News from Dr.Guthrie

Spoke with mom and Matt this morning, it was actually Sunday night in Alberta. Matt talked to Dr. Guthrie last week and the bladder test showed no abnormalities, which was what we had expected. However Dr. Guthrie reviewed the MRI of Matt's neck and was concerned over the sac or pocket that surrounds his spinal cord where the injury occurred. He feels it may be impinging on the spinal cord and causing some pressure, which could have a correlation why Matt has regressed with movement and the spasms. By now the spasms should have subsided and be almost non-existent. And the bridging and standing should be going better not worse. Matt is scheduled to have another MRI Jan. 7th and they will see if it is getting worse or staying the same. Matt will then have to decide if another surgery is the best option, however he is very concerned about having the ventilator in again and battling the same problems as before. I can't say I blame him for that. Such traumatic experience (and painful)is difficult to put behind you. Please pray that God will direct Matt in what decision to make, as it will be his alone. We may all think we know what is best, but only He can predict the future.
They went shopping now that school is closed and got all their Christmas shopping done. The weather has turned almost balmy, up to -3 the other day. Thank goodness for them. Hope everyone else is doing some last minute shopping and getting down to the celebration of Jesus' birthday. The girls are so excited about Christmas, however it isn't quite the same. Even though I don't like the cold, I will always consider a white Christmas the best.

Sunny South Africa

Well we made it and it actually went well. Shaunie loved being in the plane and didn't experience any trouble with her ears, which I was quite worried. I gave her Dimetapp and Tylenol with a decongestant before hand and seemed to work well. We are now in Arch Rock near Plettenburg Bay on the Garden Route and it has been fascinating for the girls to watch the dolphins play in the surf, which we can see from our balcony. I had trouble sleeping the first few nights because the surf sounds like a blizzard storm. We chatted with Matt and mom on Skype the other night (day for us) and we had the video so they could see the scenery. All was quite on their end and I asked if they were still there. Matt's voice came up saying quietly "I hate you". I do believe the -35 without the wind was causing him to be a little bitter. Bitterly cold that is! It seems since we left, everything is acting up. Within a few days the furnace quit and the satellite downstairs is not working. The snow keeps blowing and dad is having a hard time keeping up with the snow removal. I think they are definitely wishing they were here.
We have been having a great time, however having some problems with Shaunie. 2 really bad days in a row. I think the change of diet, lack of routine and missing her house are a few of the problems. Let us just say, our trip to Monkeyland to see the monkeys in their natural habitat was not the best thing for her to do. So we may try some medications, just to see if it helps.
Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. Hopefully I will be able to get to another place with Internet access and update some more.

Winter Storm

Well, Alberta is sending us to sunny South Africa with a major winter storm. Just so we don't miss it too much. No only is visibility almost nil, it is bringing in a cold front with a high of minus -20. Don't laugh, people from Saskatchewan, I am sure you will get it next!
I have packed,re-packed, packed that now I don't know what I am taking! John of course has not packed a thing, he hasn't bought the Christmas presents he was supposed to. Shaunie knows something is going on. She is not sleeping at night again, very teary and emotional over everything (she forgot her bunny at school, what a commotion that was, grandma had to go and get it after she was done school). I think she believes we are going to leave her here and go without her. She worries when we are not at home, especially if all 3 of us are gone and she is only home with Grandma and Matt.
Matt seems to have perked up a bit, now that his acne is improving. Don't get me wrong, it still isn't great but at least he can lay on the floor again and do his exercises. Starting to again do his standing exercises everyday, trying to get some strength back. One step forward, 2 steps back.
I realize for the umpteenth time what a funny guy he is. John and I were up quite late trying to find some papers we needed for South Africa and we had to go downstairs into mom and Matt's "house". Matt's bed is in the breakfast nook with 4 windows surrounding him (with no blinds either). He is sitting with the head of his bed up and reading a book. John was teasing him about being on display for all the neighbors to see and Matt quite politely said "Excuse me, but you are in my bedroom". It was actually quite funny. It did it so quick and so matter of fact. Even John commented about what a great spirit he has for the situation he is in. I will sure miss going downstairs and seeing him sitting there. It will be very different when we get back. They are taking half of our furniture so the house will really seem empty!

Post Losing Depression

I think I am safe to say most of Saskatchewan is seeking counselling after the horrendous way we lost in the football game yesterday. Matt and mom travelled to Calgary for a Grey Cup house party and we stayed at home. I could hardly watch the last few minutes and when the flag was thrown after the kick, I knew we were in big trouble. Jonmarie cried and wrote it in her diary as the worst day she has ever had. i phoned Matt immediately and he just answered "I don't want to talk about it".
Just an update, Matt's acne is improving slightly and since decreasing the Accutane his spasms are not as bad and his movement is again improving, though it is not what it was before (June 2009). He stills has difficulty bridging, or lifting his bum up while laying on the floor or the bed. Still getting dizzy when standing in the standing frame. But the saga continues and we must keep looking forward and upwards.

Trip to Edmonton

Well, thank goodness the Riders pulled it off and are off to the Grey Cup Finals on Sunday. Mom and Matt are going to Calgary where Roland and his wife are having a Grey cup party at their house and Matt can get into his walkout basement. We are going to be at home packing and re-packing. John and Shaunie are both sick again and I seriously pray they will be better before Dec. 6th!
Matt and mom travelled to Calgary last weekend to watch the kids while Jacki played volleyball. If anyone wants to see a cute 6 month old giggle, check out facebook and add Jacki as a friend. Anthony was so funny!
Yesterday was John's birthday so we celebrated with some very good friends over supper. Jacki had come with the kids yesterday as well. Her house is being slightly renovated, with some new windows and doors. Already Gary said he could feel a difference in the heat retention. In the long run it will save on fuel bills. So Jonmarie was okay with not being with us on her daddy's birthday, as she had a great time with her cousins.
Matt and I had to travel to Edmonton today for his urodynamics test. It sounds exciting, but it was no walk in the park. They were testing to see what Matt's bladder looks like and if when he feels full, if any of the urine leaks back up into the kidneys, which can cause all sorts of problems. It took about an hour and was uncomfortable for Matt at times, however he is always such a trooper. They were very pleasant ladies and the time went by quickly (at least for me it did!). Then we charged back home to get there before dark. It was raining quite hard and I didn't want to stick around to see it turn to ice. It stopped by the time we hit Ponoka.
Mom and Matt looked at a house to rent that was all wheelchair accessible. The fellow who built it had a cement ramp put in on the front and the hallway is very wide and the doors are extra wide as well. Very clean and had 4 bedrooms. They have to wait and see if they are approved. It think Matt would love to have a room of his own for once in a year! And each room has a phone jack, TV hook-up, and Internet hook-up. The bathroom is big enough that if they purchase a special sliding shower chair, he should be able to shower at home instead of driving to Innisfail twice a week. So pray that it goes through. It would be nice to have our basement back, but Jonmarie and Shaunie would sure miss not having them here. So would I.

I Was Right

I knew that he would be like John with his new phone. I took him to the mall to get his IPhone and I haven't been able to speak to him since! Except when we were in the van and I got a phone call from an unknown caller and it was Matt phoning from the back of the van! John and him are like to kids in a candy store, comparing their phones and discussing their Gb's(gigabytes), Matt has 16 and John only has 8! They do have the same covering on the outside. Right now they are downloading the weather channel onto his phone. I haven't seen Matt so excited since he bought Esmeralda, the van. Just thought I would share this with you!
We had to drop off Shaunie at school, which I do almost everyday. I was so excited because Airene has been working with her everyday and she wrote her name without a visual to help. She has really come along since the summer and we even waited in line for a Santa Claus picture without a complete meltdown. Thank goodness, since we leave for South Africa in less than 2 weeks. Since it was Wednesday we went for wings, great time as usual. The waitress doesn't even come to the table to ask our orders, she knows it off by heart! We are very boring and always order the same thing.

Still No Snow

Well. so much for putting winter tires on Matt's van. There has been no snow and the weather has again turned unseasonal warm. +11 degrees for the last few days, but the wind has been very strong. A 50 foot pole in Calgary blew over and smashed two cars.
But let me regress. Matt had a great time at home. The Biros came to visit. Matt was able to see Kristen and Cody's little guy Lane, and Denita and her kids also came over. Aunty Sandy was going to come but they were still combining so important to get that crop off before the snow falls. Matt loved beating Ted and Dad in crib when they went uptown. Matt was partners with Marvin Burley. Cecelia, mom and Matt played Racko, dice, dominoes at night. You name it they played. Mom even went to work at the nursing home for one day. Hopefully mom and Matt are going home for New Year's, so will be great to see the people coming home for the holidays. I am sure he will love to go watch a few hockey games. On the way back to Red Deer, they stopped in Saskatoon to pick up Alex and bring her to Lacombe to visit with her granddaughter.
Matt has again fallen back on his routine. Matt has been feeling under the weather and had seen Dr. Myburgh before leaving for Sask. and took Tamiflu and antibiotics which did help. His spasms have improved since decreasing the Accutane dose. His left shoulder is giving him trouble again and went for a massage which gives short term relief. Unfortunately because of his acne he never lays on his back at night so only lays on one side which is the left. Dr. Guthrie's office phoned to make an appt for Matt to see a specialist in Edmonton about his bladder. The appt is on a Thursday and Matt is so excited that I will be driving and not mom! I hope I can live up to his expectations. Tomorrow we are heading to Bower Mall to get the Iphone from Bell. They said it is the easiest phone for someone with one hand to use, and we will also get a blue tooth. I hope he is not like John and constantly be surfing the net with it! I end up talking to the side of his head.

Made it Safe and Sound

Just wanted to write an update on the whereabouts of the three musketeers. They made it safe anyway. After 10 hours of driving I am not sure about the "sound" part. Matt, mom and Cecilia arrived in Weekes at 1230 am and didn't get to bed until after 3 am. So Sunday they were too tired to do much of anything. Just before leaving we had put winter tires on Matt's van in case Sask had snow, however mom said the roads were clear the whole way.
The girls are missing grandma and Uncle Matt already. I had to drive Jonmarie to school today and she was very quiet in the back. When I asked her what was wrong, she said I don't talk as much as Grandma! And Shaunie keeps going down the stairs and asking "Where Grandma, where Uncle Matt?" So enjoy your stay in Weekes, because you have two little girls waiting!

