Tuesday, July 31st, 2007 ~ Tracy Gets Botox In Miami ~ Tracy got Botox in her hands, fingers, wrists, and jaw this morning at the University of Miami. Dr. Rubin gave Tracy over thirty injections! Dr. Rubin uses a topical anesthetic to numb the area. Botox in her jaw helps her with teeth grinding. She is such a trooper! The good news is that she needed much less than previous times which means that her tone has greatly improved. Please keep your prayers coming this way! It seems to be helping a great deal! Mom Reads Tracy Her Emails From Her Guest Book ~ Mom read Tracy her emails from her guest book this evening. She really enjoyed Nicole's song from the Broadway musical Wicked! Mom played the song For Good for Tracy and she seemed to like it. May be we can bring Tracy to NYC some day soon to see Wicked! She has always loved the Big Apple! Dad Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Mom, Tracy and Luca hung out in the study while Dad went to Bikram Yoga this evening. He is really enjoying his practice! Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Cousin Caroline and her friend Dek will also be visiting us from Louisiana in mid-August when Dad goes to DC for a meeting! Daily OM: Why Not Now? : Waiting For Someday!

Monday, July 30th, 2007 ~ Mom Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Mom went to 9:15 AM Bikram Yoga this morning. It was one of the best classes that Mom has had! Tania Gives Tracy A Mini-massage ~ Tania gave Tracy a mini-massage this morning; massaging her feet, legs, neck, shoulders, arms and hands. (Tracy was pretty tight and was grinding her teeth off and on during the night and this morning. Dad gave Tracy some Motrin which seemed to help.) Tracy Goes To Her Last Speech Therapy Session Of The Semester At FAU With Kristin ~ Tracy had her last Speech Therapy session of the semester with Kristin at FAU this afternoon. She was so awake and alert! It was awesome. Tracy demonstrated good eye contact when looking at pictures with Kristin. She did not seem to like the picture of Enrique Inglesias, and made a face when Kristin showed it to Tracy. When Kristin asked Tracy if she thought he was cute, Tracy shook her head NO! Kristin decided to retire Enrique's picture to the student work room where she has hung a picture of Brad Pitt (which Tracy did not like!) Next, Kristin asked Tracy some Yes/No questions about her weekend and the Faith Hill and Tim McGraw concert. Tracy did a good job accurately answering her questions. Next, Kristin worked on oral motor stimulation with Tracy, applying some flavored lip gloss on Tracy's lips. She asked Tracy if she would like pink or white lip gloss and Tracy selected the pink one. She applied the pink lip gloss on Tracy's lips and then asked Tracy to blot her lips. Tracy needed some assistance (modeling) at first, but then open and closed her lips at least once with minimal assistance. Then Kristin used the Nuk brush (textured rubber tip) to stimulate Tracy's lips. Tracy did a good job responding to this type of tactile stimulation. Last, Kristin gave Tracy a choice between listening to her Ipod or looking at more pictures and Tracy picked looking at pictures. They looked at pictures of the Dave Matthews Band, Santana Moss, and a tropical beach. Tracy did a good job responding accurately to Yes/No questions about each picture. Tracy, Mom, Nana, Uncle Johnny & Aunt Diane Go To Spinning ~ This was Tracy's first time going to Spinning since her accident. She really seemed excited to be there as a spectator (this time). She sat next to Nana and enjoyed the music, the excitement, and the positive energy surrounding her. We hope to be able to bring Tracy to more Spinning classes in the future! Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Cousin Caroline and her friend Dek will also be visiting us from Louisiana in mid-August when Dad goes to DC for a meeting! Daily OM: Hope In Hardship : Anything Can Be Overcome!

Sunday, July 29th, 2007 ~ Stage 20 of the Tour de France ~ Grand Finale! ~ Tracy Goes To Hippotherapy In Parkland ~ Tracy had a great hippotherapy session on Sanddollar this morning. The weather held out and there was no rain in sight (at least for this morning)! Marissa, Tracy's master's student two semesters ago from FAU, came to see Tracy perform on the horse. It was so good to see her! She graduates in two weeks and we are all very proud of her! Marissa noticed how Tracy's head and trunk control has gotten stronger since she saw her last several months ago. Looks like the hippotherapy is helping alot! Mom, Dad, Tracy & Luca Watch The Grand Finale of Le Tour de France ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy and Luca watched the last stage of Le Tour de France this morning after hippotherapy. Wow! What a great ending to a wonderful three weeks of cycling! Discovery Team's Alberto Contador won the maillot jaune at 24 years of age and his first Tour de France! We were also excited to see Levi Leipheimer, also of Discovery, came in third and had a stage win as well. Alberto has the chance to be the next Lance Armstrong in coming years! He could even surpass Lance's seven consecutive Tour de France wins! Mom will be suffering from Tour de France withdrawal until next July! Mom Gives Tracy A Facial This Afternoon ~ Nana and Aunt Diane came over this afternoon and we all went out by the pool. The storm clouds came up and we took cover under the overhanging on the back patio. Mom took advantage of this time to give Tracy a much-needed facial and foot and hand massage. Tracy's Sunday Personal Assistant, Marsha, had the day off so Mom and Dad were pinch hitting. Mom Practices Oral Facial Exercises With Tracy ~ Mom spent some time working with Tracy's oral motor and facial muscles this afternoon. She used frozen lemon and glycerin swabs to wake up her lips and tongue. Then she used frozen margarita popsicles (without the tequila of course!) It is very cold and tart, and Tracy demonstrated some good lip movement. Mom was trying hard (and so was Tracy) to elicit a swallow. We will continue to work on this. Mom & Dad Cook Filets That Tiffany Sent Dad For Father's Day ~ Dad grilled the best filet mignons for dinner and Mom and Aunt Diane made a delicious healthy salad with arugula, Mom's favorite! Dad also steamed zucchini and yellow squash! It was delicious! Mom, Dad, Nana, Uncle Johnny, Aunt Diane, Tracy & Luca Watch My House in Umbria ~ Uncle Johnny bought the movie My House In Umbria and everyone really enjoyed it! The scenery was absolutely breathtaking! Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Cousin Caroline and her friend Dek will also be visiting us from Louisiana in mid-August when Dad goes to DC for a meeting! Daily OM: Wanting To Join : Dumbing Ourselves Down!

Saturday, July 28th, 2007 ~ Stage 19th of the Tour de France! ~ Mom, Dad & Aunt Diane Go To Bikram Yoga ~ Mom, Dad and Aunt Diane went to Bikram Yoga this morning. This was Aunt Diane's first time doing Bikram Yoga and she did GREAT! She really enjoyed it too. Looks like she is hooked right along with Mom and Dad! Tracy Gets A Cranial Sacral Therapy Massage By Melanie ~ Tracy got a Cranial Sacral Therapy session by Melanie. She did really well and seemed to enjoy her session today very much. Melanie is really great with Tracy and has such healing hands. Mom & Dad Get Massages From Melanie ~ Mom and Dad had their turns next with Melanie. Dad got a Cranial Sacral Session and Mom opted for a swedish massage today! Mom & Dad Took Another Night Off From Cooking And Had Thai This Evening ~ Mom and Dad enjoyed some Thai food this evening while they watched Stage 19. Dad, Mom, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 19 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy and Luca watched Stage 19 of the Tour de France. Go Levi and Alberto! It was really exciting and a little nerve wracking to watch the time trials. Levi did a great job and finally won his first stage! Woo-hoo! Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Cousin Caroline and her friend Dek will also be visiting us from Louisiana in mid-August when Dad goes to DC for a meeting! Daily OM: Before The World Wakes : Morning Meditation!

