April 28, 2008

WOW I can't believe it is my nineth week here in India. I am sad to leave! I am going to miss all of my new friends, the staff, my PT, and ESPECIALLY my PT's. This has been a great experience for me, and also I am so pleased with all of the progress I have made. I am excited for my return in September!

This morning I woke up early and very well rested. I finally slept a whole night! I went to PT. It is getting more and more crowded in the physio room daily. Fortunately I am the first one to start PT, so I catch up on the weekend and chit chat with Shivani and Chavi! I walked very well today. Scott had recorded it on video. I was comparing the videos again, and I am so amazed at the changes. My posture is amazingly different.

After PT. I went up to my room, I need to clean it but I am way too tired. I think I had too long of a weekend. I fell asleep until it was time for PT again. Elaine was in my room again eating lunch with Scott and me because Julie is still sick and the food smells make it worse. She also came down for my PT. Scott and her recorded more video. I did some more exercises today. I did the ball again! I was also on my own for my sidestepping. Shivani doesn’t believe me, but I do the sidesteps way better when she is not watching me. Scott had it recorded though so I could prove it to her.

After PT, Elaine and I cleaned up my room and watched Hannah Montana. I was too tired to go to Yoga, so while Scott went to Yoga, Elaine and I started to watch Transformers. I fell asleep about 10 minutes into the movie. Elaine, Julie and I had plans to go to the mall for dinner. Elaine woke me up about 6pm and I was not ready to get up. I finally woke up at 8:30pm. Shawn called me, and they were all ordering pizza. I was ready to eat now, and felt very well rested.

After eating pizza with Louis, Elaine, and Shawn, we watched a movie, then to bed. Three of us have procedures tomorrow! BIG DAY, my last procedure! Not very many days left!


April 29, 2008

AHHHH, FINALLY well rested! I was worried that after my 5 hour nap yesterday that I would have issues falling asleep, but I had no problems. I am now caught up on some sleep! YAY! I had PT long enough to get stretched, do some balancing and walk in the walker, and also some practice in the parallel bars without the calipers. I stood without them for the first time, and I stood without any problems for almost 4 minutes. That is a long time on little legs not working yet! After all of that it was now off to the procedure. I gathered up my stuff, (a lot of entertainment for my five hours of stillness). Leah and I shared a taxi over to the other hospital.

I was sent to my room to wait for my procedure. Scott and I arrived around 11:30. We waited and waited. While we were waiting I was interviewing Scott on the camera, he was not cooperating with me, so I wasted a lot of space on the memory card, I DELETED ALL OF THE VIDEO WE TOOK YESTERDAY! I am bummed about that, I had great proof that I had improved since Sonia was here!

I was getting restless, so I wondered around visiting with some of the sister’s. They do not have air-conditioning in their stations. OMG it is like 200 degrees in there! I also wandered down to Leah’s room to see how she was doing after her first procedure. She seemed to be doing well, so I checked on Shawn, he was hot. The AC was not working in his room either. As I was headed back up to my room, I saw Opie, and his other tech boy, going to the 3rd floor with the gurney. Apparently they were looking for their patient…um yea, Kasie! Ooops! As they were going up I yelled up to them, “wait for meeee!” They were laughing and soon returned to the 2nd floor! The two of them helped me onto the gurney. Opie returned my chair to my room. He said that Scott was kind of confused, he had no idea I was missing, and now my chair returns to the room without me!

In the OT Opie put in my IV, I let him put it in this time instead of waiting for Dr. Ashish but only if he put it in my foot. Ha- finally, I can’t feel that one..no pain. However, my foot was jumping away from him because it still hurt it! He was yelling at me to make it stop, there is no controlling that one bud! There was a lot of joking around and chit chat, before Dr. Ashish came in! I have developed a great friendship with everyone here, Opie and his friends who help in the OT are awesome. They are all very friendly and comforting too. Sometimes I am scared in the OT. I know that Dr. Ashish is very professional and very good at what he does, it is still a little scary to think of a needle poking around in and near my spinal cord! YIKES! Opie and I were singing our favorite songs, I sang him Vanilla Ice, I was not sure as to what he was saying in his song…Hindi- I only know a few words!

Dr. Ashish finally came in, and was ready to do the procedure. He did ask me a lot of questions about my procedure’s, progress, and my overall stay here in India. I let him know that overall I was very pleased with what I had gained. Although I am aware that it is a slow process and requires a lot of work in PT and at home, I have seen some changes in my body and that makes me happy. Even if it is a 5% change it is a huge step in the right direction! I also asked him if I could stay for another month. He said it would be best if I were to go home to let the stem cells rest and try to find their way in healing my body for a while and that I should come back in September. I agreed to that, although I would stay if it would be beneficial, I am ready to come home, I am missing my Baylee dog, and papa, and grandma, and brother, lu, mom and dad, and well everyone, and everything about home! September will be fun though, I will be used to everything here, and it will be easier to adjust. I am excited for September.

