Vogt Family Blog

The Good Old Days

2012-01-24T07:29:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Olga Quinn

When I first moved to Atlanta I had absolutely no money. I was 22 years old and fresh out of college. I had a job, but I was only making $25,000 a year. I thought I would be fine on that salary, even though I knew that I would have to be very conservative. It was hard at the time, but now when I remember those lean times, I remember all the good things. I used to complain a lot about not having any money, but I had a great time. I made so many friends and had so many new experiences. I remember when I moved out of my studio apartment into a one bedroom and could actually afford DIRECTV atlanta for the first time. I thought I was so cool! I finally had enough space to have friends over for dinner or drinks. Now that I am older I wish I could go back to those more simple times. Now I have all of these responsibilities like kids and a mortgage. Sire, I have more money, and I can spend more, but those days were fun.

My Kindle Fire

2012-01-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I got a Kindle Fire and I absolutely love it! I've already downloaded several books and apps and have finished three books. (I also listen to audio books and have finished four of them!)

Since my sister also got a Kindle Fire, I thought I'd try to keep updates on what I'm reading. Checkout my bookshelf in the right margin below. Let me know what you're reading and what you recommend.

Annual Desert Trip

2012-01-19T14:18:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was the Rob Web Memorial Desert trip. We all had a great time, the weather was a bit overcast but still warm enough. The Blue Angels were practicing, as usual, and flying right over our campsite. We had a yummy Rob Web Bagel and those that wanted to partake, had the Natural Ice brew in memory of Rob. Can't wait for the next trip out!

A beautiful sunset on 1/14/12 at Superstition.

Thomas' JPeg Replaced

2012-01-18T14:18:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, Thomas was getting his shower and the CNA pulled the towel off his tummy and forgetting who he was washing, also pulled the feeding tube right out of his stomach. Can you say OUCH, well Thomas sure can! Although, I'm waiting for the day for the tube to be removed - A) that's not how I want it removed and B) he's not quite ready to go solo. He does eat but not enough to get the full nutrients orally. He went to Sharp Memorial hospital to have it replaced.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-26T22:09:00.000-08:00

Well we survived Christmas! Thomas really loved his new shirts and gloves he got from Brian and I, and the pants he got from his grandma and grandpa. He was supper excited to give us each a gift, that he had selected himself at the facility store. He got me some lipstick and a mirror and his dad an eagle key chain!! After our visit, Brian and I headed home to make the ham and fixings for dinner. We all had a wonderful day.

We look forward to what the new year has to offer.

Sports

2011-12-17T23:36:00.000-08:00

I appreciate the guest post, Lindsay Valdez

What was I thinking getting this new direct tv package? I thought it would be great to have so many more channels. I was planning on watching more Lifetime-like movies and more gardening shows. Instead, my husband is watching even more sports than he was before! There are so many sports channels, there is basically always a game on that “he just has to watch and can't miss”. According to him he is studying that team's moves for when our team plays them. I actually like football and baseball; I love to watch my teams play and cheer for them. What I don't love so much is watching a game of a team that I care nothing about! I swear I think our son's first word will be 'football' because it is always on in our living room. I can always tell when my husband wants to be romantic that night because he will pass the remote to me and say, “you can watch whatever you want to babe”! I then make him suffer through a girly Lifetime movie while snuggling on the couch.

5 Years Today

2011-12-15T13:56:00.000-08:00

Today it has been 5 years since Thomas' accident. We are extremely pleased with the progress he has made but we wish he could get the therapy he truly needs and we could bring him home. I asked him what he wanted for Christmas and he said to go home.

Happy Hump Day!

2011-12-14T11:01:00.000-08:00

It's Wednesday and I'm so ready for Friday! Only 10 shopping days left till Christmas and I am about 90% done! Next week I will be focusing on getting the Christmas cards in the mail. Brian has already sent his, as usual. I haven't sent any in a few years but I think this year it seems I'll actually have time to get some out.

Brian just sprung on me that we are having Christmas dinner at our house this year!! Now I'll have to plan a menu at the end of next week.

It would be wonderful if we could bring Thomas home for a few hours, I wish I knew someone with a handicap van ... anyone???

My brother brought me some Lumpia on Monday that he and Jerlalou made, it was awesome. He let me know that he is taking orders. If anyone would like fresh homemade Lumpia with sauce to serve during the holidays, let me know and I'll get you the info.

Happy December!

2011-12-01T06:45:00.001-08:00

It's the first day of December and I'm starting to get excited about the holidays; it's been a long time since I felt this way. After Thomas' accident, our family pulled together and our focus has been to get him better. With him talking and eat now, I finally feel like I can breathe easier. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel and I am so thankful.

Dental Work

2011-11-29T11:56:00.001-08:00

I saw my dentist and I needed a root canal after all. I went on Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving!) to a root canal specialist and it was the fastest and easiest one I've had! I am doing much better now. If I ever need another root canal, I'm going back to the specialist!! (Email me if you need his name.)

Other than having an exposed tooth, my Thanksgiving was very nice. Had a nice dinner with Brian's family on Thursday and another wonderful dinner on Saturday with my family.

And now the countdown for Christmas begins!!

He's Eating Meatloaf

2011-11-22T13:41:00.001-08:00

Thomas is doing very well with his eating. On the 17th, he requested a bowl of chicken noodle soup and was eating meatloaf and potatoes! He has NEVER eaten meatloaf before!! I was completely blown away. Each day he has a little more food; it won't be long and they'll be removing that feeding tube for good. Can't wait.

Meanwhile on the home front, I've been having a bad toothache. I am seeing my dentist this afternoon and hopefully it will be an easy fix and I won't need a root canal. I'll let ya know.

Game Day Tickets Here

2011-11-21T07:28:00.001-08:00

Ticketamerica.com has football seats for some teams in the Big 10 including the University of Illinois Fighting Illini and the Indiana Hoosiers football team plus all Iowa Hawkeyes tickets.

Iowa Hawkeyes Football Tickets

Illinois Fighting Illini Football Tickets

Indiana Hoosiers Football Tickets

The Visit

2011-11-16T14:55:00.001-08:00

Thomas' speech therapy evaluation went well. He was asked to identify 30 or so different objects from drawings. He knew most of them but needed to be reminded on some. Some of the items, I didn't even know what they were!! Then he had to read a story and remember some of the details, he did fairly well. She asked him to remember three different words then asked him about five minutes later what they were, which he did just fine. She had him remember a different set of three words and asked him ten minutes later, he needed a little reminding of one of the words, and remembered two of the first set of three! She is recommending that he have additional speech therapy to help with the clarity of his speech. She also recommends that he get therapy with memory, attention and comprehension, common therapies for those with brain injuries, that he has never received.

Well, it's a baby step ... but its a step just the same!

All is well

2011-11-14T11:50:00.001-08:00

Thomas' doctors appointment went fairly well. They were excited to see him talking and have scheduled him to be evaluated by a speech therapist to see if he will benefit from additional therapy! His appointment is tomorrow afternoon. Also, since he hasn't had any additional seizures since his last appointment, he won't go back to the neurologist until next year. I have mixed feelings about that, on one hand he is doing very well and is resuming a day to day life, albeit in a nursing facility. On the other, we won't get much feedback from Villa and he will not get any additional therapy there.

