A House of 44 Celebrate Christmas!

Merry Christmas friends and family! We had the best day - dad arrived around 11:30. . . my brother Tommy picked up he and mom in the van and when they arrived - they wheeled him right up the new ramp to my back door and we got him right into the recliner after he took a look at the Christmas tree. He said it was a very special day. . . although he did confessed to me later when I was taking him home that he thought about my Aunt Nora all day and how much she and her kids/family must be missing Uncle Charles.

We packed 44 people into our house. I think this is the first Christmas or holiday we have had every single sibling, spouse, grandkids, great grandkids here under one roof in a long time! What a day! Dad had his share of laughs and loving. He even enjoyed holding his youngest great grandson - Trey! (whose on his lap in the picture). They both got all emotional when they opened their gifts from us. . . besides some small gifts, my brothers and sister and I went together to get them a new flat screen tv for their back bedroom - their old one blew up a couple of months ago! They cried when they opened it! (you can probably tell in the one picture)

We took dad and mom home around 5:30 and got him settled in bed - he was tired, but happy. He enjoyed being able to get out today since the weather kept him in all last weekend.

Thank you God for the gift of your son Jesus and for giving us a reason to celebrate this day! Merry Christmas everyone1

Merry Christmas Eve!

The busyness of the season has kept me from posting lately. . .sorry about that! It's been so hectic this year that I have yet to sit down and pen my annual Christmas card/newsletter so the plan now is to put it together between now and the new years and send out a combo one to everyone!

Dad and mom are doing fabulous! We are so blessed with dad's health this year compared to this time last year! We were bringing him home from Winchester Rehab for the first time since his stroke last Christmas Eve. We were cautiously optimistic at that time because even though dad was stable, his mind was still only 60 % at best and of course taking care of him required a lot of manpower. But praise God, this past year dad has completely regained his memory and understanding of life and we have our dad back in full - other than the fact that he remains unable to lift himself to a sitting position or make enough movement of his left side and stomach muscles to have any independence. HOWEVER>that being said. . . we reflect now on all the progress and we still believe there will be much more to come.

I am so very excited about Christmas. I went in this morning and we got dad a shower and into his recliner for the day. He is very content. . . this week during both shower sessions he has been able to also use the bathroom and that always makes him feel so much better so we should have a great Christmas tomorrow. We are having the Kisner family meal here at my house and thanks to my cousin's husband C.W. Coe and my cousin Steve Howell, we now have a wheelchair ramp in my backyard. We'll be able to wheel him down the sidewalk alongside our house into back yard to ramp and onto our deck which leads right into our living room thru sliding glass doors. There he will get to be transferred into our recliner where he can stay all day comfortably! THANKS C.W. AND STEVE -THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY!!!! Now we can bring dad to my house anytime!!! He said today he was trying to remember what my house looked like - he hasn't been here for over a year!

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Aunt Nora and her children Becky, Doug, Kelly and Marc who will have the difficult task of their first Christmas without Uncle Charles - since his passing from Cancer on December 5th. We also extend our best wishes to all of our family and friends out there for their ongoing prayers and support for my mom & dad. There are so many of you who send cards regularly (Chris Carter you are the most amazing card writer!) and so many who come see my parents every week (Shelly & Lee your support has been incredible). . . and then there are those of you who by tuning into this blog and lifting dad in prayer support us in the best way possible - there is nothing more powerful than prayer.

We love you all - and we wish you a Christmas that is filled with the love and warmth of Jesus Christ. . . he is the only reason for the season and thank God for the best Christmas gift of all - his Son!

Getting in the Christmas Spirit!

Mom and Dad are doing better this week. Last week really took a toll on dad as he had so many memories and emotions regarding my uncle Charles' passing. But as the weekend approached, dad found himself in the middle of a 2 day cookie bake at their house and that really sweetened him up! Mom has her annual cookie bake at Christmas with her daughters, daughters-n-law and grandgirls and the result is about 15 different cookie recipes, lots of laughing and lots of eating! Dad was spoiled during this 2day event. . . my daughter Lexy loved serving him his favorite coconut & raisin cookie! He was up in his recliner all weekend and he was also able to come to church Sunday. It was a special day because his great grandson Barham (we call him Bear) was Dedicated and the message our pastor spoke included a little part about dad and his dedication and faithfulness - even when his life has been turned upside down. So it was an encouraging and uplifting day for my daddy and mom too. I was pleased when I went to see him today and he was ready to get up again and get in his chair, because last week he tended to want to stay in bed, again, I think he was grieving and just needed some time. We are looking forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus on Christmas at my house this year. . . and we have so much to be thankful for. I was shopping in Winchester this week and reminded of how last year at this time we were spending every day in Winchester, but it wasnt shopping, it was visiting dad at the Rehab Center. At that time, he still was not fully himself mentally- maybe 50%. Praise God that his mind is perfectly in tact now! Thanks for checking in again and as always, continue to join us in believing for that miracle of dad's body and also we ask that you keep the Porterfield family (our Uncle Charles' family) in your prayers throughout this Christmas season as I'm sure it will not be easy without their father.

Weathering the Season!

Hey Folks - all is good on the homefront. Mom & Dad are weathering the season of burr coldness... staying cozy in their living room enjoying the specials of the Christmas season on tv. It was so cold Sunday morning they did not brave the weather to go to church. But hey did get out on Sunday afternoon to the Family Viewing for my Uncle Charles' funeral. It was very emotional for my dad. . . he did a lot of crying, but he stayed almost the whole 2 hours and enjoyed visiting with all of mom's family. Everyone thought dad looked very good. My Aunt Nora is so strong - she was able to comfort dad thru special memories that brought happiness to dad as well.

Other than that, not a whole lot to report. Thanks for checking in... I promise to try to get you some pictures up on the web soon.

Saying Goodbye to Uncle Charles

This afternoon our beloved Uncle Charles went home to be with the Lord. He was such an awesome man and we will dearly miss him. But he was ready to meet his maker and we know he sickness is now gone and he is in a better place because he knew Jesus Christ as his saviour. Thank you for praying for the Porterfield family. . . Aunt Nora is my mom's sister and we all grew up so very close. Our vacations were together, our weekends were spent together and for me, I pretty much had two homes - mine and theirs. Dad was pretty sad and has cried several times, but I was able to get them to still go to our church Christmas dinner - we thought it would be good to get him out tonight so he wouldn't be home crying all evening. They enjoyed the meal - it was delicious. I didn't get any pictures though because with everything that happened in the afternoon,I had too much on my mind!

Thanks for your love and prayers. . .

As Good As Good Can Get!

Dad and mom are still doing very well. . . as good as good can get when you are living with one side of your body paralyzed! Dad still works with his left hand a lot and trys to get more movement, but so far it's still about the same. Although Dad's inability to get himself up and around on his own is something he struggles with, he lives with an amazing attitude of gratitude for that which still remains. And what remains is an absolute miracle from our observation. Dad is such a funny and loving man. . .we are blessed to still have him in a full-mind capacity. We live in constant appreciation to our Lord and Saviour for healing dad's mind and giving him the quality of life that he has right now. We still have faith for dad's complete healing - and that is something we will never let anyone talk us out of! Faith is that which we can not see but have the confidence in God to believe that it can happen even when it seems impossible to us! Whether Dad's complete healing comes on this earth or one day when he goes home to be with His Saviour - we know that he will be whole again. Thank you for having faith with us - we don't think like the medical field who say "well, after a year, they say you've really reached your full potential of recovery..." and basically they "write you off their books." No, we serve a God who is able to do more than we can think or imagine - the Bible says that all things are possible for those who believe. Our faith is not in medical professionals or medical history but in the Master Physician. . . who is not limited by anything or anyone!

Please continue to pray for our Uncle Charles whose battle with cancer has really taken a turn for the worse. . . he is in the hospital this week and is fighting with all he's got - he and his family (Aunt Nora, Becky, Kelly, Doug and Mark) all need your prayers! Thanks for checking in!

Tomorrow I'm taking mom & dad to our church Christmas dinner and I will try to snap a picture of them enjoying the meal for the blog!

Under the Weather for Turkey Day - But Better Now!

Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving. . . mom and dad woke up with a bad stomach ache and ended up staying home under the covers. Dad had it worse than mom - he threw up twice and had some loose bowels, but thankfully it only lasted 24hours! Today we gave him a shower and got him in his recliner to watch tv for the day and I think he seemed completely himself again. Today mom's sister Patty stopped by to visit from Baltimore with her daughter and grandbabies. They enjoyed the visit alot! Mom's other sister Marie also came with them. We are still praying for a miracle for our Uncle Charles (mom's sister Nora's husband). His cancer is really taking a toll on him - he is going thru some chemo, but his body is so very weak and they need a miracle to beat this terrible disease. We all know God is still in the miracle business so we never stop asking or believing for Dad and Uncle Charles to beat their diseases and be a living testimony to Gods healing hands.

