Sunday, February 29th, 2004 ~ Tracy's B'day Party! We are very excited about Tracy's birthday party this afternoon! Please feel free to stop by our condo and join the festivities. The party will be held from 4pm until 9pm and we are really looking forward to seeing everyone! You can learn more about Tracy's birthday party under the "News" section. We are enjoying a nice break from therapy this weekend. Friday, we relaxed at home with Mamaw and Papaw. Friday evening, Cousins Guy, Chip and Eileen, and Aunt Diane came over for dinner. Tracy really enjoyed seeing them, however, she was in the middle of a much-needed massage with Lisa, our new massage therapist. Dad arrived Friday night. Saturday, we enjoyed Mamaw and Papaw's company. Dad, Mamaw and Papaw took Trace for a ride around Palm Beach to see the pretty sights. Aunt Diane and Nana came over for dinner and to spend the evening with us while Mom and Dad went to the Diabetes Research Institute Ball with the Rand's. A big thank you to Cousin Virginia and Family for the gorgeous flower arrangement and balloons! Tracy also received a gorgeous flower arrangement from her dear friend Lisa. Thanks Lisa, the flower "cake" is beautiful! Tracy received many beautiful gifts and loves everything! Thank you all for your thoughtfulness! Tracy does not have therapy again until Tuesday. Tracy is featured in an article in this week's Stars and Stripes Europe, a military paper. You can read the article at the following weblink: Tracy's Article. The article states that Tracy's b'day is on Sunday, however, it is actually today and her party is on Sunday. We are extremely excited about Tracy's Birthday party on Sunday. We are so excited to see everyone!

Friday, February 27th, 2004 ~ Tracy had a nice birthday yesterday. She had therapy at the RCCA and Mamaw and Papaw came directly there from the airport. Tracy did really well and was really happy to see Mamaw and Papaw. During OT, Donna used warm, moist heating pads to really relax Tracy's muscles. She put them on her arms, shoulders, and legs. She also used Fluidotherapy on Tracy's right hand again. Donna really stretched Tracy's right arm while Tracy sat on the therapy mat with her legs dangling off the mat. This position allowed Trace to really stretch her hips and legs. Emily, Tracy's speech therapist, showed Mom some oral exercises while Donna was still working on Tracy's arm. Afterwards, we took Tracy to Emily's office. There Emily put some music on for Tracy and really worked with her mouth. Tracy was a little sleepy after all that stretching with Donna. During PT, Rose got Tracy on the therapy mat and really stretched her feet and legs. Rose was really happy with Tracy's flexibility and towards the end of the session we got Tracy prone. While Trace was prone, Rose really stretched Tracy's right hip and knee. After therapy, Aunt Diane and Nana came over to celebrate Tracy's b'day with us. We ordered pizza and enjoyed the King Cake that Mamaw and Papaw brought. Tracy received a gorgeous flower arrangement from her dear friend Lisa. Thanks Lisa, the flower "cake" is beautiful! Tracy received many beautiful gifts and loves everything! Tracy does not have therapy again until Tuesday. We are going to relax today and enjoy Mamaw and Papaw's company. Dad comes home tonight and we can't wait to see him! Tracy is featured in an article in this week's Stars and Stripes Europe, a military paper. You can read the article at the following weblink: Tracy's Article. The article states that Tracy's b'day is on Sunday, however, it is actually today and her party is on Sunday. We are extremely excited about Tracy's Birthday party on Sunday. We are so excited to see everyone!

