Went and saw my pumpkin today!! It was so fantastic! Did I say that last time I saw her? Probably. But it's as true today as it was then. Her regular therapists weren't there today, which was unfortunate, but we still did some great things! I brought her some requested food today-Krisha made Shannon's favorite cookies, peanut butter and chocolate (Ren's cookies, for those of you familiar with Tiger's Curse.). I also brought chocolate milk, strawberries, and grapes. I offered to feed her the grapes, Queen Shannon. She was doing snack show and tell with her nurse, and I told Shannon- "Stick with me, and you'll never go hungry again!" (See quote below)
For OT today, Shannon showed me how she puts her pants on. What's that saying? One leg at a time? It's true. It's a struggle. She does what's called a long sit- which is her legs stretched out in front of her, leaning forward and grabbing one foot at a time to put in the leg of the pants. It took a while, and she took a break in the middle of it, but she did it 100% by herself!
In PT, I learned how to exercise her legs. She was just playing on her phone while we did it, and I had to laugh at her lack of effort to even watch her exercise happening. I asked her if it's weird to watch her legs get moved around and not feel it. She said, "well it wasn't until you mentioned it!" After that she learned how to sit herself up in bed with her legs hanging over the edge.
It was her first time doing it. My FAVORITE part of that was Shannon being worried for her legs. She didn't want them to fall off the bed and get hurt. :) Here's a link to her video of how it's currently done! You really don't appreciate your core and mobility until you don't have use of it, or need to help someone who doesn't have use of it.
She also spend time in the wheelchair, and that's going well. I love watching her get moved to it with the lift. She's so funny.
(these videos are too long...so you get a youtube link)
I don't know if you noticed from her photo, but Shannon's trach is capped!!! It's been capped for two days :D She is still on schedule to have the trach removed next week....which means... FREEDOM from her room/cell. She still needs to pass off on a couple of things- one is a productive cough. She currently isn't being suctioned much at all, but she can't take deep breaths or strong exhales. So they do this thing call a "quad cough"-which is the cute name for assisted cough. Spinal injury patience usually have issues with it. It's the freakiest thing to watch and I am super hoping they won't have to teach me how to do it. Her nurse or respiratory person stands in front of her and pushes on her belly just below her diaphragm while she coughs- with an incredible amount of force, and some of them also jiggle their hand around while pushing. It looks like the most painful thing. Shannon said she can't feel it anyway. But I have no interest in having to do it.
And....it was MAIL TIME......She loves it SO much!!!! Keep them coming!!
In other news, we learned today that concrete dust loves to travel through air duct returns. Now we have a fine dusting all over our main floor. It's not enough to make concrete dust angels, and no one has died from inhaling in yet, so we are probably good. If I don't post tomorrow, you'll know why.
Lancer ordered most of the construction junk we need to get this basement done. I finished ordering all the "fun stuff" yesterday. It's like Christmas over here. Boxes getting delivered every day. The kiddos here get all excited to watch the boxes get opened, and then, it's a shower head, or a vanity mirror, or a sink. I cannot wait to let them open up the toilet! I might have to make a video.
As you can see from her video, Shannon still has a long road ahead. Please continue to pray for her to gain the necessary connections with her spinal cord, for her core muscles to increase in strength, for her memory and cognitive skills to continue to improve, and for her to be able to productively cough and clear her airway so she can have her trach removed.
And the Disney tribute:
Banzai: Yeah, Be prepared. Yeah... we'll be prepared,
heh. ...For what?
Scar: For the death of the king.
Banzai: What is he, sick?
Scar: No, fool - we're going to kill him. Simba too.
Shenzi: Great idea! Who needs a king?
Shenzi and Banzai: (singing) No king! No king!
La-la-la-la-la!
Scar: Idiots! There will be a king!
Banzai: Hey, but you said, uh...
Scar: I will be king! ...Stick with me (triumphant,
toothy grin), and you'll never go hungry again!
Shenzi and Banzai: Yay! All right! Long live the king!
Other Hyenas: Long live the King! Long live the King!
-Lion King
Shannon seems to have a great attitude about all this. I'm extremely impressed! Prayers to all. We love you guys!
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