I guess my next task is to find a support group to see if there are additional resources that can provide some type of therapy without it costing us money out of pocket.

I'll keep everyone posted.

Doctor Appointment

2011-11-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

Thomas has a doctor's appointment with the neurologist today and I am really looking forward to seeing their responses to him talking. I am hoping that with this progress, it will bring us that much closer to the goal of bringing him home.

He has been eating three meals a day, albeit only a few bites at each meal! I think he will start to gain some weight, which will cause the dietitian to adjust the amount of food that he gets through the feeding tube. The speech therapist finished working with him since he is only maintaining his current path. So once again all therapies have stopped at Villa.

Well, wish us luck!

Christmas is coming

2011-10-31T10:30:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's alreadyHalloween; this year has just flown by! I started thinking about Christmaspresents this morning on my drive to work. I decided to get ahead of the game thistime and start my shopping now. Since money is always so tight, I try to giveeveryone on my list something practical yet fun.

I thought it made sense to give my sister-in-law somecute scrubs since she is in the medical field. I found a great website that has cotton scrubs in really adorablepatterns. While checking around on the site,I also found scrubs for kids!! I thought how fun would it be if I got her kidsmatching scrubs!! I'm sure they would make great PJs or they could dress up inthem at Halloween next year!

Now the hardest part about my sister-in-laws gift will bedeciding which fun pattern to get her at http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/!!

Bike Carrier

2011-10-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

So, I purchased a bike carrier for my car a few weeks ago and it is still in the box in my trunk! I need to just put my bike on my new bike rack, drive to the trails and RIDE!! How easy is that?!? Do you think I would do something that easy? lol ... not a chance! I just can't seem to get myself motivated to work out.

I'm thinking of looking into a gym membership. Not that huge meat market that is open 24 hours a day (but only at some locations)! Anyone of my many followers, lol, have any suggestions? (leave me a comment.)

Auntie's Back Yard

2011-10-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

My aunt Carol has an online diary (Carol's Musings - one of my favorite links listed). I wanted to share a picture from her back yard that she posted.

She lives in Tehachapi, CA and this is right out her back patio! I thought it was such a cool photo, I had to re-post.

Harold! Tonight we’re eating in the dining room!

2011-10-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember that commercial? It was eons ago for Armour Dinner Classics. The TV dinners were so special they deserved "eating in the dining room"!! I can't find the commercial online but that is how I feel after my visit with Thomas yesterday. When I got there, he was ready to "eat dinner in the dining room"! lol

He ate few bites of chicken, sweet potato and fruit cocktail and drank his juice. This is what he had to say about the juice (see video!!).

Cloudy with a chance of walking

2011-10-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

Today has been a pretty cloudy day so far, not only in the weather but also my mood! I really need to get this funk outta here. I know that if I start exercising again, it will help so I really need to get my butt in gear. Besides, I can't let my sister to out do me!! lol

I didn't bring my walking shoes but I think I'm going to take a stroll at lunch in my sandals. My knee has been fairly good lately so if I take it slow I should be good.

Down Here

2011-10-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Lemuel Craft

Moving down here was the best thing for me at the time although it was not without a lot of thought. I was just sick to death of all the snow in Boston and I hated my job – basically it was just time for a big change. I love it here, being so close to the water, but I think my favorite thing about Florida is my new house. It’s a tiny beach bungalow and it’s got so much character – totally opposite of what I lived in in the city up north. I’ve made a lot of improvements to it like installing a deck and painting the rooms and getting ADT FL and I think that’s upped its value, although I don’t really care about that since I’m planning on staying here for a while. I’m living off my savings for now since I haven’t found a steady job yet but I’m not really worried. There’s such a huge tourism industry here I don’t think I’ll have any trouble finding something when it gets warmer outside!

BCs Room - Game Time

2011-10-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

Every day when I get home from work, there is someone in BC's room playing on his PS3. I'm guessing they are playing Call of Duty but I'm not sure! Are there any other families out there that have this problem!?! Even if BC isn't home, at least one of his friends will be at the house playing.

I've been thinking of getting them their own PS3 so they don't have to be at my house EVERY DAY!!! I've been searching for deals on PS3s and stumbled upon some deals on PS3 consoles where I can get everything I need for a bit of peace and quiet in the house!!

I can get one for Chris and then they could switch up which house they'll be at! I can even take up a collection to pay for it, as much time they spend at my house, if they each give a dollar a day, I'll have enough money (and more) to give it to them for Christmas!!!

Happy Monday

2011-10-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

So here it is Monday morning and I didn't do a lick of exercise all weekend! In my defense, I didn't feel very good Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully today is the day I will begin anew.

Hot Day

2011-10-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

Today was a pretty hot day for October. I was going to try to go for a bike ride but when I got off work it was still to warm (that's my story and I'm sticking with it!!)

Thomas was already in bed when I got to Villa tonight. I was surprised because they want him to have his dinner in the dining room but he didn't want to eat dinner because he doesn't want to get fat!! I told him the only way he's going to get his feeding tube removed is if he eats his meals by mouth. I said I won't let him get too fat!! lol ... this is going to be a challenge.

Brian and I had dinner at Carmen's Mexican Restaurant; it was awesome as usual. They were featured in the Clairemont News: Chowhound Review so it was very busy.

Tomorrow is a new day and I WILL start my bike riding again. (I hope!)

Randomness

2011-10-12T10:20:00.001-07:00

Today is such a strange day. I can barely keep my eyes open and I have ingestion so bad! I haven't eaten anything so where is it coming from??? Have you noticed how many anodynes there are laying around on the floor!

Dinner for Thomas

2011-10-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

Last night at my visit with Thomas, he had dinner in the dinning room. They served him a tuna fish sandwich, barley soup and pickled beets. I was surprised that he liked the beets! He didn't care for the sandwich or the soup. For dessert, he had strawberry ice cream. He is really coming along and has gained 7 lbs in a month. The nutritionists will monitor his weight and adjust the feeding that he gets through the G-tube. Hopefully by the end of the year that will be removed!

Long time no blog!!!

2011-10-11T15:32:00.001-07:00

Well I'm finally back! Things got a bit hectic the past year but I wanted to get back into my blog and keep everyone updated on the family.

First and foremost, Thomas started talking after 4 1/2 years!!! In mid August, he started making different noises, like he had discovered his voice (kinda like a baby babbles when it discovers its voice). So I told him since he was making these noises we should say the alphabet ... after a couple letters he petered out but then I told him to say mom and he did. Then on my next visit he was saying words left and right! Now he says complete sentences and talks like crazy! He has amazed everyone at Villa.

As I'm sure you all know, my mom past away in January. It was very hard for the family but we all understand that she was suffering and is now in a better place

It took some time but I am now employed full time, permanent and I absolutely love my job! I've been at Ebert Composites a year now! It is a small research/development composite shop in Chula Vista. My boss/the owner is Mary Johnson's husband (Mary was my boss at San Diego Trust & Savings when I worked in staff development). I am Dave's assistant and I take care of all of the office work, HR, Payroll etc.

