Jumping back but I'm calling it Story 13
This is after I went to mom's after the hospitals and the nursing home in April of 2009.
Gracia drove me up to Taos a few weeks ago and we picked up the bicycle, my helmet, one glove, and one shoe. I was disappointed that there was only one shoe. I had purchased a pair of shoes in Taos that were on sale along with a bright yellow green vest and a pair of black bicycle shorts that were much more comfortable then the ones I had been using. Tough stuff. The shoes flew off my feet and the rest the hospital must have cut off of me before surgery. I was hoping for 2 shoes at least since I finally had broken down after having sore feet and bought some good
shoes. Nothing like having dressed up for the event. No one could say I wasn't bright enough to be seen. Humor my friends, we need it for every turn of the corner.
The bicycle is bent pretty bad and the seat and handle bars are about the only thing to save. I didn't feel much by seeing it except wondering a little about how more of my body could have been broken and smashed and mangled.
I did want to celebrate by going for a apple turnover.
Sugar/apple comfort food speaks for itself. When in some distress it is back to endorphins for a quick release. Being aware of the distress on top of talking with the police officers who had been so kind and saved my bicycle for so long. It is silly but I really was hoping for both bicycle shoes. I dropped my bicycle off at Boe's the Bicycle Doc in Los Alamos and he was kind enough to take it apart and give me the handle bars and seat. Poor bicycle, I had it fixed up so it was a perfect fit for me and it had been so much fun to ride.
Actually all I remember about the accident was having had a wonderful time with so many wonderful bicycle people. They will always be dear to my heart. It is a good thing to remember the wonderful vacation and great places and time I had with these people and Taos. It was my first big trip anywhere since the accident. It helped being apart of a place again where I had had an adventure.
It also helped the feeling of a time gap. It was like making a patch work quilt. I now felt connected again with the place and space where I left one reality and moved to a different reality. I was healing very quickly - so quickly family and friends could hardly believe it. But I am like a different person now it is not just the titanium inserts. I may never be able to be the same active person I was before. Yes with years of effort I will be able to do some of the same things. But all of my spiritual work before this accident event was put to the maximum test. You can't lay in a hospital bed and wake up to find your whole life has changed and not have to use every speck of spiritual practice you have ever learned.
In Spiritual practice one thinks one understands gratitude. One can talk about gratitude but it is not the same as being so filled with Light that being alive at all is miracle and gratitude is the only word that can be spoken or heard.
To be continued . . .
Cosima's story part 12
Cosima's Story Part 12
Dear Friends and Friends of the Mountaineer's,
Thank you so much for your support and assistance in my recovery from my accident last year. If you were to see me you would be very amazed at how far I have advanced since that serious event.
I have moved from a wheel chair, to a walker, to a cane, to even getting on my trail bike a couple of times. I'm now driving my car enough that I have been able to drive my Mom, as well as a friend of mine who went blind, to appointments in Albuquerque. I have also gone back to doing massage recently, and am working on 3 to 4 clients a day (once in awhile). I still need to have surgery in January to get one long piece of metal and five screws removed from my right arm to have better use of it, but I am thrilled to be back to working, even if it is sparingly.
Everyone has been so very supportive, but I would like to give a special thanks to Gracia Coffin for her Reiki treatments and Light Blessings.
I especially want to thank Annette Weyrauch and Mari Jorgensen at Physical Therapy Plus in Los Alamos for the months of intensive work that brought me back to living an almost normal life again.
I interviewed about five Physical Therapists in Los Alamos looking for someone who would do 'hands on' work. Considering that I had to get a ride from my mother's house (it was about an hour and a half drive one way), I really needed someone who would spend an a full hour's time physically shifting the positions that my body was in, not just putting me on machines. One reason that I moved to my Mom's is that she had a stationary bicycle, a walker, an arm machine, a large ball, and rubber band accessories.
I needed someone who would work into the tissue since my right arm and hand could barely be moved. I could have applied for a legal disability, but I really just wanted to go back to work.
Presently, I can squeeze my hand into a fist, and my elbow straightens out almost perfectly. I can reach over my head, I am gaining strength in my back, and I can now almost balance on my left leg.
Since Annette is a bicycle person herself she was able to relate particularly well to my athletic tendencies, and love of nature. This made our time together much more valuable.
I so much appreciate the constant motivation and effort that Annette and Mari gave me, and their sparks of variety and patient persistence that helped my body change. I feel so grateful for their professional knowledge and compassionate friendship. I know that I still have a ways to go with flexibility, but it feels like a miracle happening in the here and now!
Thank you all so much for your loving thoughts and support, and supporting Jan and my family who had to spend so much time and see me go through so much pain and effort to recover.
Love and Light
Cosima
Dear Friends and Friends of the Mountaineer's,
Thank you so much for your support and assistance in my recovery from my accident last year. If you were to see me you would be very amazed at how far I have advanced since that serious event.
I have moved from a wheel chair, to a walker, to a cane, to even getting on my trail bike a couple of times. I'm now driving my car enough that I have been able to drive my Mom, as well as a friend of mine who went blind, to appointments in Albuquerque. I have also gone back to doing massage recently, and am working on 3 to 4 clients a day (once in awhile). I still need to have surgery in January to get one long piece of metal and five screws removed from my right arm to have better use of it, but I am thrilled to be back to working, even if it is sparingly.
Everyone has been so very supportive, but I would like to give a special thanks to Gracia Coffin for her Reiki treatments and Light Blessings.
I especially want to thank Annette Weyrauch and Mari Jorgensen at Physical Therapy Plus in Los Alamos for the months of intensive work that brought me back to living an almost normal life again.
I interviewed about five Physical Therapists in Los Alamos looking for someone who would do 'hands on' work. Considering that I had to get a ride from my mother's house (it was about an hour and a half drive one way), I really needed someone who would spend an a full hour's time physically shifting the positions that my body was in, not just putting me on machines. One reason that I moved to my Mom's is that she had a stationary bicycle, a walker, an arm machine, a large ball, and rubber band accessories.
I needed someone who would work into the tissue since my right arm and hand could barely be moved. I could have applied for a legal disability, but I really just wanted to go back to work.
Presently, I can squeeze my hand into a fist, and my elbow straightens out almost perfectly. I can reach over my head, I am gaining strength in my back, and I can now almost balance on my left leg.
Since Annette is a bicycle person herself she was able to relate particularly well to my athletic tendencies, and love of nature. This made our time together much more valuable.
I so much appreciate the constant motivation and effort that Annette and Mari gave me, and their sparks of variety and patient persistence that helped my body change. I feel so grateful for their professional knowledge and compassionate friendship. I know that I still have a ways to go with flexibility, but it feels like a miracle happening in the here and now!
Thank you all so much for your loving thoughts and support, and supporting Jan and my family who had to spend so much time and see me go through so much pain and effort to recover.
Love and Light
Cosima
Cosima's story part 11
Cosima's Story Continued Part 11
I started going out to my new studio once a day and spending time painting. I painted on small card size sheets of paper and painted mainly animals. This was a great way to exercise my hands and sitting in a chair and walking out to the shop was a good effort. Making my bed and cooking everyday and exercising on the stationary bicycle and the walker helped out a lot. Jan brought down his stepper machine along with a big ball and stretchy bands. It was like having my own personal gym. I decided the physical therapy I was going to in Bernalillo was not helping my right arm and hand enough.
Sam came to visit and we went for a walk in Gilman canyon and saw fresh mountain lion tracks. Sam and I had a great time catching up and he could see that I was really improving fast. All that equipment and eating my own food made a lot of difference plus having such wonderful visits from my sons.
After Sam left I decided to have Jan take me to Los Alamos and interview all of the Physical Therapists in that area. I wanted to find one that would give me hands on work and who would continue the work like my occupational therapist Liz, who had had some special training, had done for me. Adam, who was also from the nursing home, had really trained me in what exercises I needed to do at home. Bernalillo had a great Physical Therapist but I really wanted more hands on work for the amount of time of driving back and forth. I decided on Physical Therapy Plus because Annette really seemed to know how to do hands on work and there were no machines. Besides Annette was President of the Tough Riders in the Los Alamos bicycle group and she could really relate to what kind of injury getting hit by a car on a bicycle would be like.
Jan and some of my friends helped out with giving me rides to Los Alamos for physical therapy. With Annette's work and encouragement I started practicing putting the key in the ignition and taking it out and stepping on the brake. In two weeks time I was driving the car around my mother's house. Even though it took 2 hands to turn the ignition on I was driving to the bank and post office and practicing with short drives.
Pretty soon I was driving myself to Los Alamos and a few wintry nights I stayed in Gracia's parents Condo in Los Alamos. Being able to drive myself was the most exhilarating feeling about being back to normal. The freedom of not having to depend on someone else to get you where you want to go is unexplainable. Even though the gratitude for having assistance is magical. Driving is so self empowering when you haven"t been able to drive in 8 months. Let's celebrate this empowerment with Joy.
Thanks be for all the prayers and glorious help I have had and the genetic inheritance of persistence from my parents.
To Be continued Story 12
Love and Light
Cosima
I started going out to my new studio once a day and spending time painting. I painted on small card size sheets of paper and painted mainly animals. This was a great way to exercise my hands and sitting in a chair and walking out to the shop was a good effort. Making my bed and cooking everyday and exercising on the stationary bicycle and the walker helped out a lot. Jan brought down his stepper machine along with a big ball and stretchy bands. It was like having my own personal gym. I decided the physical therapy I was going to in Bernalillo was not helping my right arm and hand enough.
Sam came to visit and we went for a walk in Gilman canyon and saw fresh mountain lion tracks. Sam and I had a great time catching up and he could see that I was really improving fast. All that equipment and eating my own food made a lot of difference plus having such wonderful visits from my sons.
After Sam left I decided to have Jan take me to Los Alamos and interview all of the Physical Therapists in that area. I wanted to find one that would give me hands on work and who would continue the work like my occupational therapist Liz, who had had some special training, had done for me. Adam, who was also from the nursing home, had really trained me in what exercises I needed to do at home. Bernalillo had a great Physical Therapist but I really wanted more hands on work for the amount of time of driving back and forth. I decided on Physical Therapy Plus because Annette really seemed to know how to do hands on work and there were no machines. Besides Annette was President of the Tough Riders in the Los Alamos bicycle group and she could really relate to what kind of injury getting hit by a car on a bicycle would be like.
Jan and some of my friends helped out with giving me rides to Los Alamos for physical therapy. With Annette's work and encouragement I started practicing putting the key in the ignition and taking it out and stepping on the brake. In two weeks time I was driving the car around my mother's house. Even though it took 2 hands to turn the ignition on I was driving to the bank and post office and practicing with short drives.
