Sunday, April 30th, 2006: Aunt Diane's Birthday!~ Check ChangesTracy finally had a great night's sleep. Dad was up several times manning calls from all over the world via cell phone. This was his week to be the On-Call doctor for all inflight emergencies for American Airlines! We had a leisurely Sunday morning and then got the van packed up, had a delicious brunch and then headed back up the Keys on A1A to do a little sightseeing of Miami, Coral Gables, and Coconut Grove. It had been six years since Mom and Tracy had been in this neck of the woods, since Tracy was a student at UM! There has been a lot of new construction with condos going up everywhere! Incredible! We reached Aunt Diane's by about 6:30 PM, just in time for dinner. Tim cooked a wonderful Italian meal in celebration of Aunr Diane's birthday! Nana, Uncle Johnny, and an old friend from Naples, Katherine, joined us. It was great to see Katherine and catch up on the news. Katherine recently moved here from Naples and now lives just up the street from Aunt Diane! Mom and Katherine used to work together on various projects in Naples; the Art Show, the Teen Clinic, etc. Katherine used to be a graphic designer for MWR! It was really divine intervention that they found each other! God works his magic in amazing ways! Everyone had a great time! We were so pleased to see how well Tracy did tolerating the long trip, hotel accommodations, and wedding celebration! We plan to take more spontaneous trips in and around Florida with Tracy in the future! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to sign your own permission slip to take a field trip, taking time off from your daily routine to discover something new and exciting about yourself. Lesson of the Day: Sign Your Own Permission Slip : Taking A Field Trip!

Saturday, April 29th, 2006: Tracy seemed more comfortable after Dad gave her Pyridium to help with bladder spasms. She slept well (finally) and everyone got a good night's sleep. She wore her resting hand splints for four hours last night and her day wrist cock up splints for four and a half hours. This morning, Mom and Dad bathed Tracy and got her ready for the van ride to Key Largo to attend Kim and Mark's Beachside Wedding. Kim is the daughter of one of the wonderful nurses that works with Dad at American Airlines. The weather was beautiful, just like a Jimmy Buffett song. We got off on our road trip around 12 noon and headed for the Florida Turnpike (south). It took about two and a half hours to get to Key Largo. It had been about six years since we had been to the Keys. There was a lot of construction on Overseas Highway, where they were finally widening the road. Mom remembers the local politicians discussing widening this portion of the Overseas Highway almost ten years ago. We arrived at the Key Largo Bay Marriott Resort around 2:30 PM, checked in and got settled. Then it was off to the pool to explore the grounds. Mom, Dad and Tracy hung out around the pool for a while. It was a beautiful afternoon with lots of sunshine and breathtaking views of the bay. We were so blessed to have lived four years in Key West! Around 5 PM, it was time to get ready for the wedding. The ceremony was held on the beach with sunset over the bay as the back drop. It was a beautiful ceremony, completed by a special sand ceremony. The bride and groom took two brandy glasses full of sand and mixed them together into one glass. It symbolized two, one bride and one groom, now joined as one. Each morsel of sand mixed together, unable to divide. It was truly beautiful. The reception was a lot of fun and it was great meeting and getting to know all of the people who work with Dad. They are a really wonderful group of people, and it is an honor to be part of the American Airlines family. Tracy had a great time listening to Jimmy Buffett and Bob Marley tunes; some of her favorites! All of the guests were even given a souvenir CD with all of the bride and groom's favorite tunes! We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to sign your own permission slip to take a field trip, taking time off from your daily routine to discover something new and exciting about yourself. Lesson of the Day: Sign Your Own Permission Slip : Taking A Field Trip!

Friday, April 28th, 2006: Tracy woke up again several times last night. She was grinding her teeth a bunch and did not sleep well. Mom will call Dr. Lochner today and get a prescription that should help. Mom thinks Tracy is experiencing bladder spasms. She wore her resting hand splints for four hours last night and her day wrist cock up splints for four and a half hours. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy's P.A. is doing a great job as Tracy's personal assistant and we are blessed to have her. She has a well-deserved weekend off! After her bath, Mom and Wilmene got Tracy in her chair and put on her new Ankle Foot Orthoses. Today, we will see if Tracy can tolerate two 2-hour increments with a rest in between. The goal is to get her wear time up to 8 hours a day. Yesterday, Tracy's skin looked good after the 2-hour wear time with no signs of pressure. Today, Tracy's total wear time today was four hours. Tomorrow, we will increase her wear time to three, two hour sessions. Mom and Uncle Johnny went for a walk on the beach while Tracy rested in her chair on the balcony. Mornings after her bath/shower are usually good times for her to rest. It was a beautiful sunny day with minimal wind, which allowed us to have the awning open on the balcony and not blow off. Tracy's P.A. gave Tracy a pedicure and manicure. Pink sorbet was the color of the day. She also worked on her facial exercises with the Z-vibe. Tracy wasn't into it, and let Tracy's P.A. know by closing her mouth and turning her head away from her! Guess she knew it was Friday! This afternoon, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy prone over the peanut ball on her knees on the balcony so that she could weight bear through her hips. She did a good job relaxing in this position and tolerated one hour! Mom is not sure if she could kneel in this position for one hour! This evening, Mom and Dad gave Tracy a break from her new Dynasplint. She did a good job tolerating it for one hour last night. Dad decided that we should let our girl sleep tonight without any splints since she has not had a good night's sleep for quite some time. This weekend, Mom and Dad are taking Tracy to Key Largo to a wedding on Saturday evening. We are really looking forward to going to the Keys. It has been over six years since we were down there. We will return on Sunday evening. Thank you Tammy, Al, Claire and Mitchell for the beautiful handmade lap quilt. It is absolutely Tracy's favorite colors, purple, lavender, green, etc. and the butterflies are amazing! Thank you Gloria, Dave and the girls for the beautiful Guatemalean angel that you sent Tracy. It is really beautiful! Thank you for thinking of us. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is staying busy and enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is learning a lot as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. WE MISS HER! Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to sign your own permission slip to take a field trip, taking time off from your daily routine to discover something new and exciting about yourself. Lesson of the Day: Sign Your Own Permission Slip : Taking A Field Trip!

Thursday, April 27th, 2006: Tracy woke up several times last night. She was grinding her teeth a bunch and did not sleep well. We are not sure what it is that is causing her discomfort. We will continue to monitor her and rule out possible causes. She wore her resting hand splints all night long and her day wrist cock up splints for almost five hours! This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy's P.A. is doing a great job as Tracy's personal assistant and we are blessed to have her. After her shower, Tracy's P.A. braided Tracy's hair in little Jamaican braids. It really looks cute, especially with the new shoulder length! Then, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy in her chair and tried on her new Ankle Foot Orthoses. The goal is to get her wear time up to 8 hours a day. Today, the plan was to put them on for one hour, give her a thirty minute break, and then, put them on for another hour. Her skin looked good after the hour wear time. This evening, we put them on for two hours and her skin still looked good with no signs of pressure. Her total wear time today was four hours. Tomorrow, we will increase her wear time to three, two hour sessions. This afternoon, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy straddled on the peanut ball to practice sitting on the horse. She did a really good job getting her legs around the ball and also getting her right leg down. She still has a lot of work to do with head control. Hopefully, the horse will motivate Tracy to keep her head up! This evening, Mom and Dad put Tracy's Dynasplint on her right leg to help stretch her hamstring. We will try it out for one hour with the goal of wearing it for eight hours while Tracy is asleep. This weekend, Mom and Dad are taking Tracy to Key Largo to a wedding on Saturday evening. We are really looking forward to going to the Keys. It has been over six years since we were down there. We will return on Sunday evening. Thank you Tammy, Al, Claire and Mitchell for the beautiful handmade lap quilt. It is absolutely Tracy's favorite colors, purple, lavender, green, etc. and the butterflies are amazing! Thank you Gloria, Dave and the girls for the beautiful Guatemalean angel that you sent Tracy. It is really beautiful! Thank you for thinking of us. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is staying busy and enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is learning a lot as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. WE MISS HER! Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to become best friends with yourself. It recommends listing five things that you like about yourself to begin the process of self-admiration. Lesson of the Day: Listing Magnificence : Five Things I Like About Myself!

