The View from Herrick
After eleven days at the main campus of Alta Bates hospital, Chester was transferred today to room 5114 of the Herrick campus for a period of intensive rehabilitation. He has a private room (I told the intake woman that he is "easily distracted") with a lovely view of the Berkeley hills. We hung up the prayer flags, hung up cards, arranged the flowers and decided to leave more redecorating for another day. He is happy that his next big move will be to Home!
We spent all day completing the move and meeting some of the key members of his rehab team. Chester is happy to be there and is ready and determined to make the most of his rehabilitation schedule, "boot camp" style. He will be in intensive therapy six hours a day, six days a week, starting at 7:30 am.
I am tired after today's move, so this post will be brief and focused on a few logistical points.
1) VISITING AND PHONE CALLS
Chester wants to focus all of his energy on the intensive rehabilitation process. He will be tightly scheduled six days a week - at least six sessions a day of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Recreational Therapy, and meetings with several specialists including a Neuropsychologist and a Rehabilitation Physician. On top of this, he will be beginning his radiation therapy this coming week.
So: NO VISITORS Monday-Saturday! Sunday is his "day of rest," so this is an open visiting day. Of course, he may need to rest or be with a doctor, so if you visit don't be disappointed or take it personally if he can't see you for more than a few minutes.
Chester spoke with his Mother and Father on the phone for his birthday. It was very exhausting for him, and while he was glad to speak with his beloved parents, he realized he his not yet ready for other phone calls. We have disconnected his phone, so NO PHONE CALLS.
2) COMMUNICATING WITH CHEEKY
Chester is very aware and grateful for this amazing network of love and support. He feels you and it is helping him move through this challenging time. If you have any words that you want to share with him (knowing that your thoughts and energy are being received loud and clear), please send me an email at chrys@healthychester.com, and I will print it out and bring it to Chester. I have already been printing out many of the guestbook entries and sharing your beautiful words with Chester.
3) CHESTER's STATE OF BODY AND MIND
Some folks have mentioned how upbeat we all have been and are curious what Chester's status is. Please trust us that we are not sugar-coating anything for your amusement. Our delight and awe at his progress is very real and reflective of the incredible and difficult work Chester has dedicated to his recovery. And, we are seeing him recover after watching his body slowly shut down for six weeks and after he woke up from surgery with no movement on his right side and very little speech. So, given the context, his daily recovery and blossoming have been gorgeous and inspirational.
That said, I'll give you a sketch of his current body/mind state so you have a sense of where he's at and how much more room for recovery is.
Chester's overall health is great. His vital signs are steady, his blood pressure is better than ever, and his circulation is strong. He has had a sore throat for several days, which the doctor told us today is probably still from the tubes that they put down his throat during surgery. He only started feeling it when he came off the post-op pain medications. This made sense to us and he's treating his throat with tea, throat drops, and salt gargles.
Chester's body is slowly coming back into balance. His right leg is rapidly gaining strength and movement. He can take small steps using rails for support and balance. Movement is radiating outwards, first the hip came back online, and now movement is slowly coming into his knee and ankle. We are pretty confident he will walk again, perhaps within the month. His right arm is frail but energetically is very alive. He can now flex his arm in and curl up his fingers, but has not yet got the tougher and more elusive extension. This is a normal progression, and our focus now is on keeping it relaxed and extended so he does not get locked into a flexed position. We are giving his arm lots of love and massage, and encouraging it to stay relaxed and radiant.
Chester's speech is rapidly improving as well, but still requires huge amounts of focus and energy. The daily improvements are wonderful, and are reflected both in his speaking and writing. Today a therapist told us that his progress was "off the charts," and that many male patients don"t even begin to recover speech for a full year! The speech is Chester"s main source of frustration and biggest invitation for patience. Chester is a Teacher, and when he has something to say, he wants to say it. His cognition is strong, so he has LOTS to say, and it takes so much effort to get out even short phrases. We are using a variety of techniques to communicate, and often ending up laughing and playing with language to overcome the frustration.
Chester"s spirits are high and his energy is tremendous. The emotional journey is an honest one, with a wide range of emotions that wave through. He knows that we are big enough to hold all of it. While I witness him experiencing a lot of different emotions, I most often see him return to gratitude. He is happy to be alive, and no longer takes it for granted. He knows that he is loved and supported by a vast community of caregivers, and realizes that makes him a lucky soul indeed. He is seeing more clearly than ever that he has "touched more people than he knows."
Chester's wisdom is now being sourced from an even deeper place. As his speech returns, he is able to share more of what he is thinking, and I've been moved to tears several times by his delicate and brilliant teachings. Soon we will start audio recording more of his speaking. And he is itching to get back to the classroom, and his students will be gifted with his presence again.
5) COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
Many folks have passed on info on additional healing modalities to recommend to Chester - from acupuncture to Brazilian shamans to nutritionists to Reiki. Thank You and keep the referrals coming.
Chester and I discussed complementary therapy today and are going to start integrating more into his days, while maintaining focus on the Herrick rehab boot camp and his radiation therapy. We will most likely be doing acupuncture next, and consulting other specialists in the coming weeks and months. Meanwhile, he is doing a tremendous amount of self-work, I am offering him lots of massage, and he has loving hands on him night and day, from near and far.
His "healing barometer" is full up and the results are stunning.
6) IN CONCLUSION. . .
We humans are amazing, magical Beings. Chester is both extraordinary and totally ordinary. One of his deepest teachings is that we ALL have the ability to be Present, Conscious, Relaxed and Awake. He gives us permission to be exactly what we are in each moment, and extends the invitation to meet him in a state of relaxed presence. Simple, really. And life changing for so many of us. . .