Friday, July 27th, 2007 ~ Stage 18 of the Tour de France! ~ Mom Goes To Bikram Yoga This Morning ~ Mom went to 9:15 AM Bikram Yoga this morning. Lan taught a very good class! Tracy Goes To Dr. Alberico Today To Get Her Baclofen Dosage Reduced ~ Dr. Alberico reduced Tracy's Baclofen dosage from 315 to 276 micrograms per day! This is a long, long way from her highest dosage of 1850 micrograms per day several years ago! We are hoping to eventually be able to turn off her pump! Please say a prayer that this goal will be possible! Tracy Goes To Hippotherapy In Parkland ~ Tracy had a great hippotherapy session on Sanddollar this afternoon in between the raindrops and thunderstorms. Her head and trunk control is improving a little bit every time she rides. After her session, Tracy (with Susan, her therapist's help) fed Sanddollar a juicy granny smith apple! Sanddollar gobbled it up and Tracy made a friend for life! Tania Gives Tracy A Mini-massage This Evening ~ Tania gave Tracy a mini-massage of her feet, legs, hands, arms, neck and shoulders this evening after her strenuous ride on Sanddollar. How do you spell RELIEF! Tania is so talented and one of Tracy's ANGELS! Mom & Dad Have Bonefish Mac's Ribs & Caesar Salad For Dinner This Evening ~ Mom and Dad enjoyed the best ribs and Caesar salad from Bonefish Mac's, a great sports bar in Lighthouse Point. Mom, Dad, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 18 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy and Luca watched Stage 18 of the Tour de France. How awesome would it be to have two Discovery Team winners on the podium in Paris! Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Cousin Caroline and her friend Dek will also be visiting us from Louisiana in mid-August when Dad goes to DC for a meeting! Daily OM: Honesty Is Best : The Energy Of Honesty!

Thursday, July 26th, 2007 ~ Stage 17th of the Tour de France! ~ Tracy Has Her Last Speech Therapy Session At NSU With Juliet ~ Tracy had her last Speech Therapy session at NSU with Juliet this morning. NSU begins their semester break and sessions will resume the week of the 22nd of August. Tracy and Juliet played the Memory game with pictures of hot celebrities! Then they watched runway models wearing the latest Fall designer fashions on Style.com. Dr. Lowe gave Tracy a large frame made out of foamcore to use while on the semester break. She showed Mom and Tania how to put stickies with core words on them for Tracy to use with her eye gaze to communicate choices. For example, on the left side of the frame is the word go and on the right side of the border are three choices, van, bed, and beach. Tracy can use her eyes to gaze at the word she wants. So, if she wants to go to the beach she will look at go and then beach. We will continue to practice this over the break and build a vocabulary data base on stickies. Tania has already begun printing various words in a database. Juliet made a very nice photo presentation in Powerpoint for Tracy to play on her laptop! She can forward the slides by hitting her switch! Tracy gave Juliet a little present for all her hard work too; cute little angel notecards and a memo pad! Tracy is already looking forward to next semester at NSU! Tracy Gets A Massage By Dee This Evening ~ Dee came by to give Tracy a much-deserved massage this evening. He and Tania also worked on Tracy's head and trunk control so that she will be in tip-top condition for her hippotherapy lesson tomorrow afternoon. Dad Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Tracy and Mom hung out and watched Entertainment Tonight while Dad went to Yoga. Dad, Mom, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 17 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy and Luca watched Stage 17 of the Tour de France. Go Levi and Alberto! Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Cousin Caroline and her friend Dek will also be visiting us from Louisiana in mid-August when Dad goes to DC for a meeting! Daily OM: Finding Your Joy : Be Happy Every Single Day!

Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 ~ Stage 16 of the Tour de France! ~ Mom Goes To Bikram Yoga This Morning ~ Mom went to 9:15 AM Bikram Yoga this morning. It was sooooo hot! Whew! Mom Gets A Facial ~ Mom had a 1 PM appointment to get a facial this afternoon. She was long overdue and it was a really a nice treat! Tania & Mom Get Tracy Straddled On The Peanut Therapy Ball ~ Tania and Mom got Tracy on the peanut therapy ball this afternoon. They had her wear her pretty pink riding helmet while sitting on the peanut so that she can strengthen her trunk and neck muscles. She did a good job picking her head up a number of times, even if she can only hold it for several seconds at a time. Tania supported Tracy from behind, bouncing her up and down and rocking her side to side. Tracy tolerated 35 to 40 minutes on the peanut. Mom, Dad, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 16 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy and Luca watched Stage 16 of the Tour de France. What a drama as the saga continues to unfold! With Rasmussen being dismissed from the Tour after Stage 16 may now allow Team Discovery a chance (or may be two chances) on the podium! Nana Update ~ Nana's toe is recovering well and she was able to play bridge last evening with her friends. Tiffany Update ~ Tiffany is really enjoying her new position as Director of Public Relations for the Navy League! The Navy League is located in the Courthouse area of Arlington, Virginia, and very close to Tiffany's new home in the Delray area of Alexandria. Papaw Update ~ Papaw is doing a lot better and is regaining his strength. He hopes to return to work soon! Must be the great care Mamaw is giving him! Cousin Caroline Update ~ Cousin Caroline is feeling much better since she had her tonsils out last Thursday. She is planning to come to visit us in mid-August with her friend Dek! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is feeling much better and is getting stronger every day. She and Tiffany went out to dinner last weekend and had a good visit. Sasha will return to Ilion, New York this weekend for a follow-up visit with her neurologist. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Cousin Caroline and her friend Dek will also be visiting us from Louisiana in mid-August when Dad goes to DC for a meeting! Daily OM: Aware And Awake : Intent!

Tuesday, July 24th, 2007 ~ Rest Day for the Tour de France! Tracy Goes To The Faith Hill & Tim McGraw Concert! ~ Tracy Gets Dressed Up For The Faith Hill & Tim McGraw Concert This Evening ~ Tracy looked so cute in her long khaki skirt and leopard print shirt that Aunt Candy sent her! She wore her pretty amber bracelet and earrings and her amber drop slider. She looked awesome! Mom Gets A Massage ~ Mom got a much-needed massage this morning to help with muscle tension in her neck, shoulders, and lower back! Ouch! Tracy Goes To FAU For Speech Therapy With Kristin ~ Tracy went to FAU for Speech Therapy with Kristin at 4 PM. This is Tracy's last official week of Speech Therapy until the semester break ends in early September. Kristin did an excellent job with Tracy and we are all looking forward to Kristin working with Tracy again next semester. Today, (as well as Monday) Tracy was very attentive and engaged during the entire session. She did a good job with very clear head shakes for NO and very deliberate and quick double eye blinks for YES! Everyone has been very pleased with Tracy's improved accuracy and clarity of her Yes/No responses. Her attention and alertfulness has also improved; she only had one really sleepy session.. Today, Kristin asked Tracy a series of Yes/No questions, some about the weather, for example: "Was is a good day to ride in a convertible?" It was pouring, thundering and lightning really hard when we arrived at FAU! Tracy answered accurately with a big head shake to let Kristin know that it was NOT a good day to ride in a convertible! Next Kristin gave Tracy a CD that she made of Faith Hill and Tim McGraw's most popular hits like Breathe and This Kiss. Mom, Dad, Tania & Tracy Go To The Faith Hill & Tim McGraw Concert ~ Mom, Dad, Tania and Tracy went to the Faith Hill and Tim McGraw concert this evening at the Bank Atlantic Center in Ft. Lauderdale. It was an incredible concert with both singers performing alone and together for a total of three and a half hours! AMAZING! Tracy chilled and seemed to be enjoying the music, lights and people. Nana Update ~ Nana toe is recovering well and she was able to play bridge this evening with her friends. Tiffany Update ~ Tiffany is really enjoying her new position as Director of Public Relations for the Navy League! The Navy League is located in the Courthouse area of Arlington, Virginia, and very close to Tiffany's new home in the Delray area of Alexandria. Papaw Update ~ Papaw is doing a lot better and is regaining his strength. He hopes to return to work soon! Must be the great care Mamaw is giving him! Cousin Caroline Update ~ Cousin Caroline is feeling much better since she had her tonsils out last Thursday. She is planning to come to visit us in mid-August with her friend Dek! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is feeling much better and is getting stronger every day. She and Tiffany went out to dinner last weekend and had a good visit. Sasha will return to Ilion, New York this weekend for a follow-up visit with her neurologist. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Cousin Caroline and her friend Dek will also be visiting us from Louisiana in mid-August when Dad goes to DC for a meeting! Daily OM: The Best We Can Be : Honoring Our Children!

