Bob is Moon Walking Today.......

Hi, Linda from Chino Hills (Sister Outlaw) checking in again on this beautiful, wonderful, perfect Friday.

Okay, okay....everytime I tell you all what "I am Seeing", I do feel like a reporter with an exclusive story to write. "Today Bob was acting like Michael Jackson". Never have I seen him dance the way he did with Summer this morning at his PT appointment. Sharon and I agreed as we watched that it was like seeing a ballet. She has been taking him step by step, and again she challenged him, showed him he can do what she is asking and helped him see that his body is right there ready to go back to work.

That's why I am saying, Wow, what a perfect day today for Bob. He has worked on equal balance with his body. Moving his feet, one at a time, forward.....WALKING TWENTY FEET "FORWARD"..........AND THEN.....

HE WALKED TEN FEET BACKWARDS.........

When I drove away from their house to come home, I was smiling...no grinning....tears in my eyes of joy.....and goosebums on both my arms.

Summer says that by next Friday, he will be using the walker....

The guy now needs to enjoy the week end, relax and as Sharon shared last night on the blogg what they have been doing lately (and here I was worried about them), go to the movies, do his homework assignments, laugh and get back to work on Monday.

Two Months and Three Days!

Dearest Bob,
Can you believe that two months and three days have passed since you had your stroke and that you’ve been home three, count them, three weeks. Although the time seems to have flown by, it also feels like the longest two months of our lives. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ve ever lived through anything harder. I suppose that God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle but jeez, Louise, I sure would like an easier task.
Bob, I’m so grateful and thank God daily that you’re still here with me. I know that each hour of each day is a challenge for you – your body doesn’t allow you to move easily and each movement is exhausting, but the good news is, you are improving. Each night I pray that the new day will bring more small miracles for you and that those miracles will build into really big miracles. I pray that God will give us strength and courage to overcome these obstacles and that our faith and hope remain unwavering. I’m so proud of your perseverance and commitment to hard work and recovery. Thank you for comforting me and reminding me on Tuesday that I have to “Stay strong”. I know that took all of your energy to find those few words and I promise that I will remain positive and hopeful because we’re a team and we have to keep each other lifted up. Team Corkrum can never, ever, ever give up.
Here’s a recap of the past week for you:
1) You visited with Pete and Judy and you spoke on the phone with your sister, brother, daughter, and friends at ETS for the first time: Carrie, Kristen, and Audrey. They were wonderfully patient and sharing and you were so happy to hear them and about work.
2) On Saturday, we went to little Chad’s 14th birthday party at Mimi’s on Saturday and you ordered your favorite breakfast dish, pain perdu, by yourself.
3) On Sunday, we decided to try for a real adventure and we went to Victoria Gardens with Sonia and Jeff and saw the movie, Up, which I cried through because I was sad for the old man who didn’t talk and who loved his wife so much. Later, you “told” me that you like the movies you've seen in this order: 1st: Star Trek, 2nd: Up, and 3rd Angels and Demons.
4) You started your official outpatient treatments this week. Your physical therapist and occupational therapist are fabulous and they noted that you’ve improved tremendously since your intake evaluations last week.
5) You walked! Yesterday you walked with a walker from the gym to your speech class and you transferred yourself to a chair from the walker.
6) Today, you walked 500’ with a walker. You listened to everything Dr. S. told you to do (bend your knee, stand up tallllllllllll, long step, don’t lock that knee) and you walked!
7) You are learning how to pivot with a walker.
8) You moved your right wrist for the first time! Yes! You lifted your right hand almost 45 degrees from the wrist. Dr. S. says that she expects recovery of your right hand including your fingers so that you will be able to put on your own right sock and shoe independently.
9) You started standing without my supporting/holding you - just using my hands to cue and spot you. That’s huge! And with that accomplishment of standing balanced, you’ve started pulling your pants up without hanging on to the grab bar.
10) You're getting much more efficient at showering in your new roll-in shower (by Hinkley and Associates, thank you, Jeff!)
11) You've been working out in your new gym (thank you Jeff for replicating the rehab center's gym) and making each of the tools/equipment on request.
12) Last night, we had smoothies and people watched at the Citrus Plaza outdoor food court.

