Working with her speech therapist Jessica

Posing with her speech therapist Jessica

Another patient, Shelley, with Catherine

Dinner at Steve and Joy Lunsfords with new friends (L to R) Steve Lunsford, Deanna, Milind, Joe, Catherine, and Dr. George.

April has flown by marking the beginning of our next adventure. Catherine started the program at the Adult Day Hospital for Neurological Rehabilitation (ADH for short) at Barrow Neurological Institute on April 5^th. The first and second weeks were primarily evaluations that were conducted to compare with those done six months ago. This will help them tailor a curriculum to her needs. The staff is very thorough in their assessments and the communications with the patients and relatives. The schedule is from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. She likes the structure, although it has been a definite adjustment and is extremely tiring. We are trying to balance the rigors of the grueling schedule with the needed rest. Her schedule consists of the therapies, school work, current events, datebook class, congitive retraining, and group psychology. Built into the schedule is an outing once a week to incorporate the community reintegration skills and a "relatives group" as a support mechanism for the families of the patients to meet and share. When we met with the director to discuss Catherine's test results, Catherine expressed a strong desire to use the time at ADH to focus on her cognitive deficits as opposed to her physical ones. This is a complete turnaround from last September when all she could think about was working hard on her physical problems. Catherine often asks about relearning to drive and we were happy to learn that it is one of the top patient concerns. The loss of that independence is felt very strongly.

There is an annual graduation ceremony for all those patients who have completed the program during the preceding year. It was in April so we were able to attend. Each patient receives a certificate and recognition individually for his/her positive endeavors and gains. Each patient also had the opportunity to say something and another universal statement that was shared by almost everyone was that they didn't feel like they belonged in the program at the beginning. This was good for me to hear and realize that Catherine's inablility to see her need to be there had been very normal.

ADH has a "relatives day" periodically where the family members are invited to spend the day with their relative in the program. This was scheduled for the last Thursday of the month and Aunt Mary drove down from Flagstaff to spend the day with Catherine and me going to each session. Mary said she was exhausted at the end of the day being there in the capacity of an observer, let alone how the patients must feel after the hard work they do. It is another way that ADH involves the family in the workings of the program, allowing us to see what goes on to gain understanding and knowledge of the patient's day and the therapist's roles. Another highlight of the month was a visit with a doctor from Indiana who had followed Catherine's progress on the web from his work. He was on vacation and wanted to meet Catherine while in Arizona. He shared with us cases that he has seen, working in the ER, that don't have this remarkable recovery and he also pointed out how fortunate Catherine is to have had all the support. He said often no family even shows up.

With our first month behind us, we are looking forward to the opportunities for growth that the next ones will afford. As with all challenges, we try to maintain balance and a positive approach. This can be confusing sometimes, when trying to realize the deficits in a way of learning to compensate and yet not be satisfied to sit back accepting that this could be "as good as it gets." Seeing all the sides of the struggle can be both heartwrenching and exhilarating (in the overcoming). You have to press past any limitations that would discourage your efforts and yet at the same time work hard utilizing suggestions for compensating. Faith and confidence in God's healing power and ability to perform His Word in us must be at the forefront of every decision and attitude, carrying through the hard places. We have to trust knowing His timing is perfect and we are dealing with our human impatience and other responses. First we had a coma stage and great support on Catherine's behalf, then she woke up from her sleep to become aware of what had happened and begin her portion of the journey. This portion of the recovery is hard work day after day. Your prayers for her at this stage would be appreciated as she struggles to push herself everyday.