05-31-08 Happy Birthday Mike...

Mike is doing great. He goes to therapy two to three days per week. He is able to walk about 100 feet. He gets really tired by the end of the day but we feel that is pretty normal. He is really glad to be home. He has seen a lot of his old friends lately. They hug and their eyes water. It is really touching. Mike is glad to be alive and he didn't realize how sick he was. Brenda is back at work three days a week. Mike's therapy is at the same place as Brenda's work. He sometimes rides in with her and then goes to his mom and dad's house. He has gotten rides from others and he appreciates that. He is not ready to start driving yet. He still cannot feel his feet and doesn't feel it would be safe to drive. He has lost his reflexes and the neurologist thinks that will not return. All and all, we are really grateful to our Heavenly Father for all our blessings. We thank everyone for their good thoughts and prayers in our behalf.

05-16-08 We went to the cabin yesterday...

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shinning. Our daughter, Kimberly, our son-in-law, Challis, and their baby, Athea, and Mike and Brenda went to the cabin. Challis loaded the four-wheeler in the back of the truck and he drove the truck with Athea in her carseat with him and Kimberly drove her car and Brenda and Mike road with her. Challis unloaded the four-wheeler at the cabin and helped Mike and Brenda onto the four-wheeler and Mike drove down the hill from the garage to the cabin door. Challis then gave Mike a piggy back ride up the stairs to the cabin and put him in a chair. We spent a few hours at the cabin relaxing.

This last week there have been a lot of firsts for Mike since his illness. He has been walking a little with a front-wheeled walker some at home. He walked along the walls at the cabin with Challis standing by to catch him if he needed to. When we got ready to go home, Challis walked in front of Mike down the stairs. Mike went very slowly down the stairs under his own power and then Challis and Kim helped him back to the four-wheeler. He was really tired. Brenda got on the back of the four-wheeler and Mike drove down to Cougar Mountain Lodge, where we had lunch and then Challis loaded the four-wheeler and we all came home. It was a great day.

05-07-08 Mike came home today...

Mike came home today and we are getting settled back in. Everything went well. He has a doctor appointment tomorrow and we will see how that goes, getting into and out of his parent's car and back again. Thanks to all for your good thoughts and prayers.

05-02-08 Outing tomorrow at Texas Roadhouse...

As part of Mike's therapy, he has to go on an outing and he has chosen the Texas roadhouse as the place he wants to go. We are going tomorrow. Should be fun! He is getting more feeling in his legs and a little in his feet. We have been really blessed. Thank you for all your well wishes and prayers.

04-28-08 Mike will be discharged from Elks on...

Mike's last day at Elks will be on May 10th. He will be home probably that afternoon. He is doing better everyday at transferring from the bed to the wheelchair. He is continually getting stronger all over but he still has a long way to go. We appreciate all your prayers and good thoughts for him and Brenda.

04-24-08 Update on Mike...

Mike is doing better everyday. He is able to help with transfers quite a bit now. His upper body is getting stronger. He is using his sense of humor on all of the nurses. Pretty soon I think he will be terrorizing everyone in his wheelchair, he has started pushing it himself. We are still working at keeping him in the Elks for a while longer so that he will get the best care. We should know in the next few days if we can work that out. We appreciate every ones well wishes and prayers.

04-19-08 Mike continues to make progress...

Mike's movements in his legs are improving, however, he still does not have much feeling in them. His trunk strength is improving and he can sit on the side of the bed for a longer period of time. Transfers are still difficult. Some of the people helping are really good at it but some are not trained well enough. It can be pretty scary at times. We are still waiting to hear concerning the health insurance issues, as far as we know the insurance runs out the end of April. We don't feel like he is quite ready to come home at this time. The physical therapist at Elk's would like to keep him until the 23rd of May. It will be better if Mike is able to transfer by himself before he comes home.