An Eventful Week

The week of September 21st was an eventful week. 

On Monday, I was commended by my treatment team of doctor's for how hard I have been working and how much progress I have made in this program since my admission. They told me I have been doing AMAZING since I got here: abiding by all protocol, never saying "No" or "I can't," choosing a variety of foods, participating in group sessions and everything we're required to do and truly making every effort to get well.   

I recognized that they are likely not used to hearing anyone say "I'm pretty much lactose intolerant right now, how can you get my body digesting it again because I WANT to be able to eat dairy." I remember the exact words my doctor said when I asked about having dairy again: "you go girl!" I came into this program feeling like I was blindsided. I was told I couldn't stand up, I can't pee when I needed to, I can't rest, and have to abide by to a ton of ridiculous protocols but I stuck to every one of them and it proved to my treatment team that I want nothing more than to get better. 

I feel my body is starting to get stronger; however, I know I still have a long ways to go. It took 4 years for my body to progressively get to the state I was in, so I know it will not jump back overnight. The first time my Mom visited she said she noticed a difference and my face looked so much brighter. I can feel my body is gaining weight and I am confident that it will maintain it =) 

On Tuesday, I had another episode of my heart rate spiking -- it reached over 200 and took longer to break this time. I used the techniques the cardiologists taught me along with lots of deep breathing and it broke after about a half hour. It was scary, but not as scary as the first time. No crash cart or emergency response team in my room this time! I was proud of myself for handling it well and even more proud of Ashley for staying super calm and talking to me through it. The first time I almost sent her into cardiac distress when she saw how high my heart rate got!

On Thursday, I got more incredible feedback from the treatment team commending me on my progress and they told me I would be going to day hospital sometime next week! I am not at my goal weight yet, but they said they are confident I will able to still continue to gain and excel in the program. They feel I am ready for day hospital and I think I am too! 

Day hospital is the next step of the program at Hopkins. The inpatient portion of this program is focused on getting your weight up...and doing it FAST...and getting you medically stable. Until your weight is stable there isn't improvement that can be made. The main emphasis of the program is in the day hospital program. There is a house that day hospital patients stay in about a block from the inpatient unit of the hospital. In day hospital you prepare and cook meals, go out to eat at restaurants, get meals from the cafeteria or fast food places in the hospital, go food shopping, and still participate in the daily program activities, but you have more freedom to go places and have meals on your own.