Update from David

Aloha to our Ohana,

 

The overnight flight to the mainland was almost full but thankfully the lack of turbulence made up for the other distractions keeping many of the passengers awake.  I'm pretty sure the check-in agent took pity on me as he asked if I was traveling alone, and then changed my seat assignment from a middle to an exit row aisle.  At the gate, an announcement was made that those traveling with small children would not be offered priority boarding since with so many families returning from  Spring Break, that would entail more than half the plane.  This also foreshadowed the cacophony of crying to follow but at least my earplugs cancelled some of that.  What I didn't expect was the extra legroom in the exit row also meant a front & center view of the TV; and the last thing I needed on this redeye was to have Jack Black's face flashing in my eyes while I tried to get some shut-eye.  The Lord giveth and He taketh away pretty much summed up this trade-off.  Note to self -- buy a nightshade before the next trip.

 

Arriving at the San Francisco airport while waiting for the connection to Bakersfield, a tour of the food court confirmed that I had no appetite for anything at 0500h.  At least the layover allowed for a few hours of rest but having slept through more than one boarding announcement in the past, true sleep eludes me under these conditions.  The pond hopper to BFL was uneventful but in my semi-conscious stupor, I dreamed of flying in the Amazon, probably because of reading the safety folder of this Brazilian made Embraer 120 plane before nodding off.  Picking up the rental car, I headed straight to the CNS rehab clinic and promptly found my dear wife resting between therapy classes.  To say we were happy to see each other doesn't describe the feelings of joy and love in that instant.  All of the travails of the previous night were worth it to arrive at this moment and spend the day with my beautiful Theresa.

 

She met me with a big smile and a kiss and before we even had a chance to catch up, Theresa was wheeling towards the PT gym even though her next session wasn't scheduled to begin for another half hour.  Turns out she wanted me to meet Wade, a high school teacher and recent graduate of Craig Hospital just like Theresa, and a new transfer to CNS for intensive brain injury rehab too.  My memory of him was pretty vague so Theresa jogged it by recalling the incident at Beaujos Pizza where Wade and his wife were the other couple inadvertently left behind when the Craig shuttle took off without us.  That she remembered the incident and the players from mid-February when I didn't is a testimony to Theresa's improved memory for which I continue to praise our Lord.

 

Catching up with Theresa and Wade took us right to the start of her PT session where Theresa surprised me yet again.  I'd mentioned previously that Theresa had pretty much mastered the EVO-walker and was starting to practice sit & stands.  What I wasn't prepared for was the PT telling Theresa to stand and then handing her a 4-pronged walking cane.  The PT asked me to follow behind with the wheelchair and sure enough, Theresa took a tentative step and then another and pretty soon she was walking forward slowly with no support besides the cane.

 

It's funny how we take walking for granted when it's really quite a complicated series of motions.  Watching the therapist coach Theresa to shift her weight from side to side and move the upper body in unison made me realize just how difficult it can be to relearn this skill from scratch.  Theresa proceeded to take about 15 steps before she tired out however she remained standing until I had the wheelchair in position and then she didn't just fall into it, but reached back for the armrests and sat herself down with control.  This exercise was repeated twice more until Theresa began to complain of pain from her pelvic fracture.  This wasn't an issue when she was sitting or even using the EVO-walker but now that her pelvis has to bear the weight of her entire upper body, it will entail some pain.  Pelvic fractures are like rib fractures in that they're mostly left to heal by themselves and we just have to live with the suffering.  Still, Theresa did me proud as even when she stumbled and looked like she might collapse from sheer exhaustion, she still managed to catch herself without falling.

 

The remainder of the class was spent on the mat with the PT performing manual manipulation of Theresa's slowly defrosting left shoulder.  While watching this, a sense of warmth and gratitude came over me as Theresa's range of motion looked to be much better than before.  What a day!  It was Theresa's birthday yet with these signs of steady progress she gave me the best present ever.  Her strength and determination coupled with our Heavenly Father's healing powers have brought us a long way since November.

