Saturday, January 31st, 2004 ~ Tracy slept in late this morning since she needed to catch up on her beauty sleep! Yesterday, Mom, Liz, Charles and I took Trace to therapy at NRH. Jennifer and Dave worked with Tracy at 2pm during speech and PT. Dave helped Trace sit up at the edge of the mat while Jennifer set up the computer and switch. Jennifer used the switch and the "yes" program for the first half of the session. She asked Tracy various questions and Trace did a great job of turning her head to the left to hit the switch in order to answer the questions. Jennifer then set up Tracy's photo album in Powerpoint. She had Tracy look at the pictures on the computer screen and turn her head to the left in order to advance the pictures. During OT, Tori worked with Tracy's head and trunk control, while Charles stretched Tracy's right leg out. Tori also helped Tracy sit up on the mat all by herself! During the last 15 minutes of OT, Tori set up a switch that was connected to a fan. Mom and Tori moved Tracy from the mat to her wheelchair, so Trace could practice with the switch while sitting in her chair. The switch was positioned on Tracy's left side. At first Trace didn't seem interested in turning the fan on and off, so Tori hooked up the switch to a television. Now all Tracy had to do was turn her head to the left in order to control the TV. Trace did a great job and turned the TV on and off all by herself! By just having volitional head movement and head control, Trace can operate so many different things! Plus, the more accurate and precise her head movements become, Trace can gain more and more independence. We really have to thank John, NRH's rehab technician for putting all these devices together for Trace. It's incredible! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Friday, January 30th, 2004 ~ Tracy slept really well last night after her bi-weekly massage with Emil. We apologize for the lack of updates the past couple of days! Mom, Liz, Charles and I are going to take Trace to therapy this afternoon. We'll let you know how that goes. Thursday, Tracy relaxed and slept on and off all day. Mom and Liz took Tracy to therapy Wednesday at NRH and she was pretty sleepy. During speech, Tracy's therapist discussed future goals with Mom while Trace rested. Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Thursday, January 29th, 2004 ~ Tracy rested on and off today and enjoyed a massage with Emil this evening. We apologize for the lack of updates the past couple of days! Tracy has therapy again tomorrow at NRH. Mom and Liz took Tracy to therapy Wednesday at NRH and she was pretty sleepy. During speech, Tracy's therapist discussed future goals with Mom while Trace rested. Tuesday, Tracy had an appointment at National Naval Medical Center. Mom and Liz took Trace to NNMC where she had a swallowing/eating test with a Navy speech therapist and radiologist. Tracy swallowed honey and nectar juice consistencies and the picture showed that her tongue and throat worked appropriately. Tracy also had blood drawn for tests and an MRI of her brain. We should know the results of these tests in a couple of days. Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Tuesday, January 27th, 2004 ~ Happy B'day Charles! ~ Tracy slept well last night and she had an appointment at National Naval Medical Center this afternoon. Mom and Liz took Trace to NNMC where she had a swallowing/eating test with a Navy speech therapist and radiologist. Tracy swallowed honey and nectar juice consistencies and the picture showed that she her tongue and throat worked appropriately. Tracy also had blood drawn for tests and an MRI of her brain. We should know the results of these tests in a couple of days. Trace will have therapy tomorrow at NRH. Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Monday, January 26th, 2004 ~ Because of the snowstorm, we did not take Tracy to therapy today. She will have therapy again on Wednesday. Tracy has been sleeping on and off all day at home. Mom fed Trace some cranberry juice and she swallowed about 3oz of it. Mom and Dad took Trace to Mass Sunday at Our Lady of Lourdes. Tracy had her second session of pool therapy at the Spring Hill Recreation Center Sunday afternoon. The water therapy is so good for her muscles, plus Mom and Dad can get in and help the volunteers! Trace did such a great job in the pool. Her volunteer supported her and walked the length of the pool a few times while holding Trace in order for her to feel the flow of the water. Then, while the volunteer held Tracy in an upright position, Dad asked Trace to put her face in the water and blow bubbles! He showed her a few times how to do it and then she surprised all of us and DID IT! Amazing! She actually put her face down in the water and blew bubbles! :) Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Sunday, January 25th, 2004 ~ Tracy enjoyed a quiet weekend at home and had her bi-weekly massage this evening with Emil! Emil's wife Kathryn made us a lovely dinner this evening! Thank you so much! Mom and Dad