Wow.
Today was so awesome in so many different ways! My fingers are confused on what letters to type! Where do I start?!
First, I'm not sure what crosses the line of being appropriate, but I have to share this story, and Cale being the kind of guy he is, I don't think it would bother him...
So...right now, Cale is not fully independent on anything. One of the many things we need to do to take care of ourselves each day is taking a shower. I have been cleared to give Cale his showers since his second one here in CA, which, I just think it's better that way :) Cale has a lot of trouble with sequencing so that's been a big thing we're working on (showering, brushing teeth, washing hands...). Well, today, Cale had the best shower he's had since the morning of the accident! He did pretty much all of it by himself! I had to cue him quite a bit, but still, he did such a good job! Funny part of the shower (please try to picture with out actually picturing...!), right as I was standing Cale up in the shower to get all of him clean, the lid from the feeding tube popped off...so, I'm trying to balance Cale while feed is coming out of his tube spraying everywhere! It was the funniest moment ever! Cale and I were laughing so hard! Oh dear...the adventures we will have!
After getting him all ready for the day, I went to ride a horse. Usually I ride on Friday's but we had to switch days this week. When I got back from riding, Patty (ST) said that Cale took 15 sips of juice (not thickened!)! Yesterday, he did 5 I think! That's quite a big jump! After the great shower and then so many sips...he was on a roll!
In PT, Pat had me walk with Cale again and as of today, I'm officially cleared to walk with Cale around the unit!!! I can't hardly believe it! Even with the struggle he has with controlling his right leg, and the pain tolerance on the left side, I get to walk with him! It's amazing! The board in his room now says "Kathleen may ambulate Caleb"-Yes!
Here's the video from yesterday! Sorry it's so long...there's nothing different at the end, so don't worry about watching the whole thing! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXg0nOI8cwA
And here's a video of Jesus Loves Me (I hope you can hear him good!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7HX4iomLaI
He's been having a session most days of Speech at 11:30 and again at 3pm. he did so well with the first session with swallowing, and for the second session, Patty asked a bunch of questions. She's asked him before and he usually gets them all wrong, but today he did so great! I was surprised with how many he was getting right! Go Cale! At the very end of the session, Patty asked Cale "If you could have anything in the world for your birthday, what would it be?" and he pointed to me from across the room! Patty and I both got tears in our eyes! He's so stinkin' sweet!
After all of his therapy's were done, I brought him to the Fisher House and we made a smoothie. I had him pour in the berries and yogurt :) It was so much fun and he ate almost half of it! The swallows were so quick too! I can't wait to tell Patty!
With Cale understanding more and using his voice more, it's going to make things really interesting...today I was asking Cale what he wanted to do next. I was saying get in bed or stay up in his chair and Cale said "go home". My heart broke for him. When I told him he couldn't go home yet, he asked why. I had to go over all that has happened and how he's getting better still. I left out the part about how we don't even have a home to go home to! Poor guy. Another time today when I asked what he wanted to do, he said "figure out where you live". We were in his room so it was exciting for both of us for me to show him again that if he looks out the window he can see where I sleep. he was so happy to see I was so close. His smile was big and he started clapping, "yay!" he said!
The best part of the day for me, was being reminded that we're together. I do miss how he was before and this is hard, but, Cale and I used to have these long talks about how he wished that he didn't have to leave so much and that he would rather get a big cardboard box and the two of us could live in it and everything would be better because we'd be together. Eventually the song, "Better Together" by Jack Johnson became one of our favorites. The song kept playing in my head today, so this afternoon, after we were done with the smoothie I played it for Cale in his room. It was such a precious moment! We were sitting on the side of his bed, dancing, laughing, and being silly while it was playing. All of this gets hard and some days it feels so heavy...but I get to be with him. All day we had so many times of just getting to love each other. It was so wonderful! All of January seemed so perfect for us, we were so happy and in love. Now, it's different and what a blessing that we're still so happy and in love! It felt like one of those perfect days...
"Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genisis 2:18
When we prayed together tonight, Cale said he is thankful for "Kathleen"
Better Together by Jack Johnson
There's no combination of words
I could put on the back of a postcard,
No song that I could sing
But I can try for your heart,
Our dreams, and they are made out of real things,
Like a shoebox of photographs,
With sepiatone loving,
Love is the answer
At least for most of the questions in my heart ,
Like why are we here? And where do we go?
And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy,
And sometimes life can be deceiving,
I'll tell you one thing, its always better when we're together
[Chorus:]
MMM, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, we'll look at the stars when we're together
Well, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, it's always better when we're together
[Verse 2:]
And all of these moments
Just might find their way into my dreams tonight
But I know that they'll be gone,
When the morning light sings
And brings new things,
But tomorrow night you see
That they'll be gone too,
Too many things I have to do,
But if all of these dreams might find their way
Into my day to day scene
I'll be under the impression,
I was somewhere in-between
With only two,
Just me and you
Not so many things we got to do,
Or places we got to be
We'll sit beneath the mango tree now
Yeah, it's always better when we're together
MMM, We're somewhere in-between together
Well, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, it's always better when we're together
MmMMmm MmMMm MmMMm
I believe in memories
They look so, so pretty when I sleep
Hey now, and when, and when I wake up,
You look so pretty sleeping next to me
But there is not enough time,
And there is no, no song I could sing
And there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing,
We're better together
Amazing. It's been a few months since I checked in on your blog and wow! What a day to read! It is all LOVE. It's the only true measure of life and health. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome, awesome, awesome. That's all I have to say. Oh - and praise God!
ReplyDeleteHis birthday is TOMORROW! Have you blown all your goals out of the water???
And now that it's Friday.... tell us about Wednesday!!!
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! I love to see his smiles in the video! And you both look wonderful walking together!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CALE!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete