Wednesday, January 31st, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca had another good night's sleep last night. Tracy woke us up LAUGHING again this morning, this time around 7 AM. She has been really laughing hard and laughing a lot. This morning, Annette and Felicia stretched and ranged Tracy and then it was time for her bath. Tracy had her morning CPM sessions to range her hips and hamstrings. We started giving her Motrin before her therapy sessions to help with her arthritic changes in her right hip. Mom also increased Tracy's Glucosamine and Chondroitin to three times a day to help with her joint health. Around 1 PM, Tania, Mom, Luca, Felicia and Tracy piled into the van and headed west on Sample Road to NBMC for Tracy's PT and Speech Therapy at 1:30 PM and 3 PM. During Physical Therapy, Angel ranged and stretched Tracy and worked on her trunk relignment. Then it was time to get Tracy on her stomach over the ball on her knees to weight bear through her hips. Tracy really seemed to relax and enjoy being on her knees over the ball. She tolerated 20 minutes in this position, and did a good job picking up her head. This is such a good position for Tracy to strengthen her hips and lower back muscles. Next, Angel, Tania, Felicia and Mom got Tracy suited up and on the Lite Gait so that she could practice standing with assistance. Tracy was up so straight in the Lite Gait that it looked like she grew an inch! Angel and Mom put Tracy's Dynasplint on her right knee to give her some extra support while in the Lite Gait. Tracy tolerated about 8 to 10 minutes in this upright position. During Speech Therapy, Anita and Mom spent some time warming Tracy up with her switches using tactile stimuli on her left cheek. Mom rubbed a feather, comb, toothbrush, swatch of silk, etc. and Tracy responded by hitting the right switch as soon as she felt them. She responded pretty quickly to the tactile stimuli. Then it was time for Yes/No questions. Yhe goal today was for Tracy to complete twenty questions as quickly and accurately as possible. Tracy completed twenty questions with 85 percent accuracy. Anita was very pleased with Tracy's participation. Tracy has an appointment on March 13th to be evaluated by Nova Southeastern for Augmentative Assistive Communication system. The goal is to continue to practice Tracy's switch training so that she will be optimally repared for her evaluation. We'll keep you posted... This evenng, Tracy was laughing again. Mom called Nana on the phone and had her talk to Tracy. Her face totally lit up when she heard Nana's voice on the phone. She has the prettiest smile! It is so wonderful to hear her laugh. Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any "official" therapy or appointments. We plan to take her to Butterfly World for the afternoon. Mom also wants to take Tracy to the therapeutic riding center across from Butterfly World: Horses and the Handicapped. Tracy is on the waiting list there for hippotherapy. Please say a prayer that Tracy gets into the program soon. We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to redefine our health by tuning in to our body. "Health is not a numerical concept and cannot be defined using statistics. Human beings, however, tend to want to quantify well-being into easily understandable figures. We feel compelled to ascribe numbers to every aspect of wellness, from the qualities of our food to our fitness levels to the physical space we occupy. As a consequence of social pressures, we turn our attention away from health and focus instead on the most contentious of these figures-weight-checking our scales to see how we measure up to our peers and role models. Yet each of us is equipped to gauge our relative healthfulness without any equipment whatsoever. When we have achieved a state of wellness, we feel buoyant and energetic. Some of us are naturally slim, while others will always be curvy. No matter what our weight, we can use the cues we receive from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we really are. When you throw away your scale, you commit to a lifestyle that honors the innate wisdom that comes from within your body and within your mind. It is logical to examine how you feel while considering your health-a strong, fit, and well-nourished individual will seldom feel heavy, bloated, or fatigued. If you have concerns regarding your weight, remind yourself that at its proper weight, your body will feel buoyant and agile. Movement becomes a source of joy. Sitting, standing, walking, and bending are all easy to do because your joints and organs are functioning as they were meant to. When you are physically healthy, your mind will also typically occupy a place of well-being. Mental clarity and an ability to focus are two natural traits of whole-self health. Surprisingly, promoting this type of easy-to-discern wellness within yourself takes no special effort outside of satisfying your hunger with nourishing, wholesome foods and moving your body." Lesson of the Day: Redefining Health :Throw Away Your Scale!

Tuesday, January 30th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well again last night until about 4 AM at which time Tracy woke us up LAUGHING and making lots of sounds such as MMMM and AHHH and MA! She was laughing really hard and smiling until about 8 AM! Needless to say, Luca, Mom and Dad did not get much sleep last night but it was well worth the trouble to see Tracy's bee-you-ti-ful smile and to hear her laughing! This morning, Annette and Felicia stretched and ranged Tracy and then it was time for her shower. Mom, Felicia and Annette showered Tracy and got her ready for her 3:30 PM appointment at Baptist Medical Center in Miami to see Dr. Tidwell, Tracy's orthopedic surgeon. Tracy had her morning CPM sessions to range her hips and hamstrings. She does not appear to be in any pain when she is on the CPM. In fact, she relaxes and often dozes off. This morning, Cindy, the home health nurse from Med Tech Services came to see Tracy and collect a urine specimen to rule out an infection. We'll let you know how that goes...Around 2 PM, Tania, Mom, Luca and Tracy piled into the van and headed south on the turnpike for Baptist Medical Center in Miami. Dr. Tidwell reviewed Tracy's hip x-rays and then examined Tracy. He said that Tracy has some arthritic changes in her right hip which could be causing her pain, especially when her right hip is ranged and stretched. He recommended giving her Motrin before her therapy and also suggested that we return to hippotherapy/therapeutic horseback riding, adding that this would be excellent sitting and balance therapy. He also wrote a script for aquatic therapy as well. Mom plans to further explore this activity in the Broward County area. Dr. Tidwell was also very pleased with Tracy's improved range in her right hamstring. He emphasized the need to get Tracy prone and on her knees over the peanut ball. Mom will relay this information to Angel and Genevieve tomorrow at therapy. Tracy was not able to make her 4 PM Speech Therapy appointment at FAU with Kristen and Joy this afternoon due to a conflict with her orthopedic appointment. We look forward to starting her Speech Therapy sessions next Tuesday at 4 PM at FAU. We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to use our outside voice to free our inner desires. "Each of us has developed an internal filtering process that helps us choose which parts of our constant inner monologues get voiced outside of our heads. Sometimes the choice is based on what we consider to be polite or appropriate, using subtlety instead of directness to try to get our point across. Other times the choice is made based on our expectations of the other person and what we feel they should know about us, our feelings, and our needs. But our best chance of getting what we need is to communicate specifically by converting our inner voice to our outside voice. This may seem unnecessary sometimes, especially when we think the other person has the same information we ourselves are working with, but we have to remember they also have their own inner voice, evaluating what they hear in light of their own issues and needs. With so much to consider and sift through, we are truly better off if we communicate precisely. Not only does doing this minimize the chance for misinterpretation, but voicing our thoughts it is an act of creation. We convert thought and imagination to sound, releasing it from the chamber of our minds into the outside world. This carries energy and intention with it, making our thoughts, wishes, and even dreams come true. When we have the courage to speak our minds and use our voice to send the desires of our hearts from our inner world to the world outside, we take a bold step in making them happen. By removing fear of what others may think and expectation of what others should understand, we free ourselves and our thoughts from the bondage of the mental chamber and let loose our desires onto the canvas of the world. Next time we become aware that we have a choice about how to communicate, we can choose to use our outside voice and watch its creative power at work." Lesson of the Day: Freeing Our Inner Desires : Using Our Outside Voice!

