This photo was at the end of the day, so I'm *almost* sure she doesn't hate us probably, maybe. Perhaps.
We were there when she was waking up, but I missed my chance to sing her the bacon song. But Rachael didn't miss a beat.
After breakfast, we learned a bit about the nursing care Shannon needs and then it was straight to the hard work: Figuring out how to eat Shannon's jelly beans without taking off the N-95 mask.
When that was all figured out, we moved on to less important things. Choosing that stupid, wonderful, much needed, allusive, shower chair!! It was mostly decided already, but just to make sure, Shannon had to take a shower in it, which worked out great because we needed to learn how to help her shower without killing her. "Without killing her" was the main theme of our training today, actually. Not that she was ever at risk of us doing anything that might harm her.... maybe.
I volunteered to do the first transfer, and it went really well! I mean, I didn't actually get her into the chair on my own, and she was terrified the entire time. But I'm sure that didn't scar her for life or anything.
We also learned how to exercise her legs. Shannon was great and remembered the instructions. She stepped us through most of them. She did caution us to be careful not to pull her leg off, as in- off of her body. As if that was even possible! After a few stretches, I decided now would be a good time to make a "pop" sound and then gasp. Shannon freaked out and thought that her foot had popped off of her leg. It was fantastic!! At least I thought it was! She didn't seem to share my sentiments on the topic of limbs popping off.
I tried to do another bed to chair transfer in PT, but that was another fail. I am beginning to really doubt their decision to not have a lift for Shannon when she comes home. Her life might actually depend on having one. I am having a whole "don't drop the baby on their head" anxiety over this.
We played boggle with her for speech therapy, and Disney Scene it for rec therapy. As you can see, it's all work and no play for Shannon. (do you see that GIANT DVD player? I didn't even know you could still buy those, but apparently you can)
And miraculously, we got all of Shannon's meals picked out for next week! When I was there with her on Wednesday, she didn't have any meals brought in because she had forgotten to fill out the form. Happily, we had Wawa delivered. We also filled her up with Wawa today. Turkey shorty & mac n cheese. I made pulled pork for dinner last night, so I brought her some of that too. Shannon put it with the mac. It's apparently delicious.
It was a lot of fun being there today with Shannon and Rachael!
Please pray for Shannon to have faith in herself and her abilities, for her to become stronger and able to meet the goals they have for her to be discharged in a few weeks, and for her strength to improve. Pray for her trach to be removed so she can have more freedom to leave the room and do therapies in the other areas of the hospital, and for her to be filled with peace and understanding of her condition.
I have been so overwhelmed with the outpouring of help this week. We are so far from being done with the basement, but every day there is a small army in our basement pounding, drilling, cutting, etc until after midnight- the last two people just left (it's 12:37am). And then there are the people outside who are fixing the walk, digging holes for the ramp support, cutting down THORN bushes (who plants thorn bushes on purpose?) that are in the way of the ramp. There is also the quiet support of friends who are willing to just listen, to try to find solutions and options to problems that will lighten the load, to just be close and let us cry. We are certainly not fighting through this alone. Not in the slightest. Thank you, all of you.
So today- Rachael and I apparently completely embarrassed Shannon. This is her requested Disney quote:
Memo to me- MEMO TO ME: Maim you after my meeting. Hades- Disney's Hercules
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