A Leg Up

Kristine's father Jim and I went on a wild goose hunt yesterday. We drove around the city in search of a delicious black & white milkshake. Jim nearly thought he had lost his mind when I dropped him off at 18th street and told him that Ben & Jerry's was just a block in the other direction. He must of walked up and down the block 6 times before I jumped out to validate that the location had closed. Desperate for a laugh I thought about driving up another couple of blocks and to repeat the whole scenario and mess with him a little, but thought better of it. We finally found what we were looking for at another Ben & Jerry's almost 30 blocks away.

Meanwhile, the neurosurgeon who conducted Kristine's brain operation, Dr. Lee, and his resident stopped by Kristine's hospital room. Dr. Lee asked Kristine how she was doing and then matter of factly stated, "Well, you will walk again." It was the first time that the doctor had been optimistic about the recovery let alone so flat out affirmative. Kristine, incredulously, said that this was hard to imagine given her current state of immobility. Dr. Lee's resident chimed in and said, "you can move your leg now." Silence fell upon the room with Kristine's mom, Connie, and sister, Stephanie, standing by. Puzzled, Kristine informed them that she had not and could not move her leg nor her arm. At this the doctor disagreed and told her to lift her leg off the bed. There was a pause. Her leg laid still. Then slowly Kristine looked down at her limb and lifted it up off the bed several inches. In disbelief Connie said to Kristine, "I didn't know you could do that!" Kristine replied, "I didn't either!"

Kristine broke into simultaneous laughter and tears the instant she witnessed her accomplishment and again when Jim and I returned with milkshakes to hear and see the story recreated. This is a badly needed catalyst to motivate Kristine forward. Dr. Lee did say that her arm may take longer but generally that she was progressing quite nicely. They are keeping Kristine in the hospital until Friday to evaluate her under the new medication for her irregular heartbeat. Then it's off to rehab.