Friday, April 1st, 2005: This morning, Mom, Dad and Jenny showered Tracy in her bikini on the balcony. It was another beautiful day and as usual, Tracy enjoyed her shower in the sun amidst the beautiful flowers. After her shower, we got Tracy on the therapy mat for some morning stretching. She has been very relaxed here in Florida. Nana and Uncle Johnny came by for a visit. We are so blessed to be able to spend time with them and will miss them so much. This afternoon, we got Tracy in her new swing on the balcony and she really loved it. We plan to buy one for her to put on the balcony in DC/VA. We hope the weather will be pretty and the cherry blossoms will be in bloom when we return Sunday! This evening, we visited our good friends Debbie and Dr. Rand for dinner at their home. Debbie is the Speech Pathologist who has worked with Tracy many times both in Plam Beach and in DC/VA. Marty who is also a Speech Pathologist was there with his wife Nenon. When we first arrived, we were taking Tracy around in her wheel chair for a tour, when we stopped in the living room to show her some of Debbie's collectible dolls. Tracy got so emotional and started to vocalize and babble. She then said "Mom." It was really remarkable. We think that she remembered being at the Rand's home for Passover with their daughter and Tracy's good friend Allison in 2001! We are all looking forward to seeing Guy, Dawn and Sophia Saturday for a short visit before we have to head back to DC/VA on Sunday evening. We miss Tiffany and Rick and hope to see them soon!

Thursday, March 31st, 2005: Tracy is sleeping well here in Florida, although she is coughing several times throughout the night. This morning, Mom, Dad and Jenny showered Tracy in her bikini on the balcony. It was another beautiful day and as usual, Tracy enjoyed her shower in the sun amidst the beautiful flowers. After her shower, Tracy had a massage by Melanie, who specializes in Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST) Massage. Melanie usually works with mothers who are going through natural child birth. The CST serves as a natural healthy alternative to medication. Tracy really relaxes during her massages, especially CST. After her shower and massage, Mom, Dad and Jenny got Tracy on the mar and stretched and ranged her. We then got her on the peanut ball in a seated position so that she could practice head and trunk control. Again, Tracy demonstrated improved control and balance. We then stretched Tracy's back and shoulders on the big yellow ball. Tracy really seemed to relax into this position, take deep breaths, and said "Ah!" several times. Later in the evening, Jenny, Mom and Dad took Tracy for a three mile walk to Ibis Isle. It was another beautiful evening! Then Nana and Aunt Diane came over and Mom, Dad and Jenny cooked a Cajun dinner. They had Italian sausage, Red Beans and Rice, and green bean and artichoke casserole. It was really good! Tiffany and Rick are back at school and work. We really miss them. We are all looking forward to seeing Guy, Dawn and Sophia this weekend for a short visit before we have to head back to DC/VA on Sunday evening.

Wednesday, March 30th, 2005: Tracy is still coughing several times during the night. We are looking into the new drug that we added recently for prevention of a UTI to see if it is related to her coughing. Mysteriously, her coughing started the same night that we started her on this medicine. This morning, Mom, Dad and Jenny took Tracy to the pool and got her in the water. At first, she was scared and vocalized a lot and then she relaxed and really seemed to enjoy it. Tracy really relaxed her right leg too, which she tends to flex. We plan tot take her in the pool several times before we leave on Sunday. After pool therapy, we got Tracy on a lounge chair and she relaxed in the sun for a while. She really loves being here in Florida. We are all enjoying being here with family and friends and the beautiful Florida surroundings. Once we got Tracy on the balcony, we sat her on the peanut ball to practice head and trunk control. Tracy did a really good job sitting up on the ball and controlling her head. Dad asked Tracy if she wanted to get on her tummy on the peanut and she shook her head NO. We then told Tracy to tell us "Uh uh" if she doesn't want us to put her on the peanut on her tummy and she said "Uh uh." Dad said, "OK, so you don't want to go on your tummy on the peanut ball," and Tracy replied "Uh ha!" Later in the evening, Jenny, Mom and Dad took Tracy for a walk to the Lake Worth pier to look at the beach. It was a beautiful evening! Tiffany and Rick are back at school and work. We really miss them. We are all looking forward to seeing Guy, Dawn and Sophia this weekend for a short visit before we have to head back to DC/VA on Sunday evening.

Tuesday, March 29th, 2005: Happy Birthday, Dad! Tracy woke up again last night coughing. We are not sure why she was coughing. This morning, Mom, Dad and Jenny got Tracy showered and dressed for the day. We are showering her in her bikini on the balcony in the sun. She loves it on the balcony.Around noon, Tracy had a massage by Melanie. Melanie specializes in Cranial Sacral Therapy. Tracy really relaxed and enjoyed her massage. She really responds well to Melanie's healing hands. After her massage, Mom, Dad and Jenny got Tracy into the van and they drove south to meet up with Nana, Uncle Johnny and Aunt Diane. They all caravaned to Cousins Judy and Bryan's condo in Sunny Isles where they met Cousins Chip and Eileen. It was a family get together and a celebration for Dad's birthday. Judy cooked a wonderful Italian dinner and then had a chocolate and vanilla ice cream cake. Everyone had a lot of fun! Judy gave Tracy an adorable warm up suit to wear when she returns to outpatient therapy. It is a pretty pink. Tracy looks awesome in pink! Thank you everyone for the wonderful evening, cake and presents. It was great to all be together. We miss Tiffany and Rick. They left this morning and are already back at work and school. We are all looking forward to seeing Guy, Dawn and Sophia this weekend for a short visit before we have to head back to DC/VA on Sunday evening.

Monday, March 28th, 2005: Tracy was up again several times last night coughing. We are not sure why she was coughing. This morning, Mom and Jenny got Tracy bathed and dressed for the day. Dad tried on Tracy's new splints and they fit well. They are bright purple (Tracy's favorite color) neoprene and look like roller blading wrist guards. Tracy's tone has really improved and we are hoping that it is because the new dose of Baclofen is agreeing with her. We also started Tracy on Hyprex, a low dose antibiotic which protects her from recurrent Urinary Tract Infections. We let Tracy rest most of today so she could recover from her long day yesterday. Tomorrow we are taking Tracy to see Cousins Judy and Bryan in Sunny Isles. It will be a long day, so we want to be sure that Tracy is rested. Tomorrow is also Dad's Birthday! While Tracy was resting, Mom and Dad took Uncle Johnny and Nana for a ride. Uncle Johnny did not know where we were taking him. It was a surprise... Uncle Johnny is going to celebrate 30 years of priesthood on June 5th, so Mom and Dad wanted to surprise him with a new mountain hybrid bike. He really enjoys cycling, so he was really surprised when we got to Bike America bike shop and got him a bike, complete with a helmet of course. This afternoon, Tracy's good friends Ashley Spoto and Diana came from Orlando to visit Tracy. It was really great to see them. We took Tracy down to the pool for a swim but decided to pass because the wind was really strong. We also decided to wait until another day to get her in her hammock swing because of the strong wind. We didn't want Tracy to blow off the balcony! (oops!) We'll try again tomorrow! This evening, Dad cooked his famous chicken and Nana, Uncle Johnny and Aunt Diane joined us for dinner. Rick and Tiffany spent their last night out for dinner at Taboo and then walked around Worth Avenue. They leave Tuesday morning for DC and New Orleans. Dad is enjoying some R and R on his official vacation. We are looking forward to seeing Guy, Dawn and Sophia this weekend for a short visit.