Looks like dad will get out for church in the morning - it's what he looks forward to all week long! He loves his job as greeter at The Living Room! Love to all!

Keeping Warm Inside!

With all this cold weather - dad is trying to stay warm on the inside! He doesn't like to get out in this bitter weather. But he never misses church - so we are looking forward to getting him out on Sunday for that. We just gave him a shower and he is shaving right now. . . he and mom have their #12 WVU t-shirts on for their nephew Nate Sowers - who will be playing at noon today in the WVU game against Louisville. We are sure hoping for a great game! My in-laws went to Louisville for the game! Dad and mom are feeling great and send all their love and blessings to all! We still pray daily for a miracle healing on dad's left side. . . never stop believing and praying with us!

Love to All!

Alls Wells on the Homefront!

Hello out there - things have been so hectic lately that I haven't had much time to post. But rest assured dad is doing well and happy! He got out to church Sunday, despite the cold weather. He is still looking and feeling good. His spirits remain high and he remains positive. We are not seeing and more progress in his mobility on his left side, but dad makes the most of what he has and has become rested in his current situation, yet still hopeful that God could heal him some day. We do his showers usually Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays and that is always fun. He feels so relaxed and good when he finishes. With the weather being so cold - there a not a lot of opportunities to get outside, but many of you are stopping in to visit and that is good company for him. His goal is to stay "cold & illness" free this winter because that cold he had in early September was so hard on him. Other than the usual "sore bottom" from laying/sitting all the time, dad is overall great! His recent blood draw was pretty much in the perfect range - so we repeat that in a week and half. Mom is also doing well - a spit fire for sure! Our Uncle Charles is still putting up a great fight in his battle with cancer and we remain prayerful that God will help him beat this thing once and for all.

Mid Week Trip!

Yesterday I took dad and mom out for a couple of appointments. It was nice to get out in the middle of the week like that with dad. We had to go have a blood test for dad's INR at the McCormack Center over on the City Hospital campus. After that, I took mom and dad to Berkeley Family for their flu shots. . . and their grand daughter Rachel gave them the shots (She is a nurse there!). Dad has been feeling so good. Today he got a shower and is in his recliner for the day to enjoy his programs on tv. Mom was headed to workout at the Wellness Center and grocery store. Last night my brother David brought his black bear that he killed to show dad. . . he pulled up right in front of the window where dad sleeps and shined a light on it so dad could see! We took some Dairy Queen to them after that and got him ready for bed. If your ever in the neighborhood - please stop by and see them. With the weather much cooler now, dad doesn't get to sit out front now. But he sure enjoys his visits with all his buddies (and even you Mark Rogers! ha ha - Mark stops in to see dad all the time and dad loves giving him a hard time - just like the good ole days when dad worked for Mark).

Have a blessed week!

Life is Good

Hello everyone. . . not a whole lot to update you on, but a great big thanks to those of you who joined with us in prayer for my uncle Charles (mom's sister's husband). He is feeling stronger and was able to go thru the first lo-dose round of chemo Friday. Mom went to see him in recovery and she said he looked good and was eating a little. This made dad very happy - he had a very emotional week thinking of Uncle Charles and his battle. Dad went to church yesterday and did well. He is looking great these days. We will get out this week on Wednesday for his next blood draw, but with the weather getting colder it's harder to get out and go places and he doesn't like to sit outside now that the weather is changing. Thanks for checking in on us - we continue to pray for healing in dad's body and we hope that you will pray that with us too!

Prayers for Our Uncle Charles

Hey Everyone. . . all is well on the homefront with dad and mom. Dad is doing pretty well. He hasn't gotten out much this week, other than the shower & bathroom because he has a small sore spot on his "bum" that we are treating and watching closely. That makes it a little uncomfortable to stay in his chair for long period of time. But overall, he is doing well. The past week has been especially hard on dad emotionally because his brother - n - law, Charles Porterfield is very sick. Uncle Charles has cancer and its really taking a toll on his body. Dad is having a really difficult time knowing this - Uncle Charles came to dad & mom's anniversary party this summer, but dad hasn't seen him since. We ask all of our other family and friends to join with ours in praying for this very special man. He is such an awesome man and I pray that God will give him the strength he needs to fight this latest attack on his body. I pray that you give his family - Aunt Nora, Becky, Kelly, Doug & Mark the strength they need to get thru this very difficult time. We serve an awesome God and I know that he hears our prayers. We love you Uncle Charles!

Good week!

It's been a good week overall. Dad is doing fine. He was a very happy camper after today's big WVU win over UConn. We gave him a shower and got him in his recliner just in time for kickoff. Mom is doing well too. She's got so much energy and love - dad is one lucky lady to such a dedicated woman beside him to care for him. It's hard to believe it's already November. Time flies. Dad still is doing his arm exercises at home and we still are believing for more progress in his left side. . . thanks for all of you who continue to pray and believe with us. Dad has the most amazing spirit these days. He laughs all the time - he always has a funny thing to say. He is so sweet and so aware of everything. Even though dad has lost so much, he still has so much more than many others. We have a lot to be thankful for!

Off to a great start!

We are off to a great week. Monday was so much fun! Dad and I got ready and in the van and headed to the McCormack Center for his regular blood draw. So we get there and the sign on the window says "blood lab" closed. Yikes - so they sent us over to the main hospital - and you know me - miss full of energy, I talked dad into us just walking over instead of getting back in the van and out again and then back in again. So we go trucking over and we have this hill to climb - yikes! By the time we reached the top I was chanting "I think I can - I think I can". Dad was cracking up. We finally got to outpatient services. . . and then my niece, dad's granddaughter Michelle, who works at the hospital as an MRI Technician came to hang out with us before he had his blood draw (see her picture here). No word yet on the results - still waiting.

Then yesterday we gave him a shower and he just gets so relaxed and loves it! Then in the afternoon - he had several visitors...one couple from his Power Company days! He and mom enjoyed baby sitting their great grand daughter Brynna too for a little bit. Today he had another great day... nothing exciting just hanging out.

That's all for now. . .we are still continuing to do at home therapy things and like dad said. . . let's just give it some time during these winter months to see where I go

A Special Visit

Dad was excited to have a special visit Saturday evening from his nephew Nate! Nate was in for the weekend because the Mountaineers played Thursday evening - so he made time to come by with his mom and dad to see his Uncle Shug. As soon as dad knew that Nate was coming he called us and said - come take a picture for the blog. He wanted everyone to know Nate came to see him - he is so proud of Nate. He recalls all the time taking Nate to practice when he was just in Midget League football. And Uncle Tommy and dad were talking about the days of watching Nate play football when he was very young. I doubt dad missed many of those games up thru high school. And now, he just loves to watch Nate when they show the Mountaineers on tv. We all enjoyed the visit - especially my boys who love going to Morgantown to see him play.

Dad made it out to church today and enjoyed it. He has some sensitivity on his bottom and it does make it a little difficult to sit in that chair for long periods of time. We are trying to get that all healed up for him. Tomorrow we will go to the McCormack Center for a blood draw to check his INR.

Thanks for checking in! Keep praying for dad's continued health and progress.

Great week!

Dad has had a great week. He so enjoyed watching the Mountaineers on tv Thursday nite trounce the Auburn Tigers. What a game. He got his third shower this morning - after Pam cut his hair and shaved his neck - mom and I wheeled him back to the water hole. What a great Saturday - a haircut, shave and shower. Then he settled into his recliner for some therapy - watching college football all day! He's looking forward to getting out to church tomorrow cause we haven't left the house this week. Blessings!

Loving His Showers!

I can't tell you how much dad loves his shower! He got his second one today and it was as wonderful as the first he said. He was even able to use the bathroom this time while he was on the chair. . . no, we didn't quite have our timing right and he missed the "hole" in the toilet, but hey, it's a start. And dad felt so good to just be able to go to the bathroom - cleaning up the bathroom floor was better than his brief! ha ha! If we had just gotten to the bathroom a little quicker - I could have gotten his chair wheeled right over top of the toilet and lined up with its hole. But guess God wanted us to have a little humor in the bathroom today. . . we laughed and laughed! It sure is going to be good to get on a regular schedule with dad so that he can really use the bathroom fully - shower, potty, grooming. We're getting there. After his shower, he spent the day in his recliner - working on his arm exercises and giving mom a hard time as usual. He is looking forward to watching his nephew Nate tomorrow night when the Mountaineers take on Auburn. GO WVU!

Blessings!

A New Day - A New Experience - the shower!

Dad loves his new shower. . . he was so nervous about the whole thing - but it ended up working out great and he feels so great he said! He wanted to thank everyone who has put in so many hours to help make it possible. . . my brothers! It was worth the wait he said!

Dad also wanted me to say hi to Aunt Annie - she is online now and reading the blog - hello!

Dad is in great spirits this week. His Doctor has decided to have him re-evaluated by another physicial therapy company to see about a more "long-term" approach to dad's recovery. What a great doctor and what a relief to dad that there is still room for future improvement. We'll let you know how that works out.

