Suffragette?

Somewhere in the world of RantWoman's young adulthood, she remembers reading accounts of suffragettes, women imprisoned in Britain for some kind of uppity behavior, trying to vote or some such thing. RantWoman wishes she could remember exactly why the women would go on hunger strikes and the extreme ends they would go to fighting tube feeding.

RantWoman definitely does not think of Jana as one of the more brash outspoken feminists RantWoman has ever met: Jana is just firm and competent and engaging. Nevertheless, RantWoman is thinking of this historical mental fuzz tonight reading of the email about Jana's high points today:

"As common over the past few days, when Jana talks often what she says does not seem to make sense to those listening - and from what I have read, this is very typical of this stage of recovery from a severe brain trauma. However, there were a few times when Jana seemed to have remembered something that was said 10 minutes before, which could be a sign of a significant improvement in her mental state.

"The therapist is continuing to work with Jana on swallowing. Jana has swallowed small amounts of thickened liquids, such as juice, but Jana is still dependent on her NG tube for fluids and food.

"Hopefully Jana will not need the NG tube much longer. From watching Jana this morning, I would say that the NG tube is probably the one thing that Jana is currently finding the most frustrating - and she has been exhibiting an amazing amount of resourcefulness in trying to get rid of it! For example, Jana can get the mitts off her hands in amazing ways (and in a short period of time too, if you please) - and apparently tried to remove the NG tube using her teeth when she couldn't get her hands close enough. And even if the physical therapist couldn't get Jana to move her arm very much during therapy, Jana was quite willing to set up her own 'therapy session' if it meant getting her hand to that tube! (I look forward to watching this persistence in the future when Jana can apply it constructively during her future rehabilitation and therapy.)"

Go Jana! Think smoothies, porridge,.... Go Jana, and good for the therapist who probably has to coax and be firm by turns. Go Jana!