Sunday, March 27th, 2005: Tracy was up several times last night coughing. We are not sure why she was coughing. This morning, Mom and Jenny got Tracy bathed and dressed for Easter Sunday Mass at Uncle Johnny's church, St. mary's in Pahokee. Pahokee is about 75 miles west of Palm Beach in the land of the sugarcane. Mom, Dad, Tiffany, Rick, Jenny, Nana, Aunt Diane, and of course Tracy caravaned to the noon Mass. It was really beautiful. The Mass was said in Spanish, and the music was really upbeat and lively. The congregation even prayed over Tracy for her restoration to health. They gave her beautiful sunflowers and a balloon. After Mass, Uncle Johnny had lunch for us and then it was time to go back to Palm Beach. This evening, everyone went to dinner at the (you guessed it) Four Seasons Hotel. Cousins Chip and Eileen, Eileen's mom and dad, Tony and Maria, and our good friend Anita joined us for a wonderful dinner. Everyone had a great time. Tracy stayed awake the whole day and tolerated sitting in her chair for the long day. Rick and Tiffany are having fun in Palm Beach. They leave Tuesday for DC and New Orleans. Dad is enjoying some R and R on his official vacation. We hope you all had a very blessed Easter and a safe weekend with family and friends. God bless!

Saturday, March 26th, 2005: Tracy slept well again last night. She is really relaxed here in Florida. This morning, Dad, Mom and Jenny got Tracy dressed in her bikini and took her outside on the balcony for a shower and shampoo. It is so beautiful on the balcony with bouganvilla and hibiscus flowers everywhere. It is also very private since we are on the top floor in the Penthouse. Tracy really enjoyed her shower and shampoo, basking in the warmth of the sun. After her shower, Mom, Dad and Jenny got Tracy on her therapy mat on the balcony and stretched and ranged her. Then, they got her prone (on her tummy) so she could weight bear through her shoulders and elbows. She was able to get some sun on her back in this position. Dad put together Tracy's hammock chair today and we will try it out tomorrow. It's a hammock swing like the one in the picture to the left. The swing is supposed to be good for retraining Tracy's vestibular system. We can't wait to give it a try. Rick seems to be enjoying Palm Beach. Dad is glad to be back and able to start his official vacation. This evening, Mom, Dad and Tiffany made tilapia and spaghetti with baby clams. It was really good. Aunt Diane and Nana came over for dinner. After dinner, Debbie and Dr. Rand, Marty and Nenon came over to see Tracy. They were very pleased with her progress since they saw her last November. We wish you all a very blessed Easter and a safe weekend with family and friends. God bless!

Friday, March 25th, 2005: Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny got Tracy bathed and ready for the day. Tiffany, Mom, Jenny and Tracy got some sun out on the balcony. It was really windy again today, and things were blowing around on the balcony. While Tracy was on the mat, Jenny gave her a manicure and a pedicure. We will wait until tomorrow to put Tracy's swing together. We bought her a hammock swing like the one in the picture to the left. Hopefully, the wind will cooperate and we can try it out tomorrow. It is supposed to be good for Tracy's vestibular system, so we'll let you know how it goes. She is really getting tanned. After her manicure, Melanie came over to give Tracy a massage. She worked with Tracy last year when we were here in Florida. Melanie is certified in Cranial Sacral Therapy, and Tracy reallyrelaxed and enjoyed it. Her tone seems much more improved. Keep your fingers crossed that this new concentration of Baclofen agrees with her. Rick arrived this evening and Nana, Aunt Diane and all of us had pizza from NYPD. We are waiting for Dad to arrive later this evening from DC. We wish you all a very blessed Easter and a safe weekend with family and friends. God bless!

