July 30 Thurs.

Melinda started her day at 8:30 this morning and stayed busy till 4:00. She is exhausted and very much ready to get in bed and rest. She continues to work hard in OT, PT, ST and MT(music). Yes, "Melinda has music therapy twice a week and is singing her favorite songs, which she knows word for word." ST and MT are trying different things to get her to talk louder. They want her to use an Incentive Spiro-meter(IS) that will help expand her lungs. She places her mouth around a mouth piece and tries sucking as much air in as she can. The IS will register the amount and St said, "Teenagers lungs should be able to hold in air around 1500 ml. and Melinda is doing less than 500." The IS was left with us and ST said, "We have homework." Yea! Melinda will add it to her growing list. This afternoon, Melinda had various tests run to check her vision. She has double vision and some other things going on with her eyes. OT can work on some eye exercises here, but later she will be referred to an eye specialist. Melinda will wear a translucent eye patch and alternate the patch every 2 hours to help with the double vision. Melinda said, "It helped and now I have 1 mom and not 2". We laughed so hard. Thank you for your prayers and support. God Bless.

July 29

Melinda is feeling well and is in good spirits. She woke up at 8:30 this morning to OT telling her it's time to get out of bed. OT helped Melinda transfer into her wheelchair to get dressed for the day. At 9:30 PT wheeled her down to the gym where they used the walker(rjo). Melinda seizes to amaze me, so hold on to your hats! She walked a total of 277 steps today. The longest walk was 124 steps and she is exhausted and ready for bed. I need to clarify Melinda's walking that she isn't able to stand or walk on her own w/out total assistance. She is getting stronger and is able to help with her transfers to bed, wheelchair etc., but is still very weak. At 10:00 ST worked with Melinda and her memory notebook. She received a good evaluation from the medical staff and they are pleased with her progress. Her first week at Jim Thorpe she was rated a level 1 - total assist. and this week she progressed to level 2 - maximum assist. Her goal is a level 4 - minimal assist. w/24 hr. supervision. I fed Melinda her lunch and she did well eating and swallowing. ST Jenny said, "She will have breakfast and lunch starting on Friday." The Psychologist Jeff asked, "Is Melinda getting in the pool?" I told him she contracted a blood infection from the picc line over 2 months ago. It was cleared up with antibiotics and is now under control. He will check to see if we can't get her in the pool. Melinda and Jon have come a long way in their recovery and we give God all the glory!! Please continue to pray for Melinda and Jon that God gives them the strength to get through this battle to win the war. God Bless You!

July 28

Melinda had a good night and was wide awake this morning to start her therapy at 8:30 am. The Occupational therapist Jenna came in and helped her get dressed and ready for the Physical therapist session with Theresita and Elizabeth. We all went down to the gym to do some more walking. Theresita said they will use the same walker from yesterday since it was so effective. We start with Theresita walking behind Melinda and holding on to her in case her legs start to buckle. Elizabeth sits on a foot stool with wheels and follows along the side to help with her right leg. I stand in front to guide the walker and encourage her to keep going and don't give up. Melinda pushed herself and she amazingly walked 70 steps! Yea!!! Melinda said, she will try to do 130 steps tomorrow and we believe she will. The Speech therapist Jenny asked, Melinda are you hungry? She said, Yes! She had pureed mashed potatoes w/gravy, green beans, peaches and custard pudding. Melinda was very excited and handled swallowing all her food correctly. Jenny said, sometimes with a brain injury it doesn't work properly and can't let the person know they are full. Jenny said, she will monitor Melinda closely. OT is doing stretches on Melinda's right arm and hand to loosen up the muscles. The therapist and doctors will have their weekly meeting tomorrow and will talk about Melinda's progress. We are truly blessed and thankful for everyone's continued prayers and support. God bless!!!

Weekend & Monday

Melinda had a good weekend and rested after a long week of therapy. Her oxygen is good at 96% and up and she hasn't had any problems breathing since the trachea was removed. Melinda is getting stronger in all therapy sessions and we are seeing big improvements. Melinda went to the gym and used an assisted walker that allows her to have support under her arms and walk. She walked 14 ft... took a small break and walked 20 ft. She is a trooper and we are so proud of her!! Speech therapy is working with Melinda to accentuate her words to make the words sound clearer. She is doing so well eating applesauce that the therapist is letting her eat lunch tomorrow for the first time. Yea!! She will have pureed mashed potatoes and vegetables. MM GOOD!! OT asked her, do you want to work in the gym or take a shower? She said take a shower. I said, the only reason she wants a shower is so she doesn't have to go down to the gym and work. OT asked her, is that true? "She grinned really BIG and said yes". The therapist said, you are ornery. Since she wanted a shower they went to the gym and worked on strengthening her right arm. We ask that you continue to pray for Melinda and Jon and we appreciate all the prayers, love, support we have received. God Bless you.

