laura's rehab update

hello everyone - it's been about a week since my last update. this will be a short one. my mother's physical and occupational therapy has been going really well. she's working unbelievably hard each day, tending to have 5 45-minute appointments - two phys. therapy, two occ. therapy and one speech therapy (not for speech, but for vision). all therapies are quite advanced at this point and are working on multi-tasking and complex cognitive issues. each day she is better and better. her short term memory is getting better. her balance is quite good, although she tends to get a bit wobbly when she's tired or distracted. everyone is so pleased with her progress, that she will be released tuesday morning from the hospital! we are thrilled at this news. we are so thankful for the amazing care we have received, but we are all getting very tired of hospitals.

the incision is healing unbelievably well (sutures were removed on monday) and the doctor did a fantastic job on the incision, itself. it will be completely covered by hair other than a 1/4 inch hairline right above her right ear. she is certainly blessed with the ability to heal well from surgeries, which i am thankful for.

as my mom's condition improves, she is getting more in touch with her emotions, which is great, but also hard, as she is starting to feel grief and fear surrounding this whole situation. i know that this is a positive sign of her improvement, but it's difficult, at times, to know that she is anxious, scared or sad and i cannot do anything to take it away or make it better. and, of course, it makes me sad, as well.

once out, she'll continue to do outpatient therapy here until she and bill return home to santa fe, probably the beginning of the second week of january once we've completed our doctor's appointments.

i just received a package from my uncle of various items of my dad's from the '60's and '70's. one of the first things i pulled out of the bag was a card written by him. it's not addressed to anyone, but i felt eerily like it was meant for us at this time. here's what it says:

happy new year filled with cheer
hope you go through this one with nothing to fear -
good health, happiness, and holiness you should hold near -
so sweet, sweet yom tov from your dear Tvi (that's me)

wednesday, jan. 2 is my mom's first post-op mri. the days following are meetings with various oncologists here in sf. many of you have written to us about the solstice, as well as the jewish prayer for healing. so i'll leave you with some thoughts about both....

as the days begin to get longer and the light overtakes the darkness, may the solstice be a sign of the light to come.
may this MRI be clear. may it be a sign of good things to come.
may our family's light begin to shine again as we overtake the darkness that has consumed us this past month.
may the light that begins to shine this season wash over my mom. may it be a blessing of good days to come. may it fill us with light, hope, complete healing.
and may the cancer be rid of her body so that we never, ever, ever, ever, ever have to go through this again.

Mi Sheberach is the prayer said to heal during the high holidays. this version is written by debbie friedman. The prayer takes its name from the first two words: “mi sheberach” meaning, literally, “the One who blessed.” It asks that the One who blessed our ancestors bring about a "Refuah Shlemah" - a complete healing, both physical and spiritual, for the person for whom the blessing is said.

Mi sheberach avoteinu mekor habrakha l’imoteinu
May the Source of strength
Who blessed the ones before us
Help us find the courage
To make our lives a blessing,
And let us say: Amen.
Mi sheberakh imoteinu mekor habrakha l’avoteinu
Bless those in need of healing With refuah shleima:
The renewal of body,
The renewal of spirit,
And let us say: Amen