Monday, July 23rd, 2007 ~ Stage 15 of the Tour de France! ~ Tracy Gets A Manicure ~ Felicia gave Tracy a pedicure this morning to match her toes! They look really nice! Our girl sure does like her spa days! Tracy Goes To FAU For Speech Therapy With Kristin ~ Tracy went to FAU for Speech Therapy with Kristin at 4 PM. This is Tracy's last official week of Speech Therapy until the semester break ends in early September. Kristin did an excellent job with Tracy and we are all looking forward to Kristin working with Tracy again next semester. Today, Tracy was extra attentive and engaged during the entire session. She was very animated and laughed appropriately several times. Kristin began by showing Tracy pictures and asking her questions about them. She showed Tracy a picture of her all time favorite band: yes, you guessed it: Dave Matthews! Tracy responded with two eye blinks for Yes and a head shake for No to the various questions. Next, Kristin asked Tracy questions about her weekend. She asked Tracy if Mom cooked the Sunday meal and Tracy shook her head No. At least Tracy gave Mom credit for the salad! Next, Kristin and Tracy listened to music on Tracy's Ipod. Kristin asked Tracy some questions about the various songs. She played a song by Faith Hill and they discussed the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill concert that Tracy, Mom, Dad, and Tania are going to tomorrow evening. Tania Reads Tracy An Article About Queen Latifa, Tracy's Favorite ~ Tania read Tracy an article about Queen Latifa and her upcoming stint in Hairspray! Tracu LOVES Queen Latifa! Dad Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Dad went to Bikram Yoga this evening. There was no Spinning this week since Jason is participating in the Iron Man in upstate New York. Mom hung out with Tracy and Luca while Dad was gone. Mom, Dad, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 15 of the Tour de France ~ Boy, is this year's Tour de France flying by! With less than a week to go, is Discovery getting closer to making their move? Maybe Alberto Contador will be the next Lance Armstrong! Nana Update ~ Nana went home last evening with Uncle Johnny and went to the podiatrist this morning to get her bandage removed. The doctor was very pleased with the way her toe is healing. Tiffany Update ~ Tiffany is really enjoying her new position as Director of Public Relations for the Navy League! The Navy League is located in the Courthouse area of Arlington, Virginia, and very close to Tiffany's new home in the Delray area of Alexandria. Papaw Update ~ Papaw is doing a lot better and is regaining his strength. He hopes to return to work soon! Must be the great care Mamaw is giving him! Cousin Caroline Update ~ Cousin Caroline is feeling much better since she had her tonsils out last Thursday. She is planning to come to visit us in mid-August with her friend Dek! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is now back in Alexandria and doing some work from her home. Her mother and sister are still visiting her. She is feeling a little better each day, and has not had a headache for several weeks. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Cousin Caroline and her friend Dek will also be visiting us in mid-August when Dad goes to DC for a meeting! Daily OM: Language Of The Soul : The Paradox Of Spirit!

Sunday, July 22nd, 2007 ~ Stage 14 of the Tour de France! ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy, Nana, & Marsha Go To Hippotherapy At Bit By Bit ~ Tracy did a great job at hippotherapy this morning for her 11 AM session. She is sitting up a lot better on Sanddollar! Susan, her Physical Therapist, wants Tracy to come twice a week for hippotherapy. She has improved quite a bit since her first lesson over a month ago! Way to go Tracy! Tracy's Pool Therapy Gets Rained Out ~ We tried to get Tracy into the pool around 2 PM but the thunder clouds rolled in and it started to storm, complete with lots of thunder and lightning. It continued throughout the day and finally cleared up around 8 PM! Nana's Friends Anita & Rose Marie Come Over For Dinner ~ Nana's friends Anita and Rose Marie joined us for dinner along with Uncle Johnny, Aunt Diane, Dad, Mom, Tracy and Luca. Rose Marie made her famous homemade egg plant parmigian and Anita brought some yummy pastry for dessert. Aunt Diane brought some awesome pralines and cream ice cream and Uncle Johnny brought himself (and Holy Communion for those who missed Mass!) Dad made his famous tilapia and Mom made the salad! Everything was soooo goood! Aunt Diane Reads From Bikram's Book About Yoga To Tracy ~ Aunt Diane read to Tracy from Bikram's book on Yoga. She seemed to be listening intently and enjoying it! Aunt Diane brought some very pretty shells to Tracy from her walk on the beach! Nana Update ~ Nana went home this evening with Uncle Johnny and has an appointment to go to the doctor tomorrow morning to get the dressing removed. She is feeling a lot better and has minimal swelling and pain. Mom, Dad, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 14 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy & Luca watched Stage 14 of the Tour de France! Will somebody please bring Lance back? The tour is not the same without him! (Yawn, yawn!) Alberto Contador, the rookie on the Discovery Team is doing awesome! Will he be the next Lance Armstrong? Tiffany Update ~ Tiffany is really enjoying her new position as Director of Public Relations for the Navy League! The Navy League is located in the Courthouse area of Arlington, Virginia, and very close to Tiffany's new home in the Delray area of Alexandria. Papaw Update ~ Papaw is doing a lot better and is regaining his strength. He hopes to return to work soon! Must be the great care Mamaw is giving him! Cousin Caroline Has Her Tonsils Out ~ Cousin Caroline is feeling much better since she had her tonsils out last Thursday. She is planning to come to visit us in mid-August with her friend Dek! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is now back in Alexandria and doing some work from her home. Her mother and sister are still visiting her. She is feeling a little better each day, and has not had a headache for several weeks. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Upcoming Visitors ~ We are excited to report that our August visitors include our good friends Liz (now from Maryland) and Kate from the Charleston, South Carolina area. (Mt. Pleasant to be exact!) Daily OM: Hope In Hardship : Anything Can Be Overcome!

Saturday, July 21st, 2007 ~ Stage 13 of the Tour de France! ~ Mom & Aunt Diane Go Spinning In Coral Springs ~ Mom and Aunt Diane went Spinning in Coral Springs this morning while Dad and Felicia stayed with Tracy. Fran taught a great class with all 50 bikes taken! The energy in the room was so electric! Jason is in upstate New York competing in the Ironman Triathlon. Good luck Jason! Mom Gets A New Pair Of Glasses ~ It has been at least ten years since Mom has had the time to get a new pair of glasses. She wears contacts but never had a back up pair of glasses! Cousin Rene' will be so happy to hear that she can now give her eyes a break from wearing contacts! Dad really likes the retro style and thinks they really look cool! Nana & Tracy Watch World Team Tennis With Venus Williams ~ Nana and Tracy have been enjoying World Team Tennis with pros such as Blake, Sampras, Venus Williams, and Sharapova! Dad Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Dad went to 6 PM Bikram Yoga this evening while Mom, Tracy, Nana and Luca watched Return To The Blue Lagoon! Yes, Tracy was laughing throughout parts of the movie! It was a cute chick flick! Dad & Mom Get Tracy On The Tilt Table ~ After Yoga, Mom and Dad got Tracy on the tilt table for 35 minutes. She did a really good job tolerating 45 degrees for ten minutes. We plan to go slowly since it has been a while since her last session. During her session, Tracy vocalized really loudly AHH-HAA! She laughed and appeared surprised with her loud voice! She also seemed very proud of herself of her accomplishments on the tilt table and with her vocalization! Mom & Dad Cook Marinated Chicken Breasts & Vegetarian Lasagna For Dinner ~ Mom and Dad cooked lemon, teriyaki and garlic chicken breasts with vegetarian lasagna for dinner this evening. It was really good! Nana Update ~ Nana is recoverying nicely at our home and we are enjoying having her stay with us. She is feeling a lot better and has minimal swelling and pain. Mom, Dad, Nana, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 13 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Nana, Dad, Tracy & Luca watched Stage 11 of the Tour de France! Will somebody please bring Lance back? The tour is not the same without him! (Yawn, yawn!) Mom, Dad, Tracy, Nana & Luca Watch Soccer ~ With all the Beckam hooplah, everyone decided to watch David Beckam play his first game on US soil against Chelsea! It was exciting to see all the celebrities at a soccer game in LA! Tiffany Update ~ Tiffany is really enjoying her new position as Director of Public Relations for the Navy League! The Navy League is located in the Courthouse area of Arlington, Virginia, and very close to Tiffany's new home in the Delray area of Alexandria. Papaw Update ~ Papaw is doing a lot better and is regaining his strength. He hopes to return to work soon! Must be the great care Mamaw is giving him! Cousin Caroline Has Her Tonsils Out ~ Cousin Caroline is feeling much better since she had her tonsils out last Thursday. She is planning to come to visit us in mid-August with her friend Dek! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is now back in Alexandria and doing some work from her home. Her mother and sister are still visiting her. She is feeling a little better each day, and has not had a headache for several weeks. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Daily OM: Allowing Spirit In : Clearing Your Mind!