Dr. Ashish started the procedure; it seemed to take a long time for this injection. He was doing an epidural. He put all of the stem cells on the sight of injury. I am able to feel at the sight so he did have to use an anesthetic. After the injection, I rolled over onto my back; Dr. Ashish asked me if I had felt any heaviness. I had not felt anything until I was on my back. OMG! It was the strangest feeling ever! It felt like someone was pulling me down by my spine, my head and my legs! I actually felt my legs as a part of my body, but it was too weird for me, I was scooting down the operating table trying to get away from them. Dr. Ashish had to pull me back up three times! He was happy that I was feeling the heaviness in my body; he wanted that feeling with the three day procedure when he put the catheter tube into my spine, but I felt almost nothing with that one.

Up to my room for five hours, flat on my back! I was to lay on my back for five hours, I was allowed to eat after one hour, then three more before I can roll over onto a side, then I am allowed to sit up at 8pm and back to Green Park at 8:30. It was a fun five hours, Scott and I solved all of the world’s problems again! With some occasional visits from Dr. McDREAMY! Yea, apparently it is not a secret that I have the biggest crush on him, all of the sisters and Shawn have told him. Oh well, I enjoy the frequent visits to my room from him! Oooo la la! Eat your heart out Sonia! Hahaha!

I was feeling fine after only four hours after the procedure, so I packed up and left! The doctors are amazed that I am so energetic after all of the procedures. Well all of them except the last one…..oh boy that one put me down, but, hey, I will never complain about a headache EVER! Nothing will top the headache I had from that procedure!

Scott and I loaded up into the taxi and went back to Green Park. I visited with Julie and Elaine for a bit, and Scott sat in the room. He is now starting to get a little bit of the “Delhi Belly!” And he thought if he didn’t eat the food he would not get sick! “Told YOU SOOOOO!” It’s not what you eat, or drink, it is just being here, it makes you sick, but you get over it eventually!

Rough night for Scott, and surprisingly I was able to sleep! I was worried since I had only laid on my back all day!


April 30, 2008

This morning I wanted to get into physio early! It is getting way too crowded in the physio room, and I have not been able to spend a whole lot of time with my PT, so I started early! I got there 10 minutes before my usual time, but I was still sent with another PT because I ran out of time after stretching, balancing, and getting the calipers on to walk in the walker. Deepak, took over the rest of my walking.

After PT, I was trying to get my room cleaned and organized to get ready to pack up my stuff, only three more days before we have to leave! I did a little bit of packing and organizing, and then Elaine and I goofed off until PT. We ordered McDonald’s for lunch, and that took up a lot of time, of course they messed up our order. Thankfully Mr. David was in the lobby, he took care of it!

During my second round of PT, Elaine came with me, and we both got a phone call that our order of food from McDonald’s was ready and it was in the lobby! We were very confused but we have learned not to ask questions, just go with the flow, things get confused, and messed up, we have just learned to deal with it. But hey, we got some extra fries out of the confusion! Elaine ran up and got our fries, while I did some more walking in the walker, and parallel bars. Elaine likes to come watch me walk, I have been walking in my cowboy boots, and I walk so much better in them, she likes my outfits with my boots!

After PT, Elaine and I played on our computers and listened to music. I am getting sad that I am leaving her. She and I have become so close, she is like a little sister to me, I love her! We then watched some TV with Shawn until he went to Yoga.

Julie, Elaine and I decided to go to dinner just the three of us! We went to TGIF! It is extremely hot right now! It was exhausting to get from the taxi to the restaurant. We quickly ate dinner, then tried to do a little shopping. Actually, we were only trying to find a store with AC, to cool off! We ventured into the Reebok store! It was very comical to visit the Reebok store. We were greeted by a skinny young boy who was trying to sell me some dumbbells! UHHHH, yea, my forearm was bigger than his bicep’s! I was kind of joking with him about that! We all wandered around the store a bit, and somehow got into a conversation with one of the clerks about the Cricket teams. I HAVE NOOOO IDEA about Cricket, I only know the stuff that Shawn ramble’s off while he is watching it. SO I was totally faking my knowledge of the Cricket players! The clerk knew it too. He whipped out his pictures of him with all of the Cricket players in India. Apparently, Reebok is a big sponsor of the Cricket. They were getting ready to close the store, and we were getting ready to go home, we had an escort of Reebok employees to the door. However, I was not done having fun…..POOR JULIE!

