The Reservoir
This post was originally published on Corrina’s Caringbridge site:
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/corrina
Last night, Corrina was discharged and transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility in West Hartford known as the Reservoir. It's directly across the street from the actual reservoir which is Corrina's favorite place to hike. She has spent so many days throughout the years (and all seasons) climbing its winding trails both in quiet solitude and connecting with friends. Early in our relationship, we walked miles throughout its woods, getting to know each other, falling in love, and planning for the future.
Leading up to the transfer, Corrina's spirits perked up after leaving the ICU. The steroids reduced the swelling enough to bring some mobility back to her right leg (at one point post-surgery, she wasn't able to move it at all), the nausea subsided, as did the pain.
Corrina made the decision to go with inpatient rehabilitation based on recommendation of occupational and physical therapists, the care coordinator and social worker assigned to her case. Our hope was that she will receive hands-on techniques to improve her mobility in anticipation of going home.
Corrina is the type to crave physical work and challenge, as you know. She's not one to go into physical therapy begrudgingly or with resistance. She's eager to fling herself into healing and push as hard as her body will allow her to, which is frustrating her incredibly now - her body is not responding as it did even one week ago.
Last week, Corrina walked with imbalance, but her deficit has been exacerbated by the invasive nature of the biopsy itself. Our hope and goal (based on communication given by caregivers) is that her normal mobility will resume in time. In how long, we're not so sure...
The change has been so fast and our souls are just now catching up.
We all want Corrina to get home as quickly as possible. She and I are so tired of sleeping in hospital rooms, eating food with zero vitality, and having attendees enter at all times of day. The rehab facility does not provide the level of confidence and care we had hoped for (insurance only provides for one hour of PT per day with very limited resources on the weekends - that's not enough for this yogi!). Luckily, Corrina is part of an incredible community of healers that are coming out of the woodwork to care for her directly in ways that the facility can't. She's getting nurtured in a well-rounded way - through both western and eastern approaches; physical strengthening; energetic balancing; delicious, home-cooked meals; and, most importantly, by the enormous love that you are showing her.
We all need her back in her comfort zone. Home will inspire and ground her and allow her soul to take lead in the healing process.
We will be learning details of the treatment plan on Tuesday when we meet with the lead oncologist and radiologist. Until then, Corrina is working everyday to build her strength and we are working to get her home.
