From: David
Date: Tuesday, July 4, 2000
Saturday the 24th, my family and I drove to San Antonio and spent the afternoon and evening with Lynne, Russell, Eric, and Aaron. This was six months to the day since Lynne's accident. Russell showed me a comic strip of Hagar the Horrible from Saturday's paper that said, "Just think, in six months we'll be celebrating Christmas Eve!"
Lynne was going everywhere on her walker (excuse me, the new term is mobilizer)! We had a great visit, a wonderful meal, and a demonstration of DragonSpeak, Lynne's voice-activated software, before we drove on to Austin to stay with Phyllis' family for the week.
I drove down from Austin Monday morning and went with Lynne and Russell to Lynne's therapy. (Eric and Aaron had left for church camp on Sunday.) Ginny Owens' song If You Want Me To was on the radio as we left the driveway and again as we returned.
Lynne used her mobilizer all morning -- out the front door of her house to the car, into the hospital and up the elevator to therapy, back outside during therapy to go up and down curbs, through the grass, up a very long ramp, and back up to the therapy room, then back down to the car. Wow!!!
Annette in PT reevaluated her and she had improved movement in neck, hips, legs, and feet. In a long list of measurements, there was only one that was still the same as last time.
Kathy in OT helped Lynne with soreness in her neck, shoulders, and wrists. Since her muscles are on alert all the time, they need help to relax. Kathy worked on sore points and gave Lynne a stretching exercise for her hand and arm.
After lunch at the famous Wendy's, we went back to the hospital and had a meeting with Annette, Kathy, Kathy's student Michelle, social worker Stephanie, and bureaucrat Kent (Texas Rehabilitation Commission). They discussed needed changes at Lynne's office - doors, keys, bathrooms, desk, phone. This month sometime, Lynne will meet with a rehab specialist at her office to evaluate needs. Lynne's company has been very supportive. Lynne said she is not a complainer, but we told her even little things will help her conserve energy during the day at work, and the changes she helps put into place will also help someone else. "Besides, that's your gift, dear," said Russell. "Yes dear", I echoed. "OK, dears," said Lynne.
In the afternoon, we watched a movie of a family reunion in Cherryvale, August, 1993. Watching Lynne sing with her now deceased grandparents was very touching.
While Russell was at class, Lynne and I phoned Uncle Richard and we set up VCRs to record tapes. Lynne prayed at supper, "For that you've done I will thank you, for all that you're going to do..." After supper, we had vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, played Scrabble, and listened to the Dennis Jernigan CD -- it was wonderful brother-sister time.
I wasn't there for Wednesday morning therapy, but Lynne said it was tough. Belinda came down hard on Lynne for not working more at home, then she told Lynne that Annette wanted her to do upper-body exercises. Lynne told Belinda that didn't make sense because Kathy was planning on doing the same exercises in OT. Again, the lack of coordination between therapists was frustrating.
Wednesday evening, Russell graduated from the SMU computer networking program -- he got a real diploma and everything! I didn't make it in time for the ceremony, but after graduation, their class met one more time, so Lynne and I hung around to watch for awhile. (Russell's next goal is to pass the Microsoft tests and get a job setting up computer networks. Please pray for this transition.) Then we grabbed a bite to eat and went back to the house for a little more Scrabble before it was time for me to return to Austin.
Thursday, Lynne spent the day with her co-workers at a team-builder's meeting. They played games together and did other activities to help them connect. They are all trying to figure out how to transition Lynne back into the team and what her roles will be. Please pray for this transition, too.
Friday morning, I went along to therapy again. Lynne has graduated to a stationary bicycle with no back, and to one-legged lifts instead of two. As others have said, she works very hard! In OT, Lynne did a upper-body cycle for awhile, then she was reevaluated. More improved marks - this time in strength, dexterity, and range of motion in her upper body! She even identified some of the larger mystery objects.
Friday, Lynne and Russell were also dealing with insurance company snafus and denial of coverage in some areas. Some days this is more frustrating than others. Please continue to pray for physical, emotional, relational, and financial endurance.
