Sunday, October 31st, 2004~Happy Halloween!~ Tracy slept well again Saturday night. It was also great for all of us to get an extra hour of much needed sleep. Sunday morning, Mom and Dad bathed and dressed Tracy. This afternoon, Mom, Dad and Tracy took a walk on Crystal Drive to see all of the runners coming into the final stretch of the Marine Corps Marathon. It was a beautiful day, around 75 degrees and the trees around Crystal City looked like they were on fire! It is definitely the prettiest foliage Mom and Dad had ever seen! The three of them stopped at the King Street Blues restaurant for a late lunch and then took off for a walk on the Mt. Vernon Trail. When they got home, Mom and Dad got Tracy in her bed for a rest off her butt since she was in her chair for several hours. This evening, Emil is coming by to give Tracy a massage. Dad is due for one too! Good news! Mom found a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. Diana worked with Tracy several times last summer. Mom is really happy! Hopefully she will start next week. Gloria, Tracy's Speech Therapist, will begin working with Tracy next week! Mom is ecstatic! Tiff finished her midterms and is now swamped with research papers. She is on her way back from College Station where she spent the weekend visiting Rick for Halloween! Nana starts outpatient physical therapy next week. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. She was able to walk down the hall in her condo twice today with a cane. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. Your prayers are working! Thank you!

Saturday, October 30th, 2004~ Don't forget to fall back your clocks!~Tracy finally slept Friday night! Maybe she was happy that Dad was home. Mom and Jenny were happy to see Dad too! Hopefully, Jenny will be able to rest up for the weekend. At least we get an extra hour when we set the clocks back to Eastern Standard Time, another sign that winter is on its way! Saturday morning, Mom and Dad bathed and dressed Tracy. They also changed her dressing and were really pleased with the progress since the last time they changed the dressing 2 days ago. The wound is really healing well. It is about 2 cm by 2 cm and 1.5 cm deep! (That is a long way from 4.5 cm by 4 cm and a Q-tip length deep!). With the help of God, we may be back to outpatient therapy by the new year. This afternoon, Mom, Dad and Tracy took a ride to Great Falls to see the beautiful fall foliage. It is definitely the prettiest foliage Mom had ever seen (Dad hadn't seen much foliage since he grew up in Louisiana!). They rode around for two hours amidst the horse farms and incredible Vriginian mansions. When they got home, Mom and Dad got Tracy on the peanut shaped ball for about 20 minutes. They positioned her in a straddle position and stretched her adductors. She seemed to enjoy this position. Then, Mom massaged Tracy's face with a mini-massager and massaged her gums with a baby gum massager. She loved this and relaxed her jaw! Tracy has been grinding her teeth more lately so this really must have felt good! Good news! Mom found a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. Diana worked with Tracy several times last summer. Mom is really happy! Hopefully she will start next week. Gloria, Tracy's Speech Therapist, will begin working with Tracy next week! Mom is ecstatic! Tiff finished her midterms and is now swamped with research papers. She is visiting Rick in College Station for Halloween! Nana starts outpatient physical therapy next week. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. She was able to walk down the hall in her condo twice today with a cane. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. Your prayers are working! Thank you!

Friday, October 29th, 2004~ Tracy was up all Thursday night too! Mom and Jenny were up all night too! We sure hope Dad got some sleep so he can take charge Friday night when he returns from Norfolk. We sure do appreciate everything that he does! It has been a very crazy week. Guess it was the luna eclipse Wednesday evening? Friday morning, Mom and Jenny showered and dressed Tracy in record time and got her ready for Occupational Therapy at 10:00 AM. Becky took it easy on Tracy today, especially since she has not had much sleep in the past three days. Becky massaged Tracy's shoulders, arms, and hands with warm lotion while lying on the mat in the Rehab Corner. She then did some passive stretching of her shoulders, arms, hands and trunk while Tracy was in side-lying. Then, Becky and Mom got Tracy prone on the wedge to stretch out her back, hips, legs and feet and so Tracy could weight-bear on her arms. Tracy relaxed in this position. Later in the day, Liz came over and Mom, Jenny and Liz got Tracy in her wheel chair. Liz spent some time feeding Tracy some cranberry juice (nectar consistency) but Tracy did not feel like drinking. She let us know by grinding her teeth and saying a loud, deliberate NO! Mom massaged Tracy's face with a mini-massager and massaged her gums with a baby gum massager. She loved this and relaxed her jaw! Then, Liz spent some time working with an ink stamp and pad. She took Tracy's left hand and put the stamp in it. She guided Tracy's hand to the ink pad and paper and stamped of all things: a butterfly! These fine motor activities help Tracy's brain to relearn and reroute her pathways. Tracy's wound is healing well and is now about 2 cm by 2 cm and about 2.5 cm deep. With the help of God, we may be back to outpatient therapy by the new year. Good news! Mom found a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. Diana worked with Tracy several times last summer. Mom is really happy! Hopefully she will start next week. Gloria, Tracy's Speech therapist, will begin working with Tracy next week! Mom is ecstatic! Mom, Liz and Jenny have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. They have done a great job, but it is time for the therapist to take the lead on her speech. Tiff finished her midterms and is now swamped with research papers. She is enjoying LSU! Nana is doing well in home physical therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. She was able to walk down the hall in her condo twice today with a cane. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. Your prayers are working! Thank you!

Thursday, October 28th, 2004~ Tracy was up all Wednesday night! Maybe she missed Dad. He is in Norfolk at a conference and Jenny and Mom are in charge. We sure do appreciate everything that he does! Thursday morning, Mom and Jenny had to move rather quickly on no sleep! Tracy had Occupational Therapy at 10:00 AM so Mom and Jenny bathed and dressed Tracy after a quick stretch/ massage. Tracy was not very comfortable sitting on the edge of the mat on her donut pillow during OT, so Mom, Jenny and Becky (Tracy's OT) tried sitting her on the peanut/ball. Tracy was still uncomfortable, so we got her back on the mat in side-lying position and did some passive stretching of her shoulders, arms, hands and trunk. It seemed that her wound was bothering her. It is healing well, and is about one-third smaller, but may be causing her some discomfort. Liz and Gloria came over and we transferred Tracy into her wheelchair. The only place that Tracy seemed comfortable was back in her bed, and she rested well. This afternoon, Deborah, the wound care nurse and Margaret, the account rep from KCI (the wound vac company) came by to check on Tracy's wound. They were very pleased with her progress. With the help of God, we may be back to outpatient therapy by the new year. We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. Gloria will begin working with Tracy next week! Mom is ecstatic! Mom, Liz and Jenny have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. They have done a great job, but it is time for the therapist to take the lead on her speech. Tiff finished her midterms and is now swamped with research papers. She is enjoying LSU! Nana is doing well in home physical therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. She was able to walk down the hall in her condo twice today with a cane. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. Your prayers are working! Thank you!