Pretty soon I was driving myself to Los Alamos and a few wintry nights I stayed in Gracia's parents Condo in Los Alamos. Being able to drive myself was the most exhilarating feeling about being back to normal. The freedom of not having to depend on someone else to get you where you want to go is unexplainable. Even though the gratitude for having assistance is magical. Driving is so self empowering when you haven"t been able to drive in 8 months. Let's celebrate this empowerment with Joy.
Thanks be for all the prayers and glorious help I have had and the genetic inheritance of persistence from my parents.
To Be continued Story 12
Love and Light
Cosima
Cosima's story part 10
Mom's House in The Jemez
Waking up at Mom's house was like such a new life. We kept the Christmas decorations up way past New Years just to be festive and to celebrate my homecoming. Because of the off and on snow storms and all of the physical therapy equipment it would be a while before I would be able to move back to my home at the cabin above Fenton Lake in the Jemez. I still needed help doing things and it would be some time before I could drive again.
I so enjoyed making my own breakfast and eating my own whole oats and cutting up an apple was such a good work out some days I just had apple sauce and blue berries and 2 fried eggs or a almond butter sandwich.
Dr. Dan sent me this standard brand Phosfood liquid stuff that helped with the nausea and my Catalyin and Calcium levels. My Acupuncturist from Houston sent me organic liquid vitamins and got me to take Pro-biotics with yogurt type bacteria which really helped my intestinal tract.
Each day with the handful of vitamins I take 6-8 Spirilina, vitamin 400 E, B12 1,000, Vitamin D 2,000, Fish oil and Omega, Boneup 10 tablets, 10 drops of minerals, vitamin C 2,000,etc. It is hard not to be full from just taking all the vitamins and all the water to get them down.
After my shower, meditation, making my bed, and exercising on the machines sometimes I needed to rest.
After Christmas I started going to Physical Therapy in Bernalillo once or twice a week and I enjoyed that. Then I decided I needed more hands on work and started going to Annette at Physical Therapy Plus in Los Alamos.
Zach came to visit for several days and helped moved the stuff out of the gold building into Mom's big garage. The stuff he moved was very heavy - I don't know how he did it. I had helped him move it in there last year when we had set up stuff of my Dad's and Carl, my step Dad's, stuff to sell. Mom sold a lot but just the tables themselves were a 2 person carry job. Zach and I had a great time and his visit certainly helped me adjust to living out of the nursing home.
So he set up the gold building which I had worked very hard on before the accident. With Zach's help I had scrubbed all the oil off the floor since it was originally my Dad's junk and storage room full of odds and ends. My friend Bucky cut the metal that stuck out into the room off the walls. I patched and patched the cracks and we sealed up the old garage door and John helped me paint the outside and inside with spray paint. Bobby helped me seal the cracks around the sides and seal the floor. Jan helped me tape most of the doors shut. Its a good thing I had completed most of the projects at my Mom's and at my house before the accident. It is a strange thing how friends had commented about how I was racing around completing all of these tasks just like a little ant. Do we know subconsciously when we must get something done because we won't be able to do it later?
It is big enough big enough for art tables and a whole workshop. I had made curtains and so I moved my stuff in and what a wonderful studio it is. We had moved a big old pot belly wood stove in and it warmed up the place in no time at all.
I had wanted to complete this project before the accident and have another book signing for my teacher Michael Silver Dragon. As far as I know that had been my main motivation. Michael is a miracle walking around - he has been in dialysis for 13 years going to dialysis 2 times a week.
At first holding a paint brush to do watercolor was a big workout. I started with real small paintings and what fun it was to watch color happen. The hand work with brushes was a great workout and motivated me to look for someone to help me get my hands working again.
I had Zach take me for a ride up to my cabin. There was about 24 inches at the curb and he went through the snow to get some stuff out of the cabin for me. I sat in the car and looked longingly at the cabin and enjoyed the warm car. As much as I wanted to go in my body was not up to making it through the snow. It was certainly inspiring to see my home and what a lot of snow we had. It was so beautiful I just sat there and cried a bit.
Story to be continued Part 11
Waking up at Mom's house was like such a new life. We kept the Christmas decorations up way past New Years just to be festive and to celebrate my homecoming. Because of the off and on snow storms and all of the physical therapy equipment it would be a while before I would be able to move back to my home at the cabin above Fenton Lake in the Jemez. I still needed help doing things and it would be some time before I could drive again.
I so enjoyed making my own breakfast and eating my own whole oats and cutting up an apple was such a good work out some days I just had apple sauce and blue berries and 2 fried eggs or a almond butter sandwich.
Dr. Dan sent me this standard brand Phosfood liquid stuff that helped with the nausea and my Catalyin and Calcium levels. My Acupuncturist from Houston sent me organic liquid vitamins and got me to take Pro-biotics with yogurt type bacteria which really helped my intestinal tract.
Each day with the handful of vitamins I take 6-8 Spirilina, vitamin 400 E, B12 1,000, Vitamin D 2,000, Fish oil and Omega, Boneup 10 tablets, 10 drops of minerals, vitamin C 2,000,etc. It is hard not to be full from just taking all the vitamins and all the water to get them down.
After my shower, meditation, making my bed, and exercising on the machines sometimes I needed to rest.
After Christmas I started going to Physical Therapy in Bernalillo once or twice a week and I enjoyed that. Then I decided I needed more hands on work and started going to Annette at Physical Therapy Plus in Los Alamos.
Zach came to visit for several days and helped moved the stuff out of the gold building into Mom's big garage. The stuff he moved was very heavy - I don't know how he did it. I had helped him move it in there last year when we had set up stuff of my Dad's and Carl, my step Dad's, stuff to sell. Mom sold a lot but just the tables themselves were a 2 person carry job. Zach and I had a great time and his visit certainly helped me adjust to living out of the nursing home.
So he set up the gold building which I had worked very hard on before the accident. With Zach's help I had scrubbed all the oil off the floor since it was originally my Dad's junk and storage room full of odds and ends. My friend Bucky cut the metal that stuck out into the room off the walls. I patched and patched the cracks and we sealed up the old garage door and John helped me paint the outside and inside with spray paint. Bobby helped me seal the cracks around the sides and seal the floor. Jan helped me tape most of the doors shut. Its a good thing I had completed most of the projects at my Mom's and at my house before the accident. It is a strange thing how friends had commented about how I was racing around completing all of these tasks just like a little ant. Do we know subconsciously when we must get something done because we won't be able to do it later?
It is big enough big enough for art tables and a whole workshop. I had made curtains and so I moved my stuff in and what a wonderful studio it is. We had moved a big old pot belly wood stove in and it warmed up the place in no time at all.
I had wanted to complete this project before the accident and have another book signing for my teacher Michael Silver Dragon. As far as I know that had been my main motivation. Michael is a miracle walking around - he has been in dialysis for 13 years going to dialysis 2 times a week.
At first holding a paint brush to do watercolor was a big workout. I started with real small paintings and what fun it was to watch color happen. The hand work with brushes was a great workout and motivated me to look for someone to help me get my hands working again.
I had Zach take me for a ride up to my cabin. There was about 24 inches at the curb and he went through the snow to get some stuff out of the cabin for me. I sat in the car and looked longingly at the cabin and enjoyed the warm car. As much as I wanted to go in my body was not up to making it through the snow. It was certainly inspiring to see my home and what a lot of snow we had. It was so beautiful I just sat there and cried a bit.
Story to be continued Part 11
Cosima's story part 9
Rio Rancho Nursing and Rehabilitation Home
At this point in time for me allowing healing to occur is a conscious decision and it takes trust in ones inner voice and courage to stick with the plan no matter what other people are telling you. It is useful to listen to the advice and suggestions and then sort them out to hear and feel what resonates with your own stage and with the moment.
I asked a friend of mine to help me figure out about the drug I was taking at night which calmed down the restlessness and the shouting pains - nerve pains that would go down my legs at night. I had been asking the staff at the nursing home but I really wasn't getting any answers.
When one of my friends looked up the last drug I was still on which I took at night to help me relax and sleep we found out it was a derivative of Valium and very addictive. She and other people advised me to get off of it slowly. It was suggested to still take it every 3 days for 15 days to 30 days instead of going off it completely. But the side effects were the same either way and I was determined to get off the drug. Ten days of sickness (throwing up ten times a day and having diarrhea all morning and half of the night) was very difficult for everyone but well worth it in the long run). I started using homeopathic medicine that my acupuncturist suggested. It was different than passion flower and Valerian root which I had taken during menopause. It helped a lot but the side effects of getting off the drug really made keeping up with physical therapy and eating a big job.
They insisted on weighing me every other day which made the 96 lbs to 92 lbs scare everybody with the quick weight fluctuation. I was still taking vitamins and they must have absorbed quickly because I still had strength to go take showers and go to physical therapy.
I know my family and everyone thought I was crazy but seeing the clients around me that were still taking drugs just made me realize that I did not want to be on anything I did not know the long term side effects of.
Now I have learned that there were other kinds of treatments I could have gotten if I could have found someone who did lymph drainage to come to the nursing home. Lymph drainable is a massage technique which manually assists the lymph system to aid you in detoxifying which helps with swelling and muscle and nerve pain.
Attendants thought maybe I was bulimic and everyone thought I should go back on the drug. Oh well determination finally paid off. Ten days and it was pretty much over. I decided about then that I wanted to be home at Mom's for Christmas and that being able to fix my own food would help me be healthier.
I got to go to the movie Australia for my Birthday which motivated me to go home as well. I was walking even without a cane by December 13 and they were ready to have me leave but we talked them into letting me stay until December 22, 2008. My Physical Therapist, Adam, and my Occupational Therapist, Liz, had really helped me make incredible progress I wanted to work with them as long as possible. I could hold my fingers down on the right hand and the elbow and shoulder would move out a little bit. I could feed myself somewhat with my right hand and I could walk. Thanks to Liz and Adam for all their help. I limped some with the right leg but I was able to pack my stuff and get it ready for Jan to carry to the car and I walked out by my self. Yeah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was now ready for a physical therapist outside the nursing home.
What a big day Dec. 22 was for me. Saying good by to the wonderful staff at the nursing home, my cousin, and many friends who I had met there was hard but it was time to go to the next phase of my recovery. I said goodbye to the birds in the glass cage and the wonderful cottonwood trees in the back yard. It all took awhile but I was ready for the next adventure.
I had been practicing making my bed and I was ready to do my own cooking. So I had been making the transition to leave the nursing home and become more independent.
