Andrew spent a week in the VA (in-patient) in La Jolla. He does this every year . . . and hates it just the same every year. They don't have all the premium channels he watches and he says it's really noisy, so he doesn't get good sleep. He spends time in-patient so they can run tests on organs, bones, blood, etc.
All his tests have come back good . . . he is very healthy. His docs there are always surprised at how healthy he is for his high level of injury. He's really never had any skin issues, his bones are still dense and his organs are working well. His breathing continues to improve and he has pretty much developed a normal cough, at this time. We were trying to figure out how often he has needed to be manually coughed in the last year, and we think it is less than 10 times total. I can remember days where I had to cough and suction him over 30 times in just one day. He has come so far! He still has a lot of nerve sensation in his feet and hands. We are certain this is from the activity-based therapies he was doing. It was such a shame when we learned he could no longer participate in this therapy . . . but, his health was the most important thing in that decision.
He was happy to get home and watch all the season starts to his favorite shows. He was VERY disappointed to find that the last show (series finale) of Dexter did not record correctly. I am trying to find a copy of that last show for him. If anyone knows where I can get this . . . please let me know. He has watched Dexter from the very beginning and really wants to see it. Of course, Breaking Bad ended and he was able to watch that one (thankfully).
Andrew has agreed to do a video blog post. He says he doesn't know what he will say . . . I just told him to tell everyone how he's been doing. We will get it done soon . . . so, keep an eye out for that one!
I've been really busy with a new project . . . having to do with helping others with Spinal Cord Injury. I will soon unveil all the details . . . it is all very exciting!
That's it for now . . . God Bless,
Joye
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 8, 2013
It's Been A Long Time!
So, I was going through some of my old research on Andrew's recovery over the past 5 1/2 years and opened his blog and it brought back so much for me. I am so glad I was talked into doing this blog for him when he was first injured. I had forgotten so much and it was nice to have this diary to bring back some memories. It has inspired me to blog some more about where we have been and where we are headed.
I will bring you up to date on Andrew's status as well as what I'm doing and what our kids have been up to.
ANDREW: We now live in the North Phoenix area. We have modified our home for Andrew's needs and set up a living situation that accommodates both his and my needs as we live our lives. Andrew is now unable to do a lot of the alternative therapies as we have learned that his spine has further damage, and this type of exercise can really harm him. There are no regrets in him having done the alternative therapies, in fact . . . we believe these therapies directly contribute to the health he enjoys to this day. Andrew's lungs are very healthy and he breaths just like an able bodied person. He still does not have a 100% cough, but at this time, I cannot tell you the last time I had to manually "cough" him. Andrew has not had one single infection since he went through his alternative therapies. We believe the way his body was exercised as an able bodied person is the reason his body is so healthy now. Andrew spends most of his day watching his favorite shows. He streams Netflix, has all the movie channels and he LOVES his Dish HOPPER. He also likes to spend some time outside in our courtyard listening to his music. He says he is quite fulfilled in his life and is happy on a daily basis, which still to this day is quite amazing to me. Andrew still has some core pain in his lower back, which is attributed to the spinal damage that is still occurring. He still enjoys a normal diet and he sleeps really well every night. We have a full-time caregiver who also lives in our home (Tim) and a part-time caregiver (Heidi) that works about 15 hours a week. Andrew's mom makes two trips out per year, and usually stays about a month each time. They enjoy their TV shows together and he really enjoys the Caribbean cuisine she cooks for him. Last Christmas, his aunt Narrine was also able to visit for about 10 days. Andrew would sill like to have more visitors!!
ME: I was recently able to return to the workforce. It was very difficult to get everyone to the point where I could be away from the house on a full-time basis . . . but, everyone pitched in and made it happen. I work in Carefree as a Project Manager for an addiction therapies and research company/foundation and author (Dr. Patrick Carnes). He was in need of someone to come in and get their Intellectual Property needs in order, as well as begin archiving many years of articles, manuscripts, and research for a future museum. I am loving the work and really loving being able to get out of the house. A few years ago, I began work on a book about Andrew's life and recently have decided to dust it off and finish my work on it. I will keep you posted on my progress.
THE KIDS: In 2010, my oldest (Bobbi) married her high school sweetheart (Chance). They very quickly made me a Nana with their first born son, Connor, who is the light of my life. Connor just turned three last week and just before that, on July 1st, his baby sister Pyper was born. She is the most precious little baby girl and I just cannot get enough of her sweet little face. I was informed very soon after her birth that they are not done . . . I can expect more beautiful grandbabies from them in the future, which elates me. C.J. and Drew graduated Wickenburg High School in May and they both began classes this Fall semester at Glendale Community College. They are sharing an apartment together right near the college . . . and are doing great. C.J. is pursuing Criminal Justice, like his dad . . . and Drew is pursuing Physical Therapy, most likely because of her dad.
I do regret that I set this blog aside, but as we learned how to live in our new life situation . . . there came a moment when I had to set it aside and make my way through some trial and error. I can remember when we went through our Life classes at Craig Hospital during his acute therapy, we were told that these years of trial and error would happen and we would eventually find our way and way of being. They were so right with that prediction. It took a while to get settled, but we are very settled in our life now, and it is my intention to take this journey we've been on and turn it into something really great. More on THAT to come!
We hope all is well with our friends who we've not had contact with in a while. You are not forgotten! Drop us a line on here anytime . . . I will be checking and blogging often.
Take Care and God Bless,
Joye
I will bring you up to date on Andrew's status as well as what I'm doing and what our kids have been up to.
