Hmmm… From some of the emails I’ve received over the past few days I think my last post left the impression I am not doing so well….there were three more paragraphs I lobbed off about how great I am doing…so I will write that now.
And I am doing great!! I am enjoying many of the activities I used to and that has been wonderful. I have been doing a ton of walking and even walked the two or so miles downtown for one of my rehabs.
Many of you know how much I love to bike and I biked for the first time last week! It was amazing. It actually takes a ton of coordination and balance (and obviously strength) and I rocked it!
I’ll continue with my rehab — right now just through the end of October — for fine tuning and stuff. The doctors appointments still seem never ending and I feel like I am there almost everyday…but I know that won’t last forever and I will be thrilled when the visits become less frequent.
Finally, I hope everyone is enjoying the summer and getting outside and being active. I appreciate it about a million times more than I used to after being cooped up in the hospital so long.
Enjoy the summer!
Categories: Main
I think about it everyday…something my friend Jane told me one day when she was visiting me at the rehabilitation center. We were talking about the heart surgery and the stroke and how scary everything was. She looked at me, very seriously and said, “Jill, we all knew that if anyone could get through this it would be you.”
Even hearing the words now gives me the chills. It was as if I were chosen for this. As if noone else could get through this with as much strength as me. I accepted my challenge and worked at my rehab every day. With each victory I knew there would be another. And then another after that. And then another. And with each achievement I also knew that if anyone could get through this it would be me.
Categories: Uncategorized
Hard to believe it has been six months. Six months. I can’t believe how far I’ve come. To think that the doctors thought I might not even be walking by now!! My spirits remain up (most of the time) and there continues to be nothing better than spending time with the kids. I got to celebrate their birthdays and that was the best.
Categories: Uncategorized
It has been a long time since I posted so i’m thinking that if you are reading this you haven’t given up on my blog — or me!
Rehab, kids, family, doctors appointments, trying to get organized again — has kept me from my updates..but the good news is that I continue to improve each day.
My therapists at RIC are working to get me back to a good strength where I’ll be able to handle the tasks of everyday life.
Since the last time I posted I am no longer with the cane and that is huge. I have a slight limp but am working on getting rid of that with building core and hip strength.
My spirits are still surprisingly good and I am pretty proud of myself for how I have handled everything.
Thanks for your support and let me know if there’s anyone out there reading this…if so, i’ll continue….
Categories: Main
Life as I know it is….different.
Everything has changed and there’s really no way to describe how I feel.
I know what I think is important, who is important and how I want to spend my time.
I’ve learned about myself and about the kind of person I want to be.
I’m proud of myself for continuing to fight.
My days are and will continue to be … filled with doctors appointments, therapy and time with the family.
I continue to try to remain positive and be thankful for what I have as opposed to what I have lost.
I am very aware of the importance of focusing on my recovery and I am thankful to my friends and family for being so understanding of this.
I know how much I appreciate things I once took for granted…reading to my children, walking outside, sitting in a coffeeshop.
I consider myself lucky because life as I know it … is getting better everyday.
Categories: Main
Therapy continues to be a full-time job but I am working hard and seeing results. The rate of progress has slowed a bit but that serves as more motivation. My therapists at RIC are fantastic and my endurance and strength are improving.
The letters, cards, calls and emails are fantastic. I am so appreciative of all the support and love. Thank you for the continued prayers and good thoughts.
I haven’t posted much on the blog lately — writers block? Probably not – I think there’s so much to say I don’t know where to begin. We’ll see what happens.
For now….keep the good karma heading my way — stay well — and happy — and maybe smile a little extra today — life is good!
Categories: Main
Just heard those words from my vascular surgeon regarding the severe blood clots in my left leg. It seems like the DVT was a horrible thing just waiting to happen. …but for now I’m happy to share some good news — that the blood thinner is working! I’ll get another scan in three months and a study of the damage to the veins then too.