Thursday, March 24th, 2005: Tracy slept well again last night. Mom and Jenny got Tracy bathed and ready for the day. Tiffany, Mom, Jenny and Tracy hit the road for a day of shopping. (Shh! Dad's birthday is Tuesday, so we were shopping for presents!) Macy's was having their famous Spring sale. The weather was beautiful. This evening, Jenny made her famous Thai chicken and we cooked up some of the Red Beans and Rice that came in the beautiful goody basket that Mamaw and Papaw sent from Louisiana. (It even had gummy strawberries that Mom loves so much!) We all had dinner out on the balcony under a full moon. Dad and Rick arrive tomorrow evening. We are really looking forward to having them here. We are hoping that by the time we return to DC/VA on April 3rd, the cherry blossoms will be in full bloom! Woo-hoo,Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2005: Tracy had another great night's sleep. She woke up around 2 AM, vocalizing a lot, and calling Mom! She was definitely trying to tell us something. She is so close to talking. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. We took Tracy out on the balcony again. It was windy and a little cloudy but Tracy still managed to soak up the rays on the therapy mat. Jenny and Mom stretched and ranged Tracy and everyone listened to the Eros Ramazotti CD Stilelibero. Nana came over and spent the day with Mom, Tiffany, Tracy and Jenny.Everyone had a good day. This afternoon, Tracy has a massage with Lisa, the massage and physical therapist who treated Tracy last year. Lisa was really impressed by Tracy's progress and improved range of motion. She really could see a difference when she stretched Tracy's arms and legs. Tracy seemed to remember Lisa and was very relaxed during her massage. She will be back next week to work with Tracy some more. It was great to see her. This evening we all went back to the Living Room at the Four Seasons Hotel across the street from the Condo. Uncle Johnny, Nana, Aunt Diane, Tiffany, Jenny, Mom and of course, Tracy, all had a wonderful evening. Dad, Rick and Liz were the only ones missing. Dad and Rick arrive on Friday evening and Liz will be here on Monday. We are hoping that by the time we return to DC/VA on April 3rd, the cherry blossoms will be in full bloom! Woo-hoo,Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2005: Tracy had a good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. We took Tracy out on the balcony on the therapy mat and stretched and ranged her. She soaked in the rays and is continues to work on her tan. Mom, Tiffany and Jenny are also getting pretty tanned. This afternoon, Mom, Tiffany and Jenny went to see Dr. Lochner, Tracy's physiatrist in Palm Beach. He was very pleased with Tracy's progress and gave Mom and Dad his stamp of approval on the care that Tracy is receiving. He made several recommendations which Mom and Dad will follow-up and implement. After the appointment, Mom, Tiffany, Jenny and Tracy went to Testa's restaurant for an early dinner. It was a beautiful evening and they sat outside cafe style. It was just as they remembered it and they all had a good time. After dinner, Jenny treated everyone to ice cream at Sprinkles. They have the best ice cream in Palm Beach. Tomorrow, Tracy has a massage scheduled with Lisa, the massage and physical therapist who treated Tracy last year. We all miss Emil, Tracy's massage therapist in DC/VA a lot and wish he was here. We are hoping that by the time we return to DC/VA on April 3rd, the cherry blossoms will be in full bloom! Woo-hoo,Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Monday, March 21st, 2005: Tracy slept well last night. Dad left early this morning to return to DC/VA and work. He will be back on Friday to spend the rest of our time in Florida with us. We miss him already. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy did not have any therapy today, and took full advantage of her day off. She caught up on her sleep most of the day. It was really windy on the balcony, so we passed on bringing her out for her stretching session on the mat. Jenny stretched and ranged Tracy in her bed made of sand, massaging her with warm lotion. Tracy really seemed to relax and enjoy her stretching. Uncle Johnny and Nana came over to spend the day with us. It is really great to be so close and to spend so much time with them. This afternoon, Mom and Jenny got Tracy up in her chair and they went for a walk by the pool. It was still pretty windy but it did not rain. Tiffany arrived safely from DC. We were all happy to see her. Tomorrow Tracy has an appointment with Dr. Lochner, the physical medicine and rehab specialist who saw Tracy last year when we were here in Florida. Wednesday afternoon, Tracy has a massage scheduled with Lisa, massage and physical therapist who treated Tracy last year. We all miss Emil alot and wish he was here. This evening, Jenny made dinner for us and it was really good. Aunt Diane came over and spent the evening with us. It was really good to spend some time with her. By the time we return to DC/VA on April 3rd, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Sunday, March 20th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. Tracy seems more alert and looks more and more like herself each day! Tracy slept well last night. This morning, Mom, Dad and Jenny showered Tracy and got her ready noon Mass at St. Edward's Church in Palm Beach. Nana and Aunt Diane also went with us. The church is the same one where the Kennedy family celebrated Mass when they used to vacation here in Palm Beach. After Mass, everyone relaxed in the sun and had lunch on the balconey. Tracy enjoyed stretching on the mat and got some sun in her bikini. This afternoon, Emily, Tracy's Speech Therapist from last year, came over and worked with Tracy. She was very pleased with Tracy's progress since the last time she saw her last June. She worked on Tracy's focusing on pictures, did some facial exercises, and had Tracy round her lips around a kazoo. Tracy did a good job blowing the whistle. It was faint, but we heard it. We will practice on her blowing harder next time.This evening, Mom, Dad, Nana, Aunt Diane, Jenny, Uncle Johnny and Tracy hung out at the condo while Dad made broiled telapia, green salad and steamed broccoli. It was delicious. After dinner, we all watched the Passion of Jesus Christ since today is Passion Sunday. What an incredible movie. Mom and Dad had not seen it. Mel Gibson stopped filming on this movie for ten minutes in Rome to pray for Tracy when she had her cardiac arrest in 2003. (For more on this click on the In the News link above).We can't wait for Tiffany to come for Spring Break tomorrow evening. We are all looking forward to spending some time with her! We miss her so much! Rick will join us for Easter weekend and Liz will visit us the week after Easter! Dad has to go back to work on Monday and he will be back on Good Friday for 10 days! We finally are here in Palm Beach, 7 suitcases and a plane ride later. We must have been on the Toddler Express with many families visiting grandma and grandpa in Palm Beach. US Air continues to be truly outstanding in caring for Tracy during our flights. We have adopted them as the official "Prayers For Tracy" airline. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA on April 3rd, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Saturday, March 19th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. Tracy seems more alert and looks more and more like herself each day! Tracy was up again during the night. We don't know what was bothering her. She was grinding her teeth too. She must have been excited about coming to Florida. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. She slept in and rested most of the day. That was just what the doctor ordered! Mom and Dad relaxed too. The weather was perfect and we all got sun on the balconey. This afternoon, Mom, Dad and Jenny got Tracy on the therapy mat on the balconey and stretched and ranged her. She had her bikini on and was soaking up the rays. Tracy really enjoys being back in Florida. This evening, Mom, Dad, Nana, Aunt Diane, Jenny and Tracy went to the Four Seasons Hotel across the street from the condo and had dinner. It is one of our favorite places and we went there alot last year. They have a jazz combo that is really good. Tracy seemed to enjoy the music. Everyone had a good time. We really missed Uncle Johnny and Aunt Candy and the boys! Tiffany made it back to DC and will join us in Palm Beach on Monday for Spring Break. We can't wait to spend some time with her! We miss her so much! Rick will join us for Easter weekend and Liz will visit us the week after Easter! Dad has to go back to work on Monday and he will be back on Good Friday for 10 days! We finally are here in Palm Beach, 7 suitcases and a plane ride later. We must have been on the Toddler Express with many families visiting grandma and grandpa in Palm Beach. US Air continues to be truly outstanding in caring for Tracy during our flights. We have adopted them as the official "Prayers For Tracy" airline. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA on April 3rd, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Friday, March 18th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. Tracy seems more alert and looks more and more like herself each day! Tracy was up for a while last night. She must have been excited about coming to Florida. This morning, Mom and Jenny showered and shampooed Tracy and got her ready for her trip. Tiff brought Mom, Dad, Jenny and Tracy to the airport. We are so happy to have Jenny with us on Spring Break! Yesterday, Suzanne, Tracy's home health nurse came by to check on Tracy. She is very pleased with Tracy's wound healing progress and is helping to coordinate the transition back to outpatient therapy when the time comes. Tiffany made it back to DC and celebrated St. Patrick's Day with Rick, and his friends Liz and Juan. She will join us in Palm Beach on Monday for Spring Break. We can't wait to spend some time with her! We miss her! Rick will join us for Easter weekend and Liz will visit us the week after Easter! Dad has to go back to work on Monday and he will be back on Good Friday for 10 days! We finally are here in Palm Beach, 7 suitcases and a plane ride later. We must have been on the Toddler Express with many families visiting grandma and grandpa in Palm Beach. US Air continues to be truly outstanding in caring for Tracy during our flights. We have adopted them as the official "Prayers For Tracy" airlines. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA on April 3rd, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Thursday, March 17th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. Tracy seems more alert and looks more and more like herself each day! Tracy had a good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for her noon appointment with Dr. Gisolfi. The plan today is to make a new cast for her right knee. It is bivalved so Tracy will be able to wear it each night while she sleeps. Her last cast was about 54 degrees. This one is about 47 degrees. She is definitely improving in her range of motion. Liz, Mom and Jenny accompanied Tracy to her appointment and helped Dr. Gisolfi make the cast. He did a good job.Later on, Mom, Liz and Jenny took Tracy to an appointment with her neurologist to get her baclofen pump refilled. Joy changed the baclofen dilution in her pump to a lower one (2000 mcirograms per cc instead of 4000 micrograms per cc). It seemed to be more effective the last time she had this dilution. She also decreased Tracy's dosage to 1400 micrograms per day from 1750. After her appointments, Tracy had Occupational Therapy with Regina. She spent some time stretching Tracy and then sat her up on the edge of the mat. Tracy's trunk and head control have really improved. Then Karman came and she and Regina co-treated for the next part of Tracy's therapy. They got Tracy positioned on the peanut ball and Regina stabilized Tracy's pelvis. Tracy did a good job righting herself while Regina kept her pelvis in check. She also said "uhhmm" several times when requested by Karman. While Tracy was straddling the peanut, Tiffany called and Tracy vocalized quite a bit. It seemed she was very happy to hear that her sister was on her way home. Tracy participated well during therapy, despite her very long and busy day. It seemed that Mom, Jenny and Liz were more exhausted from the day than Tracy. She is such a strong girl. We are all proud of her. Suzanne, Tracy's home health nurse came by to check on Tracy. She is very pleased with Tracy's wound healing progress and is helping to coordinate the transition back to outpatient therapy when the time comes. Tiffany is on her way home from LSU for Spring Break. We can't wait to see her! We miss her! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA on April 3rd, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Wednesday, March 16th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. Tracy seems more alert and looks more and more like herself each day! Tracy was awake this morning at six when Mom went into her room to give her her morning meds. It is getting lighter earlier in the morning, so maybe this is why she is waking up earlier. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for her 11 AM Physical Therapy session with Humayun. This is Tracy's last PT session before we leave for Spring Break.Today, Humayun wanted to get Tracy on the tilt table. Up she went slowly and gradually to 40 degrees. She is tolerating this incline very well, even without any casts on her feet. Humayun supports her feet with pillows and towels. She is able to bear a little bit of weight through her feet, but the real purpose of the tilt table is for the vestibular and other system benefits: lungs, circulatory, etc. Tracy really did a good job and tolerated 40 degrees for about 45 minutes.After PT, MOm, Dad and Jenny took Tracy to National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda for Tracy's dental appointment. Dr. Alexander examined Tracy's teeth, and then cleaned them. She also smoothed down a little chip that Tracy had received as a souvenir from her Speech Therapist during her inpatient stay at National Rehab Hospital. That is one souvenir that Tracy will not miss!After her dental appointment, Tracy's volunteer, Nichole, came over and read Tracy's guest book entries to her. She brought Tracy a beautiful butterfly from Puerta Vallarta, where she visited her sister several weeks ago. It is really beautiful! Thank you!Tomorrow, Tracy has two appointments, one with Dr. Gisolfi, Tracy's physiatrist. He is going to make a new knee cast for Tracy's right knee. Then Tracy has an appointment with her neurologist to get her baclofen pump refilled. We will let you know how that goes tomorrow. We are going to change the dilution in her pump to a lower one (1:2000 instead of 1:4000). It seemed to be more effective the last time she had this dilution and we will also decrease Tracy's dosage to 1400 micrograms per day from 1750. Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is working on a project which is due tomorrow and then she will be home for St. Patrick's Day. We can't wait to see her! We miss her! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Tuesday, March 15th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. Tracy's new antibiotic seems to be doing the trick. Tracy grinded her teeth a little bit today, but a little Extra Strength Tylenol relieved her discomfort (does this sound like a commercial?). Tracy had another GOLD MEDAL day of therapy. She is really working hard! We are all so proud of our girl. Tracy slept well again last night. She loves her bed of sand so much that we have one just like it waiting for her in Palm Beach. Now she has the beach inside and outside her room. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for her busy day of therapy. She had all three therapies today because we are trying to squeeze in all nine therapy sessions before we leave for Florida on Friday! Woo-hoo! Tracy had Physical Therapy first with Humayun. Today we got Tracy prone (on her tummy) on the peanut ball. We plan to take the peanut ball with us to Palm Beach, so Mom and Jenny can continue her therapy on the balconey amidst the tropical flowers. Can you picture that? All of Tracy's therapists want to come with us. Tracy did a really good job weight bearing on her knees. We alternated Tracy bearing weight on her knees and her elbows. Tracy was so well balanced on her knees that we were able to let go. This will be a new goal to see how long Tracy can support her weight on her knees without our support. She tolerated 45 minutes in this position. Way to go Tracy! After PT, Liz came over to visit and helped Mom and Jenny pack Tracy's suitcase. Tracy was beat from her PT session so she had a well deserved break on the mat. Around 2:30 PM, Regina came over for Tracy's Occupational Therapy session. She did some more mat work with Tracy in supine (on her back) and then it was time for sitting on the edge of the mat. Tracy is sitting up much better and seems to support herself a lot better. It won't be long before she is sitting up on her own. Regina put a bolster between Tracy's knees and had Tracy practice looking at it, then coached her to reach for the handle/ strap with her right hand. Tracy really did a good job following multiple commands, and also initiated moving her right arm towards the bolster. She was not able to move her right arm herself towards the bolster, but the main point was that she understood and was trying really hard to move her right arm/hand. She got very frustrated and Regina explained that this was very hard and that Tracy will be able to move her arm in time. It is hard work. Everyone said that it sounded like Tracy said "hard," which made a lot of sense, since she had worked up a sweat. These are all very good signs. We will continue to practice this. No rocking today for Tracy. Tracy has another short break and then it was time for Speech Therapy with Karman. Tracy was in better shape today, and was very focused. She was very attentive and vocalized several times "Uhhmm" on request. She is mouthing the words and trying really hard to coordinate her voice and mouth positioning. Karman was very pleased with Tracy's participation and effort this evening.After therapy, Tracy had a well-deserved massage by Emil. She relaxed and really seemed to enjoy it.Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is working on a project and just finished a midterm last week. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th, for St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Monday, March 14th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. Tracy's new antibiotic seems to be doing the trick. Tracy has been very relaxed and not grinding her teeth today. We hope her comfort level continues.Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny showered and shampooed Tracy and got her ready for her busy day of therapy. She had all three therapies today because we are trying to squeeze in all nine therapy sessions before we leave for Florida on Friday! Woo-hoo! Tracy had Physical Therapy first with Humayun. It was time for the tilt table, and after a quick warm up and stretching session, up Tracy went. Humayun slowly cranked Tracy up to 20 degrees and gave her a few seconds to acclimate. Then up she went to 35 degrees and then to 40 degrees. Tracy remained very relaxed, even at 40 degrees, and did a good job moving her head to the right. Tracy tolerated about 50 minutes on the tilt table today. After PT, Liz came over to visit and Jenny gave Tracy a facial. Tracy really loves her pampering. Gloria and her two beautiful daughters came over to visit Tracy and brought her a model lamberghini. It is a metallic copper colored convertible. Very Italian! We all surprised Gloria with a dark chocolate ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery and a little present to celebrate her birthday. It is really March 20th, but we will all be on Spring Break during that time. She was very surprised!This afternoon, Tracy had Occupational Therapy with Regina. Regina spent some time stretching Tracy and working on head control while Tracy was in a supine position (on her back) on the mat. Then Regina and Mom got Tracy in a seated position on the edge of the mat. Tracy did a good job with trunk and head control. Regina put a bolster between Tracy's knees and had Tracy practice looking at it, then coached her to reach for the handle/strap with her right hand. Tracy really did a good job following multiple commands, and also initiated moving her right arm towards the bolster. She was not able to move her right arm herself towards the bolster, but the main point was that she understood and was trying really hard to move her right arm/hand. She got very frustrated and started to cry and vocalized her frustration. These are all very good signs. We will continue to practice this. Then, Regina rocked side to side and back and forth, so Tracy could practice righting herself. Tracy did a good job with this, and then got dizzy and yup, you guessed it, vomited (sorry, there is no good word for this!) She tolerated an hour of OT prior to getting dizzy. Way to go Tracy!Tracy was pretty exhausted by now but had Speech Therapy with Karman. She could barely hold her head up in her wheel chair, but tried her best to stay awake. She had a very busy day. Karman had Tracy work on tongue movement briefly, but then Tracy got nauseous a second time and yup, here we go again..... So, we got Tracy back on the mat and let her rest. She earned it! She will sleep tonight! Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is working on a project and just finished a midterm last week. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th, for St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Sunday, March 13th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. We found out that Tracy's grinding may be due to yet another Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Dr. Chandler has put her on another antibiotic. Please say a prayer that this one works. Tracy slept well last night. This morning, Mom and Dad bathed and dressed Tracy and got her ready for Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 12 noon. The gospel was about how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, yet another miracle. Mom was having a serious conversation with God, convincing Him that this would be the perfect time for Tracy to start talking or maybe even get up out of her wheel chair and walk. Could you imagine all of the believers in that Church? Maybe He is waiting for Easter Sunday when all of the twice a year Church-goers will be there too?After Mass and Starbucks for lattes, Tracy's good friend Sasha came over to visit. We all went for a long walk on the Mt. Vernon trail. It was cool but the sun was shining and sure felt good. Tracy really seemed to enjoy being outside in the fresh air. Mom, Dad and Sasha enjoyed it too. Yesterday afternoon, Suzanne, Tracy's home health nurse and case manager came by to recertify Tracy for her therapy sessions. The goal is to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy when she is ready. We will work on improving her stamina to tolerate three consecutive hours per day of therapy at Mt. Vernon Rehab Center. The next step is to get her wound to close up and completely heal. Please pray for this to happen soon.Jenny came over to stay with Tracy last evening while Mom and Dad went to the Navy Medical Corps ball. It was the first time Mom and Dad have left Tracy to go to an official Navy event. They had a good time and were back for Jenny's 10:00 curfew. They need to do this more often.Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is working on a project and just finished a midterm last week. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th, for St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner (no matter what the weatherman says)! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center, in the swimming pool and back in her jogger.

