What a Weekend!

We've decided that we need to start writing down Jamie's one liners as soon as she says them.  They're just too priceless.

While sitting on the floor wrapping Kathy's mother's day present:
Lailah:  Jamie, is that smell your feet or mine?
Jamie:  They're probably Dad's.

When her RA asked her to do her chores:
Jamie:  I am not your slave labor.

When talking about PF Chang's (the next day):
Ron:  Do you remember where we had dinner last night?
Jamie:  PF Chang's.
Ron:  How did you like it?
Jamie:  It was okay, I've had better.
(you'd think she would have been ecstatic after 4 months of liquid food and hospital cooking!!)

The BEST part of the weekend (as far as I'm concerned, of course) was walking into Jamie's apartment on Sunday, and seeing her making her breakfast.  As she looked up and saw me, her face lit up and she said "Hey! I'm so glad you're here!" MADE MY DAY, MONTH, YEAR!

Okay, I digress.  Jamie is doing a great job of adjusting to her new surroundings.  She had a little bit of a rough morning on Saturday, was pretty tired and wasn't really into getting her shopping list ready or cooperate with the RAs. (Each resident has a residential assistant - RA).  Her spirits had picked up by the time we got there, and she was more cooperative.  She got ready and Jamie, Ryan and I, along with her RA went to Trader Joe's to get her groceries for the week.  Every Saturday is grocery day, and each resident is responsible for their own shopping.  Jamie did a good job with the shopping list, but the sheet is kind of hard to read.  She did need some cues if she lost her place, but did a great job of looking for the items once we found the area of the store.  We didn't learn until the next day that she actually has a menu for the entire week, which could have been helpful during the shopping.  :) 

After we got back from shopping, Jamie labeled all her stuff and put it away.  She has her own shelves in the fridge and her own cabinets, so she can always know what is hers and what belongs to her roomate.  Then it was time for lunch, so Jamie used some of her yummy new ingredients to make a sandwich.  At first she didn't want to use mustard and mayonnaise "because they are fattening."  But we talked about how boring her sandwich would be without some condiments, and she added them. 

It really amazes how much the apartment setting aids in her short term memory development.  The improvement we've seen in her memory over just 4 days is amazing.  She knows where her towels, etc. are, and that all of her stuff is blue.  She is getting the hang of which cabinets in the kitchen are hers, and knows that she needs to clean up after herself whenever she makes something in the kitchen.  She knows which drawers in her room hold socks, undies, shirts, and pants, respectively. 

She also is getting much better at just general memory stuff.  On Thursday and Friday, she sat through several meetings with different nurses and therapists.  She was given a LOT of information, and Ron and Kathy weren't sure how much she retained.  While she and Ron and Kathy were talking later (about six hours after one of the big meetings) about decorating her room, she knew she couldn't have picture frames, because she's not allowed glass in the apartment.  She remembered on Sunday that we went to dinner at PF Chang's on Saturday, and she is consistently getting her days and the date correct.  I feel like this has all happened so fast! It seems like last week we were measuring her short term memory by minutes, and now we are measuring it by hours and days! So exciting!!

PF Chang's was our official Mother's Day celebration, and I don't think Kathy could have asked for a better Mother's Day. :) Our little family was together, just the five of us, for the first time in almost 2 years.  It was a little surreal to have Jamie sitting in the car next to me, commenting on the traffic and what was causing the hold up.  At one point, I think she even gave Kathy some driving advice.  :)  That's sooooo Jamie. 

On Sunday, Ron, Ryan and I went over to Jamie's apartment and Jamie was fixing her breakfast.  After breakfast, we took another field trip to Target and Kohl's to look for Kathy's Mother's Day present and some cards.  Ron came up with the idea - placemats for the new apartment (and then I supplemented napkins once we got to the store), and then Jamie got the final say.  I don't know how many options we gave her, but she was so picky!! We picked up some wrapping paper and cards and headed back to Jamie's apartment for lunch (Jamie made herself some hamburgers, even cutting the tomatoes and using the stovetop) and to wrap the present.  We tag-teamed on wrapping the present, and Jamie did a great job of cutting the paper and taping everything into place. 

Eventually we had to leave, and I was thankfully able to keep it together while with Jamie.  I may or may not have broken down once we got to the car, but that is neither here nor there.  I am so excited that Jamie is in a place that is already stimulating such great improvement, but I can't help but be a little (a lot) sad that I can't just whip down to see her when I get the chance.  I know that it will be a good thing to have a bit of a quieter schedule, but I already miss her so much.  I am so thankful that she had such a good weekend, and that the three of us that made the trek back to the Bay Area left knowing that she is in the best place possible.

I don't think we could have asked for a better transition weekend.  Jamie's spirits were high and we are already seeing the benefits of her being in an apartment setting and not having to be in her wheelchair while at home.  She is trying so hard to learn and be helpful and cooperative.

The only way I can explain any of it is God's grace.  In the worst trial of our family's life, He has been so merciful.  Can you believe its been four months? Me either.