We’re happy to report that Mom’s pain levels have dropped a lot in the past week.  Each day she grows stronger and more confident in her abilities.

She still isn’t crazy about being in rehab.  Her fiercely independent spirit makes this level of dependence challenging.  (Like most of the rest of us, she prefers to run her own show!)   It isn’t easy to be a patient, or to remain patient while in a medical facility.   Besides waiting for assistance,  noise and care interruptions make it harder to get enough sleep.  However, now that Mom’s pain is easing, it’s easier for her to see her progress and the benefits of rehab.  That in turn makes adjustment and acceptance a little easier.

Mom’s independence is also fueling courage and fierce motivation to heal.  We see this in her willingness to continue physical and occupational therapy.   It’s hard and it still hurts.  She does it anyhow because it helps.  Her mobility is steadily improving and the therapists comment that her arms and hands are very strong.  She can stand up now on her own power and with less pain.  She can also walk some steps with her walker.   During PT last week, we were thrilled to see her walk 16 feet.  Yesterday she walked 45!   

Otherwise, Mom and the staff are also working on her balance, orientation to time and place, and on relearning some daily living tasks.  With the additional healing time from her stroke and the fracture, we’re noticing more improvement in those areas too.

Mom isn’t yet able to navigate the many stairs we have in our home in Corvallis so we’ll be taking Christmas to her.  The Mennonite Home staff invites families to join loved ones for the day and we’re taking them up on their kind invitation.

More next week!

P.S.  For those who don’t know, Mom had a stroke on 11/1.  She was flown to Bend for surgery.  Afterwards the neurologist there said her scan showed no stroke damage.   Seventeen days later, while she was with us in Corvallis, she fell and broke her hip.  She’s now in rehabilitation in Albany, Oregon.