Saturday, March 12th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. We found out that Tracy's grinding may be due to yet another Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Dr. Chandler has put her on another antibiotic. Please say a prayer that this one works. Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Dad bathed and dressed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy did not have any therapy today and Mom and Dad let her rest on the therapy mat in the living/family room. The new antibiotic seems to be working, and Tracy's grinding seemed to subside for the most part. This afternoon, Suzanne, Tracy's home health nurse and case manager came by to recertify Tracy for her therapy sessions. The goal is to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy when she is ready. We will work on improving her stamina to tolerate three consecutive hours of therapy at Mt. Vernon Rehab Center. The next step is to get her wound to close up and completely heal. Please pray for this to hsppen soon.Jenny came over to stay with Tracy while Mom and Dad went to the Navy Medical Corps ball. It was the first time Mom and Dad have left Tracy to go to an official Navy event. They had a good time and were back for Jenny's 10:00 curfew. They need to do this more often.Last evening, Tracy had Speech Therapy with Karman. Tracy was very alert and did a good job focusing on Karman and following directions. Tracy was able to say Uhhm at least five times when Karman asked her to. She was also letting Karman work with her tongue, and was trying really hard to stick her tongue out. Her tongue is definitely moving better and she is able to get her tongue on top of her bottom teeth. Tracy will soon be able to stick her tongue out all the way! We can't wait for that day!Our neighbors, the Servinos, brought us some delicious cinnamon and raisin pull aparts. They were really good and we really appreciated it. Guy, Dawn and Sophia Lillian sent Tracy the cutest pink outfit that will be perfect for Palm Beach.Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is working on a project and just finished a midterm last week. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th, for St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center.

