2005-04-14
Big news today! When I went to visit Lois at lunch time today (which I do almost every day), she was sitting in her wheelchair and had a great big smile. I of course said “What’s up?!” as she looked like she was up to something. “Watch this,” she said. And without so much as a pause she stood up from her chair unassisted and took her walker (a four legged light metal contraption that sort of looks like a step stool) in her left hand and proceeded to walk across the room. And it looks like walking, not the dragging the weak leg behind her that has often been the case. She then made a big circle in here living room and come back and sat in her chair all totally unassisted. This was incredible. She has needed assistance during all her walking before this point. Much of it was her fear of falling. The new brace is really working. It has given her more confidence and reduced her fear of falling. She then said that she is now getting in and out of bed on her own and making her way to the bathroom – unassisted. This is a major step toward more independence. After this great show, however, she was exhausted and only lasted a few minutes before being wheeled off to bed.