UPDATE

hello everyone,

Well well, its a good thing I told you all to email us instead of call. We got almost 50 emails within the first 5 hours... you all are amazing. Mom and I spent a long time last night before bed in the hospital reading them all. I can't tell you what a difference it makes to her. And, it may have been crooked, but she smiled.

I have good news- (thank fuck) so let me just get right to it. In addition to really encouraging improvements already (much less slurring, eyes coming into focus, standing with a walker... improved coordination... all of it). She wowed all doctors and she has been approved (both by the doctors AND the insurance) to move upstairs on monday to the Cedar Sinai Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit.

This is one of those places that has amazing results, and as such, a stellar reputation. it's won all sorts of awards... They only have 28 beds and therapy starts at 7am and finishes at 7pm (not solid- but it is all day long)... They don't admit people they don't think they can help (and I guess I don't blame them, it's how you get a good reputation by maintaining excellence). They took one look at mom, and her determination ("I just wanna be normal again"), her tenacity ("I'm ready to go home now") and her attitude ('do you know who the president is claudette?' - "yea bush, unfortunately").

They took one look at us by her side- unwaveringly... and they said they wanted her to invite her upstairs. Stating that people that WANT to get better and people who have family by their side have a much better chance of improving.... and well, I guess thats us. Because we're gonna kick the shit out of this.

So even though we are only going 3 floors up, we will be checking out of the hospital and checking into the rehab center. It is a completely separate facility- but still has 24 hour nurse care and all her doctors can still include her in their rounds. I feel like the Jefferson's- cuz we're movin' on up, to our very own deluxe apartment in the sky...

Its really excellent news- one, because I feel so confident in the care, and two, because they are confident in moms ability to improve- which brings us such relief, I cannot tell you.

The basic deal is, Sunday evening or Monday sometime we will get moved up there and the regime will begin. She is expected to stay there for two or three weeks. She will have intensive therapy for at least 4 or 5 hours daily. Everything from physical therapy (walking, sitting etc) to occupational therapy (brushing teeth, changing clothes, feeding yourself), speech therapy (basically attempting not to sound like she's had a bottle of gin when she talks). They will also work with her to improve her vision and her hearing as well.

I'm sorry- I just have to say. I just can't fucking believe this.

I can't believe I just wrote that- I can't believe mom needs to learn how to dress herself, change her clothes, talk, hear, see. It blows my mind that this could happen. In an instant. Just like that, right in front of me. What a gift it is to be healthy, to even just brush your hair and complain about your fat ass. What a gift.

Fucking wild.

Anyway...

So we'll do the therapy, and after a few weeks we hopefully come home. And we see where we are at. We may get some at-home help, we're not sure. Kinda a day by day deal right now.

so thats all. I just wanted to share that with you because the last email was a bit of a bowling ball in the nuts.

I know it is hard to swallow- but it WILL BE OK.

Cuz it has to be. Mom has never done anything half ass, or medioocre. You don't seriously expect her to start now do you?

Comeon, seriously.

lots of love,

until next time-

surviving like a raging river

we remain

Team Carter