Wednesday, April 26th, 2006: Tracy slept well last night. She wore her resting hand splints all night long! This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy looks like she is feeling much better this morning. Mom spent the morning on the phone with trying to straighten out a mess with the company who handles Tracy's Medicare Drug Plan. Oh, who created managed care anyway; it is anything but managed. What a misnomer! This afternoon, Mario came to give Tracy a Cranial Sacral Therapy session. She really seems to relax and enjoy his sessions. After her session, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy prone on her knees over the peanut ball on the balcony so that she could weight bear through her hips. She did a really good job in this position and required minimal support from Mom and Tracy's P.A. She tolerated about 45 minutes, and then a squall line came through and Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy inside before it started to storm. It was thundering and lightning and some areas around Palm Beach reported hail! Whew! This evening, Dad and Mom tried on Tracy's new dynamic splint for her right leg. The goal is to provide continuous stretching (tension) to Tracy's right hamstring with the hopes to lengthen it without surgery. We will start with two hours and see how she tolerates it. The goal is to work our way up to 8 hours of wear. Thank you Tammy, Al, Claire and Mitchell for the beautiful handmade lap quilt. It is absolutely Tracy's favorite colors, purple, lavender, green, etc. and the butterflies are amazing! Thank you Gloria, Dave and the girls for the beautiful Guatemalean angel that you sent Tracy. It is really beautiful! Thank you for thinking of us. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is staying busy and enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is learning a lot as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. WE MISS HER! Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need for HUGS! Everyone needs to give and receive a hug at least once a day! HUG! Lesson of the Day: The Energy Of An Embrace : Hugs!

Tuesday, April 25th, 2006: Tracy was up all last night grinding her teeth and vomiting (there is no better way to say it!) Dad did not put on her splints or new dynasplint for her right leg. She was not feeling well and needed a major break! We are not sure what caused Tracy to vomit, but it could be related to her Cranial Sacral Therapy session. It is not uncommon for one to feel nauseous after a CST session. This can be a good thing, because the body in its infinite wisdom tries to reset itself, often getting rid of harmful toxins in the process. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. let Tracy sleep in to catch up on her beauty sleep after her rough night. Then they showered and shampooed her and got her ready for the day. They let her rest in her bed until it was time to go to her 2:30 PM appointment with Dr. Lochner to refill her Baclofen pump. Tracy id a good job tolerating this procedure. He kept her dose at the same level for now, with a total baclofen daily dose of 1313 micrograms per day. When they got home, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy back in her bed and let her rest some more. Today was a very quiet, laid back day. Tomorrow, they will get Tracy back to her intensive therapy routine. Mario also comes tomorrow afternoon at 2 PM to do another Cranial Sacral Therapy session with Tracy. We plan to keep her at the current dosage for another three weeks, and then see how she does. Thank you Tammy, Al, Claire and Mitchell for the beautiful handmade lap quilt. It is absolutely Tracy's favorite colors, purple, lavender, green, etc. and the butterflies are amazing! Thank you Gloria, Dave and the girls for the beautiful Guatemalean angel that you sent Tracy. It is really beautiful! Thank you for thinking of us. Thank you Tiffany for the beautiful Tommy Bahama shirt you sent Dad for his birthday, the pretty belt you sent Mom for Easter (she loves it!), and the cute Spring Break shirt you sent Tracy for Easter (she will look so cute in it!). Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is staying busy and enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is learning a lot as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. WE MISS HER! Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to silence the chatter that we hear in our mind day in and day out, so that we can meditate more effectively. This can be done by focusing on our breathing every time our monkey mind takes over our concentration. Lesson of the Day: Silencing The Chatter : Taming Monkey Mind In Meditation!

Monday, April 24th, 2006: Tracy slept well last night. She wore her resting hand splints all night and her wrist cock up splints for four and a half hours today. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy bathed and dressed for the day. Nana and Uncle Johnny came over to spend the day with us. Tracy was a little sleepy, and rested in her chair on the balcony. Mom and Uncle Johnny went for a short bike ride while Nana and Wilmene visited with Tracy. Tracy did a good job holding her head up in her chair while Nana cheered her on! Nana seems to have what it takes to motivate Tracy to work hard on head control! After lunch, Mom, Tracy's P.A., Uncle Johnny, Nana and Tracy went down to the pool. It was a sunny day with temperatures in the mid 80s and a moderate wind. Tracy rested in her chair under the awning while Mom, Nana and Uncle Johnny went in the pool. Mom swam 21 laps (42 lengths) today! She is working towards her goal of 50 laps! Mom decided to wait a few more days until Tracy's head congestion resolves before bringing her into the pool. This afternoon, Mark, Tracy's orthotist came over to bring Tracy's new AFOs (ankle foot orthoses) and her new dynasplint for her right hamstring. He was really pleased with the fit and showed Mom and Tracy's P.A. how to put them on! More gadgets to work with, but if they help to correct Tracy's stance so that she can weight bear on the tilt table, we will be happy! This evening, Melanie came over to give Tracy a Cranial Sacral session. Tracy did a good job relaxing and seemed to vocalize quite a bit. She even tried to say AMEN at the end of her bedtime prayers with Dad! Later in the evening, Tracy did not feel well and vomited several times. Dad had decreased her Zelnorm (stomach medicine) last Sunday, which could be affecting Tracy's stomach. We'll let you know how her night goes later. Tomorrow, Tracy has an appointment with Dr. Lochner at 2:30 PM to get her Balcofen pump refilled. We plan to keep her at the current dosage for another three weeks, and then see how she does. Thank you Gloria, Dave and the girls for the beautiful Guatemalean angel that you sent Tracy. It is really beautiful! Thank you for thinking of us. Thank you Tiffany for the beautiful Tommy Bahama shirt you sent Dad for his birthday, the pretty belt you sent Mom for Easter (she loves it!), and the cute Spring Break shirt you sent Tracy for Easter (she will look so cute in it!). Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is staying busy and enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is learning a lot as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. WE MISS HER! Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to finding the gift in BAD DAYS! These days often tell us that we need to slow down, take a break, change course, or lighten up! Lesson of the Day: Finding The Gift : Bad Days!

Sunday, April 23rd, 2006: Tracy slept better last night. She woke up around 6:30 AM laughing hysterically! It was really loud and went on for several minutes. She had the most beautiful smile on her face too! It was truly amazing! Dad gave Tracy another night off from her resting hand splints. She wore her wrist cock up splints for four and a half hours today. This morning, Mom and Wilmene showered and shampooed Tracy and got her ready for 12 noon Mass at St. Edward's Church in Palm Beach. After Mass, Mom, Dad, Tracy and Wilmene went for a ride to the North side of the island. It was storming! We stopped at Starbucks for lattes on our way home from church. This afternoon, we got Tracy on the therapy mat on the balcony for stretching. The weather had cleared up and the sun finally came out. Mom rode her Spin bike on the balcony for an hour while Tracy enjoyed the sunshine and flowers. This evening, Mom and Dad watched Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy while Tracy rested. Tomorrow, Mark Selleck, Tracy's orthotist, is bringing her AFOs and dynasplint that were custom made for her at 9:30 AM. Then Uncle Johnny and Nana are coming to spend the day with us. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is staying busy and enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is learning a lot as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to go beyond our own world into the natural world around us to meditate. The ocean is a perfect place to try natural sound meditation. Lesson of the Day: The Music Of This World: Natural Sounds Meditation!

