Sigmund F. and Coney I.

Every weekend I bring the Sunday paper to the facility to look at with Sam and we jointly identify an article to read. This week we identified in the Arts and Leisure section the article entitled "Sigmund F. and Coney I. about an art show that is currently on display at the Coney Island Museum. The pictures were fascinating and Sam really wanted to read the whole full page article. We sat outside in the "garden" at Park Terrace yesterday morning and took turns reading each paragraph. I know Sam really understood the article and enjoyed it. I was happy to see her responding to this article which was very much related to the interests and sensibilities of the "old Sam". Later in the day, Sam's long-time friends Lisa and Tony arrived for an afternoon visit and we all went out to the Zoo. It was refreshing for Sam to see them and for them to catch Sam up on all that was happening in their lives and with their artwork. I welcomed their fresh energy. It was a lovely day all around and we even got caught in a rain storm, but Lisa and Tony quickly identified safe cover and we watched the rain in a dry spot until the sun came back out. Sam was upset to see Lisa and Tony leave and remarked about wanting her life (old life) back. Sam is incredibly insightful and I hope that bodes well for her future progress.

Good Report

I received the two week update from the social worker yesterday regarding Sam's progress and as I have seen myself over the last few days, her report was quite positive on all fronts. Every therapist said that Sam had made some improvements over the last two-week period. This week was also significant because every morning I have been going over to Park-Terrace (@8:30 am) and receiving my "medicine training" as well as "transfer" training with Sam, so that I will be able to start bringing her home on the weekends. I am happy to report that I have passed all of the tests. We did have an emotional moment when Sam refused to get out of the car and insisted on my taking her home. She was very angry and upset, and we gave her time to regroup, but it was insight into what might lay ahead when she comes home for the first time. Also, I am happy to report that the house is now wheelchair accessible for Sam (partially) and both a solid ramp and stair lift have been installed, so the goal of having Sam home for the weekends will hopefully become a reality as of July 31st. I have now ridden the chairlift a number of times and highly recommend it for anyone! A special moment last night occurred when I was putting Sam into bed. When I asked Sam to stand -up and I was holding onto her, she looked at me with a smile and then got as close as she could and gave me a nice big hug.

Get Me To Newark Airport

Saturday morning, Sam was asking everyone to get her to Newark Airport so she could get on a flight out of there. Or at least this is what was told to me by the aids working with her when I arrived late morning. They also told me that when they were at breakfast and listening to the news, Sam seemed upset to learn about Walter Cronkite's death. They asked Sam if she new who Walter Cronkite was and she apparently said without missing a beat..."he was a newscaster". They were impressed. Sam was doing very well again yesterday and I now realize that among other reasons, it is mainly because her short-term memory just seems to be slightly better. For instance, I stepped out of her room to go check the chart to see what was scheduled for dinner. Five minutes later when I returned to her room, Sam looked at me and said...."So, what's for dinner tonight?" Although that might not seem like much, it is simply amazing, since that means there was carry-over from when I left the room to when I returned. This has not been happening- i.e. short-term memory loss. I teared -up because it is these incremental changes that are significant. Later on, when Sam and I were talking about how much we love each other, Sam looked at me and said, "you are everything I want". Sam is the most important person in the world to me, and so to have her be able to express herself so clearly and passionately is deeply moving.

Gosh

Sam has a wonderful habit of saying "gosh", or "oh gosh" a lot. It is quite sweet. Tonight I felt like saying "Gosh" myself. Sam was doing very well and was the most aware I've seen her in awhile. "Gosh" I thought to myself. When I told her I thought she was doing great, she said "I've been working on it". Instead of watching the usual game shows......Jeopardy and then Wheel of Fortune...Sam wanted to watch the news. I put on Chanel 13 and we watched for a little bit but when I couldn't follow the story anymore and frankly got bored I asked Sam if she would mind if I changed the station ...maybe to Seinfeld. Sam was quite enthusiastic about watching Seinfeld and we laughed together through the whole show. We, like many other people have watched all of the episodes a thousand times over, and so it was refreshing to see Sam enjoying the show and laughing in all the right spots. I stayed as late as I could, because I know that this was an unusually good evening, so I wanted to savor every bit of it.

