Recovery

EXCITEMENT

MARK MADE ME A COMP. TRAY & A WAY TO TURN ON/OFF THE COMP. SO I CAN BE MORE INDEPENDENT & USE THE COMP. ALONE. A WHILE AGO, I ASKED FOR A STICK-I ABSOLUTELY HATE RINGING MY BELL WHEN I ONLY NEED A FINGER TO UNFREEZE MY COMP.! IF ONLY I COULD REACH…& IT IS ANNOYING TO NOT DO IT MYSELF & HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT AGAIN & AGAIN TO NEW PEOPLE WHO HELP! MARK DID MORE THAN A STICK! I CAN DRIVE UNDER & UP TO MY TRAY, WHICH IS MOUNTED UNDER MY TV. HARD TO EXPLAIN, BUT VERY COOL & CREATIVE! NOW I ONLY HAVE TO RING IF I DROP MY STICK TO TURN ON THE COMP., & EVEN THEN I CAN REACH THE REMOTE & WATCH TV IF SOME1 IS BUSY-SO I DON’T HAVE TO STARE AT A COMP. SCREEN OR CLOCK! I THINK IT WILL BE LIKE MY KEYGUARD-ANOTHER HUGE CHANGE IN MY LIFE THAT I COULD NEVER HAVE DONE FOR MARK, & WILL BE WELL USED!

ALSO, LAST NIGHT I THOUGHT, “I DON’T WANT…U TO HAVE TO CARRY ME WHEN U R TIRED!” I ACTUALLY SAID, GARBLED, THE 1ST 3 WORDS, THEN MARK REPEATED IT & SAID, “GO ON…” & I COULDN’T. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE-LIKE IT WAS LOCKED. MARK WAS EXCITED I DID NOT MAKE MY “CRY” FACE-I NEVER DO WHEN WORDS JUST “POP” OUT. I WAS THRILLED HE UNDERSTOOD! I HAVE “TALKED” BEFORE, BUT NEVER BEEN UNDERSTOOD!

EYES

IN ORDER TO DO MY ‘EYESIGHT GOAL’ I HAVE TO BE VERY PATIENT. MY EYES DON’T LINE UP & BOUNCE, WHICH MAKES READING HARD-SO I READ 24 FONT E-MAILS & SIT CLOSE TO MY HUGE-44 IN.-TV TO HELP ME FOCUS & THEN WHEN AN EYE BOUNCES, I DO NOT LOSE MY PLACE. UP CLOSE I CAN SEE SMALLER FONT, BUT I RE-READ A LOT. IT TAKES LONG.

YESTERDAY I SAW THE HYMN #S AT CHURCH REPLACED, SO I STARED LONG AT THE #S-THE GOAL IS TO FOCUS LONGER-& HAD MY GUESSES. AS EA. # WAS SAID AT THE PULPIT, I WAS RIGHT! THERE R 3 SONGS, & USUALLY THE MIDDLE IS HARDEST-BUT YESTERDAY I FINALLY DID ALL 3! I SHOULD TYPE MY GOALS MORE OFTEN!

GOALS

BTW, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT I RAISED MY LEFT LEG IN THE SHOWER TO TOUCH A WALL 3X TODAY. IT HAS BEEN MY GOAL FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOW & FOR SOME REASON, I HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO DO IT AFTER MY SHOWER, WHEN I SIT ALONE. I?VE DONE IT BEFORE, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. MARK CAUGHT ME TRYING TO DO MY 2ND TODAY TO BE SURE IT WAS REAL. HE ASKED FOR A 3RD. I ALSO HAVE HAD AN EYESIGHT GOAL FOR MONTHS NOW-AT CHURCH, THEY PUT THE #?S TO HYMNS ON A FRONT WALL. I SIT AT THE BACK, BUT MY GOAL IS TO FOCUS & READ THOSE #?S! I HAVE COME CLOSE, BUT THERE R SUPER BAD DAYS.?

Sept 25, 2005

Not much seems to be going on, but I wanted to update the fact that Jenny still has the movements on her left side with some slight improvements. She may have posted the fact that she finally has a new calling at church to be an activity days leader with the primary age girls. I was excited to see that she was put someplace where her talents could be utilized. On the other hand it was kind of surprising. I was called as a clerk, which I have really liked, but I find that my time is spent on a computer (the thing that could be said is Jenny’s only truely independent activity in her life right now). Jennys church calling is working in an interactive situation with youth (which is my background and training as a child therapist). However, I know we are in the right place for each of us right now.

Sept 6, 2005

I was prepared to appoligize for not writing here, but appearantly Jenny has been active in writing. As for her last entry, I want to clearify that “hitting” her muscle involved tapping the muscle to produce a response. Her daily wife beating occurs after the tapping. I am excited about her new movements on her left side. I feel that the best thing that I did was to keep exercising the left arm as much as the right- and always trying new things. Jenny works so hard in her therapies, so I am glad she has seen new movements.

Jenny gave me a compliment (I think) the other day that I did not know how to take. After a series of completed daily tasks, Jenny told me that of all the men she knows, I would make the best woman. I guess it does not help that I am a whiz at braiding hair, or that I know too much about scrapbooking, or that I plan activities and outfits around menstral periods (not mine- just in case anyone wondered). Yes, I know and do many more things that I wish not to incriminate myself with anymore. Perhaps this is a compliment, but I am feeling a bit demasculated since then. I’m thinking about just making Jenny wear ball caps rather than doing her hair in order to balance things out- but her hair just looks too cute when it is done up right. Oops, there I go again.