Bob, speech/language is still challenging for you. You labor to get out the few words that you can and I can see how exhausting it is for you. I miss our conversations. I miss hearing you say, “Hey, babe” or “Hi kid!” when I walk into the room. Or just, that low, slow, “Sharrrrrrrron” when I’m being a pill and you’re signaling me to simmer down. But, Bob, I’m glad that you can say more than “Lorp” and I firmly believe that you will speak more easily again. Anyway, thank you so much for trying and here are a few of your words this week:
1) You were so proud to find the ETS homepage in your occupational therapy class and you tried to talk and told the therapist that you “make test questions”.
2) You told me that “you light up my life” and you asked me to “help you learn to focus so that you could find the words”.
3) In one of our midnight bathroom runs, you told me, “Go, man, go!” and then you laughed, which made me laugh, too.
4) You told Dr. S that you “have pain in your right shoulder” and you showed her where it was. She was thrilled that you talked with her!

Bob, I love you and I want you to know that you’re my hero! You’re such a fighter and I’m so proud to be your wife.

Bob's Tired....But Happy !!!!!

Today I ran out to Loma Linda Rehab to see Bob and Sharon working with Summer his PT person. And as usual the progress in one week was amazing. He was working on pivoting his feet in a full circle....both ways. Shifting his full weight onto his right leg, walking with a table walker around the room, which works on arms outreaching and steps full and balanced. Oh, and yes.......he walked over 500 feet with a walker, under his own power. Now, this week is in full swing with all the different rehab programs, and he is really tired, but happy, happy, happy.Last night, after days and days of emailing info to Sharon, "And No Response"....I started to think...maybe somethings wrong.....and last night laughed as I thought of my last blogg, Following Sharon.....so knew I had to just wait. So, this morning I got a text.....PT at 10:15am.......so I ran out there to meet them at Loma Linda Rehab.

And Josh, wanted you to know that when we walked out to the car, Bob got in
with "no attendance".....

Will be going back out tomorrow morning to Loma Linda, and then run some errands
to get all the little things they need for the week end. He's worked hard all this week, and it shows.

Linda (Sister Outlaw)

24 Hours Following Sharon

Hi, and Good Morning, this is Linda (Sister Out Law) from Chino Hills, CA. And I wanted to share with you all, my last visit with Bob and Sharon. I went over Wednesday afternoon and stayed until Thursday afternoon. The reason for this posting is to update where Bob is, after "only" being HOME for just three weeks, and share an inside picture of what Sharon needs from all of us.

Of course we know that because Sharon is in charge of coordinating all parts of the Rehab Program for Bob, he is going to be in the best after care program possible. This week, that is what Sharon finnally got in place. After, "intereviewing" OT, PT, and Speech personnel, Bob now has the best in each category. Going forward, because they are the best, it will take 4-6 weeks to really get a weekly program that is going to be the same. They are all booked up, and now Bob is getting his schedule created weekly. And for Sharon it can change the night before, so making plans on any other level is almost impossible, until the Rehab appointments are in place she now realizes that making any commitments of time isn't going to happen. And that is what she wants everyone who emails, calls, and sends their love to know.

What can we do to help Sharon for the next 3-4 weeks. Bob loves to go to the mailbox and get the mail. So, sending a postcard from anywhere would be great, and articles and info that mean only something to you and Bob. She is realizing that in this time of emailing, that getting them from everyone is wonderful, but they are notes and info to Sharon and for that she is grateful, but printing and giving to Bob isn't part of the day, yet. They are going to start working with the computer in the next week or two.

Bob and Sharon Corkrum
28935 Glenrock Place
Highland, CA 92346-5454

Sharon's day is constant forward motion. We've all been in that situation, where we give 24/7 and that is what being a Primary Caregiver means. We talked about her needs, energy and how to use those around her to benefit her day. And, she at this point has melted down many times, rested and is back to a pretty solid place. Which is what I now know is my part in this, not just Bob but Sharon as well. She wants everyone to know that she loves us all, and needs all the prayers, energy and love we have all been sending. Keep doing what we are doing, but don't be surprised if you don't get a reply back.