What a immense feeling of love, joy, and peace as we pulled into my Mom's drive way. She gave me her big room because the bathroom and shower were attached and she had a memory foam adjustable bed. It was hard at first to allow her to do that for me but my sacrum still hurt and I could barely turn over so I moved in. She also had a walker machine, a standing bicycle, some stretchy bands, a large ball, and a hand and arm table bike so I was all set up for home physical activity. Carl, my step dad, had bought a lot of useful equipment before he died. I never imagined that I would be the one to be using it. I am very grateful and it made a big difference in my continuing recovery program.
What a joy to wake up and look out her window and see the juniper tree, the Hermosa tree, and the iris that I had worked so hard to trim and hook up watering systems for.
Sunrise over the red rocks in the Jemez is such a beautiful spot to be in. We got out some Christmas decorations and got ready to celebrate a very important Christmas time together.
We had Christmas dinner at Linda and Michael's place in area 3 above Jemez Springs. It was not quite the same because Carl was with us last Christmas but it was so incredible to be home in Jemez for Christmas that only joy and Love could flow from our hearts.
To be continued . . .
At this point in time for me allowing healing to occur is a conscious decision and it takes trust in ones inner voice and courage to stick with the plan no matter what other people are telling you. It is useful to listen to the advice and suggestions and then sort them out to hear and feel what resonates with your own stage and with the moment.
I asked a friend of mine to help me figure out about the drug I was taking at night which calmed down the restlessness and the shouting pains - nerve pains that would go down my legs at night. I had been asking the staff at the nursing home but I really wasn't getting any answers.
When one of my friends looked up the last drug I was still on which I took at night to help me relax and sleep we found out it was a derivative of Valium and very addictive. She and other people advised me to get off of it slowly. It was suggested to still take it every 3 days for 15 days to 30 days instead of going off it completely. But the side effects were the same either way and I was determined to get off the drug. Ten days of sickness (throwing up ten times a day and having diarrhea all morning and half of the night) was very difficult for everyone but well worth it in the long run). I started using homeopathic medicine that my acupuncturist suggested. It was different than passion flower and Valerian root which I had taken during menopause. It helped a lot but the side effects of getting off the drug really made keeping up with physical therapy and eating a big job.
They insisted on weighing me every other day which made the 96 lbs to 92 lbs scare everybody with the quick weight fluctuation. I was still taking vitamins and they must have absorbed quickly because I still had strength to go take showers and go to physical therapy.
I know my family and everyone thought I was crazy but seeing the clients around me that were still taking drugs just made me realize that I did not want to be on anything I did not know the long term side effects of.
Now I have learned that there were other kinds of treatments I could have gotten if I could have found someone who did lymph drainage to come to the nursing home. Lymph drainable is a massage technique which manually assists the lymph system to aid you in detoxifying which helps with swelling and muscle and nerve pain.
Attendants thought maybe I was bulimic and everyone thought I should go back on the drug. Oh well determination finally paid off. Ten days and it was pretty much over. I decided about then that I wanted to be home at Mom's for Christmas and that being able to fix my own food would help me be healthier.
I got to go to the movie Australia for my Birthday which motivated me to go home as well. I was walking even without a cane by December 13 and they were ready to have me leave but we talked them into letting me stay until December 22, 2008. My Physical Therapist, Adam, and my Occupational Therapist, Liz, had really helped me make incredible progress I wanted to work with them as long as possible. I could hold my fingers down on the right hand and the elbow and shoulder would move out a little bit. I could feed myself somewhat with my right hand and I could walk. Thanks to Liz and Adam for all their help. I limped some with the right leg but I was able to pack my stuff and get it ready for Jan to carry to the car and I walked out by my self. Yeah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was now ready for a physical therapist outside the nursing home.
What a big day Dec. 22 was for me. Saying good by to the wonderful staff at the nursing home, my cousin, and many friends who I had met there was hard but it was time to go to the next phase of my recovery. I said goodbye to the birds in the glass cage and the wonderful cottonwood trees in the back yard. It all took awhile but I was ready for the next adventure.
I had been practicing making my bed and I was ready to do my own cooking. So I had been making the transition to leave the nursing home and become more independent.
What a immense feeling of love, joy, and peace as we pulled into my Mom's drive way. She gave me her big room because the bathroom and shower were attached and she had a memory foam adjustable bed. It was hard at first to allow her to do that for me but my sacrum still hurt and I could barely turn over so I moved in. She also had a walker machine, a standing bicycle, some stretchy bands, a large ball, and a hand and arm table bike so I was all set up for home physical activity. Carl, my step dad, had bought a lot of useful equipment before he died. I never imagined that I would be the one to be using it. I am very grateful and it made a big difference in my continuing recovery program.
What a joy to wake up and look out her window and see the juniper tree, the Hermosa tree, and the iris that I had worked so hard to trim and hook up watering systems for.
Sunrise over the red rocks in the Jemez is such a beautiful spot to be in. We got out some Christmas decorations and got ready to celebrate a very important Christmas time together.
We had Christmas dinner at Linda and Michael's place in area 3 above Jemez Springs. It was not quite the same because Carl was with us last Christmas but it was so incredible to be home in Jemez for Christmas that only joy and Love could flow from our hearts.
To be continued . . .
Cosima's story part 8
Rio Rancho Nursing and Rehabilitation Home
What else can I do to speed up my recovery? How about unwinding and Cranial Sacral. I had a 30 minute treatment from Don Cornwell at the school of Natural Therapeutics about 10 or 15 years ago because my teacher Jim Haynes felt I needed some more neck work then he could do. In this 30 minute treatment, which was so subtle, I had a major shift. Jim Haynes was excellent, even profound at Cranial Sacral, and I learned Qigong and meridians and unwinding techniques and many amazing things from him. I got off the table after Don Cornwell's work. I thought, did this work affect me and with humility I say now, I barely made it to the back seat of the car and passed out for 4 hours. Yes, it made a significant difference. My neck was so much improved.
I knew from listening inside that this was important if I was gone to shift my organs, spine, neck, and sacrum. I difentitely needed an expert and someone who could deal with all the injuries I had. Don used to make Hospital visits but he is so busy now, that he does not make hospital visits anymore. Since I was at the stage of walking with a walker even though the trip to Albuquerque was long I could now get in a car and be driven. On my first trip I was walking with a walker sometimes a cane and I had practiced going up 3 steps of stairs a couple of times.
When we got there Don was not yet there and there were 18 steps to his office on the second floor. We left the walker down stairs and Jan helped me by putting his arm under my arm pit and I climbed up 18 stairs. I am sure if Don would have been there I would have received my first treatment down stairs. But, between the really helpful treatment and the inspiration of having walked up stairs I was on my way to making a huge leap in my healing process.
In order to leave the nursing home I had to be having a doctors appointment so I was grateful that Don Cornwell had so many degrees. PhD, D.O.M., and LMT. The Assistant Doctor at the nursing home who signed me out had a daughter who practiced cranal sacral so she understood how unwinding and releasing pressure off of my skull and organs and sacrum would help me. I have made a visit to Don's about every 2-3 weeks since that time.
Dr. Dan was still calling me and giving me Equation of Life energy treatments once a week to every 2 weeks. The energy treatments really helped with the pain and healing and motivation.
I called Michael and Linda from Houston to find out when they were coming into Albuquerque so they could come help me do some emotional release work. I started feeling the release coming on the minute they were in the parking lot. I was in physical therapy at the time and asked them and my son Sam who was in from Seattle to wheel me out to the gazebo area and I started mumbling and crying and expressing some stories I needed to let go of. It went on for an 1 hour or so and I felt a lot better. Michael and Linda have a business called A New Way. They teach a technique called Clarity process which helps people learn how to deal with issues. It is a spiritual process based on Coeducational work out of the Recovery Program. Linda and Michael are very intuitive and excellent at this process besides being Reiki people and certified ministers.
After I started walking with a cane I got to go out to eat once in a while and Jan took me to the Movie Australia which was 2 1/2 to 3 hours long. It was a wonderful birthday present. We went to the Range and then to the movie. What a treat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love driving around and looking at the Sandia Mountains and it was inspiring to get to go do some special things. I made a plan in my heart to be home for Christmas. How good it is to be 61 years old and walking and seeing and being apart of the play and activity of Life.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Story To Be Continued . . .
What else can I do to speed up my recovery? How about unwinding and Cranial Sacral. I had a 30 minute treatment from Don Cornwell at the school of Natural Therapeutics about 10 or 15 years ago because my teacher Jim Haynes felt I needed some more neck work then he could do. In this 30 minute treatment, which was so subtle, I had a major shift. Jim Haynes was excellent, even profound at Cranial Sacral, and I learned Qigong and meridians and unwinding techniques and many amazing things from him. I got off the table after Don Cornwell's work. I thought, did this work affect me and with humility I say now, I barely made it to the back seat of the car and passed out for 4 hours. Yes, it made a significant difference. My neck was so much improved.
I knew from listening inside that this was important if I was gone to shift my organs, spine, neck, and sacrum. I difentitely needed an expert and someone who could deal with all the injuries I had. Don used to make Hospital visits but he is so busy now, that he does not make hospital visits anymore. Since I was at the stage of walking with a walker even though the trip to Albuquerque was long I could now get in a car and be driven. On my first trip I was walking with a walker sometimes a cane and I had practiced going up 3 steps of stairs a couple of times.
When we got there Don was not yet there and there were 18 steps to his office on the second floor. We left the walker down stairs and Jan helped me by putting his arm under my arm pit and I climbed up 18 stairs. I am sure if Don would have been there I would have received my first treatment down stairs. But, between the really helpful treatment and the inspiration of having walked up stairs I was on my way to making a huge leap in my healing process.
In order to leave the nursing home I had to be having a doctors appointment so I was grateful that Don Cornwell had so many degrees. PhD, D.O.M., and LMT. The Assistant Doctor at the nursing home who signed me out had a daughter who practiced cranal sacral so she understood how unwinding and releasing pressure off of my skull and organs and sacrum would help me. I have made a visit to Don's about every 2-3 weeks since that time.
Dr. Dan was still calling me and giving me Equation of Life energy treatments once a week to every 2 weeks. The energy treatments really helped with the pain and healing and motivation.
I called Michael and Linda from Houston to find out when they were coming into Albuquerque so they could come help me do some emotional release work. I started feeling the release coming on the minute they were in the parking lot. I was in physical therapy at the time and asked them and my son Sam who was in from Seattle to wheel me out to the gazebo area and I started mumbling and crying and expressing some stories I needed to let go of. It went on for an 1 hour or so and I felt a lot better. Michael and Linda have a business called A New Way. They teach a technique called Clarity process which helps people learn how to deal with issues. It is a spiritual process based on Coeducational work out of the Recovery Program. Linda and Michael are very intuitive and excellent at this process besides being Reiki people and certified ministers.