More to come!
We spent all day completing the move and meeting some of the key members of his rehab team. Chester is happy to be there and is ready and determined to make the most of his rehabilitation schedule, "boot camp" style. He will be in intensive therapy six hours a day, six days a week, starting at 7:30 am.
I am tired after today's move, so this post will be brief and focused on a few logistical points.
1) VISITING AND PHONE CALLS
Chester wants to focus all of his energy on the intensive rehabilitation process. He will be tightly scheduled six days a week - at least six sessions a day of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Recreational Therapy, and meetings with several specialists including a Neuropsychologist and a Rehabilitation Physician. On top of this, he will be beginning his radiation therapy this coming week.
So: NO VISITORS Monday-Saturday! Sunday is his "day of rest," so this is an open visiting day. Of course, he may need to rest or be with a doctor, so if you visit don't be disappointed or take it personally if he can't see you for more than a few minutes.
Chester spoke with his Mother and Father on the phone for his birthday. It was very exhausting for him, and while he was glad to speak with his beloved parents, he realized he his not yet ready for other phone calls. We have disconnected his phone, so NO PHONE CALLS.
2) COMMUNICATING WITH CHEEKY
Chester is very aware and grateful for this amazing network of love and support. He feels you and it is helping him move through this challenging time. If you have any words that you want to share with him (knowing that your thoughts and energy are being received loud and clear), please send me an email at chrys@healthychester.com, and I will print it out and bring it to Chester. I have already been printing out many of the guestbook entries and sharing your beautiful words with Chester.
3) CHESTER's STATE OF BODY AND MIND
Some folks have mentioned how upbeat we all have been and are curious what Chester's status is. Please trust us that we are not sugar-coating anything for your amusement. Our delight and awe at his progress is very real and reflective of the incredible and difficult work Chester has dedicated to his recovery. And, we are seeing him recover after watching his body slowly shut down for six weeks and after he woke up from surgery with no movement on his right side and very little speech. So, given the context, his daily recovery and blossoming have been gorgeous and inspirational.
That said, I'll give you a sketch of his current body/mind state so you have a sense of where he's at and how much more room for recovery is.
Chester's overall health is great. His vital signs are steady, his blood pressure is better than ever, and his circulation is strong. He has had a sore throat for several days, which the doctor told us today is probably still from the tubes that they put down his throat during surgery. He only started feeling it when he came off the post-op pain medications. This made sense to us and he's treating his throat with tea, throat drops, and salt gargles.
Chester's body is slowly coming back into balance. His right leg is rapidly gaining strength and movement. He can take small steps using rails for support and balance. Movement is radiating outwards, first the hip came back online, and now movement is slowly coming into his knee and ankle. We are pretty confident he will walk again, perhaps within the month. His right arm is frail but energetically is very alive. He can now flex his arm in and curl up his fingers, but has not yet got the tougher and more elusive extension. This is a normal progression, and our focus now is on keeping it relaxed and extended so he does not get locked into a flexed position. We are giving his arm lots of love and massage, and encouraging it to stay relaxed and radiant.
Chester's speech is rapidly improving as well, but still requires huge amounts of focus and energy. The daily improvements are wonderful, and are reflected both in his speaking and writing. Today a therapist told us that his progress was "off the charts," and that many male patients don"t even begin to recover speech for a full year! The speech is Chester"s main source of frustration and biggest invitation for patience. Chester is a Teacher, and when he has something to say, he wants to say it. His cognition is strong, so he has LOTS to say, and it takes so much effort to get out even short phrases. We are using a variety of techniques to communicate, and often ending up laughing and playing with language to overcome the frustration.
Chester"s spirits are high and his energy is tremendous. The emotional journey is an honest one, with a wide range of emotions that wave through. He knows that we are big enough to hold all of it. While I witness him experiencing a lot of different emotions, I most often see him return to gratitude. He is happy to be alive, and no longer takes it for granted. He knows that he is loved and supported by a vast community of caregivers, and realizes that makes him a lucky soul indeed. He is seeing more clearly than ever that he has "touched more people than he knows."
Chester's wisdom is now being sourced from an even deeper place. As his speech returns, he is able to share more of what he is thinking, and I've been moved to tears several times by his delicate and brilliant teachings. Soon we will start audio recording more of his speaking. And he is itching to get back to the classroom, and his students will be gifted with his presence again.
5) COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
Many folks have passed on info on additional healing modalities to recommend to Chester - from acupuncture to Brazilian shamans to nutritionists to Reiki. Thank You and keep the referrals coming.
Chester and I discussed complementary therapy today and are going to start integrating more into his days, while maintaining focus on the Herrick rehab boot camp and his radiation therapy. We will most likely be doing acupuncture next, and consulting other specialists in the coming weeks and months. Meanwhile, he is doing a tremendous amount of self-work, I am offering him lots of massage, and he has loving hands on him night and day, from near and far.
His "healing barometer" is full up and the results are stunning.
6) IN CONCLUSION. . .
We humans are amazing, magical Beings. Chester is both extraordinary and totally ordinary. One of his deepest teachings is that we ALL have the ability to be Present, Conscious, Relaxed and Awake. He gives us permission to be exactly what we are in each moment, and extends the invitation to meet him in a state of relaxed presence. Simple, really. And life changing for so many of us. . .
More to come!
posted by Chrys Curtis-Fawley at 9:59 PM
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