Over the last couple of weeks Ashley has successfully eaten orally each day. No doubt the prayers for eating are being answered. This is not at the expense of the walking and talking prayers you have all been offering up. Ashley is more vocal. She is taking more full steps in the gait trainer and she continues to improve on the stationary cycle.
On Thursday Ashley will finally get her official wheel chair. It has taken so long that we have joked that she would walk in and pick it up when it was ready. It will be similar to her current loaner chair. It will not be hot pink to match her new computer.
Speaking of her computer, Ashley continues to adapt well to it. Like everything else it takes consistent practice, but she already knows how it operates so she will be whipping out sentences in no time.
Ashley usually is not interested in TV, but she has been enjoying the Olympics. As a swimmer she was taking particular delight in watching Michael Phelps work his way, race by race, to a record eight gold medals in one Olympiad.
She can relate to the hard work it takes to be a competitive athlete. It is that experience, along with her faith, that is helping her maintain such an admirable attitude as she slowly regains her motor skills. We also know that she loves the affirmation she gets from those she crosses paths with and from reading comments from the blog.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
August 11th
Ashley’s computer arrived on Friday. Her speech therapist will get it set up this week and a lot of our time at home will now be focused on helping Ashley communicate through this system. It looks like a tablet PC. It has a touch screen, but Ashley will use a button with her left arm to control it.
The screen will present and ‘speak’ options to Ashley. It will scroll through options in rows. Ashley will hit her button when it gets to a row that displays an option she wants. Next it will display those options and she will click on the one she wants and it will state it. It may take a few screens to get to a specific option, but now Ashley will begin to tell us what she wants verses our doing the yes/no guessing game.
Oh did I mention that the front of this tablet PC is bright pink!?!
This weekend Ashley ‘took off’ on her pedaling. She completed as many as five full revolutions in a row without any assistance. We have to credit the Walk, Talk and Eat praying all of you are doing along with Ashley’s hard work for that significant improvement.
At mass yesterday Ashley gave a huge smile and was raised both arms in affirmation when Father John, in his homily, said we need to have faith in Christ to get us beyond our fears. The gospel reading was about Peter walking to Jesus on the water but then becoming fearful and sinking. It was a beautiful sight to see Ashley’s reaction knowing she wanted us to know that her faith is unfaltering.
As we have often said Ashley smiles much more than she frowns and laughs much more than she cries. When the rest of us are feeling overwhelmed it just takes a look at her beautiful smile to get refocused and to think, “If Ashley can keep a positive attitude how can I let myself fail to do so?”
It is as obvious as the sun rising in the east that Ashley is feeling the beneficial affects of everyone’s prayers. Please keep them coming.
The screen will present and ‘speak’ options to Ashley. It will scroll through options in rows. Ashley will hit her button when it gets to a row that displays an option she wants. Next it will display those options and she will click on the one she wants and it will state it. It may take a few screens to get to a specific option, but now Ashley will begin to tell us what she wants verses our doing the yes/no guessing game.
Oh did I mention that the front of this tablet PC is bright pink!?!
This weekend Ashley ‘took off’ on her pedaling. She completed as many as five full revolutions in a row without any assistance. We have to credit the Walk, Talk and Eat praying all of you are doing along with Ashley’s hard work for that significant improvement.
At mass yesterday Ashley gave a huge smile and was raised both arms in affirmation when Father John, in his homily, said we need to have faith in Christ to get us beyond our fears. The gospel reading was about Peter walking to Jesus on the water but then becoming fearful and sinking. It was a beautiful sight to see Ashley’s reaction knowing she wanted us to know that her faith is unfaltering.
As we have often said Ashley smiles much more than she frowns and laughs much more than she cries. When the rest of us are feeling overwhelmed it just takes a look at her beautiful smile to get refocused and to think, “If Ashley can keep a positive attitude how can I let myself fail to do so?”
It is as obvious as the sun rising in the east that Ashley is feeling the beneficial affects of everyone’s prayers. Please keep them coming.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
August 5th
We missed posting an update last week so we have some catching up to do.
We can tell that the ‘Walking, Talking and Eating’ prayers are catching on and having an affect. In the last two weeks Ashley has been more consistent in her eating exercises. Ashley continues to vocalize at an increasing rate and we are occasionally hearing new sounds. In her gait trainer (a rolling support Ashley uses to practice walking) she has initiated steps several times and has actually taken full steps without any assistance!!!
Of all the progress Ashley has made, seeing her raise a leg, move it forward and plant her foot firmly in front of her; it is breathtaking.
We are ever grateful to all of you that keep Ashley and our family in your prayers. We are seeing, first hand, the real and positive impact your prayers are having for us.
As you will see from the latest picture posted to the site Ashley went for a boat ride while visiting her grandparents. Ashley’s social calendar continues to fill with activities. Since the last update Ashley saw a musical at the Civic Theater, visited her co-workers at GlenAqua Pool, spent a weekend at the lake and has received visits from literally dozens of friends and family. We know that the increase and variety in her activities is having a positive impact on her.
We are taking advantage of the sunny summer days and getting out for walks. We know that all too soon we will be longing for being able to spend time outside. Ashley has yet to turn down an opportunity to get out and about.
We can tell that the ‘Walking, Talking and Eating’ prayers are catching on and having an affect. In the last two weeks Ashley has been more consistent in her eating exercises. Ashley continues to vocalize at an increasing rate and we are occasionally hearing new sounds. In her gait trainer (a rolling support Ashley uses to practice walking) she has initiated steps several times and has actually taken full steps without any assistance!!!
Of all the progress Ashley has made, seeing her raise a leg, move it forward and plant her foot firmly in front of her; it is breathtaking.
We are ever grateful to all of you that keep Ashley and our family in your prayers. We are seeing, first hand, the real and positive impact your prayers are having for us.
As you will see from the latest picture posted to the site Ashley went for a boat ride while visiting her grandparents. Ashley’s social calendar continues to fill with activities. Since the last update Ashley saw a musical at the Civic Theater, visited her co-workers at GlenAqua Pool, spent a weekend at the lake and has received visits from literally dozens of friends and family. We know that the increase and variety in her activities is having a positive impact on her.
We are taking advantage of the sunny summer days and getting out for walks. We know that all too soon we will be longing for being able to spend time outside. Ashley has yet to turn down an opportunity to get out and about.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.JPG)