 

Following PT, there was an OT class where Theresa demonstrated her improving dexerity and reach in her left arm by using both arms simultaneously to sort poker chips by color.  Later on, Theresa told me she was sorry that there wasn't any chocolate left.  Her poetry sister, Candy (no kidding) from Michigan, had sent her a box of handmade chocolates and as Theresa is want to do, she intended to share them with everyone.  However, it's against the rules here to give other patients anything to eat without the dietitian's permission as some may be diabetic, hyperactive or have a compulsion to eat nonstop.  So Theresa left the box with the staff and by the time she remembered to save me one, they were all gone.  Seems like a rule that's definitely in the house's favor.  All the same, I didn't miss or need it as we were looking forward to a romantic dinner that evening.

 

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

 

If you happen to be in Kona this Sunday May 1, Theresa's former clinic is holding a car wash fundraiser in conjunction with Village Burger of Waimea.  It's being held from 10-3 in the parking lot of the West Hawaii Community Health Center at 75-5751 Kuakini Hwy.  That's on the NE corner of Kuakini and Hualalai.  Access is from Kalani Rd behind McDonald's but don't stop there because the best burgers on the island will be cooked by Chef Edwin Goto and his team.  Several of our friends from Mauna Lani will also be helping out so it will be a fun-filled day for all.  A big mahalo to everyone for their love and support.

 

Mahalo,

 

David

Update from David

Aloha to our Ohana,

 

Having left my dear Theresa the previous evening, the early morning return flight to Kona was almost scrubbed before I even made it to the airport.  Recall that when we transferred from Craig Hospital in Denver, the flight only went as far as LAX where the CNS shuttle picked us up for the normally two hour (actually 5-hr) drive to their rehab facility.  So not having flown into Meadows Field Airport, I was now driving there based on vague directions provided by a rehab aide -- it's on Hwy 99 north of town.  In hindsight, it still seems obvious to take the "Airport Rd" exit which I did and then became hopelessly lost looking for any hint of the next directional sign.  At 0500h, not much is open but I finally came upon a truck stop oasis (a suitable name since I was literally lost in the desert of the San Joaquin Valley) and then given proper directions to take the "Merle Haggard" exit.  Of course that makes sense, but only if you know the connection between the country singer and the airport, which still eludes me.  In any case, I did make it in time to catch the puddle jumper to San Francisco where my next obstacle was a short 37m connection to the Kona flight.  The Lord must have wanted me to be on that plane because I sprinted through the terminal and was the second last to board.  But the cost was my overwhelmed brain as I screwed up the Halfway to Hawaii calculation and missed by exactly 10m again.  Thanks go to our dear friend Geoff for donating the double airmiles that covered my last-minute flight to Denver and the return from Bakersfield.  Without his generosity, those tickets would have cost over $2800.

 

The outpouring of blessings continued upon arriving at the Kona-Keahole Airport where I was met by Al & Linda, our pastor and his wife.  In addition to providing a ride home, they also took me to lunch at a Kona favorite of theirs, Quinns - almost by the Sea.  I had really missed not being able to attend our local community church services the past four weeks so it was wonderful to catch up with them and to renew my faith.  As a special blessing, Theresa even joined us in her own way for lunch, phoning shortly after Pastor Al finished saying grace.  So as we enjoyed the meal and passed the phone around, it really was a wonderful time spent with Theresa engaging all of us with her good spirits and lively conversation.  One day in the near future, it will be our turn to have Pastor Al and Linda along with some other dear friends over for dinner and I just know that Theresa will enjoy planning and preparing a culinary masterpiece.  When I consider how far she has come along her healing journey in these fast five months that I could even contemplate a dinner party, it is truly a gift from God for which we offer our praise and thanks.

