DO NOT COME TO RIO! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! DO NOT COME TO RIO!

Had the meeting with all medical personnel involved with her case. Good news and bad news.

The bad news, a few people just show up at Rio and walk into her room. It looks great ... she recognizes you, you talk etc ... BUT THIS ACTUALLY IS DAMAGING TO HER COGNITIVE RECOVERY. This is new information for her, which is an overload from the quiet, simple brain activity that want for damaged circuitry to recover, So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, DO NOT INDEPENDENTLY MAKE DECISIONS TO VISIT HER.

When she is home for a while, we will try restricted visits ... like one or two a week for ten minutes. The healing process takes about 4 months and they want as little distraction from the work of circuit recovery during that period. If I were you, I'd think, Well I can't see Harriet until the middle of winter ... and wish her well. This is a very serious matter. If she doesn't get significant cognitive recovery, she will need 24/7 care the rest of her life.

The good news is she has no PHYSICAL impairments. Unfortunately, this can be misleading, leading people to think she is "okay."

I know this is hard for all of us. But with Harriet's best chances for cognitive recovery in mind, keep away until you invited to see her. The brain doctors emphasize this, and we are not brain doctors. Let's trust them.

THANK YOU.

Memory clue: our home

Harriet, this is where we live at 3550 SW Pomona St ... we bought the house with my GI benefits in 1998. We made plans to downsize and get it ready to sell in a year or two, depending on various circumstances. We do love it here!

Memory clue: Sketch getting exercise

Harriet, there's a middle school a couple blocks from our home on SW Pomona St. This is where we take Sketch for exercise.

Walking progress

 

Yesterday H walked 300 ft with only a few staggers but was exhausted afterwards. But the therapist was very happy with that.

Today she was blown away. After she got going, H walked 600 ft, not wanting to stop, and was only slightly tired, with no staggers. Many patients go home with walkers or wheel chairs but the therapist is projecting that H will need neither, by the time she's out of here her navigational skills will be normal. Hooray!

Eating real food

She loved the real food at 8 a.m. By 10 a.m. she was saying, Will they ever feed me around here? I'll start ordering bigger breakfasts. Also going to get her heart healthy mid meal snacks to have at bedside.

First thing she told me this morning was about being prisoner in a hospital, weird things happening, which they force her to forget ... later, she feels like she's in an alternative reality.

Man, I can't wait to see the art that she does after all this! "It's all material" is my mantra (after William Goldman).

Her art: Looking Within

Big heart 2

On way to BR, passing roommate ... hi, how are you doing, are you ok?

On way back, opens other curtains, but this not appreciated, they quickly close them.

Purple

Every time cousin Ellie, freezing in the NE, wore purple, something good happened. Thanks! And for supporting me, too.

Harriet at UU opening

A song for Harriet

Signs of normalcy

Harriet to Charles: Would you please change that dirty shirt?

Repeated and repeated, since she can't remember saying it.

Think I'll wear a clean shirt tomorrow.

Harriet's heart

If she in her wheelchair passes or meets another wheelchair, she has to stop to ask, Are you all right?

Memory tests

What I thought was therapy with a shrink was really with the same neuro doctor, an upbeat positive and impressive guy. Asked her basic questions, what happened, where are you, what city is this, where did you sleep last night? She got about twenty percent right, which pleased him. He told her she has a kind of amnesia, so remember this, and when I ask you tomorrow what is wrong with you, you can say I have amnesia.

I don't see any visitors in the foreseeable future.

Changes

Moved to heart healthy diet, can eat unassisted. Hooray!

Moved some therapy from early to late afternoon, more rest after lunch.

I brought photo of her parents from home, in windowsill, she kissed it.

Shrink at 3.

Busy!

Nine sessions today. Nap before it starts at ten.

Dinner

A walk before dinner

Occupational Therapy

Flowers

Amazing flowers from Alice and Jim. Somebody told me they were tiny orchids.

Breakfast

Went well ... still the mushy diet ... they observed her eating piece of toast .... looked good, she may get reg food soon.

Day of rest at rehab, only 2 sessions, morn and afternoon.

Still lots of pain ... she had equiv of elephant sitting on her chest.

Sister leaves this afternoon ... #2 son arrives mid week, prob stay with me.

H resting, almost an hr bef she's off to speech therapy.

Some of you have kindly inquired how I am doing. All that is back at my blog, where this journey began. The Harriet's Story link in right col will get you there.

