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3yrs; Day 1116 – presentation LIVING with TBI

Hi Everyone, It’s Marie and Corey

We have been busy rehearsing. What are we up to now you ask? Tomorrow we will be the In-Service guest speakers for the Brain Injury staff of Bryn Mawr Rehab. Some might say that this is providential because 3 years ago today we moved into Bryn Mawr from the ICU. Tomorrow is the anniversary of Corey’s initial evaluation by the staff of the Brain Injury Unit.

During our inpatient stay we were the students; learning all we could about Traumatic Brain Injury. Brian and Nick, along with Natalie, Dr. Long and several staff members were our mentors. They prepared us the best they could within the limited timeframe granted by the hospital and insurance company. Tomorrow we will share what we have learned, how we have adapted and what strategies we’ve developed LIVING with TBI on a daily basis.

If anyone had told us the day would come that we would be presenting to the staff that gave us our foundation, we would not have believed it.

(Corey)
i am the corey that mom is talking about and all i have to say is i am very thankful that a place like Bryn Mawr exists because it has been the stepping stone for my life, at least so far that is.

…Corey has written and will read her speech that will close our presentation 😉
Think of us during your lunch hour as we share Corey’s Story of Recovery, xoxo

3yrs; Day 1107 – Corey’s 21!

Hi Everyone,

We all love to celebrate special days ~ holiday’s, weddings, anniversaries and birthdays. These among many others are days of remembrance. They are special because we take time to celebrate and enjoy life with the people we love.

Today is Corey’s 21st Birthday. Her big day not only marks a chronological milestone, it defines the meaning of “today”.

Today is full of possibility
Today is full of opportunity
Today is full of hope
Today we find pleasure in the simple joy of being alive

We’ve counted the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years as we record each milestone since Corey’s accident and last night Corey gave us a gift; She walked into her party! She unwrapped the meaning of tenacity, motivation, the power of a positive attitude and determination. No matter what the calendar says, we only have today and today we appreciate the opportunity to continue to love, laugh, create memories and build hope for the future.

Today is indeed a special day, a sacred gift that is ours to live to the best of our ability.
Let’s celebrate “Today” again tomorrow
.xoxo

Corey Beattie Today’s Your Birthday!

3yrs; Day 1114 – from Corey

Hi Everyone,

We’ve had a roller coaster weekend with Corrine but Corey has been doing well with her journaling. We learn so much utilizing this medium. It has proven itself to be an invaluable resource!

Despite our challenges, she had a new first yesterday. Corey asked to independently put on her long sleeved pullover shirt. That sounds easy to all of you but think back to when your children learned to dress themselves. Now add the additional challenge of only having the use of one arm.

We placed the shirt on her lap. Corey’s right arm is her dominant arm. She had to find the left sleeve, pull it on her left arm, place the shirt over her head and then slip her right arm into the right sleeve. Once the shirt capped her shoulders she had to pull the bodice down front, sides and back. It took almost 30 minutes (and I had to restrain myself from helping) but she did it!

She wanted to write to you but was at a loss for a topic. We reviewed your Writer’s Prompts and selected a combination of several: Thank you Cathy, Nanci, Carol and Mary for inspiring tonights post.

good evening everyone, its Corey

i have a little something to say

i like to be in a kitchen for many reasons. sure everyone likes to eat but deeper than that, cooking is something that really makes me happy

when i find just the right recipe, start cooking and its going well, i feel invincible like i have no boundaries

cooking for me gives me confidence and it is exhilarating
you can always be creative with the art, there are basically no limits

if i am making food for someone else, all that i can hope is that they really like the presentation and, well of course, the taste. if someone thinks that it is not good, the first thing i wonder is how can i fix it to make it better? rather than taking it personally i think right away how can i improve it and make it better for next time. i think this is way better than getting down in the dumps because you made one meal that was not bouncing off the walls amazing.

if you put in too much salt, for whoever is reading this, well…you live and you learn;
you don’t do that the next time. can it get any easier? i do not think so, but thats my opinion, i don’t know about all of you.

over all i like to be in the kitchen cooking if we are being honest because it makes me happy, plain and simple no extra spices required! xoxo

3yrs; Day 1144 – from Corey; aqua video

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for the wonderful feedback on Corey’s latest video. We were in the pool today and shot another! That’s right
a new first. Corey started water therapy 15 weeks ago. You’ve seen a few water videos including a few with assisted walking. Today Corey took her first steps unassisted ~ 5 steps to be exact. I feel like a new mom watching her toddler transition from tittering to taking off.

Corey chose the videos we share with you tonight. Overly excited to watch and re-watch them I suggested, “We should take a video everyday week for the carepage! It could be a video-blog”. Without hesitation, Corey’s response was “I have to do something new everyday this week? That’s asking an awful lot of me mom”!