After I started walking with a cane I got to go out to eat once in a while and Jan took me to the Movie Australia which was 2 1/2 to 3 hours long. It was a wonderful birthday present. We went to the Range and then to the movie. What a treat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love driving around and looking at the Sandia Mountains and it was inspiring to get to go do some special things. I made a plan in my heart to be home for Christmas. How good it is to be 61 years old and walking and seeing and being apart of the play and activity of Life.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Story To Be Continued . . .
Cosima's story part 7
At Rio Rancho Nursing Home
A few of the things happened that speeded up my healing process. Zach, my son, bought me a very small refrigerator so I could have my own food. Then I was moved into a private room because my room mate had a bacterial infection - the same one that the person in the private room had. So they switched me into the private room. What a blessing indeed - it was a wonderful room with a nice window where I could see trees. The refrigerator made a huge difference because I could have some of my own food. I was at 92 lbs and was having trouble keeping the nursing home food down. Mom would take the organic box soups, chicken, rice, and Chinese vegetables (snow peas, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots) into the nurses station and heat it up. I was only able to eat a few salads once in awhile and beef and fish weren't working.
My friend Eileen Neilhly, who is a certified homeopathic person and Reiki person, sent me many small bottles of homeopathic remedies.
I had started introducing homeopathic medicine (homeopathics uses small amounts of mineral salts that become a catalyst in the body to encourage the body back into balance) and Spirilina (which is a form of green algae which is high in amino acids, good for the immune system and high in antioxidants)and Bone Up(which is a form of calcium that my body assimilates). The calcium the doctors were giving me did not work very well for my body. My experience is that when my body is not assimilating calcium it leaves deposits on my joints and produces bone spurs.
The doctors and nurses could see that I was getting stronger it was hard for them and and technicians to dole vitamins out to me as my requests for amounts increased. Finally they gave me permission to have a lock box and self administer the vitamins and homeopathic medicines. These vitamins and homeopathic medicines helped increase my strength because my body was able to assimilate them more easily.
With my additional strength I started using the walker and my physical therapist would take me around the building inside and outside. Now I could get really close to the trees and practiced walking on sand, dirt, gravel, and through the grass. I walked right over tree roots, through the gravel. and up a sand bank. Sometimes I over did it and paid with pain but after resting on the weekend I would be right back to walking again.
Actually sometimes the pain was unbelievable. It was hard for my family to help me through it because I was so determined that even if they had to assist me when I hobbled back into bed with terrible pain I would be back at it again the next day.
My friend Arianna came to visit me and did a light massage and I used her foot bath and ozone machine. The water turned bright orange as the arthritis from my fingers and bones started releasing un-needed toxins.
Cassandra and Bill did Polarity, Prana Healing, and other energy work on me and my new friend Jennie used her computer and a program called Light to up some of the doses of homeopathics. I met Jeanie through Cassandra. Jeannie has the same birthday as I do. We were both born at Presbyterian Hospital on December 1,1947. Wonderful connections can happen unexpectedly.
I also had a acupuncturist named Laurel Silkie who came to the nursing home twice. It is a real gift when these busy professionals will come to help out someone in a nursing home. Her treatment was a combination of energy work and acupuncture. My body did a lot of releasing on a lot of levels. She also helped figure out later on what to take for diarrhea, pain, and sleep which was interrupted by throwing up all night long when I got off the last drug.
Dr. Bob Schoos, a chiropractor and a friend of mine from the Jemez area, also came to the nursing home. I used to work at the Jemez Springs Bath house and for years Dr. Bob Schoos and I would send clients to each other. He brought his laser machine and gave me a treatment which really improved my strength in legs and arm and hand and thumb. Laser work and his techniques included menge point work and Kinesiology. His own systems are also incredible.
Gracia Coffin, Cecilia Viejos, Linsay Locke, Angele Ferrie - my teachers and friends -all did Reiki on me.
My teacher Michael Silver Dragon who I studied Qi Tao Reiki and chakra issue work for years with and his wife Berta who I studied American Indian Journey work with all came and gave me support and treatments. It was because of Michael's teaching that I was able to assist so many people in Houston at 'A New Way'.
My friend Susan Myers and her husband John helped introduce some new food possibilities.
My long time friend Wanda Higgins from Hummingbird Music Camp came often even on her busy schedule. I have worked on her and her family doing massage and Reiki treatments for years at Hummingbird Music camp. They had a cabin across from my folks when I was a kid and I used to play with the kids in the summer.
As I started to improve I started asking myself what else I needed to do. I still had to make trips by van to UNM hospital for exams and x-rays. It was a long and tedious adventure, 3 to 6 hours in a day, and the x-ray machines were difficult and painful. The staff was always very nice though.
When going to the hospital I had seen other people with physical therapy boards. Being lifted was painful so I decided to ask to borrow the the baby board, to make restroom trips easier. I usually got sick on the way back to the nursing home. My sacrum being broken and ribs smashed and organs smashed together and the spine smashed made it very painful and made my physically ill. I thought to myself what can I do to change this situation I am in. I meditated and remembered.
Next steps to helping myself heal
To be continued Part 8
A few of the things happened that speeded up my healing process. Zach, my son, bought me a very small refrigerator so I could have my own food. Then I was moved into a private room because my room mate had a bacterial infection - the same one that the person in the private room had. So they switched me into the private room. What a blessing indeed - it was a wonderful room with a nice window where I could see trees. The refrigerator made a huge difference because I could have some of my own food. I was at 92 lbs and was having trouble keeping the nursing home food down. Mom would take the organic box soups, chicken, rice, and Chinese vegetables (snow peas, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots) into the nurses station and heat it up. I was only able to eat a few salads once in awhile and beef and fish weren't working.
My friend Eileen Neilhly, who is a certified homeopathic person and Reiki person, sent me many small bottles of homeopathic remedies.
I had started introducing homeopathic medicine (homeopathics uses small amounts of mineral salts that become a catalyst in the body to encourage the body back into balance) and Spirilina (which is a form of green algae which is high in amino acids, good for the immune system and high in antioxidants)and Bone Up(which is a form of calcium that my body assimilates). The calcium the doctors were giving me did not work very well for my body. My experience is that when my body is not assimilating calcium it leaves deposits on my joints and produces bone spurs.
The doctors and nurses could see that I was getting stronger it was hard for them and and technicians to dole vitamins out to me as my requests for amounts increased. Finally they gave me permission to have a lock box and self administer the vitamins and homeopathic medicines. These vitamins and homeopathic medicines helped increase my strength because my body was able to assimilate them more easily.
With my additional strength I started using the walker and my physical therapist would take me around the building inside and outside. Now I could get really close to the trees and practiced walking on sand, dirt, gravel, and through the grass. I walked right over tree roots, through the gravel. and up a sand bank. Sometimes I over did it and paid with pain but after resting on the weekend I would be right back to walking again.
Actually sometimes the pain was unbelievable. It was hard for my family to help me through it because I was so determined that even if they had to assist me when I hobbled back into bed with terrible pain I would be back at it again the next day.
My friend Arianna came to visit me and did a light massage and I used her foot bath and ozone machine. The water turned bright orange as the arthritis from my fingers and bones started releasing un-needed toxins.
Cassandra and Bill did Polarity, Prana Healing, and other energy work on me and my new friend Jennie used her computer and a program called Light to up some of the doses of homeopathics. I met Jeanie through Cassandra. Jeannie has the same birthday as I do. We were both born at Presbyterian Hospital on December 1,1947. Wonderful connections can happen unexpectedly.
I also had a acupuncturist named Laurel Silkie who came to the nursing home twice. It is a real gift when these busy professionals will come to help out someone in a nursing home. Her treatment was a combination of energy work and acupuncture. My body did a lot of releasing on a lot of levels. She also helped figure out later on what to take for diarrhea, pain, and sleep which was interrupted by throwing up all night long when I got off the last drug.
Dr. Bob Schoos, a chiropractor and a friend of mine from the Jemez area, also came to the nursing home. I used to work at the Jemez Springs Bath house and for years Dr. Bob Schoos and I would send clients to each other. He brought his laser machine and gave me a treatment which really improved my strength in legs and arm and hand and thumb. Laser work and his techniques included menge point work and Kinesiology. His own systems are also incredible.
Gracia Coffin, Cecilia Viejos, Linsay Locke, Angele Ferrie - my teachers and friends -all did Reiki on me.
My teacher Michael Silver Dragon who I studied Qi Tao Reiki and chakra issue work for years with and his wife Berta who I studied American Indian Journey work with all came and gave me support and treatments. It was because of Michael's teaching that I was able to assist so many people in Houston at 'A New Way'.
My friend Susan Myers and her husband John helped introduce some new food possibilities.
My long time friend Wanda Higgins from Hummingbird Music Camp came often even on her busy schedule. I have worked on her and her family doing massage and Reiki treatments for years at Hummingbird Music camp. They had a cabin across from my folks when I was a kid and I used to play with the kids in the summer.
As I started to improve I started asking myself what else I needed to do. I still had to make trips by van to UNM hospital for exams and x-rays. It was a long and tedious adventure, 3 to 6 hours in a day, and the x-ray machines were difficult and painful. The staff was always very nice though.
When going to the hospital I had seen other people with physical therapy boards. Being lifted was painful so I decided to ask to borrow the the baby board, to make restroom trips easier. I usually got sick on the way back to the nursing home. My sacrum being broken and ribs smashed and organs smashed together and the spine smashed made it very painful and made my physically ill. I thought to myself what can I do to change this situation I am in. I meditated and remembered.
Next steps to helping myself heal
To be continued Part 8
Cosima's story part 6
Cosima Story Continued story Part 6
At Rio Rancho Nursing and Rehabilitation home:
I had a visual and emotional release after Jan described the accident. I had woken up and was feeling pieces of the car body in my body so I had asked him to describe the accident for the first time. What the couple told him who witnessed the accident was that I hit the bumper, then the hood, then the windshield, and then ripped off the mirror before flying 80 feet through the air. My shoes popped off my feet and then I hit the ground.
The next morning I woke up and had this spontaneous urge to do some silent screaming and I cried for about 30 minutes. Oh whoa is me!!!!!!!!!
I also had some emotional releases from cell memory of the operation. These unexplained feelings would come off my body - feelings about not having choices about what my body was experiencing. I was wanting to say stop wait a minute what is this for?