Friday, July 20th, 2007 ~ Stage 12 of the Tour de France! ~ Tracy Gets A Pedicure ~ Felicia gave Tracy a much-deserved pedicure today! The color of the week is a bronzey red from Victoria Secret! Mom, Tania, Dad, & Tracy Go To Hippotherapy In Parkland At Bit By Bit ~ Tracy did a good job at hippotherapy this afternoon at Bit By Bit in Parkland. Sanddollar was incredible and Tracy sat up straight with Dad and Susan's help. She really enjoys hippotherapy and riding Sanddollar. Tania took some really good pictures too! Mom fed Sanddollar some of Luca's organic treats! She really seemed to like the peanut butter flavored ones the best! Tracy Gets Her Eyebrows Done ~ Tania did Tracy's eyebrows this evening! Ouch! I guess what they say is true: sometimes it hurts to be beautiful! Aunt Diane Comes Over For Dinner ~ Mom and Dad cooked lobster raviolis with marinara sauce for dinner this evening with a fresh organic garden salad. Everyone enjoyed a nice dinner together! It is so nice to have family close by! We miss the Louisiana connection and Tiffany too! (Yes, we also miss Auntie Candy and the family in New Hampshire!) Oh yeah, Chip and Guy and their families too! Where in the world is Chippah! Seattle, Washington today! Nana Update ~ Nana is recoverying nicely at our home and we are enjoying having her stay with us. She is feeling a lot better and has minimal swelling and pain. Mom, Dad, Nana, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 13 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Nana, Dad, Tracy & Luca watched Stage 11 of the Tour de France! Will somebody please bring Lance back? The tour is not the same without him! (Yawn, yawn!) Tiffany Update ~ Tiffany is really enjoying her new position as Director of Public Relations for the Navy League! The Navy League is located in the Courthouse area of Arlington, Virginia, and very close to Tiffany's new home in the Delray area of Alexandria. Papaw Update ~ Papaw is doing a lot better and is regaining his strength. He hopes to return to work soon! Must be the great care Mamaw is giving him! Cousin Caroline Has Her Tonsils Out ~ Cousin Caroline is feeling much better since she had her tonsils out last Thursday. She is planning to come to visit us in mid-August with her friend Dek! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is now back in Alexandria and doing some work from her home. Her mother and sister are still visiting her. She is feeling a little better each day, and has not had a headache for several weeks. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Daily OM: Symbols Of Versatility : Ducks!

Thursday, July 19th, 2007 ~ Stage 11 of the Tour de France! ~ Mom, Tracy, Tania, Felicia & Luca Go To Speech Therapy At NSU ~ Tracy did a good job at AAC Speech Therapy with Juliet at NSU in Davie. She was very awake and focused on her pictures, especially during the Memory game. Juliet created a game using large laminated pictures of various stars and Hollywood celebrities such as J Lo, Jennifer Anniston, Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Brittany Spears (with and without hair!), Jessice Alba, etc. Tracy did a good job using two eye blinks for Yes and head shakes for No, when Juliet asked Tracy if the two pictures on the display board were the same. (Tracy's favorite game as a child growing up was Memory and she always whipped our butts at it!) Next, Juliet logged on to www.style.com for Tracy to view the latest fashion on the runways this summer. Tracy loves fashion as we all know! She especially enjoyed the Valentino collection! Dee Gives Tracy A Massage & Physical Therapy ~ Dee came by to give Tracy her weekly massage around 3:30 PM. He thought that her tone was a little tighter, especially in the hips. This may be due to the recent decrease in Tracy's baclofen dosage from 354 to 315 micrograms per day! After her massage, Dee and Tania got Tracy straddled on the peanut ball with her pretty pink riding helmet on her head to practice for her hippotherapy lessons. Tracy tolerated about 15 minutes with Dee and Tania rocking her side to side and back and forth. They even bounced her a little on the peanut to simulate riding Sanddollar! Luca Gets His Fifth Lesson From Dawn The Dog Trainer ~ While Tracy was busy getting her massage, Mom was busy with Luca and Dawn, the dog trainer. Luca was a little feisty today and it took a little more to get him to focus on the task at hand. Mom needs to practice leash walking with him a little more. He will have two weeks to practice before Dawn returns. She plans to bring her Shelty collie named Toonie with her next session. Nana Has Her Left Middle Toe Straightened Today ~ Nana had her hammer toe repaired today by Dr. Leiber, a podiatrist in Delray Beach. She is spending the next few days with us while she recuperates. Mom Makes Pasta Fagioli For Dinner & Aunt Diane & Nana Enjoy ~ Mom made Pasta Fagioli this evening for dinner. Aunt Diane came over and joined Nana and Mom for dinner while Dad went to yoga. Dad Goes To Bikram Yoga At 6:15 PM ~ Dad went to 6:15 PM Bikram Yoga this evening. He really enjoys the heat and the stretching, and is noticing that his knee and back are feeling much better since he started his practice. Mom, Nana, Dad, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 11 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Nana, Dad, Tracy & Luca watched Stage 11 of the Tour de France! Will somebody please bring Lance back? The tour is not the same without him! (Yawn, yawn!) Tiffany Update ~ Tiffany is really enjoying her new position as Director of Public Relations for the Navy League! The Navy League is located in the Courthouse area of Arlington, Virginia, and very close to Tiffany's new home in the Delray area of Alexandria. Papaw Update ~ Papaw sounds like he is feeling better and is recuperating at home. Mamaw is taking good care of him too! Cousin Caroline Has Her Tonsils Out ~ Cousin Caroline had her tonsils out today. She has a sore throat and is drinking lots of smoothies! Ouch! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is now back in Alexandria and doing some work from her home. Her mother and sister drove her back over a week ago.She is feeling a little better each day, and has not had a headache for several weeks. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Daily OM: Outdoor Pleasures : Having A Picnic!

Wednesday, July 18th, 2007 ~ Stage 10 of the Tour de France! ~ Mom Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Mom went to 9:15 AM Bikram Yoga in Lighthouse Point this morning. It was really HUMID (45%) and another great class! Mom Gets A Pedicure & A Manicure ~ Mom had a 12 noon appointment to get a pedicure and a manicure. She was long overdue and sure did enjoy the pampering! Tracy Gets Her Baclofen Dose Decreased ~ Dr. Alberico lowered Tracy's Baclofen from 354 to 315 micrograms per day. Our goal is to gradually reduce Tracy's Baclofen over time with hopes that she will not need it anymore. Wouldn't it be great if we could remove the pump completely! Mom, Tracy & Tania Go Shopping At The Galleria Mall ~ Mom, Tracy and Tania went shopping at the Galleria Mall in Ft. Lauderdale after Tracy's appointment. The last time Mom had been to the Galleria was about 10 years ago! Mom, Dad, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 10 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy and Luca watched Stage 10 of the Tour de France! Papaw Update ~ Papaw was discharged to home this evening and he is very happy to be home! Although he is a little weak after his two-week stay at North Oaks Hospital in Hammond, he is feeling much better. Please continue to keep him in your daily prayers! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is now back in Alexandria and doing some work from her home. Her mother and sister drove her back late last week. She is feeling a little better each day, and has not had a headache for several weeks. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Daily OM: Aware & Awake : Intent!

