Tuesday, February 8, 2011

2.8.11

AYNSLEY:
Honestly, more of the same. Mom continues to be ruled by the physical that she can't control and by the emotional that she can. When it's an issue of mind over matter, her mind wins. She continues to make progress by leaps and bounds in physical therapy and occupational therapy. Today she walked farther than she ever has, and it was after doing all of the standing exercises. So she continues to push her strength and let her determination push the boundaries.

And when it's a physical issue that she can't positive-think her way out of, she falters. She vomits the entire contents of her stomach, which at this point is mostly bile and acid. She can't eat because it's too uncomfortable and now the food is tasting off: jello today was too salty. She couldn't do PT at 10am this morning because the nausea was too much to bear in a vertical position.

So she did PT at 5pm. After the nausea subsided, after visiting with friends and family, after drawing strength from wherever it is she's drawing strength from. So, are there setbacks? Constantly. But is she improving? Certainly on some level she is. Her endurance and stamina have grown exponentially. But at some point, she'll tap out. Food, in its most elemental aspect, is energy. And about 60% of our calorie needs go to simply running metabolic functions. The brain needs glucose to work properly. And as a nutritionist, and a daughter, I worry about that. Because I know how proud she is of all of the therapy accomplishments she's made. I can't bear to see that be taken from her, too.

2 comments:

  1. Dear Flynne,
    on tonight yoga class my dedication was ENERGY and STRENGTH TO YOU! it was an intense workout but I focus on my intention and in the end I was happy. I felt strong, and I am sending my strength to you to feel stronger and stronger.
    I wish you a goodnight and better day tomorrow.
    with love
    Marisa

    PS: also the help me to focus on the workout and ignore the stinky feet of somebody next to me! people with stinky feet should wash them before going in a yoga class!!!

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  2. Aynsley:
    I'm with you on the brain food. It seems to me that if a person can't take some nutrition, then the routine needs to be altered so that they can.
    BTW if I misspelled Flynne in an earlier note, and I reall don't remember, give a little grace. That's one of those things where we've seen it both ways so long ago, that it's hard to recall which was the right one. For us oldsters without your Mom's mental strength, that's a huge challenge, remembering stuff from 1969.
    Thanks,
    Bill Palmer
    RHS '73

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