The dreams I remember more clearly then I do the sequences of events after the accident. I remember only a few things about the accident. This makes this story telling a good practice. Most of the time I stay very much in the here and now because paying attention to what I am doing is necessary to keep from hurting more than I need to.
Staying here and now focusing on each moment as it happens releases me from going into comparisons. Staying here and now keeps me attentive to living an experiment to see what I am capable of doing next. I have a lot of memories but I don't really need them to be alive and happy and excited about each gain of strength and mobility. The past is important and useful but I'm not really the same outdoor physically strong person. Every move I make now requires effort and attention. I am so dependent on others which is a new experience for me. I feel so much gratitude to my family and friends for all of the hours of assistance.
I was not able to wheel myself around in the wheelchair for quite awhile because of my right arm and so I kept visualizing how to improve the wheelchair. When I got some use of my arm enough I started using my legs to walk the chair places - it was a great joy!!!!! I could get to physical therapy by myself and I could go see my cousin Doug in the cafeteria.
I especially liked the stationary bike and the dart board in the physical therapy room. Exercising was such a big part of the day that resting was necessary. Short naps and watching movies on my portable DVD player helped the time go by when pain was so intense.
My sons and Jan would also bring in their lap top computers to watch DVD's. My eyes would get tired quickly though and I decided to have my son make and appointment with my eye doctor.
I started enjoying reading and watching the DVD player much more after I got a new prescription. We went by van to check out my eyes. The Eye doctor was very close to the nursing home that I could have been wheeled there by wheelchair. I was very lucky because although my prescription changed there were no more tears in my retina. The glasses made a big difference. I kept being told that my prescription might change but I could tell I needed to be able to see better now since my vision was so poor and my eyes would tire so quickly. My vision with out glasses is about 2inches from my face.
Life at the Nursing and Rehabilitation home was good. I met many fine people who are residents and temporary residents and the staff is friendly and helpful.
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To be continued Part 7
At Rio Rancho Nursing and Rehabilitation home:
I had a visual and emotional release after Jan described the accident. I had woken up and was feeling pieces of the car body in my body so I had asked him to describe the accident for the first time. What the couple told him who witnessed the accident was that I hit the bumper, then the hood, then the windshield, and then ripped off the mirror before flying 80 feet through the air. My shoes popped off my feet and then I hit the ground.
The next morning I woke up and had this spontaneous urge to do some silent screaming and I cried for about 30 minutes. Oh whoa is me!!!!!!!!!
I also had some emotional releases from cell memory of the operation. These unexplained feelings would come off my body - feelings about not having choices about what my body was experiencing. I was wanting to say stop wait a minute what is this for?
The dreams I remember more clearly then I do the sequences of events after the accident. I remember only a few things about the accident. This makes this story telling a good practice. Most of the time I stay very much in the here and now because paying attention to what I am doing is necessary to keep from hurting more than I need to.
Staying here and now focusing on each moment as it happens releases me from going into comparisons. Staying here and now keeps me attentive to living an experiment to see what I am capable of doing next. I have a lot of memories but I don't really need them to be alive and happy and excited about each gain of strength and mobility. The past is important and useful but I'm not really the same outdoor physically strong person. Every move I make now requires effort and attention. I am so dependent on others which is a new experience for me. I feel so much gratitude to my family and friends for all of the hours of assistance.
I was not able to wheel myself around in the wheelchair for quite awhile because of my right arm and so I kept visualizing how to improve the wheelchair. When I got some use of my arm enough I started using my legs to walk the chair places - it was a great joy!!!!! I could get to physical therapy by myself and I could go see my cousin Doug in the cafeteria.
I especially liked the stationary bike and the dart board in the physical therapy room. Exercising was such a big part of the day that resting was necessary. Short naps and watching movies on my portable DVD player helped the time go by when pain was so intense.
My sons and Jan would also bring in their lap top computers to watch DVD's. My eyes would get tired quickly though and I decided to have my son make and appointment with my eye doctor.
I started enjoying reading and watching the DVD player much more after I got a new prescription. We went by van to check out my eyes. The Eye doctor was very close to the nursing home that I could have been wheeled there by wheelchair. I was very lucky because although my prescription changed there were no more tears in my retina. The glasses made a big difference. I kept being told that my prescription might change but I could tell I needed to be able to see better now since my vision was so poor and my eyes would tire so quickly. My vision with out glasses is about 2inches from my face.
Life at the Nursing and Rehabilitation home was good. I met many fine people who are residents and temporary residents and the staff is friendly and helpful.
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To be continued Part 7
Cosima's story part 5
Cosima Say's story continued Part 5
Story continues from Rio Rancho Nursing and Rehabilitation home
Being off the food tube was a big adjustment. Food, which I had really been looking forward too, was not the same as it was before the accident. It was a mouthful to chew and swallow. It had different smells and tastes and my stomach did not always accept it. I had to measure constantly how much I could handle and experiment with the food the nursing home served. I have food allergies and was used to eating primarily vegetables, fish, chicken and certain fruits. My mind wanted fresh vegetables and raw smoothies but my stomach could only handle cooked food. I got very tired of mashed potatoes which my stomach could easily digest. I talked to the nutritionist and tried to figure out a list of things I could and could not eat. I was pretty young in comparison to most of the people at the nursing home and most people there didn't have the same diets I used to have.
The surprising thing that happened was I found out my cousin Doug was in the same nursing home - what a wonderful coincidence. Doug has MS and Jan and Nancy had no idea that he was there. He had been transferred to Rio Rancho from another nursing home. It was so enjoyable to get a chance to spend some time with him. Even though he was in another wing, I could sit in the cafeteria when I could handle the sound level and visit with him. Often I would go for a wheelchair ride and go spend a little time with him in the cafeteria and then go back to the room to eat.
I lucked out on my roommate. She was a very nice woman and she did not hear well so all the visitors I had did not bother her that much. We ended up looking out for each other as a slow friendship grew.
The attendants were mainly these 2 young nice girls who cared for me off and on until I left and went to Mom's. I really liked all of the nurses and attendants and staff at the nursing home. Even though a lot of them worked long hours everyone worked at having a really positive attitude. I even over heard a Doctor giving a attendant a lecture about her attitude so I assume it was a policy. It certainly helped my feeling of being safe and made it a much happier place to be..
I had some adjusting to do and I was still getting off drugs which I had made the decision to do earlier. I started taking one drug to help me relax and sleep. I did not know that it also would require a payment to get off of. The constant battle between constipation and diarrhea wasn't much fun.
I kept having episodes of emotional release from the trauma of the accident and the operation. The releases I was experiencing were not planned into the daily schedule.
The physical therapists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists were really on the ball at Rio Rancho nursing home. They started coming in to my room every morning after my arrival.
At first we did physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy in my room as I was extra sound sensitive and the therapy room was small with a lots of equipment, clients, and therapists around. I have always been a little sound sensitive but this was like 10 times increased since the accident. Everyone was very understanding about it and since I was the only one around at the time hit by a car while on a bicycle we really don't know why.
When I started wearing ear plugs and going to the therapy room when there was less people at first attendants had to lift me into the wheel chair. This was still a big process because of broken ribs and a broken sacrum. My back felt weak and my head felt smashed into my skull.
The physical therapy room was great with gym equipment and a standing bicycle to ride. The occupational therapist did some hands on work which made a huge difference in the use of my right arm. UNM hospital had changed the neck brace and then also the inflexible wrap around my hand and lower right arm to one that could be taken off to exercise my hand and arm.
I really lucked out with the therapists that I was assigned too. The physical therapist took me outside and rolled me up close to trees so I could hug them. You can not imagine how much I missed trees. I live in a 3 room cabin next to a stream under 90 ft ponderosa trees. I paint water color paintings of trees and nature in addition to being a massage therapist and Reiki teacher. Most of my life I have spent outside except when I am working on friends or clients. Spending so many months inside in hospitals was a real challenge. Of course I am very grateful but wow do I like being outside.
The occupational therapist had some hands on training and started getting some movement in my fingers which wouldn't bend and by elbow which would not go out straight. She was very encouraging and made a big difference.
The speech therapist gave me a lot of swallowing exercises and swabbed my mouth with liquids that seemed to increase my ability to swallow.
When the trachea was taken out at first I was able to sing better then I remember being able to sing. It was a short lived gift as my voice has gone back to having trouble staying on key.
When the physical therapists at Rio Rancho Nursing and Rehabilitation home wanted me to use a small board to get into the wheelchair I remember putting up my fingers in a cross and I said no way. This strong negative reaction about not wanting to get on the board I think must be a memory of the board from the helicopter flight.
It took some talking to myself pretty strongly to start experimenting with what I decided to call the "baby board". Putting this into perspective and acknowledging that my reluctance was probably from an unconscious memory of the helicopter ride (since I have no memory of the ride) I was able to begin to accept it. As soon as I got this acceptance project started, then I loved just being able to get on the "baby board" and get from one spot to another practically by myself. Using the "baby board" to get from the bed to the wheelchair and back was easier on my body then being picked up and lifted. It was a whole new adventure.
I was getting back to having some control over my life - Yeah! Beginnings of renewed hope began to blossom and bloom.
To be continued in Part 6
Love and Light
Cosima
Story continues from Rio Rancho Nursing and Rehabilitation home
Being off the food tube was a big adjustment. Food, which I had really been looking forward too, was not the same as it was before the accident. It was a mouthful to chew and swallow. It had different smells and tastes and my stomach did not always accept it. I had to measure constantly how much I could handle and experiment with the food the nursing home served. I have food allergies and was used to eating primarily vegetables, fish, chicken and certain fruits. My mind wanted fresh vegetables and raw smoothies but my stomach could only handle cooked food. I got very tired of mashed potatoes which my stomach could easily digest. I talked to the nutritionist and tried to figure out a list of things I could and could not eat. I was pretty young in comparison to most of the people at the nursing home and most people there didn't have the same diets I used to have.
The surprising thing that happened was I found out my cousin Doug was in the same nursing home - what a wonderful coincidence. Doug has MS and Jan and Nancy had no idea that he was there. He had been transferred to Rio Rancho from another nursing home. It was so enjoyable to get a chance to spend some time with him. Even though he was in another wing, I could sit in the cafeteria when I could handle the sound level and visit with him. Often I would go for a wheelchair ride and go spend a little time with him in the cafeteria and then go back to the room to eat.
I lucked out on my roommate. She was a very nice woman and she did not hear well so all the visitors I had did not bother her that much. We ended up looking out for each other as a slow friendship grew.
