50's by the name of Rainwater. The song is about the forceful removal of the Cherokees from the southeastern U.S. to an area west of the Mississippi. Because they were not given warm cloths, food, or water many of them died on their "trail of tears". The lyrics are actually quite well done in the form of a protest song. I quote part:
ReplyDeleteThey took the whole Cherokee nation,
Put us on this reservation
. . .
Took away our native tongue,
And taught their English to our young
I quite like the music of Paul Revere and the Raiders. They should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although this is their best selling song, 6 million copies sold,I don't like it. Doesn't have the garage rock kick of their earlier work. Kind of cheesy. David, you can slam the song, but the lyrics tell a biting story of a very sad period in American history.
There, now Nancy has something to read that will entertain her. Got to have a laugh once in a while. And me knocking your knocking of the Raiders is a good place to start.
You go girl!!! All our best always.