Sunday, December 31st, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well again last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today was Mom and Dad's 27th wedding anniversary (and also New Year's Eve!) It was a beautiful sunny day; the wind had finally died down! Cousin Michelle made everyone her famous Western omelette, with ham, cheddar and blue cheese, onions and green peppers! It was really good! After Tracy's CPM sessions, it was time to get Tracy in her chair and out on the patio in the sunshine. Tracy is finally catching up on her sun tan now that the weather is cooperating! She really enjoys being out in the sunshine. This afternoon, Mom left to do some errands while Dad and Felicia stayed with Tracy. Dad ranged and stretched Tracy's upper and lower extremities and then it was time to put her new Dyna Splint on her right ankle. She is doing a good job tolerating her new splint. The purpose of the new splint is to help Tracy with dorsiflexion. We will gradually build up to 4 to 6 hours of wear time as Tracy can tolerate it. This evening, Nana and Uncle Johnny came over to spend New Year's Eve with us. Uncle Johnny treated us to Thai and then everyone went for a walk around the neighborhood to look at the pretty Christmas lights. Before we knew it, it was time to watch the ball drop over Times Square. Mom had party hats, leis, and blowers. There were even fire works going off in our back yard! Everyone rang in the New Year together toasting to a year full of many miracles for Tracy's complete recovery! We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We miss all those who are not able to be with us in person this holiday season. Please know that you are with us in Spirit and always: Candy and her family, Guy, Dawn and Sophia, Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Mike, Aunt Cheryl, Kathy Sue, Frank, Kathryn Jean, Caroline, and Elizabeth. We are all very hopeful that 2007 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 teaches us the power of changing our lives by leaving our mistakes behind!"To many, the coming of a new year represents an opportunity to begin again. It is a time to step off of dead-end paths in order to create a fork in the road, disassociating from the old, and aligning with fresh possibilities. Harnessing the power of this transformative energy is a matter of truly believing that resolutions can conquer past patterns. If we believe we are capable of changing our lives, we are more apt to believe that we are capable of leaving our mistakes behind. Our dedication, which might otherwise falter, is buoyed by hope. Thus, the beginning of the new year is traditionally a popular time to tackle difficult tasks such as quitting smoking, losing weight, or fulfilling worldly ambitions. But the transition from year to year can also be an opportune occasion to pursue emotional, spiritual, and intellectual growth because we no longer feel burdened by regret and disappointment. Whatever your reality, it is within your power to create the fork that allows you to walk a more conscious, grounded path. Viewing the start of the coming year as a time of rebirth allows you to focus on what you want to accomplish in the coming weeks, months, and years. Because you are a new person—in other words, a clean slate—you are free to immerse yourself in new experiences with impunity. If you feel a need to reconnect with your spirituality, consider taking up yoga, meditation, or another discipline that challenges both your mental and physical selves. Fill your newly-cleansed mind with stimulating knowledge, poignant wisdom, and useful skills. Clearing your home or workspace of clutter can improve the flow of energy in your life, giving you the momentum you need to stay true to your resolutions. And beginning a fresh journal can be a wonderful way to celebrate these developing aspects of your life." Lesson of the Day: Creating A Fork In The Road: New Year, New Start!

Saturday, December 30th, 2006: ~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered and Tracy and then it was time to put Tracy in her jogger for a walk around the neighborhood with Cousin Michelle and Mom. This is the first time since Tracy's dislocated hip that Tracy has been able to sit in her jogger and go for a walk. She really seemed to enjoy herself and the beautiful sunshine. The weather was sunny and clear with low humidity. This afternoon, Edna from NBMC outpatient rehab center brought her beautiful black lab/great dane mix dog over to visit Tracy. Tracy really seemed to enjoy Babe's visit. She is such a smart dog and did several tricks for Tracy. Edna had Babe fetch her leash, turn circles, and walk backwards for a treat. She also had her retrieve her purse. We hope Edna will bring Babe to visit Tracy again real soon. This afternoon, Melanie came to give Tracy a well-deserved Cranial Sacral Therapy session. Tracy really relaxed and enjoyed her treatment. Melanie is so good with Tracy. Then it was Mom's turn for a massage. It had been over a month since Melanie visited us, and Mom was well overdue. Even Cousin Michelle was able to get a massage. Looks like Dad will have to wait until next time for his turn! This evening, Michelle stayed with Tracy while Mom and Dad went out to dinner with our next door neighbors. They had a great time, good food, and met some new friends from Lighthouse Point. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We miss all those who are not able to be with us in person this holiday season. Please know that you are with us in Spirit and always: Candy and her family, Guy, Dawn and Sophia, Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Mike, Aunt Cheryl, Kathy Sue, Frank, Kathryn Jean, Caroline, and Elizabeth. We are all very hopeful that 2007 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 teaches us the power of self-determination in our daily lives. "Our lives are defined by the decisions we make each day. When we choose one option over another, whether we are selecting a restaurant or considering a cross-country move, we shape our lives. The decision-making process can be empowering, allowing us to enjoy the benefits of self-determination. Yet it can also be a source of anxiety because decisions force us to face the possibility of dissatisfaction and inner conflict. As a result, many of us opt to avoid making decisions by allowing others to make them for us. We consequently turn our power over to spouses, relatives, friends, and colleagues, granting them the stewardship of our lives that is ours by right. Though the decisions we must make are often difficult, we grow more self-sufficient and secure each time we trust ourselves enough to choose. Ultimately, only you can know how the options before you will impact your daily life and your long-term well-being. Within you lies the power to competently weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each selection. Even if you feel incapable of making a decision, your inner wisdom and your intuitive mind will give you sound counsel if you have faith in yourself. Try to come to your own conclusions before seeking the guidance of others, and even then, treat their suggestions as supplementary information rather than votes to be tallied. Before making your choice, release your fear of wrong decisions. Perceived mistakes can lead you down wonderful and unexpected paths that expose you to life-changing insights. If you can let go of the notion that certain choices are utterly right while others are entirely wrong, you will be less tempted to invite others to take the reigns of your destiny." Lesson of the Day: Using Your Power: Self-Determination!

Friday, December 29th, 2006: ~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Felicia and Mom showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy did not have any "official" therapy today. This afternoon, Felicia gave Tracy a pedicure and manicure; the color of the week is pale, shimmery pink! She does such a good job with Tracy's nails. Mom and Cousin Michelle went to Boca Raton to pick up Nana. Cousin Michelle took Mom and Nana out to lunch at Mizner Park. They had a nice lunch and visit. While they were gone, Tania spent some time massaging Tracy's hands and wrists with lotion. She also massaged and ranged Tracy's feet, ankles and calves. When they returned, Denise from Dyna Splint came to fit Tracy with a new dynamic splint for her right ankle. We will try it out and see how Tracy does. The plan is to increase her wearing time a little each day until she can wear it for 4 to 6 hours a day. This evening, Cousine Michelle cooked everyone linguini with tortellini and yellow squash. It was really good. Nana joined use and we all had a good evening catching up on the family matters. Tomorrow, Tracy has a Cranial Sacral Therapy session with Melanie at 2:30 PM. It has been almost a month since Melanie has worked with Tracy and she is looking forward to her session. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We miss all those who are not able to be with us in person this holiday season. Please know that you are with us in Spirit and always: Candy and her family, Guy, Dawn and Sophia, Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Mike, Aunt Cheryl, Kathy Sue, Frank, Kathryn Jean, Caroline, and Elizabeth. We are all very hopeful that 2007 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 teaches us that like attracts like; the meaning of "self-fulfilling prophecy." "The law of attraction is surprisingly simple: Like attracts like. It becomes a bit more complicated when it comes to training our minds to think in ways that will bring what we desire into our lives. The term “self-fulfilling prophecy” describes the same law. This well-known term explains that we create the circumstances our mind dwells upon, whether positive or negative. So our goal is to practice consistent presence of mind to make sure our thoughts are always directed toward the positive and that which we want to create. Just like with any skill, the law of attraction must be practiced. We must decide what makes us feel abundant, and use our imagination to create the feeling. It isn’t enough to just want something; you must use the power of your thoughts to attract it. A series of choices is what brings us everything in our lives right now, every moment. When we know the direction we want our choices to take us, it is as if we’ve placed an order with the universe. Then we can await its arrival with joyful anticipation. If we find ways to experience our dreams right now, we make creating joy a treasure hunt in which the seeking is just as much fun as the finding." Lesson of the Day: What You See Is What You Get: The Law Of Attraction!

Thursday, December 28th, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well again last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy has PT, OT and Speech Therapies at NBMC at 1, 2, and 3 PM. After her bath, Tracy had an hour and a half CPM session on her right leg and an hour on her left. Then it was time to head over to NBMC for therapy. Mom dropped off Tania, Tracy and Felicia and then headed to Palm Beach International Airport to pick up Cousin Michelle who is visiting us for a few days from Massachusetts. During Physical Therapy, Angel stretched and ranged both of Tracy's legs. He commented that her right foot seems pretty tight, most likely from the scar tissue. Angel recommended that we apply heat before we massage her feet and calves. After her stretching session, Angel transferred Tracy to the tilt table and inclined her to 45 degrees, monitoring her vital signs every 2 minutes. Angel than advanced Tracy to 65 degrees for five minutes and then to 70 degrees for 4 minutes. He lowered her back down to 45 degrees when she began to become a little diaphoretic and pale. We will gradually continue to advance Tracy until she regains her vascular tone and can tolerate 90 degrees. During Occupational Therapy, Charlene stretched and ranged both of Tracy's arms. While Tracy's head was turned to the right, Charlene used a clapping device on her left side. Tracy did not respond to the noise on her left side. She tried this several times with no response. Then Charlene and Tania sat Tracy on the edge of the mat, supported from behind by Charlene. Tania held up a red and a green cone for Tracy to identify. Tracy appeared to turn to the correct colored cone when asked by Tania. Tania then supported Tracy from behind while Charlene rocked Tracy from side to side and then from front to back for vestibular acclimation. During Speech Therapy, Mom and Cousin Michelle assisted Anita with some auditory stimulation. Mom set up Tracy's Yes switch on her right while Michelle played one of the noise makers (triangle, xylophone, tambourine, etc.) The goal was for Tracy to hit the Yes switch as soon as she heard the sound coming from her left side. She did a good job with exercise, at times needing some tactile prompting with a cool cloth to stay awake. Next, Anita worked with Tracy to make the MMM sound, first by applying a cool cloth to her lips. Tracy made the MMM sound several times, although softly. Her breath control and coordination is also slowly improving with each session. Tracy still needs to work on her Ahhh sound, although today her jaw was much more relaxed than duirng previous sessions. This evening, Tania massaged Tracy's calves and feet with lotion for about 45 minutes. Then Dad stayed with Tracy while Mom and Cousin Michelle went to a Spinning class with some friends. It was a lot of fun and they all enjoyed it. Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any "official" therapy and Felicia plans to give Tracy a manicure and pedicure. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We miss all those who are not able to be with us in person this holiday season. Please know that you are with us in Spirit and always: Candy and her family, Guy, Dawn and Sophia, Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Mike, Aunt Cheryl, Kathy Sue, Frank, Kathryn Jean, Caroline, and Elizabeth. We are all very hopeful that 2007 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 teaches us to honor our every day life in celebration. "We all know someone who keeps plastic covers on his or her couch in order to protect it. The irony is that many of these people may live their lives without ever having actually made contact with their own furniture! This is a poignant and somewhat humorous example of the human tendency to try to save things for special occasions, as if everyday life weren’t special enough to warrant the use of nice things. Many of us have had the experience of never wearing a particular piece of clothing in order to keep it nice, only to have it go out of style in the meanwhile. It’s interesting to think of what it would mean to us if we let ourselves wear our nicest clothes and eat off the good china on a daily basis. We might be sending ourselves the message that every day we are alive is a special day and a cause for celebration, and that we are worth it. There is something uplifting about treating ourselves to the finest of what we have. It is as if we rise to the occasion when we wear our best clothes and set the table beautifully, as if for a very special guest. We are more mindful of where we place things, what we are eating, and who is with us. Using the good china, eating in the dining room, and taking the plastic off the sofa might be an invitation to be more conscious of the beauty and grace inherent in our everyday lives." Lesson of the Day: Cause For Celebration: Honoring Everyday Life!

