Ashley's Home Visit

Ashley came home yesterday morning for a 2 hr home visit evaluation..so excited to have her back home, even if it was only for 2 hrs..She also was thrilled to be here..didn't want to leave, but she knows that she has a little over 2 weeks of rehab and to continue to learn the skills she needs to be able to care for herself and lead a normal life..She was able to go everywhere in the house in her wheelchair, except for the bedroom and bathroom..which we are working on making the doors wider..She loves the kitchen because it is so big and open and she can reach everything and will be able to cook.. The one thing that happens to a person when they are wheelchair bound is the sense of uselessness...She feels like she won't be contributing to her and her boyfriend, as she use to work a full time job with overtime..I have told her over and over again that being a housewife and homemaker is a full time job and that is contributing..her boyfriend agrees..She is so happy to know that she will be cooking again...The one thing that they are trying to get her to do in rehab are 'wheelies' in her chair..it's the only thing that they have asked her to learn that she is balking at because it scares her..but they are working on it today..She continues to get stronger every day and we are so proud of her..Looking back at pictures at her first few days in rehab, remind me of how far she has come in just a month..even with the set back of the infections and 3 additional back surgeries..The first few days of rehab, we sat there watching her with her therapist, not having any 'balance' with tears in our eyes, because we knew how far she had to go..And also tears because we knew how hard she was trying..Now her balance is almost perfect and she has learned to do so much for herself..she still has so far to go, but I know that she will continue to get better and stronger every day...