BC is still living at home and doing well. He has been working for J W Cleaning and Restoration in mold remediation and restoration for about 1 1/2. He is looking forward to desert season in a couple weeks!

Brian is Brian, what more can I say? lol, he's still at Arco and raising cain where ever he goes.

Well, that's all for now but I plan on being much more active on here so keep checking back for updates.

2010-05-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a long time since I've wrote on my blog and I'm sorry for this. I discovered Facebook and it seems to take up any and all of my free time!

Anyway, just a quick update on the happenings: Thomas is doing fairly well, although he had another seizure Sunday. The doctor's did a brain study on him last year and the results were as we suspected, his right side is a little slower due to the injury. The seizures are something we will have to deal with until his medication is adjusted correctly to keep them away.

My mom was moved to Villa Las Palmas, with Tom, last Friday so we are very happy. Balboa Nursing was an ok facility it was just a bit old and they didn't get mom out of bed. At Villa, they have the equipment necessary to help her get out of bed and with Thomas there, she has more incentive to get up. She was very happy to be there.

BC got a job last month doing mold remediation with our neighbor. He is doing very well with the company and they are sending him to classes and then he'll be able to get his own van and become a lead tech.

Brian and I are doing the same. I was working in Carlsbad through today but my contract is finally expiring so I'll be looking for another job. I have mixed emotions since I really love the work and the company but I hate driving to Carlsbad. I'm sure something bigger and better is coming up for me!

Please keep mom and Thomas in your thoughts and if you get a chance, come for a visit or drop me a message (see me on FaceBook!).

Update on my mom

2009-10-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

Mom's doctor asked Sharp Hospice to contact me so, I just got back from meeting with the hospice nurse. Mom is now refusing some meals so it is only a matter of time before her body starts shutting down. The nurse is going to recommend that mom be taken off all of her supplements and most of the medications since treatment is a mute point. She will start getting morphine for pain and hospice will visit several times a week. She'll remain at Balboa Nursing and Rehab unless she gets to a point where they can't continue her care and then she would be moved to Sharp Coronado.

Hospital visit

2009-09-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon Thomas had back-to-back seizures so he went to Grossmont Hospital. They did a few tests with not so good results. One was a test to see how much phenobarbital (one of his anti-seizure meds) was in his system. It came back as almost none. The drug will stay in a persons system for 2-7 days so he's probably not getting that medicine (which makes one wonder what other drug is he not getting). The other test was a CT scan that showed that his shunt might be clogged or not working properly. The shunt takes the excess cerebral fluid out of his brain so it's pretty important.

They are keeping him in the hospital for observation, the neurosurgeon was going to see about the shunt. We'll probably get more of an update tomorrow. He is doing pretty good under the circumstances, but please keep him in your prayers.

A new video

2009-09-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

Nothing new to report. I did post a new video on Youtube.com! He doesn't like getting his picture taken so it's a short one.

Another Hospital visit

2009-08-31T11:46:00.000-07:00

Thomas went to the hospital on Saturday. Brian, his brother Brad and I were visiting with him at Villa on Saturday when I saw some bumps on Thomas' arm. When I mentioned them Thomas pointed to his chest and I asked if he had more. When I lifted his shirt to check, there was his feeding tube laying in his lap! And no, it wasn't connected to ANYTHING! I grabbed it an quickly went to the nurses station to ask what the heck was it doing laying in his lap. Everyone there was just as surprised and gasped as I was swinging it in the air!!! lol ... Needless to say, he was sent to the hospital within the hour. Now he was scheduled to have his feeding tube replaced on Monday, Sept 1st because of the problems he's had with it pulling and the site being infected. The date was just moved up because he couldn't go for 48 hours without his food and his medication. He is doing pretty good now and is back at Villa. They put the feeding tube in a different area and put in a different type so now maybe he won't have the problems he's had. (I never did ask about the bumps!)

On a much happier note, my sister-in-law, Jeng, gave birth to a healthy 8lb 8oz baby girl on Saturday! My brother Mike says that the baby looks a little like me! I can't wait to go visit her.

I'm still here ...

2009-08-06T03:47:00.000-07:00

I haven't forgotten about my blog! There isn't much news to report. My mom is still at Balboa Nursing and Rehab. She hasn't improved much at all. She still is not able to stand up and I don't think that will be changing anytime soon.

Thomas is doing very well. He is still using the demo from DynaVox. All of the paperwork has been completed so now it's just a waiting game. He uses it every day and gets a kick out of the silly things that the machine tries to make words from. If he puts in the alphabet, it tries to make a word and he just laughs and laughs! I thought that things would start to move a little more now that he has medicare and at first, he was getting therapy and things were good. But, as far as I can see, his therapy has stopped and we are back at a standstill. There is a place in La Mesa that is specifically for his type of injuries and I'm looking into their program.

BC was laid off from Toyota Lift a couple weeks ago. He is looking for work but he knows that he doesn't want to work on fork lifts for the rest of his life so he is registering at Mesa College and deciding what he wants to do with his life besides play in the desert!!!

Brian is Brian! What more can I say about him?? lol

I am still working at Invitrogen (Life Technologies). They extended my contract to Sept. 18th but I'm putting my resume back out there on the market. The first half of this year flew by and I know that September will be here and gone before I know it! I do love working with this company and the people are wonderful. It would be awesome if I was hired on full time but I haven't gotten any indication that that will happen.

We'll, I guess I'm going to get ready for work. Bye for now.

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a really long time since I've posted and I'm sorry. I have no good excuse either!

Anyway, Thomas is doing wonderful. He has been given another DynaVox, an alternative communication device, to demo. This one is a bit smaller than the last one but still works the same way and he loves using it. He should be able to get one of his own now that he will start getting Medicare on June 1st. He will also begin getting physical therapy on a full time basis, instead of only the ten sessions that medical paid for.

My mom is doing about the same. She isn't getting any therapy anymore because the believe she has plateaued. I am trying to get her to come out with me so she might be more willing to try to stand and walk. So far she's very hesitant. I am also trying to find a place for her to live. It's very hard since she doesn't make enough money.

My job is going good. My supervisor asked me to stay on for another three months so I'm at least employed till September! It doesn't look like I'll be hired on permanent though, once the work I do is complete, they won't need me any more.

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

Mailboxes and Beyond

2009-03-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a mailbox, address plaque or garden decor? Take a look at the Mailbox and Beyond site. They have great address plaques, personalized doormats and garden hose holders and a wide selection of beautiful Whitehouse products such as custom painted mailboxes and sundials.

In these tough economic times, we are all looking for beautiful products and great deals. Well many of the items at Mailbox and Beyond have free shipping and check out their 110% low price guarantee! Apply the coupon code "mailbox2009" during check out process to save 5% on any order over $250. (This is a limited time offer.)

I'm finally working

2009-03-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

I started working today for a biotech company in Carlsbad. It is a temp position but the company is really great so I'm hoping they offer me a permanent position. I am working on their e-learning and LMS programs.

Thomas is doing very well. The other day Brian was visiting and had walked down the hallway to Tom's room and heard a loud noise behind him. It was Thomas making a noise to let Brian know that he was there!!! We were so excited! Although he still isn't talking, he is trying to make more noises and he communicates very well with a letter board. We are still waiting to hear about the DynaVox machine since it will be much easier for him to communicate with that rather than having to type each letter out for every word he wants to say.

