Kaitlyn's progress

September 8, 2008

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give you a quick update on Kaitlyn. She is doing better. I've been able to work parttime and leave her alone. She is able to get up and down on her own again. She has found that she can sleep in her own bed and the recliner sometimes, and not be on the couch all the time. Kaitlyn's pain level had decreased and she is taking a lot less medication. This is helping her get her appetite back. She is able to eat a little more at each meal. I'm still having her eat every few hours to keep the calorie count high each day. Being back at work is helping me not eat everytime she needs to eat.

Kailtyn started school this week and that seems to be going well. She misses seeing her friends at school, but I'm sure she is keeping in contact via the phone and computer. She is striving to get the credits she needs and gain her strength to be able to attend regular classes during the second semester of school. I've warned her not to get hooked on soap operas during the day. She seems to be hooked on Family Fued and some other game shows during the day. At least that's keeping her mind busy and alert.

She has also enjoyed reading some of the books that she received from friends lately. For a long time she wasn't able to read books because she was on too much medication to concentrate on them, but she is really enjoying reading them now. Thank you to everyone who got her books!!! She is also enjoying the puzzle books that she received. I have to admit that I did some of the puzzles that people got for her. Some of those were really hard and I had to go back to work to think that I was smart again. ;-) I think some of them were hard because I wasn't getting much sleep during the time I tried them. That's my story and I'm sticking with it...!!!

Kaitlyn's mobility is also improving. It's nice to see her not be as afraid of moving her back. It doesn't seem to hurt her as much when she moves now. She said that it feels weird that some of her back is completely numb. This doctor's said that this is because the nerves were cut. They said that it can be temporary or permanent. We are hoping and praying that the feeling will come back soon.

We went to see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movie this week. I carried in two pillows to put on the chair for comfort. I have to admit that this was the first time I took pillows to a walk-in movie. Not too many people stared at me. ;-) Kaitlyn sat through the entire movie, but was really tired and slept most of the next day. It was fun to get her out of the house, though.

Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement and support!!!!

Ruby