Chip-

Here is a long overdue update.  I know that some people, maybe even you, have enjoyed reading these updates and dare i say have looked forward to them.  A true testament to all of you who are such an important and stable part of this process for us.  Knowing that people actually care means an awful lot to us...we are not alone or abandoned...we have you. 

Parts of the house are coming together.   After 18 years, we have a new set up for the configuration of the living room.  It gives Spence more room to maneuver and makes better use of wall space for furniture.  We will loose the ability to watch TV from the kitchen island and look outside at Pikes Peak from the couch, oh well.  For the first time, we have a TV in the master bedroom.  I find it easy to fall asleep to so maybe its a good thing.  Thanks to Aaron Keator, master deck builder, the entryway now has a ramp running up half of it.  Since the remainder of the entry has leftover LVP, a dresser, carpet, and a bunch of other...stuff...we all use the ramp. 

I sold my 80 gallon fish tank and moved what fish i had to a 20 gallon.  No, they are not happy but a 20 is easy to move and im sure it will multiple time before it's all said and done.  Right now it's in the pool room off the back on the house with just natural light and Dutch for company...when he sleeps there.  We also now have a dedicated office that Nicole can work out of with a door.  It's Spences old bedroom so both computers and desks will fit.  The closet is storage for some of the bulkier medical and support items, think boxes of catheters, absorbent blankets, boxes of latex gloves, baby wipes, etc.  It was the staging and support area for all of my bathroom tools and supplies which included plumbing, tiling, and drywall stuff.  My job today is to get all of it organized, into it's appropriate storage container, and back into the garage.  Why...oh yeah, im D.O.N.E with the tile work in the bathroom.  No the bathroom isn't completely finished, i still need to hang a shower rod and curtain, put in the hand held when it arrives (will require drilling through tile), a towel rack of some sort, handles on the doors, a tiny grout line level job at the edge of a fixture, adjusting the temperature control knob to include more cold water, and...im sure something else.  But the tile is in and done.  

So, the bathroom...it took 5 weeks of working every day in one form or another, 7 weeks start to now.  I endured a nasty staff infection in one of my fingers, sore knees, long days that ofter resulted in "what the hell happened to the day, it doesn't look like anything got done", multiple trips to Lowes or the Tile Store, no fingerprints left (my iPad doesn't recognize me anymore), and an awful dusty mess (im still coughing from breathing thinset dust).  The family had to endure my personality which really isn't suited to such endeavors.  After all of that, It's going to be great for Spence so looking back it was worth the effort.

It's small but there is enough room for Spence to maneuver his chair so that he can transfer to the shower seat, toilet and get to the sink.  The bathroom stays warm when the door is closed so while he cant feel the heated floor, it heats the room which is really nice.  The shower configuration is tight but perfect for him as a wall for support is never far away.  Like all things Spence, you really have to think through the details.  The shower head is an example.  I turned the neck around (put the short end in the wall) so that the head is a little lower.  That enables Spence to just barely reach it to move it or change the spray pattern.  You cant just assemble the parts, everything requires a different approach and or thought process where you have to ask "how is it going to work for him", everything.  My concern putting in all of this tile and effort was would everything work in the end.  I worried the whole time about the depth of the shower pan and would water run out into the bathroom, would the toilet leak under the tile, would the fixtures leak behind the tile and of course you don't know until the tile work is finished and all of that stuff is installed.  Well, so far...so far, i have not detected any leaks and the shower pan is more than adequate to contain and drain the water...PHEW! 

One of our neighbors , Dave Conn, is in the construction business and he took on the sink and counter for me which was a huge help.  I couldn't just get a bathroom vanity because Spence needs to get his feet under the sink.  A pedestal wouldn't work because he needs counter top space.  Basically, i had come to the conclusion that he would have to have a shelf style sink but had not gotten to the details.  Dave stepped in and had the whole thing installed, plumbed, and functional in a few days!  Again, a prayer answered and we (I) am so thankful.  

As parts of the house come together we are still living in a cluttered disaster in most other places.  The previously mentioned entry, the basement, our bedroom, the guest bedroom, (Chances room doesnt count, it's normal state is disaster), and the garage are all right out of the worst of the TV show "Hoarders".   Im so sick of it...ugh.  You cant find anything, you are tripping over everything, and it's just a daunting and humiliating mess.  I suppose over time we will be able to get back to "lived in" but that road looks long and dark right now.  

In the living room, we had to replace that old cheap saggy sectional we had for the last 13 years or so.  The new sofa and loveseat are supposed to be delivered today and that will enable us to have seating in the living room finally.  They have a recline capability so that Spence can sit in one and do a weight shift.  The loveseat has a center console that should provide a solid anchor point for his hand while transferring to and from his wheelchair.  The two chairs we are using now will move to Spences bedroom for friends to sit in.  We will have to re arrange the decorations, pictures, etc but that at this point is child play.  

Spences room is coming together and is very comfortable.  It's by far the largest and nicest setup in the house.  Since there is no built in closet, it's not technically a bedroom but it sure functions as one.  The barn doors are a stand out hit, a home run and we are so glad we opted to put those in.  We need to get the TV up on a wall, a dresser in there, the chairs moved and a new set of blinds that he can reach.  It's a compromise bedroom long on comfort and short on compromise.  The biggest addition to it is a bed for Dutch.  Of course it's never used...my sincere gratitude to my brother Andrew for that.  You see, he and his family watched Dutch for a couple of months during which time Dutch was subjected to serious amounts of "reconditioning".  I call it bad habits which included unlimited access to the house, mooching, and sleeping on beds!  Yep, Dutch has access to all of the hard floor areas of the house and most nights sleeps with Spence...on his bed.  They both love it so im adjusting.  And, our kitchen floor had never been so debris free...

Life here for Spence is still a learning process and at times emotionally a challenge.  The process of getting up and down the stairs takes time and effort.  It's no easy thing anymore.  What would have taken him 2 seconds now takes 4 minutes and two transfers for 7 steps.   Back and forth isnt an option anymore.  As i have mentioned, everything takes effort...everything.  He continues to maintain, if not increase, his upper body strength.  He went to the park with Nicole and did a pull up...in his chair.  Cant remember if we mentioned this or not but he passed his driver test and we are waiting on his new license.   Thats a big step towards independence.  He is working on changing his daily routine which includes an AM "program".  That will help ensure that he is "all clear" for the majority of the day and hopefully will alleviate the infrequent but occasional involuntary bowel movements or "invol" as we call them.  They seem to happen during things like transfers and "pop overs"; a transfer technique.  Needless to say they destroy any plans that may have been made.  Spence is still chatty Spence and loves to talk cars.  He desperately wants to get out and get his hands dirty working on them but as of yet hasn't been able to.  It's a little cold to be laying on concrete under a car.  

The Baranowski clan is arriving this week for Thanksgiving.  As many of you have heard me say numerous times, it's a fun group.  

Pictures today include Spences pull up, the bathroom, and my humiliating basement...just so you know im not full of BS when im describing the situation...not completely anyway, and him driving.  I still need to figure out how to get videos attached. 

I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and are able to find many reasons to be thankful.  I know we are, for you, Spence, and all of the twists an unexpected turns that have somehow worked out.  

Love to all of you!