I just got home from the airport after spending all day Saturday and quite a bit of time Sunday with Katie. The last time I saw Katie she was still at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee. AT that stage in her recovery she still had the trach in and was still only eating via the feeding tube. She was laying in bed the majority of the time and was only sitting up in the chair for a little while at a time. She was also only communicating through the occasional "hmmm"-ing noise.
What a difference these past weeks have made!
This time, Katie's trach was out and her trach opening had healed up, and she was ion her chair almost the whole time. We got to watch TV together, and talk quite a bit. Although a lot of the time she just wanted to sit in silence. After I ran off at the mouth for a while I'd ask her if she wanted my to just shut up and be quiet. She nodded yes quite a few times. She's nothing if not brutally honest.
I was also the victim of some of Katie's hitting. The nurses all re-assured us that it s only part of a phase that lots of brain injury patients go through, and it is nothing personal. I can see in her eyes, she doesn't mean to do it. Afterwards she looks sad that she's hit someone that is trying to help her. I can see that Katie wants this phase over as much as we all do.
Today, while watching City Slickers< with Katie, I had my greatest moment of the trip. There was a scene where Billy Crystal is getting dragged away by a raging water current and his friend tries to save him, but he gets dragged in too. It sounds pretty simple when it's described like that, but it's hillarious in execution. I started to laugh and I turned to Katie and she had a look on her face that was the happiest I'd seen her in a long while. She looked like she wanted to burst out laughing too.
Katie is in wonderful hands at Clearview. I met a few of her nurses (Debbie, Pattie, and Renee) and they are all wonderful, kind, unbelievably patient people. She will not lack for love and care while she is with them.
I hated having to leave her today, but I'm glad I was able to spend so much time with her. I can't wait till the next time I'm able to spend some time with her.
What a difference these past weeks have made!
This time, Katie's trach was out and her trach opening had healed up, and she was ion her chair almost the whole time. We got to watch TV together, and talk quite a bit. Although a lot of the time she just wanted to sit in silence. After I ran off at the mouth for a while I'd ask her if she wanted my to just shut up and be quiet. She nodded yes quite a few times. She's nothing if not brutally honest.
I was also the victim of some of Katie's hitting. The nurses all re-assured us that it s only part of a phase that lots of brain injury patients go through, and it is nothing personal. I can see in her eyes, she doesn't mean to do it. Afterwards she looks sad that she's hit someone that is trying to help her. I can see that Katie wants this phase over as much as we all do.
Today, while watching City Slickers< with Katie, I had my greatest moment of the trip. There was a scene where Billy Crystal is getting dragged away by a raging water current and his friend tries to save him, but he gets dragged in too. It sounds pretty simple when it's described like that, but it's hillarious in execution. I started to laugh and I turned to Katie and she had a look on her face that was the happiest I'd seen her in a long while. She looked like she wanted to burst out laughing too.
Katie is in wonderful hands at Clearview. I met a few of her nurses (Debbie, Pattie, and Renee) and they are all wonderful, kind, unbelievably patient people. She will not lack for love and care while she is with them.
I hated having to leave her today, but I'm glad I was able to spend so much time with her. I can't wait till the next time I'm able to spend some time with her.
VIEW 18 of 18 COMMENTS
Just got back from the Atmos show. You're right, it was amazing. Best Atmos show I've seen yet. Got to give Slug a pound outside.
Dope dope dope!