Harriet's address

Legacy Rehab
Good Samaritan Med Ctr
1015 NW 22nd Ave
ATTN: Harriet Levi, Rio, Room 7-2
Portland, OR 97210

Reunion II

Reunion

Today's PT

Barbara watched physical therapy today, H aced all exercises, one so therapist asked if she was a dancer. Rode exercise bike for 6 minutes.

Her physical skills look good. It's the memory loss needing improvement.

Sisters

Photo by Anyka

Barbara watches speech therapy, part two

Harriet's blocked artery

Middle of picture ...

Barbara watches speech therapy, Part One

A visit from Sketch

Pets can't go into the hospital but can visit in a courtyard garden. This afternoon after therapy, Pam will bring her down and I'll have Sketch there.

She can have some art in her room but I'll need help getting it down from the attic. Pam will, I think.

Why no visitors?

The neuro doc sd H is like tape recorder w/o record button. Area of brain hurt is very short memory. This is why she will ask, Where do you live? and 30 sec later ask again, already forgetting the answer. Info overload is bad for her. Visitors are too much new info.

This should improve soon.

Barbara at speech therapy

Sister Barbara got to observe speech therapy today. Only one at a time, behind H so she won't be distracted, but therapist really prefers to have Harriet alone. I had Barbara report on what she saw, and it's an excellent video but too large a file to upload here. I will edit it down ... but this takes a few hours that I don't have right now. But look forward to seeing Barbara's excellent report of Harriet's speech therapy.

Harriet at dinner

Still on mechanical-soft diet until her swallowing becomes normal. "How long do I have to eat this shitty food?"

REMEMBER: NO VISITORS THIS WEEKEND

Gaming skills

Playing War with her, when my K took her Q, she said, Good one!

New blog list

I've started a blog list of blogs in support of Harriet. If you start one and want to be on the list, send me the info.

You can find it in the right hand column under her art gallery.

Thanks, Pam!

IMPORTANT NEW RESTRICTIONS

NO VISITORS THIS WEEKEND. Perhaps next but only one at a time, 10 mins ... all this after speech therapy.

Pam has started a blog about Harriet's progress. I will start a blog list of these if others want to do theirs. It's good therapy for us, actually. More details there, Pam not I talked to doc about greater restrictions.

Pam's blog is amazing Harriet.

Follow by email

Did a quick snoop and found a widget that said follow by email ... it is on the right column. If it works, somebody let me know.

To Harriet's computer impaired friends

Some of you are frustrated because you can't find or navigate this blog. A couple of pointers,

First, if you send Harriet's address an email, any content, I can return it with the blog address, which in most email programs becomes a live link. You always could access the blog by going to the email and clicking the link.

If you have the blog but it is old info when I said I updated it, it means you have to refresh your browser. Most use the icon of a partial circle arrow shape, which would be at the top along a menu bar, often to the left of the address, all that http stuff ... if you click the circular arrow, the page will refresh and be up to date.

I think I can set up a blog subscription that will be delivered by email ... I will look into that when I have time.

Keep the good energy coming.

Talking with doctors

Short informative chat with two of her doctors. For 10 days after the event, she is doing remarkably well. They are optimistic. In 3 or 4 months, she could have a substantial part of her memory back. She might be out of rehab in three weeks.

Every Tues is a family meeting. Distance family can participate via speaker phone. Pam and I will be there and Naema when she is not driving a bus.

This is an impressive, remarkable place. Harriet is very lucky indeed - to get quick cpr and help, and to be selected to come here. Patients are here from all over the country.

Therapy begins

Her room

Mother and daughter

Schedule

Boot camp

They keep her busy all day ... I'll post a picture ... no wonder no one can visit during the week!

Getting to Rio

Rio is at Good Sam ... hospital entry off NW 22 and Lovejoy ... 6th floor, room 7.

Harriet getting her groove back

First day at Rio

Memories are made of this

Photo by Pam

Game plan

I'm Charles, Harriet's husband. This blog was created primarily to keep family and friends on the east coast informed of Harriet's recovery from her heart attack.

Her visiting hours locally are personalized by nurse for each patient's best needs. For Harriet they are very restrictive. Visitors on weekends only, 430-830. Only two at a time. No entry if she is sleeping. No phone calls.

To wish her well, send a card or leave a comment at this blog. These strict rules should lighten up with her progress.

After some early informative posts after she enters rehab (probably today), I'll be making updates here weekly, on Wednesdays, unless something comes up. I also hope to post weekly video from Harriet. In time, I hope she maintains this blog herself.

Comments are activated and you are encouraged to keep her spirits up here.

It's been quite a journey!

Test

testing 1 2 3