One week makes a difference....

The week started out rough...barely treading water.
Last Sunday I read a column in the NY Times....Layng Martine Jr wrote about taking care of his paraplegic wife for the last 15 years. I figured if he could do it for 15 years then I could give it a real shot!
One very important thought that he conveyed was the fact that all it has really taken is EFFORT.
He felt that that was a small price to pay. Somehow looking at it that simply, helped me immensely...gave me a new perspective! It was a turning point for me. I wrote a thank you to him...here is a link to his love letter to Linda, his wife. Martine's column

What started out rough has ended with joy!
I can't tell you how excited we are about all of Paul's progress this week.
Hmmm where to begin?
How about finding a bottle of dessert wine in the frig?....a bottle of Mitch Consentino's semillion...I looked at Paul and asked him 'how the hell did you get this here?' It had been in the family room. Somehow he got it and tucked it into his wheelchair and hauled it two rooms to the frig. I haven't been further than 10 feet from him in weeks. I realized that for days he had been trying to tell me that he wanted to chill a bottle and have it with dinner......

Paul is whipping through flash cards....he in now organizing the 'sequencing action cards'. Cards that I find confusing...I keep second-guessing which event comes first, the walk in the orchard? Or eating the apple?

He has become annoyed at the picture flash cards and is working his way through identifying the alphabet. You can't imagine my joy....I have been going over the alphabet til I'm ready to pop. I thought it was useless. NOW HE CAN IDENTIFY 70% . We also put together the puzzle of the United States, that Sarah sent.
A few weeks ago...impossible.
He insists on 'reading' the daily papers....for months I have gotten them...he looks at them. I really think that all of his concentrating is paying off. He spent over an hour working on a Suduko puzzle he only filled in two numbers....but I'm sure that he was really figuring things out...and that we'll see the results in a few days!
The Occupational Therapist bought a booklet of diagrams illustrating his daily arm/hand exercises....after she left...I found him at the table with the booklet open and he was going through each one. I know this all sounds like small potatoes....but you have no idea how long we have been working on picture identification.
It is miraculous!

One last note of the week....all of you men over 50 will understand my Flomax faux paus.
The other night I gave Paul his Flomax before bed....and I suffered the consquenses.
He was calling for the urinal every hour on the hour all night.
Flomax in the AM....is my new mantra!

Monday we start out-patient at Kessler....I am battle ready!!
We are going to lick this &%#$# stroke!!
Paul will return....HE WILL TALK....HE WILL WALK ALONE.
I Don't think so, I KNOW so!

Love to all.....gotta run I hear grumbling on the monitor.