Gotta run! Blessings to all - we love ya!

Discharged from therapy causes sadness

Today when we took dad to therapy - I was expecting to get his next week's schedule for at least his physical therapy - since we had not been re-evaluated on that recently - but to my surprise, after I dropped him and mom off, the therapists came out and asked for a meeting with them in 15 minutes and they proceeded to tell mom and dad that they didn't feel dad was making significant enough progress in therapy to justify to medicare the continuation of his sessions. UGH! It's very difficult to hear those words - especially because not all patients heal at the same rate as others and as we all know - dad's stroke was so not typical. But none-the-less, it is what it is... and no arguing on my part was going to change anything. I was a bit dissappointed that they didn't schedule an appointment with me to share this - today was the first time mom decided to go along with us and so she shooed me away after we arrived saying she would wait with him til they came out for him - then she would work out while he was in therapy. Well instead, they came out 15 minutes late and announced they needed to see her to talk about the future. Oh my, what a day. So I took dad home and we talked about everything and then prayed about it and then that's when he broke down and bawled - he cried for a long time. I went to get mom at the wellness center because she stayed to finish her workout and when we got back he was still crying and saying he was a failure. I told him it was okay to have a day of mourning but tomorrow - to turn his sadness over to God. It's all in God's hands now - none of us know the what the future holds, only God does but I do know that he saved him from this terrible stroke and we do see that dad is getting healthier now not sicker. We will trust in God and keep our faith in Him - now that all the therapists are out of the way. . . who knows, maybe it will be time for a second miracle in dad's life. But whether dad ever walks again or not, I know that his life here on earth will still be used mightily by our God - our plan now is to continue to work hard on therapy at home, start using the shower (ironically the shower chair arrived today). . . and wait and see what God has in store for the days, weeks and months ahead. Thanks for your continued prayers and support! We love you all!

One Year Anniversary today!

It is hard to believe that one year ago today, we were waiting in the family room at Winchester Medical Center, seeing what would be the outcome of dads major stroke earlier that morning. One year has passed. . . wow - so much has happened in that time. Mom had her heart surgery, dad has been through 3 different rehab facilities and we have seen many trips to the ER for various things. But today, at the one year anniversary, I am happy to share that dad and mom are on the road to recovery and the future holds promise!
Today, mom, me and dad met with a microscopist/nutritionist from Toronto, Canada who took a blood sample and analyzed our blood to see how healthy we are and what we can do to improve our health. I am so excited with the results! I only wish I could have done this test prior to our August health initiative to compare the difference. Back in August, dad was having high blood pressure bouts again and he was also suffering from painful swelling and gout in his ankles. So we started a nutritional program, consisting of healthy water and nutritionals. We weened him from some of the toxic pharmaceuticals he was taking as anti-inflammatory drugs and we replaced them with healthy, all-natural nutritionals. Dad does not have any swelling now or joint pain, his color and appearance is so much healthier, his blood pressure is good, and praise God, we are even beginning to reduce the amount of Coumadin necessary to thin his blood because of the positive effect of his healthy program. The only area dad needs some improvement on is is liver - otherwise, his immunity is good... and his free radical - nutritional - and plasma scores were okay, but need to continue on the program to keep getting better! Dad is also doing well at therapy these days- he is working hard from home too. The key thing we have to remember is that the health issues that lead to dad's stroke did not happen overnight - and restoring his health isn't a quick fix either. But with time and patience and determination and the will. . . dad will get stronger and stronger. Mom's blood looked great too - however, she has a pretty distinct mineral deficiency that we need to work on so that's not too hard.

Thanks to all of you who are reading this blog today and who have shared this year long journey with our family. Your support and love has helped carry us thru. . . and our hope in what the future holds through our Saviour Jesus Christ is what gives us the strength and courage and determination to keep fighting and never give up on dad's goal of being mobile again some day. This journey is far from over - and we look forward to the days ahead as we watch how God unfolds the next chapter of our lives.

Go Mountaineers!

Even though they couldn't watch the WVU Game Saturday on tv, dad and mom were listening by radio! They were so proud of their nephew Nate who had the best game ever! His interception kept Syracuse from scoring the go ahead touchdown. And his defense was just awesome throughout the game - dad had his #12 t-shirt on (Nate's number) and his WVU pants! He was very happy to say the least. Sunday he got out to church for the early service and then later in the day took a Sunday drive with my sister Pam. Mom has been really pushing him on this "Constraint Induced" therapy. . . she has him eating things with his left hand and she is really keeping him focus on the "at-home" therapy stuff. He had a good day at therapy today - he was so tired when I picked him up. Then we did our blood draw. Tomorrow both mom and dad have to get the "shingles" vaccine. Then he has therapy again Wednesday and Friday. I'll try to keep ya posted. . . thanks for checking in and for keeping dad's progress in your prayers. . . it will be one year this this Thursday to the day that dad suffered his stroke. It's hard to believe!

The Home Approach to OT

Dad did not even have to be re-evaluated today after all. . . his occupational therapist had already decided that the best course of action was to prepare for some "at home" therapy for his upper body and ADL's (activities of daily living). I sat thru on some training - which I pretty much already knew. . . but the plan is to go another week or 2 with both OT & PT (physical therapy) and after that, mom & I will work on his OT at home. He will probably be re-evaluated for Physical Therapy at the end of the month -- another week or two. He seems to be improving in that area, so hopefully we will continue with that there. AND they did say that as he gets stronger with his sitting balance and as he makes some significant improvements at home with the OT goals they gave us. . . that he could be re-evaluated for OT to see if they could help him again in the future. I think dad handled everything well... we had talked about it a great deal this week and he agrees that we can make the same kind of progress at home as there since I have been trained in what he does now. One of the things they said would really help him is the "Constraint" therapy. We need to tie down or make him not use his good right arm... as if it was not there and force his weak left arm to do all the work - like feeding and drinking, etc. This will give his arm much more work and exercise. . . why didn't they tell us that sooner? Oh well, Dad is certainly not done getting better I can tell you that - he works very hard every day at his tasks and mom just told me on the phone that he ate a hotdog for lunch and held it with is left hand! Maybe now that the pressure of meeting the "therapists" and medicare's goals are off of him, he will be more motivated to do "at home" stuff. I know I say this all the time, but God is not finished with Shug Kisner's testimony yet so you just sit back, keep praying and watch as God's healing hand continues to guide dad back!

Another Try Today

Hey Folks - Dad had his Occupational Therapy Evaluation yesterday and he didn't quite make it across the finish line, but he gets one more chance today. Two things dad was unable to complete unassisted yesterday were to one) put his shirt on and off unassisted without and verbal cues from the therapist. . . and 2) lift his left hand to touch his chin. While these tasks would seem simple, it's the "thinking" part that causes dad to stumble on the first task. . . and probably just nerve damage to his mid arm section on the second. He starts putting the shirt on, but as he gets each step of the process done, he has trouble remembering what comes next unless you tell him. And the hand. . . he can get it so far and then it's just like the nerve damage won't allow the final extension of this arm. So he and mom spent the afternoon working on at least the hand reach, and this morning before we go to therapy I will let him practice the shirt on and off task again. Therapy is at 10am today. I know he would appreciate everyone storming heaven on his behalf at 10 am this morning if you get this message in time! ON A GOOD NOTE. . . they were impressed that his balance sitting and his transfer to the table seemed improved yesterday - so he did have some positive feedback too! I will try to send out results this afternoon. . . thanks for your prayers!

Plugging Away!

Dad is plugging away at life and still doing well. He had therapy on Friday and had a pretty good day. This week we could only get in for 2 days Thursday and Friday. He is going to be re-evaluated this week for sure - that already has dad nervous. He overheard the therapist telling me that we need to sit down and see what kind of realistic goals we could set for the next 30 day session if he makes it thru this evaluation this week - to justify continuing the therapy to insurance. Later on, he told me he didn't like the sound of what the therapist was saying to me - I guess he felt it was a sign that we are nearing the "plateau" of his recovery. And that may very well be what the therapist was indicating, but it is not necessarily "the end." I just encouraged dad - that even if we don't pass this time - we can be re-evaluated 3 months from now if he would make some significant progress to warrant therapy again and that we will still continue with the therapy things at home and never stop working toward his goals of more independence and walking. He seemed to be better after we talked, but I know he is concerned. They are so strict on guidelines of how much progress dad has to make each 30 day period and with him having that cold for about 3 weeks - that really set him back. But we are going to believe for the best and see what God does in dad's body this week - I've been asking him for some miraculous break-thrus!

Please keep us in your prayers this week - we are going to be practicing therapy tasks at home to prepare for Thursdays evaluation and I know dad would appreciate all the support that he can receive from his family and friends thru prayer!