ANDREW: We now live in the North Phoenix area. We have modified our home for Andrew's needs and set up a living situation that accommodates both his and my needs as we live our lives. Andrew is now unable to do a lot of the alternative therapies as we have learned that his spine has further damage, and this type of exercise can really harm him. There are no regrets in him having done the alternative therapies, in fact . . . we believe these therapies directly contribute to the health he enjoys to this day. Andrew's lungs are very healthy and he breaths just like an able bodied person. He still does not have a 100% cough, but at this time, I cannot tell you the last time I had to manually "cough" him. Andrew has not had one single infection since he went through his alternative therapies. We believe the way his body was exercised as an able bodied person is the reason his body is so healthy now. Andrew spends most of his day watching his favorite shows. He streams Netflix, has all the movie channels and he LOVES his Dish HOPPER. He also likes to spend some time outside in our courtyard listening to his music. He says he is quite fulfilled in his life and is happy on a daily basis, which still to this day is quite amazing to me. Andrew still has some core pain in his lower back, which is attributed to the spinal damage that is still occurring. He still enjoys a normal diet and he sleeps really well every night. We have a full-time caregiver who also lives in our home (Tim) and a part-time caregiver (Heidi) that works about 15 hours a week. Andrew's mom makes two trips out per year, and usually stays about a month each time. They enjoy their TV shows together and he really enjoys the Caribbean cuisine she cooks for him. Last Christmas, his aunt Narrine was also able to visit for about 10 days. Andrew would sill like to have more visitors!!
ME: I was recently able to return to the workforce. It was very difficult to get everyone to the point where I could be away from the house on a full-time basis . . . but, everyone pitched in and made it happen. I work in Carefree as a Project Manager for an addiction therapies and research company/foundation and author (Dr. Patrick Carnes). He was in need of someone to come in and get their Intellectual Property needs in order, as well as begin archiving many years of articles, manuscripts, and research for a future museum. I am loving the work and really loving being able to get out of the house. A few years ago, I began work on a book about Andrew's life and recently have decided to dust it off and finish my work on it. I will keep you posted on my progress.
THE KIDS: In 2010, my oldest (Bobbi) married her high school sweetheart (Chance). They very quickly made me a Nana with their first born son, Connor, who is the light of my life. Connor just turned three last week and just before that, on July 1st, his baby sister Pyper was born. She is the most precious little baby girl and I just cannot get enough of her sweet little face. I was informed very soon after her birth that they are not done . . . I can expect more beautiful grandbabies from them in the future, which elates me. C.J. and Drew graduated Wickenburg High School in May and they both began classes this Fall semester at Glendale Community College. They are sharing an apartment together right near the college . . . and are doing great. C.J. is pursuing Criminal Justice, like his dad . . . and Drew is pursuing Physical Therapy, most likely because of her dad.
I do regret that I set this blog aside, but as we learned how to live in our new life situation . . . there came a moment when I had to set it aside and make my way through some trial and error. I can remember when we went through our Life classes at Craig Hospital during his acute therapy, we were told that these years of trial and error would happen and we would eventually find our way and way of being. They were so right with that prediction. It took a while to get settled, but we are very settled in our life now, and it is my intention to take this journey we've been on and turn it into something really great. More on THAT to come!
We hope all is well with our friends who we've not had contact with in a while. You are not forgotten! Drop us a line on here anytime . . . I will be checking and blogging often.
Take Care and God Bless,
Joye
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Getting Closer!
Andrew's gym is nearly complete. I picked up his FES (Fundamental Electronic Stimulator) Bike yesterday and his work-out table is nearly complete as well. The bike is amazing. We will hook electronic stimulators to specific areas on his legs and/or arms and back and a current is signaled in a specific sequence which causes his muscles to react and actually pedal the bike himself. It's not an automatic thing that pedals for him. His muscles make it happen. It's great exercise and the repitition is necessary for reorganizing his central nervous system.
I ordered the bike from a company that was conducting a demonstration at a conference held in Phoenix this week. It was a conference about new therapies and medicines available for those with spinal cord injuries. I was lucky enough to be able to go pick the bike up instead of waiting the standard 8 weeks for one. While in the lobby, I was waiting for the company rep to come out and get me to give me the bike . . . I saw a man walking through the lobby. I recognized him to be Patrick Rummerfield. Patrick is the world's only fully functioning quadriplegic. I have had the opportunity to speak with him over the phone and a bit on Facebook, but I'd never met him before. I introduced myself and he remember who me and Andrew were. I was able to speak with him for a moment and it was so inspiring. He truly is walking hope! What an amazing person he is.
We will be completing the remote set-up on the bike on Monday and Andrew will be well on his way. He's very excited and anxious to get going. He was able to get on the FES bikes at Project Walk a lot, and it was amazing how tired they really made him. His muscles really have to work and that can only be a good thing for him and his body.
Andrew is nearly completely off his neuro meds now. He went from beginning of injury being on 2400 mg of Neurontin (Gabapentin) to zero last week. Neurontin is used for nerve pain and basically further keeps you from feeling anything beyond what you already can't feel from being paralyzed. Even though Andrew is paralyzed, he does have annoying feeling and pain in his body. Unfortunately, these meds can hinder what the activity-based excercise does. So far though, the most he's feeling is a tingling and buzzing feeling in his feet and hands. We have also decreased his Baclofen by a lot, and are now going to competely get him off that as well. Baclofen is used to keep him from having so many involuntary spasms. With activity-based excercise, spasms are actually a good thing. They are used to promote movement and are very necessary when doing weight-bearing activities. He is currently on 60 mg a day . . . which is a lot less than the 160 mg he used to take a day. We decrease by 10 mg a week, so in about 6 weeks he'll be free of the Baclofen. His spasms will be crazy, but he says he doesn't care . . . he just wants to be off those meds. He is an amazing person, that's for sure.
We are still waiting for his slide board and his standing frame to come in. Those pieces of equipment are also vital to his program because they are for weight-bearing activity and help to keep his bones dense. Doctor's are amazed at how dense Andrew's bones are for being paralyzed now for over 2.5 years. His density really has not decreased. They attribute that to how much he was in the gym before his injury as well as the activity-based therapy he has received since being injured.
I will keep posting as we progress in the gym and as Andrew begins his home-based program. God is making this happen and we all know there is so much more to come.