Tuesday, July 17th, 2007 ~ Stage 9 of the Tour de France! Four & a half years since Tracy's Injury! ~ Mom Goes To Swim Laps ~ Mom went to the Lighthouse Point Yacht and Racquet Club for an hour to swim laps. Tracy Goes To FAU For Speech Therapy With Kristin ~ Tracy was very alert and awake during her session with Kristin. Kristin began by asking Tracy Yes/No questions about some pictures. One picture was of a boy with a red mohawk hair style! She asked Tracy if she would like to get her hair styled like the boy's in the picture. Tracy blinked twice for Yes! Kristin asked Tracy if she liked the red color (fire engine red at that!). Tracy shook her head No! Kristin asked Tracy several times to clarify Tracy's positive response regarding the mohawk and each time, Tracy's response was Yes! Kristin even asked Tracy again at the end of the session, holding up the picture once again of the picture of the boy with the red mohawk! Each time, Tracy consistently replied with two blinks for Yes! Looks like our girl still has her spunky personality! After looking at pictures, Kristin worked with Tracy's oral motor skills. Kristin used the cinnamon flavored gummy lips (bright red of course) to stimulate Tracy's lips. The goal is for Tracy to stick her tongue through the lips to hold them. Tracy tried really hard to stick her tongue out but will need more practice to accomplish this task. Next, Kristin applied some of Tracy's flavored lip gloss to her lips. She used Sugar Cookie which Tracy seemed to like alot! Kristin helped Tracy bring her bottom lip to her top lip to blot her lip gloss. Tracy closed her lips one time on her own on command. Then it was time to listen to Tracy's Ipod. Kristin uses music to motivate Tracy to vocalize. Tracy made some good sounds, although they were pretty faint. Dad Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Dad went to 6:30 PM Bikram Yoga this evening. Mom, Tracy and Luca hung out together and watched a movie on Lifetime! Mom, Dad, Tracy & Luca Watch Stage 9 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy and Luca watched Stage 9 of the Tour de France. It was the last stage in the French Alps and pretty grueling! Tomorrow the competitors will have a long, flat ride to Marseille on the Mediterranean! Stay tuned! Papaw Update ~ Papaw is feeling a lot better and hopefully will be discharged tomorrow if he continues to improve. Please continue to keep him in your daily prayers! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is now back in Alexandria and doing some work from her home. Her mother and sister drove her back late last week. She is feeling a little better each day, and has not had a headache for several weeks. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Daily OM: Being Alone : A Relationship With Self!

Monday, July 16th, 2007 ~ Rest Day In The Tour de France! ~ Tracy Vomits 120 ccs At 6:40 AM ~ Dad had just finished giving Tracy her 6:30 AM medications when she vomited about 120 ccs (4 ounces). What a way for our girl to wake up on a Manic Monday morning! ARGH! Mom Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Mom went to Bikram Yoga at 9:15 AM while Felicia and Eunice stayed with Tracy. It was a great way to start the week! Mom, Tracy, Tania, & Luca Go To Speech Therapy At FAU ~ Mom, Tracy, Tania and Luca went to 4 PM Speech Therapy at FAU this afternoon. Tracy was very awake and did a good job with her Yes/No questions. Kristin asked Tracy questions about Tracy's weekend. She asked Tracy if Mom cooked a big dinner for the family Sunday evening. Tracy shook her head NO! Kristin seemed a little perplexed and then asked Tracy if Dad cooked dinner Sunday evening (and Mom took the credit for it). Tracy blinked twice for YES! Kristin laughed (and so did Mom and Tania in the observation room!) Tracy snitched on MOM! (and we thought that us girls stick together!) Not only was this hysterical, it really does show that Tracy knows what is going on! Kristin worked with Tracy's flavored lip glosses, applying them to her lips and asking Tracy to blot her lip gloss. Tracy has a hard time moving her lips on command. Next Kristin brought some different spices for Tracy to smell: cinnamon, garlic, and basil leaves. Tracy blinked twice for YES when Kristin asked her if she likes garlic and cinnamon. She also had Tracy smell some Maxwell House coffee which Tracy does not seem to like. She always makes a funny face when she smells the coffee! (Maybe she likes Starbucks better than Maxwell House!) Kristin played some tunes on the boom box for Tracy. She really likes Dave Matthews and Kristin used some of Tracy's favorite songs (Crash and The Space Between) to motivate Tracy to vocalize Ah ha and Uh ha sounds for Yes and No! Tracy did some vocalizing although it was very soft! Mom, Aunt Diane, Uncle Johnny & Nana Go To Spinning In Coral Springs ~ Mom, Aunt Diane, Uncle Johnny and Nana went to 7:30 PM Spinning in Coral Springs while Dad and Luca stayed with Tracy. They watched the Tour de France updates while Tracy ranged her right hamstring and hip on the CPM for an hour and a half. She also wore her new resting hand splints! So far, we like the clam shell hand splint the best! Mom plans to call Ivan at the Ryder Trauma Center to remind him to order a right clam shell splint for Tracy so she will have a matching set. Tiffany's First Day As Director of Public Relations For The Navy League ~ Tiffany started her new job with the Navy League today! Her new email address is: tanzalone@navyleague.org. Papaw Update ~ Papaw is still at North Oaks Hospital in Hammond and is feeling much better. He should be discharged to home either Wednesday or Thursday this week! Please keep him in your daily prayers! Sasha Update ~ Sasha is now back in Alexandria and doing some work from her home. Her mother and sister drove her back late last week. She is feeling a little better each day, and has not had a headache for several weeks. Please keep her recovery in your daily prayers. Daily OM: Embracing New Information : Be Open!

Sunday, July 15th, 2007 ~ Stage 8 of the Tour de France ~ Into The Alps We Go! ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy & Marsha Go To 10:30 AM Mass At St. Ambrose Church ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy and Marsha went to 10:30 AM Mass at St. Ambrose Church in Deerfield Beach. Luca stayed home to guard the house since he is not allowed in church! (Poor Luca! Looks like he has to say his puppy prayers from home!) Dad Gets A Cranial Sacral Massage From Melanie ~ Dad went first and got a much needed Cranial Sacral Massage this afternoon around 12:30 PM. CST really helps his lower back which is very tight from driving his three hour commute each day. Tracy Gets A Cranial Sacral Massage From Melanie ~ Tracy was next in line for her Cranial Sacral Therapy. We let her go second so her 12 noon medication could digest before her massage. She really relaxes and gets into CST. Melanie could see some positive changes in her hips and lower back symmetry. Mom Gets A Swedish Massage From Melanie ~ Mom was last but not least and had a swedish massage this time. Melanie really worked on Mom's neck and shoulders where she seems to carry the weight of the world. She is going to focus on relaxing her neck and shoulders when she types, spins and does yoga. Nana & Aunt Diane Come Over For The Day ~ Nana and Aunt Diane came over for the day to enjoy the sunshine and the pool. Nana actually went swimming in the pool for the first time ever! The water was the perfect temperature. Uncle Johnny Joins Us All For Baked Stuffed Tilapia ~ Dad and Mom made their special baked stuffed tilapia with rosemary garlic potatoes and insalata capreses. It was all very good and everyone enjoyed it! Tiffany Returned Safely From Her Visit In Hawaii ~ Tiffany returned safely from visiting her best friend Amanda in Hawaii. She had a great time and can't wait to return to Paradise! She is looking forward to starting her new job Monday as the Director of Public Relations for the Navy League! We wish her good luck! Daily OM: Living Exploration : Discovering What You Want Through Experience!

Saturday, July 14th, 2007 ~ Stage 7 of the Tour de France ~ Mom & Aunt Diane Go To Spinning In Coral Springs ~ Mom and Aunt Diane went to 9 AM Spinning in Coral Springs. Fran taught the class and it was a high energy upbeat class! Every single bike was taken! Dad Goes To Bikram Yoga This Morning ~ Dad had a good Bikram Yoga class this morning. Tracy, Luca and Felicia hung out inside and stayed cool! It was really, really hot! Mom & Dad Take The Harley In For Service ~ Mom and Dad took the Harley in to get its scheduled maintenance. They went to Costco on their way home! Dad & Mom Go Out To Dinner With Friends ~ Felicia stayed with Tracy and Luca while Dad and Mom went out to dinner at Bonefish Grill this evening with some new friends. They had a great meal and a great time. Tiffany Is Enjoying Her Last Day With Amanda In Hawaii ~ Tiffany enjoyed her last evening with Amanda in Hawaii before she boarded the plane for her return trip to DC/NOVA. She really hated to leave and had a great time with Amanda discovering Oahu! Daily OM: Before The World Wakes : Morning Meditation!

