Skip to main content

Tuesday Update: 09/06/06

Well it has been a week of big changes for us! Yesterday was Matt’s first full day at home…alone! We had practiced different things all weekend, preparing for him to do them completely on his own. We are so glad we had the extra long weekend at home to work out some of the kinks and get ourselves better prepared for this new transition. I had to call him a few times during the day to check on him, of course, but he was doing fine. I don’t think I could have imagined him having this much independence just a few months ago. I had hoped that after coming home I’d be able to maybe work half a day in the office and then run home…but to be able to work all day and know that he is able to take care of himself, fix his own meals, get dressed and ready for the day, and maneuver the bathroom on his own…well, he far exceeded my expectations! I could see him gaining strength and mobility each weekend in Omaha, but it was hard to envision how it would carry over into our life here at home. But, he is already applying skills he worked on there and we’ve brainstormed lots of knew ways to try things. He is very happy to be able to be on his own and take care of himself…and it gives me such peace of mind to know that I can maintain my responsibilities here at work and he will be just fine at home.
We start up his therapy schedule on Thursday. He will go there in the afternoons…so after today he won’t have many full days at home anymore. He will be meeting with all his old therapists at Penn Medical so they can evaluate him to see where he’s at, and what they want to work on now. We should know better by the end of this week what his regular therapy schedule will be like. I’m sure they’ll have him working on exercises at home as well, so he won’t have quite so much free time! It will be good for him…though I know he’s thoroughly enjoying these few days of relaxation after three hard months away from home! It worked out really well for him to have a few days before starting up therapy again.
We also have a group of friends from church working on painting our house this week! They’ve been scraping and sanding and are coming right along. It will be so great to have that done and see the house looking so nice! I have big plans for some new bushes out front and am enjoying dreaming up plant ideas for next year. I’m so excited to see the changes!
And, last night, we decided to buy a different vehicle! We are trading in the Grand Am for a Pontiac Vibe. (Matt is thrilled to be getting another Pontiac!) We both had been thinking about getting something easier for him to get in and out of, and easier for me to get the wheelchair in and out of. We did some shopping and researching, and found a good deal here in Des Moines. It will be a great fit for our needs and we are excited to pick it up! There’s a lot of stuff going on right now for us, and it’s all good! I’m glad to be focusing on how great Matt is doing and how well things are going for us at home…with all the big anniversaries coming up, it feels good to keep focused on the future, and not dwelling on the past.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Carrie Anne - The Beginning of the Story

So, I’ve been trying to sort out how to start this story. It’s been difficult to articulate. Difficult to pick which details to share, and which to hold close. But it’s a story too good, too beautiful, not to share – so here goes! When Matt and I first became parents, we thought our family was complete. We envisioned raising Ethan surrounded by loving friends and family – just the two of us. Given all that we had gone through to finally become parents, we felt content with just the one child. The most adorable boy in the whole wide world. Our Ethan was the apple of our eyes – the most amazing gift. We marveled at all of his accomplishments, soaked up all his love and personality, and celebrated the joy of parenthood at every exhausting, wonderful turn. Along the way, we’ve built a strong and loving relationship with Ethan’s birthmother. We visit yearly, and stay in close contact with pictures, emails, and texts. I have attempted to describe my feelings for her many times over the
1 comment
Read more

I may as well tell you...

I had a miscarriage. I’ve debated for weeks whether or not to acknowledge it publicly. It’s such a personal thing…and this is such a public medium. But a few months have gone by and I’m no closer to feeling ok about it and truly nothing else on my mind really compares, so here I am, letting the world in on my secret. Over the past few weeks I’ve found very little comfort in the fact that only a small handful of people know about the miscarriage. It became nearly unbearable this week, during all our wonderful family Christmas celebrations. Being surrounded by so many people who love me and support me and have no idea how my heart has been broken – it’s a lonely place to be. Not that I would want them all to bombard me with pity or questions or sad looks in their eyes – I realize I can’t have it both ways. But a little acknowledgement goes a long way and I simply can’t ignore or deny the fact that something major happened in my life and impacted me, impacts me still.   It was a warm
4 comments
Read more

WE'RE ADOPTING!!

Bah! I said it…er wrote it…out loud. There it is, in black and white for the world to see. (Pause for a drink and a breath) Matt and I are in the very early stages of planning to adopt. We have had a few meetings with an adoption agency, we are gathering the necessary information, and we are making plans to get this ball officially rolling SOON. It has been a very long and winding road to get us to this point, and honestly I never thought we’d get here. Adoption isn’t what we started out hoping for. It isn’t where we thought we’d end up. But here we are – gearing up for what will surely be a life-changing experience for us with hearts full of hope and excitement. The topic of adoption has come up in the past, but we quickly dismissed it for one reason or another. Matt and I have had our fair share of insecurities about whether or not adoption would be a good option for us. Who would look at our family profile and pick us?? It was a burning question that we probably still have
5 comments
Read more