Having Fun

Tuesday we took time to have some fun. . . first me and dad got in the van and went to watch my boys football practice. It was a beautiful evening to do that and he hasn't been able to see them play yet this year, so I think he really enjoyed that and the boys were thrilled to have him there. Then afterward, my sister Pam and her daughter Sarah and her kids stopped by and we all had ice cream. . . we took time out for a picture of dad and all the kids. He always enjoys his grandchildren and great grandchildren's company.

Today we have therapy and a blood draw. I also have a feeling we are getting close on a PT evaluation. But I am always nervous to ask or let dad know it's time so that he doesn't stress about it. . . if you would - pray today and this week that God would just strengthen him and help him to sit for 5 minutes on the table without assistance. . . that he would score high enough on his testing to earn another 30 days. This is so vital to his mental and physical health to continue - even though it feels like to him it is slow. . . any progress is progress! Thanks for flooding heaven with this request - I'll keep you posted!

Great Weekend & Great Monday!

Hey everyone. . . dad and mom had a very good weekend. Dad was thrilled that the Mountaineers won and especially excited to see his nephew Nate Sowers make an awesome tackle. . . and hear them talk about him on the tv. The rain kept them inside most of the weekend, and thenMom strained her hip muscle again getting laundry out to put in dryer on Saturday, but we "treated it" again and she was back to feeling herself again. They both made it to church Sunday and dad was his chipper self at the front door greeting everyone. He was especially thrilled that so many of his grandchildren and great grandchildren were there this week - even little 3 week old Trey made it! Today, mom felt good enough to workout at the wellness center while I took dad to therapy/rehab at 11am. Dad seems to be feeling good and strong. He had a great day at therapy he said. Which means a lot because he is always so hard on himself afterward. . . but today he was very positive and said his physical therapist felt he transfered on the board the best ever. He transferred well on the board for me too - I'm always happy when I can do the transfer on the board and it is a "clean" one. . .today it was 3 hops into the chair from the bed and when we returned from therapy it was 2 hops into the recliner! woohoo! That's about all for now - we are stable. . . moving forward and still believing for the day when dad will be more independent and mobile again! Believe with us - thanks for your prayers! love to all!

Having a Good Week

Dad is having a good week. . . we had therapy again today and he did well. He goes again tomorrow. He keeps running into old friends at Therapy - he saw an old friend today he hadn't seen in so long. I think that part of therapy is neat for dad to just get out and have social interaction as well with friends and professionals in the community. Mom strained her right hip a little at the wellness center during her workout on Wednesday, so we have been trying to nurse that before she returns to therapy. It didn't stop her from taking care of her man though. . . she is so determined. The bathroom is looking so nice, the tile is down and the room is painted. . . we are getting closer! Thanks for checking in on us. . . please keep praying for dad to be healed. We so badly want him to have more mobility so that he can do more for himself and get around a little more at least. We believe- we need you to believe with us!

Looking Good!

Well dad had a great weekend. Saturday he really enjoyed getting out to the park to his great grandson Seth's birthday party. He and mom stayed for about and hour and a half. The weather was perfect. Sunday dad enjoyed church and his Sunday greeting job at the front doors of church. Monday dad had the day off and today dad had Occupational therapy for about 45 minutes. One of his therapist was very complimentary about how dad looked today! He has been really looking healthy again. . .he said he had a good day of therapy and we are still doing the board transfers at home to help strengthen those muscles. Not much new stuff to report. . . everything is looking good! Keep us in your prayers. . . if we can make a little progress everyday. . . then we are moving forward toward our goal! The bathroom is really close to being finished. . . David was laying tile today. We are ordering the shower chair tomorrow and the countdown is on to dad's first shower at home. . . it won't be long now!

Excellent Friday!

Hello folks! We have had a great day today. Dad's blood work from Wednesday was all good - his meds need no adjustments for now. Even though dad was heartbroken when WVU lost last night - he still made good progress today. And that was on very little sleep - he said after the game he could not get to sleep until 2am! No more Mountaineer games the day before therapy! ha ha Anyway, despite being up half the nite. . . today my dad and I succesfully did a new transfer from the bed to the chair without the hoyer lift! I was so excited - I cheered and jumped up and down. This was a huge step for us. . . the more we do this kind of transfer, the more therapy he gets at home and that will help him overall get stronger and easy to transfer. He was exhausted after therapy - he worked very very hard. But we still managed to do the board transfer back into bed! Wow-that was so rewarding to achieve that goal. Tomorrow he is looking forward to going to his grandson's birthday party at the park! That should be fun. Plus, his granddaughter Emily is coming home from WVU this weekend for a visit so he is looking forward to seeing her too. Maybe I can snap some pictures this weekend and share on the blog for everyone! Thanks for checking and keep praying with us for dad's continued progress!

Hello Out There!

So sorry for the long gap in posting!  I was out of town for a Women of Faith conference in Philly and then came home to email that was locked up and just a really busy week.  So please accept my apologies for being so distant!  Dad and mom are doing wonderful!  Mom is enjoying her new fitness time at the Wellness Center 3x per week.  Dad returned to therapy today and had a good session.  He also had his blood drawn this morning and I am anxious to hear the results.  The nurse who drew the blood who knows my dad because he comes so often really was bragging on dad today.  She told him his arms felt more muscular and she was able to find a good vein in his arm this time and his blood drew so easily.  She told him he looked so good in the face - she asked him what have you being doing to yourself Mr. Kisner - you look so good!  (he really ate that up!)  In fact, dad has been using a hand weight daily now to work on building back some muscle tone - and I am so excited that she could feel a difference in his arm!  His ankles are both in great shape and his cough is all but gone. . . just a little cough here and there.  I have to tell you the guy is working so hard at home on his therapy  - so much that Sunday in church he kept trying and trying to bring his left arm to his face. . . it brought him to tears!  But he never gives up - he keeps on trying.  My brother David is working so very hard on the bathroom for my dad- he's there several afternoons per week and they are getting closer and closer.  We are so excited about that!  

Thought you might in enjoy this picture of Dad and mom with their newest great -grandchild:  Jeffrey Joseph Hamlin III (Trey).  This is my sister Pam's grandson... her daughter Sarah gave birth to him last week Sept. 8th and this makes her second child - she has a little 19 month old Brynna too!  

Love to all - keep praying for dad to make some significant progress in his strength and at therapy - that is what keeps him going. . . working toward all of therapy goals and believing about what the future still holds!

Still Coughing but plugging away!

Dad still has that cough, but he is working hard to get rid of it and plugging away at therapy still. He is going to have a little break from now until next Tuesday off of therapy and that should help him get rid of this chest cold for good! Let's pray that anyway! He said he felt good about his therapy today and I have learned a lot of new ways to help him work on his therapy at home so in the next few days at home we are going to work real hard on those things and believe for a big day next Wednesday when he returns to his OT & PT. The boys are still hard at work on the bathroom and making progress. Just a quick update on dad (his foot is doing great right now). . . gotta run! Keep praying for that miraculous healing in his torso - we need strength there so bad!! love you guys!

Hanging in there!

Hey friends and family. . . it's been a slow road to haul the past few days for dad.  That cold didn't leave dad as quickly as we had thought it was. . .it began to linger and then kind of come back in the form of a hacking cough - he doesn't have a fever and his chest does not sound like it did before, but it's still wearing him out!  He went to church Sunday and ate breakfast in the cafe and greeted at the front door, but ended up coming home just before service started because he felt so tired and "giddy-headed" he said.  He slept most of Sunday.  He did go to therapy yesterday but his therapist said he was very weak - and we all know when we have a cold how it zaps our energy.  So we are just struggling to get this out of his system. . . he gets frustrated when he doesn't have a good day at therapy and the past few times he's gone he just hasn't been able to give it his all!  So please pray for dad that he gets this cold out of his system completely and quickly so we can move forward with our therapy!  

Family NEWS flash! Last night around 8pm. . . mom & dad's 5th great - grandchild was born! My sister Pam's daughter Sarah delivered her second child Jeffrey Joseph, III (Trey) Hamlin in Winchester.  The baby is healthy- mom is great- and big sister Brynna (who I got to spoil all day long while mommy was in labor!) is oblivious. . . she saw him and kinda just was like "whatever". . . she was more interested in playing with her daddy and all the visitors in the hallway!  ha ha! 

A Good Friday

Hey folks. . . meant to post yesterday but the day got away from me.  Dad's blood INR was good - in the range they want it - it did increase from 2.5 to 3.05, but we will stay at current dosage of blood thinner (yeah) and redraw his blood in a week in a half.  Dad had a good day today at therapy.  His Occupational Therapist passed him thru for another 30 day session.  This 30 day period dad's PT & OT are going to give me a list of the tasks that he can work toward achieving and that way we can begin to work harder at home. Dad had a coughing spell in the middle of last night - but overall he is doing well.  He was still a bit tired today after therapy - that cold has really taken a lot out of him.  He works so hard and then comes home and crashes in his recliner.  His foot looked better today and he was able to use it during therapy.  It is still tender and a bit swollen, but much better.  My brother Dave was busy at the bathroom construction again today.  They are making progress every day... dad's therapists are excited about that getting done so they can add tasks for him to learn to do there that improve his independence at home.  Again, the key to continuing therapy is to keep having goals that make dad more independent and able to help in the care of himself.  That shows that the therapy is improving his quality of life and if we can keep him in therapy, I really believe he can get stronger . . . the area we need to focus our prayer on for dad is that we need a complete healing of his "trunk muscles".  His PT thinks the stroke really wiped those out or at least the ability to balance himself. . . with out the sitting balance. . . we can not progress to walking.   

