Paul's Update: Sept 29th at 9:30am
It has been too long since my last post, and there is much to update you on.
Karen continues to amaze us with her progress. In the past few weeks since my last post she has gone from rarely using the wheelchair to never using it at all. She quickly moved to using the walker as the exclusive means of getting around. Within a couple of weeks she began using her newly acquired quad-cane and stopped using the walker. The walker now sits in the spare bedroom, collecting dust with the wheelchair. Now, after moving away from the quad-cane, Karen uses a lightweight standard cane as the primary method of assistance. However, this is only used as stability when walking over uneven surfaces.
She has begun walking totally unassisted for periods of time (video coming soon), and I would expect she will be discarding the cane altogether in a few weeks as she continues to build her strenght and stamina.
As a result of her increased mobility, Karen has started getting out a bit more. We have actually gone out on a couple of Saturday night dates. Just last weekend we were able to go see a movie and eat dinner in Shirlington. She had a good time, and keeps saying how nice it is to get some of her life back to normal.
Although these are all fantastic developments, and we are always amazed by her recovery so far, we must consistently be reminded that she still has a long, long way to go. She still has significant paralysis in her left arm.
We see improvement in the use of the left arm and hand as a key element to her ability to go back to work sometime next year. We are encouraging her to participate in activities that promote the use of her left hand and arm, and ones that exercise her mind.
As for me, many of you know that I run a political consulting business in Alexandria. Election years are always busier for us, and the period between Labor Day and Election Day are particularly busy. This limits the amount of time that I am able to devote to updates on the blog, as evidenced by the number of days since my last post on the 2nd.
With all of these things in mind we are going to start something new with the blog, beginning next week. I will begin sharing my blog posting duties with Karen. She will submit her first post early next week, and our hope is for her to update you all with her progress and observations a couple of times a week. This way you all can get more regular information, from her perspective, as well as mine with the occasional posting that I will provide.
Look for it next week, along with an extraordinary video clip of Karen walking on her own just this week after we met for lunch in Old Towne.
posted by Karen's Blog @ Friday, September 29, 2006
5 Comments:
Yahoooooooooooo!!!!!
It's so good to read such great news in this latest update! Thanks, Paul.
Karen, looking forward to reading your posts, real soon!
Keep up the great progress and have a wonderful weekend :)
Amanda
Karen - you are doing AWESOME. Looking forward to seeing your posts, in your own words.
Blessings to you and everyone who is supporting you through all this.
-Busy Cat :)
Karen, It is great to hear that you are recovering well and awesome to hear about progressing to using a cane only part time :)
Can't wait to read posts from you!
DaffodilRunner
AWESOME NEWS!!!
The forumites are all so happy to hear this news (as you can see!) We hope you'll be able to start posting on the forum again, too! We've moved to a new location (not at RWOL) so I'll send you that info.
Keep it up, Karen! :) WooHOOOOO!!!!
YAY KAREN!!!! Congrats on your recovery to date! From the sound of things you are recovering well. I'm glad you and Paul got out on a few dates and everything! It just sounds like you're doing so much better.
It's not the same on the forums without you, and I can't wait until you can make it back. I am just so excited for the first of your posts next week :) I just can't wait.
I think about you a lot, I wear the whale belt a lot, and today in REI I was thinking about you... this is HUGELY good news.
Take care, I miss you babe!
Nini
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