At breatkfast Thursday at Coco's, Bob brought up the fact that he is worried about her health, and that she is doing everything all day long. It was one of those moments, Sharon explained to him that each day is easier, because he is changing daily. Which he knows is true, and does see that he is stronger everyday.

Before I sign off, I do want to update what I am seeing. It had been six days since I had seen Bob, and his body strength is so solid. He is holding his shoulders up and back, the muscles in his hips and back are taking over his upper body, and his legs and bearing weight action is has grown, so that now his "core" has developed, and growing stronger. He knows that he is stronger, and is really working on muscle building.

At Rehab, none of the Doctors, OT,PT and Speech support people, can believe his progress the next time they see him. That is because, Sharon, the TaskMaster, has a schedule and homework program, that is like preparing for a SAT test.

Oh the Places We Did Go!

Photo-Sharon and Bob at Mu Restaurant - Our First Date!
The weekend was incredible!

Friday, June 5 - After Bob's nap on Friday, he told me that he "wanted to go uptown". My anxiety level rose slightly (alot, really) thinking that we were going to have a repeat of shopping, but I put on my brave face and playing 20 yes/no questions (do you mean Stater Brothers? Target? Walmart? etc), I finally said, "you'll have to show me where uptown is because I don't have a clue what uptown is except in Manhattan." I'm game for new experiences if Bob is. So, I loaded Bob, the dog, and the chair into the car, (oh yeah!) and he would tell me directions, "right, left, straight" and even a few, "at the next corner, make a right; left/right lane" (can you believe all this from El Lorpo?) and we ended up in front of his favorite Thai restaurant in Redlands. So I asked, "Bob, did you want to go to Mu (aka, Rama Gardens)?" and he haltingly said, "yes. This will be a date to remember". (to which I almost wrecked the car because any statement more than "yes/no" is a miracle, no joke!) So, I told the owners Bob directed me to their restaurant for our first AS (after-stroke) date and they made room for us (restaurants are not set up for wheelchairs and people with right neglect). Get this, Bob read the menu without my help and picked out his favorite entrees and they prepared everything salt-free.

Now, I would be lying if I said that Bob can read and speak fluently, he can't and language retrieval is still extremely difficult with mostly yes/no responses. We spend alot of his waking time practicing speech and he's not loving it and sometimes I feel like Helen Keller's Annie Sullivan (Teacher). But, I kid you not! He tried to talk to me that night and I wanted to know what it's like for him when he's listening or trying to talk. I asked him if he understood everything I said and he said, "I understand most things." When I asked him what it was like at the beginning of his stroke, (He laughed when I asked if all he heard was blah, blah, blah), he said, "I did not get details." Anyway, although we didn't talk alot, we just enjoyed each other's company and were very glad to be together. So we held hands and all that. Yes, it was a date to remember! We were both so HAPPY!!!!!

At home, we work on appropriate etiquette behaviors: when/which/how to use utensils, because of his apraxia. He's getting much better at choosing utensil for food but what I'm also noticing is that Bob is adding a new strategy: hewatches to see what we're going to do and tries to model himself after. Pretty remarkable!

Saturday & Sunday, June 6 & 7 - We went to the early matinees and saw Star Trek and Angels and Demons respectively. Yes, we did! And then I would ask comprehension questions, like, which movie did you like better? Why? Who were the main characters? Which one did you like best? Why? Teaching and learning never stop and we're on a mission!

In addition to PT/OT/Speech, my plan is to get Bob out on at least a couple of field trips a week so that he rebuilds new pathways to what he knows (appropriate social behaviors, money use, telling time, counting, reading) and also so he doesn't become reclusive. His physical disability doesn't seem to affect his outlook. He gets anxious about talking so I just ask him if he wants me to explain his condition (to waiters/others) and our communication system (YES, NO and Y/No which means No), talk slowly, short sentences, give lots of wait time.

He's pretty remarkable, if I say so myself, and I'm so lucky to be loved by him. I wish I could say this experience is a wonderful experience y'all should have. It isn't. It's very difficult and sad and tiring. But when we have those "Aha!" moments, and believe me, they are VERY REAL AHA moments, it's worth the time we spend together. And most of all, I'm just so happy that we're spending quality time together. So for those of you who think work is most important, I have a message for you . . . it isn't! The people you love are! Spend time now - quality time.