Saturday, April 22nd, 2006: Tracy was up several times during the night, grinding her teeth. We are not sure what was causing her discomfort. Dad thinks it was her stomach. He gave her some Extra Strength Tylenol which helped her to relax and go back to sleep. Dad gave Tracy a break from her resting hand splints tonight. She wore her wrist cock up splints for four hours today. This morning, Mom and Wilmene bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Mom, Dad, Wilmene and Tracy got in the van and headed to the Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center in Loxahatchee. Today was the day that Tracy was to be evaluated for readiness for the riding program. We met Ruth, the program director who brought out a very large plastic barrel on rollers, complete with a saddle and a bride! It was a make-shift horse! Dad, Wilmene and Mom positioned Tracy on the "horse" and Tracy did a good job getting her legs around the barrel and relaxing them down around the "horse". It was a huge improvement since last Fall when Tracy could not get her legs around the barrel at Lift Me Up! Her pelvis seemed pretty stable, the challenge now is whether Tracy can demonstrate the head control to stay up on the horse. Ruth decided that she would brain storm over the next two weeks and Tracy would return on Saturday, May 6th to try out the horse for real. When we returned, Wilmene and Mom got Tracy settled and let her rest for a while. She was pretty sleepy, especially after not sleeping well last night. We let her rest for the afternoon so that she could catch up on her beauty rest. This evening, Aunt Diane and her friend Tim came over to visit. Tim, a beautician, cut three inches off Tracy's hair! It looks so cute. He cut it in a shoulder length bob, which curls and curls and curls at the shorter length! She looks even more beautiful! Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is staying busy and enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is learning a lot as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to find personal harmony in our life through balancing the many pieces of ourselves. Lesson of the Day: Personal Harmony: Balance!

Friday, April 21st, 2006: Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. She wore her resting hand splints all night long. Tracy is scheduled to get her new AFOs (ankle foot othotics) and dynasplint for her right leg Monday! This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. showered and shampooed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy's P.A. braided Tracy's hair in little Jamaican braids. Tracy hung out in her chair for most of the morning while Mom went to Publix to shop for groceries. It was very hot and humid with temperatures hovering in the high 80s/low 90s, so Mom decided to let Tracy rest in the air conditioning and spare Tracy's P.A. and her the trip to Publix. While Mom was shopping, Tracy's P.A. said that Tracy laughed really loud and smiled. We all wonder what she was thinking about to laugh so hard. There are so many things that are funny that she could be thinking of. We hope she is able to tell us real soon. When Mom returned home from Publix, it was time to get Tracy on the mat for Physical Therapy. Today they opted to get Tracy straddled on the peanut ball to practice sitting on a horse. She tolerated 30 minutes but is still having difficulty with head control. Practice, practice, practice. Then, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy supine on the therapy mat to perform her range of motion exercises. Tomorrow morning, bright and early, Mom, Dad, and Wilmene are scheduled to take Tracy out to Vinceremos in Loxahatchee to see if she is ready to begin therapeutic horseback riding. This evening, Mom and Dad took Tracy down to the pool. While Mom swam 15 laps (30 lengths), Dad stretched Tracy in the chair. Then when Mom was done, Dad swam his 15 laps. We hope to get Tracy in the pool this weekend. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to be grateful for our homes and land and to not take these things for granted. Remember Earth Day is April 22nd! Lesson of the Day: Grateful Living: Home And Land Meditation!

Thursday, April 20th, 2006: Tracy slept well again last night. She wore her resting hand splints all night long. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. The three of them got in the van and went to the Palm Beach County Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to get Tracy her Florida IDentification card. Good thing Mom made an appointment because it was really crowded. The staff were really cooperative and they were out in twenty minutes. Next stop, the Palm Beach County Tax Collectors Office to get Tracy's disabled parking placard. Another nice clerk helped them and they were out and on their way home in fifteen minutes. Mission accomplished! When they arrived home, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy on the exercise mat for Physical Therapy. They positioned her on her knees over the peanut to weight bear through her hips. Tracy was very relaxed and enjoyed getting some sunshine on her back. She tolerated one hour in this position. Then Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy on her left side for about forty minutes. Tracy really likes being on her side. Next Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy supine and stretched her hips and trunk. Her range of motion continues to improve, even with the BoTox beginning to wane in effectiveness. Tracy is scheduled to get her new AFOs for her feet and her right knee dynasplint Monday morning. Mom swam 14 laps (28 lengths) in the pool today. Dad swam 15 laps (30 lengths)! And they say that there is no competition! HA! We are looking forward to getting Tracy in the pool soon. Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for the Bath and Body Works bath gel and body lotion that you sent Tracy for Easter. Thank you for the delicious Gold Brick and pecan eggs. They are Dad's favorite! Thank you Nana Lilly and Aunt Diane for the cute outfits from Old Navy for Tracy. They are really cute and we can't wait to put them on her. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need to feed the spirit and to spend time every day in soul-nurturing activities that allow the spirit to be replenished. Lesson of the Day: Feeding The Spirit: Taking Time For Yourself!

Wednesday, April 19th, 2006: Tracy enjoyed another good night's sleep last night. She wore her resting hand splints all night long. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Then Tracy rested in her chair while Wilmene stretched and ranged her upper extremities. Mom and Tracy's P.A. put Tracy's wrist cock up splints on while she was relaxed. She wore them for two hours. Mom went for a walk on the beach. It was another beautiful day and she walked for about an hour. Then she swam 24 lengths of the pool. Swimming has not been Mom's strong sport, so this is a major accomplishment. She is thinking about training for a mini-triathlon some day. This afternoon, Mario came to do Cranial Sacral Therapy with Tracy. It had been several weeks since he last worked with her. Tracy responded well to the therapy and seemed to enjoy it. Next, it was Mom's turn to try CST. She had not had a session yet, so this was her first. She was amazed at how such light touch could have such a dramatic positive effect. It was great! Now she knows why Tracy and Dad like CST so much! While Mom was getting her CST, Tracy's P.A. was doing Tracy's Speech Therapy using all of the facial massagers, cold clay, etc. She did a good job with sensory motor integration. Later this afternoon, Mom and Tracy's P.a. worked with Tracy on the mat. They straddled Tracy on the peanut ball to practice sitting on a horse. She tolerated 30 minutes in this position. Tracy still needs to work on head control. Mom thinks that she may need her Baclofen dosage decreased again. We will see what Dr. Lochner recommends on April 25th when we take Tracy to get her pump refilled. This Saturday, Mom, Dad and Wilmene will accompany Tracy to Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center to see if she is ready to join the program. Please say a prayer that she is ready! Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for the Bath and Body Works bath gel and body lotion that you sent Tracy for Easter. Thank you for the delicious Gold Brick and pecan eggs. They are Dad's favorite! Thank you Nana Lilly and Aunt Diane for the cute outfits from Old Navy for Tracy. They are really cute and we can't wait to put them on her. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the power of those who gather in a circle, holding hands, in meditation, prayer, or other purposeful activity. Their effect resonates like a stone that is thrown in the bay, producing a ripple effect. What more powerful example than this web site and the power of prayer that each brings to Tracy!~ Lesson of the Day: Eternal Ring: The Power Of The Circle!

Tuesday, April 18th, 2006: Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. She wore her resting hand splints all night long. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Mom and Uncle Johnny took a bike ride to the North end of the island. They needed to make up for last week when Uncle Johnny ran over the long screw and had a major blow out! They must have ridden 25 miles! It was great! Tracy's P.A. and Margarita stayed with Tracy while Mom was gone. When they returned, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy on the therapy mat on the balcony for Physical Therapy. They got her on her knees over the peanut ball to bear weight through her hips. Tracy tolerated an hour on her knees over the ball. That is the longest she has been weight bearing on her knees. After that, we got Tracy on her left side to take a break. She looked so comfortable on her side. She tolerated 30 minutes in this position. Then, Mom and Wilmene positioned Tracy on her back (supine) to stretch her hips and trunk. Mom and Tracy's P.A. worked with Tracy's facial muscles using her new Z-vibe tool. Mom put a whistle that is shaped like lips up to Tracy's mouth. Tracy tried so hard to blow the whistle. She is so close! She has a little cold, and needed to blow her nose. Mom held the tissue up to her nose and TRACY BLEW HER NOSE! YUP! SHE BLEW! That is really hard to do, especially when her mouth was not entirely closed! Try blowing your nose with you mouth open! It is difficult! This evening, Tracy rested in her bed. She worked really hard and deserved to relax! We plan to work her hard again tomorrow. She has a Cranial Sacral therapy session with Mario tomorrow at 2 PM. Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for the Bath and Body Works bath gel and body lotion that you sent Tracy for Easter. Thank you for the delicious Gold Brick and pecan eggs. They are Dad's favorite! Thank you Nana Lilly and Aunt Diane for the cute outfits from Old Navy for Tracy. They are really cute and we can't wait to put them on her. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of communication in nurturing intimate relationships, especially in their early stages. Lesson of the Day: The Dance Of Intimacy: Coming Back To Center In A Relationship!