 

With the 3-hr time difference between us, for the rest of the week there wasn't too much contact except for the occasional text message arriving at 0500h, likely sent during breakfast time and just before boarding the shuttle to the rehab clinic; or the late afternoon phone call as Theresa was preparing for bed.  In addition to sharing some of her rehab successes like sorting out a pile of items into 12 boxes in record time, or walking for over 100' with the EVO-walker, Theresa also took part in several outings including a haircut, enjoying Soul Surfer -- the new movie by our friend, Roy, the executive producer of Princess Kaiulani, and a much anticipated trip to the Murray Family Farms.  As Theresa recounted, she was somewhat disappointed by this farm as it did not have nearly as much fresh produce as our local Waimea Farmers' Market.  Given that most crops besides citrus, strawberries and winter veggies are not in season yet, that's to be expected here.  Still, she is looking forward to the cherry season coming up in May as Murray Family Farms boasts 17 varieties of God's own candy.

 

Last Wednesday evening, I attended the monthly Pacific Head Injury Support Group Meeting and listened with fascination to the story of Dan, a local Kona coffee farmer who is recovering from a recent experimental surgical procedure to increase bloodflow to the side of his brain damaged by injury.  Having met and spoken with Dan before the surgery that was performed at the Duke University Medical Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, it's quite noticeable how his speech and cognitive abilities have improved so quickly.  It's too bad that it took almost two years of battling with his health insurer to cover this but the results already show much promise.  In a related story, the office of Gaby Giffords, the Arizona member of Congress that suffered a brain injury from an assassination attempt, is pushing for a bill to demand post-acute treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) as basic care covered by health insurers.  This would allow anyone with a TBI to gain access to the same level of care she received as a government official and a cause that we should all support.

 

The past week was busy for the both of us as I dealt with seemingly neverending insurance issues and the looming tax filing deadline while Theresa concentrated on her rehab therapies.  My elbows may be sore after a marathon week of entering data but I'm sure it's minor compared to Theresa's aches.  On a daily basis, she is performing sit and stands almost continuously and beginning to practice walking without the EVO-walker for support.  That puts most of the weight on her hips which exacerbates the pain from the pelvic fracture.  Bless her heart and thank the Lord, she may grimace and take breaks but she mostly refuses the pain meds, knowing that they dull the pain but also hinder her processing speed.

 

With Theresa's birthday approaching on April 22, which also happens to be Good Friday and Earth Day, I've been monitoring the airfares closely, praying and hoping that the price would drop below $1200 but instead watching it go the other way.  So with most flights to/from Hawaii still full with last-minute Spring Break visitors, it was not looking like we'd be celebrating together.  At least it seemed that way until our dear friend Hylton offered up his airmiles and miraculously, one award seat opened up last night.  Taking full advantage of this dual blessing, I'm making the Pacific crossing yet again and will be spending tomorrow with my dear wife on that most special of days.  For this among many other gifts of grace, we are most thankful to our Lord and Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

 

Mahalo,

 

David

http://hulaterri.blogspot.com

 

P.S.  In this week's update, I have attached an interview with Rick Warren, author of A Purpose Driven Life.  While I do not usually forward e-mail chain letters, these words ring true to me.  If nothing else, reading this letter saves the cost of buying the book.  As our Hawaiian friends like to say, the "pake" in me is always present.

You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, 'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California . 
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said: 
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? 
And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. 
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me. 
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act-the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity... 
We were made by God & for God, & until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense. 
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. 
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. 
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness. 
This past year has been the greatest year of my life, but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. 
I used to think that life was hills and valleys---you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore. 
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, & at all times you have something good & something bad in your life..
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. 
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for. 
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems: 
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is 'my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself & onto God & others. 
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her--- It has been very difficult for her, & yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him & to people. 
You have to learn to deal with both the good & the bad of life. 
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. 
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease. 
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72. 
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no major purchases. 
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. 
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call 'The Peace Plan' to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. 
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, & I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free. 
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? 
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)? 
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed & say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more & love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. 
That's why we're called human beings, not human doings. 
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD. 
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD. 
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. 
Painful moments, TRUST GOD. 
Every moment, THANK GOD.. 
If you do not pass it on, nothing will happen. But it will just be nice to pass it on to a friend....just like I have done. 
God's Blessings 