Wednesday, October 27th, 2004~ Go Red Sox! Reverse the Curse of the Bambino!~ Tracy slept well Tuesday night too! Maybe we are on a roll here. Wednesday morning, Mom and Jenny tooke their time stretching and ranging Tracy. Then they showered and dressed her and got her ready for the day. Tracy did not have any "official" therapy today. Eve, Mom's friend, came over and brought a delicious quiche and salad. Mom, Eve, and Jenny had lunch together while Tracy took a little rest on the therapy mat in the Rehab Corner. It was great to spend some time with Eve and catch up on lost time. She read a little bit to Tracy from A Gift From The Sea by Ann Morrow Lindbergh. Thank you Eve for the wonderful visit! We are blessed to have such wonderful friends by our side. This afternoon, Liz came over to visit. She mixed up some Thick n' Easy thickener with orange gatorade, to get a nectar consistency drink. Tracy drank about 3 ozs and did a good job closing her mouth and swallowing with minimal assistance. Liz has the magic touch to get Tracy to eat and drink. Yesterday, Tracy had a dentist appointment at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. Dr. Alexander did a great job cleaning Tracy's teeth and said that she passed her exam with flying colors. Mom was very happy to hear that all her hard work paid off! We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. I hope she comes back soon, so she can begin to work with Tracy. It's been since the middle of July since Tracy had any Speech Therapy, and Mom is ready for some professional assistance. Mom, Liz and Jenny have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. They have done a great job, but it is time for the therapist to take the lead on her speech. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! Nana is doing well in home physical therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. She was able to walk down the hall in her condo twice today with a cane. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. Your prayers are working! Thank you!

Tuesday, October 26th, 2004~Happy B'Day Aunt Candy!~ Tracy had another good night's sleep Monday night. Tuesday morning, Mom and Jenny spent an hour and a half stretching Tracy. Since Tracy did not have any morning therapy today, we were able to take our time and massaged Tracy with some warm, scented lotion. She really relaxed well. Then Mom and Jenny got Tracy bathed and dressed and on the exercise mat in the Therapy Corner. Tracy has a dental appointment at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda this afternoon. Mom and Dad will bring Tracy to get her teeth checked and cleaned. Tracy always loved getting her teeth cleaned. We'll see how it goes today. Yesterday evening, Kate, Tracy's inpatient Occupational Therapist from NRH came over to work with Tracy. It was great to see her. She will be working with Tracy once a week. She got Tracy in side-lying position and worked with a new technique called PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) which Kate learned at a recent workshop in Chicago. It is not really a type of stretching but is a technique of combining passive stretching and isometric stretching in order to achieve maximum static flexibility. After stretching, Mom, Dad and Kate got Tracy prone (on her tummy) on the peanut ball (picture two balance balls joined together in the shape of a peanut). Tracy was weight bearing on her knees with the peanut providing trunk support. She really relaxed in this position. Kate then rocked her forward so that she put some weight through her arms and shoulders by resting her fists on the mat. Tracy tolerated this position for about 15 to 20 minutes. After OT, Tracy (and Mom) had a massage by Emil. They both relaxed and enjoyed a good night's sleep! We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back this week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Until then, Mom, Liz and Jenny have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! She and Rick joined Mamaw and Papaw at cousin Brittany's wedding Saturday. They had a great time! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana is home now and is working hard in home therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. She was able to walk down the hall in her condo twice today with a cane. Maybe she can get rid of the walker soon. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. We thank you for your prayers and please continue to keep her in your daily thoughts for a smooth recovery.

Monday, October 25th, 2004~ Tracy had a good night's sleep Sunday night. Monday morning, Mom and Jenny spent an hour and a half stretching Tracy. Since Tracy did not have any morning therapy today, we were able to take our time and massaged Tracy with some warm, scented lotion. She really relaxed well. Then Mom and Jenny got Tracy on the exercise mat in the Therapy Corner and did her e-stim and facial exercises. Tracy really responds to the e-stim. Liz came over and Mom and Liz worked on some more educational materials for Tracy's Speech and Cognitive Therapy. Liz and Mom fed Tracy 4 ozs. of nectar consistency apple juice. Tracy did a good job closing her mouth and swallowing. Later in the afternoon, Kate, Tracy's Occupational Therapist from NRH, came over to work with Tracy. We are SOOOO happy to have Kate back. It was great to have her work with Tracy after all that time. Now Tracy has two excellent OTs to work with her. Becky will be back Thursday morning to work with Tracy! Now, if we can only get Tracy a Physical Therapist, and if the Speech Therapist would come back from South America, we will be in great shape. We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back next week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Until then, Mom, Liz and Jenny have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! She and Rick joined Mamaw and Papaw at cousin Brittany's wedding Saturday. They had a great time! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana is home now and is working hard in home therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. She was able to walk down the hall in her condo twice today with a cane. Maybe she can get rid of the walker. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. We thank you for your prayers and please continue to keep her in your daily thoughts for a smooth recovery.

Sunday, October 24th, 2004~Go Red Sox! Beat Cardinals in Game 2 of the World Series!~ Tracy slept well again, for the most part last night. She has been coughing pretty frequently lately, and this seems to wake her (and us up throughtout the nights). We are not sure if the coughing is due to her reflux, or something else. We have an appointment with her doctor on Tuesday at National Naval Medical Center. We'll let you know how that goes. Sunday morning, Dad spent an hour and a half stretching Tracy. She did help a little by relaxing her muscles when he asked her to. Sunday afternoon, Mom and Dad got Tracy on a new exercise ball called a physio-ball. It is shaped like a peanut or a double ball. Tracy was positioned on the peanut in a straddle position. Mom was positioned on another ball behind Tracy and Dad was sitting on yet another ball, in front of Tracy. You guessed it, we now have quite an extensive collection of balls! Tracy was sitting with her feet on the floor as best as possible. She still tends to toe in and has a hard time getting her heels flat. Tracy, Mom and Dad tolerated this position for at least 30 minutes! She also did a good job holding her head in the middle when Dad and Mom rocked side to side and forward and aft. Sunday evening, Mom and Dad showered Tracy and shampooed her hair. She really enjoys her showers! Then, they all went to a special mass at the Arlington cathedral for couples who are celebrating their 25th and 50th anniversaries this year. Yup, Mom and Dad will celebrate their 25th anniversary this New Year's Eve! Saturday afternoon, Dad and Mom took Tracy for a walk around Crystal City. The leaves are turning and it was a beautiful, cool and crisp fall day. We stopped and had lunch at a local pub and watched three college football games at the same time! Dad was in his glory! Thank goodness all of our college teams won. We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back next week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Until then, Mom, Liz and Jenny have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! She and Rick joined Mamaw and Papaw at cousin Brittany's wedding Saturday. They are a great time! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana is home now and is working hard in home therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. We thank you for your prayers and please continue to keep her in your daily thoughts for a smooth recovery.