took Trace to Mass this morning at Our Lady of Lourdes. This afternoon, Tracy had her second session of pool therapy at the Spring Hill Recreation Center. The water therapy is so good for her muscles, plus Mom and Dad can get in and help the volunteers! Trace did such a great job in the pool. Her volunteer supported her and walked the length of the pool a few times while holding Trace in order for her to feel the flow of the water. Then, while the volunteer held Tracy in an upright position, Dad asked Trace to put her face in the water and blow bubbles! He showed her a few times how to do it and then she surprised all of us and DID IT! Amazing! She actually put her face down in the water and blew bubbles! :) Saturday, the Belenkes family came over and brought us all kinds of yummy treats! Thank you so much for your generosity! Friday, Mom and Liz took Trace to therapy at NRH. Trace did such a great job! Tracy had two hours of therapy and stayed awake the entire time. During speech and PT, Tracy's therapists hooked her switch up to a computer. They had two switches set up, one on her left and one on her right. When Trace hit the switch on the right side with her head it signaled the computer to say "yes" while flashing a smiley face. However, when Tracy hit the switch on her left side with her head, it signaled the computer to say "no" wihle flashing and sad face. Dave helped Trace sit up at the edge of the mat while Jan coached Tracy to work on hitting the switches. Once Trace was comfortable with the switches, they started to ask her questions. They asked her, "Is your name Tracy?" and Trace turned her head to the right, hitting the "yes" switch. They asked her a series of questions and she answered them all accurately by hitting the correct switch! During OT, Tori used the balance ball with Trace in order to work on her trunk and head control. She also stretched Tracy's muscles. Tracy has therapy again on Monday!

Friday, January 23rd, 2004 ~ Tracy rested well last night after her massage with Emil. She relaxed yesterday at home since she had the day off from therapy. Mom and Liz are going to take Trace to therapy today at NRH. We'll let you know how that goes! Wednesday, Mom and Liz took Trace to therapy. Tracy wasn't feeling very well and was protesting therapy. She had three hours of therapy starting with OT. During OT, They had Tracy sit up on her stabilizing pillow in order to work on her trunk and head control. During PT, Dave used "e-stimulation" on Tracy's feet to try to relax them. During speech, Trace did a great job swallowing juice and she is starting to develop "normal" mouth movements. Her speech therapist was extremely happy. Trace was such a trooper! We would like to thank all the children at Uncle Johnny's Parish in Pahokee, Florida for the many "get well" cards they made for Tracy. They are beautiful! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Thursday, January 22nd, 2004 ~ Tracy is resting today at home. Tonight, Emil is stopping by to massage Trace. Mom and Liz took Trace to therapy yesterday. Tracy wasn't feeling very well and was protesting therapy. She had three hours of therapy starting with OT. During OT, They had Tracy sit up on her stabilizing pillow in order to work on her trunk and head control. During PT, Dave used "e-stimulation" on Tracy's feet to try to relax them. During speech, Trace did a great job swallowing juice and she is starting to develop "normal" mouth movements. Her speech therapist was extremely happy. Trace was such a trooper! We would like to thank all the children at Uncle Johnny's Parish in Pahokee, Florida for the many "get well" cards they made for Tracy. They are beautiful! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Wednesday, January 21st, 2004 ~ Tracy slept well last night and she has three hours of therapy this afternoon at NRH. Mom and Liz are going to take her. Yesterday, Dario came by with his gorgeous baby girl and trimmed Tracy's hair. She definitely needed a cut! Mom, Dad, and I took Trace to National Naval Medical Center. Tracy had an EEG and we also had a family meeting with her doctors and case manager. Trace was such a trooper! We would like to thank all the children at Uncle Johnny's Parish in Pahokee, Florida for the many "get well" cards they made for Tracy. They are beautiful! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Tuesday, January 20th, 2004 ~ Thank you to everyone at the Gonzaga University in Florence office! The flowers you sent Trace are absolutely gorgeous and we appreciate your thoughtfulness and prayers! Today, Roxanne and Mom showered Tracy and dressed her warmly for our outing. Mom, Dad, and I took Trace to National Naval Medical Center. Tracy had an EEG and we also had a family meeting with her doctors and case manager. Trace was such a trooper! Tomorrow Tracy has therapy at NRH. We would like to thank all the children at Uncle Johnny's Parish in Pahokee, Florida for the many "get well" cards they made for Tracy. They are beautiful! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Monday, January 19th, 2004 ~ Thank you to everyone at the Gonzaga University in Florence office! The flowers you sent Trace are absolutely gorgeous and we appreciate your thoughtfulness and prayers! Tracy does not have therapy today and is relaxing at home. Tomorrow she has a doctor's appointment at National Naval Medical Center and she will have therapy again on Wednesday at NRH. Yesterday, Mom and Dad took Tracy to Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes. Then they stopped by Starbucks to get some much-needed caffeine! Sunday afternoon, Mom, Dad and I took Tracy to the Springhill Recreation Center. Tracy had adaptive pool therapy! The program is completely staffed by volunteers and the people are absolutely amazing. Mom and Dad did a two-person lift in order to get Trace into the pool. A volunteer caught Tracy in the water, sliding behind Trace in order to stabilize her. Trace was in the water for 45 minutes and did such a great job even though she was freezing! The volunteer leaned Tracy against her for support and walked from one end of the pool to the other in order for Trace to feel the water all around her. They then asked Tracy to put her head under water. She was unable to do this by herself, so Dad helped. Tracy went under the water three times! She was really relaxed in the pool and held her head up all by herself! Amazing! Tracy will have pool therapy again next Sunday and we can't wait! Many thanks to Mary and Jean Marinelli for the numerous, beautiful Mass cards. We really appreciate your prayers! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Sunday, January 18th, 2004 ~ 1 yr since Tracy's injury ~ Mom and Dad took Tracy to Mass this morning at Our Lady of Lourdes. Then they stopped by Starbucks to get some much needed caffeine! This afternoon, Mom, Dad and I took Tracy to the Springhill Recreation Center. Tracy had adaptive pool therapy! The program is completely staffed by volunteers and the people are absolutely amazing. Mom and Dad did a two-person lift in order to get Trace into the pool. A volunteer caught Tracy in the water, sliding behind Trace in order to stabalize her. Trace was in the water for 45 minutes and did such a great job even though she was freezing! The volunteer leaned Tracy against her for support and walked from one end of the pool to the other in order for Trace to feel the water all around her. They then asked Tracy to put her head under water. She was unable to do this by herself, so Dad helped. Tracy went under the water three times! She was really relaxed in the pool and held her head up all by herself! Amazing! Tracy will have pool therapy again next Sunday and we can't wait! Tracy does not have therapy on Monday because of the long weekend. She will have therapy again on Wednesday. Many thanks to Mary and Jean Marinelli for the numerous, beautiful Mass cards. We really appreciate your prayers! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Saturday, January 17th, 2004 ~ 1 yr since Tracy's injury ~ Tracy slept in this morning and has been resting in her wheel chair in the living room. Mom and Dad stretched and ranged Tracy on our therapy mat this evening. Tomorrow Tracy has pool therapy at a local rec center! We are really excited to get her in the pool again! Yesterday, Liz and Mom took Trace to therapy at NRH. She did such a great job! She had OT at 2pm and they had Trace work on using the switch again. This time it was hooked up to a fan. Tori asked Trace to turn her head to the right in order to hit the switch and turn on the fan. She then had Tracy do the same thing on her left side. She did such a great job and is purposefully moving her head to hit the switch! They also incorporated a pillow-like-chair that was designed for Trace, which acts as a brace and allows her to sit up on her own. Trace seemed really comfortable leaning on her new device. During PT and Speech, Dave helped Tracy sit up at the edge of the therapy mat. Julie set up Tracy's slide show of pictures and worked with Tracy on her head control. They also had Tracy turn her head to both the left and right in order to hit the switch and advance the pictures. Tracy does not have therapy on Monday because of the long weekend. She will have therapy again on Wednesday. Many thanks to Mary and Jean Marinelli for the numerous, beautiful Mass cards. We really appreciate your prayers! It has been one-year since Tracy, Shelly, Nick, Christine, and I were hit by a car in Florence, Italy. Please keep Tracy in your thoughts and know how much your prayers of encouragement mean to all of us. Thank you Lisa for the beautiful flowers! You really brightened our day! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Friday, January 16th, 2004 ~ Tracy looks really pretty today! Mom and Roxanne dressed her and styled her hair. Liz and Mom are taking Trace to therapy at NRH. Dad made it home safely last night and Uncle Johnny left this morning. Uncle Johnny was a huge help and we can't wait to see him in Florida in February! :) Yes, on February 11th we are flying Tracy down to West Palm Beach. We will be in Florida for about six weeks. Tracy is going to have therapy at a local rehab facility there, hopefully three times a week. We are really looking forward to seeing all of our Floridian family and friends! Yesterday, Mom, Uncle Johnny, and I took Tracy to the National Museum of American History. We looked at the First Lady exhibit and checked out the Presidential rooms. Tracy slept through our visit, but it was nice to get her out and about. Mom fed Trace about 8 ounces of vanilla pudding and she swallowed it all really well. It has been one-year since Tracy, Shelly, Nick, Christine, and I were hit by a car in Florence, Italy. Please keep Tracy in your thoughts and know how much your prayers of encouragement mean to all of us. Thank you Lisa for the beautiful flowers! You really brightened our day! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Thursday, January 15th, 2004 ~ 1 Yr since Tracy was hit by the car ~ It has been one-year since Tracy, myself, and three of our friends were hit by a car in Florence, Italy. Please keep Tracy in your thoughts today and know how much your prayers of encouragement mean to all of us. Thank you Lisa for the beautiful flowers! You really brightened our day! Today, Mom, Uncle Johnny, and I took Tracy to the National Museum of American History. We looked at the First Lady exhibit and checked out the Presidential rooms. Tracy slept through our visit, but it was nice to get her out and about. Mom fed Trace about 8 ounces of vanilla pudding and she swallowed it all really well. Tracy has therapy tomorrow at NRH. Tracy had a busy day yesterday. Uncle Johnny, Mom, and I took Trace to therapy at NRH. She did such a wonderful job! Trace had OT at 2pm with Kate. Kate worked with Tracy in the atrium. She fixed Tracy's various splints and then helped Trace sit up at the edge of the mat. Taylor, the therapy dog, stopped by to see Trace and gave her tons of kisses. Tracy (with Kate's help) leaned towards Taylor to give him a kiss. She did such a great job of maintaining her balance and kept her head up the whole time. During PT and Speech, Dave helped Tracy sit at the edge of the mat in the quiet therapy room. He coached Tracy to keep her head up during the first part of the season. John from rehab engineering made a Powerpoint slide show for Tracy that consisted of pictures from her travels in Europe. They had the slide show on a little computer-notebook and hooked it up to a switch. Jan asked Tracy to turn her head in order to hit the switch. Jan held the computer in front of Tracy while I held the switch on Tracy's left side. When Trace hit the switch she advanced the slideshow! There are 24 slides! Tracy was really trying to focus on the pictures and she purposefully turned her head to hit the switch. They also had an auditory response attached to the switch. So every time Trace hit the switch a sound played as well (bells, applause, camera clicks). Tracy turned her head to the left and continued to hit the button in order to advance the slide show. She also looked at the pictures and kept her head up the entire time! We then switched sides and had Tracy turn her head to the right. She hit the switch really well and advanced through the slide show twice! I selected 25 more pictures and put them on a CD for John. He is going to add them to the slideshow so Tracy will have about 50 photos to click through. Dad is in Pensacola until Thursday and Uncle Johnny is here until Friday. Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Wednesday, January 14th, 2004 ~ Happy B'day Papaw! Tracy had a busy day yesterday. Mom, Uncle Johnny, and I took her to National Naval Medical Center for a dentist appointment. Her teeth still look pearly white and Mom is doing a great job keeping them clean! Today, Uncle Johnny, Mom, and I took Trace to therapy at NRH. She did such a wonderful job! Trace had OT at 2pm with Kate. Kate worked with Tracy in the atrium. She fixed Tracy's various splints and then helped Trace sit up at the edge of the mat. Taylor, the therapy dog, stopped by to see Trace and gave her tons of kisses. Tracy (with Kate's help) leaned towards Taylor to give him a kiss. She did such a great job of maintaining her balance and kept her head up the whole time. During PT and Speech, Dave helped Tracy sit at the edge of the mat in the quiet therapy room. He coached Tracy to keep her head up during the first part of the season. John from rehab engineering made a slide show for Tracy that consisted of pictures from her travels in Europe. (Dad picked the pictures out.) They had the slide show on a little computer-notebook and hooked it up to a switch. Jan asked Tracy to turn her head in order to hit the switch. Jan held the computer in front of Tracy while I held the switch on Tracy's left side. When Trace hit the switch she advanced the slideshow! There are 24 slides! Tracy was really trying to focus on the pictures and she purposefully turned her head to hit the switch. They also had an auditory response attached to the switch. So every time Trace hit the switch a sound played as well (bells, applause, camera clicks). Tracy turned her head to the left and continued to hit the button in order to advance the slide show. She also looked at the pictures and kept her head up the entire time! We then switched sides and had Tracy turn her head to the right. She hit the switch really well and advanced through the slide show twice! I selected 25 more pictures and put them on a CD for John. He is going to add them to the slideshow so Tracy will have about 50 photos to click through. Dad is in Pensacola until Thursday and Uncle Johnny is here until Friday. Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one-year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Tuesday, January 13th, 2004 ~ Tracy slept well last night. Dad arrived safely in Pensacola and Uncle Johnny is visiting us in DC. This morning, Roxanne and Mom showered and dressed Tracy. Mom, Uncle Johnny, and I are taking Tracy to National Naval Medical Center for a dentist appointment. Tracy does not have therapy today. Yesterday, Mom, Liz, and Gloria brought Trace to therapy. She did such a great job! She had speech first with Julie and Patty. John from rehab engineering made a slide show for Tracy that consisted of pictures from her travels in Europe. (Dad picked the pictures out.) They had the slide show on a little computer-notebook and hooked it up to a switch. Julie asked Tracy to turn her head in order to hit the switch. When Trace hit the switch she advanced the slideshow! There are 24 slides! Tracy was really trying to focus on the pictures and she purposefully turned her head to hit the switch. They also had an auditory response attached to the switch. So every time Trace hit the switch a sound played as well (bells, applause, camera clicks). Trace then had OT and Kate worked on fixing her splints. Kate extended Tracy's arms within ten degrees of normal! That's awesome progress! Kate was really able to stretch Tracy's arm out! During PT, Dave helped Tracy sit at the edge of the therapy mat and worked on her trunk and head control. Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one-year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Monday, January 12th, 2004 ~ Tracy had a nice weekend and had a much needed massage last night. Emil massaged her for 2 hours! Mom and Dad took Tracy to Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Sunday morning. Dad left today for Pensacola, FL and Uncle Johnny arrives this evening! We can't wait to see him! Mom, Liz, and Gloria brought Trace to therapy today. She did such a great job! She had speech first with Julie and Patty. John from rehab engineering made a slide show for Tracy that consisted of pictures from her travels in Europe. (Dad picked the pictures out.) They had the slide show on a little computer-notebook and hooked it up to a switch. Julie asked Tracy to turn her head in order to hit the switch. When Trace hit the switch she advanced the slideshow! There are 24 slides! Tracy was really trying to focus on the pictures and she purposefully turned her head to hit the switch. They also had an auditory response attached to the switch. So every time Trace hit the switch a sound played as well (bells, applause, camera clicks). Trace then had OT and Kate worked on fixing her splints. Kate extended Tracy's arms within ten degrees of normal! That's awesome progress! Kate was really able to stretch Tracy's arm out! During PT, Dave helped Tracy sit at the edge of the therapy mat and worked on her trunk and head control. Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control have improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one-year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Saturday, January 10th, 2004 ~ Today Tracy is resting at home. We let her sleep in since she had such a busy week. Yesterday, Mom and Liz took Tracy to therapy. Tracy had OT first with Connie and they worked on her new dynamic splint for her arm. Connie then helped Tracy sit up on the edge of the mat working on head control. She also stretched Tracy's shoulders. Tracy then had co-speech and PT with Julie and Dave. They positioned Tracy on a tilt table. Tracy was strapped onto the long table and then Julie and Dave began to increase the angle of the table. The tilt table put Tracy in an almost standing position. This allowed her to bare weight on her legs, feet and ankles. Tracy worked really hard and handled it well. Julie and Dave got Tracy to a 45degree angle. Thursday night Emil stopped by to give Tracy a much-needed massage. Uncle Johnny comes Monday and we can't wait to see him! It's always nice to have visitors! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control has improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one-year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Friday, January 9th, 2004 ~ Tracy slept well last night and is resting in her wheelchair this morning. Mom and Liz are taking Tracy to therapy this afternoon. Last night Emil stopped by to give Tracy a much-needed massage. Mom and Dad got Tracy up early Wednesday morning for a 9am doctor's appointment at National Naval Medical Center. She also had therapy at NRH. Mom and I took Tracy to therapy and she did really well. During OT, Mike used ultrasound on Tracy's pecs to loosen them up. He then massaged her shoulders and stretched her arms. During speech with Amy, Tracy drank some cranberry juice and some lemon-flavored water. She did such a great job swallowing all on her own. Wednesday night, Ashley and I hung out with Tracy while Mom and Dad went to see Mamma Mia! They had a great time! Uncle Johnny comes Monday and we can't wait to see him! It's always nice to have visitors! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control has improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one-year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Thursday, January 8th, 2004 ~ Roxanne and Mom showered Tracy this morning. She is resting and enjoying her day off from therapy after a busy Wednesday. Tonight Emil is stopping by to give Tracy a much-needed massage. Mom and Dad got Tracy up early Wednesday morning for a 9am doctor's appointment at National Naval Medical Center. She also had therapy at NRH. Mom and I took Tracy to therapy and she did really well. During OT, Mike used ultrasound on Tracy's pecs to loosen them up. He then massaged her shoulders and stretched her arms. During speech with Amy, Tracy drank some cranberry juice and some lemon-flavored water. She did such a great job swallowing all on her own. Wednesday night, Ashley and I hung out with Tracy while Mom and Dad went to see Mamma Mia! They had a great time! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control has improved so much since she started out-patient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Wednesday, January 7th, 2004 ~ Mom and Dad got Tracy up early this morning for a 9am doctor's appointment at National Naval Medical Center. She also has therapy this afternoon at NRH. Yesterday, Mom and I are took Tracy to NRH for a doctor's appointment. Tracy slept the entire time and her appointment went well. Last night, Mom and Dad worked with Tracy on our therapy mat at home. They stretched her and helped her sit up on the edge of the mat, coaching her to keep her head up. Monday, Mom, Liz, and Gloria took Trace to NRH for therapy. She did such a great job! During Speech with Julie, Tracy had cranberry juice and swallowed it really well. She didn't need any stimulation and swallowed on her own! Kate worked with Tracy during OT. She is very happy with Tracy's progress as an outpatient. Kate helped Tracy stretch by bringing her knees to her chest. She then sat Tracy up at the edge of the therapy mat. Tracy sat up all by herself for THREE seconds! Pretty incredible! She's come such a long way! Kate was very pleased and also coached Tracy to keep her head up. During PT, Dave helped Trace sit on the edge of the mat and supported her pelvis. He also coached her to keep her head up and worked on her balance. Many thanks to Liz and Gloria for all of their help! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control has improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one-year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Tuesday, January 6th, 2004 ~ Geaux Tigers! LSU! Tracy slept well last night and is pretty sleepy today. Mom and I are taking her to NRH for a doctor's appointment. Tracy has therapy again on Wednesday. Monday, Mom, Liz, and Gloria took Trace to NRH for therapy. She did such a great job! During Speech with Julie, Tracy had cranberry juice and swallowed it really well. She didn't need any stimulation and swallowed on her own! Kate worked with Tracy during OT. She is very happy with Tracy's progress as an outpatient. Kate helped Tracy stretch by bringing her knees to her chest. She then sat Tracy up at the edge of the therapy mat. Tracy sat up all by herself for THREE seconds! Pretty incredible! She's come such a long way! Kate was very pleased and also coached Tracy to keep her head up. During PT, Dave helped Trace sit on the edge of the mat and supported her pelvis. He also coached her to keep her head up and worked on her balance. Many thanks to Liz and Gloria for all of their help! Sunday, Mom and Dad took Tracy to Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes. We cheered on the LSU Tigers in the Sugar Bowl! They won! National Champs! We are pretty excited and Tracy stayed up to watch the game with us. Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control has improved so much since she started outpatient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one-year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly

Monday, January 5th, 2004 ~ Geaux Tigers! LSU! Happy New Year! Many thanks to Tracy's friends at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. We really enjoyed your video messages! Thank you for your thoughtfulness and prayers! Mom, Liz, and Gloria are taking Tracy to therapy today at NRH. We'll let you know how that goes! Sunday, Mom and Dad took Tracy to Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes. We cheered on the LSU Tigers in the Sugar Bowl! They won! National Champs! We are pretty excited and Tracy stayed up to watch the game with us. Saturday, Mom, Dad, and Tracy went to Annapolis for the day. They visited the Naval Academy and walked around the harbor front. They enjoyed being on the water and it was a nice break from busy DC! Tracy actually did have one therapy session on Friday. Mom and Dad took her to NRH for Occupational Therapy with Connie. Connie fitted Tracy for a new arm brace and splints. The arm brace is for her right arm. It will keep Tracy's arm extended in order to stretch out her muscles. We celebrated the new year quietly at home and watched all of the festivities on TV. Mom fed Tracy some egg nog and she swallowed all 8 ounces. Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control has improved so much since she started out-patient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Sunday, January 4th, 2004 ~ Geaux Tigers! New Year! Many thanks to Tracy's friends at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. We really enjoyed your video messages! Thank you for your thoughtfulness and prayers! Sunday, Mom and Dad took Tracy to Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes. Tonight we will be cheering on the LSU Tigers! They are playing in the Nokia Sugar Bowl in New Orleans! Tracy has been really sleepy and is getting some rest before a busy week of therapy. Tracy has therapy tomorrow at NRH. Saturday, Mom, Dad, and Tracy went to Annapolis for the day. They visited the Naval Academy and walked around the harbor front. They enjoyed being on the water and it was a nice break from busy DC! Tracy actually did have one therapy session on Friday. Mom and Dad took her to NRH for Occupational Therapy with Connie. Connie fitted Tracy for a new arm brace and splints. The arm brace is for her right arm. It will keep Tracy's arm extended in order to stretch out her muscles. We celebrated the new year quietly at home and watched all of the festivities on TV. Mom fed Tracy some egg nog and she swallowed all 8 ounces. Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control has improved so much since she started out-patient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Saturday, January 3rd, 2004 ~ Happy New Year! Many thanks to Tracy's friends at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. We really enjoyed your video messages! Thank you for your thoughtfulness and prayers! Tracy actually did have one therapy session on Friday. Mom and Dad took her to NRH for Occupational Therapy with Connie. Connie fitted Tracy for a new arm brace and splints. The arm brace is for her right arm. It will keep Tracy's arm extended in order to stretch out her muscles. Thursday, Mom and Dad took Tracy on a few outings. They visited a rehab facility in Mt. Vernon, VA and then went to a recreation facility to check out their pool. Tracy also watched the Miami Hurricanes and the FSU Seminoles play in the Orange Bowl. Go Canes! Wednesday, Mom and Liz took Tracy to therapy at NRH. She only had PT and OT. During OT, Tori used ultra sound on Tracy's muscles to help loosen them up. She then stretched Tracy's muscles in order to keep them in tip-top shape. Dave helped Tracy sit at the edge of the mat in an upright position and coached her to keep her head up. We celebrated the new year quietly at home and watched all of the festivities on TV. Mom fed Tracy some egg nog and she swallowed all 8 ounces. Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control has improved so much since she started out-patient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Thurs-Fri, January 1st-2nd, 2004 ~ Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Many thanks to Tracy's friends at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. We really enjoyed your video messages! Thank you for your thoughtfulness and prayers! Tracy does not have therapy Friday at NRH. Thursday, Mom and Dad took Tracy on a few outings. They visited a rehab facility in Mt. Vernon, VA and then went to a recreation facility to check out their pool. Tracy also watched the Miami Hurricanes and the FSU Seminoles play in the Orange Bowl. Go Canes! Wednesday, Mom and Liz took Tracy to therapy at NRH. She only had PT and OT. We celebrated the New Year quietly at home and watched all of the festivities on TV. Mom fed Tracy some egg nog and she swallowed all 8 ounces. We hope that everyone had a very safe and happy new year. Tuesday night Charles and I stayed with Tracy while Mom and Dad went out to dinner for their 24th wedding anniversary! Trace is doing so well! Her stability, head control and trunk control has improved so much since she started out-patient therapy! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We are fast approaching the one year mark and we continue to recall how far Tracy has come. However, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!