Update from David

Aloha to our Ohana,

 

Week two at the Center for Neuro Skills (CNS) in Bakersfield, California started with a bang.  Monday morning, I went to see Theresa at the apartment unit she shares with two roommates before the shuttle takes them to the clinic for a full day of rehab therapy.  The rehab aide answered the door and said I could wait in the living room as Theresa was currently in the bathroom.  Up until now, the usual routine is for the aide to help Theresa with her transfer to the toilet and then give her some privacy.  When Theresa is finished, she calls the aide back for the return transfer to the wheelchair however this time, I noticed the bathroom door opening and there was Theresa wheeling herself into the hallway with a cat that ate the canary grin on her face.  Both the aide and I were surprised to see her so the aide asked why Theresa hadn't called for transfer assistance.  Her reply was priceless:  My butt was getting sore sitting on the toilet so I got up and slid over to the wheelchair by myself.  What more proof could anyone need that the Theresa we know and love is coming back!  Thank you to our Lord for yet another sign of Your healing powers and gift of grace.

 

The morning preparations continued with Theresa assisting in making her own breakfast by getting eggs from the fridge and scrambling and seasoning them in a bowl.  The aide then cooked the mixture as it would be dangerous for Theresa to do so; reaching up to the stove from her lower wheelchair height could create a burn hazard.  After gathering the lunch, snacks, daily planner and other items that Theresa would need during her day at the CNS rehab clinic, she also pulled out an odd assortment of groceries and placed them in a bag.  I was about to ask if she was planning a meal that included pancake syrup, Smuckers jam, fruit cocktail, etc. when she caught my eye and told me to give this bag to the food bank.  In anticipation of our arrival the previous week, the CNS staff had prestocked the pantry with some staples and now Theresa was cleaning them out to make room for the Trader Joe purchases from Saturday's outing.  Sure enough, almost everything in the bag contained a mix of high sodium, high fructose corn syrup, empty carbs or just plain wasn't on Theresa's list of healthy foods.  Looks like she could teach the aides a thing or two about scanning ingredient lists for proper nutrition.

 

Intake testing resumed this week at the CNS clinic and Theresa's progress continues to surprise the therapists, physicians and other staff.  In PT, Theresa did 10 sit & stands without any therapist or mechanical assistance and she walked 30' using the elevated EVO walker for support.  Even more impressive, Theresa stood for 10 minutes, only leaning on an elevated tray while completing a 50-state map puzzle of the USA (getting Delaware and Rhode Island mixed up but honestly, who among us hasn't made that mistake?)  In OT, Theresa's optical acuity tested as good however one eye does not converge, something to note for the neuro-optometrist checkup.  She also had some difficulty distinguishing between hot and cold, sharp and dull, and hard and soft sensations in her extremities, all of which are symptoms of the spinal cord injury.  As with her other injuries, we continue to pray and give thanks to God and know that Theresa will regain proper feeling when He so chooses.

 

Despite the less than stellar news on the OT side,  Theresa more than made up for it in the cognitive testing.  One memory/sequencing test begins with the speech pathologist reading a series of four numbers from 0-9 and then having Theresa repeat them but in numerical order.  She completed the series of four, five, six and finally seven numbers with only a couple of errors, amazing considering that the average non-brain injured person has some difficulty with remembering and ordering as few as five numbers.  Even more impressive, later in the week while working through a timed reading comprehension test, Theresa suddenly stopped writing and said a sequence of seven numbers out loud.  I asked her why she did that and she said it was the answer to the question the therapist was asking the patient in the next room.  Sure enough, she was correct and the patient next door (who happened to be another brain-injured M.D.) had gotten it wrong.  And in spite of the distraction, Theresa still answered 39 of 40 questions correctly in five minutes.

