Friday January 8 – An Exponential Forrest Gump

I dropped into the hospital on the way to work to say good morning. Last night I found one of the rosewood bowls that you made. You made it before Tara was born and you gave it to your grandmother. When she died a few years later, you added it to your collection of things in your room. For the past two years it had the very prestigious job of safekeeping Quinn’s teeth.

When Quinn lost teeth while you were in the hospital, I saved them but I didn’t know where the rest of them were. At Christmas time you showed me the secret cache of teeth you had squirreled away. We reunited them.

Last night I found another small bowl you made that would be good for Quinny’s teeth. I also found a rosewood ring that you had made on the lathe. I cleaned up the rosewood bowl and ring and packaged them up with a card for the OT.

Today is her last day at the Colchester Hospital. She was covering a maternity leave and now she is moving on to another hospital. You are sorry to see her go. She has made a big impression on you over the weeks. She is sweet and caring and she is the type of young lady I think both of us hope that Tara will grow into. This was her first position as an OT after her training.

I remember my first patients and their pet parents. I think one tends to remember your firsts more vividly. They sort of set the tone of the rest of your career. I hope she had as good experience guiding you back to health as you had being guided through your recovery.

We hope to see her again in the summer when you come home.

It’s another busy day. After I see you at the hospital and drop off the present for your OT, I have to take the computer back to the repair place because I can’t get it to work. Augh I love and hate computers at the same time. It’s not a healthy relationship. The stupid computer got some sort of antivirus virus that would stop all programs. I was told that our computer didn’t have the right condom. Yep, that’s not what I want picture when I think about computers.

Then off to work. Part way through the morning I got a phone call from you telling me that you have a date for rehab! A date! January 25th! Three weekends and two weeks away. I was hoping that it would be sooner but, with the strike looming, I am happy with any date.

This weekend I’m on-call so you have to stay in the hospital. But the next two weekends, you can come home. A little more family time to recharge you in your own home before the next stage of your recovery will be time well spent.

After work, I visit you again for a few minutes. You are worried about what will happen if you don’t show any improvement after a few weeks at the NSRC. “Will they send me home? Maybe I’ll be sent to a long term care facility.” I assure you that the rehab will make a difference. Possibly a big difference. But regardless, just as we got through the last few months, we will get through the next ones and there will be magic in the time you spend there. Despite my pep-talk, you remain worried about your future.

The east wing of the fourth floor houses people who are waiting. The patients are all waiting to go some where. Waiting for a spot to open up at a long-term care facility, waiting to go home, waiting for rehab and some are even waiting for death. You are waiting too but you don’t want to go anywhere else but rehab and home.

I pick up Quinn and drop him off at his best friend, Luke’s, house for a much-anticipated sleepover. He noted this morning that this is his first sleepover at a friend’s house. He feels very grown up about this. He packs his gear in record time. He almost forgot to kiss me good bye. But he didn’t. I got the super Quinn hug. It will last me all night.

Then I pick up Tara from her choir and ukulele. I get her packed for her sleepover at Juanita’s house. Juanita and Tara want to play some math games tonight. Tara loves math and she really likes cool math tricks. Tricks like: Pick any number and double it. Then add six and then divide by two. Now subtract the original number from the product and the answer is always three. Isn’t that amazing?

She showed me this trick yesterday. When I showed her how the trick worked, she was hooked. Now, Juanita, who has a better math mind then me, is going to help her figure out some new tricks. I know it seems a little nerdy but Juanita, Tara and I think it’s great fun.

While we wait for Juanita to pick up Tara, you tell her the big news about rehab. She is very happy. You tell her that you are going to work very hard. You are “going to have legs of steel” and “You ain’t seen nothing yet. I’m going to be a brick shithouse and an exponential Forrest Gump”. “I will go to Boston again.” Tara commends you on your positive attitude. It’s hard to believe that you were worried a few hours ago about your future.

Your good attitude will carry you far in the next leg of your journey.

It’s just me and Annie, Himmy and Barbarella in the house tonight. The house feels very empty. At least the computer works now. I get caught up with correspondence. There are some interesting emails from a few different friends you haven’t seen in a while. They are planning to visit you next week.