Happy to Be

Lisa has the best attitude. People always say that those with Down Syndrome are always happy. That is a false statement. I do believe that those people are happy, but not always, and they have a stubborn streak beyond compare. Lisa is not Down Syndrome, but she has a stubborn streak in her too...it must be something that God gives them, to deal with life...or to teach others patience. Either way, I have noticed lately, that the old Lisa is back. The old Lisa that was before Mom got sick and died. Lisa changed during and after that time. It has been a very long time, since we have seen that Lisa. She used to have the best attitude and although she got stressed, she never really showed it bothered her. I can honestly say that Mom would be proud of her, proud of her baby girl that overcame so much as a child and a young lady. We can now add, as a woman that has suffered a stroke. Mom, we are so proud of her, and we miss you. I think you would be proud too.

When I left Lisa on Friday, at the nursing home. I cried. I hate that she is there. I hate that she has to be there. I hate that she is the very youngest there. It is not normal. It is what it is and I cannot change a thing. When I called her the next morning to ask her how her first night went. She responded with, "I like it here!" I needed that. We talked about her breakfast and about her roommate. She is so happy to talk on her phone. She is so happy to see people in the hallway. She is so happy to see people in her room, even if it is to take care of her roommate. She is just happy to be.


I called her before I went to visit her on Monday...asked her why she sounded sad...she told me that "I just miss Mom." I told her I did too. I know she thinks about her often. I wonder if she knows how much mom loved her...I am sure she does. Without my mom, Lisa would not be here. ..

The kids and I went to see her last night before she ate supper. She was sitting up in her wheelchair. She greeted us with, "I'm so glad you came!" (Well, of course we came.) On our way in, the PT asked me if I was Lisa's sister, Karen. I told her I was Karla. She was really interested in Lisa, and told us that they found her hand brace. Whew! She was without it for a day, and her poor little hand was curling up, and hurting her. She(the PT) told us she did not want us to do any transferring with Lisa at all. What? She explained that for safety and for liability, they could not let us help her get out of there. When I told her I understood, and that we helped her at the hospital all the time. She told me that she would be glad to show us how they do it and how we can help Lisa on weekends (when she does not have any therapy) with exercises to strengthen her legs, but they do not want us to help her walk, or anything that could cause her or us harm. Uhhhggggg! Now what? I totally understand. I totally do not question their policy. I totally want her better. She is totally not going to get the therapy that she did at the hospital. Everything will work out though, right?

She asked Karen the 2nd full day she was there. "Karen, when am I going to get out of here?" Karen told her..."We need to get you walking."

Lisa is signing herself out of the hospital...she spent 43 days there...

Lisa's eye is starting to open just a little bit, told Karen that she can see black and white out of it. Yay! She tells me that she can't see very good, that it frustrates her that her eyes are messed up. But even then, she does not complain. She is happy to be.