"Melinda wants to thank everyone for all the prayers, visits and cards she has received. She really appreciates it."

July 24

Melinda is working very hard and very exhausted by the end of the day. She is ready to get in bed to relax and sleep. Melinda's tube feedings and medicine is still put through the peg tube that is in her stomach. The tube feedings had been a 24 hr. continuous feed. They started her on a bolus feeding and she will get 1 can of feeding 3 times a day and then a continuous feed from 8:00 pm - 4:00 am. They want her to get used to feeling hungry. OT said she is dressing herself better but it's a struggle for her to dress with one hand. OT is having Melinda wear a splint on her right hand to keep her fingers straight. They will continue to modify the splint to keep the muscles stretched out to reduce the pain. PT got Melinda cinched up with the harness and walking on the treadmill. She walked 30 seconds longer than yesterday. Yea!! ST brought Melinda some more Dr. Pepper, applesauce and ice cream. She really enjoyed it. ST threw away the ice cream because it was melting and to thin.. Melinda was not happy. I told her she was lucky to get ice cream and she said... if you get it out of the trash we both can eat it. I laughed so hard! Melinda's voice is getting stronger and she has been busy talking to her friends and family on the phone. It's amazing hearing her voice!! Melinda is working hard and I am so proud of her. All the therapist said she is the best patient because she gives 150% and never gives up. Melinda needs your continued prayers. Thank you for all your support and prayers. God Bless you!

July 23

Melinda had another good day. Melinda's back is getting stronger and she is able to sit up straighter and not fall over. Melinda had a good session with PT this morning. It is difficult for Melinda to walk even with the help of 2 therapists because she is very weak and this causes her extreme pain. PT decided to use the treadmill so she could walk. They used a harness that is above the treadmill and then they raised her body up to where she could stand on both legs. Melinda was able to walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes. Yea!! The good news is she was lifting and stepping with her right leg 50% of the time. This is the leg that wouldn't move at all. ST gave Melinda thickened Dr. Pepper and applesauce and she loved it. Her voice is getting stronger and this morning she said she wanted out of here. I asked, where do you want to go? I want to go to the mall. I said keep working hard and we will and she said yes. OT stretched her right arm and fingers and this is very painful because all her muscles and tendons are tight and this feels like a pulled hamstring. Melinda is working very hard and getting stronger and GOD is answering our prayers and we are so thankful!!

July 22

Melinda was given oxygen during the night and she was alert and had a really good day today. During the OT and PT sessions there are always two (2) therapists helping transfer Melinda to her wheelchair or back to her bed. Melinda told PT that she did not do very well today but all the therapist said Melinda is doing well and it is all in baby steps. She is working 6-7 hours a day and is very exhausted. ST gave Melinda thickened lemon water and applesauce but she didn't like it and made horrible faces. She did like the thickened Dr. pepper and was only given 8-10 spoon fulls. For now they will thicken her drinks with a powdered corn starch so she won't aspirate. We don't want any setbacks since the trachea was just removed. All evening Melinda said she was hungry and wants to eat and drink water. It breaks my heart that I have to tell her no and she asks why. I explain to her that soon she will eat and drink when she gets stronger and then a few minutes later she will ask again and then again. Melinda's voice is getting stronger and most of the time we can understand what she is saying and sometimes she is talking and seems a little confused. The pulmonary doctor said the hole in her throat looks good and will take 2 weeks to completely close up. The doctor said Melinda's knee showed no breaks. The x-ray doesn't show if she has any torn ligaments. Melinda is having a lot of pain all over her body and is very uncomfortable. She is very weak and it will take a long time to gain back her strength. Melinda is doing so well and it is amazing how strong she is. She is staying positive with all the uplifting encouragement's from the doctors and therapist. We are thankful for all the prayers and support. Please continue to pray for Melinda.

"Melinda said she is happy that her family and friends are coming to visit her and all the cards and letters she has received." She is also enjoying talking to her big sister on the telephone.