Monday, January 29th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca had a good night's sleep last night. This morning, Cousins Rene' and Larry left at the crack of dawn! We sure did enjoy their visit and hope to see him again real soon. This morning, Annette and Mom stretched and ranged Tracy and then it was time for her bath. Tracy begins to cry when we range her right hip, especially in a flexed position. Dad contacted Dr. Tidwell, Tracy's orthopedic surgeon who did Tracy's surgery last October. Tracy has an appointment tomorrow at 3:30 PM for evaluation. We will bring her latest x-rays for him to review. Tracy had her morning CPM sessions to range her hips and hamstrings. She does not appear to be in any pain when she is on the CPM. In fact, she relaxes and often dozes off. Tracy had PT at 1 PM with Angel. He spent a considerable amount of time ranging and stretching Tracy. He did not push her as much on her right side because she showed signs of discomfort, mostly crying and moaning. Then it was time to sit her up for trunk alignment stretches. After her stretches, Angel, Felicia, and Tania got Tracy up on her feet with the Lite Gait. Tracy needs a lot of support while on the Lite Gait. She looked very tall and straight while weight bearing on her feet, and tolerated about ten minutes! This is so good for her and is helping to strengthen her muscles and bones. Next it was time for Speech Therapy with Anita. Tracy was very awake and responsive. Mom told Anita the funny story about Luca's swim in the pool! Anita incorporated Luca's ordeal in her Yes/No questions and Tracy answered appropriately using her switches. Anita is collecting some data on Tracy's Yes/No response time and accuracy. Tracy was very awake throughout the session and did a good job participating. She still continues to be more sensitive to tactile stimulation on her face and neck and less responsive to auditory stimuli. When we returned home, Tracy relaxed in her bed for some time while Emil seasoned the pork chops and rib eyes for grilling. Nana, Uncle Johnny and our friend Rose Marie were joining us for dinner this evenng. Dad made his famous red beans and rice and Mom made an organic baby field greens salad. Everything tasted really good. We ate in the dining room and it wasn't even a holiday! This evening, while everyone was sitting around the dining room table, Tracy had a big smile on her face and was laughing! She laughed on and off for most of the evening and well into the night! As we all know well and remember, Tracy has the prettiest smile of anyone. It was so wonderful to see her face lit up, dimples and all! Tomorrow, Tracy has an appointment with Dr. Tidwell at Baptist Hospital in Miami. We will let you know how that goes. We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to lighten our soul. "From the moment we are born, our souls may feel heavy because they are carrying the weight of all we have lived, loved, and learned in our past incarnations. It is only when we actively seek to work through our issues that we can lighten the load and our souls can evolve. Divesting ourselves of what no longer serves us, such as unwarranted fear, the inability to feel empathy, or self-limiting behaviors, are just some of the many challenges we may face in this lifetime. While some issues we face are easier to deal with because they are the final remains of residue from a past life, other issues offer greater challenges because we are meant to work through them throughout this lifetime. Often, we expect ourselves to recover quickly from difficult or painful circumstances. When we do not or cannot, we may feel emotionally inept or hopeless. The evolution of the soul, however, is an ongoing process that can take many lifetimes. It is a matter of accepting that even when we do our best there are going to be situations, people, and outcomes that we cannot control. It is also important to remember that your experiences now may be setting the groundwork for future healing-whether in this lifetime or the next one. The more you release in each time, the more you grow and the more your soul will evolve. Although it is not always possible to work through all of our issues in a single lifetime, it is important that we confront what we are called to face in this life and do the work we need to do. It is also important to remember that the most effective way to let your soul grow is to be an active participant in life. Be present in each moment and your soul will do this work for you." Lesson of the Day: Lightening The Soul : Soul Evolution!