No snow yet

I heard that parts of Sask are getting snow but thankfully any that we did have has now melted. We have been having plus temp conditions for the last few weeks, cold at night and then warms up. It is supposed to be in the low teens by the weekend.
Halloween was very exciting for the kids (Matt included). I made him dress as Zorro with a hat and cape, then drew black around his eyes to look like a mask. Shaunie was dressed as Pocohontas and Jonmarie like a witch. We decided to just go to the neighbors and Shaunie rode on Uncle Matt's lap. However by the 2nd house we were freezing, wind was bitterly cold so Matt decided to go back and we soon joined him, picking up the van and continuing on with the heat blasting! Shaunie soon had enough and wanted to go watch movies with Uncle Matt and Jonmarie and I went to meet with some of her friends in town. Unfortunately it started to rain and kept raining the whole time. Sunday morning Jonmarie had a roaring temp and I was sick as well. But we did get some great treats! The things parents do for their kids!
After Matt met with Dr. Guthrie in Edmonton, at his suggestion we are decreasing the one antispasmotic med and for the first few days, Matt was like a heavy weight. He couldn't do anything, not even spasm. We also decreased the Accutane and are trying more topical meds. So Matt was a bit worried about decreased mobility but I just said hang in there to see what will happen. Already he can move much better than he could a month ago and his spasms are more controlled then they were so that is a real blessing. Last night mom had taken the leg rests on the wheelchair off and she was sitting in front and he almost kicked her right in the head! Purely accidental, he said, while laughing. She had been teasing him about his shoes, which still look brand new after 2 1/2 years and that is one place where we have saved money! Just a little quad humor. Most of those jokes Matt comes up with himself. I think he was just jealous mom came up with it first!
Mom and Matt are getting ready to go to Weekes for one week and please, if you are in the area pop in! Matt is dying to see some friends and familiar faces. Mom is looking forward to seeing Aunty Sandy and also having dad take on night duty so she can finally sleep through the night! I doubt if she will but there is at least that option available.
Please pray for a safe journey. I am going to get winter tires put on the van just in case. The ones he has on the van now are terrible wants it gets a bit icy.

A Long Day

Mom, Matt and Cecilia finally arrived home just before 7 pm. I was starting to get worried because I knew the meeting ended at 1 pm. The story was as follows:
After arriving in Edmonton Tuesday night, the hotel had switched the room to wheelchair accessible which you think would have been great, however there was only one bed with a huge washroom (which Matt doesn't use anyway). It was so crowded when they added the cot, they needed to move all the furniture just so Matt could get in the door. There was no menu's in the room and they were unable to access the dining room because it was not wheelchair accessible (Mom didn't see the extra tiny step and fell sprawling to the floor and hurt her arm. In response the hostess said "didn't you see the sign about watch your step", very unfriendly). They had to order out for food. Next morning they wanted to get to the meeting early so tried to leave in plenty of time. However what van is quite long and unfortunately the hotel opens up parking to the city residents at 7 am. They would not allow mom to back out because it took some manoeuvring to get around the person parked behind her (where there was a no Parking sign). 20 mins after trying to get out mom finally succeeded. So they arrived late for the meeting, which isn't a great start to the day.
In half hour increments, they meet a different specialty.
1) Physio: was excellent and had great tips on strengthening exercises for shoulders and arms. Encouraged Matt to go to a private physiotherapist who specializes in spinal cord injuries. The Alberta gov't will pay for the initial assessment and 5 subsequent visits. He told Matt to go online about research projects that take place all the time and get his name in for clinical trials. One of interest is implanting a stim machine in his left arm to get it to move.
2) Recreational therapist: told Matt he must go to school, move to a bigger facility such as Calgary or Edmonton. A social network is vital and was quite concerned that Matt didn't have any friends outside of his family coming to see him on a regular basis. Explained that Matt needs to talk with people who are in a similar circumstance. Apparently Edmonton has a huge contigent of quads who meet on a regular basis.
3) Psychologist: was concerned that Matt still has flashbacks. Not of the accident but of the time spent in ICU, being on the ventilator and the nightmares associated with possible future admission to the hospital for any reason. Suggested seeing a psychiatrist and going through hypnosis and acupuncture.
4) Social worker: wondered why Matt wasn't a member of the Canadian Paraplegic Society, which should have been done as soon as he was out of ICU. They will forward Matt's name and they will contact Matt in the near future.
5) Occupational therapist: was fantastic. You could tell she had been dealing with quads, para for a long time. Was very excited to see movement in the left arm and hand and thought with the possible implanting of a stim machine and certain intense exercises, Matt still may get some use out of the Lt arm.
6) RN: discussed the importance of self-catheterizations so Matt can be more independent.
7) Dr. Guthrie: John had told us before that Dr. Guthrie did not really want to see Matt at all, so John had told mom and Matt not to mention much about wanting to walk at the present time and focus on 2 main goals. 1) Needs mobility in left hand and 2) wants to be independent as possible. One way for Matt ot get some independence is to take his driver's exam. Dr. Guthrie said 100% that was a must and will look into organizing this in about 6 months time. Matt was very excited about this prospect as he told me he will never again drive with mom in the city!! (I will explain later). Dr. Guthrie does not think Matt should try to be in a manual chair as it will cause long term difficulties with his shoulders and neck. Discussed medications. At current, Matt is on 2 antispasmodics and the one is very hard on the liver, as is the Accutane. Very important to get liver functions every 3 months and possible decreasing the use of the harmful antispasmodic and increasing the dosage of the other one to compensate. However he was very concerned that Matt's spasms are getting worse, not better which is not typical. Matt should be be experiencing very little spasms 2 years after injury. Unfortunately the MRI wasn't sent and Dr. Guthrie would like to see if the pocket that is currently around the spinal cord, which may be empty or just filled with some remnants from the bleeding that occurred after the accident, is not filled with spinal fluid. So Matt may have to see a neurosurgeon once Dr. Guthrie sees the MRI. Dr. Gutrhie stated there was very little chance that Matt will get into Glenrose as an inpatient, however there is a possibility of seeing Matt on an outpatient basis once to twice a week. Matt stated what he needs is someone to show him how to be independent, seeing someone living on their own with some assistance of course, having someone to show him how they get dressed, how they self-cath, get on the bus, etc instead of just telling how to do it. Visual learner.
So now, the team will meet and discuss everything and come up with a plan. They will let Matt and mom know in less than 2 weeks.
So overall it was a great experience, with so much vital information given. But it was a very long day and they decided to go to Earl's at West Edmonton Mall with Auntie Ardis and Uncle Ken. Big thanks for the meal, Uncle Ken. They said it ws fantastic! Get some rest Auntie (long day for her as well).
So they didn't leave the mall until 3;30 and let us just say briefly, most people can exit Edmonton within 1/2 hour. It took mom more than 1 and 1/2 hours with 2 wrong turns and getting to see areas of Edmonton they wouldn't usually see! I remember driving with mom while having just my learners and Matt will need hypnosis just for the driving with mom flashbacks! Matt said he is suffering from whiplash from few major bumps mom forgot to slow down for and also forgetting to strap him into the van! 3 very exhausted individuals when they entered the house last evening.Thanks for all the prayers that I know were being sent and next time let's pray for their save arrival and return! Nothing is impossilbe with God, even mom's driving!

Meeting Today

Just a quick note to ask for prayers for Matt's meeting today. Mom, Cecilia and Matt left for Edmonton last night and stayed in a motel. They had to be at Glenrose by 7:45 this morning. Mom had forgotten her cell phone at Jacki's last week so we have no way to contact her. Please pray that whatever happens, we will continue to trust in the Lord and he will continue to provide for Matt's wellbeing, even if the meeting isn't successful. He is the Great Physician who knows exactly what Matt needs at all times, even when we don't. We tend to want to fix everything ourselves and only leave the difficult things to the Lord, but he says to trust in Him with all our hearts, not just when it is conveient.
Will update tonight about the outcome.

Snow, snow, go away!

Well, the prediction for snow was accurate, now I hope their prediction for +17 weather for the weekend is correct as well. I beleive the leaves are frozen to the trees, becasue they haven't all fallen off yet. We have about an inch of snow on the ground and it is cold! Minus temperatures everyday and Thanksgiving was one of the coldest on record.
I pray everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. We travelled to Calagary for the weekend and we were supposed to have dinner at Lindsay and Nolan's, however they are no longer together so plans then moved to Jacki and Gary's. Jonmarie went up with Uncle Matt and Grandma on Saturday and Shaunie, John and myself went up Sunday afternoon. John first had to stop at Mountain Equipment Co-op for kids' skipants. They make the best skipants ever. Jonmarie gets them first, then Shaunie, Bobby, Amy and I am sure Anthony. That is how durable they are. Easy to look after and very warm.
Jacki made an amazing meal, with the big highlight of homemade lemon meringue pie and 3 layered jellied salad. John and I are planning to go to South Africa in December with the kids (yikes!!) and he insists I take the recipe for Christmas meal! It is his favorite.
Matt has been a bit down and not feeling 100%. The pain in his back is gone but the pain from his acne keeps him awake at nights and during the day he can't sit in his chair properly. We still haven't heard from the dermatologist but hopefully soon. Matt was planning to take a few classes starting in January at the Red Deer College, however until his back clears up that will be put on hold.
Matt's appt for the rehab specialist in Glenrose has been moved up to October 22nd, which we hope the weather improves.