Thursday, February 26th, 2004 ~ Tracy's 22nd B'day! Happy Birthday Tracy! Tracy is 22 today! Mom and Wilemen showered Trace on the balcony and we are taking Tracy to therapy at the RCCA for 12:30pm. Mamaw and Papaw arrive this morning and are meeting us at the RCCA to observe Tracy's therapy. Tracy slept well last night. Mom and I took Trace to therapy yesterday at the RCCA. During OT, Donna used heating pads to really relax the muscles in Tracy's arms. She stretched Tracy's arms, shoulders and hands as well. Donna also used a technique called Fluidotherapy. She put Tracy's right arm in a machine that mixed around a sawdust type material while heating it up. It feels very good and extremely relaxed Trace. During Speech, Emily did oral exercises with Trace and gave her a few sips of lemon flavored water. During PT, Rose really stretched Tracy's feet and even put them flat onto the mat. We put Tracy prone so Rose could really stretch Tracy's right hip and hamstring. Dad arrives tomorrow and we can't wait to see him! Tracy is featured in an article in this week's Stars and Stripes Europe, a military paper. You can read the article at the following weblink: Tracy's Article. The article states that Tracy's b'day is on Sunday, however, it is actually today and her party is on Sunday. We are extremely excited about Tracy's Birthday party on Sunday. We are so excited to see everyone!

Wednesday, February 25th, 2004 ~ Tracy is featured in an article in this week's Stars and Stripes Europe, a military paper. You can read the article at the following weblink: Tracy's Article. The article states that Tracy's b'day is on Sunday, however, it is actually tomorrow and her party is on Sunday. Tracy slept well last night after a much needed massage. We are trying out different massage therapists to find one that is right for Trace. We definitely miss Emil's massages and can't wait to see him! Tracy has therapy today at the RCCA. She has OT, PT, and Speech from 1pm-4pm. Yesterday, Mom and I took Trace to OT. Donna, Tracy's OT, was very happy with Tracy's performance. Donna stretched Tracy's arms and then helped her sit up at the edge of the therapy mat. Tracy's arms were extremely relaxed and she kept them down on the mat. Tracy will be 22 on the 26th of February. We are extremely excited about Tracy's Birthday party on Sunday. Mamaw and Papaw arrive Thursday to celebrate Tracy's b'day with us. Dad comes Friday evening, Cousin Guy comes Wed and Cousine Rene' arrives Sat. We are so excited to see everyone!

Tuesday, February 24th, 2004 ~ Uncle Johnny, Nana, Aunt Diane, Mom and I took Trace to therapy on Monday. She only had Speech and PT and will have OT today. Tracy was sleepy during Speech, so her therapist did some oral massages and was able to stimulate Trace to swallow. During PT, Rose really stretched Tracy's feet while she was sitting in her chair and then we got her prone on the mat. Rose stretched Tracy's right leg really well and Trace held her head up off and on while on her tummy. After therapy we went to the Breakers for lunch and explored the resort. Tracy was pretty relaxed and it was nice to get out. Trace is still not talking, however she continues to say Mom, Mama, and Ma pretty consistently when she is distressed. Tracy had a great weekend. Sunday morning, Mom and I took Tracy for a long walk. Mom ran and I rollerbladed and pushed Trace in her jogger. Marty and Debbi came over to work with Tracy Sunday afternoon. They coached Tracy to keep her lips together and asked her to make mmmm sounds. They are hoping to work with Tracy again this evening and are really happy with her progress. They both have noticed a huge change in Trace since we arrived in Florida. Sunday night, we were lucky enough to be invited to the Catholic Charities annual dinner by the chairman. Uncle Johnny took Mom, Tracy and I to the dinner which was held at Mar-a-Lago, the Trump Estate in Palm Beach. It was absolutely amazing. The Bishop blessed Tracy and everyone wished her well. Tracy will be 22 on the 26th of February. We are extremely excited about Tracy's Birthday party on Sunday. Mamaw and Papaw arrive Thursday to celebrate Tracy's b'day with us. Dad comes Friday evening, Cousin Guy comes Wed and Cousine Rene' arrives Sat. We are so excited to see everyone!