Saturday, October 23rd, 2004~ Go Red Sox!~ Tracy slept well again last night. Saturday morning, Mom and Dad ranged, stretched, and bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy did not have any therapy today since it is Saturday. She seemed much more relaxed since her baclofen dose increase to 1,750 micrograms (from 1,500 micrograms) last Thursday. We are hoping that this will be Tracy's optimal dose and that she will be more relaxed in her lower extremities and not need botox injections in her right hamstring. She needs to be more relaxed so we can get her ready for the tilt table that should be delivered soon. Last Thursday, Dr. Gisolfi injected botox into Tracy's muscles in her right arm (pronator terres), in her right wrist (flexors) and in her right hand (lumbacles). Her left arm, wrist and hand were fine. This afternoon, Dad and Mom took Tracy for a walk around Crystal City. The leaves are turning and it was a beautiful, cool and crisp fall day. We stopped and had lunch at a local pub and watched three college football games at the same time! Dad was in his glory! This afternoon, Tonia, Tracy's massage therapist, came over to give her a massage. Tracy settled in and really relaxed well. It seemed that she really enjoyed her massage. We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back next week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Until then, Mom, Liz and Jenny have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana went home Wednesday from the hospital and is working hard in home therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. We thank you for your prayers and please continue to keep her in your daily thoughts for a smooth recovery.

Friday, October 22nd, 2004~Happy B'Day Mawmaw!~ Tracy slept well last night. Friday morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. This morning, Tracy has Occupational Therapy with Becky (Yes, real therapy!) Becky stretched Tracy's trunk and shoulders while in side-lying and then we got her to a sitting position on the edge of the mat. Tracy was a little sleepy today, which is customary after having her baclofen dose increased. Yesterday, Tracy got her baclofen dose increased to 1,750 micrograms (from 1,500 micrograms). We are hoping that this will be Tracy's optimal dose and that she will be more relaxed in her lower extrrmities and not need botox injections in her right hamstring. She needs to be more relaxed so we can get her ready for the tilt table that should be delivered soon. Yesterday, Dr. Gisolfi injected botox into Tracy's muscles in her right arm (pronator terres), in her right wrist (flexors) and in her right hand (lumbacles). Her left arm, wrist and hand were fine. If her right hamstring does not relax more with the increase in the baclofen, we will go back and get her hamstring injected with botox. Today, Tracy had a wonderful visit from Susie and Andy Belenkes, our good friends. She brought a friend, an Austrian puppet named Kasperl. He is a very bright and colorful puppet who looks a little like St. Nick (only much thinner). We will use him to do puppet therapy with Tracy. Susie made some delicious biscotti cookies. We really appreciate her coming to see us. Liz also came by to visit. It is always fun to see her.We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back next week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Until then, Mom, Liz and Jenny have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana went home Wednesday from the hospital and is working hard in home therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. We thank you for your prayers and please continue to keep her in your daily thoughts for a smooth recovery.

Thursday, October 21st, 2004~Red Sox on their way to the World Series!~ Tracy had another good night's sleep! Thursday morning, Mom and Jenny spent at least an hour massaging Tracy with warm scented lotion and stretching her. Then, they showered and dressed Tracy. Even though she did not have any official therapy today, Tracy had two doctor's appointments. Her first appointment was with Joy, Tracy's Physician Assistant who manages Tracy's baclofen pump. Mom, Dad and Liz went with Tracy to get her pump refilled. When Joy stuck Tracy with the needle to refill her pump, Tracy jumped and gasped. Joy forgot to tell her that the needle was coming so she could anticipate the stick! She is much more aware theses days. All good signs. Tracy's next appointment was with her physiatrist, Dr. Gisolfi. He injected her muscles in her right arm (pronator terres), in her right wrist (flexors) and in her right hand (lumbacles). Her left arm, wrist and hand were fine. This is also an improvement. If her right hamstring does not relax more with the increase in the baclofen, we will go back and get her hamstring injected with botox. This evening, Tracy's case manager from Brain Injury Services of Northern Virginia came to meet with us. Tamra is very helpful and is working with us to find a physical therapist for Tracy who has neurodevelopmental training. We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back this week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Until then, Mom, Liz and Jenny have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana went home Wednesday from the hospital and is working hard in home therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. We thank you for your prayers and please continue to keep her in your daily thoughts for a smooth recovery.

Wednesday, October 20th, 2004~ Go Red Sox! Reverse the Curse of the Bambino!~ Tracy slept pretty well last night. Wednesday morning, Mom and Jenny spent an hour and a half massaging Tracy with warm scented lotion and stretching her. Since there is no official therapy today, they could take their time and not rush. Later, Mom and Jenny got Tracy on the mat in the Rehab Corner and Mom gave her a full facial, using the Connie Stevens home spa kit. She used the Connie Stevens' Time Machine, which provides e-stim to Tracy's facial muscles to keep them in tip top shape. Tracy loved the facial and was saying "ah!" Mom is learning all kinds of new things! We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back this week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Until then, Mom and Liz have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana went home Wednesday from the hospital and is working hard in home therapy. She is getting stronger every day and experiencing much less pain. We hope she and Uncle Johnny can visit us soon. We thank you for your prayers and please continue to keep her in your daily thoughts for a smooth recovery.

