Sorry it has been a while since the last update. I ended up having to take many more Vicodin than I had planned after my wisdom teeth were extracted. I found out today it was due to a dry socket -- so it's all packed now, I'm feeling much better, and more importantly, I am drug-free, so I can write without worrying about sounding like a crazy woman.
Abbie is doing even better than I expected with her new diet. I was concerned that the transition would take a while, but giving her the digestive support she needs, through enzymes and bile, has made it easy for her. She is now completely on raw milk, with some raw butter, coconut oil and eggs. I am amazed particularly about the eggs. We have tried many times over the last year to give her some eggs, but invariably she got sick and vomited. Now, there's not a hint of tummy upset or difficulty in digestion. Praise God! This has also taken so much mental strain away from me...I was forever trying to figure out how to make her diet better, what to add, what to leave out...and of course there was enough conflicting information to make my head spin. Now, I know exactly what to do, and it is so simple. My poor Vitamix is gathering dust and wondering what it do to deserve this shelving.
Chase very generously shared a cold with Abbie over the weekend, so she was a little subdued and had a lot of secretions. But, she's pretty well over it now and is back to her sassy self. She identified colors the other day more accurately and quicker than I've seen in months. She is also very quick with her switch this week, especially when we are joking around.
The boys and I were talking over the weekend about the plan to get Abbie better - they were excited to hear about a concrete plan that we have confidence in. In their enthusiasm they decided they wanted to help, so they've chosen to use the money they usually share turning in bottles and cans to help the Abbie Plan. This made me smile inside as I felt our family gather once again as a team. They also thought that perhaps all of Abbie's friends may want to join them in this effort, using bottle and can money. If your kids would like to help, they can send contributions (nickels and dimes welcome:) to: Abbie's Brothers
c/o PO Box 235201
Honolulu, HI 96823
Please know that this is an invitation for kids to be a part of Abbie's adventure in a tangible way. We do not want anyone to send contributions that come from funds their own families need or could use.
On a whole different page...I have recently been blessed to meet Betsy and Rusty, the parents of Ross Dillon (www.rossdillon.com) and the mother and grandmother (both named Diana) of Samantha (www.pray4samantha), as well as Samantha herself! Betsy and Rusty were in town for Dr. Tennant's recent seminar, and I learned so much from them. Most especially, as I wrote to Betsy, I learned "Persevere! Good things will come" Ross, a cyclist, was hit by a car in 2002. When they took him home in 2003 , "vegetative" was written in his chart. Now, he feeds himself, drives his electric wheelchair, writes his name and speaks in sentences. Not bad for a "vegetable", huh?
Samantha was driving home from school when she clipped a fence, sending one of the rails through the windshield, smashing the left side of her face. She was a real beauty queen (I have the picture of her wearing her crown to prove it). Now she is a queen of true grit. She walked in to our house, stroked Abbie's head and even gave her kisses. To call it emotional doesn't do that evening justice. One miracle giving love to another. When I hugged her goodbye I felt like I was holding a precious, fragile butterfly.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Five Years Old!
Yesterday Abbie turned 5, and that day when we we first heard "It's a girl" replayed with sweetness and joy in our minds. That day seems like a lifetime ago, but we celebrate now knowing that this may be the last birthday she can't blow out her own candles and eat her own cake.
I had a couple wisdom teeth extracted yesterday (we are having Abbie's family celebration this weekend). So, I am on Vicodin and may be a little loopy, so I will keep this short. Just wanted to let you know that we tried raw milk with her for the first time this morning. I was very nervous as we started, and had Crystal with me so that we could tag-team suction if Abbie started vomiting.
It couldn't have gone better! She took it all in without even a cough, which is an improvement over her normal breakfast. What a relief for me, and yet another reason for our hope to rise. We are really on the way now! It's fitting that we are starting the day after her birthday, because I think this is the true beginning of her rebirth, and the emergence of all that has been locked inside her for so long now.
I've received some good emails about the raw milk..to answer, I've found a dairy that has both their cows and their milk lab-tested very frequently so I am comfortable that their products are safe.
I'm going to sign off now...its was reported to me by my dear husband that I was excessively chatty during the extraction yesterday (blame the nitrous oxide!), and I don't want to do that again. Have a blessed day!!
I had a couple wisdom teeth extracted yesterday (we are having Abbie's family celebration this weekend). So, I am on Vicodin and may be a little loopy, so I will keep this short. Just wanted to let you know that we tried raw milk with her for the first time this morning. I was very nervous as we started, and had Crystal with me so that we could tag-team suction if Abbie started vomiting.
It couldn't have gone better! She took it all in without even a cough, which is an improvement over her normal breakfast. What a relief for me, and yet another reason for our hope to rise. We are really on the way now! It's fitting that we are starting the day after her birthday, because I think this is the true beginning of her rebirth, and the emergence of all that has been locked inside her for so long now.
I've received some good emails about the raw milk..to answer, I've found a dairy that has both their cows and their milk lab-tested very frequently so I am comfortable that their products are safe.
I'm going to sign off now...its was reported to me by my dear husband that I was excessively chatty during the extraction yesterday (blame the nitrous oxide!), and I don't want to do that again. Have a blessed day!!
Monday, August 21, 2006
Unfathomable Blessings
OK, so here it is, the update I promised....I hope it lives up to the build up I gave it. If not, it will be a communication failure on my part, because I am still absorbing just how dramatically Abbie's journey has changed in the last week or so.
As many of you know, Dr. Jerry Tennant was in town last week to give a lecture and training seminar. We have been working with his device, the Biomodulator, for about a year now and credit much of Abbie's gains to it. But, truthfully, Dr. Tennant has given us much more than a device, he has given us a whole new paradigm about how to practice medicine and how to restore wellness.
He is a man that people fly from all over the world to meet and we were fortunate enough to have an extended period of time with him to discuss Abbie. That fact alone still overwhelms me. But, through his gracious sharing of his time, knowledge and the use of some new tests we have a whole new insight into what is going on with Abbie, and most importantly we now have a roadmap for the way back!!