Cooler Weather Approaches

Well, we certainly cannot say anything bad about our fall weather. It has been great except the dry conditions have made the wasps come out in abundance. The other Sunday we were unable to go to church so Jonmarie, Grandma and I put on a skit about Peter in prison. We just finished the "production" and we were doing a question and answer period when Jonmarie was bit by a wasp, even though we were in the wind away from trees or anything. There are literally thousands of them. So since then I cannot get the girls to go outside, even using bribery didn't help!
On Friday while Matt was in the standing frame and I was helping. I asked if he could pick up his right leg and he was able to bend it slightly and move his foot backwards. I then asked if he could move it forward and he was able to take on step. Very exciting until he went to bend forward slightly to reposition himself and all of a sudden, his face turns pale and leans forward at the waist and whispers" let me down". So we quickly got him in the wheelchair again and asked what had happened. Matt had felt a sharp, nauseating pain in his lower back and I was quite worried I had asked too much and muscle had pulled or a disc problem. So on Monday, he only received occupational therapy and not physio. Today Cecilia and I took him to xray to make sure there was nothing significant wrong. The pain has improved and we are hoping it was just temporary.
I forgot to make mention of a visit we had from Shauna, Dale and Jada a few weekends ago. Dale had a meeting in Red Deer and Shauna and I were able to enjoy a relaxing pedicure at the spa. It was great and we had such a good visit. John and I had been invited to a party for 2 couples that had received their Canadian citizenship papers after 10 years. There was a Jeopardy question board about being Canadian and also a karaoke machine. "Great Balls of Fire" had never sounded so good, with Dale on keyboard. Throughout the remainder of the night, everyone was calling Dale "great balls of Fire". Fun times, with pictures to prove it! Thanks for babysitting Grandma!Had the kids in bed by 9 o'clock.
Mom and Matt had went to Calgary this weekend and now the kids and Jacki are coming to visit on Friday. Need to do visiting before the snow flies, which they are predicting for Sunday. Winter clothes..here we come!
Congratulations to all the newlyweds and new babies from the Porcupine/Hudson Bay area. Have to look on facebook to see if there are any pictures.

Sorry about the late blog, I completely forgot! Time flies when the weather is so good. We have been busy with Jonmarie and Shaunie's schooling, Jonmarie is taking swimming and gymnastics and Shaunie is taking Music Together with me so to sit down in front of the computer has not been happening.
Congrats to the newlyweds and a big congrats on the news of Michelle being pregnant with twins! Always great to have new babies in the family.
Matt finally got his new wheels and it is working great! So much more compact then the other one and has 2 big wheels plus four little wheels for stability. Matt is down to having therapy only twice a week now, one with OT and one with PT. However we have an appt to see Dr. Guthrie at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Center November 5th. Matt needs to be there 8 am and it lasts until 12 pm. He will meet with the physio, occupational therapist, psychologist and the physician. They will be doing a functional assessment and will be comparing it to the discharge notes from City Hospital, Parkridge nursing home, and also the therapy he received in Red deer. If they feel he has not improved much than they won't take him as an inpatient or outpatient so prayers that they will find some positive improvement and be able to provide more rehab.
Matt is still on Accutane for his cystic acne, however it is slow going and it sure dries out his skin! He is one big flake!! But we love him anyway.
Well, it is Wednesday and you know what that means,,, wing time. I believe it is my turn to pay so hopefully he will only have one plate and not 3!

New Pictures

I thought I would update some of Matt's blog pictures. Needed some with the Sask. Roughriders.
Therapy continues and we are using a homemade plith board at home. What is it you ask? Dad had taken a small table, cut it down to Matt's sitting height, then had the top padded and covered by an upholstery clinic in town. It isn't very wide but it is easier for Matt to practice his sitting exercises when he has a hard surface, instead of the bed. When he sits in the bed, it is too soft and he keeps falling to the side when trying to lift his arm up while sitting.
We are excited to be getting his new wheelchair within the next week. We should also be getting his specialized tilt commode so we are definitely crammed for space!! Everything has to come in extra large too!
The weather has turned, more like fall weather and my cucumbers were touched by the cold nights. Otherwise everything else in the garden is still okay. Zucchini is finally growing and we can't keep up.
Mom and Matt did go to Calgary last weekend and got to see Nolan and Lindsay's new house. Unfortunately Matt can only get in the one level but still, it is better than nothing. Jacki played ball all weekend and Matt was going to watch her, however it was extremely windy and Matt's skin is very dry due to the Accutane for his acne, so he just stayed with Gary and the kids.
We have a new driver named Darlene to take Matt to therapy and his bath. It sure takes the pressure off me to try and re-arrange my schedule.
We would like to send our best wishes to Denita and her soon to be husband. Matt so wants to come however he wanted to wait until his new chair came, as he is having so much trouble with his current one. I am not sure about Sask, but the weather is supposed to be in the high 20's this weekend. We will send some of it your way.

Awesome Weather!

What great weather we are having. My cucumbers and zucchini squash are finally showing the fruits of my (and dads0 labour and we are again enjoying zucchini soup and cake, and made about 6 jars of pickles. Tomatoes are coming nicely as well. As long as the weather holds up we may even get some corn. Tried a few last night, but still small. Tasted great though.
Matt did meet with Dr. Mclean on Wednesday and had a good chat about therapy and Matt can continue until January and have another reassessment. That was a relief. It not only provides him with therapy but also an outlet for meeting new people. We are looking into some college classes for Matt and he will probably take a small business class Wednesday afternoons. Just have to find time to meet with the student advisory for students with disabilities. It will be a three hour class and Cecilia will have to go with him, as he cannot catheterizes himself yet. Still working on it.
Matt started on Accutane last week and we are hoping that it will work. It inhibits healing so some of the areas on his back are not healing so we have to be super careful of infections.
Mom drove up on Saturday to see Auntie Ardis and also be with Shannon on her birthday. Happy belated Shannon!. Mom took Jonmarie and Shaunie with her as I had to work and Cecila came to watch Matt. After I got home we went to Tony Roma's for supper. We love the wings so much we decided to have them when they are not on special. However the cost was $10 for only 8 wings. On Wednesday they are 10 wings for $3. So I think we will stick to Wednesday Wing night! I didn't mind but if was Matthew's turn to pay!
Sunday was Mom's birthday and Jonmarie made a picnic basket and Shaunie, myself, Jonmarie and Grandma had a nice lunch in the shade. 28 degrees with no wind. Matt was abusy watching wrestling so didn't partake in the festivities. Cecilia's birthday was also on Sunday, so I made zucchini cake for the 2 of them on Monday. It was a lazy day and we had good intentions to go for a trip to town but laziness prevailed and we watched a movie. John was at Jasper with some colleagues walking the Skyline. A weekend for the men to test out their camping gear and get away from work.
Tuesday Jonmarie started back at school. She was happy to be in grade 2 but not keen on actually going to school. Very tired afterwards. Still in summer mode of going to sleep late. Grandma is not too happy about going back either! Grumpy pants in the mornings!
This weekend Mom and Matt are planning to go to Calgary.
Must go. Matt wants to go to Tony Roma's again for cheap wings. thank goodness it is my turn to pay!

Matt had a great therapy session yesterday. He was able to stay sitting up with back straight without any help for a few minutes. It is important that Matt continue to make improvements with his therapy because he is meeting with Dr. McLean, the rehab specialist in Red Deer on Wednesday and she decides if therapy will continue. Friday therapy wasn't very good because Matt was sick. He had been up Thursday night dry heaving and also throwing up, temp 39.6, chills with cold sweats. We are not sure what it was, it could have been a urinary tract infection or something but he is on an antibiotic for his severe acne on his back so there is not much they could give him anyway. Mom was quite tired too because she has to get up with him. Thank goodness she is still on holidays and is not working yet. They were supposed to go and see Nolan and Lindsay's new house in Calgary but they decided to stay home.
Matt began feeling better Saturday evening and by Sunday was his old self. Still spiking a temp occasionally but nothing too severe. We had company for supper and Matt was able to stay upstairs visiting the whole time.
On Thursday Matt seen Dr. Myburgh regarding the severe acne on his back and should be starting on a med to help today. A referral is in to a dermatologist however it could take months before Matt sees anyone. Matt went for bloodwork on Friday prior to his therapy session.
Yesterday after his therapy Mom, Matt, Cecilia, Airene, Jonmarie and Shaunie went to Innisfail for Matt's tub bath. i was working so they wanted to take the girls for a play in the park. Shaunie is doing so much better, not running away as much and her verbal communication is improving as well. They were even able to take her for supper at A&W, which is a big step.
Thanks to everyone who reads the blog and thinks of us here in Red Deer. We are continuing to take one day at a time and be positive, giving our concerns to the Lord. He continues to care for us and provide us with the answers we need.

Rain, rain, rain!!

Well the weekend of the wedding was a wet one. There was a few brief periods where it didn't rain but we still weren't able to have a fire and a good old wiener roast. I think I missed that the most. It was good to see so many of the family and on Friday we all visited in Auntie Karen and Uncle Neil's garage. Matt didn't get to sleep until 4 am and that made for a long Saturday. Jamie's wedding was lovely and it was all in the same place so we didn't need to travel from place to place. It was in the lower level of the Army and Navy building but it had an elevator so Matt could attend. He didn't last long and needed to have a sleep in the van. Gary was out there because Bobby was asleep in their van. So he kept an eye out for Matt. After a short nap he was feeling better and enjoyed visiting and watching teh kids go crazy on the dance floor, or was that the adults!
Sunday we had a birthday party for Jada and Shaunie. It was also dad's birthday too but he did not attend as he stayed in Weekes. There was a pinata, stick the flower on the the picture, a cupcake cake. A great time was had by young and young at heart. Many of the family were heading back to their respective homes but there were a few that stayed until Monday. We had such a late start on Sunday night that Mom and Matt decided to stay one more night and head back today. It was a good idea. By the time we hit Provost it was dusk and their were so many deer out that we often would have to come to a dead stop and then could only travel 70 kms per hour. We didn't get home until 12am.
Mom and Matt are still not here but should be arriving shortly. They had stopped at Parkridge to see if any one could take a look at Matt's wheelchair. It is on it's last legs and unfortunately they will not fix it until it is completely broke down. Then they ship it off for 2-3 weeks to get repaired. That doesn't help much when that is currently Matt's only mode of transportation. They had to miss rehab today but has another appt booked for Wednesday.
Great to see everyone at the wedding/reunion. next year it will be in Shell Lake. Rain, rain go away!

