"Though no one can go back and make a new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new end." (Carl Bard)
November 19/12
Alysha walks 13 meters.
Every time I go to visit Alysha I can see the progress she has made. This has been particularly true since Thanksgiving weekend. Today when I arrived Alysha was finishing the last 2 meters of a 13 meter supported walk in the corridor of the rehab center. Alysha completed this walk without the assistance of a walker. Instead she was supported by 3 staff members. They found that Alysha adopts a more upright posture without the walker.
Alysha is practicing speaking quite frequently now. In addition to the 40 minute speech therapy sessions, Lisa encourages Alysha to use words whenever possible. I was pleasantly surprised with how clearly she can say the words yes and no. Unfortunately for Lisa and the staff, Alysha's "no," is more clear than her, "yes." The other words I heard her say today were Justin, younger, water, pop, mom, dad, nana, etc.
The speech therapist was asking Alysha questions about her life. Alysha used words like Georgian (for Georgian College) to explain. The therapist frequently gives Alysha 2 options when she asks a question and assigns one answer to each of the therapists hands. For example, is your brother younger (and she would put up her right hand) or older (and she would put up her left hand). Both of the therapist's hands remained elevated and ready for selection, Alysha would point to the hand that signified the correct answer. Below you will find an audio clip of Alysha practicing some words.
November 18/12
Alysha watches the Toronto Santa Claus Parade.
Born and raised a country girl Alysha enjoyed one benefit of living down-town Toronto today. The annually televised Santa Claus parade route passes right in front of the Rehab center. Accompanied by her Aunt Chrissy, Uncle Jason, Noah, Jacob, Lisa and Rich, Alysha dawned her winter coat, headed outside and watched most of the parade.
November 15/12
Alysha walks 13 meters.
Every time I go to visit Alysha I can see the progress she has made. This has been particularly true since Thanksgiving weekend. Today when I arrived Alysha was finishing the last 2 meters of a 13 meter supported walk in the corridor of the rehab center. Alysha completed this walk without the assistance of a walker. Instead she was supported by 3 staff members. They found that Alysha adopts a more upright posture without the walker.
Alysha is practicing speaking quite frequently now. In addition to the 40 minute speech therapy sessions, Lisa encourages Alysha to use words whenever possible. I was pleasantly surprised with how clearly she can say the words yes and no. Unfortunately for Lisa and the staff, Alysha's "no," is more clear than her, "yes." The other words I heard her say today were Justin, younger, water, pop, mom, dad, nana, etc.
The speech therapist was asking Alysha questions about her life. Alysha used words like Georgian (for Georgian College) to explain. The therapist frequently gives Alysha 2 options when she asks a question and assigns one answer to each of the therapists hands. For example, is your brother younger (and she would put up her right hand) or older (and she would put up her left hand). Both of the therapist's hands remained elevated and ready for selection, Alysha would point to the hand that signified the correct answer. Below you will find an audio clip of Alysha practicing some words.
November 18/12
Alysha watches the Toronto Santa Claus Parade.
Born and raised a country girl Alysha enjoyed one benefit of living down-town Toronto today. The annually televised Santa Claus parade route passes right in front of the Rehab center. Accompanied by her Aunt Chrissy, Uncle Jason, Noah, Jacob, Lisa and Rich, Alysha dawned her winter coat, headed outside and watched most of the parade.
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| Rich, Alysha and Uncle Jason at the Santa Claus Parade |
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| Alysha and Aunty Chrissy at the Parade |
November 15/12
Another productive day at Rehab.
Today they combined Alysha's occupational therapy and physiotherapy sessions into one long work-out that lasted over an hour. They worked on Alysha's walking supported by the modified walker. Alysha is able to make it the entire length of the therapy room. She was working so hard she was sweating by then end of it all.
The speech therapist worked with Alysha in the afternoon. They worked on vowel sounds a,e,i,o and u. They worked on words Hi and By and Hey.
Alysha was presented with a daily itinerary that applies to her Monday to Friday activities. She has physiotherapy at 11:00, occupational therapy at 1:00 and speech therapy at 2:00. Each session is given a one hour block of time but the actual duration of the therapy depends on Alysha's endurance that day.