God Bless you all,
Joye
I ordered the bike from a company that was conducting a demonstration at a conference held in Phoenix this week. It was a conference about new therapies and medicines available for those with spinal cord injuries. I was lucky enough to be able to go pick the bike up instead of waiting the standard 8 weeks for one. While in the lobby, I was waiting for the company rep to come out and get me to give me the bike . . . I saw a man walking through the lobby. I recognized him to be Patrick Rummerfield. Patrick is the world's only fully functioning quadriplegic. I have had the opportunity to speak with him over the phone and a bit on Facebook, but I'd never met him before. I introduced myself and he remember who me and Andrew were. I was able to speak with him for a moment and it was so inspiring. He truly is walking hope! What an amazing person he is.
We will be completing the remote set-up on the bike on Monday and Andrew will be well on his way. He's very excited and anxious to get going. He was able to get on the FES bikes at Project Walk a lot, and it was amazing how tired they really made him. His muscles really have to work and that can only be a good thing for him and his body.
Andrew is nearly completely off his neuro meds now. He went from beginning of injury being on 2400 mg of Neurontin (Gabapentin) to zero last week. Neurontin is used for nerve pain and basically further keeps you from feeling anything beyond what you already can't feel from being paralyzed. Even though Andrew is paralyzed, he does have annoying feeling and pain in his body. Unfortunately, these meds can hinder what the activity-based excercise does. So far though, the most he's feeling is a tingling and buzzing feeling in his feet and hands. We have also decreased his Baclofen by a lot, and are now going to competely get him off that as well. Baclofen is used to keep him from having so many involuntary spasms. With activity-based excercise, spasms are actually a good thing. They are used to promote movement and are very necessary when doing weight-bearing activities. He is currently on 60 mg a day . . . which is a lot less than the 160 mg he used to take a day. We decrease by 10 mg a week, so in about 6 weeks he'll be free of the Baclofen. His spasms will be crazy, but he says he doesn't care . . . he just wants to be off those meds. He is an amazing person, that's for sure.
We are still waiting for his slide board and his standing frame to come in. Those pieces of equipment are also vital to his program because they are for weight-bearing activity and help to keep his bones dense. Doctor's are amazed at how dense Andrew's bones are for being paralyzed now for over 2.5 years. His density really has not decreased. They attribute that to how much he was in the gym before his injury as well as the activity-based therapy he has received since being injured.
I will keep posting as we progress in the gym and as Andrew begins his home-based program. God is making this happen and we all know there is so much more to come.
God Bless you all,
Joye
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Where We Are Now . . .
It's been forever since we have been able to blog for Andrew, but here we are again. We set the blogging aside for a while because we were going through many changes and regrouping. We've since made many changes and are finally settled and are happy to report we will be blogging on Andrew's progess once again.
We left Cali back in December '09 and relocated to Congress, AZ. It's a very rural area just north of Wickenburg where all of my family live. We would have liked to have gone back to Yuma, however the VA clinic there is just not equipped to handle someone with the level of injury such as Andrew's. We are just about an hour away from the VA hospital here and they have a wonderful Spinal Cord Injury unit there. We have a great house here and are loving how peaceful it is out here in the country. The kids have a horse a quad and a dirt bike to keep them busy and they are loving going to Wickenburg High School (same high school I graduated from).
Back in March, Bobbi (the oldest) got married to Chance Thompson and quickly made me a grandma 6 weeks ago. They had Baby Connor and he is the light of our life. Drew is playing volleyball and is planning on playing basketball, and C.J. is riding his dirt bike and his horse as much as he can. He wants to wrestle and then of course play baseball in the spring.
Recently, an addition was put on to the house which consists of a new (very large) master bedroom, roll-in shower for Andrew, and best of all a new gym for his therapy. This was my dad's project and everything went very smoothly (thanks Dad!). Andrew has two nurses of which actually relocated to this area with us to take care of him. They are like family and we are so blessed to have them. John came with us from Oceanside and Judy came to us from Yuma. John has also been through the Project Walk home training program to give Andrew his therapy here at home. We will be putting an FES arm and leg cycle in the gym as well as a Total Gym slide board, a standing frame, and a big table to work him out on.
Andrew was recently re-evaluated at his annual exam at the VA-SCI hospital in San Diego and has been rediagnosed from a C-2 to a C-3 level of injury. This means his function and sensation levels are getting better. He also no longer has a trachestomy and he has a pretty decent cough. We are able to manually cough him if he's unable to do it himself. His voice is much louder and it's nice that he doesn't have the pain from his trachestomy. We have also worked hard at decreasing his meds. The only controlled med he takes now is Ambien and he's nearly off all his baclofen and nuerontin which control his spasms and nerve pain. These meds counter some of what we are trying to achieve with his therapy. Spasms are actually a good thing with the kind of therapy he takes.
We are going to be using this blog to not only update family and friends of his progress with his therapy, but his nurses and myself are going to use it to journal it so we have a good record. We fill good things are coming and we want to keep track of every single thing. Andrew has gotten unbelievable upper body strength and even a bit of a bicept coming in. His deltoid is very strong and his sensation area is now below is nipples. He wants very bad to get to the point where he can hold Baby Connor. We will be posting video of his excersise and we also want to keep record of how he feels each day with his therapy and not having meds. Please feel free to comment in . . . we will read them to him for support and inspiration. He is so dedicated to his therapy and so excited to have the equipment right here in his own home.
Thank you all for your support and prayers . . . God has been so good to us.
God Bless,
Joye
We left Cali back in December '09 and relocated to Congress, AZ. It's a very rural area just north of Wickenburg where all of my family live. We would have liked to have gone back to Yuma, however the VA clinic there is just not equipped to handle someone with the level of injury such as Andrew's. We are just about an hour away from the VA hospital here and they have a wonderful Spinal Cord Injury unit there. We have a great house here and are loving how peaceful it is out here in the country. The kids have a horse a quad and a dirt bike to keep them busy and they are loving going to Wickenburg High School (same high school I graduated from).
Back in March, Bobbi (the oldest) got married to Chance Thompson and quickly made me a grandma 6 weeks ago. They had Baby Connor and he is the light of our life. Drew is playing volleyball and is planning on playing basketball, and C.J. is riding his dirt bike and his horse as much as he can. He wants to wrestle and then of course play baseball in the spring.
