21 November 2024
Don't ask me why I'm not thrilled about the last two days at Golden Heights. I have some good news to share but I feel like it will sound a lot better than it really is.
Anyway, on Wednesday Jayce and Cassie came in when they saw me there and we all persuaded Joyce to move her legs to the side of the bed and sit up. But first Cassie and I put on Joyce's "magic shoes," as I called them. Huaraches that provide her a firmer footing than hospital socks.
With the usual, "I can't do it," and screaming to lie back down, she did manage to stand up from the side of the bed for a second or two. That's the first time since the hospital she's been on her feet.
Since Jayce, Cassie and I were all standing, Joyce got a standing ovation. And then sat right back down to get back in bed.
She ate little to nothing for lunch before I left.
Today, Jayce and Cassie tried again with the magic shoes. Joyce put up quite a fight again, too. I told her she had to do sit up, period. And she had to stand up. Exclamation point.
She did. But she sat right back down again with another, "I can't do it."
"But you did it," Jayce said. "We hardly helped at all."
They wanted her to stand again to show some progress since yesterday. But she took off the PT belt and started to lie down.
Cassie is very sympathetic and tries to persuade Joyce in a calm, reassuring and friendly voice (even as Joyce screams at her). She reasons with her.
So Joyce sat back up and stood again, hoping to get it over quickly.
But Cassie asked her to stand for a five count and started counting and Joyce made it to five.
It's becoming clearer this isn't mainly a physical disability from lying in bed for a month. Joyce is very afraid of falling. Even with two people at her side holding her up with a belt and putting their feet in front of hers under a walker and me behind her, it's like walking to the edge of the Grand Canyon when she stands up.
She ate a little more lunch today but not much.
Tomorrow the challenge will be to take a few steps. But I hope we can get to the point where I can get her in the wheelchair so she can sit up on the weekend.
But I'm not too thrilled about the idea. She's just not there yet.
"Baby steps," Christina said as we walked back to the car.