January 5, 2007 - Day 341

This was an interesting and inspirational day for Rand and me. It started with a chat with Jennie, the SLP, about Rand being so down after their last session, about "grading" himself on his speech performance. It turns out that she was still evaluating him and has discovered that he does better when he has the printed word in front of him. He can't really read, but somehow the printed word primes him, gives him a clue, provides another way of connecting with the spoken word. Last session, Jennie purposely eliminated all printed material including pictures, to see how he would do, what strategies he has to make sense of the world. Obviously, he was very frustrated. I explained that to him later and he seemed to understand and feel better. Interesting that he still remembered how he felt two days later. That is rare.

Later we took a trip to the barber shop and Jim, the barber, commented on how much life Rand's hair had. He kept commenting on how improved/alert Rand seemed and on the quality of his hair! Jim has been cutting Rand's hair for a long time, including in hospitals, nursing homes, his room, and recently in his shop, so he knows the changes in his hair over the last eleven months and for years before that. It was interesting to listen to his observations.

From there, we went to Vasona Creek Rehab Hospital to visit a friend who is staying there to get therapy following a knee replacement. Rand was at Vasona Creek for two months after his stroke and he was very, very sick. I drove Rand through the parking lot of Vasona last fall and he didn't remember anything about it. At that time it was such a trauma for Rand and a tough situation for me to get him in and out of the car, into and out of a wheelchair, that I didn't stop. Today, Rand got out of the car and into his wheelchair almost alone. We went to the second floor and he received a warm welcome from everyone. The nurses, the aides, therapists all remembered him by name, he hugged and kissed them all. We went into his old room and he remembered it. We strolled the halls, I talked to him about various incidents, visits, parties, and he started remembering all of it. I think he really, really remembered - he wasn't just being polite. He laughed, smiled, shook his head as the memories came back. We went to the big living room where our friend had played the piano and another friend "danced" Rand around the room in his wheelchair. He really, truly remembered. What a time that was - then and now!

We are still going through the long haul, but it was therapeutic for both of us, in different ways, to relive and remember times past. Rand has come so far, good friends. He has come so far that I am amazed. Just getting into and out of the car and wheelchair is no longer an issue. Rand does it. He needs guidance, support, coaching and reassurance but he basically handles his body on his own. When he was at Vasona, he had a high-backed wheelchair because his head and neck needed the support. Shoot - now he tools around in a modified sports/racing chair called a "Quickie!" Uff da!

I left Rand at his house at dinner time and then I went out with friends. That is always such fun and a wonderful break. All in all, this was a great, interesting day. It reaffirmed my thoughts that Rand really is making progress mentally as well as physically, that he is reconnecting with the world. As we approach the one year anniversary and I remember the predictions of the doctors almost a year ago, Rand has blown them all out of the water. Rand's sister sent me a statue of Wonder Woman - I think we need a corresponding statue of Super Man!

Keep Randbo close in your thoughts and prayers.

Love,
Connie