Great Day, Great Progress

Today was a fantastic day with Sherrie. I made it to the RIC just in time to accompany her to her Occupational Therapy session. When I walked into her room, I was shocked to see her sitting up in a very high tech wheelchair with her eyes wide open like she'd been wondering when I'd show up! As I greeted her, her eyes followed me around the room and I knew we were off to a good start. The therapy session was unlike anything I ever thought I'd be a part of. We journeyed down the hall to the special room full of all kinds of equipment; different tables, mirrors, balls, bikes, stairs, etc. The therapists got her onto the table (holding her up from behind) and put a full sized mirror in front of her. They were asking her to look right and left, up and down, etc. I came over to her side and started talking to her and her eyes popped open so wide and she turned her head. After that kind of response I felt like I'd been given a shot of adrenaline. I chatted her ear off for the next 45 min. Telling her a step by step account of the dinner I had gone to on Saturday, what the pool was like with the kids, the funny outfits we found in the basement, how Skyler and Donovan found Zach's paintball masks and pretty much everything else that had happened since I had seen her last. All the while the therapists had me move from one side of her to the other, and she TURNED HER HEAD and eyes to follow wherever I went. She used her left arm to push herself up three different times, all the while I'm rambling and rambling. I have been with her when she works out with her friends in the morning and should have known that chatting about the last few days while exercising would have felt the most normal to her. It was such a neat experience and we were both worn out at the end of the session!

We had another really neat experience today. A visitor, Laura LaRue, came to visit us in Sherrie's room. 18 months ago, Laura suffered a neurological reaction from a flu shot and was in a coma for a month. She was on the same floors at the Northwestern ICU as Sherrie and then spent weeks at RIC. She told us her story of what it was like to come out of a coma and re-learn even the smallest of things all while she was standing in front of us fully functioning. Her story and experience inspired us. She told us that when she had the ability to talk, but still couldn't see, she asked her husband if she would get better. He told her, "YES!" She said that while she didn't know how long it would take or how hard it would be, the very possibility that she could get better was what she needed to hold onto. I couldn't have said it better. Looking at her and seeing the possibilities that lay ahead for Sherrie and for us, coupled with seeing Sherrie so responsive and alert today was an incredibly buoying experience.

She also shared what it was like to come out of a coma. How terrifying it could be to not realize what time, month, or day it was. How every effort to communicate felt like she was trying to climb out of a deep hole. How the smallest things, like opening her eyes, were exhausting. She remembers hearing voices and being aware of her family's presence long before she could communicate with them. All of these things gave us more empathy and understanding for Sherrie. She recommended things like telling Sherrie where she was, who was with her, what day it was and what the weather was like. Things that she probably doesn't always know and we take for granted. She gave us fantastic insight and lots of hope.

All in all, it was the best Thursday I've had in a long time!