Wednesday, December 27th, 2006: ~ Tracy enjoyed another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tiffany left this afternoon to return to Northern Virginia. We hated to see her go and miss her already! Tracy really seemed to enjoy having her sister close by and also seemed happy to show her the various things she is doing in therapy each day! After her shower, Tracy had an hour and a half session on the CPM machine, ranging her left leg. Then it was time to head to NBMC for Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapies. During Speech Therapy, Anita used an ice cube (for four seconds) to increase the sensation on Tracy's lips. Then she asked Tracy to say MMM. Tracy did a good job vocalizing the MMM sound, although softly. She closed her lips with tactile stimulation (by Anita). The goal is to get Tracy to open and close her mouth with only verbal cues (and not tactile cues). Tracy demonstrated several more good MMM sounds. It is a little more difficult for Tracy to say AHH, because it is harder for her to relax her jaw. We will continue to work on facial relaxation exercises with Tracy. Then it was time to work on Tracy's switches. Tracy hit the Yes (right) switch twice on command. She was a little more reluctant to hit the No (left) switch. She answered several questions using her switches, then got a little sleepy. Tracy had an hour break before Occupational Therapy. During this time, Tania and Felicia put Tracy on the mat and Tania massaged her calves and feet. During OT, Charlene ranged and stretched Tracy's upper extremities. Then it was time for Tracy to sit on the edge of the mat to practice trunk and head control. Charlene blew up a balloon and Tania threw the balloon to Tracy. Charlene assisted Tracy in hitting the balloon. The goal is to get Tracy to reach out to hit the balloon. She has not been able to do this to date. We will continue to work on this. Next, Charlene, Mom, Tania, and Felicia got Tracy prone (on her tummy) to weight bear through her shoulders. Tracy did such a good job picking up her head and turning it to the right to look at Tiffany and then to the left to look at Mom. She tolerated about 15 minutes in this position. It had been 6 to 8 months since Tracy had been on her tummy. She let us know when she had enough by starting to cry a little. During Physical Therapy, Angel began by stretching and ranging Tracy's lower extremities. Then it was time to get Tracy on to the tilt table. Angel took Tracy up to 65 degrees (gradually), monitoring her blood pressure and O2 saturation very closely. Tracy tolerated about 3 minutes or so before her blood pressure began to drop. Then Angel lowered Tracy to about 45-50 degrees, where she stayed for about 45 minutes. It is a slow, gradual process to rebuild Tracy's vascular tone after almost four years of being horizontal. Baby steps...This evening, Tracy stayed with Dad while Mom went to a Pilates mat exercise class with her good friend, Debbie Rand. It was the first class that Mom had been to since Tracy's accident nearly four years ago! It was a great class and she really enjoyed it! Tomorrow, Tracy has PT, OT and Speech Therapy at 1, 2, and 3 PM at NBMC. Cousin Michelle arrives tomorrow for a week long visit. We can't wait to see her! She is a lot of fun to be with! We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We miss all those who are not able to be with us in person this holiday season. Please know that you are with us in Spirit and always! We are all very hopeful that 2007 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 teaches us how to slow down in our daily lives to take time and smell the flowers. "Throughout our lives, we are taught to value speed and getting things done quickly. We learn that doing is more valuable than merely being, and that making the most of life is a matter of forging ahead at a hurried pace. Yet as we lurch forward in search of some elusive sense of fulfillment, we find ourselves feeling increasingly harried and disconnected. More importantly, we fail to notice the simple beauty of living. When we learn to slow down, we rediscover the significance of seemingly inconsequential aspects of life. Mealtimes become meditative celebrations of nourishment. A job well-done becomes a source of profound pleasure, no matter what the nature of our labors. In essence, we give ourselves the gift of time—time to indulge our curiosity, to enjoy the moment, to appreciate worldly wonders, to sit and think, to connect with others, and to explore our inner landscapes more fully. A life savored slowly need not be passive, inefficient, or slothful. Conducting ourselves at a slower pace enables us to be selective in how we spend our time and to fully appreciate each passing moment. Slowness can even be a boon in situations that seem to demand haste. When we pace ourselves for even a few moments as we address urgent matters, we can center ourselves before moving ahead with our plans. Embracing simplicity allows us to gradually purge from our lives those commitments and activities that do not benefit us in some way. The extra time we consequently gain can seem like vast, empty stretches of wasted potential. But as we learn to slow down, we soon realize that eliminating unnecessary rapidity from our experiences allows us to fill that time in a constructive, fulfilling, and agreeable way. We can relish our morning rituals, linger over quality time with loved ones, immerse ourselves wholeheartedly in our work, and take advantage of opportunities to nurture ourselves every single day." Lesson of the Day: The Time Of Your Life: Learning To Slow Down!

Tuesday, December 26th, 2006: Tracy woke up around 2 AM with nausea and vomiting. Although it was quickly resolved, we are still not sure why this happens. We will continue to monitor this. Tracy is tolerating her Dynasplint on her right leg to give a sustained static stretch to her right hamstring. She is able to tolerate a tension setting of 1 and a half. We are looking into getting a Dynasplint for her right ankle to help with plantar flexion since she is currently unable to tolerate her right AFO for more than ten minutes! We'll keep you posted... This morning, Dad and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for PT, OT, and Speech Therapy at NBMC at 1, 2 and 3 PM. Then it was time for Tracy's CPM session. She is doing well tolerating up to two and a half hours on each leg per day or as time permits. Dad let Mom sleep in! She really was long overdue for a break! Today was the first time that Dad was able to see Tracy in action during her therapy sessions. He was both pleased and proud of how hard Tracy works during her sessions. Tracy had Physical Therapy first, and Angel began by stretching and ranging Tracy's lower extremities. He always encourages Tracy to count with him when he is stretching her. Sometimes, she tries and will vocalize along with his counting. After her range of motion, it was time to put Tracy on the tilt table. He brought Tracy up to 50 degrees to start. She tolerated this incline for a few minutes, maintaining stable vital signs. When her blood pressure begins to drop, he lowers her down. She seems to tolerate around 30 to 40 degrees and the goal is to be able to gradually progress her to 90 degrees. It takes time to rebuild her vascular tone and stamina after being horizontal for almost 4 years! Tracy stayed on the tilt table during her OT and Speech Therapies. Next, Tracy had OT with Gail (Charlene is still on vacation). Gail began by ranging Tracy's upper extremities: wrists, shoulders, hands/fingers. Then she put different colored cones in Tracy's left hand, having her hold them, bring them up to her eye, look through them like they were a kaleidoscope, and then release them, stacking them one on top of the other. She did this with every color cone. Then she got some dynabands and tied them to her hands and simulated stretching, using the bands. This is excellent for proprioception. We will continue to do these various activities at home with Tracy. Mom truly appreciates when therapists are creative and think out of the box! Next, Tracy had Speech Therapy with Anita. She practiced using Tracy's swiches with her, having her turn her head to the right for YES and to the left for NO. Tracy is progressing well with her switches. We will continue to use them at home. This evening, Mom, Dad. Tiffany and Tracy went to dinner at Aunt Diane's. Tim prepared a nice meal in honor of Mom and Dad's upcoming anniversary December 31st. Tiffany leaves Wednesday, and we are really going to miss her. We always enjoy her visits and wish she lived closer to us! We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We miss all those who are not able to be with us in person this Christmas: Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Mike, Aunt Cheryl, Kathy Sue, Frank, Kathryn Jean, Caroline, Elizabeth, Candy and her family, Chip and Eileen, and Guy, Dawn and Sophia!. Please know that you are with us in Spirit and always! We are all very hopeful that 2007 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 teaches us how to become a better person. "At some point in our lives, many of us find ourselves overcome with the desire to become better people. While we are all uniquely capable of navigating this world, we may nonetheless feel driven to grow, expand, and change. This innate need for personal expansion can lead us down many paths as we develop within the context of our individual lives. Yet the initial steps that can put us on the road to evolution are not always clear. We understand that we want to be better but have no clear definition of “better.” To ease this often frustrating uncertainty, we can take small steps, keeping our own concept of growth in mind rather than allowing others to direct the course of our journey. And we should accept that change won’t happen overnight—we may not recognize the transformations taking place within us at first. Becoming a better person in your own eyes is a whole-life project, and thus you should focus your step-by-step efforts on multiple areas of your existence. Since you likely know innately which qualities you consider good, growing as an individual is simply a matter of making an effort to do good whenever possible. Respect should be a key element of your efforts. When you acknowledge that all people are deserving of compassion, consideration, and dignity, you are naturally more apt to treat them in the manner you yourself wish to be treated. You will intuitively become a more active listener, universally helpful, and truthful. Going the extra mile in all you do can also facilitate evolution. Approaching your everyday duties with an upbeat attitude and positive expectations can help you make the world a brighter, more cheerful place. Finally, coming to terms with your values and then abiding by them will enable you to introduce a new degree of integrity and dignity into your life." Lesson of the Day: Growing Day By Day: Becoming A Better Person!

Monday, December 25th, 2006:Merry Christmas! ~ Tracy slept well again last night. This morning, Mom and Dad showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Dad gave Felicia and Tania the day off in honor of Christmas! This morning, Mom, Dad, Tiffany and Tracy went to Christmas Mass at St Paul the Apostle Church in Lighthouse Point. After Mass, we stopped by to see Chip and Eileen and to wish them a Merry Christmas! Then it was time to prepare everything for the Christmas meal. Mom, Tiffany and Dad cooked for Nana, Anita, Uncle Johnny, Aunt Diane and Tim. We decided to wait for Uncle Johnny to arrive to open our presents. He had several Christmas masses at his parish, St. Mary's in Pahokee, before he could join us. After Mass, our good friend Debbie Rand came by to visit and to spend some time doing Speech Therapy with Tracy. Tracy did a good job making the MMM sound. We will continue to practice this and the Ahhh sound with Tracy. Tracy had the day off from her CPM machine and spent it in the kitchen watching everyone preparing the Christmas meal. The weather was windy and humid with rain predicted for the evening. When Uncle Johnny arrived, it was time to open our presents. Once again, everyone was blessed with many beautiful gifts.This evening, everyone hung out together and watched Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation. It is always a funny movie, especially on Christmas! We missed those family members who could not be with us in person this year. They are always with us in spirit: Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Mike, Aunt Cheryl, Kathy Sue, Frank, Kathryn Jean, Caroline, Elizabeth, Aunt Candy, Tanya, Jon and Mike, Guy, Dawn, and Sophia. We look forward to seeing them soon. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We miss all those who are not able to be with us in person this Christmas. Please know that you are with us in Spirit and always! We are all very hopeful that 2007 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 teaches us how we are likened to a snowflake, unique and special. "The first slight snow that kisses our wind-reddened cheeks each winter carries the same message that frosts have conveyed since time immemorial. This message is dualistic in character; on one hand, winter’s growing chill compels us to rest and restore ourselves indoors, and on the other, snow, the most wondrous attribute of the winter season, beckons us outside to play and to reflect. Upon indulging this natural impulse, we emerge from our homes into the quietude created by a mantle of snow that blankets the ground, and find a scene painted in broad strokes of crystalline whiteness, embellished with bright highlights of silver and blue. The stillness envelopes us as the magical quality of the surreal landscape awakens profound feelings of peace within our souls. Mother Nature’s perfect artistry is seldom more evident than in the magnificently balanced structure of the lovely and delicate six-sided flakes that cascade from the heavens. To walk through falling snow is to immerse one’s self in life’s never-ending rhythms. We understand and accept that the snow beneath our feet, while tangible and powerful, is only one aspect of a larger cycle of world-altering weather events. The fluffy snowflake that floats to earth and joins its siblings brings the transient joy of leisurely days off and smiling snowmen, yet will one day experience a transformation in purpose. Without hesitation, as the weather grows warmer, each beautiful flake melts and becomes one with trickling rivulets, singing streams, and swiftly running rivers. Whereas, at the start of its existence, the snow serves to drape the world in beauty, it ends its season on earth by nourishing the land. A Zen proverb states that no snowflake ever falls in the wrong spot. Whether you celebrate the snow by tossing snowballs, or losing yourself in the meditative serenity of the silently drifting flakes, take a moment to contemplate how much like the snow each of us is. We are born pure, but later take on the footprints of those we encounter. Akin to each snowflake, we are unique, and yet we function as part of a larger whole—forever in the right spot at the right time. And like the snow itself, our lives and the roles we play are impermanent, yet imminently valuable." Lesson of the Day: Sparkling Stillness: Snow!

