Albuquerque Days

Even when I was exhausted at the end of a day in the hospital, it seemed easier to write and post a recap here on the blog that it is now that we're out here in Albuquerque. I guess there was a sense of urgency that has, I'm glad to report, dissipated.

We are all getting our bearings now that we are back the high desert. Raymond is at work on his Census Bureau assignments for the month of October. As I feared (or maybe expected? or maybe hoped? I'm not sure which), I find myself unemployed. I am now soulsearching and mindsearching to determine how to replace that income in a more satisfying way. After six weeks in the company of dedicated hospital workers and thoughtful, generous friends, I am relieved to contemplate a future that incorporates more of these qualities than my past employment has. This does not mean I have reached an equilibrium or developed a plan, only that I am beginning to see possibility in this setback.

And it's really the only setback. Jilly is resting a lot. She has developed a healthy appetite--albeit a highly specific one. We have been to Whole Foods several times to stock up on all the vegetables, homeopathic remedies, supplements, and teas she believes will help her healing. Our refrigerator, which Jeremy and Katie had kindly emptied before we came home, is now full of stuff Raymond and I would probably never buy. We taste some of it, but for now I am skipping the brewer's yeast and the apple cider vinegar. I am also giving kale and beets a wide berth.

Last week Jillian met with several different types of therapist. The hospital-based outpatient program to which Bellevue had referred us evaluated her status and determined that she didn't need them. A psychiatrist who is a friend of Lizzy Goodman told Jilly that what she needs now is to talk with friends and family and get back to her art. This consensus has confirmed our sense of the daily improvement Jilly has shown. The symptoms the Bellevue therapists were still noticing when we left the hospital have cleared up as she has proceeded with taking back her life.

What remain, besides the need to rebuild physical strength, are discrete symptoms that relate to her original injuries in different ways. To address these, Jilly is working with another psychiatrist, a cousin of her friend Amber's stepfather, and his wife, a doctor of Oriental medicine. They work together to determine what acupuncture points to target and to assess whether or not they are working. Jilly objects to every needle, but is susceptible to persuasion. In addition to the acupunture, the doctor recommended various supplements.

On Sunday we invited family and extended family to our home, to give us a chance to thank them for all the support they gave us during the Bellevue weeks and them an opportunity to see how well Jillian is doing. It was a great day.

But in so many ways, all our days are great days now.

All our best to everybody,
Ingrid