July 30th
Well, Monday is over and boy am I glad...Today were
the interviews for social security for everyone... I am glad they are over
and done with.... Also spent part of the day making doctor appointments
for Christie, so our August calendar is filling up and I am starting to
wonder just when I think I am going to work...but I am hoping it will slow
down soon...
Christie had a wonderful birthday with lots and lots of calls and cards...
We took her out to lunch on Saturday of course and then had Mexican food
here at home and her sister came out for the day... So it was a great 29th
birthday for her. She has been a little sad so if anyone wants to give
her a call they can e-mail me at
mebrasfield@windstream.net
to find out her schedule and a good time to call her. I know she would
appreciate that.
I have also had several send me pictures they had of Josh or Josh and
Christie and I want to thank them very much for sharing with me... I truly
love seeing them and getting a glimpse of what their lives were like when
they were traveling with the Army.... I will treasure these pictures
forever....
JOSH is doing great today... Trish from QLI e-mailed me and he gave her a
thumbs up to tell everyone HI! She said his mood was great and he was
very cooperative and involved in everything today... It is harder for me
to write about Josh when I have not actually been there to see him. It is
strange to not be able to see him everyday and we all miss our visits with
him... But I think it is hardest for Christie because she cannot see him
and he cannot talk to her... Saturday she asked me if he was looking at
her, giving her the thumbs up or smiling at her.... It is very, very hard
for them both, He keeps rubbing his head in frustration as he tries to
speak to her and nothing comes out... It breaks my heart for them both and
yet I know there is still more than enough time for another miracle so I
continue to pray for both of them my daughter and my son.....
Well, that's about it for tonight... Once again we thank everyone for all
the thoughts and prayers... Thank you for taking this journey of miracles
with us.... Please, if you have not already done so take time to sign the
guest book. I read them to Christie every night when we have new ones...
We also check the locations to see where all the visitors are from and she
cannot believe how many people stop by and pray for our family...
Mary E Brasfield
July 28th
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
CHRISTIE!!!
Today is Christie's 29th Birthday.... Hard to
imagine that just a few months ago I wondered if we would be able to
celebrate it... We went to see Josh today and then took her out to
lunch.. Had a wonderful day and so many people have sent cards or called
so it has cheered her up.
JOSH looked really good today. He has had a hair cut and his skin color
was good. He did make eye contact and interact with us some today. Still
not like when we were able to see him every day but much better than it
had been... Still so far to go and so continue to pray and thankful for
each baby step we take.
Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers...
Thank you for taking this journey with our family...
Mary E Brasfield
JULY 26TH
Good evening everyone... I am sure you have noticed
I am not as timely with my updates... Lets just say things are a little
bit rushed at our house... Getting back into the work routine is taking a
little getting used to for all of us... The children do not like getting
up earlier even though I have explained it is getting them ready for
school and they have little time with grandma. When I get home it is
supper, clean up the mess made during the day, baths, brush teeth and into
bed....
Quality Living called this evening and seems Josh has an increased urinary
output may not mean anything and then again it seemed like alot so may be
the diabetes insipidus flaring up again... They did call the Dr. he order
some lab work and a urine test results will probably be back in the
morning so we will see whats up then.... PRAY it is nothing major going
on, no major setbacks needed at this time.... He is going forward ever so
slowly a setback would take a long time to recoup from....
Not much other news from here... THANKS for you thoughts and prayers and
taking this journey with us.... MARY E BRASFIELD....
July 24th
Hello......well we are starting to get a routine
going. Must say getting up at 4:30-5:00 am is a little early for me. I
like to stay up at night and sleep in till 6:30 or 7:00 but alas if
everything is to get done.... Christie has to be at the Commission for the
Blind by 8am and I have to be at work by 8:30 so we leave at 7:15 at the
latest. So by the time I get everyone up, dressed, breakfast over, table
cleaned, beds made....anyway you get the idea.
Today the good news is from JOSH and Quality Living----- they brought an
EASY WALKER down to the house for him and were just going to try standing
up..... LO AND BEHOLD not only did he stand up he took 15 steps!!!! He did
not stand straight up and needed a little help but at this point I will
take 15 steps....that's a start..... Told them to tell him he better
practice because MOM expected to see those steps on Saturday or the next
time we were down....
Well thanks for the thoughts and prayers keep them coming.... Thanks for
taking this journey of miracles with us.... GOD BLESS YOU ALL>>> MARY E
BRASFIELD
July 21st.