Sunday, December 24th, 2006: ~ Tracy had another great night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. She is doing a good job wearing her dynasplint on her right leg to give her hamstring a sustained static stretch for a minimum of eight hours a night while she is asleep (tension set at one and a half). Her last measurement of her right hamstring was about 14 degrees. This morning, Tracy had her two and a half hour session on her CPM to stretch and range her right hip and hamstring. Then she joined us in the kitchen where there was a lot of cooking going on! Nana and Aunt Diane came over to help Tiffamy, Mom and Dad in the kitchen. Tracy hung out in her chair and mostly slept off and on. Guess she was snuggled in for a long winter's nap? Mom and Tiffany baked some Key Lime Bars, using an old recipe from Mom's Key Lime Cookbook from their Key West days. Tiffany made her famous guacamole while Aunt Diane made an organic baby field greens salad. Mom, Aunt Diane, Tiffany and Nana made beef and shrimp kabobs and black beans and yellow rice. Tim made some of his fried zepolies, only the dough refused to rise! The only thing missing at dinner was the rest of the family: Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Mike, Aunt Cheryl, Kathy Sue, Frank, Kathryn Jean, Caroline, Elizabeth, Uncle Johnny, Candy and her family, Chip and Eileen, and Guy, Dawn and Sophia! Oh well, may be next year! This evening, Chip and Eileen came over and we all exchanged gifts. It was so nice to see them as always! We look forward to celebrating the Christmas holiday and making some wonderful memories with family and friends. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We miss all those who are not able to be with us in person this Christmas. Please know that you are with us in Spirit and always! We are very thankful that Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month! Please continue to pray for Tracy's rapid and complete recovery! Tomorrow, we will go to Mass at 10:30 AM and then everyone will be coming to our house for Christmas dinner. 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 teaches us how to give with our heart's truest intentions. " At any gathering, we each bring our own unique light to the party. When we think back on pleasant memories of events in our own past, we recall the fun and love that was shared, or the moments that touched us far more than anything else. A sense of obligation rarely brings out the joy within or moves us in any meaningful way. So as we walk through the holiday season, let’s choose to only give what we can give joyfully, lovingly, and sincerely—whether the gift is a smile, a compliment, a handmade card, or friendship. Once out from under the ‘should’s, we will be free to share the love and kindness we sincerely feel with those who we truly value—from the mailman to our nearest and dearest. Each gift we give and card we send carries the energy of our intention. If we are not giving from a true desire to share, it’s loss of time and energy that could be better spent by sharing life’s best gifts: love and joy. When we live each moment to the best of our abilities, then every second becomes a gift shared with the universe. Our positive choices have a ripple effect, touching those near and far, friends and strangers. In that way, sharing the light of our beautiful and unique presence becomes the best present we could possibly give, to ourselves and everyone else." Lesson of the Day: The Gift Of Sincerity: Holiday Obligations!

Saturday, December 23rd, 2006: ~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy in her new shower chair. It is so much better than the old jalopy made of PVC pipes! Tracy seems to like it a lot better too! After her shower, Mom and Felicia put Tracy on the CPM for her morning session of exercise and range of motion. Mom and Tiffany headed north to Lake Worth for hair appointments and last minute shopping. Dad and Felicia transferred Tracy to her chair and out she went into the family room. Felicia and Tracy listened to classical music (it is supposed to be good for brain rejuvenation!) Felicia asked Tracy a lot of questions (and Tracy replied using her switches) about Christmas from earlier times and she said that Tracy even cried! (I think Felicia cried some too!) Tracy has a way of bringing out the best in all of us! This evening, everyone watched The Sound of Music and Dad and Tiffany made pork chops with linguini and Emil's sauce! It was really good! Tomorrow, Mom, Dad. and Tiffany will spend the day cooking for Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners. Everyone will come over this afternoon to celebrate Christmas Eve! We look forward to celebrating the Christmas holiday and making some wonderful memories with family and friends. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We miss all those who are not able to be with us in person this Christmas. Please know that you are with us in Spirit and always! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to spread our light to others every day! "As the pace and fullness of modern life serve to isolate us from one another, the contact we do share becomes vastly more significant. We unconsciously absorb each other's energy, adopting the temperament of those with whom we share close quarters, and find ourselves changed after the briefest encounters. Everything we do or say has the potential to affect not only the individuals we live, work, and play with but also those we've just met. Though we may never know the impact we have had or the scope of our influence, accepting and understanding that our attitudes and choices will affect others can help us remember to conduct ourselves with grace at all times. When we seek always to be friendly, helpful, and responsive, we effortlessly create an atmosphere around ourselves that is both uplifting and inspiring. Most people rarely give thought to the effect they have had or will have on others. When we take a few moments to contemplate how our individual modes of being affect the people we spend time with each day, we come one step closer to seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. By asking ourselves whether those we encounter walk away feeling appreciated, respected, and liked, we can heighten our awareness of the effect we ultimately have. Something as simple as a smile given freely can temporarily brighten a person's entire world. Our value-driven conduct may inspire others to consider whether their own lives are reflective of their values. A word of advice can help others see life in an entirely new fashion. And small gestures of kindness can even prove to those embittered by the world that goodness still exists. By simply being ourselves, we influence other's lives in both subtle and life-altering ways." Lesson of the Day: Spreading Your Light:How You Affect Others Daily!

Friday, December 22nd, 2006: ~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Tracy woke us up at about 6 AM laughing again! This is so wonderful and music to our ears. Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. She is doing a good job wearing her dynasplint on her right leg to give her hamstring a sustained static stretch for eight hours a night while she is asleep (tension set at one and a half). Tiffany, Mom and Felicia headed south on the turnpike to Baptist Hospital in Miami for Tracy's 11:45 AM appointment with Dr. Tidwell. He was very pleased with Tracy's progress and made some recommendations for adjusting her AFOs. He also ordered a dynasplint for Tracy's right ankle to maintain her current range. Tracy is gradually becoming the bionic woman! She will have dynasplints on both wrists, her right hamstring, and her right ankle. Several years ago, Tracy wore a dynasplint on her right elbow! It worked so well that she no longer needs it! Dr. Tidwell did an x-ray on Tracy's right hip and it looked really good. He told us she no longer needs the abductor pillow (a.k.a. Spongebob Square Pants) and that we can transfer her without it! Yay! One less thing to tote around with us! (Mom is having a hard time giving up Spongebob Squarepants! We may find her sleeping with it now!) This afternoon, when we returned, Tiffany went to pick up Nana. We made pizza and salad for dinner and Tiffany got to visit with Nana for awhile. We always have fun when she comes to visit us! This evening, Mom, Dad, Tiffany, Tracy, Aunt Diane, and Nana went to see the 100 foot Christmas tree in Delray Beach. There were so many people out and about! It was very festive! We drove around and looked at all of the pretty Christmas lights in the neighborhoods around Boca Raton and Hillsboro! 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 teaches us how to find joy in life's surprises. This is very timely since every day Tracy surprises us with something new: laughing, using her switches, etc! " When we expect a situation, event, or confrontation to unfold in a certain way, it becomes more difficult to enjoy the surprises that have the potential to become profound blessings. Likewise, we may feel that we failed to meet our inner objectives because we were unable to bring about the desired results through our choices and actions. Consider, though, that we are all at the mercy of the universal flow, and our best intentions are often thwarted by fate. As you grow increasingly open to unforeseen outcomes, you will be more apt to look for and recognize the positive elements of your new circumstances. This receptivity to the unexpected can serve you well when you are called upon to compromise with others, your life plans seem to go awry, or the world moves forward in an unanticipated manner by granting you the flexibility to see the positive aspects of almost any outcome. The further you distance yourself from your expectations, the more exhilarating your life will become. Though a situation in which you find yourself may not correspond to your initial wants, needs, or goals, ask yourself how you can make the most of it and then do your best to adapt. Your life's journey will likely take many unpredicted and astonishing twists because you are willing to release your expectations." Lesson of the Day: Finding Joy In Life's Surprises:Releasing Your Expectations!

Thursday, December 21st, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well again last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. She is doing a good job wearing her dynasplint on her right leg to give her hamstring a sustained static stretch for eight hours a night while she is asleep (tension set at one and a half). Her last measurement of her right hamstring was about 14 degrees. This morning, Tracy had her one and a half hour session on her CPM to stretch and range her right hip and hamstring. Then it was off to NBMC for Speech, PT and OT at 12, 1, and 2 PM. Before we left, Tiffany recorded YES and NO on Tracy's switches. Tracy wanted her sister to record her voice in lieu of the chorus that consisted of Mom, Dad and Emil chanting YES and NO! She seemed to want her sister's voice that is more close to Tracy's voice. Tiffany sat in on Tracy's Speech Therapy with Anita. Tracy was a little more sleepy than usual but managed to answer some questions with her switches. Anita asked Tracy if she was happy that her sister was home for the holidays and Tracy answered immediately, hitting the right switch for YES! She asked her quite a few questions and Tracy did a good job responding. Then she had Tracy practice hitting the right switch and the left switch five times each. Mom and Felicia stayed with Tracy during Physical and Occupational Therapies while Tiffany and Tania headed to Target to do some shopping! During Physical Therapy, Angel stretched and ranged Tracy's lower extremities and then it was time to go on the tilt table. Angel took Tracy up to about 55 degrees and monitored her vital signs. Tracy's blood pressure remained stable for a few minutes and then started to drop. Angel lowered Tracy to about 40 to 45 degrees for her to stabilize and then tried increasing her again. Mom thinks that we may need to feed Tracy her lunch before we leave for therapy (around 11 AM) so that she has more volume. This may help maintain her blood pressure while on the tilt table. We will try this next time. Tracy remained on the tilt table for Occupational Therapy with Gail. This was Tracy's first time having Gail as a therapist. She spent time ranging her hands and wrists and then asked Tracy several questions about her family using pictures and switches. Gail asked Tracy if she wanted to work with the bubbles (for visual tracking) but Tracy did not want to and hit the NO switch right away. (May be she feels the bubbles are too babyish!) Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month, which is really good news! Please continue to pray for Tracy's rapid and complete recovery! Tomorrow, Tracy has an appointment at 11:45 AM at Baptist in Miami with her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Michael Tidwell. It has been about 6 weeks since he has seen Tracy. 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 teaches us how to give with our heart's truest intentions. " At any gathering, we each bring our own unique light to the party. When we think back on pleasant memories of events in our own past, we recall the fun and love that was shared, or the moments that touched us far more than anything else. A sense of obligation rarely brings out the joy within or moves us in any meaningful way. So as we walk through the holiday season, let’s choose to only give what we can give joyfully, lovingly, and sincerely—whether the gift is a smile, a compliment, a handmade card, or friendship. Once out from under the ‘should’s, we will be free to share the love and kindness we sincerely feel with those who we truly value—from the mailman to our nearest and dearest. Each gift we give and card we send carries the energy of our intention. If we are not giving from a true desire to share, it’s loss of time and energy that could be better spent by sharing life’s best gifts: love and joy. When we live each moment to the best of our abilities, then every second becomes a gift shared with the universe. Our positive choices have a ripple effect, touching those near and far, friends and strangers. In that way, sharing the light of our beautiful and unique presence becomes the best present we could possibly give, to ourselves and everyone else." Lesson of the Day: The Gift Of Sincerity: Holiday Obligations!

Wednesday, December 20th, 2006: ~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. She is doing a good job wearing her dynasplint on her right leg to give her hamstring a sustained static stretch for eight hours a night while she is asleep (tension set at one and a half). This morning after her shower, Tracy had a bout with nausea and vomited about an ounce of her morning feeding and mucous. We do not know why she is having these bouts of vomiting but will continue to monitor her. This morning, Tracy had her one and a half hour session on her CPM to stretch and range her right hip and hamstring. Around 11:30 AM, Mom, Tracy and Tania headed south to Miami for Tracy's 1 PM appointment with Dr. Rubin at the University of Miami Spasticity Clinic. He is the neurologist who has been caring for Tracy since her Baclofen pump was implanted two and a half years ago. He also manages Tracy's BoTox injections every three months. A Physical and Occupational Therapist also evaluated Tracy as part of the Spasticity Clinic team. The OT recommended additional BoTox to Tracy's wrist and finger flexors next month when Tracy returns for her next BoTox injections. Tiffany arrived safely from Northern Virginia last evening. It is so good to have her home for the holidays. We are looking forward to doing some fun things with her while she is home. Tomorrow, Tracy has Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapies at NBMC at 12, 2, and 3 PM. They are doing a great job with Tracy and we are looking forward to more baby steps in Tracy's therapy! Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month, which is really good news! Please continue to pray for Tracy's rapid and complete recovery! 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 teaches us how to uphold our choices to say NO when we have been programmed to say YES to requests. How appropriate timing when Tracy is just beginning to demonstrate her personal choices with her Yes and No switches! "When others ask you to take on work or do favors, consider their requests carefully. If you feel pressed to say yes, consider whether you are acquiescing out of a desire for approval or to stave off disapproval. Remind yourself often that the ability to say no is an important aspect of well-being, as it is an indication that you understand the true value of your energy, talents, and time. As you learn to articulate your personal power by saying no, you may feel compelled to explore the myriad consequences of the word by responding negatively to many or most of the requests put to you. The word “no” may even become your default response for some time. When you see that life moves forward without interruption, however, you will grow more comfortable saying no and will resume making decisions from a point of balance. There is nothing inherently wrong with acceding to the requests others make of you, provided these requests do not infringe upon your health or your happiness. Keep in mind that it is only when you feel you have the legitimate right to say no that you can say yes with utmost certainty, sincerity, and enthusiasm. While saying yes almost always has a cost, you can feel good about offering your agreement when your reasons for doing so are rooted in your individual values and your appreciation for the appeal before you." Lesson of the Day: Finding The Freedom In No: Yes People!