This is going to be a lengthy update, but I believe it is the most important and most hopeful one I may ever write. God has long promised me, in the dark of the night when I've been crying, that this journey is so much bigger than I can see, and it will end up so much better than I can imagine. Now I have a glimpse, and He is so true to His Word.
Last week we were able to use something called a MEAD device to do a test called a "Nakatani" on Abbie. In three minutes this device gave us the voltage readings for all of Abbie's organs as well as her total body voltage. Normal body voltage is around 20 millivolts. Since we've been working with the Biomodulator and watching her diet for a year I was curious and hopeful about what we would see. The results came up on the laptop screen and my jaw dropped...2. Two measly millivolts is all the energy Abbie is running on. This is not enough for her organs to even function properly, let alone allow her to heal. It also helps explain why her stoma is open 17 months after decannulation -- she literally does not have the energy to heal it. I was heartbroken at first, and could not understand how this could be. I was also bursting with pride about my girl, who has been showing us great things solely through the strength of her will and heart. As Dr. Tennant put it, "She is obviously very motivated!"
The reason for her low voltage, however, has given us great hope because it is entirely fixable. The body stores voltage in the cell membranes, which are made entirely of fat. Abbie's liver is not functioning right now, so it is not producing bile, which is necessary to break down fat for digestion. The good fats I've been giving her have either been going right through her or have been coming back up as she coughs and vomits. Since she can't digest fats, her body doesn't have the building materials for good cell membranes, so she has no voltage storage capacity. The energy we put into her runs right out, which explains her chronic low voltage.
We are going to fix this by giving Abbie digestive supplements: Betaine, Ox bile, Digestabs, and a probiotic. We are also going to radically change her diet. For the forseeable future Abbie's diet will consist entirely of raw milk, eggs, marine phytoplankton, Vitamin C, and silicon. I must admit I had a questioning look on my face when that diet was proposed. But, raw milk, eggs and plankton are the only 3 complete foods on the planet...they each have everything needed for life in the proper ratios. Why silicon? Because it is a powerful electron donor, meaning it has energy to give, with a pH of 12. The other unique property of silicon is that if it is ingested with an appropriate probiotic is has the ability to transmutate into other minerals the body needs, like calcium. The neat thing about that is that only the amount the body needs will be transmutated, so we don't have to worry about overloading on something like calcium. The biggest thing we are trying to accomplish is to get five pounds of good fat into Abbie in the next 2 months. The liver is composed entirely of fat, and completely replaces itself every 6-8 weeks. The brain is also made mostly of fat, although it's replacement cycle is about 8 months. The good fats will help Abbie rebuild healthy organs as well as healthy cell membranes so she can hold onto the voltage we give her. The skin also has about a 6 week replacement cycle, so we are hopeful that in about 6-8 weeks, as she has a better a better liver and healthier skin we will really be able to get her voltage up and will see great changes. More about that later.
One word about raw milk, since I know there of some who gasped when I wrote that. Yes, it is safe. If bacteria grows in raw milk, it's gone in about 36 hours, if it grows in pasteurized milk it keeps multiplying. Raw milk is so powerful because it is a living food -- the enzymes haven't been killed by pastuerization. This allows even lactose intolerant people to drink it, because it still contains the lactase necessary for digestion. The fats in raw milk are intact, they haven't been shattered by homogenization, which is important when trying to build good cell membranes, in the same way as not wanting to build a windshield out of little shards of glass. It is illegal to buy or sell raw milk in Hawaii, so I've ordered some from California (I had to pay much more for shipping than for the milk.) But, if there is anyone on Oahu who has grass-fed cows or goats, or is willing to keep one, PLEASE contact me. This may be the most crucial element in determining how fast we can help Abbie get better. Dr. Tennant told me that his patients who go on raw milk get better in about half the time as those who don't.
We discussed what Abbie's low voltage means for things like a Botox procedure or a hip surgery. With a voltage as low as Abbies, and a liver unable to metabolize the anesthetic and the drugs all surgeries are now off the table, especially the hip procedure. To put her through a surgery that drastic with a voltage as low as hers would be extremely risky. I must say I am a little relieved, and recalled the recent struggle I'd been having with a promise I truly believed God had given me. When the hip procedure was first discussed I came home and wept, then opened my Bible. A verse I'd never noticed before stood out boldly to me and promised that "not one of her bones shall be broken." I claimed that for Abbie and was certain she wouldn't have to have the hip surgery. After looking at her hip films at a recent Shriner's appointment, and concluding that hip surgery was unavoidable, I really wondered how I had misheard God, wondered if I'd inserted my own desires into His mouth, wondered if I could trust myself to hear anything at all. All we have recently learned has put this procedure off for a while, and even though traditional medicine would call it impossible to change bony problems without surgery I am watching impossibilites fade before my eyes. Perhaps I don't have a hearing problem after all!
Dr. Tennant was also the first person to be able to explain to me why hyperbaric oxgyen therapy (HBOT) helps people in Abbie's situation. There is lots of anecdotal evidence and stories of improvement, but I could never get a grasp on what it actually did in the body to effect these changes. He told me in two short sentences. Describing something called "Bohr's Effect" he explained that there is a direct relationship between the voltage in a solution and the amount of oxygen that can be dissolved in the solution. Low voltage means low oxygen in tissues. So, while we are working to get Abbie's voltage up, HBOT would be a wonderful support for her. Once her voltage is in the normal range again, she won't need it anymore. More "dives" are on the wish list for Abbie.