Friday, March 11th, 2005: Your prayers are working. Tracy is trying so hard to talk to us. Please pray specifically for Tracy to begin talking to us soon. We found out that Tracy's grinding may be due to yet another Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Dr. Chandler has put her on another antibiotic. Please say a prayer that this one works. Tracy slept well again last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny showered and dressed Tracy and got her ready for her noon Physical Therapy session with Humayun. He decided to give Tracy a break from the tilt table today and sit her on the edge of the mat to work on trunk strengthening and head control. Tracy seemed to tolerate sitting much better now that the woundvac is gone. She is getting much better trunk control too. Humayun had Tracy sitting on the edge of the mat for almost 30 minutes. Tracy did a good job turning her head to the right and did not grind her teeth much at all. Humayun spent some time ranging and stretching Tracy's arms and legs too. After PT, Tracy had a short break and then it was time for Occupational Therapy with Regina. This time, Regina wanted to position Tracy on the edge of the mat and practice balance, trunk and head control. Tracy did an even better job with Reginia, tolerating almost 45 minutes. Regina was very pleased with Tracy's trunk control and her ability to sit unassisted for 10 seconds. Tracy currently lacks proprioception, which means that she often does not know where she is in space. This is due to decreased awareness and also to not being able to ground herself with her feet firmly planted on the floor. It also happens to people who have been lying down for extended periods of time, resulting in a loss of orientation in space. Regina is letting Tracy right herself, when she feels like she is falling to one side. This helps Tracy develop proprioception, trunk control, and also strengthen her core muscles. Way to go Tracy! This evening, Tracy had Speech Therapy with Karman. Tracy was very alert and did a good job focusing on Karman and following directions. Tracy was able to say Uhhm at least five times when Karman asked her to. She was also letting Karman work with her tongue, and was trying really hard to stick her tongue out. Her tongue is definitely moving better and she is able to get her tongue on top of her bottom teeth. Tracy will soon be able to stick her tongue out all the way! We can't wait for that day!Our neighbors, the Serrinos, brought us some delicious cinnamon and raisin pull aparts. They were really good and we really appreciated it. Guy, Dawn and Sophia Lillian sent Tracy the cutest pink outfit that will be perfect for Palm Beach.Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is working on a project and just finished a midterm last week. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th, for St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center.