Tuesday, December 19th, 2006: Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. She woke us up this morning at 6:00 AM with the most angelic smile on her face and she was laughing so loudly! We are not sure what she was laughing at, but it was PRICELESS! When Mom asked Tracy if she was laughing and smiling because she was thinking about a cute guy, she answered YES with her switch! When Mom tried to identify who Tracy was thinking about this morning, she asked Tracy if she was thinking about Angel. Tracy hit the NO switch! Then Mom asked if it was any of her business to know who Tracy was thinking about, Tracy hit the NO switch! Mom will continue to "mind her own business" until she identifies who the cute guy was that Tracy was smiling about! (HA HA!) This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. She got in her two sessions on her CPM machine to range her right and left hip and hamstring. Then it was time to head out the door to North Broward Medical Center for Ot, PT, and Speech Therapies at 1, 2, and 3 PM. During OT, Charlene worked with Tracy's switches to practice head control. She and Tania asked Tracy all sorts of questions for her to answer. One questions they asked was if Emil is Tracy's best friend. Tracy did not hesitate and hit the right switch answering "Yes, yes, yes"! (Emil sure is a wonderful friend and we are blessed to have him. He left today for Northern Virginia and we can't wait for him to return!) When Charlene had Tracy identify colors using the colored cones, Tracy again seemed to have difficulty identifying the yellow and blue cones. This was the same outcome as the other day when we asked her to look at the blue or yellow cones. She is improving so much with use of her switches that Mom is going to make an appointment at Nova Southeastern Augmentative and Alternative Communication Clinic for an evaluation. More on this later. During PT, Angel ranged and stretched Tracy's lower extremities and then it was time to get on the tilt table. He brought her up to about 45 degrees and monitored her vital signs. Tracy is still getting acclimated to being vertical and sometimes it takes longer to maintain her orthostatic tone. This means that Angel will monitor her blood pressure and if it significantly drops, he will lower her down to a more manageable incline until her blood pressure stabilizes. The goal is to get her to 90 degrees and then he will work on increasing duration. Tracy tolerated about an hour and a half on the tilt table at about 35 - 45 degrees. Anita worked on Tracy's Speech Therapy while she was inclined on the tilt table. Tracy was very awake and alert during her session. Anita asked Tracy a lot of different questions so that she could practice hitting the right and left switch for Yes and No. One question she asked Tracy was whether she liked the responses for Yes and No that Mom, Dad, and Emil recorded for her on her Talking Buddy switches. Tracy responded YES. Then Mom asked Tracy if she would rather have Tiffany's voice on the recording and Tracy responded YES. It seems as though Tracy does not want her responses to have male voices. Mom will get Tiffany to record her voice for Tracy's responses on her switches. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month, which is really good news! Please continue to pray for Tracy's rapid and complete recovery! When we returned home, Tracy hung out in her chair for a while with Mom and Tania. Then it was time to get on her CPM machine again for more range of motion. Tomorrow, Tracy has an appointmet at the Unviersity of Miami Spasticity Clinic at 1 PM with Dr. Rubin to evaluate her post-Botox injections. We'll let you know how that goes. We are so excited that Tiffany is coming home for Christmas and will be with us for one week! We can't wait for her to arrive! She gets her tomorrow around 4:45 PM at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. Dad plans to pick her up! We can't wait to see her! 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 teaches us how to focus on the joyfulness of the holiday season and to overcome the sadness that past memories may evoke. "One key way to reinvigorate your holiday is to let go of feeling obligated to engage in rituals or situations that make you feel unhappy. It is easy to get lost in the trance of tradition and lose track of who you really are and what serves you as you are now. But there is a wonderful payoff if you take the time to touch base with what you really want and give it to yourself. When you take care of yourself, your capacity to give to others expands exponentially, and so does your innate joyfulness. The first step is taking time to sort through any baggage that’s nagging you. If sad memories present themselves, know that you are not alone. It is well-documented that many people suffer from depression at this time of year. The key is to face these feelings, hear them out, and fully process them so that you can be free again. Try giving yourself the space and time to consider what will be truly healing for you this year. Perhaps you’d rather go on vacation to a tropical island with friends than go back home to a dysfunctional family. Maybe you’d prefer not to exchange gifts. Maybe you want to change-up the traditional dinner fare and make something profoundly healthy or exotic. As you infuse this holiday with new energy, you will feel your blues lightening and your joyfulness steadily on the rise. Try to make this holiday season about who you are now, not what you were in the past. Enjoy." Lesson of the Day: Rediscovering Your Joyfulness: Holiday Blues!

Monday, December 18th, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well again last night. This morning, Mom, Felicia and Tania showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy does not have any "offiicial" therapy today, but will definitely receive a workout from Tania and Felicia. After her shower, Tania and Felicia put Tracy on the CPM machine to exercise her hips and hamstrings. She does well tolerating the increased range of 0 to 120 degrees on both legs. Mom had an appointment, and was gone until around noon. When she returned, it was time to get Tracy out of her bed and into her chair. This afternoon, Tania read Tracy from the book: Marley and Me. Tracy really enjoys being read to and especially likes this book. This evening, Emil made dinner for everyone. He made stuffed zucchini boats, tortellini with special sauce, garlic toast and salad. It was delicious. Emil leaves tomorrow to return to northen Virginia, We really hate to see him go. We hope he comes back very soon. Tomorrow, Tracy has Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapies at NBMC at 1, 2, and 3 PM. They are doing a great job with Tracy and we are looking forward to more baby steps in Tracy's therapy! Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month, which is really good news! Please continue to pray for Tracy's rapid and complete recovery! We are so excited that Tiffany is coming home for Christmas and will be with us for one week! We can't wait for her to arrive! She gets her Wednesday around 4:45 PM. 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 teaches us how to focus on the journey and not the outcomes of our life's purpose! (Mom decided to repeat this Daily Om. It is another good lesson which is worth repeating!) " When we visualize the future, we tend to focus on outcomes rather than the steps we will take to reach those conclusions. Thus, we may forget that growth is progressive. Your soul longs to fulfill its purpose-a purpose you agreed to in the timelessness in which you existed before your birth. Because of this, neither you nor the universe will set any circumstance before you that you are not capable of handling. Fear of the future can paralyze you, preventing you from living in the moment and from working toward your goals in a mindful manner. The key to conquering this fear lies in awareness. When you can identify the irrational thoughts that frighten you, you can replace them with logical, self-affirming ideas. If you are afraid that you won't be satisfied when you accomplish a certain goal, remember that no one achievement represents an end in and of itself. And if you fear recognition or feel unworthy, consider that even now you are deserving of praise." Lesson of the Day: Being With Uncertainty: Fear Of The Future!

Sunday, December 17th, 2006: ~ Tracy enjoyed another good night's sleep last night. At times, she seems so close to talking to us. Last night, Emil was coaching her to take a deep breath and to say Mommmmm! She did make an MMMM sound! When she is very relaxed, she is more able to take deep breaths and vocalize. The very nature of the apraxia makes it difficult to control all of the steps involved in talking. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Dad and Emil put some little white lights on the palm trees in the back yard for Tracy and everyone to enjoy! They do such a good job! The sun finally came out this morning and was a very welcomed sight. After her bath, Felicia gave Tracy a facial and a manicure. The polish color of the week is an irridescent purple, Tracy's favorite color! This afternoon, Dad and Emil worked on some projects outside on the dock. Nana, Aunt Diane, Tim and Uncle Johnny came over to spend the day with us. Mom's good friend Joan Carlson came by to see us. She is visiting from Jacksonville. She brought Tracy a biscotti scented candle and a pretty ornament for the tree. She brought Mom and Dad some Starbuck's coffee and some yummy biscottis. Of course, we all know how much Mom and Dad love Starbuck's coffee and biscottis! Everyone enjoyed the pretty weather and sat outside on the patio. Tracy really enjoys being outside! Then it was time for dinner. Dad got a break from the kitchen this evening.Tim made baked tilapia, Aunt Diane made a garden salad with fresh basil from the garden. Mom steamed some fresh asparagus! It was all really good. Nana brought some cream puffs that her friend Rose Marie made. They were really delicious! Everyone enjoyed themselves and had a good time! After dinner, Emil gave Dad a much needed massage. It was just what the doctor ordered. Tomorrow, Tracy has an appointment with her orthotist, Mark Selleck, at 3:30 PM to make some more adjustments on her right AFO. It just isn't fitting well and causes her discomfort. We'll let you know how that goes. Tuesday, Tracy has OT, PT, and Speech Therapies at NBMC at 1, 2, and 3 PM. They are doing a great job with her therapy! Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month, which is really good news! Please continue to pray for Tracy's rapid and complete recovery! 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 teaches us how to focus on what's important in our lives: eachother! "The word “home” has a wide variety of connotations. To some, home is merely a place where basic needs are addressed. To others, home is the foundation from which they draw their strength and tranquility. Still, others view home as a place inexorably linked to family. Yet all these definitions of home imply somewhere we can be ourselves and are totally accepted. There, we feel safe enough to let down our guard, peaceful enough to really relax, and loved enough to want to return day after day. However, these qualities need not be linked to a single space or any space at all. Home is where the heart is and can be the locale you live in, a community you once lived in, or the country where you plan to live someday. Or home can be a feeling you carry inside yourself, wherever you are.Since your home is so intimately tied to the memories that define you, you may feel that you are losing a vital part of yourself when you leave behind your previous house, city, state, or country. And as it may take some time before you fashion new memories, you may feel homeless even after settling into your new abode. To carry your home with you, you need only become your own foundation. Doing so is merely a matter of staying grounded and centered, and recognizing that the pleasures you enjoyed in one place will still touch your heart in another if you allow them.
Your home can be any space or state of being that fulfills you, provided you are at peace with yourself and your surroundings. A person can feel like home to you, as can seasons and activities. If you feel disconnected from what you once thought of as home, your detachment may be a signal that you are ready to move one. Simply put, you will know you have found your home when both your physical environment and energetic surroundings are in harmony with the individual you are within." Lesson of the Day: Wherever You Are: Home Is Where The Heart Is!

Saturday, December 16th, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well again last night. Thank goodness she has not had any more nausea and vomiting since Friday afternoon. All of her labs were normal. Tracy is doing a good job tolerating her dynasplint on her right hamstring for over 8 hours per night with the tension set on one and a half. It is really making a difference in her right hamstring range. Her knee range is improving. Tracy has an appointment to see her neurologist in Miami for evaluation of her spasticity on Wednesday, December 20th at 1 PM in the Spasticity Clinic. Tracy also has an appointment to see her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Tidwll, on Friday, December 22 at 11:45 AM at Baptist in Miami. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy using a new shower chair which fits Tracy much better than her old one. It should work even better when we get her bathroom shower modified next month. After her shower, Mom and Felicia got Tracy in her chair and brought her out to the family room. While Dad and Emil were busy working on the dock outside in the back yard, Tracy relaxed in her chair. Tracy really seems to appreciate her days off from therapy to catch up on her rest! Next week is going to be really busy with two trips to Miami for doctors appointments and therapy at NBMC! We are excited and looking forward to Tiffany coming for Christmas! She arrives this Wednesday and will be here for one week! We can't wait for her to get here! Tracy spent about two and a half hours (each leg) on her CPM machine. Genevieve, her Physical Therapist, advanced her range to 0 to 120 degrees on both legs. She is tolerating it well. This evening, Mom, Dad and Emil got ribs from Bonefish Mac's and watched football! The weather is finally clearing up, so Mom addressed and stuffed the Christmas cards that Tracy stamped (with her signature with help from Emil and Tania) outside on the patio. It was a beautiful evening and the stars were finally coming out after almost a week of rain! At least the flowers are green! This evening, Emil gave Mom a very much needed massage! He is a great massage therapist! Dad will have his turn tomorrow evening. Tomorrow, we plan to spend the day around the house with family. Nana, Aunt Diane, Uncle Johnny and Tim are coming over for dinner. Mom's good friend Joan Carlson is coming over to see us. We look forward to seeing her and catching up. It should be fun! Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month, which is really good news! Please continue to pray for Tracy's rapid and complete recovery! 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 teaches us how to focus on the journey and not the outcomes of our life's purpose! " When we visualize the future, we tend to focus on outcomes rather than the steps we will take to reach those conclusions. Thus, we may forget that growth is progressive. Your soul longs to fulfill its purpose-a purpose you agreed to in the timelessness in which you existed before your birth. Because of this, neither you nor the universe will set any circumstance before you that you are not capable of handling. Fear of the future can paralyze you, preventing you from living in the moment and from working toward your goals in a mindful manner. The key to conquering this fear lies in awareness. When you can identify the irrational thoughts that frighten you, you can replace them with logical, self-affirming ideas. If you are afraid that you won't be satisfied when you accomplish a certain goal, remember that no one achievement represents an end in and of itself. And if you fear recognition or feel unworthy, consider that even now you are deserving of praise."Lesson of the Day: Being With Uncertainty: Fear Of The Future!