Monday, February 23rd, 2004 ~ Tracy had a great weekend. Saturday, Mom, Tracy and I went to a salon to do some girl stuff. Tracy enjoyed the outing. We relaxed the rest of the day in the sun. Aunt Diane came over and had dinner with us. Then we all went to City Place to shop and walk around. We wandered around Barnes and Noble and got some Starbucks. Tracy enjoyed the atmosphere and it was nice to get her out and about. Sunday morning, Mom and I took Tracy for a long walk. Mom ran and I rollerbladed and pushed Trace in her jogger. Marty and Debbi came over to work with Tracy Sunday afternoon. They coached Tracy to keep her lips together and asked her to make mmmm sounds. They are hoping to work with Tracy again on Monday and are really happy with her progress. They both have noticed a huge change in Trace since we arrived in Florida. Mom and I also showered Trace this evening before our big outing. We were lucky enough to be invited to the Catholic Charities annual dinner by the chairman. Uncle Johnny took Mom, Tracy and I to the dinner which was held at Mar-a-Lago, the Trump Estate in Palm Beach. It was absolutely amazing. The Bishop blessed Tracy and everyone wished her well. Tracy has therapy today at the Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adults (RCCA) from 12pm-3pm. We are extremely excited about Tracy's Birthday party on Sunday. Mamaw and Papaw arrive Thursday to celebrate Tracy's b'day with us. Tracy will be 22 on the 26th of February.

Friday, February 20th, 2004 ~ Tracy had a doctor's appointment this morning at the RCCA. She had a consultation with the medical director of RCCA. Uncle Johnny went with us and so did Wilmene, our nursing aide. After the appointment we went to lunch at Testa's and sat outside. Tracy enjoyed the fresh air and has been resting this afternoon. Tracy had therapy yesterday at the RCCA and Uncle Johnny went with us. She did really well! Donna, Tracy's OT, helped Trace sit up at the edge of the therapy mat and really stretched her arms. She coached Tracy to relax her arms down onto the mat and to keep her head up. During speech, Emily gave Trace a facial massage and did some oral exercises with her. Trace was too sleepy to have anything to eat. During PT, Rose put Tracy on her tummy in order to really stretch her right knee and hip which is really tight. She really stretched Tracy's feet and legs and is happy with Tracy's determination. Tracy has therapy again on Monday.

Thursday, February 19th, 2004 ~ Tracy had therapy yesterday at the RCCA. She did a great job and seems to really get along with her therapists well. Trace had OT first and Donna really stretched Tracy's arms, hands and shoulders. She even stretched Tracy's arms over her head. During speech, Emily stimulated Tracy's mouth by warming her up with oral exercises and massages. She then used a lollypop to stimulate Tracy's saliva and swallow reflex. Emily also gave Tracy some blue icing to see if she could taste it. During PT, Rose really stretched Tracy's legs, feet, and knees. She also rolled Trace onto her side to really stretch her hips. Nana, Uncle Johnny, and Cousin Judy joined us at therapy. Cousin Judy brought us some great bath and lotion products from Origins and gave Tracy an adorable outfit from the Gap. Thanks Judy! Dad left last night and arrived safely in DC. He will be back in Florida next Friday. Aunt Diane, Nana, and Judy joined us for dinner last night. Thanks Judy for bringing us such wonderful food! It's so wonderful to be surrounded by family! Tracy has therapy again today at RCCA and is going to have a massage tonight.

Wednesday, February 18th, 2004 ~ Tracy had a busy day yesterday and she slept well last night. We took Tracy for a long walk yesterday afternoon. I rollerbladed and pushed Trace in her jogger while Mom ran. She really enjoyed it. We took Trace to Miami for her appointment with Dr. Ned. Allison and Debbi Rand met us there and stayed for Tracy's entire appointment. Dr. Ned talked to us and examined Trace. He was very knowledgeable and talked to us for over 2 hours. Today, Tracy has therapy at the RCCA. Cousin Judy, Nana, and Uncle Johnny are joining us for therapy and dinner this evening. Dad leaves tonight to go back to DC and will be back in about ten days. It's so wonderful to be surrounded by family!