One More Week

Well, the gang has been in Weekes for over a week and are certainly busy. Matt went for wings to the Weekes Hotel on Wednesday with Denita and Kevin. He also goes everyday to the Golden Age for coffee and cards. Auntie Margaret, Terry and Aray came on evening to visit. Yvonne was able to pop over as well. Matt loves to meet up with people and see some familiar faces, however he has noticed that there is a lot of younger ones he doesn't recognize. It is like the song from Gloria I believe it was "You Can't Go Back Home". Everything continues to move forward and you cannot stop the changes going on. I think he is feeling a bit down, missing his old way of life, which happens to all of us.
Bobby is taking swimming lessons this week at the Porcupine pool and mom is going to take Matt so he can motor around town. Hopefully he will be able to meet up with some friends and go for a coffee. He was upset on Sunday because he wasn't able to go to church. He no longer has his manual chair and the entrance has a huge gap that his chair can't get over and with the power chair they were unable to lift him. Oh well, God is everywhere so that isn't the problem. Just some fellowship that goes along with the worship is nice.
Hope to see many of the family at the wedding in Saskatoon this weekend and pray for nice weather!

Back In Weekes

Mom and Matt left yesterday followed behind by Jacki and the kids. They left at 1130 and got to Weekes at 1130 at night. Lots of stops along the way and hit some pretty heavy rain between Melfort and Crooked River. They missed the lovely weather we had last night. It was the strongest wind we have ever experienced since the hail storm 2 years ago. It broke one the trees on the south side of the house and the lightning and thunder was continuous for 2 hours. The rain was perpendicular and was impossible to drive in. The same wind blew through Camrose and caused devastation at the Big Valley Jamboree, killing one person adn injuring 15. Let's just say, we spent the time in the basement just in case.
Hope everyone from Weekes will get a chance to visit with Matt while he is home. He will be there until the 14th of August and then up to Saskatoon for the wedding. They were going to go to church this am but just couldn't get themselves in working form, the kids getting up at 6 am and making for a very short night of sleeping.
Auntie Margaret and Terry came to visit on the Thursday night before Matt and Mom left and we had such a good visit. Terry came into town with me and I picked up portable ramp for Matt, so he could get into Auntie Karen's house and anyone else's. It folds out to 8 feet so works quite well to get into places with a few stairs. It was brand new and cost $800 where they usually cost $1200-1400. Stills seems like alot of money.
Matt will continue to have a bit of therapy with mom and they took the standing frame too. Hopefully he won't lose too much while he is gone.

Heat Wave Continues

Every year at this time, we always consider putting in air conditioning because it gets so hot in the house. But then soon the cold weather will return and we forget about it for another year. But boy is it hot! 31 yesterday and today much of the same. And very little cloud which gives some relief. Matt cannot handle the heat so is enjoying the basement. We all went down to invade his space yesterday so we could enjoy movie night in comfort.
Since dad has left we hired an extra person to help with driving Matt to his therapy and bath during the week. She is a EMT and works on the oilfields but they are having a down time right now and will probably be going back in the winter. But she is very nice and tall which helps with the transferring and when he is in the standing frame. The Alberta government has allocated so much money per month on caregiver services so we are able to provide more relief for mom, who is driving at the moment and trying to watch my girls while I am at work.
Yesterday we noticed that Matt could do something new. While in the standing frame, Matt tries and picks his right foot up but he can only bring it up and move the foot backwards. But now we noticed with alot of concentration he can move his foot slightly forward. The front of his foot still drops and catches on the carpet, but he could actually move it forward. We tried to get him to move his leg slightly outward when he lifts it but his hip muscles are so weak that he just couldn't do it. His endurance continues to get better and even on his off days he still does some therapy.
Jacki brought the kids on Thursday and they really enjoyed being in our little pool. It isn't much but it sure cools them off on the hot days. We also have one of those slip and slides and that was a big hit. Unfortunately the water comes from the well and seeing that it is 250 feet down the water feels like ice water and freezes their little backsides. So the pool feels like a hot tub after that. Matt watched them for awhile and then goes to check out the garden to see if there are any peas to pick. Moles have killed some of the potato plants so may have to get a mole trap. Not sure what else to use to get rid of them.
One more week and Mom, Matt, Jacki and the kids will be in Saskatchewan.

Summer is Here!

We are finally getting some summer weather but not everyone is happy about it. Matt has a hard time with the heat which we noticed yesterday when we went to the Westerner Days in Red Deer and it hit 31 degrees with the humidity. We were not there very long before we went inside the air conditioned building. John's son Kennie is down from New Zealand and Jonmarie and him went on the rides while we looked at the donkey show and met up with Denise Young (sorry Denise, I can't remember your married name at the present). It started to cool off a bit later in the afternoon so we watched Dale, Wade and Evan race in the chuck wagons. It was nice to see some people from home. We actually had a good giggle about how many people Matt knew at the fair. We chatted with one of the girls from the rehabilitation unit and a little while later we talked with one of the home care staff from Innisfail. He knew more people than I did! Everyone had a good time but when we finally got home a 10 pm we were exhausted.
Prior to going to the Westerner Days Matt had therapy at 2pm and she worked him quite hard. I continue to see improvements and one of the things she had Matt do was sit upright on the bed with his feet on the floor and then she lifted the head of the bed up. Matt had to reach with his right hand and run his hand down the head of the bed. It makes him use his arm instead of his shoulder. He has a difficult time using those muscles because they are so weak and tends to overuse his shoulder and neck muscles causing him pain. Then he had to lean on his elbow while it was on the head of the bed and then try to push himself into a sitted position again. The head of the bed was at a 45 degree angle. The therapist had to keep reminding him to use his abdominal muscles by having him push his shoulder blades back so his back was straight. He tends to lean forward and again use his neck muscles. These exercises all help when we transfer him in and out of bed.
We were excited to get a new lift from ADL (activities of daily living) which provides equipment for people with disabilities. The lift can drop down so if Matt is on the floor it will lift him up. So it is easier for one person to do his floor exercises and we don't need 3 people to lift him. We put a sling behind him and then hook it on the lift which is run by power and it lifts him from the chair to the floor and then back again. This new lift also folds down to make for easier transport. So when we travel to Jamie's wedding in August and Matt stays in a motel where the beds do not go up a down like his power bed then the lift will come in handy.
Matt, Cecilia, Kennie and myself went to Tony Roma's on Wednesday afternoon and it was great. They have a special on wings all day so we decided to go at 2pm. No one was there and we got a table right away. I am craving them already!
Dad went home on Tuesday with Quasimodo and said it ran great. The fuel consumption was so much better and we will probably keep it for anyone who needs transportation with a wheelchair accessible van. I phoned him on Friday to tell him he has to come back! I forgot how much work it is to keep a garden and cut all the grass, keep the weeds in check, etc. But the grass in Weekes is so long he might have to get it baled so I will have to suck it up and get working!
Today I am working so mom is in charge of the girls and Matt. The temp is again going to be above 30 degrees so she is making everything outside on the barbecue. Without air conditioning Matt loves to have the basement because that is the coolest place.
Must get back to work. It is slow on a Saturday so it has been non stressful. Good thing once and awhile.

Time Does Fly!

Sorry about such a long delay and hope people don't think we forgot about them but I have been on holidays for the last 2 weeks and just haven't had time to get on the computer. First we were off to Fairmont as soon as Jonmarie was done school and then did a quick turnaround at home to get ready for a camping trip with Shauna and Dale at Gull Lake. Not a great week for camping as it rained and was cold everyday but we still survived and made the best of it.
Matt has been busy. He said the RCMP dog show was fantastic and they did some demonstrations with the puppies first and then the mother of some of the puppies came out to show what she could do. Matt was very impressed and was shocked that each dog after training is worth around $16,000.
Continuing with weekly therapies and Matt had a good session today and then off to his bath in Innisfail. Watched him do some standing exercises and was impressed how much easier it looks to rig him up in his standing frame and how much more trunk control he has.
We have had lots of company lately. Uncle Wince and Auntie Carol from B.C. came to visit and it was so funny to watch him and dad argue and tease each other like they probably did when the were younger. They even came out for the afternoon to the campsite when Jacki brought the kids and Grandma. Matt was unable to come because of the rain.
John's son Kennie from New Zealand arrived at the end of June and Jonmarie is loving having her big brother to do things with. They are always off swimming or playing games and she will really miss him when he goes back at the end of July. Shaunie likes him too but likes to be with her mom and dad.
Matt, mom and dad have made many trips to Calgary and have watched Nolan play ball a few times. Lindsay has been off since injuring her knee ligament and is waiting for possible surgery. Not a happy camper! Matt again is going up this weekend to Calgary and it is great that Jacki and Gary get there house re-organized every time he visits. Nolan and Lindsay have bought a house together and made sure there is an entrance that Matt can get into, even if it is on the lower level it still helps for when he comes to visit.
Good luck with the wedding tomorrow Lanna and wish you both the best. Sorry we couldn't make it down but maybe will see you sometime in August. Dad is going back on Monday or Tuesday and I don't know what I will do without him helping in the garden which has survived and cutting grass. Matt and mom will head to Weekes August long weekend and stay until after Jamie's wedding. Things have been so busy here that Mom says she needs a holiday from her holiday!