Friday, December 15th, 2006: ~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. She is wearing her dynasplint on her right hamstring for over 8 hours per night on one and a half. It is really making a difference in her right hamstring range. Her knee is almost totally straight. We have an appointment to see Tracy's neurologist in Miami for evaluation of her spasticity on Wednesday, December 20th at 1 PM in the Spasticity Clinic. Tracy also has an appointment to see her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Tidwll, on Friday, December 22 at 11:45 AM at Baptist in Miami. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for her busy day of therapy at NBMC in Deerfield Beach. This morning, Mom and Dad had an appointment with one of the contractors who does housing accessibility modifications. We discussed making some minor modifications to Tracy's bedroom and bathroom so that they are more accessible. We are also planning to build a ramp to the dock in our backyard so that Tracy can have complete accessibility to our home. This morning, Tracy vomited a little about and hour or so after her breakfast feeding. Emil picked up Nana so that she could come with us to therapy. She has never seen Tracy vertical on the tilt table so she was pretty excited. Emil came with us too, so Tracy had two live models to look at in place of pictures! During Occupational Therapy, Charlene ranged and stretched Tracy's upper body and then it was question and answer time. Mom held the switches up to Tracy's cheeks, YES on her right and NO on her left! Charlene held up different colored cones and Tracy answered Yes and No appropriately, identifying her colors. She got most of them, however confused yellow for blue. Then it was time to ask Tracy questions about the different aromatherapy scents that Mom let her smell. She did a good job identifying Happy cologne. Next, it was time to sit Tracy on the edge of the mat to practice trunk and head control. Tracy's trunk control has improved but she still has a ways to go with head control. She works real hard to pick up her head and holds it up for a few seconds, but is not strong enough to hold for longer. We will continue to work on this, baby steps. Next it was time for Physical Therapy with Genevieve. Today, Gen did her reassessment of Tracy, measuring her range in her lower extremities. Tracy has definitely improved in her range, which shows progress! Next, Gen got Tracy on the edge of the mat to work on her trunk alignment. Tracy's trunk is a little lopsided, so Gen wants to work on stretching her muscles to correct this imbalance. This is important to prevent Tracy from developing scoliosis (curvature of the spine). Tracy was sitting on the mat with minimal support (although when you let her go she is not able to balance yet on her own). Next, was the moment everyone was waiting for: the tilt table! Gen, Angel, Emil, Mom and Duemarie got Tracy onto the tilt table, and up she went to 60 degress! She tolerated about 8 minutes at this incline and then her Oxygen saturation rate went down from 100 percent to 93/94. Her blood pressure remained stable. Tracy's venous system is improving, although she does not have the vascular tone yet to tolerate being upright for very long. The tilt table is gradually rebuilding her vascular tone. Once she masters the tilt table, the next step will be a standing frame! Please pray for her to make it quickly to the next step. This evening, when we returned from therapy, Tracy vomited alot! Mom gave Tracy her regular G-tube feeding and it came right back up. We are not sure why she is vomiting, however, all of her labs were normal! Dad thinks it may have something to do with the decreased Baclofen dosage. Dr. Williams recommended that we discontinue her protein supplement and see what happens. We'll continue to monitor this. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month, which is really good news! Please continue to pray for Tracy's rapid and complete recovery! Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any therapy. She will get a much deserved day of rest. Mom and Dad will catch up on their chores around the house (Christmas cards, etc.) 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 teaches us how to shed our protective layer to grow to our full potential. "Trees grow up through their branches and down through their roots into the earth. They also grow wider with each passing year. As they do, they shed the bark that served to protect them but now is no longer big enough to contain them. In the same way, we create boundaries and develop defenses to protect ourselves and then, at a certain point, we outgrow them. If we don't allow ourselves to shed our protective layer, we can't expand to our full potential. Trees need their protective bark to enable the delicate process of growth and renewal to unfold without threat. Likewise, we need our boundaries and defenses so that the more vulnerable parts of ourselves can safely heal and unfold. But our growth also depends upon our ability to soften, loosen, and shed boundaries and defenses we no longer need. It is often the case in life that structures we put in place to help us grow eventually become constricting. Unlike a tree, we must consciously decide when it's time to shed our bark and expand our boundaries, so we can move into our next ring of growth. Many spiritual teachers have suggested that our egos don't disappear so much as they become large enough to hold more than just our small sense of self-the boundary of self widens to contain people and beings other than just "me." Each time we shed a layer of defensiveness or ease up on a boundary that we no longer need, we metaphorically become bigger people. With this in mind, it is important that we take time to question our boundaries and defenses. While it is essential to set and honor the protective barriers we have put in place, it is equally important that we soften and release them when the time comes. In doing so, we create the space for our next phase of growth." Lesson of the Day: Peeling Away The Layers : Trees Shedding Their Bark!

Thursday, December 14th, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well again last night. She is wearing her dynasplint on her right hamstring for over 8 hours per night on one and a half. It is really making a difference in her right hamstring range. Her knee is almost totally straight. We have an appointment to see Tracy's neurologist in Miami for evaluation of her spasticity on Wednesday, December 20th at 1 PM in the Spasticity Clinic. Tracy also has an appointment to see her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Tidwll, on Friday, December 22 at 11:45 AM at Baptist in Miami. This morning, Ramon, the lab tech from Med Tech Services came to draw Tracy's blood for some tests. Then, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for her day. Tracy had a well deserved break from therapy today. It was pouring so hard that some of the roads were flooded. Mom spent the day cleaning off her desk and filing. She is finally getting organized and it sure feels good. After her bath, Tania and Emil spent some time helping Tracy stamp Christmas cards using the signature stamp that Liz had made for Tracy last year.Mom got Tracy's signature from an old card that she found. Tania had to hold Tracy's hand with the stamp so that she could stamp her signature. Tracy seemed pleased that she was able to participate in writing Christmas cards this season. This afternoon, Tania worked with Tracy's switches and asked her several questions. Tracy did such a good job answering with the new Talking Buddy switches. Mom, Dad and Emil recorded YES and NO responses on the switches. For a YES response, Tracy turns her head to the right to hit the switch. This elicits the Yes, Yes, Yes! For a NO response, Tracy turns her head to the left to hit the switch. This elicits the No, No, No, No, No response. Tracy seems to like using the switches and is really catching on to this process of communication.. She let Tania know that her right AFO was bothering her by hitting the correct switch when Tania asked her a question about her right foot hurting. This afternoon, Mom joined Aunt Diane and the rest of the employees at the Rand Eye Institute for their annual holiday party. (Debbie and Allison Rand are our good friends. Tracy is Allison's best friend and they both were on the crew team at UM .) The location of the party was kept a secret until this evening, when the buses pulled up to Wannado Park. No one knew where the party was, even from the clues that were provided on the tee shirts. Everyone was put on a team and then played the Amazing Race. It was a lot of fun. Mom's team came in last! Tomorrow, Tracy has Occupational and Physical Therapy at NBMC at 1 and 2 PM. Emil and Nana Lilly are going to join Felicia, Mom and Tracy. We are looking forward to their being part of Tracy's therapy tomorrow. 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 teaches us how to use guided meditation to find inner peace and understanding. "A guided meditation uses the sound of a person’s voice to direct you through an inner process of relaxing your body and shifting your mind’s focus. The voice may be a person in the room with you or a recording—even something downloaded from the internet—and it is generally spoken in soothing, soft tones. You may be guided to focus on aspects of your physical body, such as on your breathing, relaxing your muscles one-by-one, or on an area in need of healing. Sometimes it might involve visualizing a journey through the beauty of the natural world. Other times, you may be led to envision yourself working with light or energy, accomplishing your goals, or repeating positive thoughts in your head. Your guide may walk you through relaxation or motivation to help you change a habit, access untapped potential, or perhaps merely to find the silence within you. Guided meditation allows you to learn from others in a way that is similar to ones used by ancients the world over. Once learned, meditation is a tool that will always be available to you. Like having a tour guide while traveling in a foreign country, a guided meditation takes you on an inner journey. But this tour allows you to see and experience your own inner world, a place that truly only exists within you. The scenes created in your mind’s eye can be revisited at anytime, without a guide, because once you have seen the fascinating landscape of your own inner terrain, there will always be more to explore." Lesson of the Day: Accessing The World Within : Guided Meditation!

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well again last night. She is wearing her dynasplint on her right hamstring for over 8 hours per night. Dad advanced the tension to one and a half. It is really making a difference in her right hamstring range; it is almost totally straight. We have an appointment to see Tracy's neurologist in Miami for evaluation of her spasticity on Wednesday, December 20th at 1 PM in the Spasticity Clinic. Tracy also has an appointment to see her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Tidwll, on Friday, December 22 at 11:45 AM at Baptist in Miami. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for her day. Tracy had all three therapies at NBMC this afternoon. Cindy, the home health nurse from Med Tech Services came this morning to get a cathed urine to send to the lab. She is so nice and Tracy likes her a lot. Emil arrived from Northern Virginia around 12:30 PM. It is so wonderful to see him and spend this week with him! Tracy's first therapy session was with Charlene for Occupational Therapy. Charlene worked with Tracy in the chair first, having her look at pictures of Nana Lilly and Mamaw and Papaw. Tracy seems to have trouble seeing pictures when they are on her left side. She struggles with turning her head and keeping it on her left without getting dizzy. We are not sure what Tracy sees as well. As she gets better at answering questions with the switch, we will be able to better understand her visual ability and deficits. Next, Charlene and Felicia transferred Tracy to the mat for some practice with sitting. Charlene worked a little with the switch, asking Tracy some Yes and No questions. Tracy did a good job turning her head to the right for YES and the left for NO! She seems to understand the concept and is trying really hard to respond with head control. Tracy's trunk is in much better alignment since her surgery, however, she still has some scoliosis which the therapists are working on. Her right laterals are shorter and tighter than her left. While Tracy was in a supported seated position on the edge of the mat, Charlene had her looking in a full length mirror. After sitting, Charlene ranged Tracy's upper extremities. She seems looser with the decreased Baclofen dosage. After OT, it was time for Physical Therapy with Angel. He ranged Tracy's lower extremities and commented on how loose her ankles and feet feel. This is good news. Her incisions are healed and her right ankle pressure sore from the bivalved casts she wore postoperatively is almost healed. Angel counted to thirty for each stretch and Tracy vocalized right along with him! She really likes her therapists. Then it was time to sit Tracy up for more trunk stretches and control. After that, Angel, Mom, Felicia and Genevieve transferred Tracy to the tilt table. She tolerated and hour and fifteen minutes on the tilt table at around 45 degrees. Her vital signs remained stable throughout the duration. While she was on the tilt table, Anita, Tracy's Speech Therapist worked with her. She had her turning to the right for YES and the left for NO. At 45 degrees, it was easier for Tracy to turn her head to the left than to the right. It is just the opposite when she is seated in the chair. Tracy did a good job answering questions using the switch with head turns. We will continue to practice this form of communication until she is more consistent. Then, the plan will be to take Tracy to NOVA Southeastern University to their augmentative communications department for an evaluation. Their specialty is in developing augmentative communication programs with the use of assistive technology. Mom and Dad are hoping that Tracy will be ready for this program very soon. Tomorrow, Tracy will have labs drawn in the morning and hopefully will have a relaxing day at home. Emil plans to give Tracy a massage on the table. Tracy loves Emil and really misses his healing touch. 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 teaches us how to use guided meditation to find inner peace and understanding. "A guided meditation uses the sound of a person’s voice to direct you through an inner process of relaxing your body and shifting your mind’s focus. The voice may be a person in the room with you or a recording—even something downloaded from the internet—and it is generally spoken in soothing, soft tones. You may be guided to focus on aspects of your physical body, such as on your breathing, relaxing your muscles one-by-one, or on an area in need of healing. Sometimes it might involve visualizing a journey through the beauty of the natural world. Other times, you may be led to envision yourself working with light or energy, accomplishing your goals, or repeating positive thoughts in your head. Your guide may walk you through relaxation or motivation to help you change a habit, access untapped potential, or perhaps merely to find the silence within you. Guided meditation allows you to learn from others in a way that is similar to ones used by ancients the world over. Once learned, meditation is a tool that will always be available to you. Like having a tour guide while traveling in a foreign country, a guided meditation takes you on an inner journey. But this tour allows you to see and experience your own inner world, a place that truly only exists within you. The scenes created in your mind’s eye can be revisited at anytime, without a guide, because once you have seen the fascinating landscape of your own inner terrain, there will always be more to explore."
Lesson of the Day: Accessing The World Within : Guided Meditation!