Tuesday, February 17th, 2004 ~ Tracy slept well last night and today we are bringing her to Miami for an appointment with a neurologist. Debbi Rand and Marty are meeting us in Miami to speak to the neurologist as well. Hopefully Tracy's good friend Allison Rand will meet up with us afterwards. Yesterday, Tracy had a busy day of therapy at the RCCA. She had OT first with Donna and put warm compresses on her arms and shoulders. Donna then stretched her arms and really worked Tracy's muscles. During Speech, Marty, our dear friend and Tracy's personal speech therapist, spoke with Emily, Tracy's speech therapist at RCCA. Emily also shared with us a plan of action and worked with Tracy's mouth. She used a cherry lollypop and put it in and out of Tracy's mouth. During PT, Rose and Dad put Tracy on a therapy mat. Rose then stretched Tracy's feet really well. She feels that we should look into serial casting Tracy's feet again so she can start weight bearing. We were very happy to hear this. Rose also stretched Tracy's right knee and sat Tracy up on the edge of the therapy mat. Emily, Tracy's speech therapist, observed Tracy's PT session in order to hear what sort of sounds Trace makes. Tracy has therapy again on Wednesday and Nana and Cousin Judy are planning on joining us. Last night, Cousins Chip and Eileen, Nana, Uncle Johnny, and Aunt Diane came over for dinner. We had a very nice time and ate dinner out on the balcony. Tracy really enjoyed their company. It's so wonderful to be surrounded by family!

Monday, February 16th, 2004 ~ Happy B'day Debbi! We had a very busy day yesterday. We drove to Pahokee, Florida to attend Mass at noon. Mom, Dad, Trace, Nana, and I went to Mass at Uncle Johnny's Parish. It was his Spanish service and all of his parishioners prayed over Tracy. The Mass was extremely moving. The choir wrote a song for Tracy and sang it during a prayer session. Everyone said prayers for Tracy in both Spanish and English and Uncle Johnny explained to everyone what happened to Trace. We are so thankful for the prayers of the people of Pahokee. They have been praying for Tracy daily and were very excited to meet her. After Mass, two ladies from Uncle Johnny's parish made us a traditional Mexican meal. Everything was so delicious! The choir gave Tracy a teddy bear and some beautiful flowers as well. After our experience in Pahokee, we went over the Rand's house for dinner. Tracy stayed awake all day long! She normally sleeps until about 1pm, however, we think that laying in the sun and being in warm Florida has given her more energy! As Dad says, she's our solar powered girl. :) We had a wonderful time at the Rand's house. Marty and Debbi (our dear friends and speech therapists) worked with Tracy on and off through the night. She continues to follow commands and even puckered her lips for Marty. Debbi worked with Tracy out on their patio and was very pleased with her progress. Both Debbi and Marty believe that Trace has improved since they saw her on Thursday! Tracy has therapy today at her new rehab facility in Palm Beach. She will have ST, OT, and PT from 12pm-3pm. Tonight, cousins Chip and Eileen are coming over for dinner along with Nana, Uncle Johnny and Aunt Diane. It's so wonderful to be surrounded by family!

Saturday, February 14th, 2004 ~ Happy Valentine's Day ~ Tracy slept well last night and we let her sleep in this morning. Uncle Mike left today and we miss him already! Uncle Johnny came over this morning and went for a walk with Mom and Trace. We have a "baby jogger" for Trace that is big enough for an adult. She loves it! This afternoon we are going to get Trace in the pool. Plus, Trace's friend from Key West, Alison, is stopping by. Yesterday, Mom, Dad and Uncle Mike got Tracy on a therapy mat out on the balcony. They put her on her tummy and let her soak up some rays. We also took Trace on a walk in the jogger. We went up and down S. Ocean Blvd. It's so nice out and it's great to be in the sun! Tomorrow we are going to Pahokee to Uncle Johnny's Parish for Mass. Tomorrow night, Trace will have her second speech therapy session with Debbi and Marty. They worked with Tracy Thursday night for a few hours. They will be working with Tracy a couple times a week. Tracy received some gorgeous pink roses from the Rand Family for Valentine's Day. Thanks so much for your thoughtfulness and generosity!