Thursday, March 10th, 2005: Tracy got rid of Fernando Jorge (the wound vac machine) yesterday! That's right, no more wound vac machine! FedEx picked it up this evening and Mom, Dad and especially Tracy was so happy to see it go. Even though he became one of the family we are NOT sorry to see him go! It is so nice to have one less appendage to worry about. Our prayers have been answered. Tracy only has to wear a dressing now until the wound, which is the size of a dime, closes up completely. Dr. Buescher was very, very happy! So was Mom, Dad, Tiffany, Liz, Jenny........ The next thing we need to pray for is for Tracy to start talking to us! Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Liz bathed and dressed Tracy and got her ready for a 10:30 appointment at the Spasticity Clinic at Children's National Medical Center in DC. The appointment took almost four hours, with Tracy being examined by various doctors who serve on a comprehensive multispecialty team: orthopedics, neurosurgery, physical and rehab medicine to name a few. After a thorough examination the team raised several questions which will be further explored. One priority will be to explore whether the baclofen pump is working properly. Another will be to address Tracy's high tone, knee flexion and current feet posture. We plan to return for a follow-up visit when we return from Florida the first week of April.After Tracy's consultation, Erin, the Occupational Therapist at CNMC saw Tracy and checked her new purple neoprene splints. Erin measured them and recommended that we return them to the manufacturer to make some adjustments. They are too big. Mom will send them back for the recommended alterations. This evening, Tracy had Occupational Therapy with Regina. She positioned Tracy on the edge of the mat and Tracy did the best job yet holding herself up and righting herself. This consists of Regina leaning Tracy to one side and Tracy initiating bringing herself to midline. Tracy currently lacks proprioception, which means that she often does not know where she is in space. This is due to decreased awareness and also to not being able to ground herself with her feet firmly planted on the floor. It also happens to people who have been lying down for extended periods of time, resulting in a loss of orientation in space. That is why Tracy benefits from sitting on a balance ball, peanut or even a swing to reeducate her vestibular system. Tracy was very focused and seemed to be trying to tell Mom something. She said Mom, and then it sounded like I..... we were not able to decipher the rest. Tracy seemed frustrated and upset with this.After therapy, Dad went to pick up Tracy's friends Sasha and Tas at Georgetown. Dad cooked dinner for everyone: grilled salmon, ribeyes, sauteed portabello mushrooms and peppers and Caesar salad. It was really deeee-licious! We missed Rick and Tiffany; Rick had to work late on a project and Tiffany is still at school. Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She has several midterms and a project due this week, so the pressure is on. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th, for St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center.

Wednesday, March 9th, 2005: Tracy got rid of Fernando Jorge (the wound vac machine) today! That's right, no more wound vac machine! Even though he became one of the family we are NOT sorry to see him go! It is so nice to have one less appendage to worry about. Our prayers have been answered. Tracy only has to wear a dressing now until the wound, which is the size of a dime, closes up completely. Dr. Buescher was very, very happy! So was Mom, Dad, Tiffany, Liz, Jenny........ The next thing we need to pray for is for Tracy to start talking to us! Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed and dressed Tracy and got her ready for a 10:15 appointment with Dr. Buescher at NNMC. Liz came over to visit us today. It is always great to see her!The only therapy that Tracy has today is Speech Therapy this evening with Karman. During Speech, Karman worked with Tracy to say Uuhm! Tracy did such a great job saying Uuhm! She said it at least five times after Karman did. She is doing a great job getting her lips together and is even getting her voice out. We will practice saying Uuhm with her! She sounds like she is meditating! Tracy also was able to bring her chin down and her head in the middle upon request. This evening, Tracy has a massage with Emil. He is so excited that the wound vac is gone! Tomorrow, Mom, Dad and Liz are taking Tracy to her appointment at the Spasticity Clinic with Dr. Sarah Evans, a physiatrist at Children's National Medical Center to evaluate Tracy's spasticity issues. This is the first time Dr. Evans is seeing Tracy. We'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. Tracy got the cutest outfit from Uncle Mike and Aunt Cheryl in the mail today. It will be perfect to take to Palm Beach in a few weeks. Thank you everyone for the many birthday cards, gifts, flowers and balloons, lotions, CDs, audiobooks, outfits, etc. We appreciate all the wonderful friends and acts of kindness. They mean so much to Tracy and our family! Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She has several midterms and a project due this week, so the pressure is on. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th, for St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center.

Tuesday, March 8th, 2005: Tracy has been grinding her teeth less often today. She is, however, still grinding. We plan to take her to see a maxillofacial pain specialist next week at National Naval Medical Center when we take Tracy to get her teeth cleaned. Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny showered and shampooed Tracy and got her ready for her noon Physical Therapy session with Humayun. Tracy had another great session with Humayun. Mom had a dentist appointment, so Liz and Jenny assisted Humayun with the tilt table. During PT, Humayun, Liz and Jenny got Tracy on the tilt table and slowly and gradually cranked her up to 30 degrees. As soon as Tracy acclimated to this angle, Humayun cranked Tracy up to 42 degrees. In order to put weight through her lower extremities, Humayun puts a bivalved cast on her right leg and foot. This helps to keep her right leg and foot stable when Tracy is weight bearing at a higher angle of incline on the tilt table. Tracy tolerated the tilt table for 42 minutes which is an all time record! You go girl! Tracy took it easy for a while after her PT session and relaxed on the mat. Regina was scheduled to come at 2 PM but had to reschedule. She'll be back Thursday evening. Tracy has an appointment tomorrow morning with Dr. Buescher, the plastic surgeon at NNMC. Mom and Dad changed Tracy's dressing this evening. Her wound is looking better each time. We'll let you know if Dr. Buescher thinks it is time to remove the wound vac. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer that we can leave it home when we go to Florida. Mom, Jenny and Liz started getting Tracy's swim suits and shorts out today to get ready for our Florida trip. It seemed so ironic since it was SNOWING outside! Yesterday, it was almost 70 degrees outside and today it is in the 20's with the wind chill and snowing. In Italy, they call this Marzo Pazzo (crazy March)! Tracy got the cutest outfit from Uncle Mike and Aunt Cheryl in the mail today. It will be perfect to take to Palm Beach in a few weeks. Thank you everyone for the many birthday cards, gifts, flowers and balloons, lotions, CDs, audiobooks, outfits, etc. We appreciate all the wonderful friends and acts of kindness. They mean so much to Tracy and our family! Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is getting close to narrowing down her thesis/master's project which she will work on this summer. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th, for St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center.

