That Smile

Jackie had a fairly restful night and woke up without a headache.  PTL!  He had a healthy appetite for breakfast and was ready for speech  at 9:30.  Becca played the board game Guess Who with him.  She was surprised none of us had ever played the game.  It requires a lot of cognitive skills so there are many benefits to playing.  She also worked on general memory skills and brought some sports related jokes that Jackie read and kept to share with others.

Jackie’s PT and OT sessions went back to hour long segments today.  This allowed Jackie to get a needed cat nap.  The majority of his PT hour was spent on the third floor using the Vector technology.  Jackie is getting used to this computer assisted walking device and was ready to work hard.  Jackie wears a harness which lifts him up to a standing position and moves along a track in the ceiling.  Today, Erin reduced the settings so only  10 pounds of Jackie’s weight was being lifted while he walked.  Erin coached him every step of the way and also guided his left foot.  Another therapist, helped hold Jackie’s body in the correct position.  Jackie did several walks with breaks in between.  His last walk was aided  by both therapists without the Vector machine.  We saw glimpses today of his left leg moving more than it has before, small but significant movements.  PTL!

Lunch immediately followed PT.  The second half of speech was after that. Becca continued the work from the first session into the second session. After a small rest break it was time for OT. The highlight was the use of the Wii gaming system.  Jackie played baseball and bowling.  Paula supported him in a standing position so the movement of his arms seemed more natural.  Next it was time for dancing to songs, the last one was YMCA.  Another older patient moved to the music along side of Jackie.  The intergenerational experience was good for both of them.

As you know from reading the blog posts Jackie struggles with movement on his left side.  This limited movement goes from his head down to his toes. He consistently says he tells his brain to move the left side, but in most cases it doesn’t listen. On several occasions today we noticed that his infectious smile was turned up not just on the right side but on both sides of his face!  PTL.  That beautiful smile is hope and a reminder that time is indeed what Jackie and his body needs to heal.

Thank you for your positive thoughts and prayers.