Ebbs and flows

Brother-in-law Morris is taking the day off from his job tomorrow to lend an assist. He'll get here early to watch his mother, allowing Sophie to get to work and me off to an early morning job interview. Morris and I take Bandar at noon to back-to-back sessions with her physical therapist and occupational therapist. After this trip to the Metrohealth Hospital rehab unit, Morris' second, he'll be able to take Bandar to many of her remaining sessions. We're grateful for his help!

At 10 days since my last post, it's still hard to pinpoint exactly where Bandar is on the road to recovery. She's had setbacks: adjusting to meds (with side effects ranging from pretty severe GI distress to anxiousness and insomnolence), new routines, new exercises, new pains and aches. Some days she can barely stand or move her legs, let alone walk with her walker. Others she does pretty well. Even on her best days, we still have to help her every day to get up in the morning and clean up, change clothes, feed, go to the bathroom, shower and so on. And yes, if Sophie's not home, I help Bandar get on and off the pot -- another one of the infinite possibilities contained in the "for better or worse" clause that I never contemplated before I asked Sophie to marry me.

The best sign of progress is that Bandar is not requesting to wear her back brace as much. She's sitting for longer periods without it, indicating she might be building back her core muscles. She's also getting into and out of the car a little easier, and she's sleeping through the night more frequently without waking up with "fire" in her legs -- her way of describing her painful neuropathy.

Every day with Bandar continues to be an exercise in patience, requiring Sophie and me to remind ourselves to take our lives a day at a time.