Sunday, January 28th, 2007: Tracy woke up at around 6 AM after Dad gave her her early meds. She coughed a few times and then threw up! We are not sure what is making her nauseous, but Dad decided to resume her Prilosec as a precautionary measure to protect her stomach from ulcers. She fell back to sleep and so did Luca. This morning, Felicia trained a new nursing assistant named Joyce from Direct Nursing Agency. She is very nice and will be working with Tracy on Sundays. Dad spent some time demonstrating Tracy's range of motion exercises with Joyce. Then Felicia and Joyce showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Cousin Michelle surprised us with a visit this morning and cooked her famous frittatas for brunch for everyone. We ate outside on the patio and enjoyed the warm sunshine. It was a pretty day. Dad took cousins Rene' and Larry for a ride in the little boat so that they could see some of the pretty houses and canals in the neighborhood. Tracy rested in her bed while her CPM machine ranged and stretched her hamstrings and hips. This evening, Mom, Dad and Tracy attended the annual Catholic Charities' fund raising and awards event at Mar-a-Lago with Uncle Johnny, Nana, our friend Rose Marie, Aunt Diane, Dad and Mom. Mar-a-lago is the formerly owned Marjorie Merriweather Post estate currently owned by the Donald Trump. Tracy looked so pretty in her new outfit that she got for Christmas! Tracy even got to see the Bishop of Palm Beach, Bishop Barbarito and many other friends at the fundraising event. Also this evening, Rene', Larry and Emil grilled rib eyes on the patio and watched Catty Shack. Tomorrow, Tracy has PT and Speech Therapy at 1 and 3 PM at NBMC with Angel and Anita. We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to go for your goals to make your dreams come true! " There are times in our lives when all the signs seem to be pointing us in a particular direction. Our thoughts and dreams are echoed in the songs and stories we hear and the media we see. Maybe the message we are getting from the universe doesn’t even make sense in the “real” world, but somewhere inside, these urges feel right. Maybe you feel you are being told to move to a new city although your life where you are is just fine. Or maybe you feel the desire to pursue a new direction in your career when it never really interested you before. When we spend time getting in touch with our higher selves, our intuition sends us directives to lead us to become our best and most fulfilled selves. And when we are open and listening, the next step is to take action and go for it. Once we make the decision to pursue our inner urgings, the universe sets into motion the means for all sorts of details to fall into place. A sense of peace will come over us, because we know that any questions will no longer make us wonder if our dreams are possible, but how to make them happen. Instead of deterring us from our goal, these questions only serve to clarify our focus to move us forward. We need not throw caution to the wind to follow our dream. The positive shift in our energy affects everything around us. Like a rush of water, it goes ahead to clear debris from our path so that we can go forward. Our new attitude also attracts likeminded people. Sometimes even the most unlikely angels arrive to help us along our way with the information and support we need." Lesson of the Day: Making It Happen: Go For It!

Saturday, January 27th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well last night. This morning, Dad and Felicia bathed Tracy while Mom and Rene' went to 9:00 AM Spinning in Coral Springs. They had a great workout and a lot of fun! This morning, Dad and Felicia ranged and stretched Tracy and got her outside to enjoy the beautiful day. When Mom and Rene' returned from Spinnin, Dad, Emil and Larry were busy outside, doing some household chores. Melanie was here giving Tracy a Cranial Sacral Therapy session on the massage table outside on the patio by the pool. Luca was outside playing in the grass. It was the first time we let Luca outside on the patio and he was enjoying running around. All of a sudden, Luca saw Mom and Tracy across the patio and he made a bee line for them. Picture Luca running, fur blowing in the wind, ears flowing, when all of a sudden he takes a dive into the pool! Mom and Dad jumped in after him, realizing that Luca might not be able to swim! Luca did the puppy paddle for a few seconds, but the water was cold and he got frightened. He is OK, but Mom is looking into buying him a puppy life vest just in case! Maybe swimming lessons are in order! This afternoon, Emil, Mom and Rene' got massages by Melanie. It was just what the doctor ordered! She has such healing hands! Felicia gave Tracy a manicure. She does the best job and Tracy really enjoys her spa treatments. Later this afternoon, a friend of Uncle Johnny's named Jacamo who has several relics of Saint Padre Pio came over to meet and pray over Tracy. He and his friend Vicki gave Tracy a snippet of Padre Pio's robe for us to keep under Tracy's pillow. He has a foundation for children called CASA PER I BAMBINI. This evening, everyone went to dinner at the Lighthouse Point Yacht and Racquet Club up the street. It was a beautiful night and everyone had a good time. Even Tracy seemed to enjoy her evening out! Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any "official therapy" and will have a chance to relax before her big night out at the annual Catholic Charities fund raising and awards event at Mara Lago with Uncle Johnny, Nana, our friend Rose Marie, Aunt Diane, Dad and Mom. Mar-a-lago is the formerly owned Marjorie Merriweather Post estate currently owned by the Donald Trump. Tracy looked so pretty in her new outfit that she got for Christmas! Tracy even got to see the Bishop of Palm Beach, Bishop Barbarito and many other friends at the fundraising event.We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to use our touch in healing ourselves and others. "Touch is the first tool we turn to when confronting pain. We react similarly to a stubbed toe and a broken heart, tenderly grasping the affected area. This need to apply physical contact is part of the innate healing instinct present within each of us. We are all born with the ability to heal ourselves and to heal others. Because healing energy does not come from within but from outside our ourselves, the energy is there for anyone to use, and thus no formal training is required. When you have the intent to heal and love is your only motive, you become a conduit for healing energy. Through the simple laying on of hands, you can direct that universal healing energy in order to comfort those who are experiencing pain or distress. In performing healing energy work, it is imperative that you ground yourself both before you begin and afterward. The illnesses and issues others face can be absorbed into our energy field, and healing can exhaust our own energy reserves. Address the universe directly, stating that you wish to be a one-way channel through which healing energy flows through you and that your energy supply should not be depleted. Next, speak your intention and place your hands on the individual you are endeavoring to heal. Let your intuition guide you to the afflicted area and imagine a healing white light being drawn in through the top of your head and emanating through your hands. The energy will begin to flow once you have made a physical connection, and your touch will help awaken the body's capacity for self-healing. The afflicted areas of the body, which were initially tense or tight, will relax once imbued with enough healing energy. Not everybody is sensitive to subtle energy, so try not to feel like you aren't helping if you don't feel the flow. The work you are doing is indeed helping. Finally, thank the universe. Disconnect yourself from the person being healed by speaking your intention to sever your connection and then wash your hands." Lesson of the Day: Restorative Energy: Everyone Can Heal!

