Momma May Walks

Mom’s rehabilitation struggle has been slow for the most part but, we're happy to report that there has been some recent improvement. Maribeth and I went to a health staff meeting last week concerning Mom’s care. We were very surprised to find out from the physical therapist that Mom was walking better.

The physical therapist had just about given up on Mom and walking, but she has changed her mind and is working patiently with her now toward improvement, and eventually, physical strength and mobility independence. In the parallel bars Mom is walking with very little assistance. She tires easily though and requires encouragement to continue each PT session to its maximum benefit. She walked about 40 feet yesterday. That’s progress!

She is also using the walker some too, but still with great apprehension of falling. There is improvement though. Mom is also now able to move herself in her wheelchair (though she would rather be pushed) around the rehabilitation center. She goes to the cafeteria some on her "bicycle", as she calls her wheelchair.

I was with Mom yesterday when her physician, Dr. Bosquet, visited. She was the most oriented she had ever been with him. The Dr. and I were surprised and pleased. Her thinking is clearly improving. We think she is presently on a good balance of medications to optimize her cognitive abilities.

She has a cell phone now and is little by little learning to use it, sorting out what the buttons do and which ones she should “mash” to get who she wants to talk to. All those buttons make me scratch my head as well. I am working with her to do the plain & simple stuff like turning the phone on and off, answering it when it rings and charging it up when the battery gets weak.

Voice mail is my next task to tackle with Mom. So far she has been good with her phone. She hasn’t called us up in the middle of the night because she thinks there is a spider in her bed or anything. We think that’s just fine.

For friends and family who would like to call her, the number is 972-825-7871. She is still hard of hearing, so you will need to speak loudly and enunciate clearly, please.

In a couple of weeks we plan to take her to a physician specialist in the area of medical and rehabilitative medicine. We have the appointment, but if she continues to improve at her present rate, we may not even need to see this rehabilitation guru doctor. We’ll see how she progresses.

Mom still wants to return to Virginia, but she will have a few hoops to jump through before we can realistically make all that happen. Certainly we will, if and when she gains enough independence to fend for herself back on the farm. Dreams and goals, what challenge would life be if we didn’t have them? They motivate us and give us a reason to get up and go each day. Mom still has them.

She appreciates all the letters, cards, and phone conversations with all her friends and family. She wants everyone to know that.

Philip