It's Been A While...

Billie is doing fantastic. She is able to walk without her brace on her foot/leg for short distances. It is not the safest though as her foot will still turn under when she places it on the floor but she is very careful not to move too quickly. When wearing her brace and using a cane she can get around quite well.
Billie and Taylor ventured down here to Clearwater, Florida to spend the July 4th holiday with my family. We had a wonderful visit with her and Taylor. We all missed Lonnie though!!!
We kept ourselves busy with trips to the beach and Sunken Gardens as well as watching movies and just plain old hanging out!
Taylor did all the driving so I salute her on the first real road trip she has made while behind the wheel!!
It was a treat for us all to have them here with us. I am very pleased at how much progress I see in my sister. She has so much potential and she puts her heart and soul into every aspect of her recovery process.

Wish they didn't have to go back home...

Billie's getting feeling in her right hand!!

I just spoke with Billie a little earlier this morning and she advised me she has a new leg brace. This one is below the knee. It frees up her thigh and knee so she can move it more on her own. YAHOO!
She said she is also beginning to have spasms in her right hand. She said it will just do it's own thing sometimes and it will ball up and it is somewhat painful for her. Although to most that may sound bad but it is really good news!! This means her feeling is returning. She was advised early on during her physical therapy sessions that the pain would kick in when the area begins to recover feeling. The pain is to come first and then she should be able to learn ways to exercise the appendage and further stimulate the feeling and movement she would normally have.
Remember, she had pain in her right leg and foot for while and then she was able to control it better. Can't wait to hear her say she can use that right hand again.
She is such a trooper!! Taylor is enrolled in classes at DCC and Lonnie is at work full time so she has been able to become a bit more independent these days.
Way to go Sifter!!! You are amazing!!

Mama treated us to a pedicure. THANK YOU!!

Oh my goodness, I'm quite embarrassed to see it's been so long since my last post. Time has really gotten away from me.

Well, Billie is doing really well. I have had the privilege of visiting her and the family for Christmas and New Year. When I left her home January 2nd she was walking with the use of a cane. She has become quite independent. Her right leg seems to be coming back well, as is evident in her ability to walk with only the use of her leg brace and her cane. She can go short distances without the cane as well. Her right hand seems to be coming back to her a bit slower but she is continuing her physical therapy and working out regularly to encourage the use of this hand to return.

It was nice to be with her in person so I could see her and have an actual conversation with her. We miss out on so much just being in touch by phone.

I am so happy to see how far she has come and how hard she is working to bring on more improvement for herself.

Keep up the great and hard work Billie!!! Love ya!

She's movin' on "UP"!!!

Got a fantastic call from my mom (Joan) yesterday. She was excited to tell me that Billie has climbed the stairs in her house! Apparently while mama was away and Aunt Terrie was visiting Billie made many improvements and advances. She is now able to get around using her hemi-walker and limits her use of the wheelchair. Billie is still having speech and physical therapy sessions and part of last Thursday's session was for Billie to climb the stairs that lead up to her second story bedroom. Billie apparently uses the handrail and goes up each step from the side using her stronger left foot first then putting her right foot up next. (I'm not clear on if she is lifting it with her leg muscles or using her hand to help that leg up.... I'll be sure to ask next time. Just so excited about this news I forgot to ask that question!!) She made it to the top of the stairs Thursday and came back down as well. At Tuesday's session she not only climbed the stairs but she also went into her bedroom and walked down the length of the room to her bed and took a little rest on it for the first time since February 13th!!! After that she walked back out of the room and back down the stairs. Mama said she was a bit disappointed because she did not get a chance to get her camera and get a picture of Billie on the stairs. Oh, but Billie did not want to disappoint!! She went back up the stairs for mama to get a photo!!! Hopefully she will share it with us.
So, rejoice and scream and shout!!! Billie is working hard and her efforts are truly paying off!!!
Thea, Billie's physical therapist did tell us that her recovery would take place from the bottom to the top so it's quite encouraging to see her come so far with her leg. She is using her leg brace every day and that helps to stabilize the right foot so she can put more weight on the leg and foot. She is doing more household chores unassisted like unloading the dishwasher and putting everything away herself. She does laundry folding and putting away... the washer and dryer are downstairs and those are much more narrow stairs so we'll probably have a while before we hear she is going down there. (Count that as a blessing Billie Jo!!! *wink*wink*) Billie does exercises daily as well such as standing in front of her kitchen sink and doing leg raises. She kicks her right leg forward 20X, sideways 20X and backward 20X several times a day.
Wow, big changes!!! You keep it up Billie!!! I am so excited for you! All that hard work is really paying off and you should be proud of your accomplishments!!!
All my love, hugs and kisses to you big Sifter!!

Keepin' on Goin'

I, Billie Jo's daughter, am officially a high school graduate. Four more years of school, and I will be off into the world.

I don't even want to imagine my parents being alone once I go to college. But that's three months away.

My mom has been doing very well. She's walking a whole lot more with her walker (kinda like a cane with 4 legs) and her high tech leg brace. We try to keep her in the walking mode during the day and let her relax at night in the wheel chair. Both of her therapists are very pleased with mom, and she's a joy to work with. Mom has her hopes set high onto getting even better, and she works on it. She told me she wanted to be back to normal by the summer, but I made sure to tell her that these things can never be timed. She may be back and ready to go in a few months, or it may take years, if she ever comes back fully at all. I know in my heart my mother will come back one day, its just hard to predict when. We stay optimistic and just work hard.

Mom has been able to come to the last of my high school chindigs. She was at my senior prom for a short while, and my father walked me down my senior walk. She also attended my honor and graduate of distinction ceremonies, as well as my final graduation. She got really upset because she couldn't get me a graduation gift, but I am in no way sour. I know our family situation, and her being there for me is great enough. My mother was the type to go out all for every occasion, and yes I miss that, but life changes, and I'm just happy she's here. I told her not to worry about a gift for me, for I knew I wasn't going to get much from anybody. Times are tough nowadays.

But man oh man how life goes on. I love my mother and father.

Now all we need is a vacation!