I promised more about what can happen when low voltage is raised to normal ranges. I'd like to share the story of a girl whose family I referred to Dr. Tennant to help with her brain injury recovery. I haven't touched base with her mom about sharing this story yet, so I will just use her initial "S." (for "Superwoman" perhaps). I heard the highlights of the story from the mom first, so I know it happened just as Dr. Tennant described it to me. S. came to his clinic in a wheelchair with her right arm drawn up, her head hanging down, she wasn't talking or initiating any movement on her own. She would occasionally follow commands like "open your mouth". They tested her with the MEAD device and found that her voltage was around 7, well below the normal of 20. They gave her some I.V. therapy and treatment with a specialized light diode for 45 minutes. They then wheeled her to the front desk so her mother could book appointments for the remaining three days of their stay in Dallas. At that point S. stood up out of her wheelchair. When they tested her voltage two days later it was at 20, and S. was walking around the halls unassisted. That's how powerfully a change in voltage can manifest, and how quickly the changes come. S. only stayed for four days, and at the end of the stay Dr. Tennant went out to eat with her and her family. There was a park bench in the restaurant with a cut-out in the wall that opened into another eating area. S. was so curious she climbed up on the bench to have a look. Dr. Tennant now recommends a 2-week treatment course at the clinic to see the best results. He is also seeing astounding changes in kids with autism. He told me that the newest versions of the light diode are one week old and about 10 times as powerful as what S. was treated with. The possibilities for recovery are mind-staggering, and like I said, they bring our vague but stubborn hope into the realm of definate potential. Suffice to say, a trip to Dallas is on my wish list for Abbie.
The story about S. brings up the new light diode, a truly cutting edge device that uses light to carry frequencies into the body. There exist just a few prototypes of the light, but from S's story you can understand the impact they will have. Please pray for Dr. Tennant as he moves forward to get these through the FDA approval process. Pray that God would show favor in every way to speed this process -- there are so many of us waiting for hope to become reality. I cannot do justice in describing Dr. Tennant, but he has a true heart of compassion, is completely dedicated to his mission, and possesses a brilliance shared by few. God has chosen him to be a world-changer, and that is a very difficult path to travel.
So, I think that pretty well sums up our last week. Can you see why I've had some sleepless nights lately? Not checking on alarms or giving nebulizer treatments, but rather tossing around in bed realizing that I really am going to get my girl back. I really, really am!!! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, especially the unfathomable ones.
As many of you know, Dr. Jerry Tennant was in town last week to give a lecture and training seminar. We have been working with his device, the Biomodulator, for about a year now and credit much of Abbie's gains to it. But, truthfully, Dr. Tennant has given us much more than a device, he has given us a whole new paradigm about how to practice medicine and how to restore wellness.
He is a man that people fly from all over the world to meet and we were fortunate enough to have an extended period of time with him to discuss Abbie. That fact alone still overwhelms me. But, through his gracious sharing of his time, knowledge and the use of some new tests we have a whole new insight into what is going on with Abbie, and most importantly we now have a roadmap for the way back!!
This is going to be a lengthy update, but I believe it is the most important and most hopeful one I may ever write. God has long promised me, in the dark of the night when I've been crying, that this journey is so much bigger than I can see, and it will end up so much better than I can imagine. Now I have a glimpse, and He is so true to His Word.
Last week we were able to use something called a MEAD device to do a test called a "Nakatani" on Abbie. In three minutes this device gave us the voltage readings for all of Abbie's organs as well as her total body voltage. Normal body voltage is around 20 millivolts. Since we've been working with the Biomodulator and watching her diet for a year I was curious and hopeful about what we would see. The results came up on the laptop screen and my jaw dropped...2. Two measly millivolts is all the energy Abbie is running on. This is not enough for her organs to even function properly, let alone allow her to heal. It also helps explain why her stoma is open 17 months after decannulation -- she literally does not have the energy to heal it. I was heartbroken at first, and could not understand how this could be. I was also bursting with pride about my girl, who has been showing us great things solely through the strength of her will and heart. As Dr. Tennant put it, "She is obviously very motivated!"
The reason for her low voltage, however, has given us great hope because it is entirely fixable. The body stores voltage in the cell membranes, which are made entirely of fat. Abbie's liver is not functioning right now, so it is not producing bile, which is necessary to break down fat for digestion. The good fats I've been giving her have either been going right through her or have been coming back up as she coughs and vomits. Since she can't digest fats, her body doesn't have the building materials for good cell membranes, so she has no voltage storage capacity. The energy we put into her runs right out, which explains her chronic low voltage.
We are going to fix this by giving Abbie digestive supplements: Betaine, Ox bile, Digestabs, and a probiotic. We are also going to radically change her diet. For the forseeable future Abbie's diet will consist entirely of raw milk, eggs, marine phytoplankton, Vitamin C, and silicon. I must admit I had a questioning look on my face when that diet was proposed. But, raw milk, eggs and plankton are the only 3 complete foods on the planet...they each have everything needed for life in the proper ratios. Why silicon? Because it is a powerful electron donor, meaning it has energy to give, with a pH of 12. The other unique property of silicon is that if it is ingested with an appropriate probiotic is has the ability to transmutate into other minerals the body needs, like calcium. The neat thing about that is that only the amount the body needs will be transmutated, so we don't have to worry about overloading on something like calcium. The biggest thing we are trying to accomplish is to get five pounds of good fat into Abbie in the next 2 months. The liver is composed entirely of fat, and completely replaces itself every 6-8 weeks. The brain is also made mostly of fat, although it's replacement cycle is about 8 months. The good fats will help Abbie rebuild healthy organs as well as healthy cell membranes so she can hold onto the voltage we give her. The skin also has about a 6 week replacement cycle, so we are hopeful that in about 6-8 weeks, as she has a better a better liver and healthier skin we will really be able to get her voltage up and will see great changes. More about that later.
