Congratulations

Congrats go out to Michelle on the birth of her twins. Deb, if you could tell us what the weights were and everything, that would be great. I heard they were over 6 lbs each but don't know for sure.
The weather has certainly warmed up and the sun, when it shines, actually feels like it is working! Shanie and I went for a walk yesterday and it was -10. I hadn't dressed appropriately so when we came to a open spot, i stood in the rays of the sun and it was so great to feel the heat! Spring is in the air, although I won't get my hopes up too much, winter always has a hard time saying goodbye and usually gives us one more Hooray (snow storm) before it leaves. There is some clear patches on the ground and the roads are relatively clear of ice and snow, except on the roads less travelled.
Matt has been watching the Olympics, as are many people, and he keeps me informed of all the happenings. I try to watch when I can, however Jonmarie said a funny thing yesterday. we have a rule in the house there is no TV watching during the week. So when she comes home yesterday and sees the TV on, she said that she would like to watch a movie. I again explained the rules, however I forgot the TV was on the Olympic station at that time. she said if the rules apply to her they should apply to me. Hard to argue with that reasoning, but I did answer back and a typical mother was, "When you start paying rent, then you can watch TV too!" Not my most brilliant comeback.
Matt, mom, John and I went to Tony Roma's on Wednesday for wings. it was so crowded in the the lounge area because of the men's hockey that we had to sit in hte dining room. It was easy to know what was happening though. Every time we heard a loud cheer, we knew Canada had scored and when there was a loud Booo, the Russian team had scored. However when the game was over and they was still cheering, i was sent to check out what was happening and that is when Canada got 2 medals in the bobsled racing. Very exciting. An interesting thing happened when we were about to leave. One of the waitresses Bradie, who we have seen since we started going to the restaurant ran over to our table and started to chat. She asked if we remembered when Matt had accidentally left his oiler cup holder there over 8 months ago. We had tried to find him a replacement but they are scarce or we are just not looking in the right stores. Well, Bradie said they had actually found it but when she had seen us a month later, she went to go get it and it was gone. It must have bothered her alot because when she went home to Manitoba over the Christmas holidays, she looked and found one in Fields store and bought it for Matt. She had it in her car for 2 months waiting for him to come back in the evening (we had started going in the day) so she could give it to him. We could hardly believe she remembered and then had taken the time to go and try to find another one. Matt was so happy because without his cup holder, he can't lift hot/cold drinks because his hand spasms and was always having to ask someone to test the glass. It just goes to show you never know who's life you may end up affecting. It sure made Matt's day!

Great Weekend with Auntie Karen

What a busy week we just had. Jonmarie had production week at her school. The whole school is involved in the play and mom was working late every night, helping behind the scenes, making sure the kids were where they were supposed to be, helping with the props, etc. Auntie Karen flew into to Calgary and stayed the night with Jacki. Jacki wasn't sure how to get Auntie Karen from the airport to her house because the flight was late in the evening and Gary was in Newfoundland for his Auntie's funeral (sorry to hear of her passing Gary). So Jacki asked Nolan to watch the kids. When he found out the time, he just laughed. Apparently his new girlfriend from Melfort was flying in on the same flight! So he just picked up both of them at the airport. Auntie Karen knew that Nolan's girlfriend was going to be on the flight, so prior to boarding, she was asking people if their name was Erin! When she went to sit down, she overheard a young lady talking on her cell phone and was almost certain she heard Nolan's voice on the other end and this girl's reply "Wouldn't it be funny if we sat together?" Once she was off the phone, Auntie leaned over and asked "Erin?" and the girl replied "Karen?" Very funny story.
Jacki drove Auntie as far as Olds and then I picked her up to bring her the rest of the way to Red Deer. Poor Auntie, she has some great stories to tell about her time with us, losing Bobby at the zoo, trying to keep up with our busy schedule, forgetting the tickets to the production, the list goes on and on. You must ask her about it at the reunion. She said when they had visited Patti and Dean's, the chaos wasn't much different. Mom's with their kids is multi tasking to the extreme. They should actually make it an Olympic sport!
On Sunday, mom and Auntie went to see Aunt Eveyln and Uncle Hughie in Edmonton and Jonmarie, Shaunie and I babysat Matt. It was great to get to watch the Olympics together. However Matt has this new app on his cell phone. It converts English into Afrikaans. He is driving me crazy with it. He enters "Shelley has a big...." and then it replies in Afrikaans. It sounds like a cyborg version though and some of the words are way off.
Matt still has some off days, but thank goodness no more episodes like 2 weeks ago. I took for wings last week and they were the best we had ever had! Maybe it was because we hadn't been there for so long, but they were goooood! I think tonight we may partake in wing night again. Tony Roma's here we come!

Autonomic Dysreflexia

Well Matt had an interesting spell 2 days ago, which hasn't happened to him since leaving the hospital 2 years ago. He was with Cecilia and was using the 'facilities" when he felt the back of his head explode and started losing his vision. It didn't literally however that is the way he described the intense, immediate headache he experienced and knew he was in trouble. It is called autonomic dysreflexia (hope I spelled it right) and it is a condition many quads and paraplegics suffer from and can be fatal. It is when something bothers the autonomic nervous system and because of their condition, the body responds incorrectly because it doesn't have the same regulatory response that we have due to the spinal injury. It can be anything from a crinkle in his shirt pushing on his skin, to his shoes too tight. So Matt's blood pressure was shooting through the roof and if they didn't do something to correct it, the consequences could be deadly. Matt had experienced it once before while in City Hospital and they told him if it ever happened, to catheterize immediately. Cecilia had just done this prior to the incident however Matt was alert enough to tell her to do it again. The drained off 1200 mls of urine. Any one in the health profession knows that is alot for a bladder to hold. Immediately the headache was reduced to a dull throb and his vision returned. Scared everyone though. Thank goodness Matt knows his body well enough and remembered what they had told him at the hospital. What is worring him know is the same thing happening again. Matt has always been able to feel when he has to use the washroom, but this time he didn't feel a thing. So they have contacted Dr. Maclean to see if she knows why it has happened now.
Hopefully it was a one time thing to keep us on our toes and won't ever happen again. We were just thinking of Matt being able to stay by himself for an hour a day, however I think we will reconsider that decision!
Thank you Lord for continuing to watch over Matthew and help us to be constantly grateful for what we have.