Crazy weather

Some days I am not sure if summer is really here or winter/spring/fall is happening. Our garden has taken a hail beating twice and there was enough hail that we could make snowballs! The next day it was so hot we were thinking of setting up the inflatable pool, the following day we had the fireplace going!
Matt continues the slow onward trudge and works out everyday at home, plus physio and OT at the outpatient department. Monday he was unable to finish his rehab, the spasms take over his body and there is not much anyone can do. His body gets so toned you can't bend him. Last week he had a bad morning and had to give him some of Shaunie's ativan(the ones she will never take again!). I only gave him 1 mg and he slept for hours. Still groggy after he woke up but was feeling less anxiety. He doesn't ask for them very often but they sure helps when he needs them.
Matt and dad went on Saturday to watch Nolan play ball in Olds. Nolan's team won 2 games and were supposed to play on Sunday but it was rained out. That was okay. Matt was feeling pretty tired and had a bit of heat stroke, even though he had an umbrella over top and a hat. He reacts more quickly to changes in temp then he ever did so we must be more diligent.
It was great to see Heather on Saturday as she had to work in Red Deer over the weekend and stayed for supper and some wine. It was such a beautiful evening that we sat on the deck until 11 pm watching John's new bug zapper in action. It was a great source of entertainment!
On Wednesday Matt was invited to attend an RCMP dog show in Bowden by a good friend of ours so that should be exciting.
Mom is feeling much better, though she is still tired by the weekend. It will be a nice break in the summer for her to take some time and relax, though I doubt if she will. If she has a free moment she usually finds something else to fill it up with.
Dad is a great garden boy and has put up a snow fence to protect the garden against the deer and kids! We will have to replant the carrots and dill though. When it rained and hailed the plants were too delicate and were washed away. Not sure if the growing season is long enough but we shall see.

Jeff Dunham

Matt, Nolan and Mom went to Edmonton yesterday to see Jeff Dunham, the ventriloquist comedian at Rexall Place. Matt and Nolan said it was hilarious and were really glad they went Couldn't have asked for better weather, 29 degrees. Thanks so much for Auntie Ardis and Uncle Ken who came to meet mom at Rexall Place to take her back to Shannon and Ray's for a visit. While they were gone Jacki brought the 3 munchkins to the house for a visit. Baby Anthony is so good that we went outside with the kids and grandpa stayed in the house to watch Anthony. We were busy doing yard work and got such a kick out of Bobby. He should be on the farm. He wanted to "dig something" so I told him to go dig the weeds. He was out there for over an hour with his shovel. We still have weeds but very little dirt anymore!
Matt now has physio/occupational therapy on Monday's and Friday's so 2 hours of "work" on those days. Wednesday he goes to Innisfail for a bath. We were happy to hear we got approval from the Alberta Government for payment of a nanny. Up until now Matt has been paying for Cecilia out of pocket and now with the funding we can get another one for weekends and evenings possibly. It will take some of the stress off mom and dad, who have been amazing troopers up until now. We aften have people look at us in amazement for what we have done for Matt and we realize not many families would change lifestyles and living situations to accomadate a person with disabilities. You must just look at the benefits and not just the negatives. We have been so blessed to have such a great family and we seem to make it work. Of course it helps when you have someone like Matt who has the most amazing attitude. And having the nannies help tremendously and we thank God everyday for them.
The other day I was watching Matt do his standing exercises and was amazed again at his continued progress. He may not see it but when he was standing they do not have to have the belt so tight and he can bend his right knee slightly and straighten it again. I have a great video on my camera of him reaching over a grabbing the control to let himself down when he was tired. Wish I could put it on the blog but the file is too big. Need to become more computer literate!

Not so Beautiful Anymore!

I jinxed it all by saying we were having great weather. Last week it froze twice during the night and killed my beans and some of the corn. Turned the tops of the potatoes brown. So we did some replanting and hopefully everything will survive but they are predicting a frost warning again tonight. The tomato plants near the house are still thriving so that is one blessing.
Matt had a busy week as he had OT twice, a bath in Innisfail and started physiotherapy on Friday. However they mostly asked questions and will start the physio this week. Mom was telling me what Matt did the other morning. He could lift his head while lying in the bed and then pulled his knees to his chest after much thought and deliberation. Airene and Cecilia also mentioned when they use the standing frame, Matt is much stronger and I took and video of him standing with the frame and touching his head with his right hand at the same time. It doesn't seem like much to us but it takes alot of effort to do standing and moving at the same time.
Nolan and Lindsay came down for the weekend thank goodness to spend some quality time with Matt. The weekends get boring when the weather is poor and they play Wii and card games with Matt. Next weekend Matt got tickets to see Jeff Dunham at Rexall Place, a comedian/ventriloquist that both Matt and Nolan like so are going up to Edmonton on Sunday. I may have to go and be available for assistance but I didn't get tickets to the show. Wondering if any of the Edmonton relatives may be available for supper near the arena to visit with. Let me know.
Matt felt quite bad last week when Jonmarie and Shaunie were downstairs fighting and Uncle Matt was trying to get them to stop. He told Shaunie to go upstairs as she was being very mean to Jonmarie. Shaunie just would not listen and he yelled really loud and pinched her toe with his right fingers. By the time Grandma came down, Shaunie was backed up on the couch crying her eyes out. He didn't hurt her but she had very hurt feelings. But Shaunie needs to understand when Uncle Matt says something she must listen, especially if they are outside and she starts to run away. So I told Matt not to feel bad and she needs to be a little scared of what he might do (even if it is not much more than yelling). Welcome to the joys of having kids!

Beautiful Weather

We have been having some great weather and Matt has been soaking it in. On Sunday they went to Jacki and Gary's to see baby Anthony for the first time. He is so cute already and such a great baby. Sometimes you forget he is there. Sleeps. eats and makes good use of his diaper! Gary, Matt, and Dad then went to see the Calgary Vipers play baseball. Matt got a touch of heat stoke so wasn't feeling up to par the next day at rehab. He continues to do abdominal exercises so he will not lose what he has gained.
It has been great with dad being here. Grass is always cut and loves working in my garden. He takes Matt for his rehab and baths, so that is one less stress to think about. John has started Dad on some new medication that has done wonders. So that is certainly an answer to prayer.
Deanna, Matt's outpt occupational therapists has been to the house numerous times to make sure we have everything. Matt is going to get a new power chair from AADL, or Alberta activities of daily living program that gives financial assistance to people with disabilities. So we have spent time trying out different ones, including a manual chair as well. I am busy drafting a letter stating why Matt needs a power chair with all the whistles, such as tilt, recline, etc. They will look at all the applications they have had and see which one is most worthy at that time. So we have to make it look good. It is difficult to transfer him from chair to chair all the time because they only provide one cushion. Matt needs the special ROHO cushion which runs about $700, so they only give one per client. We are also trying out some new commodes as well. Matt's had to be custom made so they will provide the cost of the commode, but not the modifications. Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork! It is a full time job.
ON Wednesday night, Matt did some painting at the rehab department with the help of Cecilia. Some of it was pretty good, the easiest was coloring in the already traced picture.
Friday Matt had his bath in Innisfail and loves to soak in the tub. The home care aide really enjoys Matt and they are constantly teasing each other.
Mom has been feeling really under the weather and can't seem to shake it. Deep cough in her lungs and feeling prety exhausted most of the time. We had went to see Jonmarie's performance on Friday night and mom had a difficult time just making it to the end. So John has given her a req for a chest xray and some antibiotics to get her back into action. Prayers that God will heal her physically and emotionally, as being sick makes for a very frustated mom!

Trip was a Success

Last Friday we left for Weekes at 10am and didn't get to there until 1030pm. We had to stop in Parkridge to see some of his friends and staff, which always takes awhile because everyone wants to talk to Matt. The girls are great travellers and the portable DVD player doesn't hurt either!
It was so good to see all the family members that were able to make it home. Aunty Karen and Uncle Neil have bought Grandma and Grandpa's house and it felt like old times, everyone trying to find a spot in the little house to sit and visit. Saturday Matt visited with some friends and didn't go to sleep until 2 am but we still managed to get him up for church the next morning. It was so good to see so many people and everyone helped get Matt into the church. IT has been the first time since his accident he has been in the church and it was a bit emotional. We did communion and on the way home I asked Matt how he was feeling and stated" I feel like nothing could get me down today". You could see in his eyes that he was relaxed and unburdened. The Spirit can do amazing things. It was so nice to see that there is finally a new minister and the message was charged with scripture and hope. I am not sure but I think it was hard for mom and Matt to see everyone and know that they were just visiting.
The trip back to Red Deer was uneventful but of course we had to stop at Parkridge again to visit. The weather cooperated for the weekend but sure was miserable for travelling. Cold, rain, wind. The van is very tall and catches the wind all the time so I needed to be diligent the whole time. Dad came in Nolan's mustang and he tried to drive the van for a bit but the seats are quite uncomfortable and his neck got too sore so we switched again.
Thanks everyone for the great trip, the fellowship, and the occasional tears that flowed. It was nice to know that Matt hasn't been forgotten and that people are still praying for his continued journey.

Getting Ready

Well the weather is not cooperating for our trip. Yesterday we had a few snowflakes and today it is wet and cold. Much the same tomorrow I think. We will be arriving in Weekes late Friday night and not leaving until Tuesday.
Matt tried out a new power chair. Since he is in Alberta and the previous power chair is from Sask, we will have to return it sometime. So the Alberta government will purchase a new chair for Matt once we fill out the paper work and wait for approval. We can have one for a trial basis and Matt really likes it. It is more compact and turns on a dime, much more stable. However we don't think we can take it to Sask. because it is not the right size and needs a few more extras for such a long trip. We also looked at a few manual chairs but he will need a one hand chair, so all the movement comes from his right hand. However Matt may not have the strength he needs to use it properly so they are going to come back with some different models. The problem again is Matt is so tall that everything is too short so extra modifications need to be made and that isn't as easy as it sounds.
Prayers for a safe trip tomorrow and Thanks to God that we have a new van for the trip.

Kitty is no more

We had a difficult experience for Mother's Day. Our little kitten was killed by the neighbor's dog in front of the kids. It was awful. Everyone had gotten so attached to Molly and Matt was so upset. We will probably get another one but it is hard to erase that image from everyone's head. Shaunie kept trying to pet it and saying "kitty sleeping, wake up kitty". Needless to say the rest of the day was not great.
Matt has been going for outpatient OT Mon and Wed. And the girls continue to keep him busy. I am finding he is more independent than before. If we don't lock the basement door he can open it. He can open the fridge door and get something out if not too heavy. Matt had a sore on his right thigh and states he can feel it better than he could before. That can be a good or bad thing. More sensation can lead to neuropathic pain which if any one has it, it is horrible. But it could mean more sensation, more movement. So prayers that it is a positive thing.
We went to the Red Deer College for the wheelchair ball hockey and basketball. Most of the participants were quite young and Matt mostly just observed. We tried some badminton and Matt did okay but his arm got so tired so fast. He couldn't do the basketball as they don't allow power chairs. They had an para-Olympic athlete there and he was so good. I think Matt gets a little jealous of the paripalegics because they have full use of their arms.
Jacki was down with the kids this weekend and she was having pretty consistent contractions but they subsided by Sunday. So no baby yet! But she is 38 weeks so anytime now.
Getting ready for the big drive this weekend. Matt is so excited to be going home and seeing everyone. So please, if you are in the area, pop over for a visit. The door will be open.