Monday, April 17th, 2006: Tracy slept well again last night. She wore her resting hand splints all night long. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. showered and shampooed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Nana and Uncle Johnny came over to spend the day with us. We got Tracy in her chair and Tracy's P.A. braided her hair in tiny braids. She looks so cute with her hair braided! Tracy seemed to be feeling better today. She slept a lot but her cold is clearing and she is able to cough productively. This afternoon, Tracy visited with Nana while Uncle Johnny and Mom took a walk on the beach. The city has been dumping a lot of sand on the beach (if you recall our previous entries about the sand blasting...) and the beach is really built up and wide. It looks like a New England beach! Please pray that another hurricane does not come along and take the sand back out to sea! This afternoon, Mom, Uncle Johnny, and Nana went for a swim in the pool. Mom and Uncle Johnny did about 10 laps. Tracy slept some more and we decided to let her rest. She needs her rest to fight her cold. As soon as her cold is gone, Mom will take her into the pool. This evening, Tracy got another Cranial Sacral massage. She did a really good job making sounds for Melanie. She has been a lot more vocal since we started her Cranial Sacral Therapy. Dad will get another session this evening too. Tomorrow, it will be back to the challenging therapy schedule for Tracy. Tracy's P.A. and Mom will do her Speech and Physical Therapy as usual, getting her on her knees on the therapy mat and working with her swallowing. She should be feeling better by tomorrow. Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for the Bath and Body Works bath gel and body lotion that you sent Tracy for Easter. Thank you for the delicious Gold Brick and pecan eggs. They are Dad's favorite! Thank you Nana Lilly and Aunt Diane for the cute outfits from Old Navy for Tracy. They are really cute and we can't wait to put them on her. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapist similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of taking an afternoon power nap to recharge your batteries. The Italians take a nap or reposa every day after lunch. What a great time to meditate and regroup! Lesson of the Day: Brief Respite: The Importance Of Napping!

Sunday, April 16th, 2006: Tracy enjoyed another good night's sleep last night. She is grinding her teeth less too. This morning, Mom and Dad got Tracy bathed, dressed, and ready for church. Wilmene had the day off, and Dad suggested that the three of us go to 10:30 AM Mass at St. Lucy's in Boca Raton to surprise Nana, Aunt Diane, and Tim! So we hurried and all got ready and were on the road by 10 AM. It was a beautiful sunny day with not a cloud in the sky, temperatures in the mid 70s. The church was so packed that the hall was opened to handle the over flow. The three of us sat on the back side of the altar on the hall side. The choir and orchestra did a beautiful job with the music. Seeing the Mass with the Priest's back to us brought back memories of pre-Vatican II. When Mass was ended, Mom went to find Nana, Aunt Diane and Tim. They were so surprised to see us!What a great idea Dad had. After Mass, we rode and looked at some houses in Lighthouse Point. We hadn't been in that neighborhood since 2000! When we returned, Nana, Aunt Diane, Tim, and our good friend Anita were at the condo. Emily, Tracy's Speech Therapist was also there. She worked with Tracy on her facial exercises and then gave her an orange little Dumm Dumm lollipop. Tracy did a really good job not biting the lollipop and seemed to really enjoy it. Finally something to eat that tasted good, she must be thinking. She swallowed several times and got her tongue to the roof of her mouth. Emily was very pleased. Chip and Eileen came to visit us too. Eileen brought goodies for everyone from the Easter Bunny. Aunt Diane and Nana brought Tracy some really cute outfits from Old Navy! Tracy is going to look really cute in them. Anita brought some goodies for everyone to enjoy too! We all missed Tiffany, Guy, Dawn, Sophia, Aunt Candy, Tanya and the boys! Of course we miss the Anzalones and the Edwards too! This evening, Uncle Johnny arrived and we all had dinner: honey baked ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, and egg plant parmesan and connolis for dessert. It was all very good. Mom will ride her Spin bike double time tomorrow! After dinner we watched the video from Chip and Eileen's wedding 11 years ago! It was great to see everyone. Tomorrow, Nana and Uncle Johnny are coming to spend the day with us. Tracy will get a Cranial Sacral massage session with Melanie tomorrow evening. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of taking an afternoon power nap to recharge your batteries. The Italians take a nap or reposa every day after lunch. What a great time to meditate and regroup! Lesson of the Day: Brief Respite: The Importance Of Napping! Ongoing Events: Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM: Tracy will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. April 7th, 2006: Tracy had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Lochner in Palm Beach to get her Baclofen pump refilled. Dad and Dr. Lochner discussed the plan to lower Tracy's Baclofen dosage. They decided to lower her continuous dosage by 10 percent, leaving the complex boluses at the same dosage. We hope this adjustment will help reduce Tracy's sleepiness during the day so she will be more awake to do therapy. Dr. Lochner was very pleased with Tracy and said that every time he sees her she looks so much better! Dad is now Captain Fanancy L. Anzalone, Ret. He retired on Friday, March 3rd during a beautiful ceremony at the United States Navy Memorial in DC. Thank you everyone who participated in the ceremony! We greatly appreciate all of our friends and family who traveled far and wide to celebrate Dad's 29 years in the Navy! Dad started his 2nd career as the Miami Medical Director for American Airlines and has his new office at the Miami International Airport. Upledger Institute: March 13 to March 17th, 10 AM to 5 PM: Tracy completed the Intensive Program at the Upledger Institute in Palm Beach Gardens. John Upledger, DO specializes in Cranio Sacral Therapy. For more information, please refer to the previous link. February 21st, 2006: During the consult with Dr. Sonies, a Speech Therapist and researcher from the National Institutes of Health, some very pertinent recommendations were made for Mom and Linda to incorporate in feeding Tracy. She is going to provide Mom and Linda with a feeding protocol to follow which will allow some variety in the types of food that Tracy can eat. She recommended only feeding Tracy 1 cc at a time, using a syringe, with a total of 10 ccs per day of a given food. The goal is to retrain Tracy's oral motor function, and not to focus on the quantity of intake. Mom and Linda will start this protocol right away. Next, Tracy had an appointment with Dr. Pagan at Georgetown University Hospital to get BoTox injections to her lower extremities. He injected 600 units of BoTox into Tracy's right hamstrings, gastrocnemius, soleus, and tibialis anterior. He also injected her plantar surface of her feet to help with dorsiflexion. On her left side, he injected everything but her hamstrings. The plan is to continue with serial casting in south Florida and to work towards AFOs so that Tracy can stand with the help of a tilt table. Dad brought a very special gift to Tracy from his hometown parish pastor, Fr. McDuffy: rosaries personally given to him when he had a private audience at the Vatican with Pope John Paul II. These rosaries are very special because they are considered a secondary relic, something that the prospective saint has personally touched. Thank you cousin Frank Arthur for the beautiful St. Theresa medal. She is Tracy's patron saint. Pope Benedict XVI has approved an expedited process for Beatification and ultimate Sanctification of Pope John Paul II. Please pray to Pope John Paul II specifically requesting that he make Tracy one of the two miracles needed for his Sainthood! Here is his prayer: "Prayer for John Paul II's Intercession". We found Tracy's old files and want to share her last AP English Essay and a paper for her Biology Class from Gulf Breeze High School. This will give you some insight into how special she is and why she will come back to us. Here they are: BLESSED and Euthanasia: Filling God's Shoes.