My mom is doing the same. I wanted to get her transferred to Villa Las Palmas but they are hesitant since they aren't sure about her condition. They are looking at her situation and will make a decision soon.

Nothing new

2009-02-25T21:24:00.000-08:00

Well I don't have any new news to report. My mom is still at Balboa Nursing and Rehab. She is doing OK. She has a doctor's appointment tomorrow with her oncologist then I am going to get her moved out to Villa with Thomas.

Thomas is doing fine. He was finally approved for Medicare A&B so he will be able to start getting therapy! We are very excited about that. We are hoping that once he starts progressing at Villa, they will move him to Sharp and then home.

Hospital Visit

2009-01-29T17:01:00.000-08:00

Well Thomas went to the hospital on Sunday evening. His stomach hurt, it was hard and distended and he had a slight fever. When he got to Sharp Memorial Hospital, they did a CT Scan and said they saw something irregular on his large intestine so he was admitted. They thought he might need surgery. It turns out he is fine and it was probably due to the stomach virus that he had. But of course, he got a UTI since he wasn't getting enough fluids and then he tested positive for MRSA and when he takes antibiotics, he gets C-Diff so he was pumped full of different antibiotics to take care of all the different ailments! He is doing much better and has been cleared to go back to Villa Las Palmas this evening.

My mom is still at Balboa Nursing and Rehab. She is doing about the same. I was hoping she would show some improvement and maybe be able to move back into her apartment but it doesn't seem realistic for her to live alone. I am trying to get her moved out to Villa with Thomas so she will get more visitors than just me and they know her there so they will hopefully be more encouraging with her physical therapy.

Updates

2009-01-21T17:02:00.000-08:00

Well I had the flu last week and I'm finally getting better enough to get to blogging again! Thomas had been doing really good but Villa Las Palmas got an epidemic of a stomach virus (that was where I got it!) and today Thomas started getting sick. Brian is also sick so we have quarantined ourselves so we don't spread it anymore.

My mother, Sudie, is doing better. She is able to talk and get around in a wheelchair but she cannot walk. She is living at Balboa Nursing and Rehab in Mission Hills. We are not sure what the future holds for her but her insurance has declared her as plateaued which means she can no longer receive rehab. I am talking with the social worker to see about getting her moved back to Villa. That will save me from driving back and forth between her and Thomas.

Christmas Shopping

2009-01-02T23:00:00.000-08:00

This year, like last year, I had very little time for shopping for Christmas. With going back and forth between hospitals, nursing homes and doctor's appointments, I just didn't seem to find the time. Well if it wasn't for the last minute, I'd never get anything done!! I started shopping online around the 20th of December! I never know what to get everyone and everything is just so expensive and then adding in shipping charges and I break the bank before I've even gotten one gift. A friend of mine told me to try the Gift Card Mall. It's a website for gift cards.

One of the things that my family members usually give (and get) at Christmas time is gift cards for restaurants. (I mean everyone has to eat, right?) Well at the Gift Card Mall I was able to shop for all my family and have the out of town relatives gift card's sent directly to them! I even customized the card with my own photos.

Since Brian's family has a lot of January and February birthdays, it was just as easy for me to order birthday presents too. Now I'm actually done with buying presents for a while. The Gift Card Mall is perfect and it's just so easy.

A new pic line

2008-12-18T15:51:00.000-08:00

Thomas has a UTI so he had an IV in his arm but he didn't like the when the nurses flushed it so he pulled the line out. Today he had to go to Grossmont Hospital and have a pic line put in. This will make it easier for the nurses to administer his medication.

My mom is doing well. She has been up a few times walking about 10 feet. She is also getting occupational and speech therapy to help her get back to a more normal function. Hopefully she won't be in the rehab for very long.

Update on my mom

2008-12-14T10:44:00.001-08:00

My mother is doing much better and has been moved to a nursing and rehab facility. She did have a heart attack because her blood pressure dipped extremely low. While having the heart attack, her brain didn't receive enough oxygen and caused her to have a stroke. She is able to talk and move all her limbs, but she is very weak and depressed now. Once she completes her rehab, she will need to move into an assisted living facility.

Family news

2008-12-10T23:54:00.000-08:00

There has been so much happening over the last few days I'm not sure where to begin. First, my mother had a heart attack and a stroke last Friday. We are not sure when it actually happened but her neighbor found her on Friday evening and called 911. She was in ICU at Scripps Memorial hospital until this afternoon; now she has been moved to a regular room in the hospital. She is talking, eating and moving all her limbs, so that is a good sign.

The Dynavox Vmax demo that Thomas was loaned for a month was somehow damaged and had to be put into the shop for repair, so we only had it for a couple weeks. We were really sad when the demo was taken as Thomas was really beginning to communicate to everyone and we felt that was the next step in getting him into rehab. Since the device has been gone, we've not gotten any kind of approval on rehab. We are anxiously awaiting Medi-Cal's approval to purchase a Vmax for Thomas.

Brian had surgery on his hand to remove a lump that was in the web of his thumb and forefinger. He was out on disability for three weeks. We got the results back and it was a benign lymphoma. We were very thankful for that news.

BC is working and going to the desert just about every weekend now that desert season is here. He was afraid that he might get laid off because business was getting slow but the company decided to have all the employees work one day less each week rather than have layoffs. For now, his job is safe!

I am still looking for work. I've had several interviews by phone and in person, all with no luck.

Otherwise, all is well!!

Speaking Device

2008-11-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Thomas was set up with the DynaVox VMax device. He uses it to say that he wants to go home but also he is using it to ask questions and talk to others in the facility. We found out that he asked one of the nurses what LVN meant (Licensed Vocational Nurse).

My mom was sent to Villa last week because she needs physical therapy. Thomas went to her room to visit her. While there, my mom was introducing family members to her roommate. The CNA in the room asked "what about me!". My mom confessed that she didn't remember her name. The CNA turned to Thomas and said "do you know my name?" and Thomas shook his head yes and proceeded to type her name, M A G D A L E N A. Everyone was amazed since her name tag was turned around so he couldn't have read it!

Moving forward

2008-10-30T22:49:00.001-07:00

Thomas is eating a few bites of soft foods a day. He is hooked up to his feeding tube for about 18 - 20 hours day so he really doesn't get hungry but he has an order for oral gratification so if he wants to eat, we can ask the kitchen for something. So far he hasn't wanted to eat but I usually bring in yogurt or pudding or something and have him take bites.

I had a meeting with his social worker at Villa Las Palmas and we are going to create a discharge plan so that the physical therapist will have him evaluated for a rehab center. This means, if he is ready, he would move to Grossmont or Sharp Memorial hospital's rehab center and go through 3 hours a day of physical, occupational and speech therapy. Once he completes the program that is developed for him, we will evaluate whether he is ready to come home or not. We really want him to come home.

A rep from Dynavox is coming out tomorrow to give him a speaking device for a trial period. We are excited about the device; it will give him a way to communicate his needs and wants.

Still around and kicking!

