April 27, 2011

Cookies,no problem. Bacon wrapped shrimp, piece of cake. Pizza, not so much. When facing limited hand function, some finger foods are more practical than others. Today we made our own pizzas in occupational therapy. By the time I finished constructing and eating my Boboli I looked and felt like a one-year-old child. Imagine trying to eat pizza without being able to pinch the crust and pick it up- it takes two paws to wrestle that first bite to your lips. Another day, another t-shirt destroyed.

Bon appetit,
Berkey

P.S.- the pizza was tasty indeed!

April 26, 2011

I hope you all had a great Easter holiday! Despite gloomy weather in Pomona I spent a cheerful day with family and friends. Good companions, food, and laughter can brighten any gray sky!

Big news of the day: I noticed the slightest twitch of motor control in my right thumb- a huge step closer to recovering function in my hands! I can see movement in the flexors of my forearm and a tiny bit of flexion in my thumb. Every day holds little victories!

Love to all,
Berkey

April 21,2011

Greetings from Pomona! I'm getting settled in here at the Casa Colina Transitional Living Center.  Therapy continues and I actually receive 5 hrs daily here rather than the 3 hrs provided at Sharp...nice!  After the daily workouts are done I wheel a few hundred yards over to Dan Foley's  place to chillax and eat dinner (far superior menu to the hospital).


The inpatient hospital across the parking lot has a pool so I hope to experience some aqua-therapy.  Otherwise,the routine is similar to what I was doing at Sharp Rehab with an emphasis on getting out of the hospital and back into the "real world" ...which I earnestly look forward to!

Love to all,
 Berkey

April 17, 2011

Yesterday's chili cook-off was a huge success! The combination of the perfect weather, delicious chili and surprisingly large turn-out made for a wonderful evening. Thank you to the San Diego Mission Bay Boat and Ski Club, and especially Commodore Mike Smith and his wife Chris for organizing the event. And, a special thanks to everyone who came out in support of my cause, your generosity will not be forgotten!

On Monday, I will be moving to another facility. I am heading to Casa Colina in Pomona for up to four weeks. It's a two-hour drive north of San Diego so don't feel bad if you are not up for the drive. It's a long way to go for a visit and my buddy Dan Foley will be up there with me for the duration. We can all catch up on visits when I get back in May. If you happen to be in the area, however I'd love to see you.

Love to All, Berkey

April 10, 2011

Last night I dreamed I was skiing. The dream, vivid and real, woke me from a sound sleep. My heart was pounding and my mind was racing with the familiar rush of skiing, a buzz I have loved and craved all my life. I've experienced similar dreams countless nights before, but last night was different- for the first time I was riding a Sit-ski. This change, perhaps as much as any measure of progress I've experienced, is very encouraging to me. To me, the fact that I envisioned myself riding adaptive ski equipment shows me that I'm opening up to the possibilities of the future. One way or another I WILL carve my way down snow covered mountains.

April 4, 2011

Like a recruit in bootcamp, I got my first pass off base today. We were working on dialing in the manual assist wheel chair last week and today we got to give a it a real world test as we went down to the boardwalk by the ocean in Mission Beach. Didn't end up in the sand or hit any rollerbladers, so the trip was a success! Molly and Dan Foley came with me, along with my therapists and we cruised along the boardwalk for an hour or so. We also grabbed some tacos down by the beach.


More exciting news, Molly and Charlie are now in escrow on a new house! I've only seen pictures but the place seems great and has an ADA equipped bedroom/bath!


Love to all!