Thursday, February 12th, 2004 ~ We made it to Florida yesterday after a slight flight delay. Tracy was awesome! We were able to bring her on the plane in her wheelchair and transfer her to a seat in the first row. She sat up and held her head up the entire flight! Uncle Johnny met us at the airport and we are all settled at the condo. Dad and Uncle Mike arrived this morning at 5am. Our new nursing tech started today and helped Mom get Trace ready this morning. Mom, Dad, Uncle Johnny and I took Trace to her new rehab facility for an evaluation. We met Tracy's new OT, PT, and ST and are very excited to see what they have to offer. Tracy's appointment with the pediatric neurologist at the University of Miami tomorrow was canceled and will hopefully be rescheduled next week. Uncle Mike is here until Saturday and Dad leaves Wednesday. The weather is beautiful and tomorrow we hope to get Tracy in the pool! A big thanks to Liz for helping us out yesterday! Thank you so much for all of the thoughtful gifts! Monday was Tracy's last therapy session at NRH for at least six weeks. We are so grateful to all of her therapists and everyone at NRH who has supported Tracy's progress. We hope to see you all again soon!

Wednesday, February 11th, 2004 ~ We made it to Florida this afternoon after a slight flight delay. Tracy was awesome! We were able to bring her on the plane in her wheelchair and transfer her to a seat in the first row. She sat up and held her head up the entire flight! Uncle Johnny met us at the airport and we are all settled at the condo. Dad and Uncle Mike are driving from DC in our van and will arrive late this evening. Tracy has an evaluation tomorrow at her new rehab facility and a meeting with a pediatric neurologist on Friday at the University of Miami. Aunt Diane and Nana stopped by to see us this afternoon and are very pleased with Tracy's progress. A big thanks to Liz for helping us out yesterday! Thank you so much for all of the thoughtful gifts! Monday was Tracy's last therapy session at NRH for at least six weeks. We are so grateful to all of her therapists and everyone at NRH who has supported Tracy's progress. We hope to see you all again soon!

Tuesday, February 10th, 2004 ~ We leave for Florida tomorrow morning and are busy packing all day today. I will be updating the website from Florida after we are settled. Mom, Tracy and I are flying to West Palm Beach on a direct flight. It should definitely be an interesting adventure! We have yet to fly with Tracy since the long flight from Germany on the old military medi-vac plane. Uncle Mike arrived yesterday afternoon and will drive down to Florida with Dad in our van. Tracy didn't sleep well last night at all and she is resting in her chair this afternoon. Mom, Gloria, and I took Trace to therapy at NRH Monday afternoon. I videotaped Tracy's sessions and hopefully it came out this time. Tracy was very sleepy and cranky during therapy yesterday. During speech, Julie set up Tracy's "yes" and "no" program and worked with Tracy while she sat in her wheelchair. Tracy accurately answered questions with the switches even though she was fighting fatigue. During OT, Tracy had a surprise visit from Taylor the therapy dog. After Taylor's visit, Tori helped Tracy sit up on the edge of the therapy mat while resting her arms on a table. Tracy did a great job of sitting up with minimal support. While Tori stretched Tracy's shoulders and back, Mom held up objects for Trace to identify. Tracy wasn't very attentive though. During PT, Dave helped Trace sit up at the edge of the therapy mat and worked on her head and trunk control. Then Dave and Mom put Tracy on her back on a rehab ball in order to stretch her pecs, back, and arms. Dave also bounced Tracy on the ball in order to calm her down. Monday was Tracy's last therapy session at NRH for at least six weeks. We are so grateful to all of her therapists and everyone at NRH who has supported Tracy's progress. We hope to see you all again soon!

Monday, February 9th, 2004 ~ Mom and Roxanne woke Trace up early this morning. She slept well last night after her much-needed massage with Emil. Mom, Gloria, and I are taking Trace to therapy at NRH this afternoon and I'm going to attempt to video tape her session again. Yesterday, Mom and Dad took Trace to Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes and then stopped by Starbucks. Tracy had another swim therapy session Sunday afternoon at Spring Hill Recreation Center. She did such a great job and is really becoming comfortable in the water again! Mom got in the pool with Trace and Dad stayed on deck to video tape the session. Uncle Mike is coming today to visit and help us pack for Florida. He is driving down to Florida with Dad in our van.

