Ice Storm

Fun times in Southern Iowa. We have had enough ice to last us the winter. Some people got power yesterday and some didn't get any until today. The storm hit here Monday during the night. It's nice that Dad and Mom (where Rachel lives ;-) have a generator and wood heat! Josh and I stayed with them on the farm Tuesday night instead of staying in our cold apartment.

Rachel is doing well. The ice has been a challenge, one that she has taken on with courage. Walking on all the ice has been interesting, but she has done well with it. Today was Physical Therapy, he worked her hard for the full hour.

Rachel and I spent time this afternoon, when the power came back on, doing some last minute Christmas shopping online. I noticed that Rachel is able to type with her left hand and use a couple fingers with her right hand on the keyboard. I bet typing is still very frustrating since she was very quick at it before.

Tomorrow (Friday) Rachel goes to Kansas City for another HBOT. She missed Monday and Wednesday because of the storms that moved in. So, I'm sure she is ready to have another treatment, so she can finish up her 20 sessions, sooner than later. -they say it takes about 20 times to see a real improvement.

Thanks for understanding the delay in the update.
RuthAnne

A Week Home

Good evening,

I just realized that it was Saturday, time for another update. Ryan is here for the weekend, he got in last night and will stay till Sunday evening. They both really look forward to the weekends together.

Rachel's week was good. She had her HBOT twice on Wednesday and Friday and will go 3 days next week as well. We had our first snow storm on Thursday, so she didn't make it into town for her PT session. It seems to be emotional on Rachel to be home. I know that she really enjoys being home and being in a familiar environment and surrounded by lots of people who deeply care for her. But, being home must be hard because it is a constant reminder of all the things that Rachel can't do, yet. Like walking through the kitchen, but not being able to make a meal for the family like she used to. Rachel said that it was hard to just sit there after a meal is over and not help clean up afterwards.

Rachel's right hand is still improving, she noticed yesterday that she is starting to regain control over her ring finger. Before, she couldn't move it.

Continue to pray for Rachel's spirits, we know that disposition one of the keys to health.

Thank You!
RuthAnne

HBOT

HBOT stands for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

We are excited to be able to use this therapy for Rachel. She will be going 3 days a week to have 2 treatments done each of those three days. If you 'google'. HBOT, you find neat information on how is has helped many people with several different types of problems. Here in the US, it is most commonly used for divers and burn victims. In other countries, they use it for stroke rehab and get great results. The closest place we found to do this is 2 1/2 hours away - northern Kansas City area. Anyway, today is Rachel's second day using this therapy and we are looking forward to seeing results. After her session on Monday, her breathing capacity increased and her speech became even more understandable. The experts say that it takes up to 20 treatments to see super significant changes, so give us a couple weeks and we will all be curious to the results.

Rachel's time home has been good. She gets to shower as often as she wants, choose when she wants to do therapy, and have great food to eat. Madonna's food was decent, but there is nothing that replaces food from home and smelling it cook. Rachel had her first Physical Therapy session with a PT in town, yesterday. It went well. He is really impressed with Rachel's progress in the couple months and has been following the story even before he knew he would be her Physical Therapist here at home. Rachel was proud of her bodies ability to do whatever the PT asked her to do. Her right arm was able to perform well and even was able to give some resistance with it. Yeah! She'll have 'official' PT twice a week. But Rachel is very motivated and does alot on her own at home.

I am thinking that soon Rachel will be able to update her own blog :-) and share with you all her thoughts, prayer requests and achievements.

Let's pray for quick results with this HBOT!

~RuthAnne

HOME!

Ah, the day has arrived. Rachel is home. Everyone is all smiles and enjoying having her in Iowa with us. The trip went well, an uneventful, 4 hour car ride from Lincoln to Centerville.

There were several tears from the staff at Madonna as they told Rachel goodbye. Her smile will be missed in the hallways and gym.

Wednesday, Rachel walked 250 feet without stopping and then another 100+ feet all in one session. Because her activity level has increased, the doctor said she can go off of blood thinner. She is now medication free!!!

Thursday she did her last set of therapies. Mom and I went to lunch with Rachel and 3 of her therapists. It was considered 'therapy' (or maybe just a good reason to hang out together one last time). Emily (Ryan's sister) was there Thursday and Friday to see Rachel off.

