November 14 and 15

This weekend's extra therapy included playing Phase 10 with Tracy and my parents and then the tilt table on Sunday. Phase 10 is one of my favorite card games (I already asked Mom to bring it to our family Thanksgiving celebration in a couple weeks). Tracy made me sit off the back rest of my chair while I played to work on balance and my ab muscles. We timed it and I surprisingly lasted over 25 minutes! (Probably because I was so focused on winning the game, haha).

I like doing the tilt table every weekend because it's easier to see the progress from week to week. My blood pressure problems seem to lessen every time and I feel more comfortable being in a more upright position. The therapist today said they usually only put patients to about 75 degrees, which is about where I've been (any further and you'd have a tendency to learn forward on the able and stress the straps). I was at that 70-75 degree mark for 28 minutes! I kept doing arm exercises to keep my blood pressure normalized and I felt fine. It was definitely the best I've done and the best I've felt.

I was so excited to get a visit from Paige, Brittany and Aubrey Gum on Saturday. I know Philadelphia is a bit away from Winchester, so I consider it such a blessing to have people in my life that will make that trip for me.

Like usual, my parents were here this weekend, making it two of my favorite days out of the whole week (beside whenever Dusty can come throughout the week). I've been having a hard time dealing with my feelings of being homesick...I got sick at the end of August and have been in hospitals ever since. I want to be in the best shape possible before I go home, so I know this is where I need to be, but I've been having a harder time dealing with everything as time goes on. I'm supposed to have about 4 weeks left, but we are asking that the time is pushed back until right before Christmas. I don't really want to be gone from home any longer, but I feel like this is what needs to be done. I've improved so much over the past 5 weeks and who knows what may happen in the next 4-5. If I stay a little longer, I can enjoy Christmas back home and then start outpatient rehab at the beginning of January (wherever we end up deciding to go...that decision is still in the works).

I'm just asking for continued prayers for me to stay focused on why I'm here and to remind myself of all the progress I've made. It's hard taking it day by day and not focusing on how long everything is taking (because it'll never seem fast enough for me).