Tuesday, October 19th, 2004~ Happy B'Day Cousin Eileen~Tracy slept better last night. Monday evening, she had a two-hour massage by Emil. She always sleeps better when she gets a massage (don't we all!). Tuesday morning, Mom and Jenny bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. After that, they transferred Tracy on to her therapy mat in her Rehab Corner for Occupational Therapy. Around 10:00 AM, our good friend Gloria, whoi came to visit Tracy, said hi to Tracy on the mat. Tracy looked at Gloria and mouthed "hi" to her. What a great surprise! Becky, Tracy's OT, came around 11:00 AM to work with Tracy. Because Tracy was a little tighter than usual, Becky spent some time stretching Tracy's trunk, shoulders, arms and hands while Tracy was in side-lying. Then Mom, Jenny and Becky sat Tracy on the edge of the mat and worked with head and trunk control. Becky then spent some time stretching Tracy's feet, especially since Tracy is not getting any "official" Physical Therapy at the moment. However, our girl does not get off the hook lightly. Jenny and Mom spent two hours with Tracy on the mat, stretching her arms and legs and massaging her with warm lotion. Today, Mom and Jenny are substituting as Tracy's physical therapists. I may be a little prejudiced, but Mom, Jenny and Liz does an awesome job! Then it was time for assistive yoga! Mom got behind Tracy and did some yoga moves right along with Tracy. She stretched Tracy's arms over her and Mom's head and had Tracy inhale. Then Mom stretched Tracy's arms back down and had her exhale. Tracy did a really good job with her breathing. Then Mom assisted Tracy with bringing her head up in a modified abdominal curl, supporting her from behind. These exercises help Tracy to retrain her muscle memory while also retraining her brain. Mom and Liz decided that working with Tracy was more difficult than a Bowflex machine! Who needs to go to the gym! We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back this week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Until then, Mom and Liz have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana is working hard in therapy at the rehab hospital. She is getting stronger every day and looking forward to going home soon. Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Monday, October 18th, 2004~ Tracy was up quite a bit last night. Monday morning, Mom and Jenny showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Then, they transferred Tracy on to her therapy mat in her Rehab Corner. At 10:00 AM, Becky came to do Occupational with Tracy. After spending some time stretching Tracy's trunk and shoulders in side-lying, Mom and Becky sat Tracy on the edge of the mat and worked with head and trunk control. Then Becky got a medium-sized therapy ball and stretched Tracy's arms around it like she was hugging it. Later in the day, Liz and Mom spent two hours with Tracy on the mat. Mom and Liz are substituting as Tracy's physical therapists, I may be a little prejudiced, but Mom and Liz did an awesome job! The used Tracy's versaform pillows to position Tracy in a seated position and then worked with the eucalyptus scented play dough, having Tracy hold it in her hands. Mom put it in the freezer so it was good and cold. Tracy seemed to like the feel of the play dough in her hands. Then Mom got behind Tracy and did some yoga moves right along with Tracy. She stretched Tracy's arms over her and Mom's head and had Tracy inhale. Then Mom stretched Tracy's arms back down and had her exhale. Tracy did a really good job with her breathing. Then Mom assisted Tracy with bringing her head up in a modified abdominal curl, supporting her from behind. These exercises help Tracy to retrain her muscle memory while also retraining her brain. Mom and Liz decided that working with Tracy was more difficult that a Bowflex machine! Who needs to go to the gym! We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back this week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Until then, Mom and Liz have been working with Tracy, doing her oral facial exercises and sensory stimulation. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana is working hard in therapy at the rehab hospital. She is getting stronger every day and looking forward to going home soon. Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Sunday, October 17th, 2004~ 21 Months Since Tracy's Brain Injury!~ Tracy slept well again last night. Sunday morning, Mom and Dad stretched, ranged and bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Our good friends (more like part of the family) Debbie and Marty came from Florida and New York respectively to work with Trace this morning. They arrived on early flights and were ready to have a marathon day of Speech Therapy, since they are both experienced and accomplished speech therapists. Tracy seemed to recognize them both and was happy to see them. Debbie had ordered a large variety of therapy materials which were shipped to us ahead of time. The biggest hit was eucalyptus scented play dough that can be put in the freezer or the microwave for additional stimulation. We chose to put the play dough in the freezer and Tracy really liked the scent and feel of it. We can't wait to try the lavender scented play dough. Most of the morning, Debbie and Marty worked on Tracy breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth from her diaphragm. When Tracy exhaled she was supposed to say HI! She did this several times. Tracy was following simple commands and we are all very pleased with her progress. Her oral motor skills have definitely improved since the last time Debbie and Marty saw Tracy in June. We are very blessed to have them as friends. During their visit, Tracy got a phone call from her best friend, Allison, Debbie's daughter. Tracy listened very intently and was trying to talk to Allison on the phone. These are all good signs. We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back this week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Tiff is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms and writing papers! This semester sure if going by fast! Nana is working hard in therapy at the rehab hospital. She is getting stronger every day and looking forward to going home soon. Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Saturday, October 16th, 2004~ Tracy slept well again last night. Saturday morning, Mom and Dad stretched, ranged and bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy rested while Mom cleaned the apartment and Dad did the grocery shopping! Of course, college football prevailed throughout the apartment. Too bad Boston College lost to Pitt in overtime. BC looked really good and deserved to win. Since today is Saturday, Tracy does not have "official" therapy. However, Mom and Dad got Tracy on the mat and stretched her for over an hour. Then they got her prone (on her tummy) on the wedge for at least 20 minutes. Tracy tolerated this position well and even held her head up. Dad was able to stretch her hips and legs while Mom had Tracy putting weight through her shoulders and arms. Then Mom and Dad got Tracy in side-lying and stretched her shoulders and trunk. Tracy relaxed well into the stretches. We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back next week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Tomorrow, October 17th, our good friends Debbie and Marty are coming to visit and work with Tracy. They are both experienced Speech Therapists who have worked with Tracy on various occasions in the past. We are really looking forward to their visit, especially since they haven't seen Tracy since the beginning of the summer. Progress, progress, progress! Tiff enjoyed her visit home and we are all glad that she came to see us. She is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms. This semester is flying by. Nana is working hard in therapy at the rehab hospital. She is getting stronger every day and looking forward to going home soon. Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Friday, October 15th, 2004~21 Months Since Tracy's Accident in Florence~ Tracy had another good night sleep Thursday night! Perhaps it was due to Emil's two hour massage. Friday morning, Mom and Jenny bathed and dressed Tracy so she'd be ready for Occupational Therapy at 10:00 AM with Becky. This morning, Becky did her usual trunk stretches in side-lying. Then, Becky, Jenny and Mom got Tracy seated on the edge of the mat with her feet on the floor. Becky positioned Tracy's arms so that she hugged the big red therapy ball and stretched her side to side. Tracy was sitting up and displaying good head control when all of a sudden she got nauseous. We think this was due to the antibiotic that she is on to clear up her rash. After that, Becky let Tracy rest on the mat while Mom and Jenny stretched and ranged Tracy's extremities. This afternoon, Julie came for her last session of Physical Therapy with Tracy. We are sure going to miss her. She is an excellent Physical Therapist. We hope we find another one as good as Julie. During PT, Julie, Mom and Jenny positioned Tracy on her stomach on the very large balance ball. Julie worked on getting Tracy quatraped (on all fours on the ball). Tracy was able to put weight through her knees while in this position. Then Julie rocked Tracy forward on the ball, and Tracy was able to put some weight through her arms and shoulders. Then Julie positioned Tracy supine (on her back) and propped her right leg on a smaller ball. Julie helped Tracy to extend her right knee and then flexit, thus moving the ball. We are not sure whether Tracy was exhibiting active movement or whether some of the movement was due to a spasm, but movement is movement in my book! We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back next week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Next Sunday, October 17th, our good friends Debbie and Marty are coming to visit and work with Tracy. They are both experienced Speech Therapists who have worked with Tracy on various occasions in the past. We are really looking forward to their visit, especially since they haven't seen Tracy since the beginning of the summer. Progress, progress, progress! Tiff enjoyed her visit home and we are all glad that she came to see us. She is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms. This semester is flying by. Nana is working hard in therapy at the rehab hospital. She is getting stronger every day and looking forward to going home soon. Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Thursday, October 14th, 2004~ Tracy slept well again last night. It might be due to the cool fall weather; it always makes us want to stay in bed under the covers. In a couple of weeks, it will be time to change the clocks again (Fall Back) and winter will be upon us (Yuck)! Thursday morning, Mom and Jenny showered and dressed Tracy. She did not have "official" therapy today, so Tracy got to stay in bed and rest. She needed it after her long, busy day yesterday. Jenny and Mom stretched and ranged Tracy for at least and hour today. Each morning, Jenny warms some scented lotion in the microwave and then Tracy get a massage. Jenny takes such good care of Tracy! After that, Jenny worked on some more educational materials for Tracy's speech/cognitive therapy. She does such a good job! She is the best! Later in the day, Liz came over and Mom and Liz fed Tracy some peach and mango sorbet. Tracy had several bites and closed her mouth, lips together, swallowing well. She seems to react well to cold stimuli such as sorbet and nectar consistency juices. This evening, Emil, Tracy's massage therapist, came over and worked with Tracy for several hours. He was pleased at her ability to relax and her range of motion. We are again looking for a Physical Therapist to work with Tracy. If you know anyone who qualifies, please contact us at the number below. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She should be back next week from South America, and ready to work with Tracy. Next Sunday, October 17th, our good friends Debbie and Marty are coming to visit and work with Tracy. They are both experienced Speech Therapists who have worked with Tracy on various occasions in the past. We are really looking forward to their visit, especially since they haven't seen Tracy since the beginning of the summer. Progress, progress, progress! Tiff enjoyed her visit home and we are all glad that she came to see us. She is back in Baton Rouge working hard studying for her midterms. This semester is flying by. Nana is working hard in therapy at the rehab hospital. She is getting stronger every day and looking forward to going home soon. Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Wednesday, October 13th, 2004~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Jenny bathed and dressed Tracy and got her on the exercise mat. They stretched and ranged her on the mat before Becky, Tracy's OT, came to do therapy. Tracy had not had any "official" therapy since Friday due to the Columbus Day holiday. However, Dad and Mom made sure that Tracy got plenty of stretching, sitting on the mat, and lying prone while the therapists were away. Liz, Gloria and Jenny also did their part to keep Tracy stimulated both physically and cognitively. During OT, Becky had Tracy sit on the edge of the mat and practice holding her head up. She spent some time stretching her arms, shoulders, wrists and hands. During PT, Julie positioned Tracy on the edge of the mat and stretched her arms around a large exercise ball. Mom and Jenny stabilized Tracy's feet on the floor while Liz and Julie lifted Tracy straight up so that she could weight bear through her feet. When Tracy is in this position, she tends to turn her feet inward and is prone to standing on her toes like a Ballerina. For this reason, Mom, Liz and Jenny met with Dr. Gisolfi, Tracy's physiatrist from Inova Mt. Vernon, today, to discuss a feasible plan to get Tracy's feet straight. We will report more on this issue at a later date. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Next Sunday, October 17th, our good friends Debbie and Marty are coming to visit and work with Tracy. They are both experienced Speech Therapists who have worked with Tracy on various occasions in the past. We are really looking forward to their visit, especially since they haven't seen Tracy since the beginning of the summer. Progress, progress, progress! Tiff enjoyed her visit home and we are all glad that she came to see us. She left Sunday evening for New Orleans and made it home safely to Baton Rouge. Nana is working hard in therapy at the rehab hospital. She is getting stronger every day and looking forward to going home soon. Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Tuesday, October 12th, 2004~ Tracy slept well Monday night. She seemed much more relaxed and Dad was able to put on her leg cast and night resting hand splints. Tuesday morning, Mom left bright and early for National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda for a day filled with every gram known to medical scientists! She even invented some new ones while she was there (mammogram, echocardiogram, bone density-gram, chest x-ray-gram)! She was almost two years overdue for her "annual" health physical. Thank God for Liz, Jenny, Gloria and Dad! They covered for Mom in her absence. This morning, Liz and Jenny ranged and stretched Tracy and then bathed and dressed her for her day. Even though there was no "official" therapy, Liz and the girls got Tracy on the mat and practiced rolling. Then, they had Trace sitting in her wheel chair to practice keeping her head in the middle. They held up pictures of various items and asked Yes and No questions. Tracy practiced focusing her eyes. Then, Gloria and Jenny worked on making more educational materials for Tracy to use during Speech Therapy, while Liz made dinner for Mom and Dad to have this evening. God sent us angels: Liz, Gloria and Jenny! What is amazing is that God also sent us angels who have all of the skills the Tracy needs! He must have trained and screened them well, because they are the best! Thank you! Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Next Sunday, October 17th, our good friends Debbie and Marty are coming to visit and work with Tracy. They are both experienced Speech Therapists who have worked with Tracy on various occasions in the past. We are really looking forward to their visit, especially since they haven't seen Tracy since the beginning of the summer. Progress, progress, progress! Tiff enjoyed her visit home and we are all glad that she came to see us. She left Sunday evening for New Orleans and made it home safely to Baton Rouge. Nana is working hard in therapy at the rehab hospital. She is getting stronger every day and looking forward to going home soon. Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly

Monday, October 11th, 2004~ Columbus Day!~ Tracy was awake most of Sunday night. Maybe she misses Tiff. Consequently, Mom and Dad were also awake all night too! Monday morning, Jenny and Mom stretched and ranged Tracy bright and early. Then they showered Tracy and got her dressed in her new Abercrombie t-shirt that Tiffany picked out for her. Tracy's middle name is Amber, so the t-shirt reads "Amber: rich and tan." We're not sure about the rich but the tan is very true. Dad was allowed to sleep in a little and then took a ride on his motorcycle. It was a beautiful Indian summer day. We know that the bitter cold will be here soon enough, so we have to take advantage of the warm sunshine before it is gone until next year. This afternoon, Mom, Dad and Tracy took a ride on the Georgetown Pike and saw beautiful horse farms and the beginnings of foliage. As soon as Tracy's wound heals, we would like to take her to a therapeutic riding school. Research shows that riding horses specially trained for therapy (hypotherapy) helps to develop balance, gait rhythm to relearn walking, and stretches the muscles of the hips and inner thighes. Tracy always loved horses, so we are looking forward to giving this a try when she is ready. Later in the evening, Mom and Dad got Tracy prone on the wedge (on her tummy) for 35 minutes. Tracy did a good job holding up her head to the left side while in this position. We would like her to be able to hold her head up to the right side next time. This is much more difficult for Tracy to do, since her spasm allows her to turn her head to the left. Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Yesterday, Mom, Dad, Tiffany and Tracy attended the Tour of Hope on the ellipse, the final destination of the 3,500 cross-country bike tour from LA to DC. Lance Armstrong and the twenty-member team of cancer survivors, researchers, doctors and nurses participated in the 8-day bike tour sponsored by Bristol-Meyers Squibb to raise public awareness for cancer clinical research. We all met Gloria and her daughters Samantha and Katherine down at the ellipse and waited for Lance Armstrong and the 20 member team to arrive for the grand finale. It was awesome to see them ride through the crowd and approach the stage. Mom was so excited that she got to see her number one hero (other than Tracy) ride in. This was especially moving since Papa John lost his life to lung cancer in 1990. It was a classic Indian Summer day, with traces of color beginning to show in the trees that outline the White House! Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom and Liz will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spends some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also uses e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. Tracy's facial muscles really respond well to the e-stim. Tiff enjoyed her visit home and we are all glad that she came to see us. She left Sunday evening for New Orleans and made it home safely to Baton Rouge. Nana was transferred to the rehab hospital Thursday and has begun three hours a day of intensive physical therapy. It knocks her out! It's a good thing she received a unit of blood Thursday. The Tour de France is next on her list. She is ready for rehab now and is getting PT just like Tracy! Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Sunday, October 10th, 2004~One Year Since Tracy's Discharge From NRH!~ Tracy slept well last night after her massage with Emil. Sunday morning, Mom and Dad bathed and dressed Tracy and they were off to 12:00 noon Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes in Arlington. After Mass, Mom, Dad, and Tracy went to Pentagon Row and had a latte and scone from Starbuck's. It was a beautiful, fall day and they all enjoyed basquing in the warm sunshine. This afternoon, Morgan and her Mom came over so that Morgan could read to Tracy. She is half-way through the book, Holes. We really appreciate their coming to be with Tracy. Especially since Tracy loves to be read to, and hearing the words helps Tracy to redevelop her speech. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Yesterday, Mom, Dad, Tiffany and Tracy attended the Tour of Hope on the ellipse, the final destination of the 3,500 cross-country bike tour from LA to DC. Lance Armstrong and the twenty-member team of cancer survivors, researchers, doctors and nurses participated in the 8-day bike tour sponsored by Bristol-Meyers Squibb to raise public awareness for cancer clinical research. We all met Gloria and her daughters Samantha and Katherine down at the ellipse and waited for Lance Armstrong and the 20 member team to arrive for the grand finale. It was awesome to see them ride through the crowd and approach the stage. Mom was so excited that she got to see her number one hero (other than Tracy) ride in. This was especially moving since Papa John lost his life to lung cancer in 1990. It was a classic Indian Summer day, with traces of color beginning to show in the trees that outline the White House! Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom and Liz will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spends some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also uses e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. Tracy's facial muscles really respond well to the e-stim. Tiff enjoyed her visit home and we are all glad that she came to see us. She left Sunday evening for New Orleans. Nana was transferred to the rehab hospital Thursday and has begun three hours a day of intensive physical therapy. It knocks her out! It's a good thing she received a unit of blood Thursday. The Tour de France is next on her list. She is ready for rehab now and is getting PT just like Tracy! Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Saturday, October 9th, 2004~ Tracy was up off and on last night. Saturday is Tracy's day off from therapy. Mom and Dad stretched and ranged Tracy's extremities bright and early this morning. Then Mom, Dad, Tiffany and Tracy hopped in the van and headed to the Tour of Hope downtown on the ellipse in front of the White House. This is Lance Armstrong and Bristol Meyers Squibb's annual 8 day cross-country bike tour from LA to DC to raise public awareness for cancer clinical research. We all met Gloria and her daughters Samantha and Katherine down at the ellipse and waited for Lance Armstrong and the 20 member team to arrive for the grand finale. It was awesome to see them ride through the crowd and approach the stage. Mom was so excited that she got to see her number one hero (other than Tracy) ride in. This was especially moving since Papa John lost his life to lung cancer in 1990. It was a classic Indian Summer day, with traces of color beginning to show in the trees that outline the White House! Later in the afternoon, Tracy rested while Dad watched college football and Mom and Tiff checked out some of the Columbus Day sales at the Mall. This evening, Emil came to give Tracy a much needed massage. She relaxed and hopefully will sleep better tonight. Tracy loves to be read to. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom and Liz will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spent some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also used e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. Tracy's facial muscles really responded well to the e-stim. Tiff is enjoying her visit home and we are all glad that she is here! Nana was transferred to the rehab hospital Thursday and has begun three hours a day of intensive physical therapy. She is feeling much better since she received a unit of blood Thursday. She is ready for rehab now and is getting PT just like Tracy! Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Friday, October 8th, 2004~ Tracy had another good night's sleep. Today was Tracy's busy day. She has both Occupational and Physical Therapies today! It was a good thing she relaxed yesterday! Mom and Jenny stretched and ranged Tracy's extremities bright and early this morning. Then Becky, Tracy's OT, came around 10:15 AM. She had a surprise for Trace! She brought her dog, Ginger, an adorable shelty collie. Tracy enjoyed seeing Ginger and Becky helped her pet her fur with her hand. Becky did some trunk stretches in side-lying on the mat and then got Tracy sitting on the edge of her mat. She used her gel wheel chair cushion for support and Tracy's was able to tolerate this position for the remainder of the session. Becky helped Tracy stretch her arms around a balance ball. Her arms were very relaxed. Later in the afternoon, Julie, Tracy's Physical Therapist, came to work with her. Mom, Jenny and Julie decided that it was too nice to stay inside, so thye took Tracy outside for therapy. Outside, Julie worked with Tracy in her wheelchair. She took all of the seatbelts and harnesses off Tracy so she could slide her forward in the chair, and then had her weight bear through her feet and legs by lifting her hips out of the chair. Tracy seemed to like this alot! Julie then had Tracy hug the ball and rotated her trunk to the right and left so she could right herself working on balance and vestibular control. Tracy did a good job trying to track the ball while rotating left and right. Tracy loves to be read to. If you know of anyone who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom and Liz will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spent some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also used e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. Tracy's facial muscles really responded well to the e-stim. Tiff is enjoying her visit home and we are all glad that she is here! Nana was transferred to the rehab hospital yesterday and has begun intensive physical therapy. She is feeling much better since she received a unit of blood yesterday. She is ready for rehab now and is getting PT just like Tracy! Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Thursday, October 7th, 2004~ Tracy slept well again last night. Thursday is Tracy's day off from therapy. Tracy needed a day to just relax and catch up and this was it! Thursday morning, Mom and Jenny stretched, ranged, and showered Tracy and got her ready for her doctor's appointment with the plastic surgeon, Dr. Buescher. Tracy rested most of the morning in her bed recovering from a hard week of therapy. Tiffany worked on her papers for school. We are really enjoying having her home with us! Tracy seems glad to see Tiffany too. This afternoon, Dad and Mom took Tracy to National Naval Medical Center. Dr. Buescher checked Tracy's wound and was very pleased with its progress. She said that the wound vac is really working to close Tracy's wound. She said that it would be OK for Tracy to work with a standing frame as long as we adequately padded the equipment to eliminate any pressure on her ischial tuberosity (butt bone). This is good news! Dr. Chandler also saw Tracy and discussed the next step to work on getting her feet straight. Dr. Pennington, Tracy's dermatologist, prescribed some antibiotics for Tracy's rash on her back and shoulders. Mary-Jeanne', Cade and Cookie visited with us today at NNMC. It was so good to see them. We hadn't seen them since Naples in 2003! Tomorrow, Trace will have both Occupational and Physical Therapies. If you know of anyone else who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom and Liz will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spent some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also used e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. Tracy's facial muscles really responded well to the e-stim. Nana was transferred to the rehab hospital today for 5 days of intensive physical therapy. She is feeling much better since she received a unit of blood today. She is ready for rehab now and is getting PT just like Tracy! Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly.

