#208

Another great day of progress today for Elaine! She stretched her arm with the dreaded "contraption" three times today - of course she always does that, but today she actually noticed an increased range of motion. That is incredibly positive news.

Today wasn't all about Elaine, though. Diana also made progress by going to see Laura today. Elaine and Diana had a great time today! Check out the pic below for proof!

#207

No surprise here. Elaine had an incredibly busy day - again. 

It included a tough start in which Fred and Elaine had some trouble finding blood for the INR test. Then, they headed to eye therapy. Elaine showed dramatic improvement from just last week. Elaine, Fred, and the therapist were so impressed with Elaine's effort and progress.

Following therapy, Fred and Elaine stopped by the doctor for the INR test. The results from the INR level led the Doc to slightly increase Elaine's Coumadin level. He also suggested that Elaine drink more water!

In happier news, Diana and Mike are in town for a visit. Elaine and Diana took on Fashion Island for a few hours this afternoon while Fred and Mike caught up at home. Once they reconvened, they all enjoyed a huge feast at home followed by an early night to bed! 

#206

Elaine had her best day of shoulder therapy yet! Today, they heard some cracking and popping in her shoulder while they were moving it around. This is the first true indication that the scar tissue is breaking up! It was a welcome sight and sound!!

Elaine then watched the kids this afternoon for an hour and then Elaine had some errands of her own to run. She was excited about the progress and was walking a little faster today. It's wonderful for her to  see her hard work paying off!

Fred and Elaine took Dr. O'Carroll (her neurologist) to dinner at Big Canyon. They had a great dinner and conversation. He has helped Elaine so much and we are so grateful for his care and concern.

#205

Elaine slept well and was up early to do the torture chamber. Yesterday, her arm therapist couldn't believe how much she had improved and is marveling at her dedication. She can't believe that she doesn't ever call and cancel. She also can't believe that Elaine actually does the arm stretcher three times a day for thirty minutes. She said she has never met anyone like her. She is so pleased with her progress in such a short time and adores Elaine.

Staci picked Elaine up for eye therapy this morning. She had a good session. Oddly enough, it appears that her right eye is the one that gives up when she has trouble. Last Thursday, she had a rough session and her eyes weren't working together at all. Today, they worked really well together, until the right eye was tired. When that happens, you literally can watch her eye start wandering, while her left stares straight ahead. She said this could have started before her stroke even, but there is no way of knowing. Elaine continues to go twice a week to build up her endurance in both eyes.

The most exciting part for Staci was to see Little Darlin'. She was pointing at the paper, her arm raised to almost shoulder level. The really neat part was that just her arm moved. Until recently, when you asked her to move Darlin', her whole body would move, trying to get her left arm to move. She would swing her neck left so hard trying to will it to move. Those of you that have played golf with her, and watched her putt, can imagine this since she twists her entire body trying to guide the ball into the hole as its rolling.

After eye therapy it was back home for round two with the arm stretcher and ice. Another exciting thing worth mentioning, the swelling in her arm is almost gone. That means that the scar tissue is starting to break up!

Staci and Elaine went to lunch before her heart doctor appointment. When we walked in the office the whole staff marvels at how well she is doing. The doctor she sees was the one that was called to see her in the hospital and he is so proud of her. He looks at her in admiration, and he calls her kid, which Elaine loves. She doesn't have to go back for 6 months and her heart hasn't been in A-Fib in the last 6 weeks, and only twice, for a very short time, since her stroke. This is also great news!

Elaine was tired this afternoon and was going to relax the rest of the day and get in bed early. She has therapy in the morning and its also blood draw day so they have to get up early to get the stretcher, blood, breakfast, and a shower in before their 9am appointment. Elaine does more during the day than a healthy person, and certainly works harder than anyone I know!

#204

On Monday, it was back to work for Elaine. She had a double dose of therapy today - first with Paul then with her arm therapist. Both sessions were incredibly positive. Elaine can feel the improvement in her arm and is encouraged by her progress. Plus, the arm therapist has concluded that the issues with Little Darlin' are due to the frozen shoulder and not necessarily neurological complications from the stroke. 

Elaine also had a great visit with her neurologist, Dr. O'Carroll, who was very optimistic about Elaine's progress and outlook. 

Keep the positive thoughts coming. Elaine continues to progress down a long and bumpy road made easier by all of the love and support provided by her family and friends. 

#203

Even God rested on Sunday. Elaine followed suit after a brutal week of shoulder therapy, pain management, and Fred's birthday.

Fred's golf was cancelled today so they got the day started out right with sleeping in, stretching Elaine's shoulder, and taking it easy. They relaxed at home until Ben and Brian showed up with coffee for Elaine while all of the Francois girls were attending a birthday party. Fred, Ben, and Brian enjoyed a ride a convertible. Then Brian enjoyed tearing apart the Smith house until lunch time - with Elaine making sandwiches.

Hopefully, the day closed out the same way it started - in a reasonably relaxing way. Tomorrow starts another week that will be full of pain and progress! Keep the wonderful thoughts and prayers coming out way! We need them!

#202

Happy Birthday Fred!!! Today was Fred's big day, and it was a wonderful day! Elaine and Fred didn't have a very good night of sleep, but Elaine managed to wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed. She wanted to do her arm stretcher first and then was going to make Fred breakfast. She was saved by a surprise knock at the door by Ben and the kids with coffee and bagels. While Elaine did therapy, Fred met the Francois family at his favorite lunch spot, Five Guys. Fred went back to pick Elaine up for some retail therapy and was happy to hear that she had a really great session with Paul, much to our surprise considering how tired she was combined with her new medications. They headed back to meet us at the mall for a bit before we decided Elaine and Brian needed a nap!

Ben and Fred went to hit some golf balls while the Francois girls decorated the house for Ampa's birthday. They were SO excited to come up with locations for the decorations. They even had a choreographed dance when Ampa arrived. The code was "Ampa Alert" when they saw his car drive up. The highlight was "Ampa" constructed from crate paper written on the wall.

It was a day to celebrate a man who is deserving of celebration, not just today, but everyday. He has always been the man I have most admired, and looked up to. He has always been my hero, for 35 years! The past 8 months he has shown more compassion, patience, love, strength, and dedication than anyone I have ever met, or read about. There is no question that Elaine is working as hard as anyone anywhere in the world, at anything. There is also, no question, she couldn't do it without the love, support, and encouragement she gets hourly from Fred. He never gets the credit he deserves and is constantly deflecting any praise or attention towards Elaine, if he isn't already bragging about her and her amazing progress already. They are an incredible team, and he is an incredible man. He is the type of man I hope my son, Brian Fred,  grows up to be like. Happy Birthday dad!