The attendants were mainly these 2 young nice girls who cared for me off and on until I left and went to Mom's. I really liked all of the nurses and attendants and staff at the nursing home. Even though a lot of them worked long hours everyone worked at having a really positive attitude. I even over heard a Doctor giving a attendant a lecture about her attitude so I assume it was a policy. It certainly helped my feeling of being safe and made it a much happier place to be..
I had some adjusting to do and I was still getting off drugs which I had made the decision to do earlier. I started taking one drug to help me relax and sleep. I did not know that it also would require a payment to get off of. The constant battle between constipation and diarrhea wasn't much fun.
I kept having episodes of emotional release from the trauma of the accident and the operation. The releases I was experiencing were not planned into the daily schedule.
The physical therapists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists were really on the ball at Rio Rancho nursing home. They started coming in to my room every morning after my arrival.
At first we did physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy in my room as I was extra sound sensitive and the therapy room was small with a lots of equipment, clients, and therapists around. I have always been a little sound sensitive but this was like 10 times increased since the accident. Everyone was very understanding about it and since I was the only one around at the time hit by a car while on a bicycle we really don't know why.
When I started wearing ear plugs and going to the therapy room when there was less people at first attendants had to lift me into the wheel chair. This was still a big process because of broken ribs and a broken sacrum. My back felt weak and my head felt smashed into my skull.
The physical therapy room was great with gym equipment and a standing bicycle to ride. The occupational therapist did some hands on work which made a huge difference in the use of my right arm. UNM hospital had changed the neck brace and then also the inflexible wrap around my hand and lower right arm to one that could be taken off to exercise my hand and arm.
I really lucked out with the therapists that I was assigned too. The physical therapist took me outside and rolled me up close to trees so I could hug them. You can not imagine how much I missed trees. I live in a 3 room cabin next to a stream under 90 ft ponderosa trees. I paint water color paintings of trees and nature in addition to being a massage therapist and Reiki teacher. Most of my life I have spent outside except when I am working on friends or clients. Spending so many months inside in hospitals was a real challenge. Of course I am very grateful but wow do I like being outside.
The occupational therapist had some hands on training and started getting some movement in my fingers which wouldn't bend and by elbow which would not go out straight. She was very encouraging and made a big difference.
The speech therapist gave me a lot of swallowing exercises and swabbed my mouth with liquids that seemed to increase my ability to swallow.
When the trachea was taken out at first I was able to sing better then I remember being able to sing. It was a short lived gift as my voice has gone back to having trouble staying on key.
When the physical therapists at Rio Rancho Nursing and Rehabilitation home wanted me to use a small board to get into the wheelchair I remember putting up my fingers in a cross and I said no way. This strong negative reaction about not wanting to get on the board I think must be a memory of the board from the helicopter flight.
It took some talking to myself pretty strongly to start experimenting with what I decided to call the "baby board". Putting this into perspective and acknowledging that my reluctance was probably from an unconscious memory of the helicopter ride (since I have no memory of the ride) I was able to begin to accept it. As soon as I got this acceptance project started, then I loved just being able to get on the "baby board" and get from one spot to another practically by myself. Using the "baby board" to get from the bed to the wheelchair and back was easier on my body then being picked up and lifted. It was a whole new adventure.
I was getting back to having some control over my life - Yeah! Beginnings of renewed hope began to blossom and bloom.
To be continued in Part 6
Love and Light
Cosima
Cosima's story part 4
In one of those dreams I remember deciding to LIVE. I remember why I decided to LIVE and having a Rational thought process about why. The choice was made while I was in UNM Hospital in a dream state, but I remembered while I was in Kindred Hospital. It was not too much after I woke up one morning and I WAS SO GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE.
Sam and Zach, my sons, needed to catch up on some of the work they had been missing. Sam's wife Kayla had her Mom Nancy fly in from Washington state to help out my Mom with taking turns at the Hospital.
I remember someone asking me if I remembered choosing to live and when I said yes inside myself I heard the reason why. I was not worried about my sons because they both had good lives and women who would help them make it through life. But my Mom had just had 2 husbands die. She was married to my dad for almost 60 years and then married my dad's brother. He was going on 90 and had taken care of his wife for 8 years before she died and my mom had been taking care of my dad for 4 years before he died. They both had a lot in common such as loving music and the same last name. He died last year and we still miss him. My mom is 83 and 2 deaths in a 3 year period is hard enough to take much less your 60 year old daughter. So, I decided on some dream intervention level to stay in this body. I did not know of course how much pain and how much work it would be to be able to walk and use my right arm again. I did know though that I would have a lot of help both on this plane and from a lot of light beings not so visible. Also I knew then that when I was able to return home I would be living with my mom off and on for quite awhile.
Nancy, Kayla's mom, was a great help and I had my first gentle massage on legs and feet. She is a nurse and it was my mom's first time to meet her. They get along great, she is a very sweet lady. The 3 of us had a fine time and I am very grateful. She also went with Jan to pick out a nursing home. After passing the swallow test I was ok to move on for rehabilitation in a nursing home since I needed less care.
After Nancy left Angele started visiting me rubbing my feet with rescue remedy. That also helped immensely.
When my son Zach returned he gave me a nice massage. I think moving around in the bed and gentle massages where one reason I did not get bed sores.
Sam does Reiki and when he came he told me about doing Reiki on me at UNM hospital and how Kayla his wife started experiencing the energy coming off of me. I had Sam work on my right leg, which at the time was spasming and the two toes next to the big toe would curl up and cross over each other. There was still a lot of pain and Sam would end up with very hot hands and need to shake of the intensity of the pain. I could only handle short treatments and soft touching.
When Jan worked on me he couldn't believe how I would jump from being touched. There is nothing like having so many people around me trained in Reiki to make a difference in recovering from a major accident. I am a certified Reiki Teacher and have over 50 students. I never thought I would be needing treatments the way I need them now.
The big move to Rio Ranch Nursing and Rehabilitation Home was by Ambulance as I was still wheelchair bound. It was a exciting day to leave a hospital environment and go to a Nursing home. They had a piano in the entrance room plus a glass bird cage with lots of singing birds. Outside there were big trees and 4 little gazebos and places to sit along a concrete walk way.
Not long before I left Kindred, they had put in a trachea which I could touch on the outside and speak. The whole family was thrilled because writing notes and making sign language to get my messages across was difficult. My voice sounded strange after so many weeks of not being able to speak.
Saying good by to the staff at Kindred took awhile and with having so many cards and so many visitors and constant attention from family and friends.
I felt like a celebrity leaving a familiar place. I was a little sad to be leaving friends at the hospital but so happy to be moving on to the next adventure.
Love and Light Cosima
Story to be continued . . .
Sam and Zach, my sons, needed to catch up on some of the work they had been missing. Sam's wife Kayla had her Mom Nancy fly in from Washington state to help out my Mom with taking turns at the Hospital.
I remember someone asking me if I remembered choosing to live and when I said yes inside myself I heard the reason why. I was not worried about my sons because they both had good lives and women who would help them make it through life. But my Mom had just had 2 husbands die. She was married to my dad for almost 60 years and then married my dad's brother. He was going on 90 and had taken care of his wife for 8 years before she died and my mom had been taking care of my dad for 4 years before he died. They both had a lot in common such as loving music and the same last name. He died last year and we still miss him. My mom is 83 and 2 deaths in a 3 year period is hard enough to take much less your 60 year old daughter. So, I decided on some dream intervention level to stay in this body. I did not know of course how much pain and how much work it would be to be able to walk and use my right arm again. I did know though that I would have a lot of help both on this plane and from a lot of light beings not so visible. Also I knew then that when I was able to return home I would be living with my mom off and on for quite awhile.
Nancy, Kayla's mom, was a great help and I had my first gentle massage on legs and feet. She is a nurse and it was my mom's first time to meet her. They get along great, she is a very sweet lady. The 3 of us had a fine time and I am very grateful. She also went with Jan to pick out a nursing home. After passing the swallow test I was ok to move on for rehabilitation in a nursing home since I needed less care.
After Nancy left Angele started visiting me rubbing my feet with rescue remedy. That also helped immensely.
When my son Zach returned he gave me a nice massage. I think moving around in the bed and gentle massages where one reason I did not get bed sores.
Sam does Reiki and when he came he told me about doing Reiki on me at UNM hospital and how Kayla his wife started experiencing the energy coming off of me. I had Sam work on my right leg, which at the time was spasming and the two toes next to the big toe would curl up and cross over each other. There was still a lot of pain and Sam would end up with very hot hands and need to shake of the intensity of the pain. I could only handle short treatments and soft touching.
When Jan worked on me he couldn't believe how I would jump from being touched. There is nothing like having so many people around me trained in Reiki to make a difference in recovering from a major accident. I am a certified Reiki Teacher and have over 50 students. I never thought I would be needing treatments the way I need them now.
The big move to Rio Ranch Nursing and Rehabilitation Home was by Ambulance as I was still wheelchair bound. It was a exciting day to leave a hospital environment and go to a Nursing home. They had a piano in the entrance room plus a glass bird cage with lots of singing birds. Outside there were big trees and 4 little gazebos and places to sit along a concrete walk way.
Not long before I left Kindred, they had put in a trachea which I could touch on the outside and speak. The whole family was thrilled because writing notes and making sign language to get my messages across was difficult. My voice sounded strange after so many weeks of not being able to speak.
Saying good by to the staff at Kindred took awhile and with having so many cards and so many visitors and constant attention from family and friends.
I felt like a celebrity leaving a familiar place. I was a little sad to be leaving friends at the hospital but so happy to be moving on to the next adventure.
Love and Light Cosima
Story to be continued . . .
Cosima's story part 3
Dear friends
You know that if you are looking for a miracle, you can count on my still being alive as one of those unexplained miracles. THERE IS NO LOGICAL REASON FOR ME TO STILL BE ALIVE. If you saw the bicycle and you understood WHAT A FREAKY ACCIDENT IT WAS, you would be asking yourself a lot of unexplainable questions.
Still at Kindred Hospital:
The family whose son and daughter were part of the accident came to visit me at Kindred hospital and have continued to visit. They are a very nice family. The son and daughter read me a letter that they wrote telling me how sorry they were. The family has undergone counseling because of this event. The father and son have come and helped out by things outside, like cutting wood and raking pine needles at my cabin, which I cannot do right now.
FORGIVENESS IS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS as it says in "The Course in Miracles".