I realize I
am very late writing this but was busy over the week-end getting ready for
this busy week. Christie is going to the Commission for the Blind from
8-5 daily and now I am back at work from 8:30 to 4:30. I am skipping
lunch so I can go back and get Christie and she does not have to try and
walk out to the van alone right now.
Our visit to Josh was a little upsetting, He was glued to the TV and
would not pay us any attention at all. I could not get him to make eye
contact with me nor give me a thumbs up. Despite my best efforts for the
second weekend in a row he was glued to the TV and did not care who else
was around him... So we did not work with the lightwriter at all...
Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers and thanks for taking this journey
with us....Mary E Brasfield
July 20th
Here it is, Friday, not long until Monday and we
start yet another new routine and then in just a few short weeks school
starts and another routine and then we will settle in for awhile, we
hope.... These new routines are kind of hard on the children. They tend to
get a little cranky for a few days...
Christie is a little anxious over going to the
Commission for the Blind....the main thing is going in and out of the
building. On Monday I will be with her in the morning. I may skip lunch
for a while; that way I get off at 4:30 so Don can pick me up first and I
can go in and walk out with her until she is a little more sure of
herself. I know it will make her feel better at first...(OK so mom will
feel better also...)
They called today and are going to schedule Josh for a barium swallow.
This test will make sure there is no danger of aspiration when he
swallows. He is having some difficulty using his tongue to push food from
the front of his palate to the back to swallow it. They just want to make
sure everything is okay before they allow nursing staff to feed him in the
house instead of just the therapists feeding him. He has been doing fine
otherwise. We cannot wait until tomorrow to make the trip to see him.
Christie is missing him and yet glad she is home. I
cannot imagine the confused feelings she must have at this time in her
life; wanting to be with her husband and be with her children as well.
However, as she says, she cannot help Josh as much as she needs her
children so we will just go and visit as often as we can.
Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers...
Thank you for taking this journey with us... Mary E
Brasfield
July 18th
Today was a busy day! We got the three oldest
children to the dentist and now those those appointments are out of the
way. This afternoon we took Christie to her new primary care doctor and
got referrals for the second opinion on her eyes and also for some
outpatient therapy.
We took a walk this evening and it was just so
wonderful that I cannot even begin to describe it....During our walk we
talked about how wonderful GOD has been to us and also prayed for the new
home across the street or extreme makeover to come, whichever is in GOD'S
PLAN and also for JOSH to progress.......
Josh is very restless and fell out of bed again last night so they have
taken him off some of his medicine that can cause restlessness and
hopefully that will help us out. We can not wait until Saturday when we
get to go see him. I do miss seeing him everyday and being able to better
monitor his progress.
Once again, thank you all for all the thoughts and prayers. THANK YOU for
taking this journey with us... MARY E BRASFIELD
Read all the thoughts and prayers to Christie tonight and she wanted to
THANK everyone that has signed the guest book....
July 17th
OK here goes.......some will agree and some will
disagree with what I did today but here goes. I went to Omaha and brought
Christie home. The phone conference last evening revealed that
Christie was okay physically and memory was okay, both long and short term
and the only problem she was really having was reading between the lines,
which she had before the accident. She was so homesick and wanted to be
with the children so I decided I was going to go get her.....no sense
having to deal with depression and pay big bills when they were not
needed. The only therapy they have requested as an outpatient is speech.
However the doctor. at Madonna had said she would require physical therapy
even after she was finished at Quality Living so how do you truly know
what is needed and what is just taking money....?
We do plan on getting in touch with an eye doctor
for a second opinion, which Tri-care had said we could do just in case
there is something that can be done about the blindness, and also if not
working with the commission for the blind.
She has had a great afternoon with the children; a little strange for her
since it has been a while but she has had so much fun playing with Joshua
and interacting with the other three children.
Josh was doing okay and gave me a hug. He tried talk but I could not hear
him; too much noise in the living area of the house, but I told him we
would be back on Saturday to visit. He has been playing air hockey at the
rec center and they say he does pretty good and even has a tendency to get
upset if he misses the puck... Imagine THAT! Josh getting upset over
losing a game- he can get the puck back out and hit it again though on his
own so he is doing OK with air hockey at least as a pastime.
Well guess that's it for today...no more trouble I could find to get
into....
Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers and for taking this journey with
us...