Recently, an addition was put on to the house which consists of a new (very large) master bedroom, roll-in shower for Andrew, and best of all a new gym for his therapy. This was my dad's project and everything went very smoothly (thanks Dad!). Andrew has two nurses of which actually relocated to this area with us to take care of him. They are like family and we are so blessed to have them. John came with us from Oceanside and Judy came to us from Yuma. John has also been through the Project Walk home training program to give Andrew his therapy here at home. We will be putting an FES arm and leg cycle in the gym as well as a Total Gym slide board, a standing frame, and a big table to work him out on.
Andrew was recently re-evaluated at his annual exam at the VA-SCI hospital in San Diego and has been rediagnosed from a C-2 to a C-3 level of injury. This means his function and sensation levels are getting better. He also no longer has a trachestomy and he has a pretty decent cough. We are able to manually cough him if he's unable to do it himself. His voice is much louder and it's nice that he doesn't have the pain from his trachestomy. We have also worked hard at decreasing his meds. The only controlled med he takes now is Ambien and he's nearly off all his baclofen and nuerontin which control his spasms and nerve pain. These meds counter some of what we are trying to achieve with his therapy. Spasms are actually a good thing with the kind of therapy he takes.
We are going to be using this blog to not only update family and friends of his progress with his therapy, but his nurses and myself are going to use it to journal it so we have a good record. We fill good things are coming and we want to keep track of every single thing. Andrew has gotten unbelievable upper body strength and even a bit of a bicept coming in. His deltoid is very strong and his sensation area is now below is nipples. He wants very bad to get to the point where he can hold Baby Connor. We will be posting video of his excersise and we also want to keep record of how he feels each day with his therapy and not having meds. Please feel free to comment in . . . we will read them to him for support and inspiration. He is so dedicated to his therapy and so excited to have the equipment right here in his own home.
Thank you all for your support and prayers . . . God has been so good to us.
God Bless,
Joye
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Project Walk . . . Week 8 and 9
Sorry I skipped a week in posting to the blog . . . I've been very busy and time slipped by. The good news is . . . the last couple of weeks have been very productive for Andrew.
The staff at Project Walk have been diligently working Andrew's body out 3 days per week for 2 hours each day. They continue to work both the upper and lower extremities and his arms and legs are getting stronger with every workout.
Earlier this month I posted some videos showing Andrew working out at Project Walk; one in particular showed him on a Total Gym sliding board and a trainer was using a spasm (involuntary movement) to try and elicit some voluntary movement. Well, today he actually got a little voluntary movement. Not only was he controlling this movement very nicely, but he was also able to feel the muscle working and stretching as he did this.
I have posted the video of the voluntary movement below . . . you can see that his trainer is just sitting in front of him relaxing and not even touching him as he does it. Andrew is very tired tonight and definitely feeling sore and fatigued from his workout today.
Even though time goes on and it seems like nothing is happening . . . it's days like today that we really feel God's blessings. Please join us in prayer and give thanks to God for so many blessings and miracles in Andrew's recovery. None of this would be possible without Him!
God Bless you all. Joye
The staff at Project Walk have been diligently working Andrew's body out 3 days per week for 2 hours each day. They continue to work both the upper and lower extremities and his arms and legs are getting stronger with every workout.
Earlier this month I posted some videos showing Andrew working out at Project Walk; one in particular showed him on a Total Gym sliding board and a trainer was using a spasm (involuntary movement) to try and elicit some voluntary movement. Well, today he actually got a little voluntary movement. Not only was he controlling this movement very nicely, but he was also able to feel the muscle working and stretching as he did this.
I have posted the video of the voluntary movement below . . . you can see that his trainer is just sitting in front of him relaxing and not even touching him as he does it. Andrew is very tired tonight and definitely feeling sore and fatigued from his workout today.
Even though time goes on and it seems like nothing is happening . . . it's days like today that we really feel God's blessings. Please join us in prayer and give thanks to God for so many blessings and miracles in Andrew's recovery. None of this would be possible without Him!
God Bless you all. Joye
Monday, August 10, 2009
Project Walk . . . Week 7
Another great week. A lot of the same, which I suppose is how it's going to be for a while as they continue to work Andrew's body out in order to build some muscle.
We are still working on decreasing medications . . . I believe we are finally at the 50% decrease mark. It is nice not having to constantly be giving Andrew meds all day long. He is feeling okay with the decrease . . . he spasms a lot more and feels pain more too; but he figures "feeling" is "feeling" whether it's pain or not, he'd rather be feeling. And, to all our surprise, the pain is really not as bad as we were anticipating . . . Andrew says it's more of an awareness of discomfort rather than actual piercing pain. I'm very thankful for that.
We are really enjoying Andrew's new bed the VA provided for him. It's quite a "smart" bed as it detects pressure and is able to put in or take out air in order to shift his weight enough, as to get him off a pressure area. I am able to set his timer on the bed so that it will automatically alternate his position during the night and I'm able to sleep more, which is truly a blessing for sure. It's also so quick and doesn't really disturb him during the weight shift so that Andrew is also able to sleep through the repositioning as well.
We are looking forward to another week of therapy and would like you to all pray with us for Andrew to begin to see some pay-off to all of his hard work. He's not becoming discouraged, but he did relate to me that he's anxious to see something happen soon. I have no doubt that God is going to show him something very soon.
God Bless, Joye
We are still working on decreasing medications . . . I believe we are finally at the 50% decrease mark. It is nice not having to constantly be giving Andrew meds all day long. He is feeling okay with the decrease . . . he spasms a lot more and feels pain more too; but he figures "feeling" is "feeling" whether it's pain or not, he'd rather be feeling. And, to all our surprise, the pain is really not as bad as we were anticipating . . . Andrew says it's more of an awareness of discomfort rather than actual piercing pain. I'm very thankful for that.
We are really enjoying Andrew's new bed the VA provided for him. It's quite a "smart" bed as it detects pressure and is able to put in or take out air in order to shift his weight enough, as to get him off a pressure area. I am able to set his timer on the bed so that it will automatically alternate his position during the night and I'm able to sleep more, which is truly a blessing for sure. It's also so quick and doesn't really disturb him during the weight shift so that Andrew is also able to sleep through the repositioning as well.