Monday, March 7th, 2005: Tracy finally stopped grinding her teeth. Dad thinks that the antibiotics were upsetting her stomach. She slept well last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for her noon Physical Therapy session with Humayun. Tracy had the best therapy sessions ever today. She is definitely getting her strength back. She gets an A for effort. Our girl is really working hard! During PT, Humayun, Mom and Jenny got Tracy on her tummy on the peanut ball. This position is great for Tracy to weight bear through her knees. Tracy tolerated almost an hour on her knees over the peanut ball. We were even able to get her into a tall kneeling position four or five times. She was able to hold her head up as long as twenty seconds while in a tall kneeling position. Humayun was really pleased with Tracy's range of motion and her decreased spasticity today.Tracy took it easy for a while after her PT session and relaxed on the mat. Her next session was a co-treatment with Occupational and Speech Therapy. Regina and Karman got Tracy seated on the edge of the mat. Regina worked with Tracy's arms and shoulders while Karman showed Tracy objects that began with the bilabial plosives: b, p, and m. She showed Tracy a monkey, a baseball and a purple pen in the shape of a flower. She then held up two objects and had Tracy look at one of them. Tracy did a good job focusing her eyes and also tried real hard to keep her head in the middle and turn to the right. She tried really hard each step of the way. Tracy is sitting up much better with assistance and her trunk strength is improving. We will keep practicing every day to rebuild her endurance. Our trip to Palm Beach will also get Tracy ready for outpatient therapy. Last evening, Mom and Dad changed Tracy's dressing. Her wound is getting better each day. We will visit the Plastic Surgeon this Wednesday and see if it is time to remove the wound vac. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer that we can leave it home when we go to Florida. Tracy got the cutest outfit from Uncle Mike and Aunt Cheryl in the mail today. It will be perfect to take to Palm Beach in a few weeks. Thank you everyone for the many birthday cards, gifts, flowers and balloons, lotions, CDs, audiobooks, outfits, etc. We appreciate all the wonderful friends and acts of kindness. They mean so much to Tracy and our family! Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is getting closer to narrowing down her thesis/master's project which she will work on this summer. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th, for St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner! Then, our next goal will be to get Tracy back to outpatient therapy for Spring/Summer at Inova Mt. Vernon Rehab Center.

Sunday, March 6th, 2005: Tracy had her last dose of the new antibiotic (Zyvox). Mom does not like Tracy being on so much medication, but she definitely needs it. Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Dad bathed Tracy and got her ready for noon Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. We have all met some really nice people there, so it is more like home each time we go. Rick meets us there and sits in the first pew (which is accessible). The only one missing was Tiffany. The sermon was about miracles... we all continue to pray for one for our girl Tracy. After Mass, we all went to Pentagon Row and had lunch at Wolfgang Puck's. It was still too cold to eat outside, even though the weather man said that it would be a Spring-like day. Boy, do they lie or what? The wind was still too cold. Keep your fingers crossed that Spring is closer than it looks and feels. After lunch, we put Tracy on the therapy mat and she relaxed a little. She continues to grind her teeth, which is getting to Mom and Dad. We are going to check into options this week to resolve this grinding issue before Tracy wears all her teeth down.This evening, Mom and Dad changed Tracy's dressing. Her wound is getting better each day. We will visit the Plastic Surgeon this Wednesday and see if it is time to remove the wound vac. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer that we can leave it home when we go to Florida. Tracy got another surprise Friday from Cory and Andrea, Jenny's daughter and son in-law. They sent her the cutest little heart shaped calico pillow with a teddy bear that pops out of the center. It is so adorable! Our friends Lisa and Jason sent Tracy an audiobook of the Private Prayers of Pope John Paul: Words of Inspiration. Mom can't wait to listen to it with Tracy. Thank you everyone for the many birthday cards, gifts, flowers and balloons, lotions, CDs, audiobooks, outfits, etc. We appreciate all the wonderful friends and acts of kindness. They mean so much to Tracy and our family! Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is trying to narrow down her thesis/master's project which she will work on this summer. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner!

Saturday, March 5th, 2005: Tracy is feeling so much better on the new antibiotic (Zyvox). She has one more day of antibiotics and then she will be finished. Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny showered Tracy and shampooed her hair. She really enjoys getting her hair shampooed. What girl wouldn't, right? Mom even got to go to the beauty salon today and got the works too. Jenny stayed with Tracy while Dad was at a conference. Thank God for Jenny. This afternoon, Dad continued his reading of The DaVinci Code until Mom got home and then they got Tracy on the mat in the Therapy Corner and ranged and stretched Tracy. They got Tracy in a sitting position on the edge of the mat and Tracy practiced holding her head up and in the middle. Tracy did a good job balancing herself. Her trunk is getting much stronger. Then Dad and Mom propped Tracy on her elbow so she could weight bear through her arms and shoulders. Tracy really likes this position. She tolerated about 10 minutes on each elbow. Tracy got another surprise yesterday from Cory and Andrea, Jenny's daughter and son in-law. They sent her the cutest little heart shaped calico pillow with a teddy bear that pops out of the center. It is so adorable! Our friends Lisa and Jason sent Tracy an audiobook of the Private Prayers of Pope John Paul: Words of Inspiration. Mom can't wait to listen to it with Tracy. Thank you everyone for the many birthday cards, gifts, flowers and balloons, lotions, CDs, audiobooks, outfits, etc. We appreciate all the wonderful friends and acts of kindness. They mean so much to Tracy and our family! Tiffany is working hard at LSU in Baton Rouge. She is trying to narrow down her thesis/master's project which she will wotk on this summer. We look forward to her next visit on March 17th. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP! We are looking forward to our trip to Palm Beach on March 18th for two weeks. Everyone is so ready for fun in the sun and the beach! By the time we return to DC/VA, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom! Woo-hoo, Spring is right around the corner!

Friday, March 4th, 2005: Tracy is feeling so much better on the new antibiotic (Zyvox). Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for her morning Occupational Therapy with Regina. During OT, Regina, Mom and Jenny got Tracy on the mat on her tummy without any wedge or bolster. Tracy did a good job putting weight through her elbows on her tummy. Regina was also able to stretch her neck to the right in this position. Then Regina got Tracy sitting on the edge of the mat, and she did a good job balancing herself for about 10 seconds. Then Regina got Tracy seated on the peanut in front of her. Tracy did a good job sitting on the peanut. Regina put a full length mirror in front of Tracy and Tracy refused to look in the mirror at herself. Our girl's attitude is coming out loud and clear! After a short rest on the mat, Tracy had Speech Therapy with Karman. Karman tried out her new facial massager on Tracy. Tracy did not like it at all, and vocalized this to Karman. She is so close to talking! Then Karman showed Tracy some pictures and worked with her "ba" and "pa" sounds. Tracy is trying so hard to say these sounds. She can mouth the sounds but needs to coordinate the sounds with the articulation. Tracy got another surprise today from Cory and Andrea, Jenny's daughter and son in-law. They sent her the cutest little heart shaped calico pillow with a teddy bear that pops out of the center. It is so adorable! Yesterday, Aunt Candy sent her a basket of candles that smell like the lemon orchards on the Amalfi and Sorrento coast of Italy. Boy, did they bring back memories! Tracy's friend Lisa Scaramella sent Tracy an adorable Build A Bear complete with a little house! It is so cute! She named it Tra-Lo and it has curly brown hair and dark eyes just like Tracy! It is even wearing flip flops with pink irridescent sequins just like Tracy had. Thank you cousins Chip and Eileen for the cute cupcake candle and money! (It goes with everything!). Thank you everyone for the many birthday cards, gifts, flowers and balloons, lotions, CDs, audiobooks, outfits, etc. We appreciate all the wonderful friends and acts of kindness. They mean so much to Tracy and our family! Tiffany made it safely back to New Orleans and is back in Baton Rouge at LSU. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP!