2008-10-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm still here and I haven't forgotten about my blog, it's just been a hectic few weeks. I am still searching for a job, no interviews in the hopper. My mom has been in the hospital for a couple weeks now. She is doing fine but depressed.

Thomas is doing great. Each day I take him something to eat and he has several bites. The therapist recommends I start adding things with more substance. I am going to try bananas tomorrow. I brought in a cheesecake from The New York Bakery in El Cajon and he loved it, he kept asking for more! I am going to start pushing for acute inpatient therapy. This will involve three hours of physical, speech and occupational therapy every day at Sharp or Grossmont Rehab. I've had several Villa staff commenting that he is ready so I think it's time. I also spoke with a rep from Dyna Vox Technologies which sells alternative speaking devices. The rep is going to try to get Thomas a demo machine to work with to see how he does. He brought one for Thomas to try out and Thomas spelled out "I want to go home". Thomas now spells that out every day when I visit him and he points to the front door. I told him he needs to work hard so he can come home for good soon.

Finally an update!

2008-10-09T02:06:00.000-07:00

Since Brian and I have been sick with bronchitis and sinus infections, we've not been able to visit Thomas since the weekend. Now we think he may have caught a cold anyway. The nurse called and told me that Thomas' lungs sound congested and they will probably need to get x-rays. I hope it doesn't turn into pneumonia.

Last week the nurses didn't arrange transportation for him to attend the communications class and yesterday, Thomas had a seizure while they were getting him ready to transport so he's missed two sessions. The doctor was present while Thomas had his seizure so she was able to evaluate him. She is going to try to up the dosage of his anti-seizure medicine again. Let's pray it works this time.

Seizures

2008-09-24T07:50:00.001-07:00

Well Thomas had another seizure yesterday while I was visiting. He seemed to recover quicker this time but it is still a very frightening scene to watch. His latest CT scan doesn't show any additional damage so so far there doesn't seem to be any problems. I just wish the doctors could get the seizures under control.

All is well

2008-09-22T23:19:00.001-07:00

I've been really busy lately with school, job searching, Thomas and my niece but all is well right now. Thomas is doing very well since his surgery. We are still attending the communication classes on Wednesdays and although he is still not talking, we are making progress. The speech therapist thinks that Thomas has forgotten how to make the shapes of letters with his mouth so I have been working with him on that. I have to show him how to make the shape in a mirror behind him, then he can look at the mirror and see how it looks with his mouth. He has gotten the easier ones down and we are now working on the more complex letters, e, a, i, etc.

Brian and BC are doing good too. Both are working hard and playing just as hard! I've been spending a lot of time with my 14 year old niece Nicole. She has been having a hard time with some things so I've been trying to get her straightened out! (Boy am I glad I had boys!)

Surgery Completed

2008-09-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

Thomas had the surgery to close the trachea hole yesterday. The surgery went well but it was an all day affair! The surgery was scheduled for 12:30 and Thomas had to be at the hospital at 10:00 a.m. They finally took him into surgery about 3:00 p.m. The surgery took about two hours and then he was in recovery until 7:00 p.m. because it took the ambulance drivers an hour and half to get there. Thomas was awake and doing well when they came to get him. Our only concern is his coughing, because they irritate the area, he will cough for a few days. If he coughs too hard it can cause the sutures to rip open so we have to hold down the bandages when he coughs. Villa is aware of this so I hope they will help keep him from coughing too much.

Oh, on Sunday evening Thomas decided that he didn't like his PICC line so he pulled it out! That meant he had to have an IV put in for the surgery. It took the nurses several tries but they finally found a small vein in his thumb. Now Thomas will need to go back to Grossmont Hospital to have another PICC line inserted.

Another PICC Line

2008-09-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

Thomas has a UTI and needs to have antibiotics for 10 days. He is becoming resistant to all of the pill, liquid and most of the IV antibiotics so they have to try new ones to see if any work. I pray something works for him. The nurses at Villa Las Palmas tried to insert an IV into his arm but he's had so many IVs and blood draws, his veins are scarred and difficult to find. He had to go to the hospital to have a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). A PICC is a line inserted in a peripheral vein, then advanced through larger veins, toward the heart area.

Yesterday's swallow test went very well. The test includes four different thickness of the barium liquid; water, pulped juice, milkshake and applesauce. He did the best on the applesauce thickness which was to be expected. Since he did so well, the therapist is ordering swallow therapy which entails giving him different types of foods with the thickness of applesauce, each day. Once he gets the muscle needed to swallow strengthened, they will gradually increase the different thicknesses until he is actually eating a meal! Then he can have the feeding tube removed.

Today we went to the communication class. The therapist, Ashley, created an alphabet board and asked Thomas questions, then he would point to the letters to spell out his answers. He did just fine spelling out answers. Ashley wants Thomas to use the board every day and begin to ask his own questions rather than just answer questions.

On Friday, Thomas will go to Sharp Grossmont Hospital for a CT scan.

More Seizures

2008-09-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Thomas had two seizures yesterday. One in the morning and one while I was visiting him in the afternoon. It was awful to watch him seize like that. I hope I never witness that again. The doctor said that all his blood tests came back normal and he has increased Thomas' anti-seizure medication. I will call him Tuesday and ask to have a CT scan to make sure that these seizures are not causing additional damage to his brain.

Camping for the weekend

2008-08-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

Brian, Corona and I are heading out to the mountains to go camping for the three day weekend. Brian actually left on Thursday. I had to stay home and finish some homework. Now Corona and I are loading up the car and getting ready to leave. We will stop in to see Thomas on the way there.

Thomas has an appointment on Tuesday to get a barium swallow test. He'll have to swallow some chalky liquid and then they take an x-ray of his esophagus and upper gastrointestinal track. Then he has another communication class on Wednesday. He is going to be very tired come Thursday!

Everyone have a wonderful weekend and Labor Day.

Another Seizure

2008-08-24T23:47:00.000-07:00

Thomas had another seizure on Friday. It sounded like it was a small one but he was unresponsive for about an hour. He was up in his wheelchair at the time and his hand started shaking. The receptionist noticed it and asked Thomas if he was OK and he responded no. The nurse came and put him back in bed and that was when he became unresponsive. Then he was very tired but by the time Brian got there to visit him, he seemed just fine.

The doctor wants to make sure he doesn't have an infection still so they drew some blood. We are still waiting for those results.

Communication Class

2008-08-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

Thomas attended the communication class on Wednesday. The class intended for all levels of communication including non-communicating. There was only one other person in the class which was nice because the facilitator, Ashley, was able to spend some one-on-one time with Thomas. Ashley gave Thomas some ice and asked him to swallow which he did, then she gave him water and he swallowed that. She explained that he is having trouble initiating a swallow but is able to, which is a good sign. She said that he would definitely benefit from the class so we are going to attend for a while and see what we can do! She also gave us some information on adapted aquatics classes. After Thomas' surgery we will look into those classes and see if we can't get him in the pool!

Surgery Appt

2008-08-19T00:52:00.000-07:00

The surgery to close Thomas' trachea stoma has finally been scheduled. The pre-op will be on the 26th of August and his surgery is the 8th of September. I am so excited! We are also taking him to a communication class on Wednesday, August 20th, at Sharp Grossmont Rehab Center, to help him to learn to talk again. The first class will be the evaluation. I'm hoping there is something I can learn to do during my visits to help.