MARY E BRASFIELD
July 16th
Well here it is Monday again and only one more week
before I go back to work. I must admit that I miss my job but I am
wondering how I will ever get everything done. The kids have dentist and
doctor appointments this week and I also go to the doctor for the final
(prayerfully) evaluation on my ankle. So as usual it will be a busy
week.
Today was the assessments from Quality Living and a lot of the things were
the same as Madonna but there were some that were different.
Josh: They are going forward, maybe a little more cautiously, with
the thin liquids and pureed foods as felt there was still a danger of
aspiration. He of course still gets the tube feedings to supplement his
intake. They are not using the bi-valve cast at all. Instead they are
using the splint at night and exercises frequently during the day on the
left arm to maintain complete range of motion including the shoulder. Of
course they do the right also but if you remember the left is the one he
does not use at all. The use the Hoyer Lift in the house but use the sit
stand transfers during therapy. He has a high low bed with mats on the
floor now instead of the net bed. They do reposition him every 30 minutes
in his wheelchair to prevent any pressure hot spots from forming. They
are also looking at ways at assist him in staying positioned in his
wheelchair better for now as he tends to wiggle out of the chair. He is
still getting the vocal chord exercises and does occasionally do them on
his own for which he is encouraged to continue. He does brush his teeth
with minimum assist and also washes his face the same way. He assists
with putting on his shirt at this time but no help with his pants or socks
yet.
Christie is doing great! For the most part they felt everything was
fairly normal with the exception of the problems related to being blind
and also her cognitive thinking, as far as being able to read between the
lines as far as jokes etc. go. So overall doing very very well. THE ONLY
PROBLEM IS SHE IS VERY VERY HOMESICK>>>> she wants to come home right
now... I am not sure what the outcome will be...
Well that's all for today. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. Thanks
for taking this journey with our family.... GOD BLESS YOU.... Mary E
Brasfield
July 14th
Hello everyone....it is a hot, hot day today. We
went to Omaha to Quality Living to see Josh and Christie and must say we
had a nice visit. Stayed in the living room area mostly and then ate
lunch with Christie and took a walk. The children had room to run and
move around more than at the hospital so it was much easier for them to
visit. The staff was very kind and the kids were good. They played
games, watched TV and visited. We took some pictures and of course the
children were eager to pose. Josh was into the TV programs and in order
to get him to interact I would have to stand in between him and the TV.
They reposition him every 30 minutes to prevent any kind of skin breakdown
but he still moves his legs all the time so he really does not stay in the
same position very long anyway.
I know this does not seem like much news but there is really not a lot to
tell they were fine and everything was going good...
THANKS for all the thoughts and prayers. Thanks for taking this journey
with us...
Mary E Brasfield
July 13th
Here it is Friday again. Another week has gone by
and finally, tomorrow is Saturday and I can go see the kids.... Although
Quality Living has been very very good about calling and letting me know
how things are going it is not the same as holding their hands and giving
them hugs.... I got a phone call early this morning with wonderful news,
Christie had gotten herself ready for the day by herself with very little
assistance, they said she had a huge smile and staff was
celebrating...Josh is settling in nicely and interacting with the staff
using both thumbs up and a lite writer... I am so proud of my kids and how
very hard they are working and also thankful for all the miracles and
blessings from GOD ABOVE......I also had a call about her neuropsych
evaluation (which tests her memory). Well both her long term and short
term memory are doing great... Not nearly what you would expect from
someone who had suffered from a TBI, another miracle in our corner.... We
just keep adding them up, thanks to all the prayers everyone keeps sending
on our behalf. I can never begin to thank everyone enough for the
thoughts and prayers which have helped bring these miracles to my kids....
Also want to thank everyone for taking this journey with us, for it has
been and continues to be an incredible journey that is truly blessed by
GOD ABOVE.
GOD BLESS EVERYONE
Mary E Brasfield
July 12th
Well to give an update, even though I have not been
to Omaha, I did talk to Christie today and Quality living has called every
day to keep me informed how she and Josh are doing... Christie said it was
nice but they were still going through the testing and would start therapy
next Monday. She said she thought things were going well but she still
wants to be home before school starts August 15th...
She seems very determined to come home so we will see how things go. Josh
is doing well and I look forward to seeing him on Saturday and seeing how
well he communicates after not seeing me for a few days...
So not much other news to share today.
Thanks for the continued thoughts and prayers.
Thank you for taking this journey of miracles with us...
