Hi Everyone,
Corey’s session was less successful at U of D today. The most important part of this evaluation period is discovering what Corey is ready for and what she is not ready for. We have decided to focus on developing her core muscles. She is not ready for the walking machine just yet. Unfortunately, the last two sessions were more challenging for her and today’s session caused her some pelvic pain that resonated for the rest of the day including tonight. Every athlete needs to pace themselves! She’ll get there. You can’t run before you can walk. You can’t walk until you can stand.
We did have a special visitor tonight; My Aunt Kay. It wasn’t the visit you’re all thinking of; it was via Skype. Aunt Kay is my mother’s sister-in-law. Mom and Aunt Kay were more like sisters than in-laws.
Aunt Kay and I were always very close especially though my high school years. When I wanted to “run away” I would go to Aunt Kay’s for the weekend. As an adult I once commented to Mom, “I can’t believe you let me go from CT to NJ by myself via train through NY to see Aunt Kay”. My mother’s response; ‘you know why I let you do that’? Anxious for her reasoning, I replied “NO?” “Because I knew if you stayed with Kay for the weekend, she’d kick you in the butt, straighten you out and then send you home”! Aunt Kay is a straight forward, tell it like it is, loving woman with a great personality. Caitlin was named after Aunt Kay.
I have wonderful memories of Kay. She had a magnificent fashion sense for interiors and clothing. I remember her wearing stunning clothes, high patent leather boots, a thousand bangles on each arm and a ring on each finger. She loved to dance, sing and laugh out loud. Kay currently lives in Cape Cod, MA. We would go see her as often as we could but she and I have been pen pals and phone buddies for years. She is a great confident and conversationalist!
The last time Corey saw Aunt Kay was two summers ago. Kay loves furs and animal prints. (Corey loves animal prints too) Corey was carrying a Zebra purse and Aunt Kay wanted to know where she could get one just like it. In fact, one of the last conversations the girls had was Kay telling Corey that every woman should wear an animal print. If they don’t have enough courage to wear the print on the outside, than they should wear it on the “inside” ~ and then she winked!
Last summer when Corey went to the Exploration Weekend at Johnson & Wales, I stayed with Aunt Kay. We chatted about Corey wanting to become a Chef and she prayed that Corey would not only like the weekend but love it enough to want to move up there and attend college (she secretly was hoping she’d move closer so she could see her more too)
Aunt Kay has called us at least once a week since the accident. Tonight, for the first time in her 90 year life, she used skype to see us! She was thrilled. She used my Cousin Paul’s computer. She couldn’t believe the technology; “It’s just like the 1962 World’s Fair”! Corey spoke for Aunt Kay, waved and said, ‘Hi’; wrote Hi Kay on her dry erase board and she also tried to verbally respond to some of Aunt Kay’s questions.
We took our computer and virtually toured the house so Aunt Kay could see Corey’s bedroom, bathroom, exercise matte, back deck, ramps and her van. Kay loved it! She commented that “Seeing” the changes in the house and the equipment that Corey’s using meant so much to her. Now she can picture the rooms as I tell her what’s going on day to day.
Our visit was truly the highlight of the week. What a special experience to share. There have been so many intense moments, overwhelming circumstances and exhausting challenges that have occurred throughout this journey but especially this week. The carepages deliberately don’t reflect the “dark” days of our experience but they are there. The one consistent lesson I am reminded of each day is to look for the good. There are many days this is more difficult than I can express in any of my writings. But it is imperative for me to search, find that one special experience and express it. It is the thread that I hold onto so I don’t give up.
This is not meant to be a cryptic message but today the thread almost snapped. I am waiting for the details to unfold but it appears that someone has found Corey’s Social Security number and birth date and she is the victim of Identity theft. This discovery came via the Medicaid office. I spent the afternoon alerting the Federal SS commission for Identity theft, the three credit bureau’s as well as working with the State Police. According to the police, this is not an uncommon event especially for a disabled patient.
I don’t have an ounce of energy left. I have to turn this over and let the authorities deal with uncovering the details. Tonight Corey and I climbed into her bed and just sat quietly, holding each other to close out another day.
Corey tomorrow we get to start a new day. My favorite word in that sentence is “we”. Together honey we will begin fresh and just take it one hour at a time if we have to. We will look for the good and appreciate it within that moment. That is what is most important! Maybe we’ll go shopping for animal prints this weekend…xoxo