I wasn't thinking of the course I had studied. Most of my response was triggered from my heart and a dream I had had. The dream was as real to me as life. It was about a school teaching children a new respect for themselves. The school was a secret school and was hidden from the world which was not in favor of children learning who they really are. The time period appeared to be in the 1800's because of the dress code. A friend of mine was the main teacher. Women or young girls out in the real world apart from this school particularly were not allowed to be learning the trades that were taught at this school. She helped me to understand that children can be damaged permanently if they feel really guilty about something that they have done. Sometimes the damage affects the way they relate to others for the rest of their life so much that when they have children they pass that same pattern on.
This dream triggered in me a need to completely forgive the son and daughter responsible for this accident. No matter what anyone said to me about what I should do I knew with all of my beingness that I must take my own guidance on this event.
I have explained to quite a few friends that acknowledging what has happened and letting go of it by silent screaming for the pain or just remembering, forgiving and letting go are the important factors in helping the body and mind to heal. How much does someone need to pay for mistakes? Can you really get anything out of revenge? Isn't the world in a state of delusion about an eye for and eye? Really who pays the most for holding a grudge?
Have you viewed the TV program " Joan of Arcadia". This young teenage girl gets visits from God. In this program God visits her with a changing Image such as the garbage man or the teacher or a little girl in the park. God is always asking Joan to do some task like join the chess club or be someones friend. It is after a lot of incidental things happen that sometimes she begins to understand how this project she has been given helps someone. Sometimes God has to spell it out more clearly by showing her what would have happened if she had not made friends with someone. Often she gets in trouble with her family or friends because they do not understand why she is doing so many odd things. She has learned that she can't tell anyone that God talks to her because they will think she needs counseling.
In this dimension though, I remember very strongly saying to my friend Angele who was in my dream, this was before my accident. I was quite adamant about how abuse needed to stop happening on this planet, YOU may think that is fairly precocious of me.
I learned in the hospital because of my judgment about abuse, and some of my pain level, that if I could totally appreciate each attendant or nurse and cleaning person, I could have compassion and help them feel good about themselves. If I chose to ignore how they were feeling they might continue to have a bad hair day!!!.. On those days I would suffer because their mood was distracting them from being careful. If I didn't help them shift their mood, sometimes it was a painful bath in the bed, or they lifted me a little to high and plopped me down a little to hard, etc. If I acknowledged that I recognized something was going on with them and then thanked them for how much care they were giving me, they started being more aware of how they handled me.
I did get to meet one of the nurses who worked so diligently on my scars on my face at UNM Hospital. It was a brief connection and again she helped me through some pain as it was an early morning ambulance ride from Kindred Hospital for a appointment at UNM Hospital. I was hurting a lot and she did some energy work that helped. Thanks to her I don't have much visible scar tissue on my forehead.
Among things I began to realize is that I was healing quickly. I had more energy than most patients, but I did not sleep well. At first I thought it was the bed and the constant sound and activity that I was not use to. But, then I also realized that all my wonderful friends must be working on me and sending me energy. It was a powerful realization 'of being so loved' people were sending me round the clock all this energy.
The staff helped me realize that I needed sleep to help the healing also. My Friend Dr. Dan who had been calling me and doing distance treatments: He calls them "The Equations of Life " suggested ear plugs and an Ipod of music which really helped along with his incredible treatments. So many friends came in and gave me Reiki treatments both at UNM Hospital and at Kindred. I was so drugged and in a dream world from all the surgeries I didn't remember half of the wonderful friends who came to my bedside and did all this incredible energy work on me. But the dreams I had were so real I can still relate most of the contents in vivid living color.
Finally I decided to request that energy work be backed off a little. After getting more sleep and 'One Equation of Life treatment' I woke up one morning feeling totally grateful for being alive.
It was a total feeling and though I still had a lot of pain It was like jumping through some major hoop. I had come along way Baby!!!!!!!!. From not understanding that I was non weight bearing and tied to some bed post to feeling "Totally grateful for Being Alive".
Story to be continued
cosima's story part 2
Part 2 Cosima's story-continued
Please don't get me wrong about Western Medicine. I am very grateful for the incredible surgeries on my legs and arm and hip. Without surgery and the efficient care I got from the medical staff at UNM hospital I am certain I would not be walking or alive.
At Kindred Hospital being lifted into a wheel chair was a big deal. I really enjoyed being wheeled around and getting to go outside on nice days. Jan and Mom took turns and Sam and Zach would fly in every other week. I had such tremendous wheel chair rides and such awesome support. Also the number of friends visiting me and the number of cards was overwhelming. What an incredible amount of love was poured my way. How can I possibly explain the gratitude and love that I feel in my heart for everyone's support.
The cleaning staff were glad for me to leave the room and go for rides in the wheel chair, because cleaning products have such a strong smell I would often feel sick for hours if they mopped while I was in the room.
When I heard I might get off the food tube at Kindred hospital by taking the swallow test I started to crave chocolate. But, having given up chocolate, except in very small amounts, I knew that this craving was also just part of the old sugar habit of wanting comfort. The swallow test was no easy process, especially having food allergies. Even, the smell of food was not that easy. First time a round I did not pass.
They pull the tubes so you can take the test and then put them back in if you do not pass the test. They watch you swallow with a machine. The reason for caution has to do with getting bacteria into your lungs and getting pneumonia. My nostrils are not large enough for tubes. I must have been on some pretty heavy drugs the first time they put them in. Without Zach holding my hand and Gracia talking me though it over the phone, I would never have been able to do it due to the pain level. On top of that it did not get positioned correctly and had to be done again.
Since I was not considered weight bearing on my legs and one arm I often had to call the staff into move me up in bed. I needed the head of the bed raised because of the trachea and food tube. Broken ribs, smashed organs, and tubes all added to the feeling of needing to move up toward the head of the bed. I learned I could bend my knees and hoist up toward the head of the bed even with just one arm. Maybe I became stronger because of experimenting with this technique instead of calling for help all the time.
The more conscious I became the more I realized that the air bed I had must have something wrong with it. The fact that my sacrum was broken did not make even sleeping on my side comfortable. One day after insisting that something must be wrong with the bed they actually had an inspection and found out it was broken.
The fact that I had so many visitors and so many cards I think is one of the reasons they finally listened to me about the bed. There are so many emergencies day and night it is difficult to keep a constant positive attitude about patients, I am very grateful for the hospitals staffs compassion.
The arrival of a new air mattress was very exciting and the bed made a big difference.
Thanks again for listening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love and Light Cosima
Story to be continued next week.
in her own words
We have a welcome change in format. Instead of hearing things from an outside perspective I am going to post what Cosima sends me. She has asked that I edit as I see fit since it is hard for her to spend very long looking at a computer screen but I will do very minimal editing - just very basic items. So without further ado here is Cosima herself:
Cosima says: story (part 1)
I am glad to be alive!!!!!!!!!! Getting mobility back has been a challenge but, I have a lot of self discipline from years of yoga, Qigong and spiritual study.
I really don't remember much about the accident. I was ridding along enjoying the scenery and having a great time. I do remember hearing Gracia scream out. I do remember someone telling me that it would be better for my legs to be down hill and I remember somehow lifting them and changing their direction. I also remember having put my tongue to the roof of my mouth and breathing up the center of the spinal column (the cosmic orbit). I think that must have been when the car hit me. I think that is one reason that I am still alive. Connecting with vital life force by doing the cosmic orbit keys one into the 'Tao' or a place of 'Being'. Another reason that I still must be alive is having such loving attention from my family and friends - it made such a difference.
On ambulance rides from Kindred hospital to UNM Hospital for appointments I met a couple of the ambulance drivers who actually were with me on either the arrival of the helicopter or the actual helicopter ride. Anyway they remembered the event and it was nice to get to meet them and thank them consciously.
The difficult part about hospitals is that so much is going on all the time. So many people and then you spend a lot of time by yourself. Being around so many people on a bicycle trip and then lots of people in a hospital it really adds up to a lot of sound and light. I noticed being hypertensive. Some times behind the curtain right next to you there are emergency situations at anytime of the day or night. I could definitely do without food tubes for the rest of my life.
For sometime I could not place in my mind what my sons and Jan were trying to tell me. I could not understand why they would not let me get up to go to the restroom. I was disoriented in time and place and did not see how there had been time for an accident. I kept thinking I was in Seattle because of hearing my daughter in law's voice and having dreams about Seattle.
The day that I remember trying to get out of bed and after ending up sitting on the floor without being able to use my legs I decided to get off of morphine and oxymax. They tied me up at night with my already immobile arm which made sleeping even more difficult. Refusing pain medication and trying to convince the hospital staff that 2 times of trying to get out of bed were enough took some talking. I clearly realized that the strength had gone from my legs and that I had been in an accident or something.
I did not like being tied up. Getting off of drugs was a teeter-totter experience between nausea, diarrhea and constipation. The wheat and sugar and drugs from food tubes and the trachea tube etc were motivating me to want to get up and get out of there. The amount of patience that I began to consciously practice was core issue spiritual work.
Once I began to understand that I did not have to do everything they expected me to do was a true day of taking charge of my healing.
By listening internally I began to make choices that made my healing faster.
Story to be continued next week . . .
pics of Cosima
Cosima & Sam hiking together
Cosima in her art studio at Thelma's
Cosima hikingThought everyone would enjoy some pictures of Cosima Sam took while he was down there visiting. Good to see her getting back to doing some of the things she loves including hiking. Her art studio is set up for her to do some painting and hopefully even host an art show sometime so stay tuned.
what a change
Well looks like when I updated about Cosima driving soon she beat me to the punch. When Sam flew in on Friday to visit Cosima was in the driver's seat. Thelma was with her and she hasn't driven alone yet but am sure that will be happening quickly.
Sam was so impressed with her progress and how well she is doing and so soon. Already she is at where the doctors said she would be at the 1 year mark.
Her intense physical therapy on her arms is paying off and she is regaining her mobility and strength.
Cosima and Sam walked for about 3 1/2 to 4 miles 1 day in various places. She was able to get up and over rocks and walk on some very uneven ground. Her pace may still be slow but being able to get in that many miles in 1 day is impressive though she did pay for it a bit with some soreness the next day.
They went to the cabin to pick up some painting supplies and were able to sit by the stream drinking tea together.
It was a great weekend and the weather even hit 70 degrees on Sunday though the day before it snowed. Sam came home yesterday excited about his mom's tremendous progress. Even better was how positive she is about continuing to recover and prove those doctors wrong with their estimates of how long it will take her to get to the next stage. Once again she is surpassing every one's expectations but knowing her and how determined she is we shouldn't be surprised.
Sam was so impressed with her progress and how well she is doing and so soon. Already she is at where the doctors said she would be at the 1 year mark.
Her intense physical therapy on her arms is paying off and she is regaining her mobility and strength.