Sunday, February 8th, 2004 ~ We are having a party to celebrate Tracy's 22nd Birthday and her amazing progress. The party will be held on February 29th (leap day) at Uncle Johnny's condo in Palm Beach, Florida. All of Tracy's friends and family are invited! So, if you are in the South Florida area, please come! Also, if you would like to come to Florida for Tracy's party there is a hotel nearby. Please check out the "news" section to learn how to RSVP and to find out more information! We leave for sunny Florida on Wednesday and cannot wait to get out of cold Washington, DC! Today, Mom and Dad took Trace to Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes and then stopped by Starbucks. Tracy had another swim therapy session this afternoon at Spring Hill Recreation Center. She did such a great job and is really becoming comfortable in the water again! Mom got in the pool with Trace and Dad stayed on deck to video tape the session. Tonight, Emil stopped by to give Trace a much-needed massage and his wife Kathryn made a delicious dinner for us. :) Thanks Kathryn! Uncle Mike is coming Monday to visit and help us pack for Florida. He is driving down to Florida with Dad in our van. Trace slept well last night and we let her sleep in this morning. Saturday, Mom and Dad let Trace sleep in and she relaxed all day. Saturday afternoon, Mom and Dad worked with Tracy on our mat at home and stretched her legs and arms. Tracy has her last day of therapy at NRH on Monday! Trace had her best therapy session yet on Friday and you can read all about it on the Updates page. Thanks Mamaw and Papaw for the Valentine's Day package!

Saturday, February 7th, 2004 ~ We are having a party to celebrate Tracy's 22nd Birthday and her amazing progress. The party will be held on February 29th (leap day) at Uncle Johnny's condo in Palm Beach, Florida. All of Tracy's friends and family are invited! So, if you are in the South Florida area, please come! Also, if you would like to come to Florida for Tracy's party there is a hotel nearby. Please check out the "news" section to learn how to RSVP and to to find out more information! We leave for sunny Florida on Wednesday and cannot wait to get out of cold Washington, DC! Uncle Mike is coming on Monday to visit and help us pack for Florida. He is driving down to Florida with Dad in our van. Trace slept well last night and we let her sleep in this morning. Yesterday, Liz, Mom, and I took Trace to therapy at NRH. It was, by far, her best therapy session yet!! Unfortunately, my video camera decided to eat the tape and I was unable to salvage the two hours I taped of Trace. She had OT first with Connie. Connie and Mom helped Trace roll to the left and sit up on the end of the mat. Trace practically sat up by herself and held her head up for the whole session. Mom and Connie decided to work on Tracy's head control and eye gaze. Mom held various objects in front of Tracy and asked her to look at them. For example, she held up lip gloss and a flashlight and asked Trace, "if you want some lip gloss, look at the lip gloss." Trace did and Mom put lip gloss on her lips. She continued to ask her questions and Trace looked at each item accurately. During PT and Speech, Dave helped Trace sit at the edge of the therapy mat while Amy set up the computer and switches. Mom held the "yes" switch/button on left side of Tracy's face and Amy held the "no" on the right side of Tracy's face. They then asked her about 15 questions. Amy asked Trace, "are you going to Florida?" And Tracy turned her head to the left, hit the button, and activated the program on the computer, which said "yes" and flashed a smiley face. Tracy answered every question accurately! It was amazing! Then, Amy set up Tracy's picture program and Tracy advanced the slides by turning her head to the left and hitting the button. She also kept her eyes on the screen and even found herself in the pictures, holding her gaze on the correct spot. :) Tracy has her last day of therapy at NRH on Monday!