One word about raw milk, since I know there of some who gasped when I wrote that. Yes, it is safe. If bacteria grows in raw milk, it's gone in about 36 hours, if it grows in pasteurized milk it keeps multiplying. Raw milk is so powerful because it is a living food -- the enzymes haven't been killed by pastuerization. This allows even lactose intolerant people to drink it, because it still contains the lactase necessary for digestion. The fats in raw milk are intact, they haven't been shattered by homogenization, which is important when trying to build good cell membranes, in the same way as not wanting to build a windshield out of little shards of glass. It is illegal to buy or sell raw milk in Hawaii, so I've ordered some from California (I had to pay much more for shipping than for the milk.) But, if there is anyone on Oahu who has grass-fed cows or goats, or is willing to keep one, PLEASE contact me. This may be the most crucial element in determining how fast we can help Abbie get better. Dr. Tennant told me that his patients who go on raw milk get better in about half the time as those who don't.
We discussed what Abbie's low voltage means for things like a Botox procedure or a hip surgery. With a voltage as low as Abbies, and a liver unable to metabolize the anesthetic and the drugs all surgeries are now off the table, especially the hip procedure. To put her through a surgery that drastic with a voltage as low as hers would be extremely risky. I must say I am a little relieved, and recalled the recent struggle I'd been having with a promise I truly believed God had given me. When the hip procedure was first discussed I came home and wept, then opened my Bible. A verse I'd never noticed before stood out boldly to me and promised that "not one of her bones shall be broken." I claimed that for Abbie and was certain she wouldn't have to have the hip surgery. After looking at her hip films at a recent Shriner's appointment, and concluding that hip surgery was unavoidable, I really wondered how I had misheard God, wondered if I'd inserted my own desires into His mouth, wondered if I could trust myself to hear anything at all. All we have recently learned has put this procedure off for a while, and even though traditional medicine would call it impossible to change bony problems without surgery I am watching impossibilites fade before my eyes. Perhaps I don't have a hearing problem after all!
Dr. Tennant was also the first person to be able to explain to me why hyperbaric oxgyen therapy (HBOT) helps people in Abbie's situation. There is lots of anecdotal evidence and stories of improvement, but I could never get a grasp on what it actually did in the body to effect these changes. He told me in two short sentences. Describing something called "Bohr's Effect" he explained that there is a direct relationship between the voltage in a solution and the amount of oxygen that can be dissolved in the solution. Low voltage means low oxygen in tissues. So, while we are working to get Abbie's voltage up, HBOT would be a wonderful support for her. Once her voltage is in the normal range again, she won't need it anymore. More "dives" are on the wish list for Abbie.
I promised more about what can happen when low voltage is raised to normal ranges. I'd like to share the story of a girl whose family I referred to Dr. Tennant to help with her brain injury recovery. I haven't touched base with her mom about sharing this story yet, so I will just use her initial "S." (for "Superwoman" perhaps). I heard the highlights of the story from the mom first, so I know it happened just as Dr. Tennant described it to me. S. came to his clinic in a wheelchair with her right arm drawn up, her head hanging down, she wasn't talking or initiating any movement on her own. She would occasionally follow commands like "open your mouth". They tested her with the MEAD device and found that her voltage was around 7, well below the normal of 20. They gave her some I.V. therapy and treatment with a specialized light diode for 45 minutes. They then wheeled her to the front desk so her mother could book appointments for the remaining three days of their stay in Dallas. At that point S. stood up out of her wheelchair. When they tested her voltage two days later it was at 20, and S. was walking around the halls unassisted. That's how powerfully a change in voltage can manifest, and how quickly the changes come. S. only stayed for four days, and at the end of the stay Dr. Tennant went out to eat with her and her family. There was a park bench in the restaurant with a cut-out in the wall that opened into another eating area. S. was so curious she climbed up on the bench to have a look. Dr. Tennant now recommends a 2-week treatment course at the clinic to see the best results. He is also seeing astounding changes in kids with autism. He told me that the newest versions of the light diode are one week old and about 10 times as powerful as what S. was treated with. The possibilities for recovery are mind-staggering, and like I said, they bring our vague but stubborn hope into the realm of definate potential. Suffice to say, a trip to Dallas is on my wish list for Abbie.
The story about S. brings up the new light diode, a truly cutting edge device that uses light to carry frequencies into the body. There exist just a few prototypes of the light, but from S's story you can understand the impact they will have. Please pray for Dr. Tennant as he moves forward to get these through the FDA approval process. Pray that God would show favor in every way to speed this process -- there are so many of us waiting for hope to become reality. I cannot do justice in describing Dr. Tennant, but he has a true heart of compassion, is completely dedicated to his mission, and possesses a brilliance shared by few. God has chosen him to be a world-changer, and that is a very difficult path to travel.
So, I think that pretty well sums up our last week. Can you see why I've had some sleepless nights lately? Not checking on alarms or giving nebulizer treatments, but rather tossing around in bed realizing that I really am going to get my girl back. I really, really am!!! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, especially the unfathomable ones.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Everything's OK
It's been a while since I've posted, and I just want to let you know that all is well. In fact, it is great! Abbie was very vocal this morning, and kept it up during PT. She was also goofing around with us, being a little bit of a rascal. Lynette (PT) finally asked, "What did you do to her, this is a different girl than I saw last week." There is an answer to that question, but it requires more time to explain than I right now...unfathomable blessings have come our way this week, and I will have time to write about them extensively on Monday. Suffice to say, the vague but firm hope that I have held all this time, that there is a way back for Abbie, has come into sharp relief and definate reality. Like I said, unfathomable...
Crystal just gave me an update on Abbie's evening. After running to PT and the neurologist today (where for the first time she actually let Dr. O. see her do something), Abbie slept all evening. But, Crystal said she was "laughing in her sleep." Surprised, I questioned her about this. "Yes," she confirmed, "laughing. You could totally hear a 'ha', then she would stop and just smile a huge smile." I think in her dreams Abbie is getting a preview of things that are coming, and I am joining in her joyful laughter.
No matter how long it takes, love always wins!!!
Crystal just gave me an update on Abbie's evening. After running to PT and the neurologist today (where for the first time she actually let Dr. O. see her do something), Abbie slept all evening. But, Crystal said she was "laughing in her sleep." Surprised, I questioned her about this. "Yes," she confirmed, "laughing. You could totally hear a 'ha', then she would stop and just smile a huge smile." I think in her dreams Abbie is getting a preview of things that are coming, and I am joining in her joyful laughter.