Friday, January 26th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca had a good night's sleep last night. They were both very happy to have Dad home! This morning, Annette and Felicia stretched and ranged Tracy and then it was time for her shower. Mom, Annette and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for her day! They put her on the CPM for her pretherapy stretch. Tracy's left hip is tighter than her right, so they started with that hip and hamstring. Initial reports of Tracy's bilateral hip x-rays were normal with some osteoarthritis in Tracy's right hip. Dad plans to contact Dr. Tidwell for his opinion on Monday. During Physical Therapy, Genevieve stretched and ranged Tracy's lower extremities and worked on her trunk alignment. She did not stand her today with the Lite Gait. She worked on the mat and rolled Tracy from side to side. Then she got Tracy in long sitting position to work with her trunk and head control before getting her seated on the edge of the mat. Tracy's trunk control seems to be slowly improving, but she still needs to work on her head control. Practice, practice, practice. Cousins Rene' and Larry arrived midway through therapy and Rene's was able to sit in on Tracy's Speech Therapy. She was very pleased with Tracy's participation with the switches and her progress since she last saw her over a year ago! During Speech, Tracy did a good job with the various exercises Anita has been working on with her switches and Yes, No questions, auditory, tactile and olfactory stimulation. She made some very good MMM and AAH sounds too. This afternoon, Emil arrived and everyone had ribs and salad frorm Bone Fish Macs. They have the best ribs in Lighthouse Point! It was great to visit with everyone. Tracy really enjoys having family and friends visiting. Luca likes it too. He is getting pretty spoiled; lap struck as Mamaw used to say! He loves being held and cuddled. Tomorrow, Tracy has a Cranial Sacral Therapy session at around 11:00 AM with Melanie. It has been a month since Melanie has treated Tracy and we know she is looking forward to her healing hands. We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to appreciate the beauty right in front of us! "When it comes to the things we want, there always seems to be an endless list. No matter how many times we get something off that list, we add new things to replace it. In life, this drama of wanting and getting and wanting is all part of the dance. The things we want motivate us to get up and get them. And yet, at the same time, we can torment ourselves with our wanting, especially when we want something we can't have or can't find. It is in cases like these that it might be fruitful to entertain the idea that maybe what you really want is right in front of you. Maybe you are using this desire you can't fulfill to distract you from truly engaging the blessings you already have. It may seem like that doesn't make sense, yet we do it all the time. It may be easier to see in other people than to see it in ourselves. We have all heard our friends wishing they were more this or less that, and looking at them we see clearly that they are everything they are wishing they were. We know people who have wonderful partners and yet envy you yours. We wish we could give these people a look at their situations from our perspective so that they could see that what they want really is right in front of them. It's not too far-fetched to consider that we might be victims of the same folly. It can be scary to have what we want. We get caught up in the chase and forget to enjoy the beauty right in front of us-like a child who never wants the toy she has in her hand but always the one just out of her reach. Take a moment today to consider the many things you are holding in the palm of your hand and how you might best play with them." Lesson of the Day: The Impossible Dream: Right In Front Of You!

Thursday, January 25th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca both woke up around 3:30 AM. Tracy was nauseous and threw up and Luca was very concerned! Tracy seemed to feel better once she vomited. This morning, Annette and Felicia stretched and ranged Tracy and then it was time for her bath. The small friction rubs on her right ankle and calf, and left achilles from her new multi-podus boots look much better. Tracy spent about an hour and a half on each leg on the CPM machine. She really seems to relax and rest while the machine ranges her hips and hamstrings. This afternoon, Mom, Felicia, Luca and Tania brought Tracy to North Broward Medical Center for bilateral hip x-rays. It seems that every time her hips are ranged, especially when they are in a flexed position, she begins to look uncomfortable and sometimes even cries. Dr. Williams also ordered a urine specimen to rule out a UTI. We'll keep you posted on the results. When we returned from the hospital, we got Tracy settled in her bed so she could stretch out and Tania and Mom massaged Tracy's feet, ankles and calves with lavender scented lotion. Tracy relaxed and seemed to enjoy it. Dad returned around 6 PM from his trip to Amelia Island. He was away for a week and we are really glad that he is back. Everyone missed him! Even Luca was happy to see him! Tomorrow, Tracy has PT and Speech at 1 and 3 PM at North Broward Medical Center. We are really looking forward to cousins Rene' and Larry coming tomorrow. Emil also arrives around noon tomorrow. It will be nice to have him back too! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to understand your own emotions. "Our feelings can sometimes present a very challenging aspect of our lives. We experience intense emotions without understanding precisely why and consequently find it difficult to identify the solutions that will soothe our distressed minds and hearts. Yet it is only when we are capable of naming our feelings that we can tame them by finding an appropriate resolution. We retake control of our personal power by becoming courageous enough to articulate, out loud and concisely, the essence of our emotions. Our assuming ownership of the challenges before us in this way empowers us to shift from one emotional state to another-we can let go of pain and upset because we have defined it, examined the effect it had on our lives, and then exerted our authority over it by making it our own. By naming our feelings, we claim the right to divest ourselves of them at will. As you prepare to acknowledge your feelings aloud, gently remind yourself that being specific is an important part of exercising control. Whatever the nature of your feelings, carefully define the reaction taking place within you. If you are afraid of a situation or intimidated by an individual, try not to mince words while giving voice to your anxiety. The precision with which you express yourself is indicative of your overall willingness to stare your feelings in the face without flinching. Naming and claiming cannot always work in the vacuum of the soul. There may be times in which you will find the release you desire only by admitting your feelings before others. When this is the case, your ability to outline your feelings explicitly can help you ask for the support, aid, or guidance you need without becoming mired in the feelings that led you to make such an admission in the first place." Lesson of the Day: Owning Your Emotions: Name It And Claim It!

