5 days to 3

As it turns out Kristine will not be continuing day rehab through January. Instead her rehabilitation team has decided that she would get just as much from the out-patient program. She will continue her full day program until this Friday and transition to the 3-day program the following week. Her planned schedule is Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8am to 10am. I will be continuing to shuttle her to the rehabilitation center in the morning and we will continue to rely on friends to pick her up.

Kristine has been getting around pretty well on her own so her time alone at the house, though challenging, will be manageable. She will welcome guests throughout the day to break up the monotony of television, books and phone conversation and we will set up local emergency contacts for her in case of any issues. We are going to have to be even more organized headed into this next set of circumstances. Everything from making lunch to answering the door presents difficulties and hazards for Kristine. We have to ensure that things can be accessed easily and used with just one hand. It's amazing how many things we take for granted in our daily routines, things that become substantially more difficult to nearly impossible with the use of only one arm. Take washing your good arm or opening a jar for example. Even more difficult, try moving a glass of water from one room to another when doing so requires you to use your only able arm to balance your walk with a cane.

The pain and discomfort that Kristine is experiencing is impacting her mental fortitude. Her left shoulder is tight with involuntary tone while her arm hangs out of socket causing sharp pain. Her right shoulder is swollen and tight from the remaining tumors in her lymph nodes. Kristine's hot flashes have also reemerged making it difficult to regulate her temperature. The tumors in her lungs are inducing uncontrolled coughing which makes her whole body stiff and even more uncomfortable. All of these symptoms make getting through the day frustrating and exhausting. Kristine is doing an amazing job of holding herself together and fight on, but she could definitely use some reprieve.