Friday, July 13th, 2007 ~ Stage 6 of the Tour de France ~ Mom & Luca Go To Hair Appointment In Lake Worth ~ Felicia stayed with Tracy while Mom and Luca went to Mom's monthly hair appointment in Lake Worth this morning. Luca wore his monogrammed jeans! He is so cute in them. Tania had the day off to spend with her Mom who is visiting. Dad Goes To Washington, DC To Admiral Woofter's Retirement Ceremony ~ Dad left at the crack of dawn to fly to Reagan National Airport to attend Admiral Woofter's retirment ceremony at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admiral Woofter was Dad's superior at the Pentagon and a tremendous support during Tracy's continued recovery. Dad enjoyed seeing all of his colleagues during his very brief visit. Mom & Tracy Hang Out & Watch Stage 6 of the Tour de France ~ Mom, Tracy and Luca hung out and watched Stage 6 of the Tour de France while Tracy ranged and stretched her hips and knees on her CPM machine. The excitement is starting to mount now that the field is wide open. It will be interesting to see who leads the peloton once the riders get into the Alps! Hopefully, Discovery Team will make an entrance into the race soon! Dad Returns Home Safely Around Midnight ~ Dad returned home safely from DC around midnight! Tiffany Is Enjoying Her Visit With Amanda In Hawaii ~ Tiffany is having a good time with Amanda in Hawaii. She has two days remaining of her vacation and then returns to DC/NOVA Sunday. She will start her new job Monday as the Director of Public Relations for the Navy League! Daily OM: As The Day You Were Born : Being Naked!

Thursday, July 12th, 2007 ~ Stage 5 of the Tour de France ~ Tracy Goes To AAC Speech Therapy At NSU With Juliet ~ Tracy had Speech Therapy with Juliet at 12 noon at Nova Southeastern University in Davie today. It was a makeup session and Tracy was wide awake and ready to participate. Juliet had planned some new and exciting activities for Tracy in the media room. She set Tracy up in front of the computer monitor and Tracy watched several fashion shows by top designers Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, Channel, and Versace on Style.com. Tracy was very intrigued and watched the videos very intently. Then Juliet asked Tracy questions about the different outfits and Tracy responded using two blinks for Yes and head shakes for No. After the fashion shows, Juliet set up a quasi-Memory game using pictures of Tracy's favorite celebrities. Juliet put up a photo of Leonardo di Caprio and a photo of Brad Pitt and asked Tracy if the two photos match. Tracy shook her head No! Juliet picked some great photos of Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, Angelina Jolie, Cool Sunshades, Cool Hat, Baby Phat earrings, etc. All things that Tracy loves. It was very motivating and Tracy even vocalized what sounded very much like a NO to one of Juliet's questions. Tracy Goes To Ryder Trauma Center For New Resting Hand Splints ~ Tracy had a 2 PM appointment with Ivan at RTC for new resting hand splints. He did not have a matching pair of prefab splints so he made one to match the standard resting hand splints. Surprise! Surprise! When he was finished he discovered that he had made the wrong hand splint! He made a right resting hand splint, the same as the prefab one that he had in stock! Bottom line: Tracy now has a left clam shell style resting hand splint and a right standard resting hand splint. Mom thought that now we can evaluate which of the two styles work best for Tracy. Mom always sees the silver lining in everything, doesn't she? Tracy Gets A Massage By Dee ~ When we finally arrived home from a very long day around 6 PM, Dee came over to give Tracy a much-needed and long overdue massage. Tracy really seemed to relax and enjoy Dee's massage. He spent a long time stretching and ranging Tracy which seemed to relieve her muscle tension and stiffness after a very long day in the chair. Dee commented on Tracy's range which he felt had improved. Tania & Mark Bring Muffler To Visit Luca ~ Tania and her friend Mark brought over their dog Muffler to meet Luca. It was so cute to see the way they greeted each other. Muffler is a very cute and well behaved German Schnauzer. Luca seemed to enjoy meeting and getting to know Muffler. Tiffany Is Enjoying Her Visit With Amanda In Hawaii ~ Tiffany is having a good time with Amanda in Hawaii. She toured the North Shore of Oahu today, including the Pipeline, the Dole Pineapple Factory, and other favorite spots. She returns home Sunday and will start her new job Monday as Director of Public Relations for the Navy League. Daily OM: Shedding Light On Ourselves : Parts That Don't Want To Heal!

Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 ~ Stage 4 of the Tour de France ~ Tracy Goes To AAC Speech Therapy At NSU With Juliet ~ Tracy had Speech Therapy with Juliet at 12 noon at Nova Southeastern University in Davie today. It was a makeup session and Tracy was wide awake and ready to participate. Juliet had planned some new and exciting activities for Tracy in the media room. She set Tracy up in front of the computer monitor and Tracy watched several fashion shows by top designers Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, Channel, and Versace on Style.com. Tracy was very intrigued and watched the videos very intently. Then Juliet asked Tracy questions about the different outfits and Tracy responded using two blinks for Yes and head shakes for No. After the fashion shows, Juliet set up a quasi-Memory game using pictures of Tracy's favorite celebrities. Juliet put up a photo of Leonardo di Caprio and a photo of Brad Pitt and asked Tracy if the two photos match. Tracy shook her head No! Juliet picked some great photos of Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, Angelina Jolie, Cool Sunshades, Cool Hat, Baby Phat earrings, etc. All things that Tracy loves. It was very motivating and Tracy even vocalized what sounded very much like a NO to one of Juliet's questions. Tracy & Tania Watch A Video About Jessica Alba On The Fan Website ~ Tania set up Tracy's laptop and they watched a video about Jessica Alba on the fan.com. Tania also showed Tracy her website and her guest book. They used Tracy's table top and her lap top so she could see her monitor close up. Tracy is doing much better with her head control and is also focusing better on her computer. We will continue to use her laptop with her so she can practice focusing her eyes on images. Luca Has His Fifth Dog Training Lesson ~ Luca had his fifth dog training lesson with Dawn this evening. He is really catching on to the commands and still needs some practice with leash walking and greeting people. Dawn plans to bring her dog in the next week or two so that Luca can practice meeting and greeting other dogs. He is such a smart dog and very cute too! Dad Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Dad went to Bikram Yoga this evening while Mom, Tracy and Luca watched Stage 4 of the Tour de France. Mom cooked top of the round sirloin steak and made a garden salad with hard boiled eggs, swiss cheese, tomatoes, and olive oil. It was really good. Dad, Mom, Tracy & Luca Watch The Analysis Of Stage 4 Of The Tour de France ~ Dad, Mom, Tracy and Luca watch the analysis of Stage 4 of the Tour with Bob Roll and Al Trautwig on Versus. Daily OM: An Inner Choice : Peace!

Tuesday, July 10th, 2007 ~ Stage 3 of the Tour de France ~ Mom Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Mom went to 9:15 AM Bikram Yoga this morning. It was another great class! Tracy Vomits ~ Tracy threw up again this afternoon (325 ccs). We are not sure what caused her sudden nausea and vomiting, but maybe the high heat and humidity had something to do with it. Tania, Mom and Felicia all had terrible sinus headaches as well, so maybe Tracy was feeling the pressure too! Tracy Has Speech Therapy With Kristin At FAU ~ Tracy had Speech Therapy at FAU with Kristin this afternoon at 4 PM. She was pretty wiped out after throwing up and slept through the entire session today. Kristin worked with Tracy's oral motor skills while she was sleeping and got some good lip closure, tongue and mouth movement. She applied flavored lip glosses and also used Tracy's Z-vibe and refreezable ice cubes. Kristin even tried some of Tracy's pungent aromatherapy oils such as eucalyptus and peppermint with little arousal from Tracy. Although she slept through the various stimuli, Tracy was relaxed and Kristin was able to see some good oral motor responses. They also listened to some of Tracy's tunes on her Ipod. Dad Travels To See Papaw In The Hospital In Hammond ~ Dad took a quick trip to Hammond, Louisiana to see Papaw in North Oaks Hospital. Both Mamaw and Papaw were very surprised to see him! Aunt Kathy Sue and Uncle Mike were in on the surprise and picked him up at the airport in New Orleans. Dad thought that Papaw looked a lot better and was recuperating well after his exploratory laparotomy last Saturday. He seemed to be breathing better since they started breathing treatments. Please say a prayer that he recovers quickly and is able to return home soon. Mom, Tania & Luca Practice His Commands ~ Luca has another dog training lesson tomorrow evening with Dawn. Mom and Tania practiced Luca's commands with him this evening in preparation for his fifth dog training session at 6:30 PM tomorrow evening. He is doing a good job with his commands and with leash walking. Tania, Tracy, Luca & Mom Watch Stage 3 Of The Tour de France ~ Tania, Tracy, Luca and Mom watched Stage 3 of the Tour de France this evening. Everyone misses the drama and excitement that Lance Armstrong brought to the tour. We sure hope that the Discovery Team shows some force this year! Tiffany Is Enjoying Her Visit With Amanda In Hawaii ~ Tiffany is having a good time with Amanda in Hawaii. She visited Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial today. We sure do miss her! Daily OM: The Mind Follows No Timeline : Learning Something New!