Keeping Busy

Well the weather was great for awhile but has turned cold again. However we didn't get dumped on like Saskatchewan and Manitoba. We were treated to the thickest frost I had ever seen. Took some pictures of the girls shaking the trees and letting the frost fall on them. It has been an adjustment getting back into the swing of things, and my palm treo phone with calendar has become my best friend again.
Matt is keeping busy with his exercises and looks so much stronger. His acne has really come along way and I hope we can start doing laser treatments for the scarring. He is going to the Red Deer College in February to sign up for classes. I think he is leaning towards history for now. They are also signing up for the handi bus. When he lived out here the bus wouldn't come for him but now that he is in the city he arranges for transport at a minimal cost. Matt can't just phone them on the spur of the moment however he books a week or so ahead of time and then he has more freedom to travel. Dad left back to Sask. last week so Matt is dependent on a hired driver or myself again.
Today they are going to Fabricland to pick out material for his pants. A lady mom knows will sew some pants for him with velcro in the front so he has an easier time with self catheterization. Then off for his bath in Innisfail. We still haven't arranged for anything in Red Deer yet, and the sliding tub chair they tried out was again too short for Matt's height.
Jonmarie and Shaunie love to go to Matt's house when I work after school to play Wii. There is a no TV rule at our house during the week and they get spoiled when the go to Uncle Matt's!
Grandma is enjoying more extra curricular activities and has been going for supper with some of the ladies from school. It is like trying to pull teeth for her to do something for herself. Tonight she is booked for a massage and then supper again, and she keeps thinking she should cancel because I will have to go a watch Matt and take him with me to Jonmarie's swimming lesson. Like she doesn't help me at the drop of a hat!
I think Auntie Karen is coming in the middle of February to visit and I booked them for pedicures at the spa for the Friday. Nice treat when the winter blues are getting you down. So remember, if family comes and visit I will treat you so let that be an incentive to come down! We have an extra room again and so does mom.

Safely Returned

Has it really been since Dec. 21st since I wrote? Terrible. However I have a very good excuse. It was difficult for me to get online. The connection was poor while we were on holidays and when we arrived in Cape Town in the New Year, we were so busy.
But we arrived safe and sound on Wednesday January 13th. The "sound" part is not exactly accurate after 21 hours of flying. Thank goodness for the one day stop over in Amsterdam. We may have arrived back in Canada minus two children!! Jacki and the kids met us at the airport because Grandma was late. Matt had a meeting with Dr. Mclean and it was longer than they expected. But the kids were so happy to see each other and we spent the time waiting at the new play center in the Calgary airport. It was awesome, the best in all the airports we have seen. If anyone is flying, make sure you check it out. There were adults in there too!! But it didn't compare to when Grandma came to pick us up. Shaunie couldn't quit hugging her and Jonmarie didn't quit talking the whole way back to red Deer.
Matt, dad, Cecilia and Airene, and Grandma came for supper last night and the girls were so excited to show everyone the presents they had brought from Africa and John was just as excited to show the videos/pictures. Matt is looking so good. His acne has really cleared up and he is still as handsome as ever. They had been busy over the holiday season, making a trip to Calgary to spend with Jacki, Gary and the kids and Nolan. They also made a trip to Weekes, but we were so busy talking about his latest appts that I forgot to ask how it went! Will update on that later.
Monday they went to Edmonton to meet with the rehab nurse. She showed Matt how to self-catheterize himself. It lets him be more self sufficient and now he can travel by himself more, such as to the mall or the college and be able to use the washroom without having someone to help him all the time. Prior to this, someone always had to be near by in case he needed to go to the washroom. He still has some trouble and needs help with setting up, but with more practice he should be able to be completely self sufficient. Hooray! He will have further appts with her re: other things, however that is not in the near future.
The meeting with Dr. McLean was on Wednesday and went over well. She discussed the MRI and it has not changed since the previous one last year. So she will send it to Dr. Guthrie to see what he has to say. He spasms have improved a bit since decreasing the Accutane dose, however they are still bothersome so she increased his anti-spasm meds. Matt strength and movement are slowly coming back so we think the Accutane was inhibiting that as well. His standing exercises have improved, however they are still not to where they were a year ago. But it will get there, now that he has more room in his new house to do exercises. I forgot to mention they have moved into the new house in town and it is great! Matt is able to get into the washroom and do self catheters in privacy. They are going to order a special bath chair so he can use the shower. That will rally save on the trips to Innisfail for baths. Matt is also excited to be able to phone for take away when Mom is not at home and again can be on his own more. I am very excited about the possibilities and thank God that He has been so wonderful to our family. Thank you to all who still continue to read the blog after 2 1/2 years and have followed Matt's journey through some very difficult times and still see him as the same lovable, funny guy he was prior to the accident. I will sure miss going downstairs and seeing him sitting there watching TV. And it is already difficult without mom, because now I have to take Jonmarie to school in the morning. I think that Jonmarie will be spending some nights at Grandmas and and also go home with her after school. So it will all work out, it will just take some juggling.
Happy belated Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

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.