Current Hospital

Craig Hospital New Room 210 West!

If you want to send cards...etc. the address is

Craig Hospital Patricia Schmidt 3425 South Clarkson St. Englewood, CO 80110
(303)789-8254

E-mail's, cards and notes will all go in Pat's new scrapbook.

We know your love is here. Debra

Mailing List Subscription Information The Aunt Pat Mail List

Update, Friday 10-22-99

Greetings from Pat's room at Craig Hospital! Kay writing.

Pat walked on the parallel bars again today and will be able to work at that more on Monday. While she was between therapy sessions, I'm afraid I wore her out getting her to say Mom, hoping she'd be able to say it when Mother came in. For some unknown reason her brain sent a word substitution and she said ukelele. (She did say Mom, too, but not just then.) She was also able to print her name. I wrote a P and she did the rest. Try your own name with your non-dominant hand and see if you do as well as she did!

It's my fault that she wasn't as alert for her next speech session, but after a good nap she was refreshed. I'll use that as a reminder to any of you who visit. Use my mistake as your learning experience. Too much stimulation saps the energy from her, energy she needs for each of her therapy sessions. It's best to visit after 3 P.M. when she's finished with the weekday sessions and a nap, or on weekends when she doesn't have therapy. Even then, talk with her one-on-one with no other conversation in the room. We know you will want to do what's best for Pat.

I saw some things today that I hadn't seen before. She tried to help pull her shoe on, and she had taken them off earlier in the day. She returned a wave to me when she woke up from her nap, and when I asked how she was, she said, "Fine." Did you ever think you'd be so happy to hear a one-syllable word?

Long-time Brainerd, Minnesota friend of our parents, Eleanor Anderson, stopped by today. She has lived in Denver for several years but was a big part of Pat's growing up years. It was wonderful for Ardelle and Eleanor to spend some time together today.

My husband, Tom, and Larry were shopping and golfing today. I don't have the same appreciation for golf-as-therapy as some people do, but I'm glad for those who do.

We will all be having dinner together in the "family room" trying not to talk so that Pat can concentrate on her eating. (This would be a good time to train her that she doesn't have to belong to The Clean Plate Club.) She had an "eating class" at lunch today, so maybe we'll see some results of that work. She'll have a "dressing class" on Monday.

Dinner tonight - wow did she eat! Cottage cheese, canned peaches, twice-baked potato, and a taste of taco filling. Good job feeding herself, too!

She moved into a private room today. The new room number is 210 West.

Larry's' message to you all is that it was another wonderful day! Thanks for the continued PLS.

8 P.M. and Pat says ZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Love, Kay