Fresh

Yesterday was a BIG day for us.  I think I am still processing it's beauty.  I will not say any of this was SIMPLE but I will say it was simply amazing!

We arrived tired to the peak center for PT and Chris thought maybe he was going to ask if they would just stretch him because of how tired he was.  They stretched him in a BIG way!  We arrived and they said, "Chris, I hope you are feeling FRESH today because we're going to video tape you!"  Laughing and knowing full well how many times he asked me to put him back in bed, I was smiling.  They pulled out a walker and said he was going to walk using that.  I wanted to cry with excitement and everything he's worked so hard for.  He made it 3 times across the gym with lots of assistance but it was just AWESOME!

Simplify

Does anyone remember the acronym K.I.S.S.,  Keep It Simple Stupid!  I laugh when I think about this because I think it's easy for things to be made more complicated.  We had an interesting few weeks around the house and I knew if we didn't simplify life we would not only loose our minds but maybe even our live in caregiver.

It seems we always have a little to much going on and amidst a construction project,  our PT schedule, and balancing family and friends, we caught a bug.  Initially, I thought it may have been labor or food poisoning but I was sadly mistaken.  From puking and diarrhea I was extremely dehydrated and started having contractions but not being dilated or effaced it was no good to be in false labor.  We went to the hospital and I received some bags of fluid which in turn stopped the contractions.  We called it our practice run.  A few things we learned from it was the hospital setting was comfortable to us.  The beeping and medical equipment was quite homey to us.  The season of this pregnancy came into fruition in a hospital and as I thought I was adamant about home labor options I realized it was sure nice having someone get ice chips for me.  I felt spoiled!

ONLY to wake up the next day, Chris had the same bug, as well as our caregiver, as well as the contractor, as well as passing it to each of our friends.  This bug was contagious!  I now know what it looks like for Chris, with his SCI,  to get sick.  I knew we would have to face it at some point but being stuck in bed in an awkward position puking was scary.   Not being able to feel it come on the way you normally do, also scary.  We made it through, with sippy cups of gatorade in bed and just trying to keep him hydrated to avoid another hospital trip for us,  we managed.  The most significant thing we learned about Chris being sick was an increase in muscle spasticity.  His muscle spasms were so strong it would throw his legs out of bed or  into the air and made him extremely uncomfortable for almost a week.  Thankfully they are much more manageable again.

The bug is gone, the construction project is nearing its end, and the PT schedule has found some consistency.  Things are simpler now and everyone feels much better this week!