Mary E Brasfield
July 11th
Well here it is, day number two without visiting the
kids...it feels more like a month. But, I can tell you that I am very
encouraged because I have had several calls from Quality Living regarding
the kids. All of them to make sure they are doing things right for them.
They have a doctor appointment coming up and they wanted to make sure that
if there was anything in particular I wanted to have checked out, it was
on the list. The staff have told me about Josh and Christie being in the
living room area watching or listening to the TV together. They are very
encouraged about the fact they only tell Christie one time where something
is and she remembers it for the next time. THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
GREAT!!!!!
We plan on going up this Saturday because they are so busy during the week
and week-ends are the best time to visit...
Well I know this is really short for two days but they are getting all the
admission assessments done and settling in so not much news.
THANKS FOR ALL THE THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS
JOURNEY WITH US.
MARY E BRASFIELD
July 9, 2007..... A New Chapter Begins......
Today was another hot and humid day... The children
all went to daycare today so that we could get Josh and Christie moved to
Quality Living in Omaha.
CHRISTIE was very nervous this morning but looked so wonderful in
her own clothes instead of the sweat suit that she had been wearing.
Quality Living offered to take her down to the shuttle bus in a wheelchair
but Christie said she would rather walk. She is doing so very well at
maintaining her independence and doing everything she can for herself;
makes me so very proud. She was settling in when we left and had in fact
gone to Josh's room to visit with him for awhile.
JOSH handled the trip very well. Jill, from Quality Living, said
he was watching out the window and smiling. He also looked so very sharp
in his street clothes and I bought him some new tennis shoes. The police
department has not returned any of his belongings from the truck yet.
Josh ate some of his lunch and was doing very well.
After lunch he was tired and ready to take a nap. After we had finished
paperwork and went to their house. I went in to visit with him to tell him
that I would see him on the week-end. I explained to him they were in
Omaha and I would not be able to visit everyday anymore and I would miss
them but would be there on Saturday. I hugged him and of course I
cried; when I raised up, Josh also had tears in his eyes.
I assured him I was OK just going to miss our daily visits and he needed
to work really hard so he could come home quickly....
Quality Living was very welcoming and they will communicate with us not
only by phone but send written reports every couple of weeks. In the
reports they will explain what each of the different therapists are doing
and the results and any changes being made; any medication changes being
made, etc. So I am looking forward to having these reports to read and
see the progress being made.
Thank you for all your thoughts and continued prayers. Thank you for
taking this journey with us. Welcome to our new readers from
Quality Living and
any others that have come to share our story.... MARY E BRASFIELD
Kid's New Address:
Josh and Christie Brazier
House 2
6315 N. 70th Plaza
Omaha, Ne 68104
July 8th
What a beautiful SUNDAY!!! How nice it was for
Christie to be able to go to Church with me... Of course I must admit my
attendance has not been what it should be and I could give excuses but
there are really none good enough for not going to church on SUNDAY, so I
will not even try to explain my reasons.
BUT TODAY WAS GREAT!!!! It just brought home the
miracles that have been happening in our lives, with my children.
CHRISTIE was so beautiful and composed. She is truly an angel and
a blessing from GOD above. He guided my hand when I picked the name
"Christie Dawn", Christ like and new beginning. Of course at that time I
had no idea what her future would bring. She sang so clearly and was so
sweet as she told everyone that she had been praying for them since they
had been helping the family and praying for her and JOSH. We stopped and
got her a Taco Bell burrito on the way back so she had one meal that was
not hospital food. Then we stopped and got her a cream soda for
this afternoon.
JOSH was up in his wheelchair looking great when we got back. I
talked to him and told him I was packing his clothes for tomorrow. I
explained about moving to Omaha and that I would only be able to see them
on the week-ends since I was going back to work. There was sadness in my
voice but I was managing not to cry. The next thing I knew he had his arm
around my neck hugging me again...nope the tears were no longer hidden...I
was crying.....
I just love my kids so much and I will miss seeing them everyday. I felt
bad that I could only see them for a couple of hours a day and now it will
be once a week.... At least I can call, at least they are well enough to
continue therapy. Oh yes...I have many things to be thankful for but yet I
will miss them...
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers...Thanks for taking this journey
with us...Mary E Brasfield
I will send the new address as soon as I get it.....
