Re: Hello, Jeannette

[Guest guest]

Dear Jeannette, I'm so very, very sorry that you're having such a hard time. I think of you every day. If you ever want to write me at off-line, please feel free to do that.

I'm surprised that your doctors says that you won't get much better. There are many imponderables in a situation like yours. Perhaps you misunderstood, or perhaps you heard some grouchy doctor having a hateful day. Or, perhaps, they were just plain wrong. You must push hard to get every bit of rehab you can, and your attitude might influence how much support you get in that direction. I've heard of a stroke rehab program that forces you to use the weakened limb intensively. The "good" side is tied down so that you must make an effort to move the "inactive" side. Apparently, even if no activity is visible, the brain is trying to re-establish connections to the damaged side, trying to retrain. I've read that this program is most effective when started early but is useful even long after a stroke. This is something no one knew about a couple of years ago, so there are possibilities, and new possibilities come along all the time.

The pneumonia must be making you feel much worse and much more discouraged. How are the people around you reacting to this?

I think you will get better. Remember that there are many ways to live a good life, and they don't all require a perfectly functioning body. You still have "so much life." We are alive, and that's the important part.

Best wishes,

Harper

[Guest guest]

Hello and Happy Holidays, Jeannette! I'm so glad to hear from you and learn that you're feeling better. I think of you every day. Best wishes.

Harper