Correspondence

Yesterday, a number of people at work gave me cards/messages to give to Sam and then when I arrived for my visit in the evening she had also received three cards as well, in the mail. She had not received any cards for awhile so it was kind of funny that all of a sudden everyone sent mail. I had Sam open each card and read it out loud to me. Many of them were very moving and Sam said afterwards, "I have some very good friends". I then put all her new cards up on her walls/bulletin board and then we watched some T.V. together and she fell fast asleep.

A Prisoner in Your Own Body

Sunday evening, after another nice day in the Park and Zoo, this time with Wendy and Aileen, Sam asked me if I felt like a Prisoner. "No" I said, "but do you feel like a Prisoner?" "Yes" she said "in my own body". "Do you mean physically, mentally or both", I asked. Sam thought for a moment and then said "mentally, in my mind". I told her that it was a good sign that she could communicate and recognize this feeling and that she was in a Rehabilitation Center in order to dissolve that feeling of being in a Prison. "yes" she said, "good".

Zoo Members

For the seventh time, Sam and I visited the Queens Zoo yesterday and enjoyed ourselves immensely. We are now proud members of the Zoo. Sam really wants to go home, but going out to the Park and the Zoo is the next best thing. We've gotten into a pattern of visiting the feeding/petting part of the zoo first and then going onto the main zoo area just in time for the sea-lion feeding at 4:00pm. I realize that some people are scared of wheelchairs and so I manage to get Sam a good spot for watching the feeding, by just pushing our way through and scaring the little kids and parents along the way. It is great to be outside and for Sam to be stimulated by all of the activity. In the meanwhile, I am building-up my muscles every weekend by pushing Sam in the wheelchair and together we are learning a lot about our future together. I am hoping to have the house ready for Sam's first home visit right around her birthday on July 30th, but there is a lot to be done beforehand in order to meet that goal. Overall Sam is making progress and is working hard in therapy.

Just Too Smart

The speech therapist this evening told me that Sam had remembered that she went to the Zoo this weekend and could also recall other activities once clues were given to her. Sam seemed to know that Pam from the museum had visited her this weekend too, and she was enjoying the trashy magazines that Pam had brought her, but did need clues to recall the day. I asked Sam what animals she saw at the Zoo this past weekend, and after thinking about it for a little bit, she said to me "you know, the usual". I had to laugh at that since Sam is just too smart. She knows how to get around answering the questions, when she can't recall or pull the information that she has in her head. What a great answer. Later in the evening when I was saying goodnight, Sam told me to "get home safely". It was a sweet end to a simple evening together.

Tube Free

Today Sam pulled out her feeding tube again, but finally for the last time. Her Doctor said to keep it out.....for good. Way to go Sam! This was the last tube in her body and now she is tube free. When I visited her this evening, she said she pulled it out because it was bothering her. I'm glad that she can have her body back and that the binder that protected the tube is no longer wrapped around her middle, making her sweat. It will also allow her more mobility in physical therapy. I was thrilled tonight to see the little bandage on her stomach.. Finally, the tube that has not be used in over a month has been removed, courtesy of Sam. Also, on a slightly different note, Sam got the answer to the final jeopardy question this evening....it was about Napoleon, and I asked Sam what State in the United States is French, or did the French settle (the main question was more complicated, but this was the gist of it), and Sam thought for a moment and then said Louisiana. Louisiana it was! Quite exciting.

Visitors Welcome

In talking with the neuropsycologist this morning, she said that it would be very helpful for Sam and for her continued progress to start having different people from various parts of her life visit with her. Visitors are needed! If anyone is interested in making a visit out to Park Terrace, and spending a little time with Sam, please email me at marcie.karp@metmuseum.org in order to coordinate. Tonight, Sam was doing well. When I asked her how her day went, she said "I had a great day". She then said "everyday gets better and better".....what more can be said.

Sunday in the Park With Sam