June 12, 2010

Linda had her first full day of physical and occupational therapy yesterday, and it wore her out, though she did everything the therapists asked of her. She had four separate sessions in the gyms, two for physical therapy and two for occupational therapy. She was able to walk about 30 feet between the parallel bars, getting in and out of her wheelchair with assistance. The occupational therapist had her doing upper body strength exercises and some activities to help her find her center of balance.

For the next several weeks, Linda will have to go back to Indiana University Hospital twice a week to the liver transplant clinic for suture removal, laboratory tests to adjust her anti-rejection medications, and liver biopsies to check out the condition of her new liver.  Meanwhile she will continue with her physical and occupational therapy here until she is ready to go home. She is determined to get well as quickly as she can, come home, and get back to work and a normal life. We are very grateful to Dr. Tector and all the other surgeons, specialists, nurses, therapists and attendants who are taking care of her, and who have helped produce such a miraculous recovery. Linda still has a lot of work to do, but she is well on her way to renewed health and happiness.

Linda's address at RHI is

Linda

Room 112R

Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana

4141 Shore Drive

Indianapolis, Indiana 46254

The direct phone line into her room is

317-329-2422

She's always happy to hear from all our friends by mail or phone, though she is out of her room most of the daylight hours. The nurses get her up at 6:30 a.m. to start her day. She eats her meals in the cafeteria with the other patients and their visitors, and has four therapy sessions scheduled every weekday, plus her visits back to the liver clinic at IU Hospital. If you want to call, the best time would between 7 and 9 p.m. Visiting