The Road to Recovery - week 23 and 24.

"Alysha's life is our most treasured gift this holiday season."

Our sweet cherished Alysha Rose Smith is recovering from a post surgical complication that put her into cardiac arrest and into a coma for 7 days.  She emerged from the coma with severe brain damage.  This website was created to update friends and family of Alysha's progress along the road to recovery.  Please join us as we support Alysha on her journey.  (For earlier details, like the history behind this medical nightmare scroll to the bottom of the blog and click "older posts.")

Update January 5/13.
Hockey and Hot Tub
Alysha had a busy Saturday.  It the morning our social butterfly headed to the local arena and watch her cousin play hockey.  When she was there she was out of her wheel chair watching the game from a standing position along the boards.  This provided 20 minutes of standing therapy which is the same amount of time spent developing this skill at the rehab center.  Alysha was rewarded with a, "Win," for her cousin's team.
After hockey in Elmvale, Alysha was off for an afternoon of out-door hot tubbing in Alliston.  Lisa was hoping the water would offer Alysha some relief from the pain she has been having related to the muscle spasms in her left wrist, elbow and shoulder.  Alysha enjoyed the warm water, and appreciated the buoyancy it afforded.  This was the first time Alysha has been submersed in water since the end of July. Getting into the hot tub on the other hand was a challenge and a bit of a spectacle.  Dressed in their robes, Lisa and Alysha danced their way down the stairs leading away from the house and up the two stairs into the hot tub.  Then there was a long pause when Alysha's slippers and robe were removed. Next, she sat on the edge of the tub and swung her legs around to be inside the water.  Then a graceful slip down into the warm relaxing water.

Alysha and Aunty Michelle at the Elmvale Arena

Merry Christmas
It was so nice to have Alysha home for an extended period of time over the holidays.  Alysha really enjoyed it as well.   There was shopping and celebrations all week long, at Lisa's house, Ron's house and our (Aunty Marcia and Uncle John's) house.  Alysha had a busy week, in an out of vehicles and houses.  It takes a lot of concentration and effort and energy for Alysha to complete the usual daily-living activities of getting up, getting dressed, going to the bathroom, going up and down the stairs and eating.   It is even more exhausting for Alysha to leave the house and visit or run errands with her family.  By 5:00pm on Christmas day while we were all together at our house, Alysha started asking to go home.  At the rehab center she is used to going to bed at 4:30 and staying there until Lisa returns the following morning at 8:00 am.  It didn't surprise us she was wanting to go home.  She stayed a few more hours and participated in a gift exchange, ate dinner and desert with the family and then headed back home for a well earned rest.

Alysha, Justin, Rich and Lisa

Moving about her house.
     When she is home, Alysha moves about her house using a combination of her wheel chair and supported walking.  The muscle for the wheel chair is provided by family members for the most part.  Alysha does move her own wheel chair slightly forward and back by pushing her feet against the floor. She still requires assistance transferring from bed to wheel chair or lounge chair to wheel chair.  Alysha's house is a back split with 5 stairs between the main floor and the bedroom and bathroom floor.  In order for Alysha to get to her bed or use the bathroom, she climbs (with assistance) up and down those stairs numerous times a day.  I was able to see her do this.  With her arms around Lisa's shoulders, both mother and daughter face each other, Alysha provides her own power, and Lisa provides balance and guides the exercise with her body and voice.  There was counting and, "right foot down," and, "don't step on my foot," and, "just one more step," and a bit of laughter.  They successfully arrived at the foot of the stairs.  It looked like a well choreographed dance.

Independence with drinking
     Just before christmas Lisa purchased a Spill proof sport drinking container from Mountain Equipment Coop.  This container has a wide, built in straw through which Alysha can draw her drink from without having to tilt back a cup.  With this container Alysha is able to have a drink whenever she wants one.  Lisa fills it with Alysha's beverage of choice and then sets it on her lap and Alysha is able to pick it up off her lap and bring it to her mouth and drink from it all on her own. 

A visit with her horse.
On the first day of 2013, Alysha was out at the barn visiting with her horse - Chocolate.