And So It Goes

Today was a good day for mom...but kind of a crappy day for me. Maya woke up at 7:00 (she broke out of her swaddle and got upset about it), so I brought her into bed with us. She immediately fell back asleep, and the children slept until nearly 9:30! I suddenly realized that Micah had his first swim class this morning, so we got ready and headed off to class. DH and I had planned to switch off in the pool with Micah so we could both enjoy the experience, but the instructors only allowed one of us to be present on the pool deck. Naturally, I asked to do class today with Micah (and promised DH could do next week). Micah was great! He was not afraid of the water, he played, he floated, he put his face in the water and he blew bubbles! He was adorable in class, and I think he loved the experience.

We came home from the pool, showered and grabbed lunch before heading up to the hospital. Traffic was heavy (probably due to the game), and I think it was a little after 2 before we arrived. My father was sitting with mom, and we joined her. She seemed to be feeling better today - her stomach issues seemed to be under control, her appetite had returned, and she just seemed a bit more relaxed. She had already done all of her therapy for the day and she was relaxing.

Mom enjoyed some time with Delicious and Micah, and we all floated in and out of her room, alternating chatting with her and giving her time to relax. This afternoon, Mom had a group of visitors! She had a wonderful visit with them - she was in great spirits, she smiled, she laughed, and she traded barbs with them. During our visit, DH discovered that the children's building has a HUGE playground space outside just down the hall from where we've been visiting. We only wish we learned about it before our break fast celebration - the kids would have LOVED the playground. We are hoping to gain access to it another day when we bring the kids to the hospital.

At one point, we were talking, and Mom looked at me and said, "I'm not ready to leave." I looked back and said, "Do you mean rehab?" She shook her head no. "Do you mean the hospital?" Again, she shook her head no and replied, "I mean all of this. I'm not ready to leave everything." My eyes welled up as I realized what she was telling me, and I looked at her and said, "So don't. Be one of those stories we hear about, and don't go anywhere."

The best news of today? The PT from today came by to talk to us, and she said that Mom did really well during physical therapy - she worked much longer, she stood up, she did a bunch of transfers, and she walked the bars a bunch of times. According to this therapist, she thinks Mom has a lot of strength on her left side and the ability to make much more progress! I was surprised, because she was the first person offering us some encouragement. I told her that I understood Mom would be released on Wednesday for lack of progress, and she was surprised. She was recommending that Mom's stay be extended!

I asked her what she felt Mom should be able to do, and she said that she felt Mom should be able to walk *some* again (with assistance, but be able to walk within the house from point A to point B, or walk from a wheelchair to the car, or walk from the bathroom door to a toilet or a shower). She felt that mom should be strong enough to sit up and use a shower chair safely, too. I was THRILLED when I heard all of that - we had previously been told that all of those things were unlikely to happen. If Mom can accomplish those goals, it will be much easier for her to do things like travel.

Naturally, I asked this therapist to intervene with the other therapists and make her recommendations. If this trend continues the next day or two, we may be able to extend her stay for at least another week. My hope is to maximize the time she is in the hospital for radiation and chemo and get her as much therapy time as possible to make her as strong as possible. I know that home therapy is never as good as inpatient therapy, and the more things my mother can accomplish now while she is inpatient, the better for her in the long run.

We left the hospital around 6:00, and my Dad and their friends were still there. They planned to take Dad out to dinner together after Mom finished her dinner. DH and I arrived home and our friends stopped by and brought dinner for the 4 of us. They stayed for a few hours to catch up, and we put the children to sleep. It was a lovely evening.

So, why was my day horrible? As I suspected, I am losing my business. I opened my email tonight to find a note from a client who just terminated my contract. I sent him a note 2 weeks ago telling him what was happening and asking for an extension of time to do a project. His response? Silence for the past two weeks, and a letter of termination today. Just as I was hopeful that I could start getting work done over the next week or two. And this was my most important client...without their support, I just don't see how I can continue. I've been working with this client for almost 9 years now. Unbelievable.