July 7th
Today has been a wonderful day at our house. You
know GOD does provide for us and I have always believed wholeheartedly
in that. For example our house situation....my guardian angels were
becoming a little worried as time was becoming shorter and we had not
solved this issue. I kept telling them GOD would provide the house when
the time was right. Our priorities in getting things done were JOSH and
CHRISTIE to Quality Living in Omaha and then the house.
Thursday evening when we returned home there was a
message that both Josh and Christie would go to Quality Living on Monday.
Friday morning we received a call that a house across the street from us
was going up for sale and we were the first to know. The realtor's wife
was the lady that held Joshua the day of the accident and talked to
Christie until the ambulance arrived.
Anyway, the house is perfect. Three bedrooms, two baths upstairs and
possibly two bedrooms and one bath downstairs. GOD is working such
miracles for us.
I have faith that the fund raisers will also be
blessed since all or most of the insurance money will go to the hospitals
and doctors. Also that our current home will sell quickly and for enough
to pay it off.
GOD IS JUST SO GOOD!!!!!
CHRISTIE was in great spirits today. We visited, took a walk,
visited some more and then I was there for supper with her. After supper
we took another walk. She is very excited about church in the morning and
moving on Monday. A little nervous about the move but excited also. Also
very excited about the house and praying we get it all squared away.
JOSH was at the supper table with Christie. He does not eat the
evening meal yet, but he kept reaching for my root beer so I did get him a
glass of root beer and helped him drink it. It was so wonderful that the
therapist showed me how she wanted it done the other day so when I am
there I can work with Josh and offer him things as we are visiting. It
helps make the visits special and more meaningful. Besides, if I had not
gotten him his own glass of root beer, he was working hard on stealing
mine....
Please say an extra prayer as the fund raisers are being organized and
that the donation accounts start to see more activity to help with the new
home for all of us.
I cannot ever begin to thank everyone enough for all the thoughts and
prayers that have been sent our way. THANK YOU for taking this journey
with us. Just look at GOD'S hand at work in my children's lives and
the miracles that are happening. Please feel free to share with everyone
that you know...
Mary E Brasfield
July 6th
Well here it is Friday again; the week is over and I
have made and received so many phone calls about the insurance. Wish I
could say it has all been resolved but it has not. At least the kids are
transferring on Monday to
Quality Living in Omaha
and will both get the care they need and deserve. So this week-end I will
go down to the basement and find their clothes and other things I need to
pack for them to take along.
CHRISTIE was doing great today. She is in better spirits now that
everything is worked out and she knows they are going to Quality Living on
Monday. She will miss our daily visits but is anxious to get there and
get started on her schooling as she calls it and then get back home.
JOSH is doing fantastic..... today he held his glass with a lid on
it and used a straw to drink. He ate 1/2 of his lunch which was turkey
and dressing, pureed of course, but still 1/2 is much more than a few
bites. He is looking good also, skin color, sitting up better and all
just everything.
Well I cannot think of anything else to add today. I just feel much
better since I know the kids are going to Omaha and that hurdle is behind
me... I will post their new mailing address as soon as they are
assigned their rooms....
Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. Thanks for taking this journey
with us.
Mary E Brasfield
July 5th
Good-evening everyone. Well things are just as
confusing as ever. I get lots of phone calls from the military and Tricare...some
of them say NO and then some say we are getting close to an answer. So
how are we supposed to make any plans regarding the care of Christie? The
ones that say no think a nursing home is the answer. Being a nurse I try
to explain to them that a nursing home is not the place to rehab a patient
with a traumatic brain injury, but to no avail and at this point in time
all they keep talking about is treatment or places she can go and learn to
live with being blind. I have been all the way to the top of Tri West,
the Medical Director. I have not given up but I worry for my daughter's
care but it also makes me wonder how many others have not received the
care they deserved or needed because of this system. It breaks my heart
to think someone may have had a better life if they had received the care
they deserved.
CHRISTIE is very worried about the move to Quality Living. Of
course there has been so much hoopla over it she now knows what I so
wanted to keep from her. I did not want her to know I had to fight to get
her there. I wanted her to think it was just a transfer without any
problems. She also knows I had to get Josh's commanding officer to go
above Tri-care for him to go. She told me, "Mom, you just make sure Josh
gets the best care, please don't fight for both of us, it is just too
much. You can help me at home but please get Josh to Quality Living and
don't let them take him far away from all of us." So she is now upset and
in the middle of this mess.
