Shannon has always loved driving. Driving go carts, golf carts, tricycles, bicycles, cars, trucks....even Mario Cart. So today was an excellent day for Shannon!! She got to drive her manual wheelchair with the power boost attached. It's pretty fantastic! It works similar to an electric bike, or, if you are familiar with Mario Cart- it's a booster dot. Shannon wears a nifty "watch", and with two taps on a surface, the power boost turns on, moving her wheels 2-6 mph, depending on the setting (fun fact- the watch can also answer phone calls, etc). Shannon didn't want to wear the watch- she decided it was too expensive and she will break it. But then I mentioned how much her wheelchair costs, and she decided it wasn't that expensive after all, so she'd give it a try. It's safe to say, she's completely hooked!
I knew that she'd be trialing the power boost today, so I picked up a shirt for the occasion.
Shannon is also trialing the wheelchair. She's been testing out different seats, seat backs, foot rests, etc. I had no idea how custom wheel chairs are. And that doesn't even include the color, the spokes, etc. Today she was sitting on a mat that shows the pressure distribution on the seat. The mat reads the pressure and turns it into a graphic on a screen showing the pressure points. It was so funny to watch the banter. Rachael- the PT said "Shannon, look! It's your butt! Want to see it?" Shannon says, no thanks, I don't want to see my butt. "Shannon, look at your butt, it's so beautiful!" Shannon rolls her eyes.
Shannon also did a transfer from bed to wheelchair today, learned about some nutrition stuff and spent the day with her mama :)
Notice anything different here? I get to wear GOGGLES NOW!! It's a miracle! I can breathe!!! You have no idea how difficult it is to breath with the dumb N-95 mask with a plastic shield over it. Plus I was so much cooler without a piece of foam/plastic/elastic strapped to my head for 8 solid hours.
While we were up on the roof, I showed Shannon where our friends live-- that tall apartment complex. And if you look really closely above the shorter middle building, you can see the Angel Moroni peaking over the top from the Philadelphia temple. And yes, that's a car on the roof. It was apparently put there via crane for the purpose of occupational therapy- learning to transfer in and out of a car- among other things.
We also thought you'd enjoy seeing what Shannon's weekly menu is like. Shannon wanted me to stress that you should remember that the words on the page sound pretty- but that's hospital cafeteria food. So think unappealing. Soggy toast, dried out turkey. The food is definitely NOT the reason to be at Magee.
I was taking this photo of Shannon with her super cute blanket a friend of ours gave her when her favorite nurse "Sleepy" jumped in for a photo bomb. Sleepy and Barb are the answers to my prayers that Shannon will be well cared for and loved at Magee. They are her hospital Mama's and I am so grateful for them and the care they give her since I can't be there.
I am learning a lot in my Shannon care training. Hopefully I'll be ready when she's ready to come home, but it's been very enlightening to be there with her and see what care she needs. I was told today that in the next couple of weeks, I get to have a slumber party with Shannon so I can learn how to do her nighttime routine. I'm also going to be bringing Jake in for training with me so he can learn how to help with transfers.
It was a hard day because of lung congestion today. Shannon's coughs are not productive yet, and it's such a struggle to have energy when your oxygen level is low because of mucus in your lungs. Please continue to pray for Shannon to be relieved of her congestion in her lungs and that her coughs can be more productive, that she will have the energy for her therapies, that she will be patient with herself and her care takers, and that her spinal cord will heal.
The meme from Shannon’s countdown calendar today:
And the Disney quote I thought after the wheelchair trial today:
Nemo : What's that?
Tad : I know what that is. Sandy Plankton saw one. He
called it... uh... he said it was called a "butt".
Pearl : That's a pretty big butt.
[swims out a little]
Sheldon : Oh, look at me... I'm gonna touch the butt.
[Nemo has gone to the boat]
Marlin : Nemo! What do you think you're doing? You're
gonna get stuck out there and I'll have to go get you before another fish does.
Get back here. Get back here now! Stop! You make one more move, mister...
[Nemo lifts his fin]
Marlin : Don't you dare. If you put one fin on that boat
- are you listening to me? Don't touch the...
[Nemo touches the boat]
Marlin : Nemo!
Tad : [Whispering]
He touched the butt.
Thank you so much for your daily reports on Shannon's progress. I hope she can feel each of us pulling for her during her therapies, during each new lesson and even through her difficult times. We all share in her miracles, and our love for the Seaman family grows. You are all amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was five years ago that Russell was in a rehab hospital. He was working on solo bed to chair transfers with a slide board, and he was able to wheel himself to the dining hall for the first time. It is awe inspiring to understand how and why the body works or doesn't work and to actually see the healing process. Prayers are answered!!!
You're mobile!! So happy to see continual progress. You are a miracle, Shannon,
ReplyDeleteand so is your great mom!