Friday, February 6th, 2004 ~ We leave for sunny Florida on Wednesday and cannot wait to get out of cold Washington, DC! Mom and I woke Trace up around 830am and got her ready for therapy this afternoon. Mom, Liz, and I are going to take Trace to therapy at NRH. I'm going to videotape her therapy session since it is her second to last day at NRH, for now. We think that her new therapists in Florida will benefit from seeing her NRH sessions. Yesterday morning, Mom and Dad went to the National Prayer Breakfast and sat a few tables behind President and Mrs. Bush! :) They had a nice time. Emil came over yesterday afternoon to give Trace a much-needed massage. While relaxing with Emil, we watched Under the Tuscan Sun! What a beautiful movie! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Thursday, February 5th, 2004 ~ I apologize for the late update today. Our cable connection was not working! Thank you for your patience and as always, thank you for your prayers. We leave for sunny Florida on Wednesday and cannot wait to get out of cold Washington, DC! This morning, Mom and Dad went to the National Prayer Breakfast and sat a few tables behind President and Mrs. Bush! :) They had a nice time. Roxanne and I showered Trace this morning. Tracy did not have therapy today and Emil came over this afternoon to give Trace a much-needed massage. While relaxing with Emil, we watched Under the Tuscan Sun! What a beautiful movie! Tracy is resting this evening and listening to a CD that Ashley Spoto made for her. Yesterday, Mom, Liz, and I took Trace to therapy. During OT, Connie worked on adjusting a new arm splint for Trace. Then Trace had PT with Dave. Dave helped Trace sit up on the edge of the mat and coached her to keep her head up. Trace did such a great job of holding her head up. While Dave was working with another patient, Liz got behind Trace and held her shoulders while Mom and I asked Trace to keep her head up. Tracy mirrored my movements by lifting her head up and tucking her chin. During Speech, Jan videotaped Mom doing oral exercises with Trace. Mom did lip stretches, stimulated Tracy's mouth and tongue and then fed Trace some water with lemon. Trace drank the whole container and swallowed right away! Jan is going to use the videotape to show how family members can be taught to do therapy on their on. Mom did such a great job explaining each technique! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Wednesday, February 4th, 2004 ~ We leave for sunny Florida a week from today and cannot wait to get out of cold Washington, DC! Mom and Dad drove Trace to National Naval Medical Center early this morning for a meeting with Navy neurologists. This afternoon, Mom and Liz are taking Trace to therapy at NRH. Tracy rested on and off on Tuesday. Mom worked with Tracy's eating and oral skills by feeding her some cranberry juice. Tracy drank about 4 oz of juice late yesterday afternoon. Monday, Mom, Liz, and Gloria took Trace to therapy at NRH. Trace did a great job! Tracy had OT first with Tori in the quiet therapy room. Tori helped Tracy sit on the edge of the therapy mat and had Tracy lean onto a table with her elbows. Tori supported Tracy's pelvis so Trace could sit up all by herself. During Speech, Jan went over Tracy's MBS (modified barium swallow) test with Mom and showed Mom some more mouth exercises. During PT, Dave put Trace in a prone position for about twenty minutes and stretched her feet, hips, and shoulders. Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2004 ~ Tracy slept well last night and this morning, Mom and Roxanne showered Trace. She is resting this morning and will have therapy again tomorrow. Yesterday, Mom, Liz, and Gloria took Trace to therapy at NRH. Trace did a great job! Tracy had OT first with Tori in the quiet therapy room. Tori helped Tracy sit on the edge of the therapy mat and had Tracy lean onto a table with her elbows. Tori supported Tracy's pelvis so Trace could sit up all by herself. During Speech, Jan went over Tracy's MBS (modified barium swallow) test with Mom and showed Mom some more mouth exercises. During PT, Dave put Trace in a prone position for about twenty minutes and stretched her feet, hips, and shoulders. Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Monday, February 2nd, 2004 ~ Tracy had a much needed massage last night with Emil while watching the Pats kick some butt! Emil's wife Kathryn made us dinner and brought some yummy snacks. They both enjoyed the Super Bowl with us and we had a great time! Sunday, Mom and Dad took Tracy to Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes and then they stopped by Starbucks. Sunday afternoon, Tracy had another swim therapy session at the Spring Hill Recreation Center. She did a great job! Mom and Dad were in the pool with Trace in order to help the volunteers. Tracy put her face in the water and blew bubbles twice all by herself! She has another swim therapy session next Sunday. Today, Mom, Liz, and Gloria are taking Trace to NRH for therapy and we'll let you know how that goes! Tracy has so many great friends and their support means so much to all of us. We continue to recall how far Tracy has come, however, she has a very long road ahead of her. Thank you for continuing to send your prayers, love and support our way! We appreciate everyone thinking about us during this difficult time! A big thank you to the Oakleaf Club of Greater Washington, DC and many families at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for providing us with dinner three times a week! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!