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.