Journal entry by Barbara Bradley — Dec 15, 2010

Burrrr! It is cold out. Stinks for those of you out in it. Thankfully there is a silver lining being stuck inside so much.

It has been a busy couple days around here, but Katie is doing great. She got to use a special walker yesterday and took steps. Lots of steps!!! She needs some help and the walker gives her lots of support as her legs are remembering what they need to do. As with other aspects of life, going through the motions at this stage really is enough sometimes.

She has been participated in more group therapies lately. Because she is such a social butterfly (or maybe just downright nosey), she tends to do better around her peers. If you add music to this equation, Katie will just about try anything.

She had me tearing up yesterday and today during speech therapy. They have an observation room with two-way glass so that I am not a distraction for her. The therapist would show her animals and ask her to make the sounds and she was repeating the sounds!!!!!

Katie, what does a lion say? Rrrrrroaarr!!!!!!!

What does a dog say? Uuuuffff, uuuuffff! (then comes the laughter because she knows she is doing it)

---

Katie is also back to her curious self. Back in our room we are both tired but need a bit to settle down from day. I think I finally have us settled for the night. Just when I am almost asleep I will hear …

Eeeeeeehhhhhhh (pause) eeeeehhhhh (pause)

I will look up to see the hospital bed going uuuuuppp and then dooowwwn, and uuup and down…down…down. “Katie, what are you doing?” giggle giggle “Little bug, stop it. Go to sleep please. Leave the buttons on the bed ALONE.”

I left the room yesterday and she conveniently pressed the nurse call button. “Mrs. Bradley, can I help you?”, “Mrs. Bradley….. are you okay?”.

Yeah, Mrs. Bradley is fine. Mrs. Bradley went to get some coffee.

---

The quote of the week came yesterday from Ms. Tina the nursing assistant. She will tell you her job is “monitoring what goes in and what comes out”. After helping me give Katie a bath she asked if she had pooped yet. Nope, I say.

Then she leans in to Katie and says,”Guurrl, if you don’t get that poop out, they gonna give you the milk and molasses treatment. That may sound good ’til they tell ya where they gonna stick it!”

Oh, Lord, I am sure I am not giving that comedic justice but I about wet my pants from laughter.

Another silver lining to being here around Christmas is the visitors. Yesterday Steve Smith from the Panthers came to visit. He brought the kids gifts and paid for a magician to do some tricks for the kids. Katie didn’t care about the magician but she was cute when Steve handed her a stuffed frog. Right after he gave it to her she stuck her tongue out and licked the top of his head (the frog’s head not Steve’s).

Today Nascar driver Brian Vickers visited. He gave Katie a little car and his autograph. They came with a film crew and photographer but I don’t know where the footage might end up. Of course Katie doesn’t have a clue what is going on but one day she will understand. Goodness, I might have to shower tomorrow 😉 No telling who’s on the agenda.