We are looking forward to another week of therapy and would like you to all pray with us for Andrew to begin to see some pay-off to all of his hard work. He's not becoming discouraged, but he did relate to me that he's anxious to see something happen soon. I have no doubt that God is going to show him something very soon.
God Bless, Joye
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Project Walk . . . Week 6
Not too much to report from the past week as it was mostly a week of re-doing and getting Andrew's body used to the work-outs again, due to his 8-day stay at the VA. We are excited to learn that he is now considered a Project Walk In-House (permanent) client and he has a set weekly schedule of Monday, Wednesday, Friday (4-6pm). Scheduling is a challenge at Project Walk, so Andrew has definitely been blessed with this awesome schedule.
Andrew is focused and ready to dig his feet in deep and start moving his body. He is so much stronger now than when we first arrived and he just looks as though he could stand up and get out of his chair at any moment. It's amazing what a little exercise can do for the body.
Some more good news from the VA: Andrew will be re-evaluated in approximately a month for consideration in getting his tracheostomy reversed . . . decannulated (I believe it's called). His lungs and diaphragm are obviously getting stronger and he is getting better at coughing and keeping his lungs clear of secretions. Please keep him in prayer that the right decision is made with regard to this. I would love to see the tube in his throat removed, but only if it is the right thing for his health.
I have posted 3 videos below of some of the exercises Andrew is regularly doing during his work-outs. I wish they could be longer, but I take them with my phone and if they are any longer the file is too large for me to send. I will figure something better out soon so that I can take longer videos.
We are missing everyone in Yuma . . . and love to read your posts, so keep 'em coming. God blesses each and every moment and we give thanks for that daily.
Joye
Andrew is focused and ready to dig his feet in deep and start moving his body. He is so much stronger now than when we first arrived and he just looks as though he could stand up and get out of his chair at any moment. It's amazing what a little exercise can do for the body.
Some more good news from the VA: Andrew will be re-evaluated in approximately a month for consideration in getting his tracheostomy reversed . . . decannulated (I believe it's called). His lungs and diaphragm are obviously getting stronger and he is getting better at coughing and keeping his lungs clear of secretions. Please keep him in prayer that the right decision is made with regard to this. I would love to see the tube in his throat removed, but only if it is the right thing for his health.
I have posted 3 videos below of some of the exercises Andrew is regularly doing during his work-outs. I wish they could be longer, but I take them with my phone and if they are any longer the file is too large for me to send. I will figure something better out soon so that I can take longer videos.
We are missing everyone in Yuma . . . and love to read your posts, so keep 'em coming. God blesses each and every moment and we give thanks for that daily.
Joye
Monday, August 3, 2009
Video (3) August 3rd
Andrew on the Elliptical Trainer (standing frame). This exercise does so much for Andrew's body: it has helped to basically rid his legs and ankles of swelling, it helps his bones stay dense as it is a weight bearing exercise, and the repetition in the movement promotes reorganization of his central nervous system. Plus . . . he loves it! You are watching a happy man doing what he loves.
Video (2) August 3rd
In this video, Andrew's trainer is helping Andrew to push against the board so that he will NOT bend his knees too much. This helps Andrew control leg movement and to not collapse on the downward motion of the board, but to instead control the downward motion on his own. Andrew feels this mostly in his gluteus maximus muscle area . . . yep, his butt!
Video (1) August 3rd
This is an exercise done to promote balance and core control. Andrew can actually feel this in his abdominal muscles; however, most of his feeling is in his back. He concentrates very hard to achieve a sitting position. His trainers are very encouraged he is already able to control as much as he is in his trunk area. You can see in the video that Andrew's trainer is barely helping him to balance with her fingertips . . . he's doing most of the work.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
VA Spinal Cord Injury Hospital Stay
All went well and is still going well for Andrew during his stay in the VA Spinal Cord Injury Hospital this week. His week was extended slightly; however, due to a final test that needs to be done before he can be discharged . . . and cannot be done until Monday (July 27th). It was an additional (precautionary) test that he will actually have to be put to sleep for, but necessary for the docs there to make sure all is well in his bladder. Basically, they are going to scope his bladder to give them a look inside so that they can make sure it is still healthy. Andrew has had many infections and it was communicated to me that this test can tell them a little more as to why that may be. I was told he will not only be able to come home Tuesday, but that he would also be able to attend his Project Walk appointment on Tuesday as well. Andrew was very pleased about that.
I have to say though . . . Andrew has actually not only had a pretty good stay at the hospital, but that he really enjoyed his time there. He's had the opportunity to meet a lot of vets in similar condition to him and the staff at this hospital are all so well trained and very nice. I visited him throughout the week and was able to observe (on many occasions), Andrew being nicely spoiled by his nurses. These people go very far out of their way to make the patients comfortable and happy in this place. Yesterday (Friday), I dropped off some more clothes for him and when I was saying goodbye; I told Andrew that I'd see him the next day. He then told me, "No, don't come by tomorrow because I have plans to go on an outing; a sailing day with a barbecue after." I just said, "okay then . . . go on with your bad self" haha! I was so happy he was going . . . however, in the end; he was unable to attend as he woke up a little under the weather with a stomach ache. Because of the procedure on Monday, they didn't want to risk sending him out. I did visit him tonight and he's much better now and feeling fine.
Some very exciting news: The VA has purchased Andrew a state-of-the-art bed. This bed is an alternating bed with an air-release system. It detects pressure spots and then puts in and/or out air in those specific areas as to keep pressure off any area of Andrew's skin on that surface . . . it also can be set on a timer to alternate his body from side to side. This will alleviate the need for me to get up every 2 hours to reposition him each night. They have him sleeping on this type of bed right now, and he's very comfortable on it, and I cannot tell you what a blessing it is going to be here at home. It will enable me to get more sleep so that I can be able to take care of Andrew for a long time to come. Also . . . I think it will help to ease some of my back pain due to me not having to turn his 215 pound body so much. Another thing they are getting Andrew is a device that is like a joy-stick that is placed just under his chin. He will be able to move this device as needed to drive his chair. Andrew never got the hang of the sip and puff device and really hasn't driven his own chair since he left Craig Hospital. And, lastly and most importantly . . . we have been told that Andrew may qualify for home attendant care. We currently pay for his home health aid on our own and having this benefit will be a huge blessing. These attendants are specifically trained by the VA Spinal Cord Injury Hospital and will be able to provide as much care as he needs. I will be finding out next week how many hours per day each week Andrew will qualify for . . . so, we are anxious to hear more about that.
