Richard and Lisa, were married October 9, 2004 at the Hilton resort hotel in Oro Valley, Arizona. Together, while holding hands and peering into each other’s eyes they solemnly said to each other, and before family and friends, “…in sickness and in health…” Richard would say later, “we were all about that… commitment.” No one there, least of all Richard and Lisa realized the test that was in their future. The drive from Tucson to Phoenix, and Lisa’s bedside takes a few minutes less than 2-hours. For Richard and baby Michael the drive has become a ritual that these two faithfully engage in on Fridays. This past Friday, they found Lisa resting comfortably. It was good to see her regaining some stability from the recent problems she encountered with bronchitis.
Lisa’s therapist resumed working on range of motion and it is a deliberately slow process as the faster her limbs are moved the more severe her tone becomes and the reverse is true; very slow motion the pain is less. It is the nature of Spasticity.
Lisa’s mind is also being exercised it is done with photographs of Michael and Richard being moved around the room so that Lisa can track them with her eyes.
I reported to you that a new drug was going to be given to Lisa in addition to the Baclofen to combat the Spasticity. It has not yet been administered because of the pneumonia and bronchitis Lisa needed to overcome. So, I’ll tell you more about this as it develop.
Wednesday is a big day for Lisa. Her medical team will meet with Richard to strategize Lisa’s treatment plan. Job One is to break the hold Spasticity has on her. We know Lisa is alert and aware, but unable to communicate--unable because of Spasticity, and more about the meeting later.
Michael mlwintory@msn.com
(The two pictures: Lisa and Richard on their wedding day and Lisa with Maggie who is now 11.)