No matter how long it takes, love always wins!!!
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Double A
"AA", "Double-A", Awesome Abbie! It has been an amazing day, and it's only lunchtime!
Abbie woke up with smiles and in a good mood, so I knew we were going to have a pleasant day. In the bathtub she was so relaxed and really enjoyed the massage I gave her as the jets bubbled the water around her. I always wash her hair in the sink because it's easier to keep water out of her still-open trach stoma. As I laid her on the counter, her little legs started going. It's not unusual to get a left-right-left (or vice versa) movement in her legs, but three lifts in a row is about all she will do. Until today. She looked like she was going to walk off the counter, I lost count of how many times in a row she'd lift alternating legs, with her hips rotating a little as well. She would stop and grin at me, as if to say "Do you see what I'm doing??" I would heap the praise and admiration on her, and we'd start the whole cycle again. She must've done at least six rounds of leg lifting, and I was giggling with joy by the time her hair was washed.
I brought her to the family room to massage her and get her dressed for PT. I sat her up to put her hair in a pony tail, and was busy brushing it when I realized she was sitting up, holding her head straight and still for me as I brushed. It was so normal!!! I was using both my hands to fix her hair, instead of having to support or balance her. Even just one moment of doing something the way we used to has a sweetness I can't describe. (Trust me, I sat here for a while trying to think of the words, and can't find any)
On the way to therapy I just felt like everything has changed somehow...my thought was. "this feels like a prayer has been answered that I didn't even know I prayed. I don't even know what I prayed for specifically, but God has answered."
Excited words tumbled out of my mouth as soon as Lynette came into the PT room. We decided to work on the recently-set goal of Abbie helping with transitions from sitting to standing, or helping with her legs when being lifted out of her wheelchair. Step one is making sure she can bend her knees so she can put weight through her legs and feet. Lynette sat her on a bolster, and held her from behind while I had knee and foot duty in the front. It didn't take long for me to get her feet flat on the floor and her knees bent to about 90 degrees. Then Lynette helped Abbie to reach down and touch her toes. I am so glad she still has the flexibility to do things like that.
Since she did so well, we wanted to take it to the next step - seeing if she could bend her knees on her own. This requires her to work against the high muscle tone in her quads and has never been easy for her. I lifted her thigh off the bolster and told her to bend her own knee...slowly, slowly she began doing it. The more repetitions we did the further and faster she went. She bent them until her feet touched the floor on their own! Much, much more than we were expecting to see.
We noticed that when she wanted a break Abbie would straighten her legs. So, since it was such a great day already, we decided to push it a little farther. While her knees were bent we asked her to straighten her legs...she did...then we asked her to find the floor with her feet again...and she did! She was following the commands so quickly!!! She did this a few more times when we asked her to. I silenced my yelp of joy, so I was looking at Lynette with my mouth agape, when she said, "I am about to cry!" That's a sure sign it's been a great day in therapy!!!
Abbie's body is starting to listen to her more and more, and her cognition is more easily displayed through her movements now. So thrilling for me, and I can assure you, she is quite proud of herself!
After PT I took Abbie to the cafeteria to feed her and get some lunch myself. As I returned to the table with my tray, the truth hit me. All this isn't an answer to some unknown prayer I prayed, it's an answer to prayers that you have prayed for Abbie!! You have prayed for her when I 've been too tired, too sad or too discouraged. You've prayed for her when I couldn't find new words and couldn't bear to repeat the old ones. You've prayed in faith when mine was flickering. You have prayed in hope on days when I was focused on doom-and-gloom tests. You have prayed in joy during times I felt my heart was shattered. You have prayed with perseverance and persistence even though many of you have never had the chance to meet or hold Abbie. I wish you could see what my eyes witnessed today, and feel what my heart felt...because YOU are the reason that my sweet girl is smiling with satisfaction and pride. "Mahalo" will never be enough, but I say it with all my heart!
Abbie woke up with smiles and in a good mood, so I knew we were going to have a pleasant day. In the bathtub she was so relaxed and really enjoyed the massage I gave her as the jets bubbled the water around her. I always wash her hair in the sink because it's easier to keep water out of her still-open trach stoma. As I laid her on the counter, her little legs started going. It's not unusual to get a left-right-left (or vice versa) movement in her legs, but three lifts in a row is about all she will do. Until today. She looked like she was going to walk off the counter, I lost count of how many times in a row she'd lift alternating legs, with her hips rotating a little as well. She would stop and grin at me, as if to say "Do you see what I'm doing??" I would heap the praise and admiration on her, and we'd start the whole cycle again. She must've done at least six rounds of leg lifting, and I was giggling with joy by the time her hair was washed.
I brought her to the family room to massage her and get her dressed for PT. I sat her up to put her hair in a pony tail, and was busy brushing it when I realized she was sitting up, holding her head straight and still for me as I brushed. It was so normal!!! I was using both my hands to fix her hair, instead of having to support or balance her. Even just one moment of doing something the way we used to has a sweetness I can't describe. (Trust me, I sat here for a while trying to think of the words, and can't find any)
On the way to therapy I just felt like everything has changed somehow...my thought was. "this feels like a prayer has been answered that I didn't even know I prayed. I don't even know what I prayed for specifically, but God has answered."
Excited words tumbled out of my mouth as soon as Lynette came into the PT room. We decided to work on the recently-set goal of Abbie helping with transitions from sitting to standing, or helping with her legs when being lifted out of her wheelchair. Step one is making sure she can bend her knees so she can put weight through her legs and feet. Lynette sat her on a bolster, and held her from behind while I had knee and foot duty in the front. It didn't take long for me to get her feet flat on the floor and her knees bent to about 90 degrees. Then Lynette helped Abbie to reach down and touch her toes. I am so glad she still has the flexibility to do things like that.