The swelling and pain in my left leg is the hardest thing to handle but knowing that there is improvement in the deep vein thrombosis makes it so much easier to deal with.
The physical and occupational therapy are going great. The progress is absolutely amazing. I feel like I am training for an Olympic event when really — all that I am doing is just trying to get function back to normal!
I really love when people tell me that by looking at me you would never guess that I had a stroke.
I continue to apologize for not returning calls or emails as all my energy is still on therapy, doctors and foremost — my family.
Although — please please keep the emails coming — they bring a smile to my face and keep me motivated.
Categories: Main
With everything that has been going on — Valentine’s Day came and went without much celebration. I was thinking that it is a little ironic because if Valentine’s Day is about celebrating the one you love — I should have been going all out.
So, while it isn’t something that can be wrapped – my gift to Marc this year is sharing with our family and friends how wonderful he is and how lucky I am to have him in my life.
I think one of the reasons I remain so positive about my recovery is because he really won’t let me think otherwise. At the worst of my stroke — when the doctors didn’t know if I would walk again — Marc said he had no doubt. Looking back, I thought if Marc knew I was going to be OK — then I was going to be OK. He took away my doubt and raised my confidence.
I was scared to be in the hospital room by myself following the stroke because I was completely helpless. I couldn’t move my arms and legs, sit up in the bed or even raise my head off the pillow. If I needed the nurse someone needed to press the call button for me.
Marc was by my side every minute. For my entire hospital stay he slept in a chair next to my bed — just a regular chair that barely angled back. My pain was so bad one night he even gave me his only pillow so I could hold it against my chest.
He ran to the hotel for no more than an hour a day to shower, eat and get clean clothes. Other than that one hour - he didn’t leave my room the entire time at the hospital. He barely ate because he didn’t want to go to the cafeteria and leave me alone.
He held my hand and smiled. He read me emails from friends. He made sure I was getting the right medications — and even the correct dosing. He made sure I was comfortable in the bed. He was with me for every doctor meeting, appointment and exam. He came with me to all my tests. He was at every therapy session — taking notes so we could continue therapy on our own. He turned away visitors if I was sleeping. He spoke to the doctors and made sure we fully understood everything that was happening.
Complications arose and he did things that no husband should have to do. He saw things that no husband should have to see. He spoke with doctors about things no husband should have to discuss. He lived through the entire hell with me and felt the pain I felt the entire time. No husband should have to do any of this — but my husband did.
And for all of this I celebrate my husband this Valentine’s Day and thank him for giving me the greatest gift of all.
Categories: Main
February 13, 2008 · 1 Comment
Finally, a post with all good news! My issues from last week have been resolved and I’m back on track with my physical and occupational therapy.
I’m a patient at one of the best day rehabilitation centers in the country — RIC at Ravenswood Hospital. I have a lot of work to do and I’m very lucky to be under the care of some of the most amazing therapists to help me regain my strength.
I’m treating my rehabilitation like a full-time job and putting in 110 percent. At the end of every day I leave the facility absolutely exhausted — but thrilled about each tiny accomplishment that all that hard work is resulting in.
The therapy center is not a very cheerful place and sometimes it can be difficult to keep a positive attitude. I look around at the other patients and I see how much worse things could have been for me.
I don’t know how or why I am progressing at such a miraculous pace and why so many other patients are not — but I just try to smile and encourage them to keep working hard and believe that anything is possible.
I have never worked harder at anything in my life and I have never been as determined as I am now to get better. I now truly believe that anything IS possible.
I have the most unbelievable support system and for that I am extremely thankful.
I will continue working hard to make everyone thinking of me – proud of me too. To be honest, I had no idea I had it in me and have learned a lot about myself throughout this entire process.
More on that in another post. Until then — I sign off again apologizing for not being able to respond to each of your calls, emails and letters individually. I know it won’t be long before I get to speak, email, hang out and play-date with you all again.
Categories: Health
