During the holiday time it is natural to sit back and reflect on the past year. As you all know, it has been focused on Sara and her recovery.
I found myself sitting in her room the other night and marveling at this girl. She's so beautiful and smart and her eyes are just as bright and knowing as they've always been. She was teasing me with her eye and facial expressions, trying to get a rise out of me when she crossed her eyes. When she did, she'd burst into silent laughs and contorted happy faces.
I put my hands on her every day (except when sick - which I have been lately.) I like to feel the softness of her skin, warmth, and the strength of her limbs, despite the current quadriplegia. I was telling her how incredible it is that she still has the muscle mass and tone that she does, given the 14 months now in the bed. Then I really started thinking about how far she's come in that time and it really came home to me when I realized just what she could do on Christmas Day last year, compared to this year.
Last year she was 61 days since her accident and stroke. She was healing from another brain surgery, was on the ventilator, and someone had to be within a few feet from her 24 hours a day to care for her quickly enough. She was on constant IV medication and pain killers. She and I were working on perfecting her letter board, but communication with anyone but me or Daniel for more than one or two words relating to her care needs were too much. She had very little facial movement at all and she didn't move her eyes laterally yet. Her face was mostly expressionless, and looked like she was wearing a mask of her own face. She smile she started on Christmas day looked pained and twisted, but she was smiling.
Kitty visit for Christmas. She had no movement except for the start of smiling and her up and down eye movements. She was still in the neck collar and on the ventilator. 
But now...this year...
No ventilator. Moving her head. Smiling. Laughing. Lifting her head. Moving it side to side. Sticking her tongue out. Lifting her shoulders. Very strong cough that causes her to lift her legs and arms. Full facial expressions and eye movements.
I found myself sitting in her room the other night and marveling at this girl. She's so beautiful and smart and her eyes are just as bright and knowing as they've always been. She was teasing me with her eye and facial expressions, trying to get a rise out of me when she crossed her eyes. When she did, she'd burst into silent laughs and contorted happy faces.
I put my hands on her every day (except when sick - which I have been lately.) I like to feel the softness of her skin, warmth, and the strength of her limbs, despite the current quadriplegia. I was telling her how incredible it is that she still has the muscle mass and tone that she does, given the 14 months now in the bed. Then I really started thinking about how far she's come in that time and it really came home to me when I realized just what she could do on Christmas Day last year, compared to this year.
Last year she was 61 days since her accident and stroke. She was healing from another brain surgery, was on the ventilator, and someone had to be within a few feet from her 24 hours a day to care for her quickly enough. She was on constant IV medication and pain killers. She and I were working on perfecting her letter board, but communication with anyone but me or Daniel for more than one or two words relating to her care needs were too much. She had very little facial movement at all and she didn't move her eyes laterally yet. Her face was mostly expressionless, and looked like she was wearing a mask of her own face. She smile she started on Christmas day looked pained and twisted, but she was smiling.
Kitty visit for Christmas. She had no movement except for the start of smiling and her up and down eye movements. She was still in the neck collar and on the ventilator. But now...this year...
No ventilator. Moving her head. Smiling. Laughing. Lifting her head. Moving it side to side. Sticking her tongue out. Lifting her shoulders. Very strong cough that causes her to lift her legs and arms. Full facial expressions and eye movements.
We can't wait to see how much she's improved in the next year! :D Happy holidays Baker family, hope '09 is full of awesomeness. :3
ReplyDeleteStrength wished from a stranger, because no one can leave this blog untouched. Even my parents, who never go online, ask me: "How is that girl doing, who had that accident?" And then I tell them how much this girl has improved. "That's good." They say then. "She'll make it, that's for sure."
ReplyDeleteGreetings from the Netherlands, and strength and courage wished for 2009. And next year Sara, you will create your own blogposts ^_^