Wednesday, October 6th, 2004~ Tracy had another good night's sleep Tuesday night. Wednesday morning, Mom and Jenny stretched, ranged, and bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Becky, Tracy's Occupational Therapist came around 10:15 AM to work with Tracy. Jenny and Mom got Tracy transferred onto the mat in the Therapy Nook. Becky stretched Tracy in side-lying and then sat her up on the edge of the mat on her wheel chair gel cushion. Tracy sat up for almost 45 minutes! While seated, Becky stretched Tracy's left arm and helped her pat the little furry kitty (stuffed but it looks real) that Aunt Cheryl gave her. Tracy was a little sleepy but she participated somewhat. Again, Becky seemed pleased with Tracy's trunk support. Tiffany arrived this afternoon from Baton Rouge. We are all so glad to have her home. Tracy seemed glad to see Tiffany too. Liz came over to visit us. It is always great to see her! During Physical Therapy, Julie, Mom, and Jenny got Tracy prone on the large exercise ball and then got her into a high kneeling position. They put a smaller ball on top of the large one to get her up into a higher kneeling position. Tracy loved being upright and putting weight through her hips, knees and legs. Julie was really pleased with Tracy's trunk strength. Mom, Millie (Tracy's case manager) and Julie (Tracy's Physical Therapist) are working on getting Tracy a tilt table for home. Then, Julie can get Tracy vertical with the goal of progressing to a standing frame. The standing frame would help support Tracy into a standing position. When we are able to get Tracy standing, Mom will be the happiest mother in the world! If you know of anyone else who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom and Liz will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spent some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also used e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. Tracy's facial muscles really responded well to the e-stim. Nana is recovering from her second total knee replacement surgery on October 4th. She is getting PT just like Tracy! Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly. We are so glad that God only gave us all two knees!