Tuesday, December 12th, 2006: ~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. She is wearing her dynasplint on her right hamstring for over 8 hours per night. Dad advanced the tension to one and a half. It is really making a difference in her right hamstring range; it is almost totally straight. We have an appointment to see Tracy's neurologist in Miami for evaluation of her spasticity on Wednesday, December 20th at 1 PM in the Spasticity Clinic. Tracy also has an appointment to see her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Tidwll, on Friday, December 22 at 11:45 AM at Baptist in Miami. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for her day. Cousin Judy came over to visit with us and brought everyone Christmas gifts! How did she know if we were naughty or nice this year? She brought Tracy an Origins Lavender Gift set, one of her favorite spa treats, with bath and body oil, lotion, and scrub! It smells so good! We can't wait to use it! Tracy had an appointment with Mark Selleck, her orthotist, to look at her right AFO which seems to be giving Tracy some discomfort. He added a strap over her instep to see if this will give Tracy a little more support. The shoes Mom bought on Sunday are not fitting well over the AFO so they will have to be returned. We will keep looking until we find the best fit. Tracy loves to shop for shoes so this will be right up her alley! After Tracy's appointment, Mom, Cousin Judy, Felicia and Tracy returned home to have a late lunch. They relaxed and caught up on family gossip! It was so much fun visiting with Judy! She is such a thoughtful and fun person! This evening, Mom and Dad caught up on chores around the house while Tracy rested on her CPM machine. She really likes her CPM sessions. It must feel good to stretch her hips and hamstrings, especially after her right one being so tight for so many years! Tomorrow, Tracy will be visited by the home health nurse, Cindy, in the morning. She will collect a urine specimen to check for UTI. Thursday, Tracy will get her blood checked to make sure everything is OK. We are still trying to find the source of her nausea and vomiting. Tomorrow afternoon, Tracy has OT, PT and Speech Therapy at NBMC at 1, 2 and 3 PM. Emil, Tracy's massage therapist and our good friend is coming to visit us tomorrow! We can't wait to see him. He plans to work with Tracy during his stay! It will be like old times. Tracy really loves Emil's massages. 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 teaches us to visualize what we desire in our lives to obtain it. "The law of attraction is surprisingly simple: Like attracts like. It becomes a bit more complicated when it comes to training our minds to think in ways that will bring what we desire into our lives. The term “self-fulfilling prophecy” describes the same law. This well-known term explains that we create the circumstances our mind dwells upon, whether positive or negative. So our goal is to practice consistent presence of mind to make sure our thoughts are always directed toward the positive and that which we want to create. Just like with any skill, the law of attraction must be practiced. We must decide what makes us feel abundant, and use our imagination to create the feeling. It isn’t enough to just want something; you must use the power of your thoughts to attract it. A series of choices is what brings us everything in our lives right now, every moment. When we know the direction we want our choices to take us, it is as if we’ve placed an order with the universe. Then we can await its arrival with joyful anticipation. If we find ways to experience our dreams right now, we make creating joy a treasure hunt in which the seeking is just as much fun as the finding." Lesson of the Day: What You Think Is What You Get :The Law Of Attraction!

Monday, December 11th, 2006: Tracy slept well again last night. She was exhausted from her busy weekend and late night adventure! This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for a busy day of therapy at North Broward Medical Center. Tracy's first therapy was Occupational Therapy with Charlene at 1 PM. She began with range of motion exercises of Tracy's upper extremities. Tracy's hands are pretty tight. She will be evaluated at the University of Miami Spasticity Clinic on Wednesday, December 20th at 1 PM with Dr. Bruce Rubin. He did not inject her fingers with BoTox this time. He may decide to include her hands next January when she is due for her subsequent BoTox treatment. Charlene and Tania worked with Tracy's switch, incorporating it on her right cheek for YES responses. Tracy is doing a good job with this exercise. Next, Charlene blew bubbles for Tracy to track with her eyes. She is not really tracking visually. We are not sure of Tracy's visual perceptual abilities. We will explore this further with her neuro-opthamologist when Tracy is more consistent with the switch responses. Next, Charlene and Tania got Tracy sitting on the edge of the mat. She has definitely improved in her trunk stability since her contracture releases. It sure does help to have both feet planted on the ground. Next it was time for Physical Therapy with Genevieve. Tracy really responds well to Gen. First, Gen stretched and ranged Tracy's trunk, hip and hamstrings. The goal is to stretch her right side and to tuck her left side. Tracy's trunk is not symmetrical and this presents a problem when Gen gets Tracy on the tilt table in a supported standing position. She worked on getting Tracy's trunk in better alignment. Then it was time to work some more on Tracy's trunk alignment in a sitting position on the edge of the mat. Tracy at one point, looked like she was trying to talk to Gen, who was coaching her to tell her what is on her mind. Please pray that Tracy starts talking to us soon! After PT, it was time for Speech Therapy with Anita. She is working on Tracy's switch response for YES! Tracy is really getting the hang of responding with the switch on her right cheek for YES. Today, she surprised us all with moving her jaw instead of having to turn her head to the right to activate the switch. Mom has ordered some new switches that are battery powered and also recordable. She plans to record YES and NO so that when Tracy hits the appropriate switch, she will get immediate auditory feedback. Tomorrow, we plan to take Tracy to see Mark Selleck, her orthotist, at 11:30 AM to get her right AFO adjusted. Cousin Judy also is coming to visit us! We can't waot to see her! 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 teaches us to listen to our body in maintaining optimal wellness. "The signals our bodies use to tell us we need to cleanse ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally are multifaceted and often mirror symptoms we associate with illness. If we heed these signs, we not only feel better quickly but also stave off poor health before it can start. These quick fixes for common ailments can get you started. 1. Applying pressure to the acupressure point between the thumb and forefinger can release blockages causing pain, tension, and fatigue. You can relieve a headache naturally by squeezing for 20 seconds and releasing for 10 seconds, without letting go, four times. 2. To breathe freely, irrigate your nasal passages with a neti pot and warm salt water. As you clear and soothe the sinuses, congestion associated with allergies or infection will gradually disappear. 3. Apple cider vinegar is a powerful purifying and detoxifying agent. Soaking for 20 minutes in a warm bath infused with two cups of apple cider vinegar pulls toxins from the body and can clear blocked energy. 4. The foods you eat can have a profound impact on your outlook and mood. Eating a small yet satisfying meal rich in complex carbohydrates can lift your spirit and help you let go of feelings of anger, irritability, and depression. 5. Anxiety and fear dissipate quickly when countered with conscious breathing because concentrating on the breath enables you to refocus your attention inward. You can ground yourself and regain your usual calm by taking a series of deep belly breaths as you visualize your feet growing roots that stretch miles down into the earth. 6. Though tuning out can seem counterproductive, a few minutes spent lost in daydreams or listening to soothing music can help you see your circumstances from a new angle when you feel frustrated. 7. If you feel ill health coming on, brew a wellness elixir. Simmer three sliced lemons, one teaspoon freshly grated ginger, one clove freshly minced garlic, and one quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper in five cups water until the lemons are soft and pale. Strain a portion into a mug and add honey by tablespoons until you can tolerate the taste. Drinking this potent mixture of antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal ingredients three times each day can ensure your symptoms never progress into a full-blown illness."Lesson of the Day: Getting Back To Wellness :Seven Quick Fixes To Feel Better!

Sunday, December 10th, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well again last night. She is wearing her dynasplint on her right hamstring for over 8 hours per night. It is really making a difference in her right hamstring range; it is almost totally straight. We have an appointment to see Tracy's neurologist in Miami for evaluation of her spasticity on Wednesday, December 20th at 1 PM in Spasticity Clinic. Tracy also has an appointment to see her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Tidwll, on Friday, December 22 at 11:45 AM at Baptist in Miami. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for 10:30 AM Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Lighthouse Point. Tracy stayed awake throughout the service. She is much more alert and awake throughout the day since Dr. Alberico decreased her Baclofen. After Mass, Mom, Dad, and Felicia took Tracy shopping for some new shoes to fit over her AFOs. We found some cute Lacoste tennis shoes in khaki and black with velcro straps. The left shoe fits well over the AFO but Mark Selleck, Tracy's orthotist, needs to make some adjustments to Tracy's right AFO. We have an appointment on Tuesday at 11:30 AM to see him. When we returned home, Tracy had another bout with nausea and vomiting after her lunch. We are still not sure what is causing her to vomit and will monitor her closely. Mom plans to contact Dr. Williams to see if Tracy needs to be evaluated for a UTI. More on this later. This afternoon, Mom and Dad caught up on their chores while Tracy rested on the CPM machine. This evening, Mom, Dad. Tracy, Nana, Aunt Diane, and Uncle Johnny went to see the Singing Christmas Tree at the First Baptist Church in West Palm Beach! It was the most beautiful Christmas pageant that everyone had ever seen. Tracy was awake through some of the pageant. There was a real white stallion, a camel and some sheep. It was a beautiful evening. On our way home from the Singing Christmas Tree, we witnessed a horrible accident. Dad stopped to assist and Mom called 911 to dispatch the paramedics. The pickup truck was totalled beyond recognition and it looked like there were no survivors. When the paramedics arrived, they did a quick assessment and to everyone's surprise, there was no one in the truck. The driver had fled! It was a miracle that we were not hit when the driver lost control of his truck! God was with us that evening on our way home! 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 teaches us to look for the hidden gems in our daily experiences. "Sometimes we have an experience that we don’t understand, but if we look deeply, or wait long enough, a reason for that experience will usually reveal itself. All the events in our lives lead to other events, and all that we have manifested in this present moment is the result of past events and experiences. We cannot easily tease apart the many threads that have been woven together to create our current reality. Experiences that don’t make sense, as well as any that we regret, are just as responsible for the good things in our lives as the experiences we do understand or label as “good.” " Lesson of the Day: Hidden Gems :Experiences We Don't Understand!

Saturday, December 9th, 2006: ~ Tracy enjoyed a good night's sleep again last night. She is wearing her dynasplint on her right hamstring for over 8 hours per night. It is really making a difference in her right hamstring range; it is almost totally straight. We have an appointment to see Tracy's neurologist in Miami for evaluation of her spasticity on Wednesday, December 20th at 1 PM in Spasticity Clinic. Tracy also has an appointment to see her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Tidwll, on Friday, December 22 at 11:45 AM at Baptist in Miami. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy spent some time on the CPM to stretch and range her hips and hamstrings. The plan was for her to relax and rest today so that she would be awake for the Boca Raton Holiday Boat Parade. Mom, Dad, and Tracy joined Aunt Diane, Anita, and Rosemarie at Nana's for the parade, after having dinner at the Holiday Inn Highland Beach. It was a blustery evening with a very strong easterly wind. The beach looked like a surfer's paradise with lots of waves and white caps! Tracy seemed to really enjoy being out on Nana's balcony watching the boat parade. It had been at least ten years since we had seen the boat parade. It was a lot of fun! Tomorrow, we plan to go to Mass at 10:30 AM and catch up on our chores around the house. Tomorrow evening, Mom, Dad. Tracy, Nana, Aunt Diane, and Uncle Johnny plan to go to see the Singing Christmas Tree at the First Baptist Church in West Palm Beach! It should be a fun evening. 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. (Mom is repeating it because it is another of her favorite Daily Oms!) It teaches us how to be fully present in the moment, ready to enjoy spontaneous surprises from the universe. "When we are fully present, we offer our whole selves to whatever it is that we are doing. Our attention, our integrity, and our energy are all focused in the moment and on the task at hand. This is a powerful experience, and when we are in this state, we feel completely alive and invigorated. This kind of aliveness comes easily when we are absorbed in work or play that we love, but it is available to us in every moment, and we can learn to summon it regardless of what we are doing. Even tasks or jobs we don't enjoy can become infused with the light of being present. The more present we are, the more meaningful our entire lives become. Next time you find yourself fully engaged in the moment, whether you are making art, trying to solve an interesting puzzle, or talking to your best friend, you may want to take a moment to notice how you feel. You may observe that you are not thinking about what you need to do next, your body feels like it's pleasantly humming, or your brain feels tingly. As you enjoy the feeling of being located entirely in the present moment, you can inform yourself that you may try to recall this feeling later. You might try this while driving home or getting ready for bed, allowing yourself to be just as engaged in that experience as you were in the earlier one." Lesson of the Day: Summon Your Aliveness :Being Fully Present!

