Woooohoooo! 

Angie's brother Scott and I are back to harass his baby sister for the week while Doug gets in a little rest and relaxation up in Canada at their cabin. He was hoping to go walleye fishing today... it friggin' SNOWED up there yesterday!! Maybe he'll go ice fishing???

So we have ferried Angie up to her therapies in Ashland Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday this week and watched her do amazing things with every therapist. They are all so good and see so many changes and all of them remark about how hard a worker Angie is! Are we surprised...? Not! 

The improvements are all very subtle, and often only a trained eye or hand can see or feel them - the experts sure can. Alyssa and Doug sure can.  But each tiny improvement, each new muscle engagement, is a miracle and is the foundation upon which the next new muscle or nerve awakening is built.  Meantime Angie is walking with the hemi-walker you see in the photo. We gotta name that guy! She often chooses the walker vs. wheelchair knowing she needs the practice and exercise - plus it is a relief to stand up! 

Speech is still Angie's biggest challenge and the one  I pray hardest for a breakthrough. Her speech therapist really sees her brain working to make connections between all the words stored in her brain that she can think and the nerves that carry those words to her mouth. That is the damn dam that needs to break..... or have a new bridge built over and around it!  Angie can sing songs she knows easily as the music and singing part of the brain is different than the talking part so we know the speaking muscles work just fine. Reading and numbers are also still in the fog so Angie is working on them with playing cards, dice and flashcards.  Music therapy might be the ticket if we can find someone to help with that.  Meantime, those of us who are with her need to take the time to practice useful words with actions and objects as repetition is essential to dig through the brain damage to build new roads around it. 

Angie's good friend Karolyn Owen is up from Arkansas. She has arranged for another pontoon ride tomorrow that we sure hope works out. Meantime she brought special carrot cake for Angie (which she kindly shared!) and joined us for dinner yesterday. A good evening with her, Alyssa, Kyle and wildman Jace! 

Not sure when we'll be back again but we'll be back! Alyssa and Kyle are so busy that they are meeting themselves coming around the corner, so CaringBridge updates aren't easy to get to.  Maybe I can gather an occasional update from them and post for you guys to read.  We'll see... meantime your notes and comments are so appreciated. Be sure to include news of your lives as Angie likes to catch up on everybody and not just focus on herself. If you'd like yo be more private, send emails or cards with your latest gossip!!! Ha!

Cheers from here - SIL Trish and Scott, and Angie her own wonderful self!!