Saturday, April 15th, 2006: Tracy enjoyed another good night's sleep last night. Around 1:30 AM, she woke up and vomited, waking Dad and Mom up from a sound sleep. We think that she had some mucus in the back of her throat that had been agitating her since yesterday afternoon. This must have gagged her. Once she cleared it, she slept like a baby and so did Mom and Dad! Dad gave her a break from her splints and cast. This morning, Mom and Wilmene showered and dressed Tracy for the day. The weather was gorgeous, the wind had finally subsided! Tracy still did not look up to speed, even after a good night's sleep, so Wilmene decided to give her a break from hair braids today. Mom and Wilmene got Tracy in the chair and on the balcony in the shade. She slept most of the day, and rested in her bed this afternoon and evening. Dad thinks that Tracy may have a head cold. We hope she feels better soon. Mom rode her Spin bike this evening for an hour! Mom is so thankful that God created Spinning! Tomorrow, Mom, Dad, Tracy and Wilmene plan to go to the 12 noon Mass at St. Edward's in Palm Beach. After Mass, Nana, Aunt Diane, Tim (Aunt Diane's friend) and Anita are coming over to spend the day with us. Uncle Johnny will join us in the evening for dinner. Cousins Chip and Eileen plan to visit us too! Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. WE MISS TIFFANY AND WISH SHE COULD BE HERE TO SPEND EASTER WITH US! Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the critical role that the elderly can offer to the world, especially in sharing their wisdom! Lesson of the Day: Bearers Of Wisdom: The Elderly!

Friday, April 14th, 2006: Tracy slept well again last night. The Extra Strength Tylenol Dad is giving Tracy with her 6 AM meds seems to be working well. Tracy wore her resting hand splints all night long. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy bathed, dressed, and ready for the day. The wind finally calmed down enough to open the awning on the balcony. Dad had the day off from work. So, Mom and Dad ran around and got some much needed errands done. When they returned, Mom and Tracy's P.A. worked on Tracy's Speech Therapy. Tracy seemed to be a little congested, so Wilmene only gave her 9 ccs of the nectar consistency Hydrolyte. She worked on Tracy's facial stimulation for a while, using the Z-Vibe sensory stim massage tool. After Speech, Mom and Wilmene got Tracy on the therapy mat on the balcony. They positioned her on her knees over the peanut ball so that Tracy could weight bear through her hips. Tracy did an awesome job tolerating 50 minutes. That is the longest she has been kneeling over the ball ever! Then Mom and Tracy's P.A. positioned Tracy on her flat on her tummy on the mat, allowing Tracy to weight bear through her shoulders. She tolerated 30 minutes in this position. Next Mom and Tracy's P.A. rolled Tracy on her left side and stretched her right hip. She really seemed to like this stretch. Later this afternoon, Dad got a much needed Cranial Sacral massage by Melanie. This is the first time that Dad experienced Cranial Sacral Therapy first hand. He really enjoyed it and said that it seemed to help his lower back. This evening, Tracy sat up in her wheel chair while Mom and Dad cooked baked tilapia and fresh asparagus. It was really good, and Tracy did a good job holding up her head while in the chair. She seemed congested and was having a hard time clearing her throat. Later, Mom and Dad brought Tracy in the den so she could visit with them while Dad finished the taxes! At bedtime, Dad, Mom and Tracy said the Rosary together They were unable to make it to church this evening as originally planned. Tracy will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. WE MISS TIFFANY AND WISH SHE COULD BE HERE TO SPEND EASTER WITH US! Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the critical role that the elderly can offer to the world, especially in sharing their wisdom! We need to learn from our elders, respecting their wisdom with reverence and honor. Lesson of the Day: Bearers Of Wisdom: The Elderly!

Thursday, April 13th, 2006: Tracy slept well last night. Dad gave Tracy an Extra Strength Tylenol with her 6 AM meds as Mom recommended and it worked! Tracy did not grind her teeth this morning as she has been for the past several days! She had the best night's sleep last night too. Dad thinks her restful sleep is a direct result of her Cranial Sacral massage that Melanie gave her yesterday. Tracy wore her resting hand splints all night too! This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy showered, dressed, and ready for the day. The wind is still blowing pretty strongly! It is supposed to quiet down for the holiday weekend. After lunch, Mom, Tracy's P.A. and Tracy went for a LONG walk in the jogger. They walked to Ibis Island and back. The wind was still blowing pretty strongly, and there were many HUGE dump trucks driving up and down A1A, hauling new sand to the beach front. Every time they went passed with a load of sand, the wind would blow the sand into Mom's and Tracy's P.A.'s faces. ICK! Mom said it was a free microdermabrasion and sandblasting (whitening) therapy! Good thing Tracy was in the jogger and shielded from the deluge! When they returned, Tracy's P.A. and Mom transferred Tracy to the therapy mat for a stretching session. Tracy really relaxed and worked with Mom and Wilmene. This evening, Tracy rested in her bed while Mom took a meditation break on the balcony. She decided to skip spinning this evening, after the long hike against the wind and sand! Tomorrow is Good Friday and Dad is off from work. They plan on catching up on chores around the house and going to church to make a visit. Tracy will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. WE MISS TIFFANY AND WISH SHE COULD BE HERE TO SPEND EASTER WITH US! Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of being at peace with yourself, and using meditation to find peace and solitude within. Lesson of the Day: The Practice Of Serenity: Personal Peace!

Wednesday, April 12th, 2006: Tracy slept well last night until about 6 AM when she grinded her teeth for about an hour. This seems to be the new pattern since the Baclofen dose was adjusted last Friday. Dad gave Tracy a break from her right knee cast. She did wear her resting hand splints all night long. Mom suggested that Dad include some Extra Strength Tylenol with Tracy's morning meds at 6 AM. He will try this tomorrow. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy bathed, dressed, and ready for the day. The weather has continued to be stormy and windy with frequent showers. This morning, Tracy has a Cranial Sacral massage session with Melanie at 11:30 AM. During her massage, Tracy really relaxed and responded well to Melanie. She seems to really enjoy this light touch massage, and works with Melanie throughout the session. Melanie does a good job blending all of the various modalities, including energy medicine. She showed Mom a few techniques that she can use with Tracy. Then it was time for Mom's massage. Melanie used a little Cranial Sacral Therapy on Mom too. It was amazing to see how powerful this gentle healing touch can be. Mom really relaxed and enjoyed her massage. She took Melanie's advice and drank a lot of lemon water for the rest of the day. Dad will have his massage Friday afternoon. After lunch, Tracy's P.A. did Tracy's Speech Therapy with her. Tracy swallowed 26 ccs of nectar consistency Hydrolyte (lemon flavored water) exhibiting some audible swallows. Tracy's P.A. used the Z-vibe sensory stim tool on Tracy's gums and cheeks. Then she put the cold therapy clay in her hands for some stimulation. Tracy was very alert and awake during her session. Tracy's P.A. is doing a good job with Tracy's therapy. This evening, Tracy rested in her bed while Mom rode her Spin bike for one hour! Mom and Dad had dinner on the balcony and watched the full moon come up! It was a beautiful night. Uncle Johnny came over to visit us after dinner. It is always great to spend time with him. Tracy will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of being open to the many signs that the universe sends us. These may be very subtle and often missed if we are not open and patient to them. A simple butterfly may lead us to what we are needing at the time. We just have to be open and mindful of the moment to receive it. Lesson of the Day: Universal Messages: Signs!

