Saturday, March 21, 2009

God's blessings everyday...

Well it's been a few days since I (Tina) posted and I have had a lot of progress in my therapies since being here in TIRR. Yesterday we had a family conference…which (like I said earlier if you know anything about my job)…was just like an ARD meeting…basically the gist of what we talked about was the progress that I had made so far in my therapies and what goals that they have for me…which eventually is for me to fully walk again and be able to be back to being a mom, wife, and go back to my job and be fully functional. They all said that I have made great progress so far. The speech pathologist even made comments about how someone who filled in for her one day said that I could do some of the tasks better than she could. That made me feel good, that at the least cognitively, I am still all there…whatever that really means J They also mentioned that they are tentatively looking at a discharge date of April 16th, of course all depending on my progress. And then maybe putting me into what they call a post acute therapy setting…where it is a more residential looking setting and not so hospital like. Where I would be able to come and go as I please during the day, but I would have to stay there at night. Basically, it would be like living in my own dorm room, as well as getting therapy during the day, instead of driving for outpatient therapy every day. All these things depend on my progress here and what I look like when they are ready to discharge me.

At this point, I just want what God’s will is for us…yes I want to be home already, but at the same time…I want to be able to take care of my family in the way that God would have me take care of them.

They also approved a day pass for me to go to Katie’s birthday party. Which I was so excited about! I can’t believe she is already turning one! Over the past few weeks she has gotten so big and has developed such a personality. She is getting so big right before my eyes…before I know it, she’ll be walking…she is definitely getting there.

In both physical and occupational therapy I feel like I have made so much progress in just the week and a half that I have been here. I know that Aaron has seen the little baby steps…that even though they seem little to the world out there and if I were from the outside looking in…I would probably think that they were just tiny steps, but from the inside looking out…they are HUGE steps. When I first got here…the occupational therapist had me dress myself without any help…after I finished I was so exhausted. She even had to help me put my shoes on towards the end because I was so tired. I felt like I had just sprinted five miles. I thought to myself…is it going to be like this everyday, just getting dressed? I couldn’t imagine how I would feel if I had to do anything else. Wow, I would have never thought it took this much effort, just to get dressed. But thank God that everyday since then I have improved and it has gotten much easier. My strength and endurance have enhanced and I have improved on learning how to dress myself. The neuropsychologist here mentioned that a friend of hers that is a Physical Therapist said that for everyday that you are in the hospital and aren’t moving it takes 7 days to regain the strength back for that one day. Which if that were accurate…it would take me 63 days to regain all of my strength back to where I was before. But God has helped me regain so much in so little time. I can use my left hand and lift it well now, and over the past few days I have been able to move my left leg little by little and the physical therapist has had me walking and standing on it…of course with her help and the use of some really neat assistive devices. I am able to walk from point A to point B. At first I was really slow, but now it seems like I could just get up and go on my own; even though at this point I know that without her assistance or the use of these neat little techniques and devices…I wouldn’t be able to, but I know soon that I will be walking independently…it just takes time. God has definitely shown me how I need to know my limits of how much I can do…and can’t do. He has also taught me to be obedient to my therapists…so when they say stop or do this or that…I MUST listen…and for some of you who know me well…you know that I can be stubborn and determined to be independent and do things on my own…which I think has gotten me this far in life (of course with God’s help). I know that this experience is only helping me and making me stronger. I also feel like this is humbling me, that way my children will also have a good role model for a mom and Aaron will have a wife that is obedient and submits to him as Christ submitted himself to the church.

Also, when I first arrived here at TIRR…I was totally dependent on having someone help transfer me from my bed to the wheelchair and to standing and sitting in the bathroom (which may be too much info for some of you), but right now this is my reality…a humbling one at that. Since being here, I have learned to stand on my own and position myself to transfer myself into my wheelchair and I have learned to be able to stand on my own and help stand and sit with minimal assistance in the bathroom. Which I know that for this probably sounds like no big deal, but if you really think about how many times a day you stand up and down to move around and do things…it is a HUGE deal. Even the little things like if you just need a pen across the room on the table…you’ve got to move over there to get it. Throughout this whole process I have to thank Aaron for being such a trooper and sacrificing himself to help me. He has sacrificed so much sleep and even in the times that he was so exhausted and tired and I just needed him to get one more thing for me…whether it was to rub my feet or get me fresh ice water…he was willing to do it. Aaron has been the epitome of sacrifice for me over the past three weeks and even in those moments where we were both so exhausted and tired…he continued to ask me “is there anything else you need?” and I have thought to myself…LORD I don’t deserve such a wonderful man, but God knew even before I was formed in my mother’s womb. Who he would choose to marry me…and he perfectly chose Aaron to balance me out.

Aaron seems to have learned so much about how to help me including different techniques and ways to assist me. He has even gone to several of my therapy sessions with me to learn what things they have been doing with me and what types of things I can do at home to help me strengthen myself when I leave here. I just wish he didn’t have to go back to work on Monday. I will definitely miss him when he goes back.

Before I finish up this blog for today…I wanted to say that since I am feeling much better (comparably to after surgery in the hospital)…I am welcoming visitors up here at TIRR (www.tirr.org) if you would like to come visit.

Please call Aaron at 281-923-6524 to set up a time and day. Know that I am in therapy pretty much all throughout the day (M-F) until about 4 p.m. So early evenings or weekends would be best…visiting hours are until 9 p.m.

p.s. Please keep my family in your prayers. We just found out this past Monday that my maternal grandmother passed away.

4 comments:

  1. God is Good! We just found out about the brain tumor and surgery a few days ago. I guess we were left out of the loop. I feel so bad but I can tell by your blog that you have had tons of support. I am a stay- at-home mom again! I now have more time on my hands so PLEASE let me know what I can do to help. We love and miss YOU and your family! Oh yeah didn't know you were at Thrive...now it all makes since why we hadn't seen you guys around... lol! Again out of the loop!lol! We hope to see you soon...dancing around with little Katherine!
    xoxo
    Amanda, Aaron, Segen Max, Emery Tait

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am so glad that God continues to bless you and your recovery. Keep on working hard in rehab!
    Also---Happy Birthday Katie!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am humbled by your submission to God and inspired by the faith and hope you hold on to. This past week I witnessed a different attitude by someone going through a similar situation, on of hopelessness and bitterness. And yet you are proof that greater is He that is in you, than he who is in the world! God Bless Tina, I will do my best to come visit!
    Joanna Franks

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi T...
    So good to hear how the Lord is strengthening you day by day. It is a testament to his Word that he that beginneth a good work in you will complete it! God is so faithful...Your testimony is an encouragement to us all and a reflection of his Glory resting upon you. We continue to stand in agreement with you guys for full and complete, and speedy recovery. Thad will contact Aaron to set up a time for us to visit. Love you guys
    Thad & Jeanette

    ReplyDelete