Sunday was the best of all. My family met Lynne and her family at church. Lynne was on the worship team and I got to sit with her. We sang Be Thou My Vision, As The Deer, Let Every Heart Rejoice and Sing, and we closed with The Lord Bless You And Keep You! Their new preacher, Stephen Johnson, was being installed that morning, and all the elders on the platform were the same elders who had prayed over Lynne in the hospital room during my visit in February. The text for the morning was the passage from Luke about the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Stephen talked about the bread being blessed, broken, and given to the disciples just as Jesus was for us and we are for each other.
After church, we all went to lunch before it was time for us to head back to Lubbock. As we left, I was so thankful for the simple things we have so often taken for granted - Scrabble, eating together, worshipping together, hurting together, laughing together, our families enjoying each other. And I was thankful for our faithful Savior who promised he'll never leave us.
Love,
David
From: Lynne
Date: Saturday, July 8, 2000
Sorry it has taken a few days to get back to you - someone is always on this computer!
It turned out that Aaron had pnumonia in his lower right lung. We took him to the doctor Monday afternoon since he felt awful and his asthma had really kicked up too. We also took him to NE Baptist Hospital for chest x-ray and CBC. He nearly collapsed walking back to radiology so they put him in a wheelchair - and I was walking behind on my mobilizer! We went back to the doctor who gave him a big shot of antibiotics in the hip and another breathing treatmeent. Armed with prescriptions for more antibiotics, steroids, cough syrup, and new nebulizer meds, we took him home. The fact that we own a nebulizer and could give him treatments around the clock for the next 24 hours kept us from having to put him in the hospital - the night before a holiday. Russell was thankful that I proved to be leanable again. Aaron is doing much better now.
My big news for the week is that Wednesday in PT - at my request - I walked the length of the parallel bars again, both frontwards and sideways - this time WITH NO HANDS!!
Love, Lynne
From: Lynne
Date: Monday, July 10, 2000
I was recently able to stand in worship and sing "We are standing on Holy Ground, and I know that there are angels all around. Let us praise Jesus now - we are standing in His presence on Holy Ground." What an awesome experience! I know that God's presence, through your faithful prayers, throughout the past 6 1/2 months is what has sustained me, sped up the healing process, and brought me to this place. Praise God!!
In His love & mine,
Lynne
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Date: Tuesday, July 4, 2000
Saturday the 24th, my family and I drove to San Antonio and spent the afternoon and evening with Lynne, Russell, Eric, and Aaron. This was six months to the day since Lynne's accident. Russell showed me a comic strip of Hagar the Horrible from Saturday's paper that said, "Just think, in six months we'll be celebrating Christmas Eve!"
Lynne was going everywhere on her walker (excuse me, the new term is mobilizer)! We had a great visit, a wonderful meal, and a demonstration of DragonSpeak, Lynne's voice-activated software, before we drove on to Austin to stay with Phyllis' family for the week.
I drove down from Austin Monday morning and went with Lynne and Russell to Lynne's therapy. (Eric and Aaron had left for church camp on Sunday.) Ginny Owens' song If You Want Me To was on the radio as we left the driveway and again as we returned.
Lynne used her mobilizer all morning -- out the front door of her house to the car, into the hospital and up the elevator to therapy, back outside during therapy to go up and down curbs, through the grass, up a very long ramp, and back up to the therapy room, then back down to the car. Wow!!!
Annette in PT reevaluated her and she had improved movement in neck, hips, legs, and feet. In a long list of measurements, there was only one that was still the same as last time.
Kathy in OT helped Lynne with soreness in her neck, shoulders, and wrists. Since her muscles are on alert all the time, they need help to relax. Kathy worked on sore points and gave Lynne a stretching exercise for her hand and arm.
After lunch at the famous Wendy's, we went back to the hospital and had a meeting with Annette, Kathy, Kathy's student Michelle, social worker Stephanie, and bureaucrat Kent (Texas Rehabilitation Commission). They discussed needed changes at Lynne's office - doors, keys, bathrooms, desk, phone. This month sometime, Lynne will meet with a rehab specialist at her office to evaluate needs. Lynne's company has been very supportive. Lynne said she is not a complainer, but we told her even little things will help her conserve energy during the day at work, and the changes she helps put into place will also help someone else. "Besides, that's your gift, dear," said Russell. "Yes dear", I echoed. "OK, dears," said Lynne.