Since she did so well, we wanted to take it to the next step - seeing if she could bend her knees on her own. This requires her to work against the high muscle tone in her quads and has never been easy for her. I lifted her thigh off the bolster and told her to bend her own knee...slowly, slowly she began doing it. The more repetitions we did the further and faster she went. She bent them until her feet touched the floor on their own! Much, much more than we were expecting to see.
We noticed that when she wanted a break Abbie would straighten her legs. So, since it was such a great day already, we decided to push it a little farther. While her knees were bent we asked her to straighten her legs...she did...then we asked her to find the floor with her feet again...and she did! She was following the commands so quickly!!! She did this a few more times when we asked her to. I silenced my yelp of joy, so I was looking at Lynette with my mouth agape, when she said, "I am about to cry!" That's a sure sign it's been a great day in therapy!!!
Abbie's body is starting to listen to her more and more, and her cognition is more easily displayed through her movements now. So thrilling for me, and I can assure you, she is quite proud of herself!
After PT I took Abbie to the cafeteria to feed her and get some lunch myself. As I returned to the table with my tray, the truth hit me. All this isn't an answer to some unknown prayer I prayed, it's an answer to prayers that you have prayed for Abbie!! You have prayed for her when I 've been too tired, too sad or too discouraged. You've prayed for her when I couldn't find new words and couldn't bear to repeat the old ones. You've prayed in faith when mine was flickering. You have prayed in hope on days when I was focused on doom-and-gloom tests. You have prayed in joy during times I felt my heart was shattered. You have prayed with perseverance and persistence even though many of you have never had the chance to meet or hold Abbie. I wish you could see what my eyes witnessed today, and feel what my heart felt...because YOU are the reason that my sweet girl is smiling with satisfaction and pride. "Mahalo" will never be enough, but I say it with all my heart!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Plugging Away
That's about where I am at right now...just plugging away, trying to do what I think Abbie needs, and usually feeling at the end of the day like I didn't get 50% accomplished of what I'd hoped to do.
It's easy to let a feeling of defeat sneak up on me, and it has me down on the mat before I even realize it's laid its hands on me. The one sure antidote is spending time alone reading the Bible. Thankfully, we have a nurse today, so I was able to read my Psalms cycle and saw some amazing things.
I started in Psalm 8 and read the familiar verse that says, "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise..." How often I have envisioned praise pouring out of Abbie's lips. That picture is an anchor for me. But, the rest of the verse goes on to say, "...because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." The praise of the littlest ones is ordained to silence the enemy -- God trusts in the power of children's praise to do a mighty thing, and so do I. The prayers and praise of Abbie's little friends all over the world are doing a powerful work in Abbie's life and restoring her to health. Please, tell your children what a difference they are making for Abbie - -she is really depending on them to keep talking to Jesus about her when they pray and to continue praising His Name with their words and lives.
She was a little sleepy at therapy yesterday after waking early in the morning. But, she still did things to encourage us. We were working on rolling, and she'd gotten onto her tummy. I told her that she could choose which way to go from there, and she immediately lifted her left hip. I've been spending much time lately researching therapy options, both for Abbie and for the Hope Program. While it's exciting to see things we've not yet tried, it can also be exhausting to reason through what would be best for her and what we can realistically do. Please pray for wisdom through this ever-continuing process.
It's easy to let a feeling of defeat sneak up on me, and it has me down on the mat before I even realize it's laid its hands on me. The one sure antidote is spending time alone reading the Bible. Thankfully, we have a nurse today, so I was able to read my Psalms cycle and saw some amazing things.
I started in Psalm 8 and read the familiar verse that says, "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise..." How often I have envisioned praise pouring out of Abbie's lips. That picture is an anchor for me. But, the rest of the verse goes on to say, "...because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." The praise of the littlest ones is ordained to silence the enemy -- God trusts in the power of children's praise to do a mighty thing, and so do I. The prayers and praise of Abbie's little friends all over the world are doing a powerful work in Abbie's life and restoring her to health. Please, tell your children what a difference they are making for Abbie - -she is really depending on them to keep talking to Jesus about her when they pray and to continue praising His Name with their words and lives.
She was a little sleepy at therapy yesterday after waking early in the morning. But, she still did things to encourage us. We were working on rolling, and she'd gotten onto her tummy. I told her that she could choose which way to go from there, and she immediately lifted her left hip. I've been spending much time lately researching therapy options, both for Abbie and for the Hope Program. While it's exciting to see things we've not yet tried, it can also be exhausting to reason through what would be best for her and what we can realistically do. Please pray for wisdom through this ever-continuing process.
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death
-- Psalm 68:19-20
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Bouncing Back
Our little Superball of a girl has bounced back amazingly. We took her off the oxgygen last night and watched her sleep with sats of 98, even as her heart rate dropped into the 80s. She has continued to be strong today, and is back to her happy self. She's slept a bit more than usual tonight, but she awoke both of us with a big messy diaper that required a complete bedding change at 5am.
I visited Luke's site last night (www.howsluke.blogspot.com) to see how he is doing, as he is currently fighting something respiratory as well..please pray for him. His mom, Sue has posted a prayer request for a little girl named Gabby, saying only a miracle will save her at this point. Of course, I then went to Gabby's site, www.gabbysmiracle.blogspot.com to read about her courageous fight against a virulent, inoperable brain tumor. Please go visit and pray for her and her family. I want to share something her family wrote that encouraged me to remember with gladness and comfort just Who we are depending upon.
"This situation is not over yet, for we serve Jehovah Rophe, the Lord our Healer. He is my strong tower, He makes the hills shake, the mountains melt and the heavens bow. His love has no limits, His grace has no measure, His power has no boundries known unto man. He is my shield, my defender, my rock and refuge and He hides me under the shadow of His wings. He was the Ancient of days before the first day began, He was the rock of ages before any mountain peaks were formed and He was the lily of the valley before there were any flowers on earth.