Back at Home (Red Deer)

Matt was discharged from the rehab department on Friday. It was very bittersweet. The therapists became like friends and so did many of the staff and patients. They knew they could have kept Matt there indefinitely, there where so many things to work on but they can only do so much. Now it is up to him.
During the last 3 months, Matt has improved his core muscle strength, increased dexterity with his right hand and arm, able to move his left a bit more when he concentrates, stands with the machine for longer periods of time, had his bladder stones removed (which was one of the biggest blessings), and has more confidence and is becoming more independent.
This weekend Mom and Matt travelled to Calgary for Bobby's birthday party. They even got to see Lindsay play ball for a bit before she blew her knee out and had to spend hours in the ER waiting to see a doctor. The joys of playing sports!
Today the girls were hard at work doing Matt's exercises in the am. Matt had outpatient OT therapy at 1 pm so at my lunch break from work I drove home to pick up Matt and Cecilia and take them to the hospital. Shaunie was home from her school and Matt was already outside waiting. I needed to get something from the house and when Shaunie saw me, she said "Uncle Matthew gone!!" She was very worried that Matthew wasn't where he should be! Matt and Cecilia stayed after therapy and did some visiting until I picked them up after work so we could go to Walmart and get some goodies. We even went to the meat market to get some bison pepper jerky, which was so yummy. Mom bought $20 worth.
The weather was so good tonight that we were able to enjoy supper sitting on the deck. It is nice for Matt to be able to join the family for supper again. We must have been outside for 2 1/2 hours at least. Until the bugs came out.

Stop the world, I want to get off!!

Working full time makes for a busy life!! Time is just flying and I keep forgetting to purchase my ticket!!
Matt seems to be feeling better. He is on antibiotics and we think he may have had strep throat. Mom and Matty were supposed to go to Calgary last weekend but Matt woke up on Saturday with a flaming red throat and was so sore he could hardly swallow. Good thing we have our own pharmacy in our cupboard we just fixed him right up! However we are hoping to go the Calgary this weekend for Bobby's birthday party since we were unable to go to Jacki's.
Tomorrow is Matt's monthly family meeting and we have a sneaky suspicion that Matt will be discharged by the end of the week. So we are preparing for that. So I will write in the blog tomorrow to let everyone know what is happening.
Last week Matt tried something new. The therapists got him to lay on his stomach on the plith board. They used a wedge under his tummy to get him up on all fours, like a baby ready to crawl. Then they asked him to arch his back like a cat. He was able to do one and was exhausted! That is not only working on his abs but also the lower back muscles which are extremely weak. Just getting him on all fours was a challenge!
So it is an exercise we will have to keep up at home.
May 8th there is a wheelchair open house at the Red Deer College to see if there is an interest in wheelchair sports, such as wheelchair basketball and wheelchair ball hockey. We are encouraging Matt to attend but he is like the rest of us, so competitive that if he isn't the best he doesn't want to try, but we are going to abduct him and take him anyway. The coordinator said he can just come and observe first and then participate later. However she has to look for a wheelchair big enough for his height.
Update you more tomorrow.
Pray for better Alberta weather!

New Kitty

Sorry the blog is late, I have been working full time at the spa and time gets away from me. We have been having some beautiful weather, today hitting a high of 22 degrees, but will soon turn ugly again. Winter does not want to give up without a fight. Just like Matt, just keeps fighting.
Last week was very busy with continuation of rehab. Took him out for wing night again which is a real break for him and myself. I am not sure who enjoys it more. And the waitresses all fuss over him. Even the ones that don't serve our table come over to talk to him. What a charmer! They even know what he is going to order before he even says anything. It's like Norm on "Cheers", except cuter and less chubby! Matt has stopped going for massage because we have a new girl and we are not sure whether she can help us lift him on the bed, so we will wait and see.
Really noticed a difference in his core muscle strength when he was home. Matt is also incorporating doing some self exercises when in bed and then when we sit him up, trying to do leg and foot exercises. Before he would be so tired that he would just relax all weekend and regain his strength. Because of the weather, we had a great time outside, flying kites and breathing in the freshness. Matt and I laughed so hard watching mom try and run to fly her kite. The kite kept crashing and she would get mad and try again. We also got a new baby kitty, just weaned from its mother. It is ginger colored and has a striped tail. Matthew named her Molly and it really suits her. Mom and Matt went for a walk and Matt kept Molly in his jacket with the zipper done up. Was nervous going down the highway, was very nervous the cars would hit him or his chair would run out of batteries. still feels very vulnerable, which is is so very understandable.
But Mom went to see Matt yesterday and he looked awful. They think he has another bladder infection and is affecting him alot this time. He was so sick and hardly did any rehab. Hopefully he can fight it on his own and not have to take antibiotics. There is only a few that work with Matt because he has had so many he is resistant to a lot of them. They will have to pull out the big guns and probably have to start an IV and that would be disappointing. So please pray that God will bring his healing onto Matt and fight off the infection.
Just a note that we did not go home last weekend. We are actually going home May Long weekend.

Happy Easter!!

I am sure that I am not the only one to say "I ate too much!" for the weekend. We always make food like half the population of a small country is coming and then complain about the leftovers!
Sunday we tried to get Matt to come to church with us but he feels so uncomfortable in big crowds and our church holds over one thousand. So Grandma had to stay with Matt while the rest off us got to celebrate the resurrection at church. The kids love to go to Sunday school and learn about the Lord.
Mom picked up Matt on Thursday night because the therapists had Good Friday off and so did mom, so one extra day at home. Jacki, Gary and the kids came and Amy was back to her usual self, eating whatever she could get her hands on and even things she couldn't! (she is a great climber and doesn't take no for an answer!) The weather was gorgeous, between +16-+18 degrees all weekend. The snow is almost gone and Matt can go all over the yard. The new deck is great, as we did Easter crafts on Saturday and Matt could watch the kids and wait for hotdogs from the barbecue.
Mom can pretty much transfer Matt by herself using the transfer board and we haven't used the lift in months. His abs were hurting this weekend from the major workout his therapists give him during the week. Mom made him put on his long sleeve shirt by himself and this weekend he has to make the girls Kraft dinner by himself, to see how he does. The more he does for himself, the more independent he will become.
We are trying to make him use his left hand as much as possible. Before he gets up in the morning/afternoon!, Matt must lift his left arm with his right arm by "holding hands' with his fingers interlocked. Then he must try to put himself into a sitting position by pushing up with his right arm and hand, still needs lots more muscle strength for this one. When Matt brushes his teeth, mom got him to hold the toothbrush with his left hand, making his hand into a fist. Matt has trouble with this as he doesn't have the strength to hold the brush as it is too small, but it is making his brain remember the movements. After that he can squeeze the toothpaste on the toothbrush.
Hope to see a few family members and friends on May long weekend. We are taking Esmeralda to Weekes with Grandma, myself, the two nannies, and Jonmarie and Shaunie. I am forgetting someone... oh wait, Matthew too! And a partridge in a pear tree!
We actually could fit an extra person in but we want leg room! We are planning to go on Friday and return on Tuesday. We are unsure whether rehab will keep Matt one more month but we are planning the trip like he will be discharged.

One More Month

The meeting last week was very successful and Matt will stay in rehab for one more month for sure. He has been feeling blue lately and tired. I asked if he just wanted to stop rehab, that maybe it was getting too tiresome and his response was "So I can sit at home and feel sorry for myself and do nothing for the rest of my life?" I guess that was my answer. I think he just gets tired from the physical and mental strain everyday and needs the weekend to relax. However this past weekend was not very relaxing because Jacki and the kids came to visit and Amy starting getting sick late Saturday night and ended up with rotovirus. Watery, awful smelling diarrhea and vomiting constantly. The washmachine worked non stop trying to keep up so Matt couldn't come upstairs to visit and we would only go down to see him if we disinfected ourselves. But Jonmarie and Uncle played Wii and Matt watched hockey, which he loves. Jacki phoned and Amy is still not eating and can only keep small amounts of fluid in so I think a trip tomorrow to her family physician may be in order. Little ones can dehydrate so fast.
Rehab continues in the same direction with Matt's goal of putting on a shirt without assistance has been accomplished. The new stand ARGO machine that we got through funding from Telemiracle is great! Took it to the rehab department last week and now the therapist can stand him by herself. Will work so well at home for toileting and standing when we only have one person for help. It builds bone/muscle strength and helps his posture, relieve his bottom and prevent pressure sores, help to stabilize blood pressure, etc. However Matt has been having some trouble with his blood pressure. The doctor (not John!) decided to take Matt off his remaining blood pressure pill, which was given to help elevate his low blood pressure and it will take awhile for his body to get used to it. When he stands, it drops to 70/40 and makes him feel dizzy and nauseated. But we are hoping by this week his body will adjust and he will feel better.
It didn't dampen his appetite on wing night at Tony Roma's. He had over 20 wings and they were huge! Always such a great time and the staff make him feel so special, coming over and chatting and remembering what drink he likes.
Thank goodness the weather is improving and we are grateful for the wind to dry things up. You know winter is finally leaving when they don't add a wind chill warning when they talk about it being windy.

