My Little Darlin, PT day 41, by David

Day #5 at Shepherd.  Not any significant change today except she may overall be more agitated.  But on reflection even though she seems more easily agitated it does seem you can get her attention and coax her to settle down at least for a few seconds a little easier than when she came in (TIGT).   Jan had therapy this morning but the afternoon off.  I came in around noon, she was done with therapy and in her room still in her wheelchair.. She was an unhappy camper in the world she is currently in.  It is like a small child and thinking of her this ways lets me wrap my mind around how to deal with her,  gently but firmly.  You can not get upset with her, you must be very patient and tolerant, she has no concept of what she is doing at this stage in her recovery.  She was complaining loudly again about how hot she was and adamantly wanted her back brace off.  This is a torso brace sort of like chest armor that gives her fractured thoracic vertebral body support until it heals.  The orthopedist consultant, if I remembered correctly, indicated it could come off at six weeks which is tomorrow.  She only wears it while sitting up but DOES NOT LIKE IT and will let you know with a few choice words she wants it off.  She was also complaining loudly saying that the nurse "lied" to her (the nurse did not, this was part of her confusion and wanting her way like any 4 year old).  She wanted it off and to be back in bed.  She was doing the usual i am hot one second and i am cold the next.  Lunch came.  I got her to reluctantly eat several pieces  of peach but stopped trying when she spit the last piece out.  A very pleasant nursing assistant came in after and persuaded her to drink most of her ensure.  She slept through the afternoon, was gotten out of bed back into her chair and has been very agitated since.  Once again eating very little and screaming loudly for me to get her out of the brace and to "help her" among other things.  These bursts of confused and agitated emotions go on and off like light bulbs.  It is very hard to mentally deal with her like this particularly when she is looking and pleading directly with me to help her.  I am able to stay calm, do what I can which is very little that actually comforts her and reassure her.  In her current mental state there is not much that I do to sooth her.  I did try showing her various photos and asking what they were of.  She had no problem identifying who was in the photos but only after three or four became very re-agitated and told me "do not ask me any more questions".  It is extremely hard seeing someone you love going through this but I have talked to many former brain injury survivors, family members of survivors and staff here and they all say this will get better, as I have heard over and over just be patient.  I have no choice.  I will tell you normal boring routine day to day life would be good.

Thank you all again for following Jan and me through this ordeal.  Knowing that so many care is truly helping us get through this.  While I would give anything to have prevented my Little Darlin from having this done to her and what she is going through now in an attempt to get our life together back, I think with everyones help and persistence there are and will be good things to come from this.  Be sure and slow down a little and smell the roses, enjoy today because you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  Believe me I know.

SHARE THE ROAD, IT'S A LIFE
PUT THE !%@$# CELL PHONE DOWN BEFORE YOU KILL SOMEBODY
GET OFF THE COUCH,  BE AN EXAMPLE
SUPPORT BIKE WALK MISSISSIPPI,  IT IS OUR VEHICLE TO GET THINGS DONE


**********PLEASE CONTACT AND ENCOURAGE YOUR STATE SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT THE 3 FOOT LAW AMENDMENT***********

I Love My Little Darlin more than anything, seeing her go through the last 41 days has hurt as bad as you can imagine.
David