Wednesday, January 24th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca enjoyed another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Felicia and Annette showered Tracy while Mom took Luca for his appointment with Dr. Phillips at the Acacia Animal Hospital. Luca got his second set of shots. He is now three months old and weighs three pounds! He was a good boy for Dr. Phillips, and of course, everyone in the office fell in love with him! This morning, Tracy had her CPM session on her left leg for her pretherapy warm up and range of motion. Then it was time to head to North Broward Medical Center for PT at 1 PM and Speech at 3 PM. During Physical Therapy, Genevieve spent time working on Tracy's hip and pelvis alignment on the mat. Tracy's pelvis is rotated and Gen spent the entire session stretching Tracy to realign her hips and spine. She turned her in sidelying and rolled her from side to side. Tracy still has a lot of vestibular issues and tends to spasm when she is rolled side to side. Next it was time to get Tracy sitting on the edge of the mat to practice head and trunk control. She is still not able to control her head for more than a few seconds without support. We will continue to work on strengthening her neck and trunk muscles. Since Tracy does not qualify to receive Occupational Therapy at this time, Gen worked on stretching Tracy's shoulders and arms while sitting behind her on the mat. During Speech, Tracy was much more awake today. Anita worked with Tracy's Yes/No questions while Tania monitored her responses for accuracy and response time. Next, it was time for Mom to play the various instruments for auditory stimulation. The goal is as soon as Tracy hears the sound, she hits the Yes switch. She seemed disinterested with this exercise and was slow to respond. Tracy responded much better to tactile stimulation on her left cheek; hitting the switch almost instantaneously. This evening, Tania made chicken cutlets for dinner. She is a wonderful cook! Tracy rested in her bed on her CPM machine listening to reggae music (her favorite) on the cable TV. Mom rode her Spin bike for almost an hour! Tracy has a day off from therapy tomorrow and will catch up on her CPM sessions and rest. She will have PT and Speech again on Friday at 1 PM and 3 PM at North Broward Medical Center. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...Dad returns Thursday evening from his conference in Amelia Island. We miss him so much an can't wait for him to return. Cousins Rene' and Larry and Emil arrive on Friday. We can't wait to see them! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to understand your own emotions. "Our feelings can sometimes present a very challenging aspect of our lives. We experience intense emotions without understanding precisely why and consequently find it difficult to identify the solutions that will soothe our distressed minds and hearts. Yet it is only when we are capable of naming our feelings that we can tame them by finding an appropriate resolution. We retake control of our personal power by becoming courageous enough to articulate, out loud and concisely, the essence of our emotions. Our assuming ownership of the challenges before us in this way empowers us to shift from one emotional state to another-we can let go of pain and upset because we have defined it, examined the effect it had on our lives, and then exerted our authority over it by making it our own. By naming our feelings, we claim the right to divest ourselves of them at will. As you prepare to acknowledge your feelings aloud, gently remind yourself that being specific is an important part of exercising control. Whatever the nature of your feelings, carefully define the reaction taking place within you. If you are afraid of a situation or intimidated by an individual, try not to mince words while giving voice to your anxiety. The precision with which you express yourself is indicative of your overall willingness to stare your feelings in the face without flinching. Naming and claiming cannot always work in the vacuum of the soul. There may be times in which you will find the release you desire only by admitting your feelings before others. When this is the case, your ability to outline your feelings explicitly can help you ask for the support, aid, or guidance you need without becoming mired in the feelings that led you to make such an admission in the first place." Lesson of the Day: Owning Your Emotions: Name It And Claim It!

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well again last night. This morning, Felicia and Annette bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Annette is a new nursing assistant from Direct Nursing Agency. Felicia is training her to serve as a back-up personal assistant for Tracy when needed. She is very nice and Tracy seems to like her. Today, we gave Tracy a break from her CPM sessions. It seems that her new multi-podus boots have given her several friction rubs which we will continue to monitor. Mom will contact the manufacturer to get some recommendations. Until then, we have resumed using her old multi-podus boots which are a larger size and sheep skin lined. Around 11:30 AM, Mom, Tania and Felicia got Tracy in the van and headed south on I-95 to Tracy's appointment with Dr. Rubin in Miami. He injected Tracy with 1100 units of BoTox in her upper extremities: arms, wrists, hands, and fingers. He also injected some in both sternocleidomastoids, massiters, and submaxillary glands to help with head control, secretion control and prevent teeth grinding. We lost count but Mom thinks Tracy received a total of around 48 injections! Even though Dr. Rubin uses a topical local anesthetic to numb the injection site, Tracy was still crying and complaining. Although we hate to see Tracy uncomfortable, this is a very good sign. She is such a trooper! The BoTox takes about 10 days to two weeks to see effects. BoTox peaks at about 6 weeks and the effects are known to last about 3 months. When we returned home, we let Tracy rest in her bed listening to Reggae music. She really likes Reggae and relaxed for the remainder of the evening. Later, Tania read Tracy some of Marley and Me, based on a true story which takes place in nearby Palm Beach. Tania asked Tracy several questions from the story and Tracy answered them accurately. One question: "Does Marley (a mischievious dog) eat some of the baby's Cheerios?" Tracy turned her head to the right for YES! It is a very cute book and Tracy highly recommends it! Tomorrow, Luca has an appointment with his Vet, Dr. Phillips at 10 AM. Tracy has Physical Therapy at 1 PM and Speech Therapy at 3 PM at NBMC. Dad returns Thursday evening from his conference in Amelia Island. We miss him so much an can't wait for him to return. Cousins Rene' and Larry arrive Thursday and Eml arrives on Friday. We can't wait to see them all! Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to know your energy. "Every human life is defined, to some extent, by limits. No one person is capable of fulfilling every possibility. We are all born with unique aptitudes and sensitivities, and it is these qualities that largely determine the paths we will travel in life. What invigorates, excites, and inspires one individual may exhaust or overwhelm another. When we understand what we as individuals are capable of reasonably handling, we gradually learn to accept that we have control over our wellbeing. Yet determining where our limits lie can be difficult, as it is likely we have been told time and again that the discomfort, fatigue, and stress we felt while engaging in activities outside the range of our comfort zones was all in our heads. If you have never before given thought to the notion of personal limits, creating a list of those tasks and situations that leave you feeling drained can give you insight into your own. You will know definitively that you are operating within your limits when you have the necessary energy and drive to address your personal and professional commitments. This is not to say you should not push yourself or work to extend the range of your capabilities. The wisdom you gain through dynamic self-examination will give you the tools you need to create an individual life strategy that allows you to achieve your goals without compromising yourself or your needs. The limits you honor by focusing your energy on what you can do rather than what you cannot do will not interfere with your ambitions unless you allow them to interfere. You can thrive within your limits, actively shape your circumstances, and avoid anguish by simply recognizing that certain aspects of life nourish you while others drain you, and doing your best to perceive the fine line between applying yourself diligently and overworking yourself." Lesson of the Day: Energy To Spare: Knowing Your Limits!