 

The remainder of the week was spent conducting more testing along with a thorough check-up by the staff neurologist, a kindly country physician reminiscent of Dr. McCoy (aka Bones.)  His findings indicate Theresa has good strength in her legs so it will not be a hindrance to her standing and walking.  Confirming the OT testing, there is some lack of sensation in her extremities as she cannot distinguish between one or two needle pricks.  Bones also noted Theresa's right arm is stronger than her left, but her right leg is weaker than the left; some kind of cosmic balance is in order here which I'm confident will work out in due time.  The left arm weakness could also be due to Theresa's reduced range of motion in her left shoulder which was diagnosed at Craig Hospital in Denver.  Here at CNS, they call the condition adhesive capsulitis but I think frozen shoulder has a nice ring to it.  Back at Craig, the PT was considering the use of dry needle insertion to loosen the tight shoulder muscles but it turns out that this technique cannot be performed by PTs in California or Hawaii due to differing state laws.  So the PT here uses manual pressure manipulation and massage, and so far the results are promising with Theresa now able to lift her left arm almost to shoulder height.

 

One other rehab therapy at CNS that we've not encountered before is ED or education development.  Upon first entering the department, Theresa had a rather large smile and was giggling to herself.  Thus when greeted by the therapist, Theresa announced rather loudly, I'm ready for my erectile dysfunction class!  I'm not sure if they laughed or winced but I am sure they did not expect this from Theresa.  In the ED class, one of their ways to retrain the brain is teaching the cognition module method of learning.  The basis of this is to describe an object in eight ways using terms like color, shape, construction, size, weight, texture, function and detail.  Theresa had some difficulty remembering these so she made up an anagram that started with "comme si" and ended with "what the f---, David?"  That Theresa has regained her sense of humor, albeit a bit naughty, is another sign of her healing progress and one for which we continue to give praise.

 

Saturday would be our last day together as I was returning to Hawai'i early on Sunday.  We spent the morning grocery shopping but went to Albertsons instead of Trader Joes in a failed attempt to stay within the prescribed weekly grocery budget.  In the U.S., it costs more to buy healthier foods because they are not subsidized by the government; so a frozen pizza can cost less than the price of an organic apple.  That really is a sad commentary but outside of the scope of this update.  The afternoon went by quickly as we took a stroll through a nearby park, actually much quicker than expected because the temperature had plunged 30F since the last weekend and it was now starting to rain.  There was a planned outing to the Olive Garden that evening for which Theresa was signed up but because the organizer decided to drive a shuttle van rather than the handicap bus with the lift, Theresa could not board it without great difficulty and pain (her torn knee ligaments are still healing so she is unable to climb steps.)  As a result, we decided to skip that and I took Theresa and her rehab aide to a local family-run Italian restaurant named Frazettis.  It turned out to be the right choice as their food was delicious and it reminded us of our favorite Italian eatery, R Place in the Wisconsin Dells.  And as we later learned after returning to Theresa's apartment, the Olive Garden crowd was disappointed due to their 45 minute wait to be seated and then being told they were sold out of some choices.

 

Although it was getting late, Theresa tried to stay awake because she knew that if she went to bed, I would not be there the next morning.  We spent some quality time together watching "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" but I could tell she was getting exhausted and so I put her to bed, kissed her good night, and promised that I would return in a few weeks for the upcoming treatment conference and more importantly, to celebrate Theresa's birthday on April 22.  I continue to marvel at Theresa's healing progress and to thank our Lord for all He has done for us and everyone else.  Please join us in offering praise and gratitude for everyone's continued well being.

 

Mahalo,

 

David

http://hulaterri.blogspot.com

 

P.S.  The new mailing address at CNS for Theresa is:

 

CNS - Theresa Wang

2500 Gosford Rd., #112

Bakersfield, CA 93309

U.S.A.