God we know that you are able to do more than we can think or imagine - we join together to ask you to please return strength and balance to our father (Shug). . . give him the strength to stand up and move from bed to chair. . . even just that would improve his quality of life immensely.  It would give him the ability to get more places. . .and take care of all his personal hygiene - we know that you love dad and you will bless and heal him according to your will - and we pray your will is go beyond what we can think or imagine and then you Lord will receive all the praise and glory - in Jesus Christ name we pray, AMEN!

Back to "work"

Dad got back to work today - his work being his therapy!  His foot was still swollen and sore, but his therapist worked with it and helped him with exercises to reduce that swelling...things that will increase the circulation in his foot to hopefully get more blood flow going and reduce the swelling. . . since he had been sick over the weekend and with his foot sore, they had a "light" day. . . but that was perfect to get him back in the swing of things.  We stopped by and had his blood drawn on the way out after therapy.  I'm anxious to see if his blood levels have changed . . . I hope they have increased so that we can decrease his coumadin. . . i should know by the end of tomorrow.  His cold is all but gone. . . just  a few coughs here and there.  After therapy he got into his recliner for the day til my brother David came.  David was working on the bathroom tonight and my Uncle Tommy comes tomorrow to do some additional work on it.  

Good news for mom - she has decided she will continue to work out at the Wellness Center even beyond her final day of Cardiac Rehab.  She is going to go over tomorrow and meet with them about getting her program setup to start next week.  I think she is excited about it and I know that dad is very glad she is continuing it.  We really notice how much it helps mom and gives her a chance to get out and do something for herself to keep herself healthy too.  Yeah mom!  

I'll touch base back when I hear how the blood tests go!  Love to all and thanks again for your love support and continued prayers!

Out of Bed & On the Mend!

Thank you God and thank you friends who prayed with us for dad to heal quickly.  He's doing much better today!  Mom & I bathed him this morning and got him out of bed into his recliner and when I called him at noon - he said he wanted to stay there a little while longer. . . so I'm gonna stop by on my way home this afternoon to get him back in his bed, but I expect he'll be wanting to get some fresh air this evening with my brother Tommy when he comes in.  It's such a relief that he is on the mend.  His ankle is still a little bit sore, but it is healing too!  We go for therapy tomorrow afternoon - so it looks like dad will be able to go to it after all!  Thanks again for keeping dad in your prayers... and so far, mom is doing just fine too - no signs of the cold in her!  She only has 2 more days of cardiac rehab. . . she has met all of her goals!  We are trying to talk her into joining the Wellness Center to keep on track with all her progress. . . of course she's being frugal fanny - saying it costs too much - but we'll talk her into it!

Feeling A Little Better Today

Dad is feeling better today- thank you God.  He is still very hoarse and is still coughing some, but the worse looks like it might be over.  He is still very tired, and resting.  But his blood pressure was great at 116 over 74 and no temperature. His foot is still swollen and sore on one side. . . so we are concentrating on the other side that is swollen and tender for treatment.  Dad seemed much more like himself today that in the days before.  We watched the WVU Mountaineer game that was replayed today on tv.  He had watched it Saturday too with my brother Tommy, but he wanted to watch his nephew Nate again, because he did so well in the game!  He still wasn't ready to get up out of bed today, but I think by tomorrow he will be ready to start getting up and around and maybe sit outside if weather permits.  He doesn't have therapy until Wednesday so that's good.  Mom is still feeling really well - so our prayers are covering her and keeping her strong!  Thanks for praying for dad's speedy recovery with us!  Keep it coming!

Fighting A Bad Cold

Dad had a very good workout on Friday at therapy, but did experience a great deal of shoulder pain.  Man did they work him hard.  He had to help transfer himself from his chair to the table. . . then from a sitting position at the table, he had to learn to lay down, then get back up, then transfer back in to his chair.  

Then when we got home, he began complaining of his right foot being sore.  Maybe he twisted it an awkward way at therapy or something.  Not sure. . . it wasn't sore when we left for therapy? We put him in his recliner for the day and wrapped his foot and really tried to pamper him with tylenol and water to help with his foot and shoulder.  Then Saturday morning the cold-virus arrived. His voice was deep, his chest was getting tight and he started feeling under the weather.  Today he was unable to go to mom's family labor day picnic or church because of feeling so bad.  His blood pressure has been elevated at times, he's running a low grade fever and he is just so tired.  He is coughing a lot at night too - so I ended up calling the doctor last night and he recommended some over the counter medicine to help clear up his chest and quiet his cough. . . I think the medicine might be helping some, but mostly he is sleeping and resting. We need to do everything we can to keep this cold from worsening.  His foot is still painful, we are trying some alternative approaches to reducing the pain and inflammation - so we'll see how those things work out.  Time, rest, water, and lots of prayer is our game plan for the next few days. Please pray with us that he heals quickly and feels better tomorrow even!  We also pray for mama to stay healthy - my goodness I can't imagine if she gets this!  But I am speaking it out loud right now - SICKNESS STAY AWAY FROM MY MOM and GET OUT OF MY DAD's BODY NOW!  There. . . I feel better and I know that God will hear our prayer - especially if you join us like an army storming heaven on his behalf!  

Doing Great!

We are having a great week!  Dad had a blood draw on Monday and his doctor said it is in the perfect range right now, but we will do a couple more over the next 2 weeks to make sure it stays there.  That was good news because they had called me Friday wanting to add more blood thinner to his med mix and I asked to do one more draw on Monday because his previous tests were showing progress after he stopped taking the Celebrex.  Sure enough - it turned out the way I expected.  In fact, I predict with the water intake dad has now and being off that other medicine, that we can get him back down to a lower dose of blood thinner, which is our desire (that stuff is not good for you - it's just a necessary evil!)

My brother Dave and my Uncle Tommy were at the house last night planning the next phase of construction for dad's bathroom. . . it's coming along.  Dad is so excited about it - he said he can't wait to take his first shower in it!  We've had to bed bathe him since he came home in June - so this will be so good for him.  Plus, it's great occupational therapy for him to sit at the mirror and do all his personal hygiene.  

Looking forward to Labor Day weekend and seeing the Sowers clan (mom's side) at the picnic. We'll keep you posted!  

Victory Today - Dad passes 2nd PT Evaluation!

We had an awesome day today!  Dad just looked great today when I took him for his therapy sessions.  You know that he has been concerned about his pending PT evaluation.  Today he had it and passed!  So they have assigned him another 30 day period of therapy (Medicare is strict about their policies of therapy - if dad doesn't show a certain amount of progress every 30 days, they can deny coverage of the treatment).  So dad was thrilled to have that behind him.  Our goal now for this next 30 day period is to get dad doing as many "board transfers" from bed to chair and chair to bed as we can.  This not only strengthens his trunk muscles, but helps him to be more mobile and in the eyes of therapists- proves he is getting stronger.  Also, they want to work on dad building back his muscle mass.  He was so depressed when he looked in the mirror today at therapy while doing exercises and saw that all his muscles were gone.  He is going to do some lightweights at home in bed and in his chair to work on that.  We have some other goals as well and we'll be working hard at home to help him reach them.  

Dad was sad to see the Olympics be over - he had really watched all of them this year.  He was our official newsman when it came to results - we'd call him for the report.  Dad has been feeling well - blood pressure stable and he is still drinking only water!   Dad has one more day of therapy Friday and then it's off for Labor day weekend - they are looking forward to going  to mom's family's Labor Day breakfast & all day picnic. So I will try to post later this week. . . sorry for the delay this past week - my laptop was down!  

Thank You God!

Wow what a difference a day makes and the simple addition of water in a person's life!  Dad had a great day at therapy - both in OT & PT.  His therapists were very complimentary of his progress - so that made him very relieved.  His PT said he earned a gold medal today because he shaved a minute & a half off of his lap time.  He does a lap around the fitness area in his wheelchair - guiding it himself with his strong arm & leg.  Great job dad!  We are also being encouraged to begin transferring him differently to help his trunk strength.  Instead of the hoyer lift, we are going to work on the transfer board.  His PT said this week he made it to his chair in just two "stands".  . . say if he is in bed, we sit him on the side of the bed, then the board goes under his butt and reaches like a bridge to the corner of his chair.  We then help him stand & sit & stand and sit til he gets over to his chair.  This is going to help him get stronger in his mid section.  They did have him back at the parallel bars to practice standing today as well. After therapy, we had his blood drawn again - and this was the first time a nurse was able to get a clean draw the first time around - it flowed great she said.  They always call dad "stingy" with his blood and sometimes have to stick him 5 or 6 times to get it flowing.  The water has made a huge difference. . .  the nurse said hydration does make the difference in a blood draw.  So thanks to God for answering all of our prayers for Dad this week - and keep them coming because we are on a tough journey and the progress may be slower than we prefer, but with the prayers and support of our loving friends and family, we will make it to the finish line and get the gold!  Dad has had all kinds of special visitors by the house in the evenings this week - what a blessing you  have been to my parents. . . your quick visits to say hello and give an encouraging word have truly blessed them!  My brother Dave has been working hard on that bathroom. . . dad is really getting excited about taking a shower soon!  What a blessing that will be!  I'll post again tomorrow if time, we have therapy late tomorrow afternoon!