Monday, April 10th, 2006: Tracy slept well last night until about 6 AM when she grinded her teeth for about an hour. She was a little more tight than usual this morning too. It is going to take several days until Tracy adjusts to the Baclofen adjustment. The good news is that Tracy was able to tolerate her right knee cast to stretch her right hamstring all night long. She also wore her resting hand splints for 8 hours too. Tracy wore her wrist cock up splints for four hours again today! This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy bathed , dressed, and ready for the day. Wilmene and Mom got Tracy into her chair and she rested while Tracy's P.A. stretched and ranged her arms. She was pretty sleepy most of the morning. Mom took advantage and ran some errands while Tracy caught up on her beauty rest. When Mom returned, Wilmene and Mom got Tracy on the therapy mat on her knees over the peanut ball. She did a good job bearing weight through her knees and tolerated 30 minutes. They then positioned Tracy on her right side and stretched her left torso while she was in side lying.She really likes this stretch a lot. It was too windy on the balcony and the weather was really marginal, lots of black clouds threatening but no rain. So, they decided to do Tracy's Physical Therapy in the Living Room on the therapy mat. After PT, Mom and Tracy's P.A. did Tracy's Speech Therapy using the new Z-vibe tool. Tracy really seems to like the sensory stimulation that this new tool provides. Mom used several different tips with varying textures. Next, Tracy's P.A. used the mini massager to stimulate Tracy's facial muscles. Wilmene put the massager in Tracy's right hand to let her hold it and feel the vibration. Then Mom let Tracy smell some of the aromatherapy scents such as lemon, tangerine, and eucalyptus. This is a multisensory approach to Tracy's Speech Therapy. Mom ordered some new scented therapy clay: vanilla and citrus and also some different bright colored sand to use during Tracy's therapy sessions. This evening, Mom rode her Spin bike for an hour while Tracy rested. Then Mom and Dad made a salad and broiled some Italian sausage for dinner and watched 24. Tracy will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of reciting positive affirmations or self-talk to yourself everyday. Affirmations are statements chosen and spoken consciously.Once they enter the realm of consciousness, they have the power to enter the subconscious where they can change our lives. Lesson of the Day: Words Of Wisdom : Affirmations!

Sunday, April 9th, 2006: Tracy slept well last night. She took a break from wearing her right knee cast again due to increased tone. She wore her resting hand splints all night long. This morning, Mom and Wilmene bathed Tracy and got her ready for Mass at 12 noon at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Palm Beach. She wore her new shirt that Aunt Candy sent her. It looked really cute on her. Mass was pretty crowded, since it was Palm Sunday. They gave out palm already folded in the shape of a cross. Mom and Dad met some very nice people, a cardiothoracic surgeon who works for the VA in West Palm Beach and his wife. It is always nice to make new friends. After Mass, Dad had to stop at Starbucks in West Palm Beach for lattes. Old habits are hard to break, especially on Sundays! When we returned, Nana, Aunt Diane, and Tim were at the condo. The weather was storming with lots of rain, thunder and lightning. Some places even had hail! Emily, Tracy's Speech Therapist, came by to work with Tracy. She was able to work with her tongue more easily today, and found it easier to put in her bite guards. Tracy was doing a good job moving her tongue, and lifted it up to the roof of her mouth several times. Emily seemed to like the new Z-vibe oral sensory stim tool that Mom ordered. The good news is that Tracy was much more awake today, so it seems as though the Baclofen dosage change is working. This evening, Tim cooked a delicious Italian dinner of fusilli and fish. It was really delicious. Then Aunt Diane had a birthday cake for Tim and everyone sang Happy Birthday! Tomorrow, Mom and Wilmene plan to get Tracy on the mat for Physical Therapy, especially after having the weekend off. Tracy had a really good break and will be ready to work hard tomorrow. Tracy will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Thank you Betty for the adorable teddy bears from Morocco! Thank you for the other goodies that you sent Mom and Dad! Thank you Aunt Kathy, Uncle Frank and the girls for the cute hot pink bathing suit for Tracy. She looks great in hot pink and will use it when we take her to the pool. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of finding personal harmony in our life through balance. This requires us to determine the many things in our lives that are important to us, while eliminating those which are not important. Lesson of the Day: Personal Harmony : Balance!

Saturday, April 8th, 2006: Happy 26th Anniversary Aunt Kathy and Uncle Frank! Tracy slept well last night. She took a break from wearing her right knee cast and wore her resting hand splints all night long. Tracy wore her wrist cock up splints for four hours today! This morning, Mom and Wilmene got Tracy showered, dressed, and ready for the day. Wilmene did Tracy's facial exercises using the new toy, the Z-vibe. Tracy did a good job opening her mouth for Wilmene and relaxing her jaw. She still seems pretty sleepy during the day. It will take a few days for the change in the Baclofen to take effect. We'll keep you posted on the progress of her medication change. This afternoon, Mom and Dad caught up with their chores while Tracy and Wilmene listened to music inside. The wind was very strong outside on the balcony with gusts up to 20 mph. This evening, Mom rode her Spin bike for an hour while Tracy rested. Then Mom and Dad planted little aromatic flowers in a strawberry pot for the balcony. Mom wanted to plant healing herbs but the plant specialist at the nursery said it would be better to wait until fall. So, she recommended lavender and other aromatherapy flowers for their healing scent. Later this evening, Mom and Dad ordered chinese food and watched the Home and Garden network. They got some great ideas for creating a nurturing and soothing environment (see Today's Daily Om below). Tomorrow, Mom, Dad, Wilmene and Tracy will go to 12 noon Mass at St. Edward's Church in Palm Beach. Emily is coming to do Speech Therapy with Tracy at 2 PM. Then Aunt Diane's friend Tim is cooking dinner for everyone in celebration of his birthday! Tracy will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Thank you Betty for the adorable teddy bears from Morocco! Thank you for the other goodies that you sent Mom and Dad! Thank you Aunt Kathy, Uncle Frank and the girls for the cute hot pink bathing suit for Tracy. She looks great in hot pink and will use it when we take her to the pool. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of creating a serene home by surrounding yourself with calming energy such as a fountain, soothing colors, plants, and wind chimes. Allowing yourself to be nurtured in a safe and calming environment helps to encourage healing of the mind, body and soul. Lesson of the Day: An Invitation To Comfort : Creating A Serene Home!

Friday, April 7th, 2006: Tracy was up several times last night. She wore her right knee cast and resting hand splints all night long. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy bathed, dressed, and out the door at 9:15 AM. Today, Dad arranged for us to get our new blue RETIRED IDs at the Naval Reserve and Training Center in West Palm Beach. The yeoman was prepared for us and had everything ready to process our new IDs. He did a great job and we were in and out of there in 20 minutes flat! Next, Tracy had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Lochner in Palm Beach to get her Baclofen pump refilled. Dad and Dr. Lochner discussed the plan to lower Tracy's Baclofen dosage. They decided to lower her continuous dosage by 10 percent, leaving the complex boluses at the same dosage. We hope this adjustment will help reduce Tracy's sleepiness during the day so she will be more awake to do therapy. Dr. Lochner was very pleased with Tracy and said that every time he sees her, she looks so much better. When we returned, Tracy's P.A. used Tracy's new toy, the Z-Vibe oral facial stimulator with the multiple tips. Tracy really likes this new sensory stim tool. It has five different types of tips with different textures and sizes. Mom uses these to work inside Tracy's mouth for oral stimulation. Mom went for a run with Uncle Johnny to the dry cleaners. It is about 6 miles round trip. When they returned, they did their lap swimming. Then it was time to get Tracy on the balcony for Physical Therapy. Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy supine to stretch and range her hips, hamstrings, shoulders, arms, and wrists. Then they rolled Tracy on her side to stretch her torso. Tracy really seemed to like this stretch and relaxed into it. It was very, very windy, so we were unable to open the awning. Tracy was able to get some sun and seemed very content. She relaxed in the sunshine for a while, and then it was time to bring Tracy inside before Tracy's P.A. had to leave for the evening. Tomorrow is Saturday and we will get caught up on chores around the house. Sunday, Palm Sunday, Emily, Tracy's Speech Therapist will come to work with Tracy at 2 PM. We plan to have dinner with the family in the evening. We will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Thank you Betty for the adorable teddy bears from Morocco! Thank you for the other goodies that you sent Mom and Dad! Thank you Aunt Kathy, Uncle Frank and the girls for the cute hot pink bathing suit for Tracy. She looks great in hot pink and will use it when we take her to the pool. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of trusting that those things not within our control we must leave to trust. This is really hard in this day and age when we must control everything possible. We must believe that God will take care of Tracy and show us the way to his magnificent plan for her! Lesson of the Day: Letting The Universe Be : Trust!