Monday, July 9th, 2007 ~ Stage 2 of the Tour de France! ~ Mom Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Mom went to 9:15 AM Bikram Yoga this morning. It was a great class with lots of quiet energy, discipline and focus! Tracy Goes To Speech Therapy At FAU With Kristin ~ Tracy did a good job at Speech Therapy today with Kristin. She was very awake and engaged during the entire session. Kristin began by showing Tracy pictures of athletes in various sports: Venus Williams, Santana Moss, David Cabrerra, etc. She had Tracy to focus on the pictures and then Kristin asked Tracy Yes/No questions about the pictures. Tracy did a good job answering the questions using two blinks for Yes and head turns for No. Next, Kristin applied Tracy's flavored lip gloss on Tracy's lips and asked her to blot her lips. Kristin assisted Tracy with lip closure and Tracy tried very hard to close her mouth in an MMM posture. Then Kristin asked Tracy to say MMMM! Trace did some vocalizing on command, but she still has to work on being consistent with this. Next, Kristin let Tracy listen to her Ipod. She asked Tracy about the various songs and artists and used the music to motivate Tracy. She asked Tracy to vocalize so that Kristin would know that Tracy wanted to continue listening to the song on her Ipod headphones. Tracy did make some vocalizations although they were soft. Mom, Aunt Diane, Uncle Johnny, & Nana Go To Spinning In Coral Springs ~ Mom, Aunt Diane, Uncle Johnny, amd Nana went to 7:30 AM Spinning in Coral Springs this evening. Jason had another awesome class and everyone really liked the play list. It had been two weeks since we had all gone Spinning together. Tracy & Dad Relaxed & Watched Batman Returns While Tracy Was On The CPM ~ Dad and Tracy chilled out and watched Batman Returns while Tracy ranged her right leg and hip on her CPM. It had been several weeks since Tracy was on the CPM. She was a little stiff on the first several rotations and then relaxed into the stretch. Dad & Mom Grill Tilapia For Dinner ~ Dad and Mom had a late dinner after Spinning. They cooked grilled tilapia, corn and peas for dinner. It was really good and very healthy. Tiffany Is Enjoying Her Visit With Amanda In Hawaii ~ Tiffany is having a good time with Amanda in Hawaii. She walked to the lagoons this morning and took some beautiful pictures. Daily OM: Offerings Of The Day : Finding Gifts In All!

Sunday, July 8th, 2007 ~ Stage 1 of the Tour de France! ~ Candy & The Gang Leave For Merrimack, NH ~ Candy and the gang had a 12 noon flight back to Boston from Palm Beach International Airport. It was sad to see them go and they all had a great vacation! They arrived home safely around 5 PM. Tiffany Arrives Safely in Honolulu, Hawaii Where She Is Visiting Her Best Friend Amanda ~ Tiffany arrived safely in Honolulu where she is visiting her best friend Amanda. She will be in Hawaii until this Sunday. Tiffany was in Hawaii when she was five months old (although she doesn't remember much!) when Mom, Dad, and Tiffany visited Uncle Frank and Aunt Kathy Sue at Schofield Barracks. Tiffany will start her new position as Director of Public Relations for the Navy League on Monday, July 16th! She is really looking forward to starting her new job and also working for the Navy League! Tiffany and her dog Luna Bella also moved into a new house in the Delray area of Alexandria, Virginia. She is so glad to be out of her apartment in Crystal City and in a house with a deck and a yard for Luna! Dueling T.V.s (Tour de France vs. Men's Finals at Wimbledon!) ~ Nana and Tracy watched the men's finals at Wimbledon (3 and a half hours!) until Federer finally won! He has won 5 consecutive Wimbledons and is now in the same league as Borg! Way to go Federer! Uncle Johnny Says Mass For Us ~ Uncle Johnny said Mass for us at home this afternoon. We all offered the Mass for Papaw so that he would feel better and be discharged from the hospital soon. He is in North Oaks with an intestinal blockage. Mom Helps Aunt Diane Print Pictures From Her Digital Camera ~ Mom helped Aunt Diane print her pictures with her new printer (Kodak Easy Share) from her digital camera. They sure do come out good! Mom, Dad, Tracy, Nana, Aunt Diane & Uncle Johnny (and Luca) Watch Stage 1 of the Tour de France ~ It was another exciting stage as Robbie McEwen came from the back of the pack to win Stage 1 of the Tour de France! Wow! Nana, Uncle Johnny & Aunt Diane Come Over For The Evening ~ It was a dinner of "leftovers" (yes "leftovers") as Mom needed to clean out the refrigerator! Everyone was savoring the last of Aunt Candy's and Tanya's cooking until their next visit! They are both awesome cooks! Looks like Mom will cook her tilapia tomorrow evening! Daily OM: Gladdening : Silliness!

Saturday, July 7th, 2007 ~ The Prologue of the Tour de France! (Mom is in heaven!) ~ Dad Takes Jon, Courtney, & Aunt Candy On The Boat ~ Dad took Cousin Jon and his girlfriend Courtney and Aunt Candy on the boat to the Hillsboro Lighthouse and the Lighthouse Point Marina. It was a hot and humid day with lots of sunshine! Dad Takes Tanya, Mike & Olivia On The Boat ~ Dad took Tanya, Mike and Olivia on the boat for a ride on the intracoastal. They had a fun time! Mom Rides Her Spin Bike While She Watches The Prologue To The Tour de France ~ Mom rode her Spin bike for one hour while she watched the time trial and the first event of the Tour de France. She will be glued to the T.V. for the next 20 days! Jon, Courtney, Olivia & Mike Go Kayaking ~ Cousins Jon and Mike and their girlfriends (yes, they have girlfriends!) Courtney and Olivia went Kayaking in the many canals in Lighthouse Point. They saw lots of iguanas! Tracy & Nana Watch The Women's Finals At Wimbledon ~ Nana and Tracy watched Venus win the Women's Finals today at Wimbledon. Everyone Hangs Out In The Hot Tub and The Pool ~ Everyone hung out in the hot tub and the pool today. It was really hot and humid! Dad Grills Porkchops & Hot Dogs On The Grill ~ Dad grilled porkchops and hot dogs on the grill while Aunt Diane made a garden salad and Aunt Candy cooked four cheese ravioli. It was all good and everyone enjoyed a delicious dinner. Daily OM: Just Being There : Acting As A Guardian!

Friday, July 6th, 2007 ~ Mom Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Mom went to Bikram Yoga this morning. It was another great class! Everyone Hangs Out At The Pool ~ Candy and the gang enjoyed the pool and the beautiful sunny weather. Jon and Tanya went out on the kayaks! Mom & Tania Take Tracy To Get Her Pump Adjusted ~ Mom and Tania took Tracy to Dr. Alberico to get her baclofen dosage reduced from 393 micrograms per day to 354 micrograms per day. We are planning to gradually reduce her baclofen over the next few months and possibly turn off Tracy's pump if she no longer needs the muscle relaxant. The Family Goes To The Lighthouse Point Yacht & Racquet Club For Dinner ~ The family went to the LPYRC for dinner this evening. There were fourteen of us and everyone had a great time. Mom, Dad, Tracy, Luca, Aunt Candy, Tanya, The Cousins & Their Girlfriends Watch The Notebook ~ Mom, Dad, Tracy, Luca, Aunt Candy, Tanya, cousins Jon and Mike, and their girlfriends watched The Notebook on DVD. It was such a good movie! Daily OM: Turiya : Transcendental Consciousness!