Update from David

Aloha to our Ohana,

 

Much has taken place since the last update so let's start where we last left off -- with the final few days of Theresa's healing journey at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado.  As with the previous week, the last couple of days here were mostly spent on testing and range-of-motion measurements to compare with those taken in January when Theresa first arrived.  In most cases, the repeat testing shows improvement in physical, occupational and cognitive functions and pretty much confirms what we already know in our hearts; our Lord's healing powers have graced Theresa and allowed her to regain so many of her faculties in so short a time.  For this among many other reasons, we continue to show our praise and gratitude.

 

In addition to the testing, the final few rehab sessions were also geared towards teaching us skills we would need for the transfer to the next facility.  Not only does Craig Hospital have state-of-the-art exercise and rehab equipment but there is also a room dedicated to teaching transfer techniques between wheelchair and common modes of transportation.  The previous week, we had learned how to move from the wheelchair to a car and now it was time to transfer to an airplane seat.  For those who have seen those narrow aisle wheelchairs at the boarding gate, moving from wheelchair to that contraption was the first lesson.  We completed it successfully and then Theresa learned how to transfer to an airplane seat.  Having now learned all we could in the short time remaining, there was a feeling of nostalgia and sadness that we would be leaving behind all of the dedicated and caring staff at Craig Hospital.  Theresa's almost 3-month stay here made her a long timer and it showed as there were only two other patients remaining from her arrival time.  The staff had a small graduation party for Theresa and a few others leaving this week and it touched everyone's heart when Theresa unexpectedly gave a farewell and thank-you speech.  We will miss everyone at Craig Hospital and know that we cannot thank them all but here is a short list of those that truly made a difference:  Alan, Kent, Holly, Katie, another Katie, Megan, Celeste, Maureen, Pat, Karen, Eric, Marisa, Jules, Avy, Kelly, Tina, Jim and Candi.  Without your loving care, Theresa would not have progressed as far and for that we are truly thankful.  We hope to see you at the one year check-up and will bring sufficient chocolate covered Kona coffee mac nuts for all to enjoy.

 

Wednesday last week was devoted to traveling from Denver to Bakersfield, California, quite an adventure in itself.  To show how far Theresa has come these last three months, we spent $$$$$ for the services of a flying nurse, portable medical equipment and medical transports at both ends to get from Honolulu to Denver in January.  This time, all that was required was a wheelchair-accessible van to get us to the Denver airport where a rehab aide from the Center for Neuro Skills (CNS)would be waiting, then a short 2-hr flight to LAX, followed by a 2-hr drive to Bakersfield for a total cost of $$$.  Aside from the monetary savings, it was truly amazing to watch Theresa pretty much take care of herself and even carry on a lively conversation with the TSA agent while being gently hand searched.  The Lord continued to watch over us as we boarded the Southwest Airlines flight -- Theresa's wheelchair is so small that it could be wheeled right up to the first row aisle seat and all she needed was to stand and do a 180 degree shuffle to sit comfortably in the bulkhead seat, a move that we accomplished with the same precision as dancing a foxtrot.  The flight went well although it was the rehab aide's only second time ever on an airplane, the first being her flight out that same morning.  Upon arriving at LAX, deplaning, gathering our baggage and boarding the CNS handivan, we thought we were making good time until we reached the 405 freeway.  About two hours later, my phone rang and it was the CNS admissions counselor calling, wondering where we were.  I looked around and said, we just passed the exit for West Hollywood, and then there was dead silence from the other end.  She could not believe it had taken us that long to travel the first 10 miles (16km); we could have gotten out and pushed Theresa's wheelchair faster!  A few hours later, we did arrive safely at the CNS residential facility and after getting an exhausted Theresa unpacked and settled into bed, I went off in search of some much needed rest too.