Carol -PT, Rachel, Katie -Speech, and Stacy -OT

Friday we packed up her room and were checked out by 10am. Joyous! Rachel walked out the door of Madonna. Go girl. 8 weeks ago, they asked Dad and Mom what our goals for Rachel were upon her dismissal. Dad said he wanted Rachel to be talking and walking by that time. The case worker looked at him in disbelief and kept her comments to herself. Clearly she thought our expectations were too high.

Rachel and RuthAnne -(due in 4 weeks!)

Leaving Madonna!

We got home mid-afternoon. Did some therapy, hung out as a family and Amy and Jonas (Rachel's brother and wife) brought over supper. It has been a long time since we have eaten together as a family. Ryan was able to come last night as well, he is so faithful to be with Rachel. I think they will be counting the hours each week, waiting for the weekends to come around. Rachel will get alot of good speech therapy talking on the phone to Ryan each night. ;-)

Esther-11, Emily -13, MaryAnne -5 and Rachel

Thank you for all your continued prayers! It is amazing to watch them be answered.

~RuthAnne

Going Home!

Yeah! Rachel gets to go home on Friday. She is looking forward to being home with the family and doing more 'normal' type activities as her therapy - day in and day out. She will be doing some Physical Therapy with a therapist in town. We have exercises from Occupational Therapy to do at home. Speech Therapy will be all day, every day ;-) and Recreational Therapy will be game time with the family.

Monday, Rachel made brownies in therapy and is washing the dishes in the above picture.

I called Rachel on Monday night (I came to Lincoln on Tuesday). We talked for 30 minutes and she was completely understandable. We had a great chat. Yesterday, Rachel signed her name with her right hand! Two weeks ago, she had almost no control over her right hand fingers. And she did a grip strength test today. With her right hand she only registered 1 or 2 pounds ten days ago. Today, the little tester registered 25 pounds of grip strength!!! Huge improvement. Today in PT, Rachel walked 250 feet without stopping. On Monday, they thought it would be a week or more before she could go 250 feet without stopping. Two days later, she masters the challenge. She also was able to stand up from her wheelchair with zero assistance.

We are having all the nurses and therapist sign Rachel's quilt that she got from Naomi. They all feel honored that we ask them to sign. Several of them have stopped us in the hall and are saying they are sad to see Rachel leave, that they enjoy her being around.

We will still be doing the updates when Rachel is at home. Thanks for checking in.

~RuthAnne

A Truly Happy Thanksgiving

Rachel had a good Thanksgiving. She spent the day with Ryan's family at the house we are renting. They had turkey, all the food that goes with it and a fun game of Scrabble. Anna, Ryan's sister, sent a couple pictures from the day and a note that I will include at the bottom. Ryan is with Rachel this weekend, Nancy (his mom) will be with Rachel on Monday and Mom and I will be with Rachel from Tuesday - Friday. She comes home on Friday!

This is how Rachel and Ryan do it: No handicap parking, no ramps, and riding in a BIG diesal truck (Ryan's). This was Rachel's first ride in the truck since being in the hospital. I know they both loved the challenge.

Nancy, Rachel, Ryan coming into the house were Thanksgiving was celebrated. David is behind with the wheelchair, 'just in case'.

David/Nancy Baltensperger, Rachel and Ryan, G'ma Fass, Emily and Allyn Weddle

-playing scrabble.

From Anna,

"Rachel never used the wheelchair at the house. Ryan encouraged her to just walk from the truck to the chair inside the living...and did fine! Dad just had the wheelchair behind her in case she did need it or something.

In one of the pictures you'll notice us hovered around a game - Scrabble. I caught Rachel and Ryan laughing gleefully after having racked-up a bunch of points in the word they had placed on the board. (We played in pairs) Infact, Rachel and Ryan creamed the rest of us in that game! Not fair that Ryan had the smartest person on his team!!!! (Rachel provided alot of the spelling/placement ideas on their team, as pictured of her pointing with her finger in one of the pictures.)

Even though it was a "different" thanksgiving (in that we were spending it at a random apartment in Lincoln versus at home on the farm), it was a memorable and encouraging just to know that Rachel has come a long ways and is continuing still at the same speed or perhaps faster!"

Smiles,
Anna Baltensperger

The Double Date

Ryan, Rachel, RuthAnne & Josh We had a great time Saturday night.