Angela's Blog

Another true "red letter" day!   

We got outside!   Ang played catch with Josh in the sunshine.   She has a pretty good throw and a strong sense of space in connecting even when Josh backs up.   We toss bean bags, soft tennis balls, or small toys all with equal success.

Ang lifted her left leg up off the bed to "kick" the therapist's hand.   Bill got the leg to move last evening but nothing is considered accomplished until seen by the official therapists so YAHOOO for the recording event.   

Ang attended her first electronic stimulation therapy session on her left leg.   This consists of the muscle receiving a low voltage electrical charge for 10 seconds followed by 50 seconds of rest.   The muscle "remembers" what to do during the 10 seconds and Ang's foot and leg did indeed respond.   All was going so well that she was asked if she wanted to stand.....sort of a one-legged, well supported, wobbly experience but another HUGE accomplishment.   This was made even more special for her Dad since he got to be the person she "leaned forward" into.   

Finally, Ang got clearance to be tested for soft food instead of pureed food.   What did she get to try?   A Husky Deli plain tuna sandwich on wheat bread.   Her Dad delivered it.  The therapist cut it into 4 pieces and was preparing to explain what was going to happen when Angela spied the sandwich, grabbed it, dipped it into whip cream of the dessert on the regular lunch tray and SHOVED it into her mouth.   No fiddling around with that.   Of course she chewed, swallowed, covered her air way, and generally impressed anyone who is not held back by total lack of table manners or chewing with your mouth open.   The girl was ecstatic that she had "real food".    So ecstatic that she proceeded to throw the rest of her lunch at me rather than eat it because she now knew it was not her cup of tea.  Still not passing the water swallow test but the therapist assures us it is coming soon.   He promises we may be able to move from puree to chopped food after tomorrow.....

Ang's sense of humor shines through on a consistent basis allowing Josh and I much relief although she has not yet laughed.   Today she wrote her "joke" on paper and added a hee hee all with that famous deadpan face ... kind of like Jack Benny....   

Oh, and lest I forget to mention....  Ang got almost seven hours of sleep last night.    SEVEN HOURS....   Praise God and thank you for all the prayers......After a massage/energy treatment, she slept for 4.5 hours, woke up for a drink, slept for 2 hours, woke up for a change and to slide part-way off the bed giving her mother more gray hair, slept for an hour, repeated above behavior and slept for another hour.    I did the wake up and check if she was alright routine many times during the night since this if BY FAR the longest sleeping stretches ever.   Instead of being asleep for 15 minutes, she was awake for 15 minutes....love you Bill ! ! !

Well, the laundry is done for tomorrow and I am headed to bed.

Keep up the prayers, I truly see Angela growing less negative and more willing to engage in possibilities.   I thank the Holy Spirit and invite you to also.   I also invite you to remind me to take a few moments when you arrive or before you leave to have a prayer with Ang, Josh, me, and other visitors.   I try to remember and mean to offer this but sometimes forget so please help me to remember.   Sometimes I can add a voice to the prayer and sometimes I am too overcome with emotion to say it aloud but I always, always appreciate it.    (I did notice Ang bite Tom Vo during prayer last night so be on guard if you are the one holding that little hand.)

Hugs to all.

Teresa