Warmly,

Sharon

Our First Outing - NOT!

Bob's been home for one week now and we're adjusting to the our new life. I must admit, I'm a little sleep deprived because we're on a 3-hour sleep pattern due to bathroom runs but by george, it's working. Izzie, Josh's dog, seems to think she should go out at alternating hours and it just doesn't work to say, "hey, Bob, it's your turn to let her out this time," like I used to, so I look like one of those new moms with bad hair, baggy eyes, bad clothes.

Bob had cabin fever so on Thursday, he told said me he "wanted to go to the market" (oh yes he did). So, I schlepped his wheelchair into the back of the car (OMG, it weighs a ton) and then had to park in the back parking lot because our handicapped placard hadn't arrived. I wheeled him into Stater Bros and grabbed a shopping cart but Bob decided that he didn't want to push himself and crossed his foot over. I said, "Hey buddy, I hope you're not expecting me to push you. I can't push you and the shopping cart, so you'd better start pushing yourself". Obstinate Bob refused to move and asked, "Why are you doing it this way?" (which knocked me over) but to which I responded, "I am not superwoman, mister, so it's either you or groceries" but he wasn't budging. So we went back to the car, reloaded him and the wheelchair and drove home. By the time we got back into the house, I was a mad, sweaty, mess and he was no happy camper. It's hard to argue when only one of us can talk but somehow we did it. I think we were both pretty disappointed by the whole thing. Now, although I don't need alot of sleep, I'm not so good when I'm sleep deprived. Before the stroke, Bob would tell me, in that low, slow, voice of his, "Go to bed, Sharon" and I'd know that it was time to take a nap. I can't wait to hear him tell me that, again. So, I pretended he did and put myself to bed. (Bad Sharon! Bad Sharon!) I apologized after I woke up and thank goodness, he hugged me and told me he loved me.

So, we got over it, and the next day, after OT, we went to Mimi's. It was really fun!

And Then We Went To Mimi's Cafe..........

Photo: Bob, Sharon, & Linda at Mimi's Cafe

Hi it's Linda (Sister Outlaw), just back from Bob and Sharon's and wanted to share my day with you all. So today is Friday, June 5th and I met them both at Loma Linda Out Patient Rehab, where Bob is checking in the "the system" and they are getting ready to put him on a program. So, once again, he had to answer all the questions, so a good plan is in place. The only problem I saw, was that he is changing minute by minute. It's been Six Days since I've seen him, and his progress is TEN FOLD..........he is in charge, he is setting the plan, and he communicated in direct statements in the whole process. Sharon told me that yesterday he just started talking in full style sentences. Now, understand, this guy has been up since 6AM, (woke up on his own-early) took a shower and had the appointment at 8:30am. We didn't leave until 10:30am, and when asked......"What do you want to do now?"......."Go To Mimi's".....so we got in the car, and drove over and had a great breakfast.



We all know how much Bob loves breakfast. And the experience was perfect. Good Food, Friends and laughter.



Afterwards, Bob had a nap, and I read a book I am trying to finnish while Sharon went over to the DMV to see if she could speed up getting the Parking Pass. Funny thing, she waited in line, submitted the paperwork, and the computers went down. People waited for them to come back up.....and they found out it was Statewide.She has to come back. But is half way completed, so it's in the system so will have it done on Monday or Tuesday.

Josh left today, and now Bob and Sharon will be relaxing for a couple of days. Don't be surprised if they show up at your house.......Bob is on the move. They are planning adventures for the local area (meaning Pasadena) and will be on the road soon.

Bob's PT person, whose name is Summer, told them Wednesday that Bob will be out of the wheelchair in two weeks, using the walker. And after today, I know that will be the least he will be doing.

Next week will be their first real Rehab schedule, and they will be putting the final dates and times on it this weekend, so those of you signed up and future Team Bob members, the Calendar is going into action next week.

Mimi's Cafe, can you believe it?????

Linda