Cosima and Sam walked for about 3 1/2 to 4 miles 1 day in various places. She was able to get up and over rocks and walk on some very uneven ground. Her pace may still be slow but being able to get in that many miles in 1 day is impressive though she did pay for it a bit with some soreness the next day.
They went to the cabin to pick up some painting supplies and were able to sit by the stream drinking tea together.
It was a great weekend and the weather even hit 70 degrees on Sunday though the day before it snowed. Sam came home yesterday excited about his mom's tremendous progress. Even better was how positive she is about continuing to recover and prove those doctors wrong with their estimates of how long it will take her to get to the next stage. Once again she is surpassing every one's expectations but knowing her and how determined she is we shouldn't be surprised.
rapidly improving
Sorry it has been so long between posts, life gets in the way and suddenly it is weeks later. Cosima has been making remarkable progress. She switched physical therapists and has found someone she feels is really helping make some excellent progress.
Cosima has been focusing on increasing her arm strength and her mobility. She is seeing some good improvement thanks to her new therapist and all the time and energy she is putting in to her recovery.
Something she has working towards is being able to drive again. She is hoping she will be back on the road again in several weeks. This will really be the next step in regaining her freedom.
Sam is visiting her tomorrow. He is excited to see her progress and get caught up in person. It is never quite the same to talk on the phone versus being there in person. He arrives this afternoon and will leave on Monday so this will give them some good time together. Am sure I will have some additional updates after I hear from him.
Cosima has been focusing on increasing her arm strength and her mobility. She is seeing some good improvement thanks to her new therapist and all the time and energy she is putting in to her recovery.
Something she has working towards is being able to drive again. She is hoping she will be back on the road again in several weeks. This will really be the next step in regaining her freedom.
Sam is visiting her tomorrow. He is excited to see her progress and get caught up in person. It is never quite the same to talk on the phone versus being there in person. He arrives this afternoon and will leave on Monday so this will give them some good time together. Am sure I will have some additional updates after I hear from him.
walking through the woods
Cosima was able to take a walk with her friend Gracia helping her just a bit through the woods for over a mile. And the best part was that she didn't need her cane to get around - just a bit of assistance from her friend.
This week she is staying with Gracia while helping her friend Dr Dan during his visit. She was even able to do a brief bit of energy work on someone.
So far she feels her legs are doing very well and it is her arm where she feels she needs the most work. In order to increase her strength in her arms she is looking at some different options and possibly a way to intensify her physical therapy. Am sure we will have more to report on that later.
Being able to go to her cabin and walk in by herself was such an exciting moment for her. After having been away for so long it was very exciting to be able to walk into her own home after almost five months. Just being back in her own space if only for a brief time was very uplifting.
Know there will be many more walks in the woods - am sure these will soon be hikes where Sam and I definitely wouldn't be even able to keep up. We are all looking forward to that moment though it might just be nice to be able to keep pace with her for a brief period of time before she takes off on us.
life & stuff
Cosima has been doing what many of us do - shopping, movies, errands. She has been going to Albuquerque to get some of her errands done - with company of course. Just being able to do many of the things we take for granted is such a huge step for her.
She is continuing to work on her paintings. Maybe there will be enough for a show soon - know we all want to see her work.
Therapy is still progressing. Right now she is getting in one session with the therapists a week and then doing the exercises on her own. She is definitely keeping up on her therapy and continues to improve. Each week she is able to do a bit more
On Sundays she has been going to church with Thelma. They have both been enjoying attending services together though I believe it is just Thelma singing in the choir.
Dr Dan is visiting in a few weeks so Cosima has been helping get ready for his visit as well and is looking forward to seeing him.
She is continuing to work on her paintings. Maybe there will be enough for a show soon - know we all want to see her work.
Therapy is still progressing. Right now she is getting in one session with the therapists a week and then doing the exercises on her own. She is definitely keeping up on her therapy and continues to improve. Each week she is able to do a bit more
On Sundays she has been going to church with Thelma. They have both been enjoying attending services together though I believe it is just Thelma singing in the choir.
Dr Dan is visiting in a few weeks so Cosima has been helping get ready for his visit as well and is looking forward to seeing him.
3 legs instead of 4
Cosima has exchanged her walker for a cane. Seems she only needs 1 extra leg of additional support instead of 2. She says she is getting around quite well with the cane.
She has been doing some painting in her studio space and is enjoying getting back to it. I will have to see if she can send us some pictures to post of her work. Otherwise I will have Sam get some pictures next time he is there for a visit. Know we would all love to see what she has been working on.
Cosima has even been able to do some very light work on Thelma. Thelma is happy to get some work done as Cosima worked on her mom quite a bit before the accident and she really benefited from it. Now Cosima is seeing results as well with her strength very slowly starting to increase.
She has been doing some painting in her studio space and is enjoying getting back to it. I will have to see if she can send us some pictures to post of her work. Otherwise I will have Sam get some pictures next time he is there for a visit. Know we would all love to see what she has been working on.
Cosima has even been able to do some very light work on Thelma. Thelma is happy to get some work done as Cosima worked on her mom quite a bit before the accident and she really benefited from it. Now Cosima is seeing results as well with her strength very slowly starting to increase.
therapy continues
Cosima had her physical therapy appointment on Tuesday. It sounds like it was pretty intense and the therapist had her do quite a bit. She was using various pulleys and weights so they are making sure she is getting the most out of the visit.
Right now she is at 1 physcial therapy appointment per week so it has to really count. On her own she is continuing to ride the stationary work and practice the exercises she has learned from the therapists. She is definitely making sure she is continuing to get her exercises in on a daily basis.
Zach actually went back on Monday - somehow I thought it was Tuesday so that was my error. They had a great visit together. Zach was able to help get the studio at Thelma's ready for Cosima so she can start using it to paint in or for anything else she wants to do.
Cosima had worked hard last year to clean up the building and had really fixed it up so she could do some work there. Zach was able to put the finishing touches on it and it is ready for her use. Turns out the timing was excellent and now she will have a place where she can work and a space she can escape to. Makes me want to somehow have Sam make me my own studio - a space to be creative seems like so much fun. Lets hope he is reading this though not sure where it would go.
Right now she is at 1 physcial therapy appointment per week so it has to really count. On her own she is continuing to ride the stationary work and practice the exercises she has learned from the therapists. She is definitely making sure she is continuing to get her exercises in on a daily basis.
Zach actually went back on Monday - somehow I thought it was Tuesday so that was my error. They had a great visit together. Zach was able to help get the studio at Thelma's ready for Cosima so she can start using it to paint in or for anything else she wants to do.
Cosima had worked hard last year to clean up the building and had really fixed it up so she could do some work there. Zach was able to put the finishing touches on it and it is ready for her use. Turns out the timing was excellent and now she will have a place where she can work and a space she can escape to. Makes me want to somehow have Sam make me my own studio - a space to be creative seems like so much fun. Lets hope he is reading this though not sure where it would go.
home sweet home
Yesterday Cosima was able to go up to her cabin for the first time since her accident. Zach drove her up there but she did stay in the car since there was over 3 feet of snow on the ground and she wouldn't have been able to navigate it. Just being able to see if after all these months it was a welcome sight. Zach was able to get a few things for her out of the cabin that she had been wanting to have.
Am sure it was hard for her not to go inside but we were very glad she chose to be safe and just view it from the car.
On Friday she and Zach went to see a movie. She has been able to get out to dinner as well.
Zach said she has been moving around very well and doing quite a few things on her own. She has been cooking her own food and that has been good since then she can make what she wants and how she likes it cooked.
It is still hard to believe how far she has come so far - whenever someone asks and we give them an update they are so surprised with where she is today. We know she will continue to keep progressing at an amazing rate.
Zach leaves on Tuesday and it has been wonderful that he was able to be there for a week and spend all that time with his mom and grandma.
Am sure it was hard for her not to go inside but we were very glad she chose to be safe and just view it from the car.
On Friday she and Zach went to see a movie. She has been able to get out to dinner as well.
Zach said she has been moving around very well and doing quite a few things on her own. She has been cooking her own food and that has been good since then she can make what she wants and how she likes it cooked.
It is still hard to believe how far she has come so far - whenever someone asks and we give them an update they are so surprised with where she is today. We know she will continue to keep progressing at an amazing rate.
Zach leaves on Tuesday and it has been wonderful that he was able to be there for a week and spend all that time with his mom and grandma.
assistance requested
Cosima has made a special request for some energy work to be performed on her. If you are able to visit her in person she would really like to have you work on her. If you don't live close by she would like it to be done remotely.
She is especially interested in concentrating the work on her spinal column as this is an area she feels she needs the most help with currently. If you want to have additional information please call her. She really feels that the energy work at this time will make a big difference for her.
Zach arrived last evening to spend some time with her. She is excited to have him visit and has been looking forward to his arrival. Am sure they will enjoy their time together and will be a huge improvement now that she is no longer at the hospital or nursing center - much easier to visit with someone if it isn't confined to a single room in a public location.
She is especially interested in concentrating the work on her spinal column as this is an area she feels she needs the most help with currently. If you want to have additional information please call her. She really feels that the energy work at this time will make a big difference for her.
Zach arrived last evening to spend some time with her. She is excited to have him visit and has been looking forward to his arrival. Am sure they will enjoy their time together and will be a huge improvement now that she is no longer at the hospital or nursing center - much easier to visit with someone if it isn't confined to a single room in a public location.
happy new year
Happy New Year! Cosima has been able to get outside a few times this week. She stayed up to greet in the New Year after a busy day going to a movie, shopping, and spending time with friends. She was surprised she made it past midnight but with all that she was doing during the day it kept her busy.
She also was able to take a walk down by the river with Gracia for New Year's Day. Not a bad way to bring in the new year with a walk and spending time outside with nature which is one of her favorite places to be.
She has was able to get out for a treatment so she has had plenty of activity to keep her busy.
Cosima has been riding the stationary bike and doing her other exercises to keep up with her physical therapy. She has also been using weights to build up her strength.
She is planning to take a bit of a rest today and will get out on Sunday for church with Grandma.
Next week she will begin her out patient physical therapy. It looks like she will have therapy several times a week.
She also was able to take a walk down by the river with Gracia for New Year's Day. Not a bad way to bring in the new year with a walk and spending time outside with nature which is one of her favorite places to be.
She has was able to get out for a treatment so she has had plenty of activity to keep her busy.
Cosima has been riding the stationary bike and doing her other exercises to keep up with her physical therapy. She has also been using weights to build up her strength.
She is planning to take a bit of a rest today and will get out on Sunday for church with Grandma.
Next week she will begin her out patient physical therapy. It looks like she will have therapy several times a week.
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