Monday, January 22nd, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca had a good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom, Felicia and Annette showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Annette is a new nursing assistant from Direct Nursing Agency. Felicia is training her to serve as a back-up personal assistant for Tracy when needed. She is very nice and Tracy seems to like her. After her morning CPM session on her left leg, Felicia and Tania got Tracy in her chair to head to NBMC for a 1 PM Physical Therapy and 3 PM Speech Therapy appointment. During PT, Genevieve stretched and ranged Tracy's upper and lower extremities and then it was time to sit her up in long sitting position and stretch and align Tracy's trunk. She put Tracy in front of the mirror so she could see herself while Gen worked from behind. Tracy's trunk is assymmetrical and Gen works on stretching her muscles to improve her posture and alignment. Next, Gen got Tracy positioned on the edge of the mat to stretch her shoulders and work with her head control, all in preparation for standing with the Lite Gait. Mom,.Tiffany (rehab assistant), Tania, Felicia and Gen got Tracy harnessed up and standing in the Lite Gait. Tracy tolerated 15 minutes standing with assistance! This is the longest she has been able to stand with lots of support from her therapy team. Gen was pleased with her posture while standing. Baby steps, baby steps! Tracy had about an hour break before her Speech Therapy with Anita at 3 PM. Felicia fed Tracy her lunch while she rested on the mat. Tania stretched and ranged her upper extremities while she rested. During Speech Therapy, Anita, Mom and Tania (and Luca) tried everything to wake Tracy up but she was pretty fatigued from her exhausting hour and a half PT session. Even a cool cloth didn't do much to wake her up. Tracy did make a few good MMM and AAH sounds in between snoozing. We will try again on Wednesday! This evening Tania stayed with Tracy while Mom, Uncle Johnny and Nana went to Spinning with the Rand Eye Institute. It was Uncle Johnny's second class and he seemed to enjoy it. Nana pulled up a chair and watched. It was her first time seeing Spinning in action. Mom is looking forward to the day that she can return to teaching Spinning! Soon! Tomorrow, Tracy has an appointment with her neurologist, Dr. Rubin, and the University of Miami for BoTox injections. It has been three months since her last round and she is way overdue. More on this later. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to "create a soft place to land" in our home where we feel safe and sheltered from our day-to-day stressors. " Our day-to-day demands can quickly take their toll on our well-being if we are not vigilant about caring for ourselves as best we can. One way we can ensure that we have an opportunity to relax and recuperate each day is to create a soft place to land when we arrive home. This landing pad, whether it is an entire room or merely a small corner of a larger area, can provide us with a safe and comforting refuge in which we can decompress and recover from the day's stresses. There, we are enveloped in feelings of security that transcend other issues that may be unfolding in our homes. Our landing pads also act as way stations that enable us to shift our attention away from our outer-world concerns and back to our inner-world needs. To create a soft place to land in your home, begin by scouting potential locations. Or perhaps your entire home is your landing pad in which case you may only need to declutter. Your habits can often provide you with insight into the perfect spot, as there may be an area of your home you gravitate to naturally when you are in need of comfort. Any space in which you find it easy to let go of stress and anxiety can become your landing pad. A basement or attic, spare room, or unused storage area, furnished with items that soothe you, can give you the privacy you need to unwind. If you appreciate the elements, you may find that spending time in a section of your garden or outdoor patio helps you release the day's tensions. Preparing these spaces can be as easy as replacing clutter with a small selection of beautiful objects that put you in a relaxed frame of mind. Remember to consider noise and activity levels while choosing the site of your landing pad. If you know that ordinary human commotion will distract you from your purpose, look for a secluded spot. The soft place to land that you create should inspire within you the mantra, "I can breath here. I can relax here. I know I am safe here." When you return to your home after braving worldly rigors, you will feel a subtle yet tranquil shift occur inside of you as you settle in to this most personal of retreats and feel centered once again." Lesson of the Day: Your Comfort Zone: Create A Soft Place To Land!