Tuesday, October 5th, 2004~ Tracy had a good night's sleep again Monday night. Tuesday morning, Mom and Jenny stretched, ranged, and bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Becky, Tracy's Occupational Therapist came around 10:15 AM to work with Tracy. Jenny and Mom got Tracy transferred on the mat in the Therapy Nook. Becky stretched Tracy in side-lying and then sat her up on the edge of the mat on her wheel chair gel cushion. Tracy sat up for almost 45 minutes! While seated, Tracy stretched her arms around a mid-size therapy ball. Becky was pleased with Tracy's trunk support. She had to provide minimal support, Tracy was sitting up almost on her own. Her trunk is definitely getting stronger. She demonstrated good head control as well. Liz came over and brought more educational materials and supplies and everyone went to work. Jenny was a huge help, laminating all of the pictures for the display boards. Liz mounted velcro on all of the plastic sheet protectors and made a card slot display board for picture cards and their respective word labels. Mom, Millie (Tracy's case manager) and Julie (Tracy's Physical Therapist) are working on getting Tracy a tilt table for home. Then, Julie can get Tracy vertical with the goal of progressing to a standing frame. The standing frame would help support Tracy into a standing position. When we are able to get Tracy standing, Mom will be the happiest mother in the world! Monday afternoon, Gloria and her two beautiful daughers, Samantha and Katherine, came over to visit. The girls put on the Disney Sing Along videos that Morgan loaned to Tracy and sang for Tracy. Tracy really loves having kids visit. If you know of anyone else who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call.Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom and Liz will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spent some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also used e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. Tracy's facial muscles really responded well to the e-stim. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Tiffany is planning a visit home to Crystal City next week from October 6 to the 10th. We can't wait to see her! Nana had her other knee replaced today and is already sitting up eating dinner! Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly. We are so glad that God only gave us all two knees!

