friday night

there is something of a routine in place during days here, but there are always little changes that keep things interesting. gen has medicine and food (ultracal through the feeding peg) administered at regular intervals throughout the day. the nurses have accommodated us by arranging feedings so gen doesn't have to have one at 6am. she is not a morning person, and she does better without that meal. the doctor has also tweaked her doses of muscle relaxant based on the tension ("tone") she has in her legs and arms, especially at night and during strenuous workouts. the new dose seems to be helping and she doesn't have as much trouble with her muscles tensing and causing pain. today, still following the general order of the day, we got gen dressed and into the wheel chair by 11 and took her on a tour of the old icu where she spent the first two weeks here. then we went to physical therapy. she got to choose her activity there, and she picked the standing frame. she likes this the least i think, but she wants to master it. she impressed the physical therapist and occupational therapist by standing fairly straight, holding herself up and by keeping her feet fairly straight. (especially her left foot tends to tip over on its side when she is standing, and that is painful.) today she kept them both fairly flat. after we got back to the room, speech therapy came, and the therapist was impressed by the improved tongue motion gen exhibited. she has been practicing, and she got her tongue to go up and down, and from side to side. not huge movements, but definitely movements. we were all happy for her. she is still working with the speaking valve, both in therapy and with josh and me here in the room. we will also continue to work over the weekend, lord willing. gen is not satisfied with her speaking voice yet, and if i know her, she will keep doing the exercises necessary to strengthen the muscles she needs to speak the way she wants to. so many things to which we don't give a second thought. say the letter "e" and really think about what your cheeks, lips, teeth, tongue and jaw are doing. we are fearfully and wonderfully made according to the psalm, and i appreciate so much what God has done for us here. thank you all for praying for us, and thank you for letting us know you care.

susan for the gang