Sunday, January 21st, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well again last night. This morning, Felicia and Tania bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. After her morning stretches, Mom and Tania got Tracy in her chair and went for a long walk around the neighborhood. It was a beautiful day, with lots of sunshine. Tracy really enjoys being outside in the beautiful sunshine. Throughout the day, Tracy has been very emotionally expressive, both laughing and also crying. She does not appear to be in any pain, so this can only be a good sign. We see her emotional expressions as an important part of her healing (see the Daily OM below). This afternoon, Mom and Tania did their homework outside on the patio in the sunshine. Mom is working on her continuing education homestudy courses for her nursing license and Tania is taking several distant learning courses to complete her degree. Tracy and Felicia joined them for a while on the patio. This afternoon, Debbie Rand, Marty and Nenon came over to see Tracy and to work on her Speech Therapy. Tracy really likes working with Debbie and responds well to her. Debbie worked on the MMM sound with Tracy and she made several MMM sounds upon request. Debbie also helped Tracy to trace an M in some colored sand (hot pink of course) that Mom had. She also used the very large textured M for visual cues. Tracy is trying very hard to talk, however, the apraxia makes it difficult to coordinate all of the steps to vocalize a sound. We will continue to practice, practice, practice. This evening, Mom, Tania and Tracy watched the Saints get beaten by the Bears and, if that wasn't enough, the NE Patriots get beated by the Colts. Then, while Tracy was on the CPM machine stretching and ranging her right leg, they watched Desperate Housewives. We all really miss Dad and can't wait for him to return this Thursday. Cousins Rene' and Larry are coming to visit us at the end of the week from Pensacola. We are looking forward to seeing them. Emil arrives Friday for a visit too. We can't wait to see him! Tomorrow, Tracy has PT and Speech Therapy at NBMC at 1 and 3 PM. We'll keep you posted. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to encourage joyful flow in our daily lives. "Feelings vibrate, just as all things in the universe do, at a particular frequency. Negative feelings like anger, guilt, and depression vibrate at low frequencies, while positive feelings like joy, appreciation, and passion vibrate at high frequencies. These high frequency vibrations make us feel good. This is why people and places that inspire and cultivate positive feelings have what we call good vibrations. Good vibrations inspire health, happiness, and optimism. When we are tuned in to good vibrations, our bodies heal, our hearts open, and our minds shift toward the light. We see new possibilities and feel powerfully energized to follow our inner visions. At the same time, we feel relaxed and capable of manifesting these visions without giving in to stress or struggle. Good vibrations put us in a state of perfect receptivity so that we feel it is the energy flowing through us that accomplishes what needs to be done. We feel guided, supported, protected, and nourished within this joyful flow. We sometimes forget that we are allowed to feel this way all the time. Lower frequency vibrations are not bad in a moral sense, but they are bad in the sense that they simply don't feel good. Still, they have a purpose, which is to alert us to the fact that we are blocking out the higher frequency vibrations that we need to function well. They are a call for healing ourselves from within. The key to our healing lies in remembering that it is our birthright to feel good and that feeling good is the essence of our true nature. When we are receiving and sending out good vibrations, we are in the flow. When we are not, we can begin to raise our vibration by seeking out people, places, and situations that vibrate at a higher frequency. Whether we need to go on retreat or just call a friend who makes us laugh, seeking out those good vibrations and basking in them is a sacred and loving practice that returns us, time and again, to the joyful flow of the universe." Lesson of the Day: The Joyful Flow: Good Vibrations!

Saturday, January 20th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca had another great night's sleep last night. This morning, Felicia, Tania and Mom showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. After Felicia stretched and ranged Tracy, they got her in her chair for her "unofficial" therapy on the mat outside on the patio. Mom had a hair appointment in Lake Worth this afternoon. Luca went with her and everyone could not believe how cute and well behaved he is. Dad is in Amelia Island attending a Physician Executive workshop until Thursday. This afternoon, Tania and Felicia got Tracy on her tummy (prone) over the wedge on the mat outside on the patio. The goal was for Tania to stretch Tracy's hip flexors which are very tight. This is the best position to stretch her hips in an effort to relax these tight muscles which are tilting her pelvis posteriorly. Relaxing her hips will help Tracy's posture and alignment, especially when she is standing in the Lite Gait. While on her tummy, Tania massaged Tracy's neck, shoulders, back, hamstrings, and hips. Tracy tolerated 45 minutes in this position. This afternoon, Marissa, our good friend and Tracy's former masters student at FAU Communications Disorder Clinic, came by to visit us. She is going to come on Saturdays to work with Tracy on her Speech Therapy. We had a good visit and she was pleased to see Tracy using her switches. This evening, Tania made pork chops for dinner. They were really delicious! We miss Dad and can't wait for him to return this Thursday. Cousins Rene' and Larry are coming to visit us at the end of the week from Pensacola. We are looking forward to seeing them. It has been over a year since we have seen Rene'. Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any "official" therapy, however our good friends Debbie and Marty are planning on coming over to see Tracy and work with her Speech. We look forward to seeing them. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to live our journey in becoming a better person. "At some point in our lives, many of us find ourselves overcome with the desire to become better people. While we are all uniquely capable of navigating this world, we may nonetheless feel driven to grow, expand, and change. This innate need for personal expansion can lead us down many paths as we develop within the context of our individual lives. Yet the initial steps that can put us on the road to evolution are not always clear. We understand that we want to be better but have no clear definition of “better.” To ease this often frustrating uncertainty, we can take small steps, keeping our own concept of growth in mind rather than allowing others to direct the course of our journey. And we should accept that change won’t happen overnight—we may not recognize the transformations taking place within us at first. Becoming a better person in your own eyes is a whole-life project, and thus you should focus your step-by-step efforts on multiple areas of your existence. Since you likely know innately which qualities you consider good, growing as an individual is simply a matter of making an effort to do good whenever possible. Respect should be a key element of your efforts. When you acknowledge that all people are deserving of compassion, consideration, and dignity, you are naturally more apt to treat them in the manner you yourself wish to be treated. You will intuitively become a more active listener, universally helpful, and truthful. Going the extra mile in all you do can also facilitate evolution. Approaching your everyday duties with an upbeat attitude and positive expectations can help you make the world a brighter, more cheerful place. Finally, coming to terms with your values and then abiding by them will enable you to introduce a new degree of integrity and dignity into your life." Lesson of the Day: Growing Day By Day: Becoming A Better Person!