November 14/12
Lisa called and spoke to the night nurse at 5:00 am which has been her routine for the past 15 weeks. She was pleasantly surprised by how forthcomming the nurse was with information. The nurse reassured Lisa that Alysha had "slept like a princess." Without being asked she offered that she had been in to see Alysha every half hour, that her vital signs had been assessed and were normal, that she helped Alysha change positions in the bed etc. etc. Lisa was made to feel welcome to call any day, any time. What an appreciated change from the response she received most times she called St. Mikes to check in on Alysha.
Alysha was awake when Ron arrived at 8:00 am. She ate a small bowl of oatmeal cereal, had 1 % milk and and carrot cake yogurt. Ron noticed that Alysha's appetite is getting bigger. The nurse asked Alysha if she wanted a shower this morning. No one other than Lisa ever asked Alysha if she wanted a shower at St. Mikes. At 11:00 Alysha had a 30 minute physiotherapy session in the gym where they tested the mobility in her arms and legs. At 1:00 pm the occupational therapist came in and also assessed her mobility and facilitated some exercises with her right arm. She encouraged Alysha to brush her own teeth and hair. When the therapist tried to help Alysha brush her teeth, Alysha pulled her arm away and wanted to do it by herself. Ron noted, "she is so determined." She also encouraged Alysha to push herself around in the wheelchair with her leg. At 2:00 pm Alysha had a speech therapy session where they practiced the sounds m, a, o, and e. The therapist put these letters on a board in Alysha's room for Alysha to practice.
Wow, what a difference in time spent in therapy between this facility and St. Mikes. At St. Mikes, Alysha had one 15 minute therapy session with a staff member every week-day. Here, Alysha receives three 30 - 45 minute sessions Monday to Friday. I expect we will see some amazing progress with this amount of time dedicated to Rehab therapy combined with Alysha's determination.
November 13/12
Lisa called and spoke to the night nurse at 5:00 am which has been her routine for the past 15 weeks. She was pleasantly surprised by how forthcomming the nurse was with information. The nurse reassured Lisa that Alysha had "slept like a princess." Without being asked she offered that she had been in to see Alysha every half hour, that her vital signs had been assessed and were normal, that she helped Alysha change positions in the bed etc. etc. Lisa was made to feel welcome to call any day, any time. What an appreciated change from the response she received most times she called St. Mikes to check in on Alysha.
Alysha was awake when Ron arrived at 8:00 am. She ate a small bowl of oatmeal cereal, had 1 % milk and and carrot cake yogurt. Ron noticed that Alysha's appetite is getting bigger. The nurse asked Alysha if she wanted a shower this morning. No one other than Lisa ever asked Alysha if she wanted a shower at St. Mikes. At 11:00 Alysha had a 30 minute physiotherapy session in the gym where they tested the mobility in her arms and legs. At 1:00 pm the occupational therapist came in and also assessed her mobility and facilitated some exercises with her right arm. She encouraged Alysha to brush her own teeth and hair. When the therapist tried to help Alysha brush her teeth, Alysha pulled her arm away and wanted to do it by herself. Ron noted, "she is so determined." She also encouraged Alysha to push herself around in the wheelchair with her leg. At 2:00 pm Alysha had a speech therapy session where they practiced the sounds m, a, o, and e. The therapist put these letters on a board in Alysha's room for Alysha to practice.
Wow, what a difference in time spent in therapy between this facility and St. Mikes. At St. Mikes, Alysha had one 15 minute therapy session with a staff member every week-day. Here, Alysha receives three 30 - 45 minute sessions Monday to Friday. I expect we will see some amazing progress with this amount of time dedicated to Rehab therapy combined with Alysha's determination.
November 13/12
Alysha moves into the Toronto Rehab Institute.
This morning Alysha, Lisa and Rich said goodbye to the staff and headed out of the hospital affectionally marketed as "the urban angel." These are not the words our family uses when referring to this health care facility.
16 weeks after Alysha entered St. Michael's hospital as a healthy, vibrant, and chatty college student, she left the hospital unable to eat, stand, walk or talk without assistance. Lisa and Rich drove Alysha to the Toronto Rehab Institute where they will continue to support Alysha's efforts to heal and rehabilitate herself. Alysha is enrolled in a residential long course rehabilitation program. We expect that she will be at this institute for the next four months.
It was a very busy day for Alysha, moving into a new room and meeting a number of new people. By late afternoon, Alysha seemed to have adjusted to her new surroundings. Lisa reports that Alysha fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow tonight. She is going to need a good night's sleep because tomorrow the rehabilitation begins in earnest.
Link to: Toronto Rehab Institute
Link to : Long-Course Rehab information
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