I have another telephone interview tomorrow afternoon. This is with another training company so please keep good thoughts!

Need Backlinks?

2008-08-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

I got this tag from my brother to help give me more backlinks. Anyone who reads this and wants it can grab it too.

***Start Copy Here***
To participate:
1. Copy this post starting from the ***Start Copy Here*** to ***End Copy Here***
2. Add your blog to the list below. If you have more than one blog, do the same to all of your blogs so your other blogs will be listed to the master list as well.
3. Post a comment on the original post here so that they can update the list with your link.
4. Be sure to come back and copy the master list back to your site. This process will allow late-comers to get as much link benefit as the first ones in. Enjoy and God bless!

Participants:1. Nita’s Random Thoughts 2. Nita’s Corner 3. Nita’s Ramblings 4. My Wandering Thoughts 5. Batuananons 6. Bohol Paradise 7. Thomas Travel Tales 8. Thomas Web Links 9. Great Finds and Deals 10. Make Money Online 11. Filipino Online Community 12. Arts and Entertainment Center 13. Erlinda’s Wandering Thoughts 14. Entertainment News and Beyond 15. Gagiers Striking Zone 16. Gagiers Amazing World 17. Kusina ni Gagiers 18. My Life, My Fashion, My World 19. Caroland's Breathtaking Adventure 20.SuperNova & SweetPain 21. There's no place like home 22. A Fathers Life Online 23. Vogt Family Blog 24.Your URL here!***End Copy Here***

A Reaction to Tape

2008-08-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the pic line in Thomas' arm came loose so a nurse from the west wing (Thomas stays in the east wing) tried to adjust it and it finally came out. She used tape on Thomas' arm to cover the puncture mark left by the pic line. She didn't check Thomas' chart to see that he was allergic to tape. Later the nurse from the east wing started her shift and saw the tape on Thomas and pulled it off. When I got there his arm was all blistered.

I asked the nurse what was wrong with his arm and she mentioned what happened and I said that now it is blistered. She was upset and came to see what I meant. Since he is allergic to the paper tape, his arm basically suffered a burn and blistered up. The nurse put on a special bandage that will be replaced every three days until the blister pops, then they will use gauze to cover it until it heals.

We are bringing in a large sign today to post above his bed that he is allergic to paper tape to hopefully avoid this from happening again!

Durable Clothing and Other Things

2008-08-09T21:22:00.000-07:00

If you want to have the type of gear police departments' use or you're looking for tactical gear, have I got the site for you! These tactical 511 Pants are durable and top notch quality. They aren't just for police officers anymore. This site has quality clothing for the whole family as well as flashlights and waterproof and steel toed footwear. They have great prices too.

This would be a great website to shop for clothing for paintball gear, fisherman and anyone who likes quality clothing at great prices. I'm going to get Brian a pair of the shorts for under $14.00!

Islands for dinner

2008-08-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

Brian and I went to Islands for Dinner. We normally go to dinner with either the neighbor, Brian's brother and niece or my mom so it was nice to have a dinner with just the two of us. Islands is one of my favorite burger restaurants. I usually have the China Coast salad but tonight I had a Hawaiian burger.

I start my diet tomorrow

2008-08-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

I got on the scale this morning and I distinctly heard it say "hey, one at a time"! So I decided it's time to start a diet. I know I can't do it on my own so I decided to find something over the counter to help me. I've tried the usual suspects with no results.

I know I need to exercise and watch what I eat but I need a diet pill to help me get through the first couple of weeks while changing my bad habits. I want the best diet pills, but I also want it to be safe and effective. I found this website that lists the top ten diet pills and the benefits of each one. I will take some time and sort through the list to find the best one for me. I'll let you know how successful I am in a few weeks!

Vistors today

2008-08-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

My brother Mike and his wife and son stopped by today to show me some websites they use. Mike wanted to see my Wii and try it out. We played tennis, bowling and we fished. He really loved the bowling game and I think he wants a Wii now!

Thomas was in a good mood today. He is still on antibiotics which has made him cough more but I think he's getting better. He wrote Hi and Yes on his doodle board. I am still working with him to talk and so far I've only gotten him to say ouch when he's in pain.

My Coffee Grinder Broke

2008-08-07T09:23:00.001-07:00

This morning while trying to make my morning coffee, I broke my coffee grinder. I decided to do some shopping in my P.J.s! I went to my computer and searched for kitchen and dinning items and found a site that had great information on coffee grinders. The site included information on how to select a coffee grinder!

After deciding on which type of coffee grinder I was going to buy, I was able to sort them by price. I saw how many stores had the grinder I wanted and what each store was charging. I purchased the grinder and it's on it's way! I love shopping in my P.J.s!

Went back to El Cajon

2008-08-07T00:25:00.000-07:00

The hospital staff put a pic line in Thomas to administer his antibiotics over the next two weeks, then shipped him back to Villa Las Palmas tonight. He was resting nicely and I think he was glad to be back in "his" bed!

I went to see The Dark Night this evening; it was a really good movie. I recommend seeing it in the the theater. I really enjoyed it but it was hard to understand some parts so I'll have to rent it when it comes out on DVD.

Getting better

2008-08-04T20:51:00.000-07:00

Thomas was in a really great mood today, smiling and laughing at everything. He is still in the hospital but doing ok. He actually developed an infection, probably due to not being able to empty his bladder for over 24 hours. If he starts responding to the antibiotics, he'll be discharged tomorrow.

Thomas in the hospital

2008-08-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

I was at the hospital until almost 4:30 this morning with Thomas. He is fine ... his supra pubic catheter wasn't working yesterday. The nurses at the facility tried several methods to correct the problem but were unsuccessful. They sent him to Sharp Memorial just after 11:00 p.m. last night. At Sharp the doctor tried several methods to remedy the problem and was also unsuccessful. Thomas was admitted to the hospital and promptly filled with IV fluids! His urologist saw him this morning and tried to fix the problem but was also unable to so he was sent into surgery around 1:00 p.m. this afternoon. His surgery went fine and he is recovering nicely. They are going to keep him overnight for observation and he'll head back to Villa tomorrow.

A Shopping Day

2008-08-02T00:37:00.000-07:00

I went shopping on Friday for some things around the house! I stopped into Best Buy to look at their Wii gear and found out that they had the Wii Fit in stock! I was so jazzed, I purchased one. Then I went to Bed Bath and Beyond to look for bathroom clock and some picture frames. I didn't see anything I liked so I went to Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, Mervyn's, Burlington Coat Factory and Target. Not one of them had what I was looking for so I'm still on the hunt. I'll try another day.

Thomas was doing good today. I tried giving him a small piece of a butter mint. He spit the first piece out. I gave him another piece and told him to keep it in his mouth to let it melt. He did, reluctantly and finally it melted and he swallowed. I'm am trying to gradually get him to chew and swallow. He's not really thrilled about that though. I'll keep trying ...