 

The first couple of days at CNS was definitely an eye-opener for Theresa and me.  When they say they provide rehab therapy around the clock (and not just during the scheduled rehab sessions) they mean it.  In addition to the morning activities of toileting, bathing, dressing, etc., Theresa was expected to participate in preparing her own breakfast and even planning out her lunch and afternoon snacks.  Since we were both new at this, the rehab aides did provide some pointers and Theresa grudgingly began to learn the routine.  The change in surroundings compared to Craig Hospital was a definite shock and one that Theresa did not appreciate at first.  Although the scheduled rehab therapies at the CNS clinic were familiar, the residential living facility is nothing like a hospital setting and more like a throwback to college dorm days and living with roommates.  Recall that in her current condition, Theresa is not readily accepting of change and was threatening  to check herself out of Craig Hospital when they changed her bed a few weeks ago.  So during the second night at CNS, it shouldn't have surprised me when Theresa phoned multiple times asking why we couldn't continue to stay at the Craig Hospital family apartment and just attend out patient therapy there.  Despite trying to convince her that this was the next path along our healing journey, Theresa came up with the idea that if I did not get her back soon, she would wheel herself outside, hail a taxi to the airport and fly back to Denver using her credit card.  There wasn't too much I could do that night except to pray for reassurance that we'd made the right choice and sure enough, by the next morning Theresa had a slight change of heart and was ready for the commute to the rehab clinic.  In fact, Theresa's attitude improved throughout the day and during the physical therapy evaluation, she not only stood for 24 seconds with no assistance but she then walked for over 20 feet (6m) using just an elevated walker (more than doubling her previous record at Craig.)

 

This past Saturday, I accompanied Theresa on her first outing at CNS, a weekly shopping trip to pick up groceries and other necessities.  Ignoring a couple of chain supermarkets, Theresa decided to check out Trader Joes, a store that we've heard about but could not experience in Hawai'i.  As our little entourage went up and down each aisle (and some twice) Theresa checked her shopping list, made her choices and filled our cart.  One elderly bystander even jokingly asked where my engineer's hat was, seeing that we formed a small train with Theresa in front, me in the middle, and the shopping cart behind us.  Despite going way over the weekly alloted budget, this grocery shopping rehab exercise really gave Theresa a sense of accomplishment and she was beaming with pride upon exiting Trader Joes and waiting for the return ride to CNS.

 

On Sunday, we were hoping to attend a service to thank our Lord for guiding us here but it turns out we missed the outing to the local churches as we had not signed up in time due to our late arrival.  Rather than feel left out, we watched church TV for an hour and gave our thanks over the air before realizing it was an LDS service, not that there's anything wrong with that.  Later that afternoon, as a consolation for not having space for us for church, there was room on the CNS bus to visit the Bakersfield Museum of Art.  While not in the same league as the Met, the exhibits were interesting and based on fabric designs and sculptures however Theresa was more fascinated by the outdoor garden and all of the flowers and herbs in full bloom.  Yes, it seems spring has already arrived in the Central Valley and we arrived just in time to marvel at more of God's glory.  This was followed by a jaunt over to the river park where we saw a family of ducks floating by.  On the way back to the condo, Theresa thanked me for a beautiful day together and she said it reminded her of those carefree days when I flew out to Montreal during her residency and we spent the weekends going to Boston, Ottawa or Quebec City.

 

The rehab therapies these past couple of days at CNS have concentrated on testing and setting baselines to measure Theresa's healing progress.  Some of these tests replicate what was done at Craig Hospital and in one cognitive rehab session, Theresa surprised the speech pathologist by recalling how to perform the test.  Needless to say, that test was skipped as the results wouldn't be accurate since the subject already knows the answers.  As with the first few days at Craig Hospital, Theresa continues to impress the rehab specialists here and they are amazed at how she is performing compared to the discharge notes from the last facility.  Theresa is beginning to embrace the teaching methods here and she is already forming bonds with the physicians, therapists, aides and other patients.  She told me last night that although she had her misgivings at first, this was the right choice and she will continue to work hard to be able to return to Hawai'i on her own feet, dance the Hula, and snorkel in the ocean with the wild dolphins again.  For this among many other blessings, we are truly thankful to our Lord for His gift of grace and healing.

 

Mahalo,

 

David