Other than that . . . Andrew is soooo ready to get back to Project Walk. He has a renewed confidence in his health care, he is very healthy, and he's more motivated now than ever. I think great things are to come and God is seeing him through every moment of it. I've always believed God had a plan for this tragedy and there will be a blessed outcome . . . never have I let myself believe anything less.
God Bless,
Joye
I have to say though . . . Andrew has actually not only had a pretty good stay at the hospital, but that he really enjoyed his time there. He's had the opportunity to meet a lot of vets in similar condition to him and the staff at this hospital are all so well trained and very nice. I visited him throughout the week and was able to observe (on many occasions), Andrew being nicely spoiled by his nurses. These people go very far out of their way to make the patients comfortable and happy in this place. Yesterday (Friday), I dropped off some more clothes for him and when I was saying goodbye; I told Andrew that I'd see him the next day. He then told me, "No, don't come by tomorrow because I have plans to go on an outing; a sailing day with a barbecue after." I just said, "okay then . . . go on with your bad self" haha! I was so happy he was going . . . however, in the end; he was unable to attend as he woke up a little under the weather with a stomach ache. Because of the procedure on Monday, they didn't want to risk sending him out. I did visit him tonight and he's much better now and feeling fine.
Some very exciting news: The VA has purchased Andrew a state-of-the-art bed. This bed is an alternating bed with an air-release system. It detects pressure spots and then puts in and/or out air in those specific areas as to keep pressure off any area of Andrew's skin on that surface . . . it also can be set on a timer to alternate his body from side to side. This will alleviate the need for me to get up every 2 hours to reposition him each night. They have him sleeping on this type of bed right now, and he's very comfortable on it, and I cannot tell you what a blessing it is going to be here at home. It will enable me to get more sleep so that I can be able to take care of Andrew for a long time to come. Also . . . I think it will help to ease some of my back pain due to me not having to turn his 215 pound body so much. Another thing they are getting Andrew is a device that is like a joy-stick that is placed just under his chin. He will be able to move this device as needed to drive his chair. Andrew never got the hang of the sip and puff device and really hasn't driven his own chair since he left Craig Hospital. And, lastly and most importantly . . . we have been told that Andrew may qualify for home attendant care. We currently pay for his home health aid on our own and having this benefit will be a huge blessing. These attendants are specifically trained by the VA Spinal Cord Injury Hospital and will be able to provide as much care as he needs. I will be finding out next week how many hours per day each week Andrew will qualify for . . . so, we are anxious to hear more about that.
Other than that . . . Andrew is soooo ready to get back to Project Walk. He has a renewed confidence in his health care, he is very healthy, and he's more motivated now than ever. I think great things are to come and God is seeing him through every moment of it. I've always believed God had a plan for this tragedy and there will be a blessed outcome . . . never have I let myself believe anything less.
God Bless,
Joye
Friday, July 17, 2009
Project Walk . . . Week 5
It was a so-so week this week as Andrew was unable to make one of his therapy appointments at Project Walk due to a fever and a general feeling of weakness he was having. I suspect he has a bladder infection and at this point we are just pushing a lot of fluid and buying some time because of the fact that Andrew is going to be in the VA Spinal Cord Injury hospital on Monday to begin his inpatient stay. We have been able to keep his temperature down and he felt good enough to go to his last Project Walk appointment before his week off, so hopefully he will make it through the weekend with no need to make an early check-in at the VA.
The days that Andrew was able to participate in therapy were very good ones. The nerves in his legs are really beginning to fire throughout his sessions, and the trainers are of the feeling that some voluntary movement is being elicited through the involuntary spasms they purposely create. Andrew is also becoming more and more aware of the muscles the trainers are specifically targeting while stretching him. They often ask Andrew to close his eyes as they stretch each leg separately, and he is actually able to tell them which leg is being stretched at the correct time
because he can feel it.
We are still enjoying our time here and are becoming more and more accustomed to the idea that we are moving here. The weather is beautiful and I personally have found that I have a lot more energy in this climate; energy is one thing I could use more of, so I'm thankful for that. It has been such a Blessing to get Andrew to the right place to begin training his body to move again and what luck to be in this little paradise while doing so.
Joye
The days that Andrew was able to participate in therapy were very good ones. The nerves in his legs are really beginning to fire throughout his sessions, and the trainers are of the feeling that some voluntary movement is being elicited through the involuntary spasms they purposely create. Andrew is also becoming more and more aware of the muscles the trainers are specifically targeting while stretching him. They often ask Andrew to close his eyes as they stretch each leg separately, and he is actually able to tell them which leg is being stretched at the correct time
because he can feel it.
We are still enjoying our time here and are becoming more and more accustomed to the idea that we are moving here. The weather is beautiful and I personally have found that I have a lot more energy in this climate; energy is one thing I could use more of, so I'm thankful for that. It has been such a Blessing to get Andrew to the right place to begin training his body to move again and what luck to be in this little paradise while doing so.
Joye
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Project Walk . . . Week 4
Another great week. They are really working hard on Andrew's arms. Andrew is being compared to another guy who began Project Walk about a year and a half ago. He came in with about the same amount of paralysis and function that Andrew has. This man is now in a manual chair and recently began taking a few steps. In my observation, I think they are going to try hard (for now) to get Andrew pushing his own chair, which would be wonderful and would give him a lot more independence. His arms have been very sore this week.
