In therapy last week the therapists had him standing. He is standing at the sink so it will hold his weight. They want him doing more things at home. So they are preparing him for that.

  Swimming, not very much was accomplished because he was so stiff he could hardly move.

The three day weekend is not good for us.

I have been sick with a sinus infection. So didn't take notes and don't have much to say.

He uses his manual wheelchair every other day. He aches too much from using it. We will have to build up to it.

   That is all from Lake Kevan Be Gone. Where the women are strong, the men good looking and the grandchildren are above average.

Manual Wheelchair has Arrived!

OT this week Bruce worked on hip strength. He stood and took one of his hands off the bar. He stood about thirty seconds.

  PT was the big day, he stood without anything to hold on to. He went from sitting on the therapy table to standing. 

So we are making progress.

  Bruce was driving his new wheelchair at OT. It wore him out, it made his arms ache. 

   The sister missionaries came over for dinner on Friday. We had Papa Murphy's pizza, salad and cheesy bread.

  Andrew is coming home today from fighting fires in the Troy area.

NMES

   NMES - neuro muscular electrical stimulation (say that fast three times) Bruce had that attached to his quadricep muscles on both legs. It makes the muscles fire to help him stand up. When it is finished the muscles vibrate for an hour. If he continues to show good results we can get one to use at home. Sounds like an evil torture machine to me... It helps the brain and the muscle connect. 

  He was standing and using the parallel bars. He was on the inside of the bars it is really hard. It is a new way of standing up and his muscles have to get stronger. 

  Debbie and Rosala are still bring meals to us once a week. Thank you! We love it. We had chicken breasts and baby tators in soy sauce, corn on the cob (Muileburg) a wonderful fruit salad and two different kinds of cookies, chocolate chip and a brownie.

  I look forward to your love each week.

   We ordered hearing aides for Bruce. They will be here in two weeks. No mor loud TV.

On Saturday we went to a wedding reception and the theme was from the movie 'Up'. It was delightful. Loved the colorful cupcakes and rainbow netting.

   Got a call from the wheelchair people. The manual wheelchair will be here on Wednesday! Hurrah!

Hot Feet

   In pool time Bruce tried to walk backwards. And then side step. He can't go very far side stepping or walking backwards, muscles he hasn't used in a while. They have a bench in the pool Bruce has been using. He sits on the bench and tries to stand up. He says he has people on both sides of him helping to balance, but he does the standing. 

He is in three feet of water, so he is supporting about half of his own weight.

   They moved him up to a level four on the bike pedal machine.

   Debbie brought over some pork chops with dressing, cubed watermelon. And for dessert, banana orange bread with vanilla bean ice cream. Thank you Debbie, it was delicious to the taste. 

    Bruce stood up twenty times on Friday. He is standing for a minute on some of the tries. 

    In church today, Zayne talked about service, "when ye are in service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of God."

  Jennifer spoke on sacrifice. Not my will, but thine be done. Not our time schedule.

   Josh, a returned missionary from Ohio, spoke about how to get faith. One way is by keeping the commandments, read and study, fast and pray. Another way is to seek the council of the Lord, take steps of faith, nourish the seed that has been planted in your heart. Obey the commandments and blessings will come to you.

   Bruce spoke for a few minutes on foundations. How firm is your foundation? He told of the time we worked on the Navaho Indian reservation where they were building a new middle school on sand. They put a slab foundation and built the school on that. Now when it rains on the res, it pours and the sand was washed away. So build your foundation on Christ so you won't be washed away. 

     Last night Bruce thought the black boots on his feet made his feet feel hot. This morning he could still feel his feet were hot. Then he thought to himself, 'I haven't felt hot or cold on my feet before." And it dawned on him another sensation had returned. Yeah, one step forward.

  

Transfers and New Help

   Pam brought me/us a bright happy bouquet of flowers. Thank you and for a nice visit sharing adventures we are having and how we are surviving.

   Andrew got home on Monday from a fire and left on Tuesday for another fire, he was not a happy camper. We keep telling him it is better than Burger King or the mill. He called that evening to report he had worked a double shift when they got there. They had to set a back fire and watch it til 8am. He said he got three hours of sleep, won't have any trouble falling asleep tonight, he said they might rotate them to the front of the line tomorrow. Glad he is able to report every other night.

