Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas. 

As Christmas came this year I really didn't feel very merry about it. I felt that so much had been taken away from me. I was looking at all the things I couldn't do, the traditions that I've done with my girls seemed like they had been stripped away. It's been incredibly hard to sit and watch, yet I'm thankful to be alive and be still apart of there lives. 

Mike has stepped in and is becoming Mr. Mom, things I thought I would never see him do, he is doing with ease. This Christmas morning seems to be harder than I thought it would be, the feeling of sitting on the sidelines. My girls have been amazing through this all. Watching them take on some of those traditions has been a blessing to see them grow and mature. Instead of looking at what I can't do, I'm trying to think less about the traditions and more about what really matters. What has brought me through and will continue to bring me through this journey I'm on. What really matters is Christ. It's Him who I need to cling to. His promise that He would never leave me nor forsake me. It is Christ that gives me what I need for the day. God has a plan for everyone of us but we must be prepared to wait, wait on His timing. When Jesus came to this earth it was a normal day nothing special other than the special plan that He had. The plan to come and give all of us the opportunity of a life time. Jesus came as a baby, lived on this earth and died for us all. So that we would have the opportunity to accept Him as our Lord and King. He paid the ultimate cost. The punishment and pain He endured for me so that I would have the opportunity to know Him and to have a personal relationship with Him and one day to be able to stand and see Him face to face. I pray that all of you have taken advantage of this opportunity that God has given to each of us and have accepted Him in to your lives. I pray that this Christmas will be like no other and that you will be able to get closer to your King of Kings and Lord and Lords. It's only because of my relationship with God that I am able. 

Sometimes we easily forget during these busy days that we have a Savior that cares so much about us the love that He has, grace, mercy, dependable, strength ... Jesus, who was a baby once and is always a forever God. That is what holds us keeps us whether or not we can carry out our traditions. May our decorations, gifts and festivities or lack of them never block our views of him but always point us toward Him. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. Hugs Sandra

Acupuncture ??

Well today Sandra is going for round 3 of acupuncture. It is something I never considered before but with no side effects we thought it is worth a try. It is early in the process but it seams to be helping with her temperature regulation. The highs aren't as high and the lows aren't as low. It is hard to tell at this point if it is the actupuncture or if we are starting to catch on. We are also hoping that it will improve the nerve pain and reduce spasms. This will be well worth it if Sandra can remain off medication as we want to avoid "dulling" the nerves.
Not to sound like a broken record but Sandra continues to see improvements however slow it might be, changes keep happening and we take them as improvements. A strange one is what we call "creepy crawlers" it feels to her like spiders are crawling in her back and butt. It comes and goes but I look at it as at least she is feeling something, and it is different then it was.
Mike

Assessment Day!

What a time in Detroit. It was nice to see everyone again, its amazing how you build a relationship so quickly. They are a great bunch of people and its been fun getting to know them all. They had no mercy on me. Monday they got me right back into it. I started off with a lot of core exercises and one of my tuffest trainers was impressed with my strength. Tuesday my therapists from Ottawa joined us and the trainers we're happy to show them how they get me to crawl around the track (toucher me). It was nice to have them come and see how they do things here. I believe both benefited from there experience in the field. Today was a big day, assessment day. My core had an increase of 5 to 20% depending on where they were measuring from. I now have both muscles on the inside of my thighs. On the left they rate it as a 1 which means I'm able to flex the muscle, on the right a 2 which means I'm able to initiate movement. One of the tests they do is to see if I feel movement in my feet/ankle. How they do this is simple, I close my eyes and they move my foot slightly up or down. I then tell them which direction they moved it. I was able to get four out of four correct this time on my left foot, last time I got four out of four correct on my right foot. All in all I was pleased to come back and be better than when I left. God continues to answer prayer. I am so thankful for His healing hand on my body and continue to pray that He will heal me completely. Thank you to all that continue to up left me in pray before our heavenly Father. Hugs Sandra 

Here we go again!

Here we go again, back to Detroit. It's been three wonderful weeks at home with the girls getting back into life. Mike has been working full time again, well almost. He goes in everyday but might leave a little early here and there to help me with appointments and the kids schedules. He's been able to get back into hockey and even started to attend church board meetings again. Between work and home it's like he's working two jobs and doing it with a smile. Its been nice to be home with the girls and get back into there daily life. They have been a huge support to me and have been helping out, Mike and I are so thankful for them and there response  to all of this. God is definitely at work in there lives.

 l have my van now with hand controls, so I'm starting to gain a little bit more independence, which I love. Its amusing to watch people watch me, as Mike picks me up and puts me into the drivers seat.  I've even been able to pick Emily up from school a few days. This is just one of the little things I've missed, its part of being a mom. 