JOSH is doing so great. Sips out of cups, straws and eating pureed
foods. Of course his appetite is not up to the usual Josh fashion but
give him time and then I feel sorry for whoever has to help him make up
for all this lost time, eating that is.... He really does such a good job
at grabbing your shoulder and sitting up in bed. Working on the vocal
chords is going well and we have found that if he refuses to work with you
if you plug his nose he suddenly is very interested in speech therapy....
WHAT CAN I SAY I AM SO PROUD OF MY KIDS AND THE PROGRESS THEY ARE
MAKING.
Two things could really make my life better right now. Christie going to
Quality Living and I guess knowing Tri-care changed its policy so no one
else would ever have to fight this battle again. The other is the house
situation, we need more room for everyone. There just is not enough money
to add on or actually even to buy since I just bought our home last
December. So please pray for us. These are the two biggest
problems that need to be resolved for us to move forward.
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. Thanks for taking this journey
with us.
Mary E Brasfield
JULY 4TH
HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!!!
Today there will be no visit to MADONNA.... We had a visitor in our
home... As part of her therapy Christie got to come home for an hour.
They helped her re-acquaint herself with the house. She is coming
home on Sunday to go to church with us. I cannot begin to tell you
what I felt when she got out of that car and began walking towards the
door. My darling daughter, that just two short months ago I got the
call that said she might not make it to the hospital alive; her sleeping
for two long
weeks and maybe never going to awaken again. Then as she began
to talk telling me not to expect my old Christie back. She is still
the same sweet kind Christie and here she is walking up to our door, THANK
YOU GOD!!!
One has visited home and one to go....The Therapist was amazed at how well
Christie remembered the layout of the house. She did excellent at
walking around the house and yard. I told her to tell Josh hi and
that I would see him tomorrow.
Well that's all the news for today. Thanks for all the prayers and
also taking this journey with us.....KEEP PRAYING FOR QUALITY LIVING
Mary E Brasfield
JULY 3rd.
I have not been to see the kids yet but
wanted to start this entry. It is with a very heavy heart I
type this. Tri-care refuses to send Christie to Quality Living. Our
two options with them are a nursing home or she comes home. So the
much needed rehab for TBI is not to be. They did suggest an all day
program for the blind, however she still needs rehab for the TBI before
she is ready for that. I did call the Governor of Nebraska and
someone in his office is working on it, but at this point Tricare has said
nothing I do will change their ruling. I will add more after I visit the
kids but wanted to share this bit of sad news with everyone first.
Mary E Brasfield
7-3-07
Well I did hear back from the Govenor of NE
and he gave me a name and number of a person high in the military here in
NE that deals with TRICARE issues. I called her and she thought this all
seemed unfair so went to her supervisor and they are working on it.
Also the people at FT. LEWIS may have a solution. So even though TRICARE
keeps calling and saying no way, apparently my guardian angels in other
places are not giving up on my kids....
GOD is so good to us and He keeps sending
someone in to help us at just the right time. My biggest prayer is
for my children of course but I also pray that if there are any other
military spouses out there that ever need extensive medical help, they
have someone on their side that has taken this journey with us and is
willing to go the extra miles for them.
I am telling you, I have spent 3-4 days
doing nothing but making phone calls to make this happen. TRICARE
would like to take JOSH to Minnesota and then Christie go to a nursing
home and finish her treatment with outpatient rehab. I SAY DO NOT
SPLIT THIS FAMILY UP AND CHRISTIE DOES NOT DESERVE OR NEED TO BE PLACED IN
A NURSING HOME!!!!!!
So now that I have stepped down of my band wagon that I did not know I was
going to have let me tell you about my visit.
CHRISTIE was very interested in what was going on with her going to
Quality Living. I really did not have to answer her question because
my phone kept ringing while I was in her room. Bonnie also filled her in a
little and let her know I had not given up yet. After things calmed
down Bonnie walked with Christie while I pushed Josh in his wheelchair and
we took a stroll.
JOSH was fantastic. What more can I say. He was sitting
up very straight, good skin color, maintaining excellent eye contact
although still not looking to the left with his eyes, he moves his head.
When I leaned down to give him a hug like I always do, I got the surprise
of my life, his right arm came up went around my neck and he laid his head
on my shoulder. Yes I cried and I told him how very much I loved him
and to keep on going, I was there for him as were lots and lots of other
people who have been praying since the accident. During our stroll
we saw a nurses aide that usually works on the kid's unit and she was
working somewhere else. Anyway, she visited with Christie and Josh held
out his hand and shook hands with her and then gave her a high five.