Let me tell you about His voice, His voice is powerful upon the waters, full of majesty, like thunder, it breaks the cedars, sets the mountains in their place and it stills the sea. His voice shook the earth and melted the hills. He spoke and the heavens unrolled themselves and the galaxies were born... violets cast their fragrance, the birds began to sing... colors wove themselves into a rainbow. He spoke and a handful of dust became a living soul. He spoke and calmed the storm, He spoke and gave life to the dead, brought healing to the sick, strength to the weak and cleansing to the leper. He spoke and brought hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind.
Sickness could not withstand Him, Devils could not stay near Him and the waves could not drown Him. Death could not corrupt Him, hell could not keep Him and the grave could not contain Him. God has highly exalted Him and given Him a Name above every other name even the name of cancer. He is mighty in battle and He is the Lion of Judah..... His name is Jesus."
I visited Luke's site last night (www.howsluke.blogspot.com) to see how he is doing, as he is currently fighting something respiratory as well..please pray for him. His mom, Sue has posted a prayer request for a little girl named Gabby, saying only a miracle will save her at this point. Of course, I then went to Gabby's site, www.gabbysmiracle.blogspot.com to read about her courageous fight against a virulent, inoperable brain tumor. Please go visit and pray for her and her family. I want to share something her family wrote that encouraged me to remember with gladness and comfort just Who we are depending upon.
"This situation is not over yet, for we serve Jehovah Rophe, the Lord our Healer. He is my strong tower, He makes the hills shake, the mountains melt and the heavens bow. His love has no limits, His grace has no measure, His power has no boundries known unto man. He is my shield, my defender, my rock and refuge and He hides me under the shadow of His wings. He was the Ancient of days before the first day began, He was the rock of ages before any mountain peaks were formed and He was the lily of the valley before there were any flowers on earth.
Let me tell you about His voice, His voice is powerful upon the waters, full of majesty, like thunder, it breaks the cedars, sets the mountains in their place and it stills the sea. His voice shook the earth and melted the hills. He spoke and the heavens unrolled themselves and the galaxies were born... violets cast their fragrance, the birds began to sing... colors wove themselves into a rainbow. He spoke and a handful of dust became a living soul. He spoke and calmed the storm, He spoke and gave life to the dead, brought healing to the sick, strength to the weak and cleansing to the leper. He spoke and brought hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind.
Sickness could not withstand Him, Devils could not stay near Him and the waves could not drown Him. Death could not corrupt Him, hell could not keep Him and the grave could not contain Him. God has highly exalted Him and given Him a Name above every other name even the name of cancer. He is mighty in battle and He is the Lion of Judah..... His name is Jesus."
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Please Pray!
Yesterday Abbie had a pretty quiet, uneventful day until her nurse, Corrie, check her O2 sats at 6:30pm. Abbie had been at her usual 96-99%, but suddenly she was at 84%. Corrie moved the probe to her other toe and to her fingers, and then checked the probe on her own finger to ensure it was working properly (it was). So, she started Abbie on 1 liter of oxygen and had to bump it up to 1.5 fairly soon.
When I got home at 6:45 Abbie was resting comfortably, but still only satting 93-95 even with the oxgyen. She didn't have a fever, her chest sounded clear, and she wasn't coughing, so we were stumped. Not having a clue what might be causing this rapid change, I pulled out my secret weapon, the Biomodulator, and went to work. After about 20 minutes of treatment we lowered the oxygen to 1 liter, with Abbie satting 97-99. We kept the O2 on all night just to be safe, and have used it most of the day today. Abbie seems really tired, but still has no fever or chest congestion. Please just pray she can overcome this quickly!
On Thursday night our family was abundantly blessed with a meal prepared by the Cheshire family...we had a mid-week holiday!! Roast turkey, amazing stuffing, homemade bread, potatoes, and yummy dessert. I usually decline offers like theirs, perhaps more often then I should, but with the scarcity of nursing this month I gratefully accepted. The only problem, as I told Katie, was that my family may not want me to cook for them anymore. I am humbled that over two years after the beginning of this journey we still have so many companions with tender, thoughtful hearts...I cannot adequately express our gratitude.
A follow up to postings earlier this summer... Abbie's big Marine friend Ben continues his miraculous recovery from a traumatic brain injury. His wife, Carissa, recently gave birth to their first child and Ben was able to be with her through the entire process -- chalk up another answered prayer!
On Thursday night Chase was helping me put Abbie to bed, and began goofing around with her. Not good for settling in for a good night sleep, but it was too fun to watch for me to stop them. For the first time I saw her true pirate smile again. The kind that says "I am about to do something naughty but I'm too cute to get into trouble." She used that smile a lot the first 2.5 years of her life. By the time I banished him from the bedroom, Chase had Abbie laughing. Those moments make all the difficult ones fall to the ground and shatter into dust.
When I got home at 6:45 Abbie was resting comfortably, but still only satting 93-95 even with the oxgyen. She didn't have a fever, her chest sounded clear, and she wasn't coughing, so we were stumped. Not having a clue what might be causing this rapid change, I pulled out my secret weapon, the Biomodulator, and went to work. After about 20 minutes of treatment we lowered the oxygen to 1 liter, with Abbie satting 97-99. We kept the O2 on all night just to be safe, and have used it most of the day today. Abbie seems really tired, but still has no fever or chest congestion. Please just pray she can overcome this quickly!
On Thursday night our family was abundantly blessed with a meal prepared by the Cheshire family...we had a mid-week holiday!! Roast turkey, amazing stuffing, homemade bread, potatoes, and yummy dessert. I usually decline offers like theirs, perhaps more often then I should, but with the scarcity of nursing this month I gratefully accepted. The only problem, as I told Katie, was that my family may not want me to cook for them anymore. I am humbled that over two years after the beginning of this journey we still have so many companions with tender, thoughtful hearts...I cannot adequately express our gratitude.