With Christmas fast approaching we, I have been having to figure out what it's going to look like this year. I had a dear friend come over and help me decorate my home, the girls decorated the tree this year placing all there special ornaments front and center. It's been hard letting go of some of our family traditions but praying that God will gives us some new ones that we will hold just as close to our hearts. 

I received my standing frame on Friday and was able to stand for 40 minutes. I was so pleased, I haven't been up for three weeks and I wasn't sure how long I would be able to do it for. The goal is always 30 minutes. This week I will be getting another assessment and I am anxiously awaiting to see how I'll do since I've been away for three weeks. I'm also excited as my two therapist from Ottawa will be joining us. 

Mike and I have received so much encouragement and support from so many of you and we are so grateful. It means so much and it helps us to keep on pushing. I'm continuing to pray, hope and believe that God will heal me completely. Thank you to all of you that have been praying and supporting us through this journey, I can't imagine doing it without you. One day I would love to be able to sit no stand and have coffee with every last one of you. I will rise ... when He calls my name. 

Hugs Sandra

Big Week!

We have a few things to report this week. It was busy so sorry for the delay in posts. First of all Sandra had a birthday on Monday, she had a great time with family and friends. Time keeps marching on, I can't believe how old she is! 

On Thursday night we picked up our van that has the hand controls added. We are very excited to get her back on the road, it gives her one more step of independence. We still need a few more items added but as it is I can send her off on her own and she just needs a little help getting her chair out at her destination. When the rest of the equipment comes in that will be another exciting step.

I have saved the bests for last, in theropy on Friday and today Sandra has had a little voluntary movement, a true answer to prayer. It has occurred when she is in a supported standing position, able to weight shift to aside then move her opposite leg forward and back approximentally 2 inches and was able to do this with both legs. The movement is instigating with her glutes but also appear to be involving her quads, it isn't a functional movement but a movement none the less. We are excited for this and continue to be thankful for every bit of recovery made. 

So please keep in prayer these few things, 

1) the movement is including the quads and that it continues to gain strength

2) Sandra's nerve pain and spasms to decrease so she can remain off medication and sleep better

3) keep her spirits up as it is easy to get down

Have a great night, Mike

Are you ready for some football?

Today is a great day, instead of driving down the 401 I'm sitting back enjoying some football. This is our first week of our new schedule and we are excited for it.
Things on the home front are as good as they will be in this home. Most things are organized, as in most homes it is a journey not a destination. Sandra can get around the main floor, the kitchen is probably her biggest issue as she misses cooking and my culinary skills are a little week, however I do take directions. For a home that wasn't designed to be accessible it is workable, and it will be a great day removing the accessible equipment when it is no longer needed.
The message this morning at church was A Walk of Faith; and the final note was "God wants you to walk by faith in every season of Life". So Sandra and I were challenged by this today and it is our desire to seek God in every season of live including this one.
Mike

Next Step!

It's amazing what our bodies can go through .... We are so fragile yet so strong. My body was fragile when I injured my self, but it's been amazing to see what its been able to go through over the last six months. Especially the last three in detroit. Its been hard physically and mentally but by the grace of God, He strengthens me. Just as Mike said I'm moving forward, slowly but forward. So many things to be thankful for... My shoulder has been holding up and even starting to get stronger, with every assessment I have made a gain. We wanted to go to Detroit for three months to see what could be accomplished through there intense program, be reevaluate and than make a decision as to what we should do next. It has gone really well in Detroit but hard being away from home, making it difficult to be a long term plan. So between my physiotherapist in Ottawa and in Detroit we have been able to come up with a program that we will be doing here in Ottawa 3 days a week. Once a month I will still be going to Detroit to have therapy and an assessment to make sure I'm staying on track and progressing well. I've been wanting to get a little more independent and one way of doing that is to get driving again. In Ottawa it's a 8 month waiting period to start the process of getting my hand control license. But our wonderful case manager told us about this place in Toronto that I would be able to get into much sooner. So for the past several weeks on the way home from Detroit we've been stopping into Drive Again and I've been having a driving lesson. It's been fun getting behind the wheel again. It's amazing how freeing it is. I was excited today when to my surprise I was being tested to see if I was ready to receive my learners permit, which allows me to drive on my own. It's like having my 365 again or for those young ones out there a G1. I passed and I'm looking forward to being back on the road in the next few weeks. I want you all to know how much we appreciate you. Knowing that your praying, cards of encouragement, your encouraging words on the blog and dinners (yum). It's been a huge support mentally, physically and spiritually. THANK YOU. Hugs Sandra