Thursday, March 3nd, 2005: Tracy is feeling so much better on the new antibiotic (Zyvox). Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for her noon Physical Therapy with Humayun. Liz came over and brought us lunch from Au Bon Pain. It was really good! It was great to see Liz. During Physical Therapy, Humayun, Mom and Jenny strapped Tracy into her tilt table and up she went slowly and gradually to 30 degrees. Humayun put Tracy's old serial cast which the Navy podiatrist made for her (Mom never throws anything away theses days) on her right foot and leg and this seemed to work pretty well to keep her stable while on the tilt table. Her right leg is the one that Tracy pulls in, so the cast helped to stabilize it while weight bearing on the tilt table. Tracy tolerated 30 degrees for 26 minutes today, and was able to turn her head to the right at least 3 times while on the tilt table. Mom had her looking at pictures and she tried really hard to focus on them. Tracy was also more vocal today and was trying to tell us something. Please pray that Tracy will start talking to us soon, so we can understand her needs and wants. It is so frustrating to not be able to communicate with Tracy and second guess her every need. After PT, Tracy had a brief rest period and then it was time for Occupational Therapy with Regina. Regina did some brief trunk stretches and then got Tracy is a sitting position on the edge of the mat. She positioned Tracy on her elbows, first the left and then the right, so she could weight bear through her arms and shoulders. Tracy got a good stretch in this position. Then Regina had Tracy sitting with no support for about 5 seconds before she started to lean. Tracy has problems with her proprioception system and has to learn how to right or balance herself again. This comes with practice, practice, practice. Tracy was able to tolerate about 30 minutes sitting on the edge of the mat with assistance. Regina also rocked Tracy from side to side to work on her vestibular system. Tracy did not appear nauseous with side to side movement. The last thing that Regina tried was to position Tracy on her stomach. The plan was to get Tracy on all fours. Tracy did not like being on her stomach and spit up a little. We will try this again tomorrow at the beginning of her OT session and see how she does when she is less fatigued. After a short rest on the mat, Mom and Liz got Tracy in her chair and tried some sips of nectar consistency lemon water. Tracy did not seem to like the cold drink, so Mom warmed it a little in the microwave to take some of the chill off. Tracy seemed to like this better and tolerated about two ounces, only coughing once. We will continue to practice drinking with Tracy each day. Tracy got two surprises yesterday from friends and family for her birthday! Aunt Candy sent her a basket of candles that smell like the lemon orchards on the Amalfi and Sorrento coast of Italy. Boy, did they bring back memories! Tracy's friend Lisa Scaramella sent Tracy an adorable Build A Bear complete with a little house! It is so cute! She named it Tra-Lo and it has curly brown hair and dark eyes just like Tracy! It is even wearing flip flops with pink irridescent sequins just like Tracy. Thank you cousins Chip and Eileen for the cute cupcake candle and money! (It goes with everything!). Thank you everyone for the many birthday cards, gifts, flowers and balloons, lotions, CDs, audiobooks, outfits, etc. We appreciate all the wonderful friends and acts of kindness. They mean so much to Tracy and our family! Tiffany made it safely back to New Orleans and is back in Baton Rouge at LSU. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP!

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2005: Tracy is feeling so much better on the new antibiotic (Zyvox). Tracy had a pretty good night's sleep last night. Around 3:00 AM, when Dad and Mom went in to turn Tracy in her bed of sand, Tracy was very vocal making lots of sounds and saying Ma! She has been more vocal during the past few days. Please say a prayer that she starts to talk to us soon. It would be so nice if she could communicate to us her needs and wants. This morning, Mom and Jenny showered Tracy and got her ready for her noon Physical Therapy with Humayun. Gloria came over and made us a DEEE-licious baked chicken for dinner. She made us chicken caesar salads for lunch that were really good too. Gloria brought Tracy some adorable butterfly suncatchers to hang in her therapy nook and mom a book called Beyond Coma, written by a mother who had a son with a traumatic brain injury. During Physical Therapy, Humayun, Mom and Jenny strapped Tracy into her tilt table and up she went slowly and gradually to 30 degrees. Humayun put Tracy's old serial cast which the Navy podiatrist made for her (Mom never throws anything away theses days) on her right foot and leg and this seemed to work pretty well to keep her stable while on the tilt table. Her right leg is the one that Tracy pulls in, so the cast helped to stabilize it while weight bearing on the tilt table. Tracy tolerated 30 degrees for 22 minutes and was able to turn her head to the right at least 3 times while on the tilt table. After PT, Tracy had a brief rest period and then it was time for Speech Therapy. Karman started the session with working on getting Tracy's tongue to move. Tracy is doing a much better job with moving her tip of her tongue and also letting Karman work inside her mouth without biting. After that, Karman spent some time having Tracy focus on pictures. Tracy did a good job focusing and was trying really hard to stay awake, but got sleepy towards the end of the session. Next time, Karman is going to start the session looking at pictures.Tracy got two surprises today from friends and family for her birthday! Aunt Candy sent her a basket of candles that smell like the lemon orchards on the Amalfi and Sorrento coast of Italy. Boy, did they bring back memories! Tracy's friend Lisa Scaramella sent Tracy an adorable Build A Bear complete with a little house! It is so cute! She named it Tra-Lo and it has curly brown hair and dark eyes just like Tracy! It is even wearing flip flops with pink irridescent sequins just like Tracy. Thank you cousins Chip and Eileen for the cute cupcake candle and money! (It goes with everything!). Thank you everyone for the many birthday cards, gifts, flowers and balloons, lotions, CDs, audiobooks, outfits, etc. We appreciate all the wonderful friends and acts of kindness. They mean so much to Tracy and our family! Tiffany made it safely back to New Orleans and is back in Baton Rouge at LSU. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP!

Tuesday, March 1st, 2005: Tracy seems alot more comfortable on the new antibiotic (Zyvox). Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for an early appointment with her physiatrist, Dr. Gisolfi, at Innova Mt. Vernon Rehab Hospital. Dr. Gisolfi injected both of Tracy's biceps, radial brachialis, pronators, and left wrist flexors with BoTox. This has really helped to relax Tracy's muscles in the past. It takes about 2 weeks to see some effect and usually lasts about 4 months. (Mom keeps asking for some for her frown lines, but no one ever gives her any.) After we returned from Innova Mt. Vernon, Tracy had Occupational Therapy with Regina. During OT, Regina had Tracy sit on the edge of the mat and practice balancing herself with minimal support. Tracy did much better with head and trunk control. Regina is also working on Tracy keeping her head in the middle with verbal cues and turning her head more readily to the right. We will continue to practice this. Tracy's session was abbreviated today, because Mom and Jenny were cleaning Tracy's closet out and didn't hear Regina knocking at the door. Oops! We'll catch up next session. Thank you everyone for the many birthday cards, gifts, flowers and balloons, lotions, CDs, audiobooks, outfits, etc. We appreciate all the wonderful friends and acts of kindness. They mean so much to Tracy and our family! Tiffany made it safely back to New Orleans and is back in Baton Rouge at LSU. It is great to have her home so often for visits. Tracy really enjoys having Tiffany home too! We can't wait for her to come back in a few weeks. Not only is it great having Tiffany home but we also enjoy having Rick visit us. He is such a BIG HELP!