Thursday, April 6th, 2006: Tracy slept well again last night. She wore her right knee cast and resting hand splints all night long.This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy bathed and dressed for the day. Tracy looked like she was feeling much better today, after yesterday's nausea and vomiting. However, she was very sleepy so we gave her a break from therapy and let her rest in her bed this morning. At around 9:45 AM, Melanie came to give Tracy a Cranial Sacral session. She worked with Tracy two years ago when we visited Palm Beach. Melanie was very surprised with Tracy's progress since she saw her last two years ago! She was also pleased with Tracy's excellent response to the cranial sacral therapy, commenting on how well Tracy participates in her therapy. Tracy definitely seems to enjoy this type of massage. After Tracy's massage, Mom swam ten laps in the pool. She is thinking about doing a mini-triathlon sometime this summer. We'll keep you posted... This afternoon, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy on the therapy mat on the balcony for Physical Therapy. They positioned her on her knees over the peanut ball so she could weight bear through her knees. Tracy seems to relax and does well in this position, tolerating 30 minutes on her knees. After Physical Therapy, Mom and Tracy's P.A. used Tracy's new toy, the Z-Vibe oral facial stimulator with the multiple tips. Tracy really likes this new sensory stim tool. It has five different types of tips with different textures and sizes. Mom uses these to work inside Tracy's mouth for oral stimulation. Mom decided to not give anything to Tracy by mouth today since her tummy was not feeling well. The culprit could be the DannActiv yogurt drink with the live cultures. She is going to stick to the nectar consistency Hydrolyte and see how she does. This evening, Tracy rested in her bed while Mom rode her Spin bike on the balcony for an hour. It was a beautiful clear night with lots of stars shining! Tomorrow, Tracy has a doctor's appointment with Dr. Lochner to get her Baclofen pump refilled. Dad is going to accompany us, and will discuss reducing Tracy's Baclofen with Dr. Lochner. We will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Thank you Betty for the adorable teddy bears from Morocco! Thank you for the other goodies that you sent Mom and Dad! Thank you Aunt Kathy, Uncle Frank and the girls for the cute hot pink bathing suit for Tracy. She looks great in hot pink and will use it when we take her to the pool. Thank you Betty for the adorable Irish Rugby Teddy Bear. It will look cute with the entire teddy bear collection that you have sent her over the past three years. Thank you cousin Sophia for the adorable hot pink and purple hearts outfit for Tracy. Hot pink and purple are Tracy's favorite colors! She loves it! Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for all of the adorable hair accessories for Tracy! Wilmene will have a lot of little clips and hair bands with which to braid Tracy's hair! Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of surrounding yourself with the many blessings of nature: bright fuchsia and turmeric colored flowers, deep emerald and turquoise blue water, and multi-colored butterflies. God's magnificent palette! Lesson of the Day: Your Life's Palette : Color!

Wednesday, April 5th, 2006: Tracy slept well again last night. She wore her right knee cast and night resting hand splints all night long. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy showered and dressed for the day. Tracy looked like she was feeling much better today, after yesterday's nausea. Wilmene stretched and ranged Tracy and then we got her in her chair and out on the balcony to sit in the shade. It was a beautiful day with temperatures in the low 80's. This morning, Mom walked to the dry cleaners in Manalapan. It was a 6 mile round trip! She needed to get some exercise so she decided to walk instead of drive. Mom decided to let Tracy rest with Tracy's P.A. at home and not bring her along, to make sure that her stomach was feeling better. This afternoon, Mom and Tracy's P.A. gave Tracy 18 ccs of DannActiv vanilla yogurt drink. Tracy did a really good job swallowing with several audible ones. Mom used the new Z-vibe, a vibrating tool for oral-motor stimulation. She really seemed to like the different textured tip, especially massaging her lips and gums. Mom also used the new bubble gum flavored gloves which Tracy seemed to like a lot! After Speech Therapy, Mom and Wilmene got Tracy on the therapy mat for her Physical Therapy. They transferred her to the peanut ball in a straddle position. Tracy tolerated about 30 minutes in this position. She is having a hard time with head control. Mom thinks it is due to too much Baclofen. Tomorrow, Tracy has an appointment to get her pump refilled with Dr. Lochner. Dad is planning on accompanying Mom and Wilmene, and will discuss cutting back on the Baclofen dosage. This evening, Dad fed Tracy her last can of Jevity 1.2 tube feeding of the day around 9 PM. He barely gave her half a can when she started vomiting again. We do not know why Tracy is vomiting, but will explore the potential causes with Dr. Lochner Friday. Tomorrow, Tracy has a Cranial Sacral session with Melanie. She worked with Tracy two years ago when we were visiting Palm Beach. We will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Thank you Betty for the adorable teddy bears from Morocco! Thank you for the other goodies that you sent Mom and Dad! Thank you Aunt Kathy, Uncle Frank and the girls for the cute hot pink bathing suit for Tracy. She looks great in hot pink and will use it when we take her to the pool. Thank you Betty for the adorable Irish Rugby Teddy Bear. It will look cute with the entire teddy bear collection that you have sent her over the past three years. Thank you cousin Sophia for the adorable hot pink and purple hearts outfit for Tracy. Hot pink and purple are Tracy's favorite colors! She loves it! Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for all of the adorable hair accessories for Tracy! Wilmene will have a lot of little clips and hair bands with which to braid Tracy's hair! Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night.Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of rediscovering your inner child from the past. This helps us see the world and all it has to offer us with the wonder we once possessed. Lesson of the Day: Treasures From Our Past : Inner Child Meditation!

Tuesday, April 4th, 2006: Tracy enjoyed another great night's sleep last night. She wore her right knee cast and night resting hand splints all night long. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy bathed and dressed for the day. Tracy did not seem to be feeling very well this morning and vomited twice during the day. Mom took her temperature and it was normal. Tracy's P.A>Wilmene stretched and ranged Tracy and then we got her in her chair and out on the balcony to sit in the shade. It was a beautiful day with temperatures in the low 80's. This morning, Mom and Uncle Johnny went for a bike ride. Their plan was to ride to Worth Avenue, however, when Uncle Johnny got a huge flat tire on A1A, they had to pull over. Mom tried to patch the tire with her handy dandy patch kit, but the screw was 6 inches long and went all the way to the rim! They ended up walking their bikes all the way home. Never a dull moment around this place. This afternoon, Mom and Wilmene gave Tracy a break from physical therapy and let her rest in her bed. She was so sleepy and did not look like she felt well, especially after vomiting twice. Mom and Wilmene did not try to feed her anything either. They will try again tomorrow if Tracy is feeling better. This evening, Tracy relaxed while Mom rode her Spin bike for an hour. Dad went grocery shopping when he returned from work and an hour and a half commute. Mom did not want to leave Tracy to go shopping today since she was not feeling well. We will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. Thank you Aunt Kathy, Uncle Frank and the girls for the cute hot pink bathing suit for Tracy. She looks great in hot pink and will use it when we take her to the pool. Thank you Betty for the adorable Irish Rugby Teddy Bear. It will look cute with the entire teddy bear collection that you have sent her over the past three years. Thank you cousin Sophia for the adorable hot pink and purple hearts outfit for Tracy. Hot pink and purple are Tracy's favorite colors! She loves it! Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for all of the adorable hair accessories for Tracy! Wilmene will have a lot of little clips and hair bands with which to braid Tracy's hair! Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of letting go of our worries by writing them down and putting them in a box so that the universe can deal with them. This allows us to focus our energy on things within our control and rids us of the negative energy that worrying can bring us. Lesson of the Day: A Place For Worries : Surrender Box!