Thursday, July 5th, 2007 ~ Tracy Goes To Speech Therapy at NSU ~ Tracy had Speech Therapy at 11:30 AM with Juliet at Nova Southeastern. Everyone was so glad to see Dr. Lowe back from her trip to Australia. Tracy was wide awake in the van all the way to Davie. When she got to NSU, she closed her eyes and seemed sleepy. Juliet got a cool wash cloth and tried to wake Tracy up. She had planned to play BINGO with Tracy, and Tracy clearly did not look interested in playing. She opened her eyes briefly to look at pictures, but still did not seem interested in the session. She even laughed a few times when Mom said that Tracy was playing possum. When it was time to go, Tracy opened her eyes and was wide awake! Mom and Dr. Lowe discussed some alternative things that Tracy likes to do: shopping, discuss Entertainment News, talk about tennis, make up, listen to music, etc. They plan to try some different activities next week using some of Tracy's favorite things. Tania Gives Tracy A Massage ~ Dee was not feeling well so Tania gave Tracy a massage this afternoon. She really seemed to enjoy it! Tania has such a healing touch with Tracy. Everyone Hangs Out In The Pool & Hot Tub ~ Everyone spent the day at the pool and in the hot tub! The weather cooperated for a while and then it poured with lots of thunder and lightning. Aunt Candy Made Nana Her Famous Eggplant Parmesan ~ Aunt Candy made Nana and everyone her famous eggplant parmesan. It was sooo good! MMMM! Daily OM: Physical Intuitiveness : The Body Is Natural!

Wednesday, July 4th, 2007 ~ Happy Fourth Of July! Happy Birthday Cousin Rene'! ~ Mom & Dad Go To Bilram Yoga ~ Mom and Dad went to 9:15 AM Bikram Yoga in Lighthouse Point. It was a full class with lots of heat! Jon, Courtney, Olivia & Mike Go Kayaking ~ Cousins Jon and Mike and their girlfriends (yes, they have girlfriends!) Courtney and Olivia went Kayaking in the many canals in Lighthouse Point. It was a sunny day and very humid! Dad Takes Aunt Candy, Tanya & Uncle Johnny For A Boat Ride ~ It was a fun day at Camp Anzalone with Dad taking Aunt Candy, Tanya (Candy's friend) and Uncle Johnny on the little yellow boat: Hope 4! Nana & Tracy Watch Tennis At Wimbledon ~ Nana and Tracy kept up with the tennis tournament at Wimbledon today! Too bad Serena lost! At least Venus won! Chip & Eileen Come By For A Visit ~ Chip and Eileen come by for a visit to see everyone! It was good to see them! Tracy Goes Into The Pool With Everyone ~ Dad and Mom took Tracy into the pool with her cousins and everyone. She really enjoyed the water! It was the perfect temperature. Dad worked with Tracy hips and legs, stretching and ranging them, while Mom supported Tracy from behind. It was Tracy's second time in the pool this summer! The Gang Goes To Uncle Johnny's For Fireworks & Pizza ~ Everyone went to Uncle Johnny's for fireworks and pizza. The view from the balcony was incredible with fireworks from several locations up and down the beach! It was a spectacular evening! Daily OM: Finding Your Joy : Be Happy Every Single Day!

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007 ~ Happy Birthday Cousin Guy! ~ Mom Goes To Bikram Yoga ~ Mom went to Bikram Yoga this morning. It was her first time in 10 days! Wow! How quickly muscles forget! Everyone Hung Out At The Pool ~ Candy and the gang enjoyed the pool and the beautiful sunny weather. Jon, Mike, Courtney and Olivia went out on the kayaks and enjoyed the hot tub. Dad, Mom, Aunt Candy & Tanya Make Beer Can Chickens & Roasted Potatoes ~ You can never have too many cooks in the kitchen! Dad, Mom, Aunt Candy and Tanya made two beer can chickens, corn on the cob and roasted potatoes. It was soooo good! Luca Has His Fourth Dog Training Lesson This Afternoon ~ Dawn came by and she and Mom worked with Luca on his commands. He is doing a good job and learning fast. He likes to bite his leash when we worked with leash training. Dawn recommended putting some Louisiana hot sauce on it. When Mom did, it worked for a while, but she thinks he likes the hot sauce! He has four more lessons and then will need to take the Canine Good Citizen test. Practice! Practice! Practice! Tracy Goes To Speech Therapy At FAU With Kristin ~ Tracy did a really good job at Speech Therapy today with Kristin at FAU. Today, Kristin worked on Left and Right with Tracy. She started by showing Tracy pictures and asking her questions about them. Tracy has really improved with her two eye blinks for Yes! They are much more distinctive! Kristin worked on having Tracy turn to the direction of the music on her Ipod. She put one ear phone in her right ear and had Tracy turn to where she heard the music! Then she switched to her left ear. Tracy did a good job turning to the appropriate side! Kristin then asked Tracy questions about the various songs on her Ipod. Tracy also did a good job answering the questions appropriately! Way to go Tracy! Everyone Watched Blood Diamond On Pay Per Vue ~ Everyone hung out in the family room and watched Blood Diamond. Based on a true story, it was a very good movie, although violent in parts! Daily OM: The Real Thing : Love Should Feel Good!

Monday, July 2nd, 2007 ~ Aunt Candy & Family Arrive! ~ Aunt Candy & Family Arrive From New Hampshire ~ Aunt Candy and the family arrived from New Hampshire this afternoon. They will be visiting us for a week! Tracy Goes To Speech Therapy at FAU ~ Tracy had Speech Therapy at 4 PM with Kristin at FAU. She was pretty tired from her long car trip yesterday but managed to stay awake through her session. Kristin let Tracy turn on the radio with her switch and worked on pictures, Yes and No responses, vocalization, and oral motor skills. She did a great job! Aunt Candy Makes Nana's Favorite Dish: Brucciolini! ~ Aunt Candy made Nana's favorite Italian dish: Brucciolini! They were so good. Mom, Aunt Diane, and Tanya also made veggie lasagna and eggplant parmesan (from Costco!) Yes, we cheated a little! Everything was delicious! Aunt Diane made her famous brownies! Everyone Hangs Out In The Pool & Hot Tub ~ Everyone spent the day at the pool and in the hot tub! The weather cooperated! It was really beautiful! Daily OM: Capturing The Thrill : Do What Excites You!

Sunday, July 1st, 2007 ~ Road Trip Back To Lighthouse Point! ~ Dad Takes Tiffany To The Airport ~ Dad took Tiffany to the airport in Ft. Walton for a 9:30 AM flight to DC/NOVA. After a two-hour delay and more delays in Atlanta, she finally made it home at 5 PM! Dad & Mamaw Pack Up Everything For Our Return To Lighthouse Point ~ Mom was really sick with a stomach virus and wasn't much help packing up and getting Tracy ready for the loooong trip home. She must have what Tracy had yesterday! (She is a lightweight when it comes to partying too!) Thank goodness for Mamaw and Papaw. Papaw put on his doctor's hat and got Mom some nausea medicine which saved her life. (She felt like she had one foot in the grave!) Dad drove all nine hours home while Mom, Tracy and Luca rested in the back seat. The weather was pretty stormy all the way home with several bad wrecks on the road. We finally made it home around midnight! We had a wonderful time at the wedding and with Mamaw and Papaw! Update On Sasha ~ Sasha is feeling better and is recuperating at home in Ilion, NY. She still has a pretty bad headache. Anyone who wishes to send Sasha a Get Well card may do so to: Sasha Pryborowski, 1825 State Route 51, Ilion, NY, 13357. Daily OM: Finding Your Joy : Be Happy Every Single Day!