In Need of Encouragement Today

Dad continues to feel good but his spirits are kind of low. He knows his second 30-day evaluation for therapy is coming up and he is worrying himself to death about it. He is so afraid that he hasn't made enough progress to continue another 30 day period. So I am going to try to find out from his therapists when the evaluation is and how they feel he is doing and hopefully they can encourage us and him OR give us some indication of what he needs to improve in order to continue with therapy. So we are trying to surround him with love and support and encouragement, but we would also like to ask you to keep dad in your prayers this week for his therapy and enough improvement to move forward. I pretty much told dad when he was talking about it today that "we have come way to far to give up now - don't you give up on me - don't you give up on yourself!" He promised me he wouldn't give up - but he said just doesn't understand why he can not master his balance and if he could just do that - so please pray with us for that specific thing this week -

If you would pray this prayer with me. . .Heavenly Father - we come to you today as family and friends of Shug Kisner and we ask you to intercede this week in his health and strength. Give him balance and confidence to accomplish whatever is necessary to keep him in the therapy program at the Wellness Center and keep him progressing toward his goal of becoming mobile again. We love you and trust you to act according to your will - and we believe for great things above all that we can think or imagine for Shug this week - you are a mighty God - able to do all things in those who believe. . . and Father we come boldly to your throne today saying "we believe". In your precious son's name Jesus Christ we pray. . . AMEN!

Back on Track

Dad's blood pressure stabilize back in the normal range by Sunday and he is looking great. He is feeling much better too. He has given up the soda and tea and has taken to drinking water! He is hydrated - yeah! We had a blood draw today and we'll see where he stands with that later in the week - they frequently test his blood for the INR to determine the level of his blood thinning medicine. I am doing a lot of research on the various drugs dad is taking and also seeking the counsel of nutritionists and other nurses who believe in "more natural" approaches to some of the medicines he is on because as dad says "my stomach fights over which pill it's gonna digest first" every day. He had therapy today and he didn't feel very good about it afterward. . . he said he just wishes he could get the "balance thing" right - he was sitting on the table and doing the sock transfer exercise and I think it is very hard for him and he gets very frustrated.

Last night my sister Pam had mom & dad up for a picnic with some of her family. Trying to get dad out as much as we can because before too long - we won't have this beautiful weather to enjoy. Touch base with you guys later in week - he has therapy Thursday & Friday!

A Day Off

Dad had therapy yesterday (Thursday) and his blood pressure got a little high during it. So we were keeping an eye on it and this morning he was having a headache and a little bit of high blood pressure again, so we decided it would be best to take a day off of therapy to work on lowering his blood pressure. He seemed dehydrated (he doesn't drink water) so we started him on a strick water intake and are trying to eliminate the tea and soda. By noon his blood pressure was normal. Then by evening it was creeping back up again, although his headache did not return. So we will continue to monitor it and work on stabilizing it. He felt good enough to get into his chair for dinner and go outside to enjoy traffic with mom and the kids. Then Timmy came in and got him ready for bed. Praying for a restful night tonight and normal BP tomorrow. Thanks for checking in - we appreciate your prayers & support and love! (P.S. thanks to dad's friends who sent coconut cake thru mark rogers. . . i got a piece of it and yummy! dad and mom really enjoyed that treat!)

Enjoying the Olympics

Dad has been enjoying the Olympics. He is my news man when it comes to keeping up to speed on who's winning the gold! Robby and I took him to his co-therapy session today and when we brought him home, we put him in mom's recliner and Robby was so amazed at how good pappy looked sitting there. . . if you were to walk in that room and not know that dad couldn't walk, he would just look as healthy and normal as can be! I am still noticing his strength gradually return to his middle section. . . we just have to have patience and endurance to keep the faith through this marathon we are on. We heard a message at church Sunday from a guest speaker from Virginia Beach's Wave Church - Pastor Steve Kelly. . . about the "Caleb Generation". . . which I am now proudly a part of! It was so powerful - talking about so many people who have had a huge impact on this world and it happened after the age of 40. . . some in their 70s. Dad said to me today, "I just wonder some times if this is all worth it". . . meaning getting him in his chair with the lift and going to therapy. . . and so on. And I quickly reversed the roles and asked him if he would do the same if we were in his shoes - he said, yes of course, but you are just 40, I'm so much older. And I told him he wasn't like most 72 year olds. . . and that God was not finished with him yet! Then he laughed and said, well I guess I have no choice of the matter if you're around! Thanks to so many folks in the community who have been stopping in to see mom & dad - wow, you have no idea how much that means to him. He really enjoys the company! We have therapy Thursday and Friday - so I will post later on in the week and let you know what's going on. I also want to publicly thank my siblings - for helping to take such awesome care of our parents. I know it means the world to them to have such devoted children who are giving so much - so to David, Pam, Tommy and Timmy. . . your little sister appreciates you, loves you and thanks God for you every day. . .especially in times like these!

Another Great Week!

Dad did exceptionally well at his co-teaching session of therapy Friday. He sat unassisted with little movement for 5 minutes. He is really getting stronger every day. This is incredible and needed in order to tackle other areas of therapy. After therapy - mom & I took him to the rec center to pick up my boys from their last day at basketball camp. We got to watch the closing ceremonies & awards presentation. We saw lots of friends - he always enjoys times like these to see his old friends and colleagues. Later that day, my brothers Dave and Tim came in to take the next step on the bathroom for dad. We have a plan now for accomplishing that project - that will be so nice when completed! He enjoyed watching the Olympic opening ceremonies last night too. . . and today my brother Tommy came in early to help mom give him a bath and get him up in the recliner. He enjoyed that and watched a lot of the Olympics til mid-day then I ran in real quick and got him back in bed. He is looking forward to my sister Pam coming in tonight and having dinner with them and probably sitting outside to watch the traffic. Tomorrow is church - his work day! Thanks for your continued support and prayers! Love to all!

Bicycling Away!

Another great day for dad at therapy. . .me & the kids headed there early this morning and dropped him off. When I returned I found him on this bicycle machine - working away! I noticed his hair was pretty messed up - he had been practicing in Occupational Therapy earlier taking his shirt on and off by himself! Anyway, they had placed a long mirror in front of the bicycling machine so he could watch himself and see when he began to lean to the left - so he could correct it. . . if you look closely, they have a black stretchy band on his legs to keep that left leg from dropping over - he is still not strong enough to hold it there on his own. But this is a great exercise for him because when he gets going - its forcing his left side to work and do what it's supposed to be doing. . .

We have another co-teaching therapy session on Friday - so that will be great. Tonight my brothers are meeting with my uncle Tommy (Mom's brother) to determine our next step in getting dad's handicap accessible bathroom moving forward. Dad is very excited about that!

Thanks as always for checking in - and remember, dad & mom are outside sitting almost every evening so if you have a few minutes to stop by, they'd love to see you!

Working Hard at Co-Therapy!

Dad had a fantastic day today at his co- therapy session (physical & occupational therapy combined) at the Wellness Center! I stayed today and watched. . .and I was so impressed with the stability and strength he is acquiring in his sitting on the therapy table while doing tasks. He actually sits there and leans to the left, picks up a set of socks with his "left" hand and then slowly works his way, shifting his weight and keeping balance, and then has to drop it on over his right leg into a basket - I watched as he did that at least 6 times! If you look at the picture. . . he is only being "spotted" by his therapists. . . not held up by them. He says he can't believe how hard it is to do such a simple task, but I can't believe that he can actually do that now. He is getting much more focussed. There is a definite improvement in his strength. . . so we are so encouraged by these positive steps forward.

Thanks again everyone who continues to read this blog daily and pray with us - believing for that miracle for dad to walk again. Your support means so much. And thanks to all the folks who continue to stop by and visit dad & mom - old friends, colleagues and family continue to come to see dad and encourage him on this journey. We are so blessed!

A Family Day

Dad enjoyed a visit from his niece Vicky Losh today. . . Shannon, his other niece, brought her sister by to see dad while she was in town visiting. Dad really enjoyed seeing her and their visit. Then we headed up to my sisters house for the baby shower for Pam's daughter Sarah. . . she and her husband Jeff are expecting their 2nd child later this month.