Warming Up

Thank goodness the weather is improving. We still have quite a bit of snow in the yard but can now see some patches of road. I had taken Jonmarie to West Edmonton Mall On Friday and they have much less snow then we do. I wanted Matt to come with but he isn't quite ready yet. He likes to stay at places that are familiar to him, has always been like that. Would prefer to stay close to home and be with family.
Last week Matt went bowling with the recreational therapist and a few other patients. Cecilia took a great video from her phone but I couldn't beam it onto my phone. This bowling alley is great, really equipped for people with disabilities. On the one side of the bowling alley is regular bowling. On the other they have bumpers to prevent the ball from going in the gutter. Then they have stands that are shaped like a slide and Matt could just put his ball on the top of the stand, push it a little bit and the ball would go down the "slide" and eventually make it to the end where the pins are. Next they had Matt try and throw the ball using his right hand, and the therapist would just steady the elbow. He was able to do that a few times and almost beat one of the other patients. With Matt, it is all about the competition!
On the weekend Matt had company and was great to see Travis and Amy. Mom and I went to a baby shower so Airene and Cecilia came for the afternoon. They tried to get Matt to do some exercises but he is so exhausted from the week he didn't work as hard as he usually does. Think he just needs a break. Was very quiet and just said sometimes he gets mentally tired of thinking and trying so hard all the time. But Matt always pulls himself back and gives his all come Monday. Prayers that God continues to give Matt the strength to persevere. Today he was really exhausted. Margaret had him doing abdominal work and even I hate that! He said it was so tiring and didn't want to do anything until tomorrow.
Left hand and arm are noticeable getting better as long as he is feeling well. He is able to close it into a tighter fist than before and when laying on his right side with his left propped on a pillow, can move it off the pillow onto his hip (if not too much of a difference in height). Matt also practices lifting his left hand with his right hand and put it over his head. Good for strengthening his right and reminds his left what it should be doing.
Tomorrow is Matt's month end family conference so prayers that they will continue to keep Matt as long as possible.

The Saga Continues

Matt continues in rehab and we are hoping to keep him there as long as possible. He likes the staff and therapists, but still loves to come home on the weekends. This weekend the weather was great on Friday and he was able to sit out on the deck while John cooked on the barbeque. However the weather turned into that March lion and dumped over 15 cm of snow. Wet, cold, miserable. On Sunday our wonderful neighbors came and cleaned our driveway so we could get Matt back to rehab. By the time we returned a lot of the snow was blown back in and Matt's van barely made it through. No four wheel drive which makes it tough.
Matt was disappointed today because he couldn't stand without his brace. He wanted to try and the therapist said that he could but it might be difficult. He still stood three times. Matt is now trying to go from a standing position and then a slight sitting position and back up again. I will try to explain. When Matt goes to a standing position, they move the bed to the highest position so when he goes into a standing position, he doesn't have far to go. After he stands for a bit with the leg brace on the left leg in position, he tries to bend his right knee like he was about to sit down. because he cannot stand without his brace, it must stay locked in place and only the right knee is bending. Then Matt must push up back into a standing position. He is able to do it three or four times, each time he is standing so it adds up to 10 times. Mom says his right leg just shakes it takes so much effort with such a little bit of muscle to work with. The therapists are still amazed at his progress.
Yesterday they were working on his left arm, practicing supination and pronation. basically when his arm is resting on the table, Matt must try and turn his arm so his palm faces upwards and then back so his palm faces to the table. He does it better when he turns so his palm faces up. They are working on it to give Matt more mobility to help dress himself. He can now put his own shirt on by using his right arm and teeth. They got him doing his own buttons with the neatest little tool.
We are so grateful for all the prayers and thoughts regarding Shaunie. She is back to her normal self and the MRI did not show anything, however it wasn't the best diagnostic tool as Shaunie was unable to hold still enough in the machine. I had prayed that she would do well but just before she went into the room, I decided to give the Ativan the Dr. had prescribed to semi-sedate her. Thank goodness it did not take effect until after the MRI because it had the exact oppisite effect. We had to watch her like a hawk because she was like a drunk 4 year old, running into walls, jumping on the bed and off like it was still beneath her feet, screaming and agitated for 12 hours. Not a good day. Trust in the Lord and do not doubt, that is what I learned!

Left Hand Trying to Work

Last week Matt continued to be busy and pushing hard in rehab. He is standing everyday and they continue to be amazed at Matt's progress. Took him to Tony Roma's on Wednesday, was -20 with the windchill but with Esmeralda it isn't bad at all. There is a button you push which heats the vehicle without turning it on so the van is always toasty warm (when I remember to push the button). Friday Matt was supposed to go for a massage but Shaunie had a bad day and ended up in the hospital with another seizure so we postponed it until this week. Matt gets really upset when he sees Shaunie like that but came to ER as soon as we got there. Nice to have family around when it happens. He even came and visited her on the pediatric ward. I think he came for the free TV!
Lindsay, Nolan, Jacki and family, Bobby M came down for Saturday night and the ones without kids stayed up until the wee hours (except Mom but she had to look after Matt). They had a great time playing Wii and watching TV. However everyone seemed to get the flu bug that is going around. Cough, aches, runny nose, etc. Matt felt really bad on Monday am so they let him stay in bed but got him up for his therapy.
Today I was able to watch occupational therapy. She had Matt's left arm on the table on a pillowcase and was asking him to slide his arm toward a glass on the table. His shoulder is much stronger and he could do it quite easily. Then she asked him to open his left hand to grab the glass. The therapist holds his wrist and stimulates his proprioceptive, in other words by holding his wrist and pushing the joint together tells Matt's brain where his hand is in relation to his body. Then she rubs Matt's thumb and fingers on the sides of the cup to stimulate them to move. Matt was able to close his hand around the cup and hold it when she told him to bring his arm back. Then she lifted Matt's' hand up like his was going to take a sip out of the cup and he continued to hold it in his hand. I thought that was pretty impressive and then she took a jar full of beads for weight and told him to do the same thing, however he must try and slide the jar off the table and onto his lap without dropping it. He did. So not only does he have some movement in his fingers, he can grab things lightly to prevent them from falling. She asked him to put the jar back on the table and he was so close and tried so hard, but he could just not lift the bottom of the jar past the bottom of the table. It takes so much concentration and she had to continually tell him to stop trying to help with his right hand.
Keep up the awesome job Matt. We are so proud of you and thank the Lord you have continued to progress.

Back to the Grind

The weekend was uneventful because Matt stayed in the hospital. It was too cold to do much of anything. We had a blizzard on Saturday and the weather really turned cold. Mom went to the Brier with Jacki. She took Jonmarie with her to spend some time with Amy and Bobby. Shaunie stayed with us in Red Deer. Thought it would be too much for Uncle Gary to handle! I was able to go on Sunday and visit Matt for the afternoon. John still is able to pop in everyday for a few minutes.
Today it is -36 with the windchill. So not too much happening in the way of travel. However Matt's therapy is continuing strong after recovering nicely from surgery. He finds that his bladder is working much better and doesn't stress him out as much as it did. Yesterday Matt stood 3 times. The first time was very rough and he didn't last long. They have discontinued the one med to keep his blood pressure from dropping so his body can start adjusting itself. SO we were worried it would set back his rehab however the 2nd time he stood up was fine. The 3rd time Matt tried to pick up his right leg but the most he could do was lift his heel off the floor and bend his knee. I thought that was great but he was disappointed. Take it slow bud. It took over 21 months to get here, it will take just as long to get it all back. .
Mom visited with Matt last evening and he told us to stop worrying about him being alone, he has lots to do. A staff from John's office borrowed Matt 8 movies to watch and is looking forward to watching all 8. Thanks Stacey
Hoping to have some company over this weekend. Friends from home called Nolan and may come and visit. That would be great, we have a big house and lots of room.
More updates to come.

Surgery a success

Matt did have his surgery for bladder stone removal yesterday at 1100. The stones were so huge that they needed to break them up before pulling them out. Thank goodness they decided to to a spinal as opposed to being put right to sleep. The anesthesiologist was concerned with Matt's previous pneumonia's and compromised breathing. I visited him yesterday and he was still groggy, couldn't move his legs but was starting to get some feeling in them. He will need a indwelling catheter and an IV for the next few days, which will put a damper on his therapy and he won't be able to come home this weekend. Which might be for the best because Mom will be in Calgary for the Brier. Jacki and Gary got her some tickets for the Sunday game and she will go up Saturday.
Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts. Will keep you posted!

Happy Belated Matt

Thanks so much for all the comments. It is great to see how many cheerleaders on still cheering, even after all this time.
Matt spent his birthday in Calgary at Jacki's. Gary had a few friends over and I hear they had a great time playing risk, the golf card game, UNO. Matt was a bit disappointed he didn't win any of them, but felt better when he had cake on Sunday for Amy's early birthday party. Jacki put Matt's name on Amy's Dora and Diego cake. I think Matt's name was under the Dora doll but I may be mistaken!
God has truly blessed us. Thinking back to the beginning and all the difficulties Matt faced, the uncertainties, we are so much farther ahead then was ever thought possible. Matt continues to do well in therapy, but fatigues very easy. We had a family conference on Monday am to discuss Matt's therapy, tentative discharge date, meds, etc. The therapist feel that Matt's goals of going back for a few classes in school, standing without support, transferring by himself, are all attainable, but more time is needed. So they have moved his discharge date back to the end of March. I was surprised to hear that Red Deer has seen very few spinal cord injuries, most are transferred to Glenrose or Calgary. I told them what a fantastic job they are doing. We realize it makes such a difference from last year. Matt was sick most of the time, still had his trach in, his blood pressure would drop at a moment's notice. We thank God that Matt can go further with his rehab without all the other things hanging over his head.
We also discussed the possibility of Matt being seen in Glenrose Hospital in Edmonton after discharge. They will look into it. Glenrose has a spinal cord research center and have all the up to date technology.
Please remember Matt in your prayers for Wednesday. He is booked for surgery to remove stones from his bladder and he is quite nervous to be intubated again, since he has to be put under anesthesia. The anesthesiologist will come and talk to Matt again, to see if there is a possibility of getting a spinal instead. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight". Proverbs.

