Something fantastic happened today! (July 7) Something so fantastic that we were told about it over two weeks ago. On that fateful day, over two weeks ago, I was on a call inquiring about Shannon's shower chair- or lack thereof. At the end of the call I got some news. SUCH news, that I had to tell Shannon about it right away. She was minding her own art business in the dining room, I walked in and said "SHANNON!!! ARE YOU SITTING DOWN??!!!" She gave me an 'I'm in a wheelchair, so clearly that was a rhetorical question', look. (It was.) She then turned off what I was saying next. CLICK. Not listening. I said "Shannon, I was just talking to the wheelchair vendor about your shower chair and guess what they told me!!!!!" She responded automatically, with mock enthusiasm in her monotone voice: "WHAT did they tell you, MOM!?" I said "your wheelchair won't be done in 2-3 months, it will be done in 2-3 WEEKS!" She looked up to give me what I suppose was going to be a scowl, but then processed what I said- did a double take and GAVE HERSELF WHIPLASH she swung her head back to look at me with shock and excitement so fast.......it was fantastic.
Fast-forward 2-3 weeks....and here we are:
Please enjoy Shannon's video tour of her wheelchair (that we apparently kept calling a bike. I blame the grandgirls who were riding bikes all around during her wheelchair debut)
And if the wheelchair was NOT ENOUGH good news for one day-- she also got her SMART DRIVE. Shannon explains what it is and demonstrates how it works on THIS video:
While we were at Magee today getting the wheelchair fitting taken care of, Shannon also saw her Dr. for her one month post rehab appointment. She got her PEG TUBE removed....which is the tube to her stomach that she used while she couldn't swallow food, which they later used for nasty tasting medicine she needed as well as extra nutrition. They sent her home with it just in case she needed it so they didn't have to punch any additional holes in her. She never needed it at home, but we did have to take care of it multiple times every day. So BYE, FELICIA!!
Shannon also was able to visit with several of her therapist while we were there. They came down to the outpatient waiting room and were talking it up so loud and annoying that the other people there kept scowling at us. Good thing masks don't cover your eyes, or we would've never known they were scowling! But WHO AM I to shut down the "SHANNON YOU LOOK FANTASTIC!! YOUR HAIR IS SO CUTE!!!! YOU HAVE COME SUCH A LONG WAY IN A MONTH!!!" Party. Who....NOT me. I let them dote at full volume and even added to the fun. One lady in the corner was playing some game on her phone which she kept turning up, so apparently we weren't in a library. No harm, no foul.
July 8, we did some stuff. OT came to check out her new wheelchair situation and how that might change anything at home. She mulled around the kitchen with Shannon and basically it's the same tune different chair. I was supposed to be reading my new book in a series I've been waiting 5 years to release...but I was too tired and took a looooooong nap instead. That is the state of our fatigue in this house. Not even exciting things like book releases can keep us awake.
July 9, PT came and did some transfers with Shannon and worked on her balance. Not a lot going on. Rachael and I escaped with the girlies and picked raspberries and grabbed Pelican Snoballs. It was sweltering hot outside picking berries with masks on. I hate COVID, but that's not new news.
July 10, totally relaxing day. Everyone got up late, and we lounged around. We worked on Shannon's schedule a bit- trying AGAIN to rearrange what her life might look like in another week when a lot of changes happen again. Here is us, trying to deal with the chaos, again.
I've been continuing my game of "what can the insurance company screw up this week" guessing game. It's so much fun. Everyone should play! You can spend HOURS on the phone and not get anywhere! If it was a diet I'd be eating all I wanted and not gaining a pound.
I'm giving a shout out here to my guy Joe at Blue. I love everything you do for us. Even though most of the time it ends up being nothing. Not your fault. But thanks for the patience and being here to explain all the crazy nonsensical garbage that we call Medical Insurance Policy.
Mostly what's up at our house these days is trying to keep our heads above water, making light of everything we can, trying to take turns with our meltdown days, and not taking the difficulties of our new life too seriously. It's a hard thing to do, but we keep trying. A friend recently asked me how we are doing it all, how are we surviving this. I refer to an amazing friend's recent FB post. (paraphrasing) We didn't choose this, and you never know what you can do until you have no choice but to do it. It's true with most things in life. We are given the tools, the support, and the strength to rise to the challenge.
Another friend recently talked to me about how sometimes we need to suffer or struggle a bit more than we are comfortable with- without someone rescuing us from our difficulties. When it's too hard, and there isn't anyone there to help- we have the opportunity or stronger desire to turn to our faith, to our Father in Heaven for help. I have found that while there are physical things we have had a lot of help with, there are things we are struggling with that are emotional, physical, or spiritual that our friends are unable to help with. Sometimes we can only be helped by relying on the Lord. Not always easy, but always an answer.
Shannon is currently struggling with her body's inability to maintain regular temperature and blood pressure. It's so frustrating for her, and so hard for us to see her struggle with. Please pray for her to be able to regulate these and be more comfortable. Please also pray for her spinal cord to continue it's miraculous healing.
In celebration of Shannon's new wheels:
“You are a famous race car? A real race car? I must scream it to the world, my excitement from the top of someplace very
high!” – Luigi
“Pitstop!”
– Guido
Disney; Cars
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