October 27

One of the respiratory therapists, Jeff, stopped by early this morning just to check on me. He said "I always come to check on my favorite patients, even when they don't need me anymore." A lot of the staff has said nice things like this to me and it helps me stay positive. Although it's tough all of the time, I think having a good attitude has helped me build better relationships with the staff.

This morning, I was able to get my contacts open for the first time! (I love wearing daily contacts, but those packages are really sealed tight!)

Today, I tried the glider machine in PT. It's an elliptical-type machine that stands you up and pumps your arms and legs. I found it very difficult and tiring, but my therapists said I did really well for my first try. In OT, we practiced getting dressed. I was able to put a larger shirt on over my clothes by myself, but the pants were a different story. Being flexible works to my advantage, but it's something I have to work on. 

In the afternoon, I had a really nice visit with my friend Marichris. I got to show her around Magee. When we went to the rooftop, we were happy to see that the greenhouse was open. The woman in charge let us paint pumpkins and pots to put plants in. 

I also had a nice visit with Rachel in the evening. We talked in my room until my roommate was ready for bed and then went to a conference room. My roommate is really nice, but she is 80 years old and has an earlier bedtime than me. Rachel said I sound and look like the old me. Being able to do things on my own and actually being able to talk instead of whisper is helping me to feel like myself again.