Friday, December 8th, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well last night. She is wearing her dynasplint on her right hamstring for over 8 hours per night. It is really making a difference in her right hamstring range; it is almost totally straight. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy has all three therapies at North Broward Medical Center. She had Speech Therapy at 12 noon, Occupational Therapy at 1:30 PM and Physical Therapy at 3 PM. Today, Tracy's schedule allowed her to have little breaks between therapies. It seemed to work well because she was awake throughout the entire day! During Speech Therapy, Anita, Mom and Wilmene worked with Tracy's Powerlink and her switch. The plan was to see if Tracy did a better job turning her head to the right to activate the switch for YES responses. Tracy did such a good job hitting the switch for YES! The Powerlink was connected to a tape recorder that played songs from the musical, Annie. Tracy even was hitting the switch to turn the music off before Anita asked her another question. It was really great to see her alert, participating, and understanding what to do. We will continue to practice right head turns for YES and will progress to left head turns for NO (to activate another switch). During Occupational Therapy, Charlene worked on Tracy's head and trunk control. After ranging her upper extremities, Charlene asked Tracy some questions about family pictures she was holding up, and Tracy responded by turning her head to the right to activate the switch for YES. This time, Mom hooked the Powerlink up to the radio. She is also blinking twice for YES, which is another option for her YES response. Next, Charlene blew bubbles for Tracy to track with her eyes. She helped Tracy to reach for the bubbles with her right hand. She is presently not demonstrating any volitional movement with her arms or legs. We are hopeful that she will regain some movement in her extremities. She is doing better turning her head to the right and left but she still needs to improve her ability to track objects with her eyes. Next, it was time to sit Tracy up on the edge of the mat to practice head/trunk control. Tracy is able to hold her head up for several seconds in an assisted seated position. We will continue to practice head control. At 3 PM, Tracy had Physical Therapy with Angel. Tracy really enjoys PT, especially with Angel. First, Angel worked on range of motion exercises, stretching Tracy hamstrings, hips, ankles, and feet. He would count out loud to thirty during her exercises and Tracy would vocalize right along with him! He told Tracy that if she didn't help him count, they would have to start all over again. Tracy did a good job vocalizing with Angel. Then it was time to get Tracy on the tilt table. He cranked her up to about 45 degrees, monitoring her vital signs. Tracy did a good job tolerating this incline, so Angel took her up a little higher. Tracy tolerated about 25 minutes on the tilt table. However, Angel did not push Tracy as hard as he did yesterday, because she seemed a little more fatigued today. This is understandable, especially after such a busy week! After therapy, Mom and Tania took Tracy to her ortotist, Mark Selleck, to get her new AFOs adjusted. He stretched them out a little so that they would not be too tight around her calves. What a difference! Now, Mom and Dad need to take Tracy shoe shopping so that she can wear her AFOs inside her shoes. We plan to go shopping for shoes this weekend. Tomorrow, Tracy, Mom and Dad are invited out to dinner with Nana, Aunt Diane, Anita and Rosemarie at the Holiday Inn in Highland Beach and then plan to go to Nana's to watch the Boca Raton boat parade. It should be a fun time! 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 teaches us how to be fully present in the moment, ready to enjoy spontaneous surprises from the universe. "When we are fully present, we offer our whole selves to whatever it is that we are doing. Our attention, our integrity, and our energy are all focused in the moment and on the task at hand. This is a powerful experience, and when we are in this state, we feel completely alive and invigorated. This kind of aliveness comes easily when we are absorbed in work or play that we love, but it is available to us in every moment, and we can learn to summon it regardless of what we are doing. Even tasks or jobs we don't enjoy can become infused with the light of being present. The more present we are, the more meaningful our entire lives become. Next time you find yourself fully engaged in the moment, whether you are making art, trying to solve an interesting puzzle, or talking to your best friend, you may want to take a moment to notice how you feel. You may observe that you are not thinking about what you need to do next, your body feels like it's pleasantly humming, or your brain feels tingly. As you enjoy the feeling of being located entirely in the present moment, you can inform yourself that you may try to recall this feeling later. You might try this while driving home or getting ready for bed, allowing yourself to be just as engaged in that experience as you were in the earlier one." Lesson of the Day: Summon Your Aliveness :Being Fully Present!

Thursday, December 7th, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well last night and did not display any signs of nausea or vomiting. (Thank God)! She continues to wear her Dynasplint on her right knee for a minimum of eight hours a night. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. After her shower, Tracy spent an hour and a half on the CPM on her right leg. Then it was time to head to NBMC for OT, PT and Speech Therapies. During Occupational Therapy, Charlene spent time ranging Tracy's upper extremities and then it was time for the bubbles. Mom was the bubble blower this time! The goal was to get Tracy to look at the bubbles to work on visual tracking. Charlene also assisted Tracy in moving her arm to pop the bubbles since Tracy does not have any volitional movement (at least as far as we can see at this time). Please keep praying for Tracy to regain some volitional movement so she can regain some independence. Next it was time for Physical Therapy. Gen was off today so Angel worked with Tracy! He is so adorable, and Tracy seemed to focus her eyes on him! (We found out that he is a twin! Wow!) He spent some time ranging and stretching Tracy's lower extremities and then it was time to go on the tilt table. Tania, Angel, Harvey, and Mom transferred Tracy to the tilt table and then up she went. He took it slow and gradual until she was up to about 45 degrees. She stayed at this incline for a while and her vital signs all remained stable. Then up she went to 70 degrees! Mom and Tania's pulse Ox dropped but Tracy's stayed stable at around 102/70. She is such a trooper! Angel kept Tracy at 70 degrees for several minutes and then he lowered her to about 55 degrees. She remained on the tilt table for one hour! We are so proud of her progress! Next it was time for Speech Therapy with Anita. Because Tracy was still on the tilt table and alert and engaged, Anita decided to do Speech Therapy while Tracy was on the tilt table. She spent some time asking Tracy questions about some of the pictures she was showing her. She showed her a picture of a dog and Tracy did a good job responding appropriately to the quesitons. She is much more clear with her NO response of head shake. Her YES is more difficult sometimes to understand because she is using two blinks. Sometimes Tracy does not open her eyes wide enough to discern two eye blinks. Anita would like to explore use of the switch for YES. All of the therapists are so flexible and proactive. Mom is very pleased with the program at NBMC. Everyone is doing a really good job and are very encouraging. This evening, Dad stayed with Tracy while Mom went out with Cousin Eileen, Maria (Eileen's Mom), Ronda, and Susan. They went Christmas shopping in all of the little boutiques in Ft. Lauderdale off Oakland Park Blvd and then had dinner at the Hi-Life Cafe. The chef, Carlos, was recently on the Bravo show "Top Chef". The food was really good and the company even better. Mom really had a great time with the "girls". She really needed a night out on the town! 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 talks about the need to serve the higher self and the role of our ego. "In most spiritual circles, the ego gets a pretty bad rap. The reason for this is that the ego, to some extent, is the principle in our psyches that separates us from one another, while spirit is the principle that shows us that no such separation exists. Sometimes the ego is depicted as an almost demonic figure that keeps us from realizing our true nature. But at its most basic, the ego is simply a tool that helps us organize the various aspects of our personality so that we can function in the world. In this sense, the ego is simply a way for us to understand and attend to ourselves at the same time as we understand and attend to the world around us. The ego is a tool that we use to navigate the world. As long as we are in touch with our higher selves, our egos are not a threat. They are simply useful tools in the service of spirit. We keep our egos in check when we continually nurture our awareness of who we really are. Then our egos are free to serve without trying ineffectually to rule. It is healthy to have ego, but like all things in life, ego functions best when it is in balance and harmony with your whole self." Lesson of the Day: Serving The Higher Self : The Ego!

Wednesday, December 6th, 2006: ~ Tracy had a good night sleep after she was sick to her stomach. Dad fed Tracy her dinner around 9:30 PM and it came right back up. Maybe it was too late for her to have her dinner. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy did not have any "official" therapies, and was ready for a well-deserved break. Tania had the day off to work on her term paper. Mom worked on her Christmas list and caught up on office work. After her bath, Tracy spent two and a half hours on the CPM machine on each leg! During her session, Felicia gave Tracy a pedicure (silvery blue to match her fingernails) and a facial. When she was finished, Mom and Felicia got Tracy up in her chair. She joined Mom in the office where she was doing some computer work. Tracy is sitting up so much better in her chair since her orthopedic surgery. She looks so much more comfortable with her right knee relaxed. Dad returned around 7 PM after his day in Puerto Rico. He periodically travels to Puerto Rico to see patients with his medical director position at American Airlines. Tomorrow, Tracy has PT, OT and Speech Therapies at NBMC at 1, 2, and 3 PM. We are looking forward to her advancing on the tilt table. 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 teaches us how to redirect our negative emotions into more productive solutions to unresolved and problematic issues. "Retaking control of our emotions at their height can be difficult because our already negative feelings can convince us that others are deserving of our wrath. But if we consciously look for healthier ways of expressing what we feel, we can both safely dispel our pain and use the energy of that pain to add value to our lives. Anger and sadness, for example, can become the inspiration that induces us to dedicate ourselves to bringing about the change we wish to see in the world. If we act rather than react, we can become effective agents of positive transformation. When we channel our frustration or feelings of stress into outside-the-box thinking and proactive exploits, we are more apt to discover solutions to the issues that initially left us stymied. And if we view fear as a signal that we need to reexamine our circumstances rather than a cue to flee, we may gain new and unexpected insight into our lives." Lesson of the Day: Redirecting The Eruption : Lashing Out!

Tuesday, December 5th, 2006: ~ Tracy had a good night's sleep last night. She is wearing her Dynasplint on her right knee for a minimum of eight hours a night. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Then it was time for her CPM session for two and a half hours on her right leg. During her session, Felicia gave Tracy a manicure. She does such a good job! This time the color is silver blue! Bellisimo! Today, Felicia, Tania, and Mom brought Tracy to the baby Jesus shower at St. Lucy's Church in Highland Beach. Every year around Christmas time, St. Lucy's Church holds this shower for the parishioner to donate baby clothes for new mothers in St. Mary's Church in Pahokee where Uncle Johnny is the pastor. This is the first year that we have been able to attend. Tracy seemed to enjoy the Christmas music and all of the festivities. She seemed to enjoy being there with Nana too! This afternoon, Mom and Tania brought Tracy to Dr. Williams in Deerfield for her annual physical exam. She was very thorough, patient and gentle, and Tracy seemed to like her a lot. The good thing is that she got the dreaded exam out of the way for another year! This is the one time that all girls wish they were guys I am sure! This evening, when we returned home, there was an awesome surprise at our door from Mamaw and Papaw! A beautiful Oceania Santa to display during the holidays! It is the prettiest santa we have ever seen, complete with golden sea shells and coral! Thanks Mamaw and Papaw! Thank you to the Crozier family for the cute postcard from Laura Ingalls Wilder's museum and home in Mansfield Missouri. You are always thinking about Tracy and our family and we are very grateful! Tomorrow, Tracy has a day off from therapy and outings and Mom plans to catch up on Christmas shopping! 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. (MOM chose to repeat this one because it is very timely and applicable around the holidays!) It teaches us the importance of creating a space that is nurturing and abundant with love. " The word “home” has a wide variety of connotations. To some, home is merely a place where basic needs are addressed. To others, home is the foundation from which they draw their strength and tranquility. Still, others view home as a place inexorably linked to family. Yet all these definitions of home imply somewhere we can be ourselves and are totally accepted. There, we feel safe enough to let down our guard, peaceful enough to really relax, and loved enough to want to return day after day. However, these qualities need not be linked to a single space or any space at all. Home is where the heart is and can be the locale you live in, a community you once lived in, or the country where you plan to live someday. Or home can be a feeling you carry inside yourself, wherever you are. The process of evolution can require you to undergo transformations that uproot you. Moving from place to place can seem to literally divide you from the foundations you have come to depend on. Since your home is so intimately tied to the memories that define you, you may feel that you are losing a vital part of yourself when you leave behind your previous house, city, state, or country. And as it may take some time before you fashion new memories, you may feel homeless even after settling into your new abode. To carry your home with you, you need only become your own foundation. Doing so is merely a matter of staying grounded and centered, and recognizing that the pleasures you enjoyed in one place will still touch your heart in another if you allow them. Your home can be any space or state of being that fulfills you, provided you are at peace with yourself and your surroundings. A person can feel like home to you, as can seasons and activities. If you feel disconnected from what you once thought of as home, your detachment may be a signal that you are ready to move one. Simply put, you will know you have found your home when both your physical environment and energetic surroundings are in harmony with the individual you are within." Lesson of the Day: Wherever You Are : Home Is Where The Heart Is!