Elaine and I went back into the Reebok store. I told the main clerk that since he had pictures of him with all of the “famous” Cricket players, he totally needed a picture of a “famous” American! He DUG IT! Elaine and I took a picture with him, then the entire staff joined in. It was too much fun!

When we finally left the store for good, it still had not cooled off. It is still in the 90’s, and it is 9:30pm! WOWZA! Tomorrow 2nd to last day left-HOPE TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT!

May 1, 2008

Preparing to go home!
Today in PT, I was able to walk with Shivani. We had to hurry though because she has other patients now. So I did my normal routine of stretches and balancing. Because we ran out of time in the morning, we made arrangements to meet again during Shivani's lunch hour.

In my room; I am now preparing for my trip home. OMG I have a lot of stuff! I have so much to pack and so much to do before leaving, I am confused on what i should do first! AHHHHHH! While I was cleaning my room up, and organizing Scott is packed and ready to go! With little time to eat, pack, and clean before PT again, I am going crazy! And, of course easily distracted. I made some Ramen, and quickly ate and went back to PT. I asked the sister's if I could get my lunch early, as I would only have a few minutes to eat it before I had to return to PT, but Mr. David informed again that was impossible! OH WELL RAMEN IS BETTER! lol!

Back to PT. This time, I did side stepping, and some more walking in the walker. My steps are so strong now. Louis is walking without his calipers! I am jealous, I have begged Shivani to let me do that too. She thinks tomorrow I can!

Tonight is my last night here, I am sad to leave everyone. So I am spending a lot of time with all of my new friends. Scott, Elaine and I went to dinner at the Big Chill tonight. We had a crazy taxi driver who wore a red turban! He was very rude, and tried to rip us off, AGAIN! What is the deal with these dudes? I was feeling very sick today, my stomach is cramping really badly! OMG, I am hoping I am not going to get sick, I can NOT be sick for the plane ride home! Scott is also not feeling well!

After arriving back to the hospital from the BIG CHILL, Scott and I are now very sick! He is more than I am, but while I was hanging out in Elaine's room while she gets her IV, I tried to con some drugs out of the night doctor, so that I could give them to Scott. The sister's came in with a shot instead....oops! Oh well, i am kinda sick this will just stop it for sure! However, now Scott is so sick he is willing to give up his fear of needles for the sisters to inject him with some medicine to make him feel better! TOLD YA SO SCOTT!

After we both had ouf shots, we decided to go to bed...sleeping is not so much fun though, I am very anxious to go home. I am wanting to stay, but at the same time also wanting to go home. Hopefully everything is still the same at home!

May 2, 2008

LAST DAY!
This morning I woke up feeling great! That shot helped, I will not be getting sick today! I did wake up late this morning, so without a shower I headed to PT. Shivani and I wanted to get as much walking in as we possible could, so today after the stretches, we went right into it. No balancing today! We also had enough time to do some knee balancing! Two more session's this after noon!

After PT, Scott and I went to the Lotus Mall. He wanted to get a cool Elephant! It is now 105 degrees, and it is only 10am. As we were leaving the mall, we saw a one year old baby laying on the sidewalk on a piece of cardboard. I pointed it out to Scott, but he yelled at me, he said, "please don't point that out, I do NOT want that to be my last memory of INDIA." Fair enough, that is pretty sad! We had to run back to the hospital, for two reason's; 1. it was too hot, 2. I have another session of PT.

During this session of PT I worked really hard, I did a lot of walking in the walker, then in the parallel bars without the calipers! YAY! My steps were excelent! It felt easy, and my posture was way better than when I have my calipers on! I also did a lot of balancing on the ball. Scott took a lot of pictures (since the other day's whipe out with the camera!).

Rushing to eat something really fast, I quickly cooked up some Ramen again! MMMMM'mmm good! And back to PT. On my way out, Shivani came up for a visit. I love her and I will miss her so so so much! 8 muches!

BACK TO PT. I had to wait a bit for Shivani to finish up with her other patient. No biggie, I started to lift some weights. Deepak helped me, he says my arms need to get more toned so he showed me some ways to lift to only tone not to get bigger. Once Shivani was finally done, she had me walk in the walker, with the calipers on. Dr. Shroff came in, and we showed her my progress without the calipers. She was very pleased that I was able to stand, and take steps without the calipers! She recorded it, and was pleased with the progress compared to my steps on the youtube video. My arm's were a little bit tired though because I had already been doing this twice today, and I just worked them out with the weights. I then did some balancing on the ball again, my balance is so much better, I was able to move my arms and wiggle around. Shivani does not like that, I scare her a little! :)

Only a few more hours and we are headed back home! I am very sad to leave my lil Lainie. We decided to go out to a market before leaving. I am really going to miss India.

May 3, 2008

ON A PLANE!