DAY-91

It's been a week since I last reported that Jan's back fractures were surgically repaired using a procedure called Balloon Kyphoplasty. Well, the procedure worked so well that Jan was on her feet by the following day and moving around fairly well. As a result, she was discharged from the hospital last Thursday, May 29th. She continues to have difficulty getting in and out of bed, or standing from a chair that is below a certain height. However, if she sits on a chair that is high enough, she can (with effort) stand on her own. This was very liberating for her. She often said she felt like a "paper weight" since, once she sat down, she knew that she was there to stay until someone could help her to her feet. So now we make sure she's in a chair that's fairly high, and has arms. She's walking fairly well with her walker. Her attention level has improved dramatically, and she is now very engaged in conversation. This was not always the case. Yesterday she went for a physical therapy evaluation. They confirmed the weakness in her legs and upper body and have scheduled appointments for this Friday, and for three days next week. We expect these physical therapy sessions, together with some exercises that she can perform here at the apartment, will improve her mobility and self-confidence. This morning she had her Day-90 bone marrow biopsy. I've lost track, but I think this was biopsy number 8. The results won't be available for another week. As you might expect, the next week of waiting will be a little nerve-wracking. Overall, I would say that this past week has been our best week in some time. We had no major setbacks, and things seem like they are back on track. We are still hopeful to be back home in Valrico soon after Day-100, sometime before the end of June.