Greetings.
This is the one hundred and seventh in a series of DAILY NANCY UPDATES I will be posting until the amazing Nancy Neufeld Callaway is in full remission and we have kicked her leukemia on its ass.
If you'd like to be automatically notified of updates to this blog-- just enter your email address in the window on the right beneath Nancy's picture and follow the prompts!
FRIDAY REPORT
Just a quick update to keep everyone in the loop. Over the past couple of days, Nancy has made some remarkable progress on the physical front. She's now able to get out of bed on her own, walk to the chair by her window, or to the bathroom. And with the assistance of the City of Hope Physical Therapy staff-- she's also been able to take a couple of 30-45 minute walks out of her room and around the hematology ward. What's more, she's thankfully rediscovered eating in a big way-- able to order and snarf down anything she wants on the menu. That's particularly great, because it's gotten her off the IV nutrition altogether-- and is great for putting some much needed meat back on her bones.
She's also slowly but surely progressing on the mental front. One of the most encouraging things we've noticed is the return of her sense of humor-- cracking jokes and laughing at the quips of others. That's not only a cornerstone of a healthy and high functioning brain-- but for anybody who knows and loves her, a cornerstone of Nancy. She's also increasingly talkative when she's alert-- then slips back into "mm-hmms" when she's tired.
I think the biggest thing she needs right now is a renewed sense of confidence. Although she doesn't remember the seizure or any of the dark and difficult days that immediately followed it-- she clearly has some sense that something went wrong, and a whole lot of people have been hovering around her, telling her what to do ever since. So the more she comes back "online," the more she's aware of, and frankly, uncomfortable with that.
I can see and feel her brain working extremely hard right now to wrestle back control of her life. The doctors still firmly believe she'll get there. And in my heart of hearts, I absolutely know she will.
In the meantime, for the first time in 16 days-- we've finally gotten permission to peel her out of the ridiculous hospital gown they put on her in the ICU and back into some of her favorite cozy sweats and a t-shirt. After all, she's the Sunshiny Superwarrior Goddess, damn it. She cannot and will not be denied.
WE LOVE NANCY, and...
ALL IS WELL!
If you'd like to send Nancy a little love (please no flowers, balloons, or food), PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE ADDRESS AND NEW ROOM NUMBER BELOW:
Nancy Neufeld Callaway
City of Hope Hospital
1500 E. Duarte Rd.
Helford Bldg. Rm. 6127
Duarte, CA 91010
Thank goodness you finally posted. These things are like crack to me now. I don't think I've ever hated a color wheel more, as logging on and seeing that that was still the last post. You have us on the edge of our seats now!
ReplyDeleteYou know how eating was my big dream goal for her for weeks, so this was quite rewarding! But when you mentioned the comfy clothes, I'm not sure which excites me more. I'm so excited for the Goddess, her family and for all of us who have been all in. Love you all!!