akirali

Today started with a great p-t session during which Kate said "OK" to the therapists when they explained what they were doing. A bit later the speech therapist tested Kate's swallowing reflexes with an ice chip...and gave up. She said, "I think we can go right to the applesauce!!!!" Kate promptly ate three teaspoons (sorry, Jamey, little spoonfuls..not big ones....) and swallowed each easily. She made a slight face...perhaps at the tartness???

Kate adores Linda, the tech who does her range of motion exercises twice a day. I think Linda likes Kate, too...because she spends a lot more time with her than is really alloted. She sees Kate at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m....and her sessions sort of set the day's pace for Kate. Once she gets limbered up, she'll spend hours concentrating on moving her body parts. At one point today I saw her try to lift her trunk off the bed. Her left leg is moving incredibly well...and her left hand has found her right hand. She works very hard to lift the left onto her stomach and then place it over her right hand.

But there was some bad news, too. Kate has an infection of some sort and is in isolation...which just means that visitors have to wear gloves and aprons so they don't spread the infection to others. Kate CAN, however, leave her room...and go to the lounge or outside...without us wearing the protective stuff. Go figure.

Visitors today included Sue Kelly and Diane Peck. Sue is Michelle's mom...Kate and Michelle swam on the Cedarburg High School swim team for four years. Diane is a friend of mine from 20 plus years ago when we were racquetball buddies. She had heard about Kate's accident from Patty Weske and called to offer her prayers. It was great to see them both!!!

I've written before how I think so much of what has happened to get Kate to the point she is now at is much more than coincidence. I think I have more proof of that.

Kate has an infection that has manifested itself in a horrible rash. Tonight when I left the hospital, nurses were bathing her and getting her ready for bed and they put some medications on her rash. Kate started thrashing like crazy...to the point where I thought she'd jump out of bed. (Her leg and arm motions had already improved dramatically in the last 24 hours.) But then she started talking...loudly and animatedly. She REALLY expressed her feeling of pain and discomfort. At first I was extremely upset and started crying and yelling at the nurses (yes, I am ashamed to admit it....) But when I thought about it a little more, I decided that while I do not want her to be in pain, her obvious discomfort did lead to a clear vocal expression.

I think it's another step.

Today's visitors included Sue Kelly for the second time in two days, this time WITH daughter Michelle, a longtime friend of Kate's; Jim Stillman, a former teacher of Kate's who she admires greatly and who always went out of his way to nurture Kate; and Necia Ford, Kate's former nanny.