Andrew is going in next week to do his in-patient week (or possibly more) in the VA Spinal Cord Injury hospital. This is necessary for all the docs there to spend some time with him, do their specific tests, and get to know him and his injury. Andrew wasn't happy about it, but he understands that it needs to be done and that it will be great to have access to this facility. It will be a busy week for him as I hear they basically fill every moment of his days with tests, therapies, and clinics. I think all the activity will make it go by fast for him. I will be able to see him some during his days, but will not be able to stay with him at night. I think the week will go by slower for me than him.
He will then continue Project Walk the week after next and we will hopefully see great improvement in the weeks to come. God is good and He is seeing Andrew through every moment of his recovery.
Joye
Andrew is going in next week to do his in-patient week (or possibly more) in the VA Spinal Cord Injury hospital. This is necessary for all the docs there to spend some time with him, do their specific tests, and get to know him and his injury. Andrew wasn't happy about it, but he understands that it needs to be done and that it will be great to have access to this facility. It will be a busy week for him as I hear they basically fill every moment of his days with tests, therapies, and clinics. I think all the activity will make it go by fast for him. I will be able to see him some during his days, but will not be able to stay with him at night. I think the week will go by slower for me than him.
He will then continue Project Walk the week after next and we will hopefully see great improvement in the weeks to come. God is good and He is seeing Andrew through every moment of his recovery.
Joye
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Video
Here's Andrew on the FES arm cycle. His arms are actually moving the cycle through electronic stimulators stuck to his arms and back that trigger in specific order to get his arms moving. Great exercise and the best way to generate cell regeneration!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Project Walk . . . Week 3
It was another spectacular week for Andrew, although short as PW was closed Friday for the Holiday.
Monday went very well at the VA Spinal Cord Injury hospital. I would feel very confident in Andrew's care if he ever needed to go inpatient at that facility. Andrew had one inpatient stay in Yuma and it was a nightmare; that hospital is just not equipped to handle someone with a high C-level injury like Andrew's. We have another appointment at the VA tomorrow with his new Physiologist, and we will find out for sure whether or not he will have to go inpatient for a week for them to get all the tests they are going to require to be a new patient at that facility. We are hoping he won't have to do it that way, but Andrew is okay with it if he does.
Andrew is still progressing nicely in his therapy at PW. My sister and brother-in-law came into town for the holiday and were able to go to one of Andrew's sessions on Thursday. My sister was surprised at how much better Andrew looked compared to the last time she saw him (couple of months ago). I guess because I see him every day, I hadn't realized it but it is true . . . he is beginning to get some muscle tone in his chest and shoulders that he had lost over the past year.
The trainers at PW are trying to build core muscles so they had him on his stomach a lot this week, working his back, shoulders and abdominal areas. They also put him into a crawling position and then up on his knees . . . it is so weird seeing him in these positions. They told me to try and do some of these exercises at home to keep his hip flexers flexible; so I tried it for the first time today. I lifted him in his hoyer lift and set him on the floor. It is a lot of work, but surprisingly easier than I expected it to be. Just the little bit I was able to do warmed up his muscles and it really seemed to make him much more comfortable throughout the day today.
He is still feeling a lot of muscle soreness and tingling throughout his body and something new that's happening is a lot of spasms during the night and early morning. I would imagine that has a lot to do with the decrease in spasticity medication. Andrew sleeps in a twin air bed and I sleep in another twin bed pushed together with his. I was half asleep one morning last week and felt something in my bed at my feet. In my sleep, I first thought it was our little dog and as I began to wake up, I realized we don't have our little dog with us right now. So when I sat up and looked . . . I found Andrew's feet in my bed. What a crazy thing to feel him moving after so many months. I realize it's involuntary movement . . . but I have read that many people begin moving in their sleep a lot before the brain starts connecting with parts of the body below level of injury in a more conscience state. So, I'm not sure if it's a good thing, but it's definitely a new thing.
We are looking forward to this coming week and as always, we both feel so blessed to be here. God is good!
Joye
Monday went very well at the VA Spinal Cord Injury hospital. I would feel very confident in Andrew's care if he ever needed to go inpatient at that facility. Andrew had one inpatient stay in Yuma and it was a nightmare; that hospital is just not equipped to handle someone with a high C-level injury like Andrew's. We have another appointment at the VA tomorrow with his new Physiologist, and we will find out for sure whether or not he will have to go inpatient for a week for them to get all the tests they are going to require to be a new patient at that facility. We are hoping he won't have to do it that way, but Andrew is okay with it if he does.
Andrew is still progressing nicely in his therapy at PW. My sister and brother-in-law came into town for the holiday and were able to go to one of Andrew's sessions on Thursday. My sister was surprised at how much better Andrew looked compared to the last time she saw him (couple of months ago). I guess because I see him every day, I hadn't realized it but it is true . . . he is beginning to get some muscle tone in his chest and shoulders that he had lost over the past year.
The trainers at PW are trying to build core muscles so they had him on his stomach a lot this week, working his back, shoulders and abdominal areas. They also put him into a crawling position and then up on his knees . . . it is so weird seeing him in these positions. They told me to try and do some of these exercises at home to keep his hip flexers flexible; so I tried it for the first time today. I lifted him in his hoyer lift and set him on the floor. It is a lot of work, but surprisingly easier than I expected it to be. Just the little bit I was able to do warmed up his muscles and it really seemed to make him much more comfortable throughout the day today.
He is still feeling a lot of muscle soreness and tingling throughout his body and something new that's happening is a lot of spasms during the night and early morning. I would imagine that has a lot to do with the decrease in spasticity medication. Andrew sleeps in a twin air bed and I sleep in another twin bed pushed together with his. I was half asleep one morning last week and felt something in my bed at my feet. In my sleep, I first thought it was our little dog and as I began to wake up, I realized we don't have our little dog with us right now. So when I sat up and looked . . . I found Andrew's feet in my bed. What a crazy thing to feel him moving after so many months. I realize it's involuntary movement . . . but I have read that many people begin moving in their sleep a lot before the brain starts connecting with parts of the body below level of injury in a more conscience state. So, I'm not sure if it's a good thing, but it's definitely a new thing.
We are looking forward to this coming week and as always, we both feel so blessed to be here. God is good!