Monday, October 4th, 2004~ Tracy slept much better Sunday night! Monday morning, Mom and Jenny stretched, ranged, and showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Jenny is feeling much better, thank goodness! Liz returned fromher trip to London and we are sure glad to see her. She brought us some black currant tea and some English tea biscuits so we can have tea at 3! She is such an angel! Gloria came over too with her beautiful daughters Samantha and Katherine. Liz brought lots of school supplies and the girls embarked on a audiovisual project! They made large colorful cards with Charlie Brown and Snoopy to use with Tracy's speech sessions. They did an awesome job! This afternoon, Julie, Tracy's Physical Therapist, came over to work with Tracy. Mom, Liz, and Julie got Tracy seated on the edge of the mat (on her wheelchair gel cushion to add a little height) and helped her put weight through her legs and feet. They are working on getting her a tilt table for home. Then, Julie can get Tracy vertical with the goal of progressing to a standing frame. The standing frame would help support Tracy into a standing position. When we are able to get Tracy standing, Mom will be the happiest mother in the world! Sunday afternoon, our friend, Morgan, came over to read some more from the book Holes. We are all looking forward to Morgan and her mom, Laurie, returning next Sunday. Maybe she will be able to finish the book and also sing some more for Tracy. Morgan has such a beautiful voice. We really appreciate their visits. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom and Liz will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spent some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also used e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. Tracy's facial muscles really responded well to the e-stim. If you know of anyone else who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Tiffany is planning a visit home to Crystal City next week from October 6 to the 10th. We can't wait to see her! Nana had her other knee replaced today and is already sitting up eating dinner! Please say a prayer that this recovery goes smoothly. We are so glad that God only gave us all two knees!

Sunday, October 3rd, 2004~ Tracy was up a lot throughout Saturday night. Sunday morning, everyone slept in. We really needed it. Then Mom and Dad got Tracy bathed and dressed and in the van. The three of them tried to make it to a new church in Georgetown. They were too late so they opted to say some prayers and walked along the Potomac in Georgetown. It was a beautiful Fall day with plenty of sunshine. It felt good to be outside for a change. Mom gets outdoors about three times a week. You know how much she loves the outdoors so she is very content to be outside whenever possible. When we returned from our mini-trip, Morgan and her mom, Laurie, came by to visit. Morgan read Tracy some more of the book Holes. Mom listened too. Morgan also has the voice of an angel. She sang two songs to Tracy: the theme from The Titanic and Leaving on a Jet Plane. Both songs are Tracy's favorites and Mom almost cried. She's an old softie. We are all looking forward to Morgan and Laurie returning next Sunday. Maybe she will be able to finish the book. We really appreciate their visits. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spent some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also used e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. If you know of anyone else who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Tiffany is planning a visit home to Crystal City next week from October 6 to the 10th. We can't wait to see her! Please say a prayer for Nana. She is going into the hospital again on October 4th to have her other knee replaced. This must be why God only gave us two knees!

Saturday, October 2nd, 2004~Tracy slept really well lst night. She must have been tired from her busy week. Saturday morning, Dad had to work so Mom got Tracy bathed and dressed. When Dad got home, Mom and Dad got Trace up in her wheel chair to watch the LSU Tigers vs. Georgia Bull Dawgs! What a game. We hope the Tigers get it together before the end of the season. During the game, Mom and Dad got Tracy on the mat and sat her on the edge using the new donut pillow contraption. Tracy sat up with assistance for 30 minutes. While in a seated position, Mom positioned an exercise ball in Tracy arms. While Tracy hugged the ball, Mom rotated Tracy trunk to the left and right. Dad sat behind Tracy to give her some additional trunk support. Tracy did a good job holding her head up. Then Mom took Tracy's arms up over her head while she continued to hug the ball. What a great stretch! Mom rocked Tracy side to side to encourage Tracy to right herself in space. Mom and Dad changed Tracy's dressing this evening and it is about half the original size! It looks really good and is healing well. We go back to see the plastic surgeon at National Naval Medical Center this Thursday, October 7th. We think she will be very pleased with Tracy's progress. Good news! We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spent some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also used e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. If you know of anyone else who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Tiffany is planning a visit home to Crystal City next week from October 6 to the 10th. We can't wait to see her! Please say a prayer for Nana. She is going into the hospital again on October 4th to have her other knee replaced. This must be why God only gave us two knees!

Friday, October 1st, 2004 ~ Wow! Fall Is Here! Tracy slept well until about 5:00 AM! Friday morning, Mom and Jenny ranged, stretched, and bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Jenny has a slight cold, so Mom made sure that she was well equipped with mask, antibacterial hand sanitizer, and good hand washing strategy. It must be the Nurse in Mom! (She also made Jenny gargle with warm water and salt and gave her plenty of Halls and Advil Cold and Flu, nondroswy formula of course. We hope she feels better soon. Looks like we will have to get our Flu shots when they are available! This morning, Tracy had Occupational Therapy with Becky. (Did I mention that Becky is really awesome and Tracy loves her!) Becky had Tracy sit on the edge of the mat and practice holding her head up. Trace did a good job with head control. Then Becky helped position Tracy's arms around an exercise ball. Tracy was a little tight today so that took some stretching to get her to extend her arms around the ball. Becky rocked Tracy side to side and Tracy had to right herself. This is a vestibular exercise which teaches Tracy to determine where her body is in space and then correct appropriately. Tracy did correct herself a little but still needs more practice. She needs to be able to pull herself back up when Becky leans her forward (and vice versa) and this takes not only proprioception (awareness of her body in space) but also control of her abdominal and back muscles. Tracy was really working hard. Later in the day, Julie, Tracy's Physical Therapist, (who is also awesome) had Tracy sit on the edge of the mat again. This time, Mom and Jenny made a donut pillow for Tracy to sit on to prevent pressure on her sore by taping together two neck support pillows (like the ones you buy to take on the long, overseas flights). She was able to tolerate over 20 minutes of sitting with this new contraption. Julie worked some more with vestibular control (balance that includes the inner ear, etc.). Today must be Vestibular Friday! Julie also had Tracy hug her arms around a large ball and worked with her to right her head when she rolled the ball (with Tracy's chin on it) to the left and right. Tracy was a little sleepy but she did participate some. She also got a little nauseous, but was able to overcome it. This is so much better than when she was in the hospital in Miami. Our girl is getting better! Julie, then had Tracy practice rolling to the left and right. We have to practice this more over the weekend. We found a Speech Therapist who is willing to work with Tracy. She is away in South America for three weeks, but will be ready to work with Tracy when she returns. Until then, Mom will be doing her speech therapy! Mom spent some time massaging Tracy's facial muscles (Beckman Exercises) and also used e-stim on the muscles that control her lips and cheeks. If you know of anyone else who lives close by and would like to visit Tracy and read to her, we would really appreciate it. Just give us a call. We can be reached at 703-628-5588. Good news! Tracy's wound is really healing well. Every 48 hours when Mom and Dad change the dressing there is marked improvement. We will continue to be patient. Tiffany is planning a visit home to Crystal City next week from October 6 to the 10th. We can't wait to see her! Please say a prayer for Nana. She is going into the hospital again on October 4th to have her other knee replaced.