March 10,1999 update

Sincere apologies for the long delay in sending an update. I am in a real time deficit right now between taking care of Suze, insurance matters, work and trying to get the house ready for her return.

The short of it is that Suze should be returning home sometime during the week of the 22nd or 29th of March. I am trying to get her enrolled in the day therapy program at Riverside Hospital, it is on the way to work, where she can continue the therapy she needs. That is still up in the air. Additionally I have to look at hiring someone to help me care for Suze during those times when she isn't in therapy and I have to be at work. Short errands I am hoping can be handled with help from friends but an extended period really requires a helper.

I guess the best way is just to list her status as of the 10th.

Mobility: Still having difficulty with balance and her right arm is interfering with the use of a "Swedish" walker so they have tried to accelerate her to a folding walker and are trying to get her to use that, of course she doesn't want to use a device and would much rather prefer walking with someone just holding onto her gait belt. But she is just too tall and strong for that to be feasible for most of the PT staff. She is continuing to re-develop flexibility in her left arm and working on regaining control. She is able to move about with her wheelchair using her feet so she is pretty mobile when she wants to be. All in all she has made some significant improvements.

Communication: An alphabet board is her primary means of communication via spelling out word by word by pointing to the letter, though she is getting pretty good with the computer keyboard. A very frustrating process since it requires her to really concentrate on fine motor control (which has helped in her left arm usage). But since the accident I can't remember more than 6 things at once I continually lose track of what she is trying to spell out. So I try to copy down what she is writing while trying to hold the board while trying to...well you get the picture I am sure we look quite the sight together.

On Wednesday I brought in some Chivers BlackCurrant Jam for her, to work on her swallowing and oral motor control, instead of the Orange Marmalade we were using. (I get grape jelly because I am an American and could possibly appreciate 'real' jam or so she says :-).) Anyway the Chivers did the trick, her eyes lit up real big, she started grinning and giving a big thumbs up. She spelled out that she remembered the taste of the Chivers and about 5 minutes later she really started to speak. Prior to this she could only say about three words, hello/bye/no. She is still very hard to understand and it takes her a while to remember to breathe before speaking but she is able to get out short sentences!!!! She said "I like Black Currant Jam" and the SLP just about came unglued she was so surprised, so we had a steady stream of visitors from all the staff who came to hear her talk and she was able to say hello and their name. BIG BREAKTHROUGH and all because of Chivers - now that would be quite an advertisement for their product.

Memory - Basically if it happened sometime after the 93/95 timeframe she doesn't remember it and for somethings much sooner. She still thought she worked for 'SULMAN BROS' (she quit there in 1979/80 timeframe). Had no recollection of our meeting, dating or marriage. Could remember her cats Dave and Deets but thought they were our children (which I suppose is correct in a manner of speaking). Remembered that her Hawk was blue but couldn't remember that she owned the Kawasaki. Her ex-husband, John, sent her a tape of her old music and she really liked that, though she shook her head in disbelief when he told her he was buying another Harley. Some of those memories may return, it is too soon to tell but I think she will always have big blank spots in life now where her memories have been scrambled. I am pretty sure that she doesn't remember her father passing away a couple of years ago and for right now I want to keep it that way, so if you come to visit be careful about family subjects.

On Saturday and Sunday we went to the movies, got the hospital to believe that I was a responsible adult and could be trusted to take her off the grounds. On Saturday we say a BUG'S LIFE and on Sunday ANALYSE THIS. She had a good time and now all she wants to do is go to the movies every night. Trying to get the hospital to allow me to take her out on a 'not to interfere' basis, since I think the change in environment will do her a world of good. Planning on going to the movies, shopping and maybe the art museum this weekend and next weekend do a test 'overnighter' at home to check everything out. So if you are planning on visiting anytime soon better page me (757-872-2720) to make sure that we are still there and not out and about.

Had a long conversation with the Commonwealth Attorney who will prosecuting the case, it could very well be sometime next year before this guy ever gets to try. The CA thinks that he might plead guilty in exchange for a more lenient sentence. If he drags it to court then the CA is going to request a jury trial which really increases the amount of time the guy could spend in jail. But for right now the next court date looks to be at the end of April.

v I am sure that there are a lot of things I forgot but---

take care

lawrence