October 20/09 Discharge date

Outrigger Paddling movement.....Go Gord!

Getting the good arm to push up the right arm so it learns the movement required.

Armbike therapy..

Sunset on the lake....View therapy

Heat therapy. Check the temperature guage....it's a heatwave....Gord lasted 5 minutes outside that day. Sept 24th, 2009.

Well we have finally come up with the discharge date of October 20, 2009 and everyone is working diligently toward that date to make sure we have everything in place to carry on therapy at home and in Maui. I am attaching pictures of Anthony helping Gord simulate paddling - this one is for the Maui Canoe Club! We are trying to tap into what Gord's brain already has programmed in it, like paddling and tennis and hammering. This is a new take on getting his right arm to respond. Give him tasks that he already knows how to do instead of brand new ones. The next 3 weeks will be very focussed on this.

I am in the process of trying to get travel insurance so wish me luck!

Love

Sheila

54 Stairs DOWN and 54 Stairs UP

Well, this was a big day today Sept 20th 2009. Gord approached the stairs to the lower dock with great trepidation. He was very cautious about the lack of handrails at the top of the stairs which I still need to get railed but after I helped him over this hurdle off we went down the stairs. He was thrilled, stopped halfway and said "Oh, it's been 9 months since I have been able to do this"...and then once again at the bottom of the stairs where it is like entering another world, he was ecstatic. We took a cushion and chair down for him and after getting him comfortable I ran UP the 54 stairs and prepared lunch , brought it down, and we had a little picnic on the water with Stacy and Danny.

Fiona, our Physiotherapist will be thrilled with this as she has been encouraging Gord to do this for a couple of weeks. It's done. Celebration time!!!

Just wanted to share these pics.

Lots of love

Sheila

We now have a new hobby - golf

Delightfully, I am happy to announce that golf is our new game. BUT only with 2 year olds. Witness the picture of Grandma and Grandson playing a round in the back yard. I just had to share these pictures with you.

And then.....breakfast on the deck....oh the memories this child will have of these good days in the sun with Grandpa Gord. The trio are Gord, Declan (on his 2nd birthday Sept 9/09), and Andrea.

Things are getting pretty exciting now as Larry our social worker is asking us to state an actual date that WE want to be discharged. All of a sudden the realization that this decision is in our hands makes me kind of nnnervousssss.......but we will embrace it and come up with a date...like maybe Oct. 20/09. I like the numbers (2009).

Today is Wednesday and we have the day off and the sun is shining and the lake is just beautiful. We are SO lucky!

Take care, everyone....

Lots of love

Sheila

A September Gathering of Friends

As we merrily roll along on this adventure, we have had such an incredible inpouring (if that is a word) of company, food, and lots of laughs. Gord and I have had our hearts filled with gratitude with all the wonderful events that have happened in the past few weeks. All of the pieces of the puzzle are slowly falling into place and as Gord's walking improves, prospects of things we can do - like travel - introduce themselves to us. I will give details in a later blog when I know what is firmed up.

This past week our friends from California, Prince George and Priddis stayed for 3 days and we truly missed our Seattle friends who could not make it at the last moment. We were surrounded by such love. Thank you Carol, Harris, Carol (Red), Tom,Laura and neighbours Mike and Linda for such a great visit. On Wednesday Tom and Harris drove Gord to Ponoka to walk through a day of Gord's therapy and I am hoping Tom will give us all a blog spot on his impressions of the treatment Gord is getting.

Thank you to Ralph for his baked apple dish (thanks Deepak for the apples- you have lots on your tree!).

Thank you Lisa and Sarah for the wonderful bread and chile dish you cooked so lovingly and delivered.

Thank you Ken in Maui for the amazing job you are doing on our unit.

Thank you Leni and Sandy for helping Ken....enjoy your stay in Maui!!

Gord is in good spirits and asking lots of questions now about the future of his right arm and his eyesight. I keep telling him they are both brain functions that will come back if we really give it a good try. I believe he is willing to continue this fight. The roller coaster stills exists though so I am always watching and listening carefully.

My little issue has turned into a spinal misalignment and today I am heading into town for another looksee at what is going on. I am not very comfortable in my chest area still so finishing the deck painting and loading the lumber on the truck will have to wait a while. I really do not like being crippled. Hello.....Sheila....guess how Gord feels!!!! This is a real eye opener for me. I have been going for 9 months marvelling at how I can do all these things and never get sick or hurt. Well I guess it has all caught up with me. 9 months...hmmmm that reminds me that we have an announcement.

We are expecting grandchild #5 in March 2010. Our daughter Andrea , husband Mike and son Declan are the first of the 5 children to start the family expansion. Congratulations Parte family!

This is kind of a mixed up blog but I have not written for so long and it is kind of a diary for me to look back on in the future.

I did not get many pictures of the visit but here is what I managed to find on my camera.

Lots of love to all

Sheila