We had a blast. . .we stayed for about 4 hours! Dad laughed his head off during the fun games they played. One game was a torture test with parents being the recipients of clothespins to the face or neck - whichever parent the children could get the most clothespins on- won. Well my brother Timmy almost won - he had 41 points (which equated to 20 clothespins on his face. . . check out the photo. Afterward, we headed home and got snuggled in and ready for bed. As always, dad looks forward to Sundays - that's a job he looks so forward to - he still greets the people as they are leaving first service and those coming in for first service. This gives him a purpose to look forward to each week.

Looking forward to another great week at therapy! Keep him in your prayers for LOTS of progress - we believe!

Fantastic Day at Therapy!

I am so happy to report that dad had a fantastic day at therapy Friday! His Physical Therapist reported to me that he was sitting on the therapy table for up to 15 minutes, with just minor cues when his body started to fall. . . he also was able to work in Occupational therapy at the same time - they had him leaning over while sitting on the table, pick up socks with is left (yes I said left - which is his weak side) and then sit up and place them in a basket on the right side of him! Wow - dad. . . what a great accomplishment. Like I said, his therapist was thrilled with is progress this week - he proclaimed it his very best week by far. . . it seems that dad's focus has now kicked in and he is ready to really work hard at this therapy. Plus, I know he is so determined to get stronger become more independent. They will continue doing "co-teaching" sessions next week to see if that type of therapy will continue to help him progress!

We are looking forward today to head up to Pams for a "picnic" & baby shower for her daughter Sarah who is due with their second child later this month. Me & the kids are picking mom & dad up this afternoon and will head up there for a fun evening. I will take some pictures to post on the blog!

Thanks for checking in - we've had an awesome week. My mom is simply AMAZING - she is getting so independent in her caring of dad. She bathes him, she takes care of most all his care and all we do for her is the transferring and dressing. She is so determined to be his "number one aide". . . she just decided that an outside aide was not necessary anymore. Her health continues to improve all the time!

Mark 9: 23 says " 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
We believe. . . will you believe with us? Dad will walk again one day!

A Passing Grade in PT

Well I have some great news to pass on to you today about dad. . . he passed his first 30 day test with his Physical therapy. Every 30 days, medicare requires an evaluation of progress. They will only allow a patient to continue with rehab if they are showing measurable progress. His therapist today said that dad is definitely stronger than when he began and today was his very best day so far in therapy. His therapist told me that he shared with dad today the way the therapy process works - as far as medicare requirements for continuation of therapy - and it really seemed to "wake dad up" and motivate him. He asked the therapist what he needed to be doing at home to help get stronger. So that was a good sign he is ready to get down to business! Dad said to me afterward that he understands now how important it is to work hard at home to get stronger - he said to me - if I don't improve. . . the therapy ends and that means i will be in that bed the rest of my life. . . and that's not going to happen. Amen to that dad! His therapist also said to me that he feels that if he can significantly improve dad's strength in his torso that he can put a brace on his left leg and teach him to walk again in the future. We just need to stay focussed on that long term goal, while making continual improvements each 30 day period. . . it does not matter how long it takes. . . it just matters that we continue toward that goal. We were very excited today for dad and I know it gave him a lot of encouragement and motivation - please help us to continue encouraging him and believing in him.

Thanks for your continued support and love. . . we are on this journey together. . . it's not even close to being over!

Doing Well!

When we arrived back in Martinsburg last night - we couldn't wait to stop by and see my parents. They are doing well - and we caught up with them on everything. Mom's eye is just in the purple bruise stage, but healing. Dad seemed well. . . and looked handsome (pam had cut his hair!). We got him up in his chair and they all sat outside with my oldest son Robby and my brother Tim who came in to get dad tucked in later. We headed home to unpack and Robby stayed to watch the Orioles -Yankees game with pap & granny. Dad has therapy this afternoon so when I take him, I am going to ask how they feel he is progressing and give you a report.

During our trip to Virginia Beach, we had the opportunity to attend WAVE church Sunday evening. . . which is our network church. We were blessed by an awesome message from Pastor Steve Kelly as one of his points was to "be patient" and let's God's timing prevail. Never stop believing and asking God for what you want, as long as it lines up with the will of God. So my son Robby couldn't wait to come home and share the message with his pappy. Another point was that it's important to watch what we speak - there is a scripture that says "with the tongue - we can speak life or death". . . we need to make sure in dad's situation that he and everyone that surrounds him continues to speak life. . . always focusing on what we are still believing God to do. . . just because God has not healed dad completely of his paralysis does not mean that it's not in the cards - there is nothing in the Bible that says God's miracles had a certain time frame. In fact, it took Job quite a lot of suffering before God turned his life around and blessed him 2-fold. . . please please please keep the faith with us that in God's time, dad will be fully restored to his former glory. . . as long as we believe it. . .the dream will stay alive and God will hear our prayers!

Enjoying Summer

I have been out of town for a few days with my husband rob and kids for a short vacation, so I am just sending a quick post to let you know that my parents are doing great. I have talked to them about 3 times a day and all seems well! Dad had a great day at therapy Friday as did mom. Dad says her eye bruise is starting to fade away. . .he laughs every time he talks about it. I miss them terribly - but am trying to enjoy some downtime with my clan... we are having a good time at Virginia Beach - weather is gorgeous. When I ran on the boardwalk this morning - I just kept praying for my dad and for a miracle healing on his left side - keep believing with us!

love to all!
mbb

Mom's Goose Egg

Hello everyone. . . it's the mid-way point of the week and today was definitely "hump" day for mom & dad! Mom has her cardiac rehab over at the Wellness Center every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 10am. And today dad's therapy was scheduled for 9:30, so we got dad up and in his chair early so mom could take off and I took dad to my office for about a half hour or so. He hadn't seen my associate Tara since his stroke and they had a nice visit. Then we headed to therapy - I can really tell Dad is trying to get better - he is always working on little exercises on the way there and leaning over and back to work on his flexibility before we get there. He said they really worked him hard today. . . his PT had him do his regular stuff, standing at the bars, and his OT really work with him hard too - he had 2 good sessions today he said. Right after we got there, I dropped him off and I decided to go see mom down the hall doing her therapy on my way out. I'm glad I did because to my big surprise, there she was on the treadmill - and what did she have on her eye, but a huge goose egg! She had slipped outside on the sidewalk on her way in and fell head first on her eye! She has a terrible lump above her eye and a few scratches on her face and head. She was surprisingly coherent and eager to do her therapy - she did almost all of it, just 2 miles short on her treadmill. They told us to have her ice it down every 2 hours. So she did. She wasn't feeling the best this evening - I think the day had caught up to her. . . but dad says she is fine when I called to check in. I am going to see her first thing in the morning to check again. I was worried how dad would react when he saw her. . .we decided it would be best not to tell him til I got him home from therapy. So when we finally brought it to his attention (her hair covers it pretty well). . . he had to laugh- whew! We kinda told it to him light heartedly, like "would you believe what mom did this morning - she was being clumsy like me.. . she slipped and fell and got herself a goose - egg". I was afraid he would cry if we were too serious or worried about it with him -I was afraid he'd feel guilty for not being able to help her. I am hoping and praying she heals quickly!

Eating Out - Living & Loving

We took dad out Saturday to eat at a restaurant for the first time since his stroke. He was a little nervous, but he really wanted to support his friends the Greenwalts by trying out their new place - Wow! What a Restaurant! So we packed up the Blair gang into dad's van and headed down there. We had a great time and other than the fact that dad spilled his drink all over him at the end - we did pretty good! I tell you that part because it's actually a good thing. . . he is really trying to use his left hand and arm more often - now his version is that it "got in the way". . . but the truth is, he is working harder and harder to make it useful. That's a good thing! His therapy is going well - at least I think so - I don't nose around when he's there. . . I just drop him off and go. He likes to work hard without the distraction of thinking of us waiting for him. He feels better knowing we're doing something useful while he's hard at work. He tells me that he is continuing his work with standing at the bars and his OT is really working to teach him to do things independently as well. . . he is now back to wearing the sling for his left arm. . . these therapists feel strongly it will reduce the tenderness and soreness he complains of from that shoulder - when it is not in the sling, it hangs and it's like a water-logged arm so to speak. This will keep it in place when he is not exercising it - and take the extra weight off that shoulder muscle. He is really hoping to get his "handicap accessible bathroom" finished soon - he talks about it to me a lot. . . he wants to take a real shower and be able to wheel up to a vanity with a mirror and brush his teeth and hair again. We are hoping we can get that scheduled and completed by the end of summer. I think that will really help dad to feel more like normal.

One thing is for sure - his sense of laughter and living and loving is a strong as can be. He keeps such a great spirit about everything and we try to do as much as he can. We get him outside every evening and last night he went up to Pam's to sit out by the pool and watch his great-granddaughter "tool" around and play. Mom is doing so well - I just Praise God everytime I see how well she is. . . that surgery has given my mom her endurance and stamina and love for life back.