Hi everyone this is the real corey
It was a really good thing to walk without anything or with anyone helping. it basically feels really good to be able to walk by myself. Today helps me to start on the track to being on my own.

Pretend you’re sitting at the side of the pool watching me. Don’t worry I won’t splash, xoxo

Corey Beattie 5 Steps

Corey Beattie 5 Steps Take 5
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=DYswjIWDRTA&feature=vm

3yrs; Day 1111 – from Corey

Hi Everyone,

today was a big day! my van is officially sold. my van was very important to me and my family but it was basically a crutch holding me back from getting better. now i can keep moving forward. my next step will be driving after i am walking all by myself. i do not know when that will happen but i will keep trying and looking forward to that day. we hope that the new family has as many safe rides as we did

today i also played UNO and happened to beat my sister 3 times. i rode the bike and stretched and then i got angry and threw a tennis ball at natalie. we decided it was time to go and we walked out of the gym all the way to the front door. which was not really close by; that was a workout within itself! so i think it was a really good day.

so as far as i’m concerned i hope none of you have to do anything you do not want to do, but if you have to i hope you can power through it…make sure that incase you are mad you have tennis balls handy, xoxo

3yrs; Day 1110 – some highlights

Hi Everyone,

I know when we’re “quiet” you all worry. It was a busy weekend hosting Corey’s Birthday and then we jumped right back into the usual schedule. Whenever she participates in an eventful weekend, she tends to have what we call the “event hangover” (not unlike the usual 21st birthday day or two after…minus the beverages of course!). In addition, we continue working through our nursing issues and up until today, both Corey and I were too tired to write.

Some of Corey’s highlights;
Monday, she rode the stationary bike for 12 minutes.
Tuesday, she walked 11 laps in the pool. The tone in her legs increased (caused by fatigue) but Paul commented that despite the tone she decreased her time per lap. He continues to be pleased and impressed with her aqua progress.

Today we went back to the Endocrinologist to review the MRI, Vision test results and blood work regarding the Pituitary Tumor. The Doctor’s feel she is on the boarder line of requiring surgery to remove it. The tumor is resting on the chiasms (crossed nerves under the Optic nerve) causing them to swell. The swelling and tumor are causing the visual field cuts. There was a slight (yet not significant) change in the cut report, causing them to order additional tests to evaluate an in depth look at central vision not only peripheral vision.

The Doctor’s are overly cautious recommending removal for obvious reasons. The results of the additional tests will assist with the decision as to how/when to proceed with surgery.

I’m hoping Corey will be back in the author’s seat very soon. In the meantime, please keep her in your prayers to continue developing her communication skills, patience, awareness and emotional temperance!
xoxo

3yrs; Day 1104 – from Corey

hi everyone once again its corey and today was a very big day for me.

first of all i improved on my timed walking with natalie. and i tested climbing up and down a flight of stairs., and had to go on the mat to show Natalie just how high i could kick oh and i went on a bike and peddled for almost 10 minutes.
don’t worry i passed.

and i had to get tested by Elaine too. she needed to see how high i could lift my non dominant arm and also pick up pegs and put them in a peg board. but there was a FIRST i used the so called cheese grater (the wooden box on a slant board – it was in my recovery video) Elaine put two pound weights in the box to test my left arm.
with very little help from Elaine i basically, crushed it!!

you know what was hard to do was putting lipstick on with only one hand while i happened to be looking in a compact mirror. not only could i first of all do it but i did it without missing my lips and end up looking like a clown.

soo tomorrow, me mom and my sister caitlin go to costco to pick up my birthday cake. i cant wait for my actual birthday because i cant wait to see all of my friends and family.

if you can not come to the comedy night please give me a present by doing something fun to celebrate the weekend, xoxo

3yrs; Day 1103 – from Corey

hi everyone its corey

most people try but take a lot of things for granted. i try and mostly succeed at taking nothing for granted and i don’t take anything personally; i don’t see what good that will do you if you do. so basically i am here just as me.

i have already made it through brain injury and i know that i can defeat the odds.

there are people that think brain injury is the worst thing that could ever happen to you. its not because in the end it really only makes you even stronger

now that i have over come that, i can over come anything that is thrown my way.

if you are having a bad day or you are dealing with something that is hard in your life i encourage you to keep going, never give up and never give in, that is important cause in the end anything can happen to you. its more than just this minute, its basically temporary. you have to look forward to the future knowing that any thing can happen if you try hard enough to get through that minute.

i hope that this can help to make your day better, if its already not going well, xoxo

3yrs; Day 1102 – Aqua Therapy

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammed Ali

Hi Everyone,

Today Corey won another round. In fact, she won 9…laps that is. Paul, her aqua coach has been unable to join us in the pool for over a month. He trained me and Caitlin on a few basic exercises but emphasized that anything we do on land can be done in the water. In fact, exercising is 4x as affective at working every muscle in the body primarily due to removing gravity. Paul shared stories about other patients that were immobile on land yet when buoyant could move their limbs in the water.