A follow up to postings earlier this summer... Abbie's big Marine friend Ben continues his miraculous recovery from a traumatic brain injury. His wife, Carissa, recently gave birth to their first child and Ben was able to be with her through the entire process -- chalk up another answered prayer!
On Thursday night Chase was helping me put Abbie to bed, and began goofing around with her. Not good for settling in for a good night sleep, but it was too fun to watch for me to stop them. For the first time I saw her true pirate smile again. The kind that says "I am about to do something naughty but I'm too cute to get into trouble." She used that smile a lot the first 2.5 years of her life. By the time I banished him from the bedroom, Chase had Abbie laughing. Those moments make all the difficult ones fall to the ground and shatter into dust.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Watch This!!
Recently my friend, Betsy Dillon, Ross' mom, sent me a link to a segment of the Charlie Rose show. Charlie had three guests who discussed the case of Terry Wallis, the man who, within a 72-hour period, regained normal speech after 19 years in a minimally conscious state following a traumatic brain injury. The bottom line, according to his guests, is that brains are NOT static after an injury, and that we have GOT to give them a chance to heal and support them as they do. Hurrah!!! Scientists and physicians saying what I and my fellow M.O.M.s (Mothers of Miracles) have known all along. See for yourself...http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=tvshow%3ACharlie_Rose&so=1
Abbie had an "on" day yesterday, which was great since I was orienting a new nurse. Tracy gave me a bit of a surprised look when I told her that Abbie can understand everything we say. I guess Abbie took that as a challenge because she was quite talkative the rest of the day, both with her switch and her voice. She told Tracy "go, go, go" when she needed to use the toilet, and said "hungry"clearly enough to be understood even though it was an hour until feeding time. In the morning she started working on the "D" sound, which is fairly new. I told her this would allow her to say "Dad", which made her smile, so we worked on it a while. In the evening, she was watching a video about letters, and the song playing said, "The A says 'a' the A says 'a'" I asked Abbie if she could say that and she began to mimic with her mouth but no sounds came out. It was interesting, though, that her mouth moved in time with the music, so I do think it was purposeful.
She has been very responsive to her brothers lately, and more and more we are able to get her to smile just by telling her jokes or saying silly things. This, in turn, motivates them all the more -- they are quickly becoming her travelling troupe of clowns.
Her face continues to change, but it is hard to quantify. Her lips are returning to normal, which cuts down on the drooling since her bottom lip can stay up better. Her vision also seems to have improved this week. Her eyes alway move in synch now, and are moving much more quickly, especially when she wants to look at people. She did great with her sight word flash cards yesterday, and we saw tracking about half the time.
For those of you in the Colorado area, I want to pass on part of an email I got this morning...Dr. Tennant will be offering his course training on his Tennant BioModulator Oct. 26-28 in Denver, CO. We need 7 more people to register asap to assure this class takes place. Please call Barbara Forsberg to register at: 972-580-0545. Let her know who referred you to the course.
This course will surely bless you if you are able to attend!
One other HUGE praise...I met Matthew and RJ's teacher yesterday (Kyle and the twins started school on 7/29). He is a wonderful, enthusiastic Christian man -- I could just see in his face the excitement he has about his class. They only have 11 kids in their class, including 9 boys -- can you imagine that ratio for a fourth grade class?? WOW! My heart is so much happier, having them in such a wonderful environment, in a small class, with a caring male teacher -- God is so good! I will always wish I could have them at home again, but I know they will be well trained and taught this year, and that eases my burden greatly. Matthew also brought home his cello for the first time yesterday, and I grinned to see the pride and anticipation on his face. This is going to be a terrific year for them!
Abbie had an "on" day yesterday, which was great since I was orienting a new nurse. Tracy gave me a bit of a surprised look when I told her that Abbie can understand everything we say. I guess Abbie took that as a challenge because she was quite talkative the rest of the day, both with her switch and her voice. She told Tracy "go, go, go" when she needed to use the toilet, and said "hungry"clearly enough to be understood even though it was an hour until feeding time. In the morning she started working on the "D" sound, which is fairly new. I told her this would allow her to say "Dad", which made her smile, so we worked on it a while. In the evening, she was watching a video about letters, and the song playing said, "The A says 'a' the A says 'a'" I asked Abbie if she could say that and she began to mimic with her mouth but no sounds came out. It was interesting, though, that her mouth moved in time with the music, so I do think it was purposeful.
She has been very responsive to her brothers lately, and more and more we are able to get her to smile just by telling her jokes or saying silly things. This, in turn, motivates them all the more -- they are quickly becoming her travelling troupe of clowns.
Her face continues to change, but it is hard to quantify. Her lips are returning to normal, which cuts down on the drooling since her bottom lip can stay up better. Her vision also seems to have improved this week. Her eyes alway move in synch now, and are moving much more quickly, especially when she wants to look at people. She did great with her sight word flash cards yesterday, and we saw tracking about half the time.
For those of you in the Colorado area, I want to pass on part of an email I got this morning...Dr. Tennant will be offering his course training on his Tennant BioModulator Oct. 26-28 in Denver, CO. We need 7 more people to register asap to assure this class takes place. Please call Barbara Forsberg to register at: 972-580-0545. Let her know who referred you to the course.
This course will surely bless you if you are able to attend!
One other HUGE praise...I met Matthew and RJ's teacher yesterday (Kyle and the twins started school on 7/29). He is a wonderful, enthusiastic Christian man -- I could just see in his face the excitement he has about his class. They only have 11 kids in their class, including 9 boys -- can you imagine that ratio for a fourth grade class?? WOW! My heart is so much happier, having them in such a wonderful environment, in a small class, with a caring male teacher -- God is so good! I will always wish I could have them at home again, but I know they will be well trained and taught this year, and that eases my burden greatly. Matthew also brought home his cello for the first time yesterday, and I grinned to see the pride and anticipation on his face. This is going to be a terrific year for them!
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