We pray every day that as we go thru this season in our lives, that we may find something good to hang on to and be thankful for. . . we have so much more than others. . . no matter what the future holds for dad's ability to walk again, we will never give up believing that God can do all things - and while healing dad would be easy for God if that is what the testimony of dad's life is supposed to be. . . we also consider that his testimony may be to bring encouragement to others by showing them that in the midst of having your world turned up side down. . . that life can still be wonderful. . .either way, we'll accept the mission God gives us!

A great week!

We've had a great week. . . tonight it seemed like everyone stopped by to hang out on the front lawn, my brother Tommy, my sis Pam, her daughter Sarah and husband Jeff and baby Brynna. . . and my gang. . . we had kind of a "lawn party." That was fun.

Mom saw her heart surgeon on Wednesday and was officially "released". He said she had healed nicely and that she had reached all her goals. She will continue Cardiac Rehab at the Wellness Center still until she has reached her goals there. She looks and feels great - she is amazing. . . what a life changing surgery that was!

As for dad, he too has had a wonderful week. He went to the doctor on Monday to just check out his swelling in his feet and tenderness. . . doc agrees its the arthritus flairing up so for now we'll just take Tylenol for that pain until he can convince the insurance company dad needs to be on celebrex for the arthritic condition. Dad had therapy 3x each for physical and occupational. Today his OT told me he did great - he put his t-shirt on all by himself! (He told me not to tell mom - he was afraid he'd have to start doing more work at home - laughing of course. . . because he is thrilled that he can do something for himself now). I noticed today how much stronger dad seems to be getting in his trunk area. He is lifting himself up well when we dress him and he is getting more flexible and sitting much better. He said he likes all his therapists and feels he is doing well there.

Thanks for checking in - we are still praying and believing for more progress in therapy and a miracle of walking again! Join us in praying and believing for that too! Dad's looking forward to "Kids Sunday" at church this week. He is looking forward to all the children who adore him - singing on stage. Last week, his little buddy Andrew hopped on his lap for a ride with "mr. shug". Check ou the buddies in this pic.

Surprise 50th Celebration!

Surprise - Happy 50th Anniversary!
No storm was going to rain on our parade! Although it was looking bleak for a while as guests began piling into my sisters house. . when Mom & Dad arrived. . . the rain started to fizzle away and they were thoroughly surprised to be greeted yesterday by a crowd of about 100 people. . . a mix of their sisters & brothers, nieces & nephews to their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the pastoral staff of our church. They rain stayed away long enough for us to enjoy a great meal together and after that we surprised them again as our Youth Pastor Danny Sullivan sang a very special song, followed by Pastor Kevin Green telling them that he was honored to help them renew their marriage vows. Dad had a difficult time getting thru his - he cried and was emotional thru many segments, but he got thru them, as did she, and in the end he was cutting up with jokes and humor as always. Dad gave us great wisdom - "I've always told my children that every day you wake up, that in itself is something to be thankful for. . ." Dad said he has told mom over and over that if he could go back and live his life all over, that he would never change a single thing. His life, he said, has been blessed - more than he deserves (we beg to differ!). After the vows, we brought out the beautiful cake for all to enjoy!

Thanks to everyone in the family who was able to make the event. . .they were so blessed. He loved having his sister Wanda there with him. . .as well as so many others! (see in picture). When I talked to dad this morning, he said he was so surprised and couldn't believe we had orchestrated that whole thing without them knowing anything about it - he was especially amazed the grandkids didn't spill the beans! He was glad to see the kids having a blast at the party - they swam in the rain, and of course, after the rain! Dad didn't seem to get tired thru it all - they stayed for several hours to enjoy everyone's company.

Today we take him for a doctors appointment regarding the arthritis in his foot that is swollen & painful. . . hopefully to get him back on the meds that help with that. Tomorrow he starts up his therapy again - he will have back to back therapies (physical & occupational therapy) in the afternoon. We'll keep you posted!

Happy Anniversary - 50 Golden Years!

Wow - it's amazing and incredible and inspiring. . . mom & dad have been married 50 years today! We are so blessed to have such wonderful role models in our parents. . . "in sickness and in health. . . for richer or poorer. . .to death do us part." They are the ultimate example of a love that lasts a lifetime. Me and my family went in there house for a visit this afternoon and sat out side for a while watching the cars and trains go by (that's where the picture was taken) and then we ordered Outback to go. . . thanks to an anniversary gift certificate given to them by my in-laws (thanks Sallie & Bob!). We ordered some yummy steaks and enjoyed a great dinner at the table. . . then sat outside until dad had sweatbeads falling down his face and then it was time for the cool indoors. (I don't think they have any idea that we are planning a special celebration for them tomorrow with their families. I know they will be surprised. We told them that we were having a family picnic tomorrow evening to celebrate their anniversary all together - but they think it's just their children.. . they don't know we've invited their sisters & brothers and our pastoral staff to help them renew their vows. Plus we had a wedding cake made for them too. I hope dad holds up - his foot is still bothering him, it's swollen a bit and warm to touch. Tylenol every 4 hours does help.) We are praying for good weather and a good bill of health tomorrow!

Therapy Day

Dad had physical therapy at 11 am and then they were able to fit in his occupational therapy evaluation right after so we don't have to go back at 5:15 now. He did really well - they were surprised with how much strength his does have in his left arm - some how they were given the impression that he had no movement on the left side. . . not sure who gave that false info. but anyway, they are setting dad up for 3 days of occupational therapy per week, that will run back to back with his physical therapy. They will set some reasonable weekly goals for dad and if he is able to at least meet 6% of that goal weekly, he can continue rehab there. We are excited for dad - it feels like we have "new blood" so to speak, working with him now and I feel like these therapists really have hope for dad. We'll be praying!

Yesterday dad's right foot was bothering him some. We are going to watch it over the weekend and keep him on some pain medicine like Tylenol for it, then we have an appointment with Dr. Phares on Monday to let him see it. . .they had taken him off of a medication that helps with arthritis and I think maybe he still needs that medicine. . . we'll see what happens.

Tomorrow is Mom & Dad's 50th Wedding anniversary. We'll probably celebrate with some Outback to go. . . and then we have a "surprise" family gathering planned for them on Sunday at my sisters. They think it's gonna just be us, but we've have tried to get word out to all of mom's siblings and all of dad's siblings as well. . . so I think they will be surprised to see everyone.

Please join us in prayer to believe for miraculous things to happen with dad's new therapy!

Mid-Week Report

Dad had a great day at therapy Wednesday. My son Robby & I took him there. . . he did a lot of exercises to help his flexibility and strengthen his muscles and they always finish with him standing at the parallel bars. . . they help him to a stand about 3 times. I think he is feeling a little bit of the results of exercise this week - but he refuses to take even a tylenol for the aches because he says his stomach is fighting enough over the current load of pills he takes! Today he and Robby are sitting outside in the front yard watchin' planes - trains & automobiles! He has Physical Therapy again tomorrow morning and then tomorrow around 5pm he will go back to the Wellness Center for an occupational therapy evaluation - then we can add that this his therapy schedule next week! This week dad has battled a little bit of "melancholy" over things. . . I guess me turning 40, he & mom celebrating 50 years of marriage saturday and he can't do things the way he would have before. . . I think being in that bed watching tv is starting to "get to him" a bit more. . . he used to be in therapy all day. . . now we go just 3 days a week for an hour. . . so we are trying to adjust to a new way of life. . . he wanted me to read some of the blog to him this week. . . I did read some, but it made him too sad, so I had to stop. Please try to stop by and enjoy a laugh or two with dad and mom if you can- they are almost always home- if the van's there. . .he's there!

Have a great week! MBB

His Baby is 40!

Well today dad's baby turned 40! That's right - I have finally joined the "over the hill" gang. . . and yet in many ways, I feel better today than I did in my twenties - I told Dad it was him who keeps me young! It was so nice to spend a better portion of my special day with the man I adore so much. My husband Rob & I took him to physical therapy at 9am then to get his blood drawn to check his INR. Dad had a great day at therapy - it's always good to peek back in the therapy room and see him up at the parallel bars - there is nothing quite like seeing him stand up again - even if it is only for a few minutes. We got him home and in bed and then he had a nice visit from the guys he used to work with at Wholesale Tire. Later in the evening, my family and I returned to share some cake with dad. That's when we took this picture - I made him let me sit on his lap so I could be "daddy's little girl" again-and my daughter Lexy had to jump on mine! My brother Tim is the one on the left of dad - he was at the house with his son Ryan helping mom with dad's evening duties. . .my son Robby is behind my dad, and then there's mom grinning. . .

Dad is scheduled for therapy Wednesday and Friday of this week. . . and mom returns to Cardia Rehab on those days as well. We are still waiting and hoping for them to add occupational therapy to dad's physical therapy so they can focus on that left arm. . . hopefully by Wednesday.
Thanks for checking in!