Over the course of the last month, we followed Paul’s advice and incorporated some of Corey’s land exercises along with his water exercises.

We have increased her leg exercises not by repetitions (as we do on land) but how many can we do within a certain time period. Each week we increased her time building her stamina and muscle strength.

The following is the perfect example of how aqua therapy helps supplement traditional land exercises as well as develop and advance a persons recovery.

Walking independently is our primary focus for Corey’s PT. In order to accomplish this, she must develop balance, the weaker left leg muscles, both hip muscles and her core muscles.

Recently, we have not only begun “sit to stand” exercises but standing in place as well. Yesterday, Corey completed 5 sit to stands and stood in place holding onto a grab bar with her right hand for 4 minutes without swaying or bending at the knees/waist from fatigue. This land time is a first. Once she develops her balance, she will be able to let go of the bar and hopefully take her first steps without assistance.

In the water today we practiced the same standing exercise. Corey not only stood holding onto the grab bar with her right hand, she placed her body weight on her right leg and completed left leg lifts! To date, Corey has not bent or lifted her left knee, nor has she been capable of standing on one leg to lift the opposite leg as an exercise on land. After lifting her knee she kicked in a downward motion to do a toe touch on the bottom of the pool. Corey repeated this exercise over 30 times in 4 minutes.

Paul was speechless (and if you met this man that is hard to do!)

We also bragged that last week Corey walked the perimeter of the pool twice as she held onto the grab bar. He insisted she show off. Paul stood in front of her, I was standing behind her. Corey took off marching step by step; neither Paul nor I were holding her. She walked 3/4 of the pools perimeter independently. He was very excited stating, “oh she’s ready to go”. He reached for an extra fat pool noodle. With Paul in front of her, the noodle was placed about a foot from her belly wrapping her torso. Corey reached forward to hold the noodle as Paul guided her away from the wall; Corey walked within the interior of the pool using the noodle as a “Walker”. A few short laps and he was ready to push her further. The noodle was removed, Paul stood behind her, I was beside her. As she walked I called the commands, “Lift the right knee, kick forward”. “Lift the left knee”, (tapping the back of her left thigh to initiate the muscle response) “Higher!” “Try to break the water with the top of your knee”. “GOOD, that’s it”! “AGAIN”. “Right knee”, “Left knee”, “Right knee” and so it went…for 9 laps around the pool without holding onto the grab bar!

At the end of our session, Paul took me aside. He was astounded at Corey’s progress, stamina and muscle development in the last month. He admitted, “I never thought it would happen this fast”. “When a patient reaches this point in their development, they take off”! “This is exciting”!
He turned to Corey and confided that he has 6 other patients. “When I have to go away, it all falls apart”. “We have to start at the beginning when I get back”! Corey looked at him and emphatically proclaimed, “You don’t know me…I am NOT going back to the beginning”!

“I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday” – Unknown

Corey, you will live the rest of your life as a champion because you never give up and never give in, xoxo

3yrs; Day 1101 – from Corey

Hi everyone its corey

i went away for 5 days but in that time i did not really go anywhere. i have been home, not on the internet cause i was really busy exercising; you know, basically getting ready for my birthday party.

so now that i’m back i would like to answer some of your questions.

Mr. Weaver asked “if you’re traveling at the speed of light and turn on your headlights, will it do anything”?

Dear Mr Weaver,
Did you ever hear the angels bowling during a thunderstorm? Well lightening is the angels turning on the headlights to find the gutter balls.

Owen (age 3) asked “when you gonna get out of that wheelchair”?

Dear Owen,
ASAP if i have anything to do with it. i am practicing everyday to walk with a walker so i can ditch this wheelchair.

Pam Pavone asked “What is your favorite book”?

Dear Pam,
i do not really read books for fun i leave that up to caitlin but if i’m going to read anything i prefer recipes

4. Gail Frezza asked, “what is the one thing that makes you laugh the hardest”?

Dear Gail,
you know what i think that, caitlin and johnpaul make me really really laugh but i think that everyone should go to the comedy night on saturday night because she will have you rolling too!

Cathy Finn asked, “when you decided to go to cooking school what made you decide to go”?

Dear Cathy,
number 1 i think food makes everyone happy so i would really like to be a part of that happiness
number 2 i don’t really know why, thats hard, but i think you should have a career doing something you love.

i think that its time to go but if anyone else thinks of any questions i can answer them another day.
Love Corey, xoxo