Christopher's Rehab/Recovery 6

Saturday, May 8, 2010, 7:30 am Christopher had such a good day yesterday but he woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, so we're sitting in the bathroom now.  He is in the shower and I'm sitting on a chair answering e-mails, in hopes of the shower 'doing its' magic' (yes, I have stooped to a new low...doing e-mails in the bathroom.  Yesterday I paid bills while sitting in here...).  So far...no luck.  BUT....he is not combative nor is he belligerent... he is just in a funk.  Belligerence is tough stuff.  This funk I can handle! 12:00 noon Dr. Tran came in to see Christopher this morning and I was so impressed with her patience as he asked her, once, twice, three times...perhaps even four, if he could go home.  She explained (for the millionth time!) that he is not yet well enough, that he needs to work hard in physical, occupational and speech therapy, and that when all of his doctors and therapists feel he is ready to go home, they will let him know.  She was sorry to see him looking and feeling blue, but we agreed that everyone feels that way from time to time, especially when they've been stuck in a hospital for 17 days!   Chris and I went down to the 'Friendly Cafe' (aka: cafeteria) for breakfast and had a nice little chat while eating.  On the way back up to his room, he started talking about his friend Alex and how much he misses him.  I asked if he wanted to try texting him and he said he would like that.  So once he was settled back in bed, I handed him my phone and off he went.  Here's their sweet conversation: Chris: Hey alex and is chris! Alex: What? Chris: LOL it's chris. I am an the hospital without my phone Alex: O hey chris how you feeling bud Chris: Really good thanks.  I miss you.  You are the first friend that I have  texping lol A: I miss you too i hope your day is going good A: Hey you there chris? :) C: Thang you I'm at the hospital and I haven't been thinging about school for sixteen days so i feel stupid but I'm not and I have been spleepling. A: I know chris. i know you're not stupid. i know you have been at the hospital. i know you have been asleep but most of all i know you're not stupid. Why in fact, you're one of the smartest people i know. C: lol. thanks. i want u to h C: sorry. i want u to c C: sorry I'm being wrong. I want u to come and see me at the hospital A: i will sometime just not for now. i can't see you because i'm sick but i will definitely see you as soon as i can bud C: Ok. I miss u A: I miss you too. why in fact i've been missing you for like ever since you went to the hospital but it's good to talk to you bud C: thank u so much for calling the hospital (911) when i fell (out of the tree) A: ha ha. you're welcome bud. i wouldn't ever leave you if you got hurt. you're my best friend :) C: U too and thank you sooooooooooooooo much. u kept me alive A: ha ha. you're welcome but you don't have to thank me bro for saving your life C: But with     Sry. without u falling the hospital my brain may have died A: No problem bud C: No thank u so much. I love u A: I love you too bro C: Thnx. Can u come and see me? A: I can't see you today bud because I'm sick and don't want to get you sick C: Actually I'm fine. I hope than u get better     That sorry A: Well i miss you sooooooooooooooooooooo much     Hey guess what? Mitch O'brien called me and wanted me to tell you he says hi C: tell then that I say hi A: he says he misses you and that your his inspiration C: O wow As you can see from Chris' writing, he's having difficulty with spelling, which is driving him absolutely crazy!  He's a word man...Spelling Bee's and all.  Spelling has always been his 'thing'! He hates having to ask me how to spell words such as 'come', 'home', and 'go'.  The other thing that he is struggling with is finding words and mixing up his thoughts.  He knows what he wants to say and sometimes he gets close but other times, the word just doesn't come.  VERY, VERY frustrating for a 'word' guy!  He really does feel as though he is 'stupid' and no matter how many times I tell him that he is not, that it must be very frustrating for him and that clarity will come, he has a hard time embracing it.  He is living in the now, and he is not pleased with his current now.  He definitely cheered up once he had 'texted' with Alex and was cooperative and willing to go to PT/OT (Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy) when they came to get him.  I believe that having a connection to his outside world and to his friends is very important.  He is so isolated here.  What 13-year-old wants to spend his days and nights with mom, dad, doctors and nurses?  Perhaps having his cell phone here (it's coming with Paul this afternoon!) will help him to feel a bit more normal in his now... 5:00 pm In an attempt to create some semblance of normalcy and listen to my 'voice of reason,' Paul and I enlisted Nicholas' help tonight.  He is going to spend the night at the hospital with Christopher, assisting him where he needs assistance, sleeping by his side and being there for him every time he awakens and needs orientation.  Paul and I are planning to do what we used to do on a typical Saturday evening... have dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, enjoy engaging conversation (we'lltry to keep it off of our child who is now hospitalized) and then come back home...together...something we have not done in 17 days and nights.  That's correct...for 17 days and nights, the only time we have spent together has been at Children's Hospital in Oakland, CA.  For all of that time, it was the right thing to do, and we wouldn't have had it any other way, but for tonight, we will pretend...we will pretend that life is normal (I believe that our 'normal' will definitely include drinking a bottle of my favorite wine, an Orin-Swift 'Prisoner').  It will be good for us, and we are planning to head back to the hospital tomorrow recharged and ready to march forward in our journey with Christopher...our journey toward the goal of 'normalcy'... life as it used to be, or if need be...our new normal... Love, Laura