In the afternoon, we watched a movie of a family reunion in Cherryvale, August, 1993. Watching Lynne sing with her now deceased grandparents was very touching.
While Russell was at class, Lynne and I phoned Uncle Richard and we set up VCRs to record tapes. Lynne prayed at supper, "For that you've done I will thank you, for all that you're going to do..." After supper, we had vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, played Scrabble, and listened to the Dennis Jernigan CD -- it was wonderful brother-sister time.
I wasn't there for Wednesday morning therapy, but Lynne said it was tough. Belinda came down hard on Lynne for not working more at home, then she told Lynne that Annette wanted her to do upper-body exercises. Lynne told Belinda that didn't make sense because Kathy was planning on doing the same exercises in OT. Again, the lack of coordination between therapists was frustrating.
Wednesday evening, Russell graduated from the SMU computer networking program -- he got a real diploma and everything! I didn't make it in time for the ceremony, but after graduation, their class met one more time, so Lynne and I hung around to watch for awhile. (Russell's next goal is to pass the Microsoft tests and get a job setting up computer networks. Please pray for this transition.) Then we grabbed a bite to eat and went back to the house for a little more Scrabble before it was time for me to return to Austin.
Thursday, Lynne spent the day with her co-workers at a team-builder's meeting. They played games together and did other activities to help them connect. They are all trying to figure out how to transition Lynne back into the team and what her roles will be. Please pray for this transition, too.
Friday morning, I went along to therapy again. Lynne has graduated to a stationary bicycle with no back, and to one-legged lifts instead of two. As others have said, she works very hard! In OT, Lynne did a upper-body cycle for awhile, then she was reevaluated. More improved marks - this time in strength, dexterity, and range of motion in her upper body! She even identified some of the larger mystery objects.
Friday, Lynne and Russell were also dealing with insurance company snafus and denial of coverage in some areas. Some days this is more frustrating than others. Please continue to pray for physical, emotional, relational, and financial endurance.
Sunday was the best of all. My family met Lynne and her family at church. Lynne was on the worship team and I got to sit with her. We sang Be Thou My Vision, As The Deer, Let Every Heart Rejoice and Sing, and we closed with The Lord Bless You And Keep You! Their new preacher, Stephen Johnson, was being installed that morning, and all the elders on the platform were the same elders who had prayed over Lynne in the hospital room during my visit in February. The text for the morning was the passage from Luke about the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Stephen talked about the bread being blessed, broken, and given to the disciples just as Jesus was for us and we are for each other.
After church, we all went to lunch before it was time for us to head back to Lubbock. As we left, I was so thankful for the simple things we have so often taken for granted - Scrabble, eating together, worshipping together, hurting together, laughing together, our families enjoying each other. And I was thankful for our faithful Savior who promised he'll never leave us.
Love,
David
From: Lynne
Date: Saturday, July 8, 2000
Sorry it has taken a few days to get back to you - someone is always on this computer!
It turned out that Aaron had pnumonia in his lower right lung. We took him to the doctor Monday afternoon since he felt awful and his asthma had really kicked up too. We also took him to NE Baptist Hospital for chest x-ray and CBC. He nearly collapsed walking back to radiology so they put him in a wheelchair - and I was walking behind on my mobilizer! We went back to the doctor who gave him a big shot of antibiotics in the hip and another breathing treatmeent. Armed with prescriptions for more antibiotics, steroids, cough syrup, and new nebulizer meds, we took him home. The fact that we own a nebulizer and could give him treatments around the clock for the next 24 hours kept us from having to put him in the hospital - the night before a holiday. Russell was thankful that I proved to be leanable again. Aaron is doing much better now.
My big news for the week is that Wednesday in PT - at my request - I walked the length of the parallel bars again, both frontwards and sideways - this time WITH NO HANDS!!
Love, Lynne
From: Lynne
Date: Monday, July 10, 2000
I was recently able to stand in worship and sing "We are standing on Holy Ground, and I know that there are angels all around. Let us praise Jesus now - we are standing in His presence on Holy Ground." What an awesome experience! I know that God's presence, through your faithful prayers, throughout the past 6 1/2 months is what has sustained me, sped up the healing process, and brought me to this place. Praise God!!
In His love & mine,
Lynne
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