Friday, October 13, 2006
Make Sure We Get Tomorrow
I wanted to share an update about Lesley's condition. In the last couple weeks, she has experienced dramatic leaps and bounds towards recovery. No longer completely paralyzed, she can move her head and shimmy her shoulders, and while she cannot yet move her arms, she experiences sensation with her arms, hands, and fingers. Yesterday we heard the fantastic news that she was off the respirator for a little bit, sitting up in a special chair drinking coffee, and she'd even had some cream of chicken soup and orange sherbert!
She remains on the respirator, receiving air through the trach, but she has been breathing against the respirator for a while, which means she's using those muscles again -- all a good thing, headed towards getting off the respirator completely. She can enunciate much more clearly now that she has more control of her lips, and even without the "passy" in the tubes that lead from the trach to the respirator, she can put some air behind her speaking, which makes having a conversation with her much, much easier. She's not medicated as heavily as she had been, and that allows the spunky, funny Lesley to shine through. It's so great!!!
We've also learned, from speaking with her, that, mercifully, she only remembers the last couple weeks of her hospitalization.
Full recovery will take some time, and none of us - least of all Lesley - can wait 'til she gets back the use of her arms and hands. Her 10-month-old son visits daily, and she is so looking forward to being able to hold him again on her own. That'll be another great, great day.
She remains on the respirator, receiving air through the trach, but she has been breathing against the respirator for a while, which means she's using those muscles again -- all a good thing, headed towards getting off the respirator completely. She can enunciate much more clearly now that she has more control of her lips, and even without the "passy" in the tubes that lead from the trach to the respirator, she can put some air behind her speaking, which makes having a conversation with her much, much easier. She's not medicated as heavily as she had been, and that allows the spunky, funny Lesley to shine through. It's so great!!!
We've also learned, from speaking with her, that, mercifully, she only remembers the last couple weeks of her hospitalization.
Full recovery will take some time, and none of us - least of all Lesley - can wait 'til she gets back the use of her arms and hands. Her 10-month-old son visits daily, and she is so looking forward to being able to hold him again on her own. That'll be another great, great day.