Dinner

2008-07-30T23:42:00.001-07:00

Well my first try at making lumpia and pancit was little off. I got the wrong wraps and the lumpia was more like egg rolls. The pancit was very very dry and the noodles were chewy, I don't think I cooked them long enough and I used too much noodles and not enough vegetables. The lumpia/egg rolls were still good, I will try to make the lumpia again with the correct wraps.

I've been on a cooking kick. I'm trying different menus to see what the family likes since I've never been much of a cook. Anyone have any suggestions???

Thomas was doing OK today. He was tired so we didn't stay long. Hopefully he'll be more awake tomorrow and we'll get a good visit.

A new bed

2008-07-29T23:56:00.000-07:00

Thomas got a new bed today. The facility is getting all new furniture so tomorrow he'll be getting a new night stand and a bedside table. The new bed is really nice; his old one didn't work very well so it's good he got the new one. He was up for a little bit today while they were putting in the new bed. I brought in my laptop so he could type but he wasn't in the mood. I tried several times putting his hands on the keyboard but he would just pull them away. Maybe next time.

BC wanted me to bake a lemon cake with white frosting so I did. I also made chocolate chip cookies. Tomorrow I'm making lumpia. I've been a Suzy Homemaker lately!! Ugh, get me out of this house!!

Brian will start his new hours in a couple weeks. He will be working Monday through Thursday for the first time in our 22 year marriage! This is going to take some getting use to. ha ha

My interview

2008-07-28T18:37:00.000-07:00

Well I had my interview today. I think it went pretty good. They have a very rigorous interviewing process, so if I did well today then I'll have another couple of interviews before they make their decision. The supervisor I interviewed with said it took her six months before she was hired!!!

Thomas was good today. The staff finally found his wheelchair. Yesterday they put him in a different one because they couldn't find his. I'm guessing someone was using it and that's why they couldn't find it.

Lazy day

2008-07-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

It was a very lazy day today. It was hard to get out of bed and when I went to visit with Thomas, he was still in bed! At 1:30 p.m. the staff were looking for his wheelchair to get him up and it was nowhere to be found. After an hour of searching, I had to leave to run some errands, so I don't know if it was ever found. I'll find out tomorrow!

I tried to make chicken shawarma for dinner but I didn't have one of the 7 spices used in Lebanese cooking so it didn't come out as good as it should have. I went to the Indian Spice & Sweets shop after dinner and got the missing spice, Fenugreek, so the next time I make it, it should come out perfect!

Keeps getting better

2008-07-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

Thomas seems to be getting better and better. He seems to be more aware of things. He is pointing to things when he wants them, such as the TV remote. Although he doesn't really watch anything, he keeps changing the channel, then stops on a channel for a few minutes but when a commercial comes on he changes the channel. Well, I think that's what guys do anyway, right? lol

I am still in the job market. I had a telephone interview last week with UCSD Medical Center. Now I have an interview on Monday with them in person. I'm very excited about the possibility of working there. I hope I get the job.

Well, I'm off to Petco. Corona needs a bath and some dog food. She keeps itching her backside so I'm hoping a bath and some new food will solve the problem. I've read that boxers are highly allergic to the fillers in cheaper brands of dog food. I thought we got a good brand but I guess not! I'll take any advice from you boxer owners ....

Another Interview

2008-07-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

I had another interview today. It was a preliminary interview with UCSD for a EMR Application Trainer. Everything went well so I'm hoping to get another interview soon.

On Tuesday, Thomas was wheeling himself around the facility and stopped at the receptions desk, she turned her computer monitor and keyboard around and let Thomas type. She asked him to type his and his parent's name, he typed everything correctly! He had a doctor's appointment today with an ENT to see about getting his trachea stoma stitched closed. The doctor agreed it was ok to close it. All we need to do now is to make all the necessary appointments for the procedure, finally!!! We are looking into getting him Augmentative Communication Devices to help him communicate until he learns how to talk again.

A good day

2008-07-11T21:35:00.000-07:00

Today was a pretty good day. I had a job interview this morning with Kleinfelder. They are a consulting firm that have their hands in all types of things! The position is for an instructional designer. They need someone to help build their e-learning classes. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Thomas was playing black jack with the other residents when I went to see him. He said he had a good time. Then we sat for a while talking (well I talked, he shook his head!!). Then he was tired so we wheeled back to his room and put him in bed where he promptly fell asleep!

My neighbor Dave and I went to dinner. I had a Phó stew for the first time. It was pretty good but I have to go back and try the Phó chicken noodle soup. I've heard that it is one of my brother's favorites.

the latest

2008-07-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been very good about blogging lately. I've been so busy the last few weeks with school, job hunting, a side project and Thomas that I haven't had time to sit down.

I'm working on a training manual for a friend. I've done some consulting work for her before and it's nice to get a little income.

The class I'm taking right now is Reasoning and Critical Thinking. Unfortunately it entails quite a bit of work, unlike the other classes I've taken. I'm almost done but then I have the second level of the class so I won't get much of a break.

Thomas is doing pretty good. His wound on his bottom has finally closed up and is healing. He will almost say "ouch"! His knees have been bothering him so he opens his mouth and sort of says ooouuu but with the trachea hole still open it's more like a lot of air coming out of his mouth!!!

Well hopefully I'll be more diligent about blogging ... take care.

Blog Issues

2008-06-19T23:05:00.001-07:00

I was trying to change the template (I saved my blog first) for my blog to a 3 column template and I had problems. When I went back to my original template, I had lost all of my added elements. I tryed to recreate everything so if I'm missing your link please let me know.

Thanks and happy Blogging!!

Just a quick note ...

2008-06-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

Thomas was up in his wheel chair today. He is only allowed to be in the chair for an hour and a half because of his bedsore. It isn't healing like they want it to so we have to keep him off it for the time being. Several staff members told me that yesterday he was wheeling himself all around the facility and that they had missed him coming by all the time. Hopefully the wound will heal soon and he can get back to his daily outings!

Another day

2008-06-18T11:58:00.000-07:00

We got Thomas up on Monday. He has a stage 3 bedsore on his bottom so he isn't allowed to get up very often. It is healing but not enough to get him up each day.

Yesterday Brian and I went to the San Diego Fair. We had a great day eating and looking at all the exhibits and vendors. We usually buy into all the gadgets but since I'm not working, we decided not to get hooked in this year! After a full day of walking we sat in the grand stands and watched The Guess Who and Grand Funk Railroad concert. Both bands put on a great show and a good time was had by all!

Till next time ...

New Room

2008-06-14T21:53:00.001-07:00

Thomas was moved into a new room yesterday. He lost his window view. We're not to happy about that since Thomas likes to look outside. Hopefully another room will open up soon and we can get him back by a window.

He seemed to be in a good mood today even though he didn't like being moved.

Doing good today

2008-06-13T00:33:00.001-07:00

Thomas was in a pretty good mood today. His grandmother asked him what his name was and he looked like he was going to say Thomas but she had jokingly said his name so instead of saying his name he just pointed to her!!! It was so funny, and he just laughed and laughed.

He is still not getting up in his wheel chair because of the wound on his behind but it is starting to get better.

Today is BC's birthday, he turned 22!! We had a family get-together at Giovanni's Restaurant to celebrate.

We got a sound!