Monday, April 3rd, 2006: Tracy slept well last night. She got a well deserved break from her right knee cast and night resting hand splints. She wore her wrist cock up splints for three hours today. This morning, Mom and Tracy's P.A. got Tracy showered (in her tropical forest shower on the balcony with the pelicans and bougainvillea) and dressed for the day. Tracy's P.A. stretched and ranged Tracy and then braided her hair in tiny little braids. She looks so cute with her hair braided, just like she has them in the picture on the left when she was in Jamaica during Spring break 2002. Nana came over to spend the day with us. This morning, we got Tracy on the therapy mat on the balcony and straddled her over the peanut ball for thirty minutes. She was very relaxed and loose, so Mom was able to stretch her arms up over her head. She was able to stretch her right leg down on the mat and had no difficulty straddling her legs around the peanut. We will go to a new therapeutic horse back riding program on Saturday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM in Loxahatchee. It is called Vinceremos Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ruth, one of the certified hippotherapists, will evaluate Tracy to see if she is ready to join the hippotherapy program. Say a prayer that she is able to participate in the program. This afternoon, Tracy rested in her chair while Wilmene gave her a manicure. Mom and Nana walked across the street to the Four Seasons to get their nails done. Uncle Johnny treated them to a manicure. It was a nice break and Suzan did a good job. This evening, Mom and Wilmene fed Tracy 15 ccs of nectar consistency Hydrolyte (lemon flavored water). She did a good job swallowing and Wilmene did a good job performing Tracy's facial exercises. Later this evening, Dad, Tracy and Mom watched the Florida Gators beat UCLA for the NCAA Basketball Championship. We wished LSU won, however, it was good to have an SEC team win the championship! Thank you Aunt Kathy, Uncle Frank and the girls for the cute hot pink bathing suit for Tracy. She looks great in hot pink and will use it when we take her to the pool. Thank you Betty for the adorable Irish Rugby Teddy Bear. It will look cute with the entire teddy bear collection that you have sent her over the past three years. Thank you cousin Sophia for the adorable hot pink and purple hearts outfit for Tracy. Hot pink and purple are Tracy's favorite colors! She loves it! Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for all of the adorable hair accessories for Tracy! Wilmene will have a lot of little clips and hair bands with which to braid Tracy's hair! Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the importance of learning to connect with others and the need for interdependence in all that we do in our daily lives. Lesson of the Day: The Truth Of Interdependence : Connection!

Sunday, April 2nd, 2006: Tracy slept well last night. She wore her right knee cast and her resting hand splints for three hours last night. Tracy woke Mom and Dad up around 2:30 AM. Good thing she did, because we forgot to change the clocks before we went to sleep last night. Dad remembered at 2:30 AM! We would have been late for Mass at noon if he did not remember. This morning, Mom and Wilmene got Tracy bathed and dressed for the day. It was another beautiful day in southern Florida! Everyone ran out the door to go to the 12 noon Mass at St. Edwards Church in Palm Beach. It is a beautiful old church with an incredible white marble altar and high decorative ceilings. Tracy was very relaxed during the Mass. On our way home, we stopped at Starbucks in West Palm Beach for lattes (no scones)! Then Dad took the scenic route back. When we returned Emily arrived and it was time for Speech Therapy. Mom and Emily worked together to put in Tracy's bite blocks so that Emily could work with Tracy's tongue. Once they were in, Emily used different flavors such as honey, coffee yogurt, and fresh mango to stimulate Tracy's tongue. She put the different flavors on the roof of Tracy's mouth and worked with Tracy's tongue tip to elevate it to the roof of her mouth. Tracy got her tongue tip to the roof of her mouth four times! Emily demonstrated some facial exercises for Wilmene to perform on Tracy during the week. Mom gave her the Beckman Exercises handout to read as well. This afternoon, Tracy rested in her bed while Wilmene caught up on some chores and Linda packed. Mom rode her Spin bike on the balcony while Dad ran some errands. This evening, everyone met at Luna Pazza for dinner to celebrate Dad's birthday. It was great to spend the evening with family and friends: Nana, Uncle Johnny, Aunt Diane, Tim, Chip, and Eileen. We missed Anita who wasn't feeling well and did not come. Thank you everyone for the wonderful evening, birthday presents and cake! It was a lot of fun! We missed Tiffany and Rick (and Luna Bella too!) Friday was Linda's last day working with Tracy as her personal assistant. We are really going to miss her a lot. She is moving to Charleston, South Carolina to spend some time with her dad. We wish her many blessings and lots of luck in her new home. Wilmene will start working with Tracy on Monday from 8 to 6 as well as on the weekends. Tracy knows Wilmene from two years ago and Wilmene knows Tracy well. We are looking forward to working with her on a daily basis until we move to Miami. Tomorrow, Nana is coming to spend the day with us. Tracy does not have any appointments, so we will enjoy the day around the condo. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. Mom is working on getting Tracy enrolled in Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Loxahatchee. We'll keep you posted on this process. Thank you cousin Sophia for the adorable hot pink and purple hearts outfit for Tracy. Hot pink and purple are Tracy's favorite colors! She loves it! Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for all of the adorable hair accessories for Tracy! Wilmene will have a lot of little clips and hair bands with which to braid Tracy's hair! We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need for silence in our lives to recharge our batteries. It is in silence that we hear the truth! Lesson of the Day: Listening To The Void : Silence!

Saturday, April 1st, 2006: Tracy woke up several times during the night. She wore her right knee cast and her resting hand splints for four hours last night. This morning, Mom and Wilmene got Tracy showered and dressed for the day. It was another beautiful day in southern Florida! Wilmene braided Tracy's hair in tiny braids using the little clips that Mamaw sent her. Linda spent some time showing Wilmene her facial massage techniques and then she demonstrated feeding Tracy nectar consistency Hydrolyte (flavored lemon water). Linda was able to feed Tracy 12 ccs with audible swallows! Tracy seems to be improving with her swallowing, and we will begin feeding her twice a day. This afternoon, Mom. Linda and Wilmene got Tracy on the therapy mat on the balcony on her knees over the peanut ball. Tracy really has improved with this exercise. She relaxes and tolerates 30 to 40 minutes with no teeth grinding. She especially likes having the sunshine on her back. We are able to catch up her tan on her back and legs while she is over the peanut. Now she will have an even tan! Early this evening, Mom and Dad went for a bike ride to Manalapan and then swam laps in the pool. It was a beautiful clear evening with lots of stars. Later this evening, Linda stayed with Tracy while Mom and Dad went out to dinner at the Cottage in Lake Worth. It is a cute tapas restaurant with an outdoor courtyard decorated with white lights, palm trees, and lots of candles. Dad and Mom watched Florida beat George Mason on a huge projection television. Then they watched the LSU Tigers lose to UCLA when they got home. Too bad for those Tigers! They did well just getting to the Final Four! Friday was Linda's last day working with Tracy as her personal assistant. We are really going to miss her a lot. She is moving to Charleston, South Carolina to spend some time with her dad. We wish her many blessings and lots of luck in her new home. Wilmene will start working with Tracy on Monday from 8 to 6 as well as on the weekends. Tracy knows Wilmene from two years ago and Wilmene knows Tracy well. We are looking forward to working with her on a daily basis until we move to Miami. Tracy has been making more sounds each day and really trying to talk to us. She has also been laughing more frequently. Although it seems sporadic, Tracy appears to be laughing when she is relaxed and day dreaming in her bed. This happens more frequently when she is waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. Dad is enjoying his new job with American Airlines and loves playing doctor again. Tiffany is enjoying her new job as Communications and Marketing Associate for Response, Preparedness and International Services at the American Red Cross NHQ. Mom is enjoying her job too as Tracy's lead therapist during our interim stay in Palm Beach. Once we get to Miami, she will organize a team of therapists similar to the team Tracy had in Virginia. Mom is working on getting Tracy enrolled in Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Loxahatchee. We'll keep you posted on this process. Thank you cousin Sophia for the adorable hot pink and purple hearts outfit for Tracy. Hot pink and purple are Tracy's favorite colors! She loves it! Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for all of the adorable hair accessories for Tracy! Wilmene will have a lot of little clips and hair bands with which to braid Tracy's hair! We are all very hopeful that 2006 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It expresses the need for all beings to work together like birds in flight. When we see pelicans flying in a V-formation, they are aerodynamically sharing the work with the leader pulling the peloton along. Each pelican takes a turn pulling the peloton while the others glide behind. We can learn a valuable lesson from our brother the pelican! Lesson of the Day: Winged Formation : Birds Fly In A V!