Hi Everyone,

We made it through both sessions but it wasn’t easy!

OT news;
This morning, for the first time since Corey’s accident, she put on her shirt, pants and right sock without my assistance! Corey’s range of motion is increasing in her left arm and shoulder so Anne would like to add some advanced home exercises to our routine. Today’s fatigue didn’t lend itself to this progressive assignment. Corey was less then pleased thinking of MORE exercises to do.

PT news;
Unfortunately, the OT’s suggestion hit Corey’s short circuit just as Natalie walked in to begin her hour. Corey gave Natalie ‘the look’ and Natalie asked, “uh oh, are we going to work on leaving today”?
The next hour was our version of Let’s Make a Deal
M-how about this…we can leave if you walk to the main lobby?
(Corey agreed unaware of how far the distance was. She needed a rest after about 200 feet, then we continued at the same pace and distance per break)
(Walking down a long hallway towards the main hospital lobby, I was walking in front of Corey and Natalie, facing them while pushing her wheelchair behind me…trying not to bump into the walls along the way)
C-MOM…stop walking away from me!
M-you can do this Cor, you’re doing great and we’re on our way to the lobby.
C-where did you park the car?!
M-Ok, let’s make a bet; if you walk to the lobby and back without yelling or stopping, you win a new scarf. If I keep walking backwards pushing your wheelchair without hitting anything, you still get a scarf!
C-that makes no sense, you just want me to keep walking!
(Medications haven’t altered her understanding of negotiations!)
We made it to the main lobby, took a break before we walked back to the outpatient lobby (the door we really parked near)
C-I don’t want to walk anymore. I want to stay in my wheelchair
N-WHAT? who is this girl and where did our determined Corey go?
C-She was traded in for Corrine
(Natalie, “boy Cory” our PT tech and I started to laugh)
M-Hold on, I’m the only one that can trade you in. Who am I going to trade you in for?
Boy Cory chimes in…”ME”…”Adopt me”!
Corey glares at Boy Cory then looks at me…
C-that will never work, he won’t fit in any of my clothes
We all lost it! That was the end of the session, Corey won that round.

The Bryn Mawr team and I will be deciding the best course of action to submit for more sessions. Next week is a big week. We meet with Dr. Long Monday and head to meet with the Washington DC team at the end of the week for more testing. In the meantime, we are in week 6 of the medication changes. I will continue to speak via phone with the seizure specialist as we continue to closely monitor this last phase.

Thank you for your positive thoughts and prayers today. They must have given me the creative ploys to push Corey and gave her just enough strength to keep fighting off Corrine. NEVER GIVE UP AND NEVER GIVE IN! xoxo