Joye
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Project Walk . . . Week 2
It was another GREAT week at Project Walk (PW). Andrew was put into a standing frame that sort of acts like an elliptical, and PW trainers move the feet back and forth as well as the arms to give him a cardio workout. Andrew loved it because his favorite exercise machine has always been the elliptical. He tries very hard to move his body with it and he is very tired after. He was able to do the FES bike again and they also began working on core control. They found that Andrew has excellent trunk control, which was a big surprise. He was able to provide a little feedback in his core muscles and his posture is awesome.
We have been successful at decreasing a lot of his spasticity meds as well as some of the nerve pain meds that basically assist to treat nerve pain by, well . . . paralyzing his nerves . . . crazy concept huh. Honestly, Andrew was on so many powerful meds, that it's believed that I (myself) as an able-bodied person would not be able to move or walk with all that in my system. They serve a function, especially in the acute stages of quadriplegia, but at the moment these meds will really hinder his recovery until we get them stopped. We'll get him there, just can't be done overnight. One thing that is happening with this medicine decrease is that Andrew is really feeling his body. A lot of "pins and needles" and muscle soreness . . . and something new tonight, which is very exciting, is some feeling in his bladder. He says he is feeling some "urgency" to urinate. I'm told bladder function is one of the first core areas of recovery, so although he's a bit uncomfortable, we are celebrating.
Andrew has an appointment on Monday with the VA Spinal Cord Injury center here in San Diego. I've heard excellent things about that center and we are thrilled that Andrew has finally been enrolled in the VA for medical care. That will help a lot, especially being here in San Diego as Yuma's VA clinic is just not equipped to help Andrew with his condition. I'm also told that they offer many benefits of which we currently pay out of pocket for, so I'm excited to learn more about that. The more we can save on care, the longer Andrew can attend Project Walk.
I have also started the tiresome quest of finding a place to live. We are looking for a rental near Project Walk and of course our kids are hoping for something close to the beach. We have our home listed in Yuma and are praying for a quick sale with that. We miss everyone in Yuma and are sad to have to leave, but we are happily looking to a brighter future for Andrew here in San Diego.
Please continue to pray for Andrew . . . God has touched his heart and his life and we have no doubt He is going to work wonders for him.
I will post again soon . . . and I'm trying to get some good video for you to see Andrew's hard work.
God bless you all!
We have been successful at decreasing a lot of his spasticity meds as well as some of the nerve pain meds that basically assist to treat nerve pain by, well . . . paralyzing his nerves . . . crazy concept huh. Honestly, Andrew was on so many powerful meds, that it's believed that I (myself) as an able-bodied person would not be able to move or walk with all that in my system. They serve a function, especially in the acute stages of quadriplegia, but at the moment these meds will really hinder his recovery until we get them stopped. We'll get him there, just can't be done overnight. One thing that is happening with this medicine decrease is that Andrew is really feeling his body. A lot of "pins and needles" and muscle soreness . . . and something new tonight, which is very exciting, is some feeling in his bladder. He says he is feeling some "urgency" to urinate. I'm told bladder function is one of the first core areas of recovery, so although he's a bit uncomfortable, we are celebrating.
Andrew has an appointment on Monday with the VA Spinal Cord Injury center here in San Diego. I've heard excellent things about that center and we are thrilled that Andrew has finally been enrolled in the VA for medical care. That will help a lot, especially being here in San Diego as Yuma's VA clinic is just not equipped to help Andrew with his condition. I'm also told that they offer many benefits of which we currently pay out of pocket for, so I'm excited to learn more about that. The more we can save on care, the longer Andrew can attend Project Walk.
I have also started the tiresome quest of finding a place to live. We are looking for a rental near Project Walk and of course our kids are hoping for something close to the beach. We have our home listed in Yuma and are praying for a quick sale with that. We miss everyone in Yuma and are sad to have to leave, but we are happily looking to a brighter future for Andrew here in San Diego.
Please continue to pray for Andrew . . . God has touched his heart and his life and we have no doubt He is going to work wonders for him.
I will post again soon . . . and I'm trying to get some good video for you to see Andrew's hard work.
God bless you all!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Joye's Update 12/25/08
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Andrew and I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We also want to thank everyone for their continued prayers and thoughtfulness throughout this ordeal during this year. We could not have made it though this tragedy without you! You have really kept us going with your wonderful posts and cards! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we feel completely blessed and so fortunate to have such wonderful friends and family. God Bless you all. Joye
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Joye's Update 12/7/08
I know it's been a long time since I've posted to the blog, and I apologize for that. November was a very crazy month and it's been difficult to find a moment to sit down and update. Andrew had many visitors during that month. His mom was here from New York, his cousin from England and his best child-hood friend from England as well. He has had a great time with them here and was very sad to see them go. Andrew is still making great progress with moving his arms and he is 100% focused on that task. We ask that you please continue to pray for that arm movement and that he gain enough use so that he can return to Craig in Denver to receive the best rehabilitation possible on his arms. That is his main goal these days. Thank you again for all your prayers and continued thoughts, we appreciate them more than we could ever express. God bless you all. Joye
Monday, October 27, 2008
Joye's Update 10/27/08
Checking in again . . . all is well in the Langley house. Andrew continues to work on moving his arms and with your prayers is doing better and better each day. Please continue to pray and there's nothing he won't be able to accomplish. Good Night and God Bless. Joye
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Joye's Update 10/22/08
Thank you Jesus . . . we have elbow movement. Andrew has been working very hard with his physical therapist and just today he was able to push his arms out and also bring them back in a few inches while resting on a flat surface; the video below shows him pushing his left arm out (click the arrow button and the video will appear). We are praising God for yet another miracle, and we are so thankful for this blessing. Thank you all for your prayers . . . please continue to pray for stength in this movement which will soon give Andew use of his arms, giving him the ability to feed himself, transfer himself from his chair to other surfaces (bed, living room chairs, etc.) and even to drive a vehicle some day. God is awesome and He deserves all the glory for what He is doing for Andrew. Good Night and God Bless. Joye
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