Saturday in Rehab

This morning was jam-packed for Shannon. She woke and got ready for the day and at 8am started a three-hour block of non-stop therapy. First she did an hour of Physical Therapy, then an hour of Speech Therapy and then an hour of Occupational Therapy. She did well, even though it was a long haul. She had a nap, entertained some visitors (from whom she received two snow cones!) and then went on an outing away from the hospital with Mom and Dad. We went to get a Frosty from Wendy's and went to Paradise Bakery to eat. When we made it back to the hospital, it was time to chill out, watch a movie and then go to sleep.
The progress she continues to make in her therapies is encouraging, but it also brings the realization that higher-function skills are harder to come by and require more effort and a longer period of time to regain. Many of her current behaviors are typical of a traumatic brain injury, like the tendency toward impulsivity and the tendency to get stuck on a particular topic. Over the past several days she has been stuck on the idea of going home. She thinks that everything will be OK once she gets home. From her comments, she often thinks that once she is home all this that she is going through at the hospital will no longer be real. So we are trying to impress upon her mind that even after she gets home, many things are going to be needed to help her recover, and it is going to be a long process, likely a year or more. She will still need to maintain a tight schedule, she will still need to deal with anxiety and discouragement, she will still need rehab, she will still need to focus on adequate nutrition, she will still need a lot of sleep and a peaceful environment, she will still need to have visitors and visit times closely controlled, and so on. It makes us grateful for the help and support that comes from the medical team at the hospital, but also makes us overwhelmed to think about doing all those things at home. It reminds me of the line from the movie Shrek where Shrek says that ogre's are like onions, lots of layers. It seems that as we accomplish one step, new ones emerge with their own quirks and nuances. I guess it keeps us light on our feet. We appreciate your faith and support as we move along this path. Have a great Sunday of rest and preparation.