One day at a time. . .

I was able to spend a few weekends with my mom this past month since my last update. I love spending time with her and my dad. They are both such amazing people. Best parents a girl could ask for. I am still amazed at how sweet and kind my dad is to my mom. He has been able to take a few hours out of his busy work days to be there for her therapy sessions....both speech and physical. This has helped my mom tremendously. He encourages her, supports her, and MAKES her get out of bed even if she doesn't want to. She knows that doing her therapy is the only way to make it home someday. We are hopeful that that day will be much sooner than later!

She was able to get her throat x-rayed and have a series of swallow tests done to see if she would ever be able to eat real food again. She was pretty nervous for the trip in the van up the block to Lakeview Hospital, but my dad and I were able to be with her and she handled it all really well. She had a variety of different textures that she needed to swallow to see if she would aspirate any food into her lungs. She passed, with just a very small amount going into her lungs, with flying colors! They also figured out that if she turns her head to the left and swallows she does a lot better and avoids having to cough. We'll take any trick we can get to get her doing 'normal' things like eating again. She was told that starting to eat again would be as hard as her physical therapy is to her now. She will be using muscles that she hasn't used for almost 5 months now. Her speech therapist has been slowly introducing puddings, applesauce, and different liquids, and my mom has been doing very well with these, although she still has NO desire to eat any of them.

She is still experiencing nausea as well as some gagging problems. They're not sure what to blame for these problems, maybe the strokes that she has suffered from. We are hoping to figure it all out so we can eliminate these things so she can focus entirely on rehab and getting better. She has been such a fighter when it comes to physical therapy. She has walked (with assistance from her therapists and walker) around the entire facility where she's at with only one break, stood from a sitting position in her wheelchair to her walker all by HERSELF, and many other huge things for her. My mom's sister, Patti, was able to visit from North Carolina and join with us in a family game of Wii bowling during one of her therapy sessions. We had a great time, and even got a few laughs out of my mom. Those moments are so awesome to see!!

Her incision from the operation on her abdomen has almost entirely closed up. It's been pretty amazing to see heal. The doctors and nurses at LDS hospital told us to plan on 6 months or more for it to close up. She is ONE MONTH ahead of schedule...something that we are very excited about. Her bed sores on her back have entirely healed up and only seem to hurt her when she sits for too long or has to sit on her shower chair.

My mom was able to see the blessing of her first grandson on Sunday. My sister was able to arrange the blessing to be next door at Barton Creek (where my Grandma lives). It was so nice to help my mom get ready and help wheel her over to be a part of that. She had been pretty nervous about it all morning, since it has been months and months since she has been around big groups of people. Everyone was so kind and understanding. She did great! And the blessing was wonderful. It was just one of those steps that my mom needs to get back to doing the things that will make her feel normal again.

Although this has been the hardest thing my mom, dad, and our family has ever had to go through, I have been amazed at the miracles that have taken place and the love that I know my Heavenly Father has for her and for all of us. It would be easy to be mad that all of this had to happen to my mom, and believe me I have had many feelings that have leaned this way. But I know that she is being watched over, that she is loved beyond belief, and that He is carrying her through this with the help from so many. She couldn't do it without the love and support she feels from so many of you. Thank you....a thousand times again and again!! Your prayers keep her going!