Standing Man

Matt had a busy yesterday. I was thankful I wasn't working so was able to spend most of the day with Matt. Last week he met with the rehab physician and she arranged for an ultrasound on his kidneys and bladder, to see where the stones are and if they could be causing all the bladder spasms. I was going to spend some time with him watching the Scotties on TV but he was off to occupational therapy for writing exercises.
But the most exciting was physiotherapy in the afternoon. I had brought Matt's left leg brace on the chance they would try and stand Matt. The OT Matt had been seeing in outpatients was there so I knew they were going to try (she doesn't normally work with the inpatients, but she had been waiting for this moment). First they started with what looked like a foot massage, but what they were doing is stimulating the brain to remember how big Matt's foot is. Sounds weird but many pt's with strokes or spinal cord injuries, the brain tells the body that the foot is very small and they believe that is the reason many pt's walk on tiptoes or the side of their feet, loss of balance quickly etc. After they put his shoes and brace on, they placed a table with a box besides his right arm and had him place his hand on it for stability. My job was to take pictures so they could see Matt's alignment, Cecilia would lock his brace in place when he was standing, Sonja stood behind him on the mat and Margaret would make sure his knees didn't buckle. They put the mat/bed in the highest position, then got him to stand. The first time he stood for 3 minutes and they were just testing how he would do. He was able to support his own weight with his right leg and arm. Matt felt fine, no drop in blood pressure and only sat down after muscle fatigue. After a short rest where the therapists consulted over the pictures, they got him standing again, this time for about 5 mins. He noticed his left arm became numb from hanging down so Cecilia held it up for him. They also made him reach for the ceiling with his right hand, which is difficult because of lack of muscle tone but he didn't lose balance, which is what they were looking for (he actually did touch the ceiling he is so tall). We were all very excited and felt there should have been balloons coming from the ceiling or something!
Margaret was very optimistic, but told us that Matt may never walk without the brace or some walking aides and still have a long way to go. But she didn't expect Matt to do as well as he has done so quickly.
Must go, have to go back to work. Just had to write the good news!

Weekend at Home

Matt was glad to be home for a few days. He is such a trooper but his eyes always give him away. He doesn't enjoy going to the hospital but he knows it is for the best. We picked him up Friday late afternoon and took him back last evening. While at home he played some Wii, since he can't set his game up at the hospital. There is a room that he can go to but he must book a time for it. Matt enjoys Friday night movie night with the girls with often one or both girls are on his lap. Saturday we took Matt for a massage, sine we couldn't get him an appointment for last Wednesday. He really enjoys it and finds it so relaxing.
I think what Matt enjoys the most is he sleeps better when at home. During the week he doesn't get much sleep with all the different sounds and new bed. But he adapts so well to any situation, much better than I would be!
I forgot to mention on Friday I was there to see physio again. Margaret is really working his core muscles and what she made him do was sit up without help, which he finds he can do quite easily if it is a hard surface. Then she makes him lean to the right while holding himself up with his right hand and arm. Next she makes him lean back at the same time, than pulling himself into the upright position again. He tried it on the left but because his arm doesn't work very well, he must just use his oblique muscles, which is hard for anyone. Margaret is hoping to see him standing this week just to see how he does, so want to be there for that. More good news to come, I am sure.

Work, work, work!

What familiar words from my childhood, arriving home from school to the sound of mom greeting us at the door "now it is time to work, work, work!" Well Matt, your time has come. Tuesday it already started with physio. Margaret, his therapist is great, really testing the waters and discovering what Matt can do. I watched her today and she is constantly watching Matt and then asking whether he can do a particular exercise or movement. However she is not satisfied with a negative response until he can prove that he truly cannot do something or Matt just thinks he can't. Yesterday, she asked if Matt can transfer from the chair to the bed by himself. He responded that he couldn't but she told him to try anyway. Cecilia was there to help but all she did was steady him with light touch and the Margaret talked him through it . Matt said it was the hardest thing he has ever had to do but he did it! He was very proud of himself and so were we. We took him to Tony Roma's that night for celebration wings and Matt can usually finish at least 20 but he was so tired his eyes looked like two holes in the snow. She has given some exercises to do, so he is constantly working on thins. For instance, Matt needs to be able to put his heels to the floor, so when he walks again, he won't walk on tiptoes. It will be a challenge though. Every time he tries to tell his brain to put his heel down while sitting in his chair, his leg spasms and he then must tell his brain to stop the clonus(spasm). So there is so much to think about with such a simple action but the more he does it, the more natural it will be.
What the staff are so impressed with is Matthew's attitude and already they love him. He has made friends with many of the patients, all who are much older than he is (by about 40 years). It is so nice to go a visit him and the staff have already warmed up to him.
Matt hasn't been sleeping well though so has been tired. He is also battling a cold and his O2 sats were only at 90%, but increased to 94% as the day progressed. Even though, he still gives his all and I think it makes a huge difference that we are so close and visit so often. Today Matt had an MRI on his brain, neck and left shoulder. The therapist really wants to see what is happening so she knows how to proceed. If Matt has a tear in his shoulder, than they will have to do things differently, such as focusing more on his core muscles and leave the left alone until it is healed, with or without surgery. We won't know until the results come back.
It is so great to write the blog again and have such positive news. God hasn't forgotten about us, He knows what Matt needs more than we do and was just waiting until Matt's body was ready.

Hello everyone. Would love to tell you how Matt is doing but John and I are in Victoria for the weekend and Grandma is babysitting for the weekend. Jacki, Gary and the kids came up to help her out and I know Gary and Matt went into town on Saturday for shopping. I think Gary just wants to drive the new van!
On Friday Matt was official admitted to the rehab unit. However he was just there for the day and then was "discharged" for a weekend pass. They want him to come back Monday evening to be ready for "work" on Tuesday (family day in Alberta for Monday). It sounds like they will be quite strict with Matt and are really going to focus on him being more independent. So instead of us doing a lot of things for Matt, such as getting his money out of his wallet to pay for things, he will have to learn to do it himself. On Friday the physio worked with him for a bit and they are going to continue to build up his core muscles so when he stands again he will be ready. He can have visitors most times except when he has rehab. So it will be tough on him for awhile to adjust but he knows that it is for his best long term goals.
We were unable to take Matt for his weekly massage but will plan again for next week. Still going to go out for his Wednesday wings and massage.
Thanks for any comments you can add, love to hear from everybody.

New Van!!

Jacki, Gary and the kids arrived Sunday morning at 10 am with the new van and Matthew was still in bed. He was up and out to the van at 1030. It was so exciting. It is massive!! We are thinking to use it a charter for the times when Matthew isn't using it. To use the lift has one controller and no manual labour is needed to raise and lower it. We have nicknamed the new van Esmeralda because the old van is Quasimodo from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". So for Matt's first official drive we all piled in, John driving, myself in the passenger seat, and the kids, Grandma, Jacki, Gary and Matt. Believe it or not we had room for one more passenger!! Too bad, Grandpa, you missed out! We then proceeded to drive to MacDonald's for lunch. However we couldn't go through the drive thru so we all went in to order. Now I know what Ma and Pa Kettle felt like!
We drove down some of the roads we had driven with Quasimodo and couldn't believe the difference, it was so comfortable. And it has heat! Lots and lots of heat. Because it is a diesel engine it was actually too warm and we had to keep turning it down. I must say we were glad for the tinted windows otherwise we would have made quite a sight.
And we already have used it for transporting furniture and equipment. The Serengeti spa had a booth at the bridal show this weekend and Gary and Matt showed up to transport the stuff back to the spa. We fit it all in and Matt (when we had taken the stuff to the bridal show, we used 3 vehicles!). I can definelty see us making more trips with Matt, rain, shine or freezing cold. Thanks for all the prayers and if you ever in Red Deer and need some transportation for large numbers, give us a call!

Midweek Update

Since Matthew arrived in Red Deer in October, we have been in communication with the hospital regarding having him admitted into the rehab program for more intensive physio/occupational therapy. He has been rejected before and now with the positive outcomes from the outpatient occupational therapist, they have reconsidered and Matthew will become an inpatient next week. We are very excited to have this opportunity, as the facility is geared for learning about activities of daily living and how to become more independent. Matthew of course has some trepidations about entering the hospital again, as he has settled into a routine at home. However his goal is to walk again and in order for that to happen, he needs more intense rehab.
We as a family have very high hopes for a positive outcome, as he is much stronger now and no longer suffers with frequent illnesses. We will continue to have Cecilia come to the rehab unit everyday week day to help Matthew during the times he does not have rehab and also help the staff during his rehab. She and Airene have been key in his improved strength and health. I will continue to take Matt for his weekly wing and massage night and also bring him home every weekend when there is no therapy sessions.
The new van has now been modified and the new lift is great. Gary says if Bobby (Matt's nephew who is 3) can operate it, then surely Mom will be able to learn! Gary is taking it in on Friday to get the windows tinted, because now the huge windows make it look like Matt's on display. So by Monday it will be ready and Nolan will bring it down to Red Deer.
So everything is looking brighter everyday. We certainly expect more bumps in the road, but God has certainly answered many prayers and eased our concerns.
Just a note, Matt will be going home in mid March for Alberta's spring break and is looking forward to seeing everyone from home. If you are around during March 23-28, stop in for a visit.

Busy, busy, busy

Sorry about the late blog, weekends are so busy it is just an extension of the week.
Matt and I again took the nannies to Tony Roma's for wings, it is something we look forward to all week. Gives Grandma a break from Matt (& vice versa) and me a chance to go without the girls. Grandma loves to spend time with the grand kids. We are sure missing dad for snow clearing and transporting Matt to all his therapy sessions and bath. Hopefully he will be returning soon. Of course the big enticement will be the new van. John and I went up Saturday with the payment and Gary will take it to be modified on Tuesday. If all goes well, we may even have the van by this weekend. Can't wait to have heat without leaving it run for 1/2 hours. However the beast has been running great, no problems whatsoever so it will be like giving up an old ornery friend!
Matt's weekly massage has been great and OT has been very impressed with Matt's improvements. Cecilia has been trying to get Matt's left hand to open and close by using the stim machine but the pads are too big. You place the sticky pads on certain muscles which transmits an electrical impulse to get that muscle to move.So the pads we have now cover too much area and needs to be smaller for more precise movement. We will be on the lookout for smaller pads.
As I am writing this at work, I don't have my bible with me so an appropriate memory verse is eluding me so please reply with a verse in the comment section. Have a great week.