ONCE AGAIN GOD IS SOOOO GOOD TO US!!!!
THANKS FOR THE PRAYERS KEEP THEM COMING>.. THANKS FOR TAKING THIS
JOURNEY WITH US
Mary E Brasfield
JULY
2nd
It has been a Monday at my house.... You would
think that when there is a tragedy at least the insurance company would
give you a break but oh not so... I am so tired of having to beg
and plead to try to get them to let Christie go to Quality Living in Omaha
to continue her rehab that I cannot see straight. Of course I could
always give up and just let them put her in a nursing home and do
out-patient rehab and go to the commission for the blind. Of course
those who know me can guess that is not the answer. Josh can go to
Quality Living because he is enlisted in the Army and his commanding
officer can override the TRICARE rules. Well Christie is only the spouse
so not as important to rehab for them.
Not so! She has a mother who is going to fight
for both her and JOSH and they will both get the rehab they need and
deserve. This accident was not their fault and they will pay no
further price than they already have for it. I am praying for GOD to
direct my path in who to contact and where to go with this information for
as I see it, refusing to give her the kind and quality of rehab she needs
is a crime... As much so as the gentleman who ran the stop sign. She
needs the rehab to be able to come home and take care of her three
children and to stop midstream will not benefit anyone, not her the
children, and not Josh. Please pray an extra prayer for this one.
It has been a long battle already and I thought it was over only to have
it suddenly come up again.
CHRISTIE is doing great. She goes to the commission for the
blind in the afternoon and is learning a lot. Last week another girl
that lost her eyesight and a MVA taught her how to put on makeup.
She can now tell by smell the difference in her shampoo and conditioner.
She does fairly well using her cane for walking, BUT.....do not walk in
front of her though if you value your shins. She is just so ready to
go to Quality living and continue her Rehab instead of just filling in the
gaps with busy work.
JOSH is doing great. He is using the light-writer or
easy-writer. They did try another one that looks more like a
computer keyboard but he prefers the smaller one that he and I have been
using. He is now eating small amounts of yogurt and applesauce with
no aspiration at all and is even able to do regular liquids without
difficulty. He handles the glass himself and today even used a straw
for the first time. He helps with his shirt but the left arm gives
him a lot of trouble. He cannot move it. The therapist can do
complete ROM [range of motion] on it but Josh cannot move it on his own.
Physical therapy said it was almost as if he had a stroke on the left side
because it is also the left leg which gives him problems. His eyes
do not track past midline going to the left, so you have to pay close
attention to notice because he turns his head to the left to compensate
for this. Overall he is moving ahead very nicely. He is
pointing to things he wants or leaning forward to grab things he wants
with his right hand. He is just moving slowly but steadily forward
which we will take.
Thanks for all thoughts and prayers please keep them coming as I guess we
still need them to deal with the insurance company. Thanks for
taking this journey with us... Mary E Brasfield
JULY 1, 2007
Another wonderful day. Sunny and warm
yet a breeze which keeps it from being too warm outside. The
children went to a 4th of July picnic at the Holland Church with Kyla and
her family today and had a really good time.
CHRISTIE has had a very good day today. She had made two
stars out of clay and let them dry so today she painted them red, white
and blue for the 4th of July. She did a very good job. She is
doing very well at adapting to being blind and picking up very quickly on
the things she needs to learn and how to cope. She is just ready to
be able to finish up and get back home.
JOSH was also having a great day today. He reminded me, as
soon as I walked in, that he needed a shave, so we did that first thing.
He was actually helping me. I held the electric razor in place and
he was turning his face to shave. I laughed and told him he trusted
me a lot to turn me loose with a razor on his face and throat and he
smiled real big. He then pointed to his sideburns and we got them
trimmed up also and his neck area. Then we washed his face really
good and last but not least, I cleaned his mouth for him. He does not open
his mouth real well for the nursing staff but after some discussion or
rather explaining to him why he needed to open his mouth for me he did
open wide and I used the swabs and cleaned his mouth out for him.
When I was getting ready to leave he reached out and grabbed my hand and
squeezed it. I tried to get him to talk to me again but he was not
even moving his mouth today, could have been because we were shaving...
Well baby steps forward, and I am willing to wait if that is all it takes
is time and patience. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers that
are being sent our way.
Thanks for taking this journey with us.
Mary E Brasfield
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