Monday, December 4th, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well again last night. She wore her Dynasplint on her right leg for 8 hours with the tension set on 1. It is paying off because her hamstring stretch is really improving. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy had all three therapies at NBMC at 1, 2 and 3 PM. First, Tracy had Occupational Therapy at 1 PM with Charlene and Val. They spent some time stretching and ranging Tracy's upper extremities and then it was time for BUBBLES. Val and Tania blew bubbles while Charlene sat behind Tracy to provide additional head and trunk support. Charlene worked on getting Tracy to find the bubbles with her eyes to work on tracking. Then she assisted Tracy with arm and hand control to try to pop the bubbles. Charlene and Val are incorporating a lot of multisensory stimulation in their OT sessions. Next, Tracy had Physical Therapy with Gen at 2 PM. Gen spent some time stretching and ranging Tracy and then got her on the tilt table. She is progressing Tracy up to a standing position. Today, her goal is 75 degrees. Gen always checks Tracy BP and O2 Saturation and before she elevates Tracy and then continues to monitor her vital signs during her session. Tracy had been stable throughout the previous sessions on the tilt table. Today, however, after several minutes at 70 degrees, Tracy's color turned ashen and she became diaphoretic (clammy skin) and whimpered a little (she may have been feeling some discomfort). Tracy's O2 Saturation remained at 95 percent but her blood pressure dropped. Gen lowered her down quickly and Tracy recovered. Gen decided that she will stay at 65 degrees during the next session and see how she does at this height. Tracy had Speech Therapy with Anita at 3 PM. During her session, Anita worked on a new exercise to help Tracy with her eye blinks. She lightly touched her eye lids and asked Tracy to close her eyes and then removed her touch and asked Tracy to open her eyes. This is a good exercise because Tracy at times has difficulty opening and closing her eyes on command. We will work on this at home as well. This evening, Aunt Diane and her friend Tim came over for dinner. Tim cut Tracy's hair to her shoulders. It had been a while since she got it cut and had grown a lot. It looks really cute at her shoulders and curls a lot better at this length. After dinner, everyone visited and enjoyed the hot tub. We are hopeful that we can bring Tracy into the hot tub soon, once her hip is healed. Tomorrow, we plan to take Tracy to St. Lucy's Church for a Christmas program/baby shower with Nana, Anita, and Uncle Johnny. This is the fourteenth year that the church is having this baby shower to donate baby clothes to St. Mary's Church in Pahokee where Uncle Johnny is the pastor. After the party, Tracy has a doctor's appointment at 3:45 PM with Dr. Alexandria Williams in Deerfield for a routine physical. 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 teaches us how to take steps to start our day on the right foot, thus setting the tone for the rest of our day! "The choices you make upon waking can have a profound impact on your day. If, still drowsy, you hit the ground running, rushing to prepare yourself to face your worldly obligations, you will likely feel fatigued and overwhelmed for most of your day. A leisurely and relaxing morning, on the other hand, can energize and excite you, as well as give you the courage to meet the challenges waiting for you. By beginning your day in a focused and centered fashion, you make it your own. You set the tone of your expectations and choose the mood you will use to respond to your circumstances. A gentle, reflective, and thoughtful morning will prepare you to create a gentle, conscious, and thoughtful day." Lesson of the Day: Setting The Tone : Starting Your Day Well!

Sunday, December 3rd, 2006: ~ Tracy slept well last night, after she vomited up her 12 midnight meds. We are not sure what made Tracy nauseous. We think it might have been the Iron she is taking for anemia. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Nana, Anita, Aunt Diane, and Uncle Johnny are coming over to help decorate the Christmas tree. It is the first time the family has been together to decorate the tree. Because of the Navy, we were always too far away to share some of the traditional holiday rituals such as trimming the tree. It is so good for Tracy (and the rest of the family) to be surrounded by family. We wish Tiffany, Candy and the gang were here to share this wonderful event with us. This morning Tracy spent some time on the CPM machine. She spends an hour and a half on both legs to help with stretching and range of motion. It is definitely helping to increase Tracy's hamstring and hip range. This afternoon, everyone spent some time outside enjoying the beautiful day. We brought Tracy out to catch some rays and enjoy everyone's company. She really seems to like being outside in the fresh air. This evening, Mom and Aunt Diane cooked tortellini with spicy Italian sausage, fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden and organic green salad. Aunt Diane made brownies! Everything was really good. After dinner, it was time to trim the tree. Mom and Dad forgot how many ornaments they have collected throughout the years. Most of the ornaments are from the many places they have travelled or even lived. Mamaw has given our family a lot of keepsake ornaments as well. They all look so pretty on the tree! Tomorrow, Tracy has PT, OT and Speech Therapy at NBMC at 1, 2 and 3 PM. Please keep praying that she continues to make progress in her therapy sessions. Tomorrow evening, Aunt Diane's friend Tim is going to come over and trim Tracy's hair. It has gotten so long and curly! She has beautiful 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 teaches us the importance of creating a space that is nurturing and abundant with love. " The word “home” has a wide variety of connotations. To some, home is merely a place where basic needs are addressed. To others, home is the foundation from which they draw their strength and tranquility. Still, others view home as a place inexorably linked to family. Yet all these definitions of home imply somewhere we can be ourselves and are totally accepted. There, we feel safe enough to let down our guard, peaceful enough to really relax, and loved enough to want to return day after day. However, these qualities need not be linked to a single space or any space at all. Home is where the heart is and can be the locale you live in, a community you once lived in, or the country where you plan to live someday. Or home can be a feeling you carry inside yourself, wherever you are. The process of evolution can require you to undergo transformations that uproot you. Moving from place to place can seem to literally divide you from the foundations you have come to depend on. Since your home is so intimately tied to the memories that define you, you may feel that you are losing a vital part of yourself when you leave behind your previous house, city, state, or country. And as it may take some time before you fashion new memories, you may feel homeless even after settling into your new abode. To carry your home with you, you need only become your own foundation. Doing so is merely a matter of staying grounded and centered, and recognizing that the pleasures you enjoyed in one place will still touch your heart in another if you allow them. Your home can be any space or state of being that fulfills you, provided you are at peace with yourself and your surroundings. A person can feel like home to you, as can seasons and activities. If you feel disconnected from what you once thought of as home, your detachment may be a signal that you are ready to move one. Simply put, you will know you have found your home when both your physical environment and energetic surroundings are in harmony with the individual you are within." Lesson of the Day: Wherever You Are : Home Is Where The Heart Is!

Saturday, December 2nd, 2006: ~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. Dad has progressed Tracy to wearing her Dynasplint on her right leg for 6 hours with the tension set on 1. It is paying off because her hamstring stretch is really improving. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy has no "official" therapy so she has a rest day to recharge her batteries. Her new AFOs are too tight behind her calf, so Mom will have to contact Mark Selleck for an appointment to make some adjustments. This morning, Mom and Dad did some much needed chores around the house. Dad worked on cleaning out the last of the boxes in the garage from our move. He is doing a good job organizing the garage with shelves to optimize storage space. It is so nice to be able to find things when you need them. Then Mom and Dad got out the Christmas decorations. Tomorrow, everyone is coming over to help decorate the Christmas tree. Many of the decorations have been in storage since Tracy's accident in January 2003! It will be a treat to see the family ornament collection from all the years, like Baby's First Christmas and homemade ornaments that the girls have made through the years! This afternoon, Mom and Dad went for a walk around the neighborhood while Tracy was on the CPM machine. It was the first time that Mom and Dad had a chance to go for a walk around the neighborhood together. This afternoon, Mom, Dad and Tracy watched the various college football games. Mom is ready for football to be over! I wonder which bowl game LSU, BC and UM will be going to? 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. (Mom is repeating it for one more day since it is time to put up the tree and decorate the house for Christmas!) It teaches us how to enjoy the magic of the holiday season without the stress that comes with trying to reach perfection. "As the holiday season draws nearer, resolving to give up your dreams of perfection can help you avoid anxiety. If you strive to have a good holiday, you can take charge of arrangements without feeling that your loved ones’ happiness is resting on your shoulders. Try to remember that you are unique, which means that your holiday experience need not conform to that of your parents, your neighbors, or the simulated families you see in the media. Understand that you cannot please everyone. After all, what the people you care about likely want most during the holiday season is your time and attention. Allow yourself to decline invitations without guilt and to serve store-bought foods rather than homemade dishes if it means you get more time to relax in the company of friends and family. Lesson of the Day: Serene Celebrations: Avoiding Holiday Stress!

Friday, December 1st, 2006: ~ Tracy is sure sleeping well these nights! She most likely is exhausted from all of her therapies! We are so glad that she is trying so hard and doing so well. Please keep those prayers coming Tracy's way! They are working! This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy had a very busy day with all three therapies at NBMC and her appointment with Mark Selleck, orthotist, to get her new AFOs. Her first therapy was with Genevieve for Physical Therapy. Gen really pushes Tracy and makes her work hard! As we all know, Tracy likes being challenged and responds well to being coached. Gen first stretched Tracy and then got her on the tilt table. She cranked her up to 60 degrees! Tracy did awesome, her Blood Pressure and O2 Saturation remained constant and in a good range. Her right knee and hip stayed in alignment as well. Tracy tolerated about 20 minutes at 60 degrees, with a total duration of 40 minutes on the tilt table. Next, Tracy had Occupational Therapy with Charlene and Val. They spent some time ranging her upper extremities while she was in a weight bearing position on the tilt table. Then it was time to transfer Tracy to the mat where they got her in a seated position. She did a good job with head and trunk control. Charlene and Val used many of the aromatic scents that Mom brings with her in Tracy's Speech kit. Tracy really relaxes with the various scents. She especially likes lemon and tangerine! The therapists put a full length mirror in front of Tracy so that she can look at herself while sitting. She sometimes has a hard time focusing her eyes, especially when she is also trying to hold up her head. During her session, they also held up pictures of Dad, Nana, Tiffany, Mamaw and Papaw, and her dog Snow. Next, Tracy had Speech Therapy with Anita. She was pretty awake through most of the short 30 minute session. Anita asked Tracy some questions and she did a good job blinking twice for Yes and shaking her No for No! She really gave us a deliberate No when Mom asked her if she liked brussel sprouts. Yuck. Tracy hates brussel sprouts. Tracy did not like it very much when Anita used some ice cubes to stimulate her lips. She turned away from Anita and shook her head No. She also gave Anita a very nasty look! It is great to see Tracy so awake and trying to participate, especially in Speech Therapy. It is the most difficult therapy for Tracy because it is so complex. After therapy at NBMC, Tracy had her appointment with Mark to pick up her new AFOs. They are clear plastic and fit around the back of her leg and feet. We will need to go shopping for some new velcro tennis shoes to wear with them. Tracy loves shopping for shoes. This evening, Tracy had a Cranial Sacral Therapy session with Melanie. She vocalized during the entire session. Ahhh! Tracy is doing a good job vocalizing these days! We hope she will start talking to us soon. We know she has a lot to tell us! Tomorrow, Tracy has the day off from therapy. She will catch up on her CPM and also get a facial! Dad and Mom plan to get everything organized to decorate the house and Christmas tree. Maybe they will take Tracy shopping for shoes! 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 teaches us how to enjoy the magic of the holiday season without the stress that comes with trying to reach perfection. "As the holiday season draws nearer, resolving to give up your dreams of perfection can help you avoid anxiety. If you strive to have a good holiday, you can take charge of arrangements without feeling that your loved ones’ happiness is resting on your shoulders. Try to remember that you are unique, which means that your holiday experience need not conform to that of your parents, your neighbors, or the simulated families you see in the media. Understand that you cannot please everyone. After all, what the people you care about likely want most during the holiday season is your time and attention. Allow yourself to decline invitations without guilt and to serve store-bought foods rather than homemade dishes if it means you get more time to relax in the company of friends and family. Lesson of the Day: Serene Celebrations: Avoiding Holiday Stress!