9 days home

Well, we have started out 9th day home and once again I find myself apologizing for delays in updating.

First, I must say to all of you Roll Tide Fans-----who scored first!!! I can only imagine how many of you were on the edge of your seats thinking we just might not win..........ha ha

To LT.--his roosting spot is CR 1, down at dad's!!

The week was, as expected, one full of getting routines down, scheduling kept on track and entertaining him since he's confined right now with limited space until modifications can be made. And since dad is playing baby sitter also to "young Justin" (and Preston is a hand full), it will take some time to work out details.

His home health nurse came out last week (he isn't too fond of, said he's leary of anyone that he has to tell how to do their job). Then PT/OT came out for evaluations. She also didn't impress me too much but I should say we are spoiled. Having beed educated at one of the best facilities in the country, it's tough expecting others to live up to that. She was impressed, though, with how much Justin can do for himself and encouraged him to continue. Any form of effort continues to work muscles, and she did offer a suggestion Justin had not thought of, so if you only get one message out of a visit, then it was worth it!!

He has discomfort in his shoulder blades, which as he says--makes us happy, but to him it is uncomfortable and sometimes painful. We tend to get excited over any new thing, whether be pain or not. He was also able to feel the hose extension to his leg bag resting on his knee and chin area. While he seems down that new things were coming almost daily before and have since slowed to once every other week, we continue to be encouraged. He just doesn't understand how he can be regaining so much sensation without improvements in functionality. Yet, we are still only starting month number 5, so we continue to stay positive and thankful.

I must say that Saturday turned out to be an experience (and no it wasn't due to the ball game, lol)....I helped Robyn move some of her stuff to her new home and Justin decided he would ride along. The manual lift doesn't work anywhere near as had hoped with helping get him in and out of vehicles. SO....we went with a board transfer!! But that only works with my car. So once loaded, he sat in the car listening to the game (and music) as we did our loading and unloading. After much exertion---then it was time to grocery shop (so she wouldn't starve in her new home--which moving still isn't finished uggh!) AND Justin was okay with going to WalMart. It was a site with me and Robyn getting him out of the car, so much so we had several people stopping wanting to know if they could help. But we got him out, spent an hour in WalMart and $80 of Justin spending on everything in site (we were starving, so everything looks good when you're hungry) then it was load him back in the car. Somehow, the unloading worked easier but we managed to once again get him in the car and back home. Once home, with Dad's help, we had him safe and sound back in the house.

1:00 getting to bed and that little S**t still wanted to be up by 9 this morning. I miss sleep LOL.
Today we are trying to get some structure around the house, laundry caught up-supplies organized-carpet cleaned (a must, especially with a dog and a 4 year old-ha) and get a game plan for a new week.

PT/OT should be starting this coming week. She hopes to have his PT guy come out early Monday to set goals and a schedule for workouts. Not sure on OT since they lady they have is quitting in 2 weeks and they don't have a replacement. This may be something that means we have to change agencies and start all over again. Another part of being in a new environment trying to get things back to a routine.

Contractor should be out a week from Monday to get started on home changes which will help tremendously just getting some more space and hopefully getting a workout routine will help fill his days, not so much just sitting watching the TV or the wind blow or Preston turn red from all of our clay (another ha ha).

He gets his power chair on the 18th, we pray that will go well. Have no choice but to go back to Augusta for that one. Hopefully soon we will be more "normal" and all of this will become second nature to us all.

We also continue to thank each of you for your support, encouragement, suggestions and overall prayers that have helped us in so many ways!!

We love you all......................Geaux Tigers!!!!!