2008-06-03T02:50:00.001-07:00

Thomas started making sounds again for me. He had stopped for a while there and it was really nice to hear him trying to make some noises. It's just an Ahh sound for now but if we can keep it up, it might help him to start talking again!

I ordered some additional games for Thomas' Wii-hab. I'm hoping he will try to solve some of trivia and maybe hit a baseball in the next few days. I'll keep you posted!

Began Wii-hab

2008-06-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

Wii-hab is an innovative way to use Wii interactivity to help those in physical therapy. Latest news reports suggest that although this isn’t a substitute for normal therapy it definitely has a benefit. Patients are showing increase range of mobility and physical well being.

So we started using the Wii with Thomas on Saturday! He was doing good on his first try. He was laughing and trying to shoot at different targets and matching different objects. We definitely had fun with it.

We'll be bring the Wii to Thomas every couple of days till he gets the hang of it then we'll probably bring it every day.

No lasting affects from the Seizure

2008-05-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Well Thomas is doing very well. He doesn't seem to have any permanent affects from the seizure. The facility staff still hasn't gotten him out of bed but we are going to get him up today. We were out of town for the holiday and have been busy playing catch up since getting back on Monday. Now that we're settled down again, we have time to get him up and get him onto the arm cycle for exercise and outside for sunshine.

As I said we were out of town for the holiday. Brian and I went up to Oakzanita, our Thousand Trails camp ground, for the 4 day weekend. It was cold and rainy the whole time. Brian got the flu on Sunday so I made the drive to El Cajon to visit Thomas on my own! I took that time to run some errands!

BC is doing great. He split up with his girlfriend, Theresa, a couple weeks ago and was sick for a week. He is doing much better now and just hanging out with his friends.

Brian is doing better now. He is still out of work because of his herna surgery but will be going back next week.

I am still out of work and looking for a job. I am attending school online to get my BA. I enjoy it most of the time but I don't like the current class I am in, Reasoning and Problem Solving! I got an email from the Breast Cancer 3-Day with a challenge; getting my first $200 in donations in the next 2 weeks. Please take a moment to click on the link and help me meet this challenge!!!

Corona is wonderful! She is getting her 18 hours of sleep each day! Here she is sleeping with Smokey.

Ok, I'm off to start my day.

Monday

2008-05-19T20:49:00.001-07:00

Thomas was doing much better today. He was still a little sleepy but he looked better and was laughing and smiling with us. They still didn't get him up but I think tomorrow he'll be back to his old routine of getting up and wheeling around the place.

Sunday

2008-05-18T15:13:00.001-07:00

Thomas had a seizure early this morning. His doctor upped his anti-seizure medication and he is doing ok now, but he is very tired. He was laughing with us at a few things which is a good sign. He was trying to stay awake while we were visiting so we decided the best thing would be for us to leave and let him rest. The nurse was going to call us if there were any changes.

General updates

2008-05-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

When I went to visit Thomas yesterday, he was sound asleep! He had been up earlier in the day and I think he was just exhausted so I let him sleep.

Brian is doing pretty good since his surgery. He is still in pain so he's still house bound.

I decided to join the 3-day breast cancer walk. This will be my fourth time and I plan on finishing this walk without any issues! The walk will be in November so I have plenty of time to train and prepare for the emotional and physical challenges this walk takes. I'll keep you posted on my progress. On my first walk, I had to stop in the middle of the second day because I was dehydrated. Please click on the link to help me in the fight against breast cancer.

May 6, 2008

2008-05-06T23:04:00.000-07:00

Thomas was in a really good mood today. He was still in bed when we got there but he was smiling and laughing with us. We were told that the sore on his behind is getting larger so he won't be able to get into his wheelchair for long periods of time. I know that he is getting stronger from getting up so I hope that his wound heals soon so we won't have another set-back.

I tried to get Thomas to play with my Nintendo DS Lite because I bought a game to help strengthen his eyes. It was awkward for him to play while laying down so maybe tomorrow when he's up we can play a couple games.

On another note, Brian had his hernia surgery today. He is doing good but he is still pretty drugged up. We'll see how he feels tomorrow!

Blog question for your experts: how can I get a template that has 3 columns without having to do a lot of work? I've seen the answer posted in the "help" section and I get dizzy each time I try to read it. Thanks!

May 5, 2008

2008-05-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo! We tried to get Thomas to have a margarita but he said no! lol. Just kidding of course. Thomas' grandparents and Brian and I tried to get Thomas to play bingo on Saturday and Sunday but he wasn't having anything to do with it. We thought maybe he was mad because we went out of town and were not able to visit a couple days in a row. After talking about it with each other, I think we decided his arms may be sore. We started taking him into the therapy room to use the hand cycle for about 20 - 30 minutes each day. So he might just be tired from cycling and that's why he doesn't want to use his arms.

Today he seemed to be in better spirits. He still wasn't using his arms much but he was laughing with us and shaking his head yes a lot.

Tomorrow Brian is having his hernia removed so I'll be visiting Thomas early in the morning then taking Brian to the outpatient pavilion. He'll need to have two weeks off from work and then a couple weeks more of light duty.

Well, happy blogging all!

April 29, 2008

2008-04-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

Today we went to visit Thomas early and he was not in the mood to get out of bed. He was angry when the nurses aid tried to get him up so we let him stay in bed. He was going to have to get up later to have a shower so it didn't matter. We had several appointments today so we couldn't stay long anyway. Brian is going in for hernia surgery on May 6th so he had his pre-op today.

On Sunday, Thomas wasn't in his room when we got there, we asked the nurse where he was and she said that the last she saw him, he was wheeling towards the dining room to play bingo!!! We got to the dining room and there he was playing bingo. He didn't win but I think he had a good time.

Well that's all for now. I'm on vacation (haha) so I'll be blogging sporadically.

April 26, 2008

2008-04-26T01:06:00.000-07:00

No new news on Thomas today, he is doing the same.

I went to a movie tonight, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and it was pretty funny. I recommend seeing it, but it's rated R so don't bring the little ones!

There are some good movies coming out this summer that I think Thomas would love to see. I'll have to buy them when they come out on DVD and bring them into him. We bought him a TV with a DVD player so he could watch movies.

He did say he wanted to play chess so his dad is going to bring the board out on Sunday and play.

Welcome

2008-04-25T00:12:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to my new blog! Thanks to all the visitors. This is all new to me so I'll visit your sites and comment as soon as I get the hang of it!

I was running out of space on my old site so I decided to try blogging. I'll be updating this site more often (I hope) with details of Thomas' recovery. Thanks to Jeng & Mike, my sis-in-law & brother for getting me started.

Today he was in really good spirits. He was still in bed when I got there because he was getting a treatment on his behind. He has had a bedsore for several months and the conventional treatment hasn't been working so they are trying some machine called diapulse. The machine uses pulsed, high-frequency electromagnetic waves which is suppose to greatly accelerate the healing process. We are keeping our fingers crossed this works because he can't sit in his wheel chair very long because of the sore.

Thomas still isn't talking but we are hopeful that once the trach hole closes, he will start. Please keep Thomas in your prayers.

My Disclosure Policy

2008-04-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

Thomas' new update site

2008-04-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hello