Happier days!

It's funny to say this, but I am so thankful that the weekend is over!  Sunday night was really rough.  Suchitra started off to sleep wonderfully because of her bath, but then woke up and couldn't seem to get comfortable or calm for the rest of the night.  She kept fussing, crying, and calling the nurses in.  By the morning we were both exhausted and cranky.  Then she had to do occupational therapy at 8:30 am and physical therapy at 11, and keeping her awake and on the prone cart all morning was NOT fun.  Finally after lunch she took a long nap.  She was very pleasant the rest of the day, and we enjoyed going out to the Healing Garden for some late-summer evening air.

I consulted with the nurses and doctors and we made a plan to be more proactive about giving her medication at night.  We also put her on melatonin, which should help normalize her sleeping schedule.  As a result, Monday night was much better.  She did wake up a couple times, but not for long.  I am hoping we can continue this positive trend.

Today, Tuesday, was a great day for both of us.  After the good night's sleep, she had a full day of therapies and school from 10 am to 4 pm.  I only saw her for lunch.  This was her schedule:

Physical therapy 45 minutes
Occupational therapy 30 minutes
School 30 minutes
Therapeutic recreation 30 minutes
School 30 minutes
Physical therapy 45 minutes
Occupational therapy 30 minutes

As I mentioned, we had lunch together, and a nurse brought in a whole stack of wonderful cards and packages for us!  THANK YOU ALL for thinking of us!  We have the best family and friends ever.  Suchitra was thrilled.  I hope to write more individual thank-yous soon so I'm sorry if I haven't thanked you personally yet... it will come!
At this point in her recovery, physical and occupational therapy are pretty much working on the same goals - strengthening and regaining those gross motor skills.  The kinds of exercises she is doing are reaching, rolling, bridges, and working toward side-sitting.  I didn't attend her therapies today but she said that she had fun.  However, her favorite part of the day (other than getting cards and presents) was school!  She gets to work with the teacher one-on-one.  Today they got acquainted and did some math and reading.

Not only was it a great day for Suchitra but it was also my best day yet.  I was able to catch up on work emails for a while, and this afternoon, my friend Heba's friend Trisha picked me up and took me to a grocery store!  It was a natural foods co-op and they had all the kinds of food I like.  I did not realize that I have become such a picky eater, or so obsessive about healthy food, but apparently I have.  Finally tonight my stomach is full and happy with a defrosted Amy's vegetable lasagna.  Trisha was a lifesaver and I look forward to hanging out more with her and her cute red-haired baby, Mary Catherine.  I know that we will be kindred spirits because we both like Laura Ingalls Wilder and John Denver.

Suchitra is fast asleep and a nurse just brought in her schedule for tomorrow.  It looks like school starts first at 8:30 am.  This means I need to go to bed now because it's going to take a lot of energy to get her ready so early in the morning.  Mainly I have to really work hard to get her to eat breakfast.  She's never been much for breakfast anyway, and eating while reclining at a 20-degree angle doesn't look fun.  Then I have to get her dressed; the doctors come in and check her over; she has to be lifted on and off the commode (nurses do that as she's too heavy for me to lift), and I can roll her onto the prone cart.  It's quite a routine.  But fun at the same time... we're doing exactly what we set out to do, and it's all going well.