  Rosala brought over some tasty meatloaf and baked taters with a green salad and a loaf of French bread. Thank - you Rosala!

   After calling half the names on the DHS list for home care help we found two excellent helpers, The new hires have started and we are loving them. Yeah, so wonderful to get hard working and reliable people.

   Bruce said he stood up 15 times today and seven of them he stood for a minute each time.

    We are using the slide board at home. The OT's came to the house on Thursday afternoon to help us and we did well with the transfers from chair to couch. And then chair to bed. 

   Bruce on the couch. It is easier to do the transfers at OT because he goes from chair to mat. Here the couch and bed are soft so the transfers are harder, he is sweating by the end of each transfer.

    So Thursday night Bruce says we can do this and he ended up half way on the floor, oops, Thank goodness Duncan is around to help us and it took three of us to get him back on the bed. Dang, how did the OT ladies make it look so easy? Friday morning was a little easier and Friday night Duncan helped us pull him on the bed. He kind of hangs there with his feet off the bed. The stretch is good for his thigh reflexers.

 They need to be strengthened so his hips can support his weight when he is standing.

   The new ladies are working out really well. They laugh at my jokes so they can't be all bad. Thank goodness for good help. Did I say that already?

   Andrew is doing 'clean up' at the fire. They look for 'smokers' and spray them with their 3 gallon bladders on their backs. So clean up means they walk the burned area looking for smoke and spray it with the water backpack they carry. He should be home tomorrow for a couple of days. 

     

   

   

  

Care Taker Problems...

    Rick brought us some corn from his garden. Thank you!

  Debbie made another superb meal of ham, scalloped taters, watermelon and sliced cantaloupe and banana cake with frosting, marvelous!  Rosala is in Utah, family wedding.

  Went to my UFO group, cut out some borders and got advice on a rag quilt, shared some quilt magazines that Reta gave me. Thank you Reta.

   After four weeks of waiting, the slide board is finally here! Yeah! We will be trained how to use it at home next week. Yes, one step closer to more independence.

    Bruce stood up 15 times, yes I said 15, from his wheelchair at the parallel bar. His legs are getting stronger. He needs help getting started but then he can do it on his own.

  Our care taker neglected to call on Monday, so Duncan and I got Bruce ready, stretching, ranging and out of bed. She did not answer her text or phone call. Feeling frustrated. She said she wanted to go visit a friend in Idaho. So on Thursday she texts and says her car is broken and won't be home for a few days. I have very unkind feelings for her. In the mean time another care taker is doing double shifts with no time off. 

   I interviewed another gal but she can only help two days a week. She is on board. Will have to find someone else to replace the other days. In the meantime I have to be nice to this rude, inconsiderate, very unprofessional, low down skunk. Can't wait to hear from her. Trouble is we need her, she is very good when she is here, very knowledgeable, just not dependable. 

   Feeling dizzy, head stuffed up, cold. Am I under stress or what? Stayed home from church.

   Andrew left today, Sunday morning to fight a fire in Spokane, Wa. They think it will be a six day fire. He did not want to go. Fire fighting is not what it is cracked up to be according to him. We are encouraging him to finish the season. He did make a commitment. He stomped around the house getting ready and grumbling. When Bruce got home from church he gave Andrew a priesthood blessing of comfort and good health. They hugged afterward. I don't think they have hugged in awhile. 

  Andrew called tonight. Said they got there in Spokane at 5pm. Didn't work just set up camp. Might come home tomorrow, they don't know where they will put them or how they will use them. He will phone and let us know.

Recovery

After having 20 extra family members around, we are recovering.

I am sick, sore throat, shoulders ache.

Will keep this short.

This week

    Bruce stood up eight times in a row from his wheelchair. (the standing chair is broken) They put belts around him and three people help him. They discovered his hips were out of alignment so we have added another exercise to the stretching each morning and evening. 

   In pool time he was able to actually lift his feet instead of shuffle walk! 

He is on level three on his bike pedal machine. 

We are improving.

Thank you for your prayers and kind thoughts. We can't do this without you.