Friday, January 19th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well again last night. This morning, Felicia and Mom bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. After Felicia stretched and ranged Tracy, it was time for her CPM session on her left leg. Tracy is doing a good job tolerating all of her splinting and stretching devices. Her lower extremities' range is improving a little each day. Next week, Tracy has an appointment with Dr. Rubin to get more BoTox in her upper extremities. She is well overdue, and her wrists and fingers are tighter and resisting her splints. It takes about 10 days to two weeks to see the desired effects: relaxed fingers and wrists. This morning, Mom picked up Nana and brought her back to the house. It is so nice to have her living so close to us. She accompanied Mom, Felicia, Luca and Tracy to therapy at NBMC at 2 and 3 PM. When we arrived at NBMC, everyone had to be cleared through security and given badges before being able to proceed to the Outpatient Rehab Center on the second floor. Everyone was cleared, that is, everyone except Luca. When Mom was signing everyone in, Luca let out a loud Whoof! Picture a two pound puppy over Mom's shoulder in his "Paris Hilton" puppy hobo purse "whoofing." Mom nearly had a heart attack and everyone in line had all eyes on Mom! Mom quickly informed the guard that Luca was a pet therapy puppy in training. The guard directed Mom to the main desk where the clerk contacted the Outpatient Rehab desk. When the rehab clerk heard the story she told the main desk clerk to send Luca up! It was hilarious! Luca lead the way and everyone proceeded to the second floor for Outpatient Rehab. During PT, Angel stretched and ranged Tracy's upper and lower extremities, paying close attention to Tracy's hips. Then he got Tracy in side lying to work Tracy's hip extenders. He commented that her hips are very tight, and recommended that Mom get Tracy on her tummy (prone) over the wedge on the mat this weekend to stretch her hips. Then it was time to sit Tracy on the edge of the mat to stretch her trunk and practice head control. Before we knew it, it was time for Tracy to get suited up and hitched to the Lite Gait. Mom secured Tracy's right knee in her Dynasplint to increase her knee stability. Then up she went on to her own two feet. Tracy tolerated almost ten minutes up in the Lite Gait. Nana was so pleased with Tracy's progress and her excellent rehab team at NBMC. They are so positive, compassionate, and loving; Everyone, especially Tracy, really enjoys coming here for therapy! During Speech Therapy, Anita, Mom, Felicia, Tracy and Luca were present for Tracy's therapy session. First, Anita collected more data on Tracy's responses with her Yes/No switches. This time, Anita had Felicia keep track of every correct response Tracy made to her questions, using the switches. She was interested in tracking Tracy's accuracy to the questions. Tracy did a good job answering the questions with about 60 percent accuracy. This was the first time Anita was measuring accuracy. She will try this again in subsequent sessions. Anita, Mom and Felicia repeated some of the usual exercises, using tactile, auditory, and olfactory stimuli. The goal of these exercises is to familiarize Tracy with switch usage so that she will be ready for her Augmentative Assistive Communications evaluation on March 13th and 20th at Nova Southeastern. Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any "official" therapy, however Tania and Felicia plan to get her on the mat on the patio. This evening, Mom cooked dinner and she and Nana had a good visit. Then Nana and Tracy watched the Australian Open. Both Nana and Tracy are tennis fanatics. Tania returned safely from NOVA/DC and were we all glad to see her. We missed her so much and are very happy to have her back. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to live our journey through life as water flowing in a river. "The journey of water as it flows upon the earth can be a mirror of our own paths through life. Water begins its residence on earth as it falls from the sky or melts from ice and streams down a mountain into a tributary or stream. In the same way, we come into the world and begin our lives on earth. Like a river that flows within the confines of its banks, we are born with certain defining characteristics that govern our identity. We are born in a specific time and place, within a specific family, and with certain gifts and challenges. Within these parameters, we move through life, encountering many twists, turns, and obstacles along the way just as a river flows. Water is a great teacher that shows us how to move through the world with grace, ease, determination, and humility. When a river breaks at a waterfall, it gains energy and moves on, as we encounter our own waterfalls, we may fall hard but we always keep moving on. Water can inspire us to not become rigid with fear or cling to what's familiar. Water is brave and does not waste time clinging to its past, but flows onward without looking back. At the same time, when there is a hole to be filled, water does not run away from it in fear of the dark; instead, water humbly and bravely fills the empty space. In the same way, we can face the dark moments of our life rather than run away from them. Eventually, a river will empty into the sea. Water does not hold back from joining with a larger body, nor does it fear a loss of identity or control. It gracefully and humbly tumbles into the vastness by contributing its energy and merging without resistance. Each time we move beyond our individual egos to become part of something bigger, we can try our best to follow the lead of the river." Lesson of the Day: Fluid Like A River: Living Like Water!

Thursday, January 18th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Felicia and Mom showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Then it was time for Tracy's CPM session on her left leg. Tracy is doing a good job tolerating all of her splinting and stretching devices. Her lower extremities' range is improving a little each day. Next week, Tracy has an appointment with Dr. Rubin to get more BoTox in her upper extremities. She is well overdue, and her wrists and fingers are tighter and resisting her splints. It takes about 10 days to two weeks to see the desired effects: relaxed fingers and wrists. Tracy had Physical and Speech Therapies at NBMC at 2 and 3 PM with Angel and Anita. During Physical Therapy, Angel stretched and ranged Tracy and then positioned her in sidelying to work on trunk alignment and hip stretches. Tracy's hips are tight, especially her left hip. Then it was time to harness her up and get her in the Lite Gait machine. Angel donned the harness and Mom put Tracy's dynasplint on her right leg to help stabilize her right knee. Mom, Tiffany (therapy assistant), Felicia and Angel got Tracy hooked up to the machine and then hoisted her on her feet. Tracy did a good job weight bearing with some support from the team. She is getting a little stronger every day. Now that she has graduated from the tilt table, the plan is to get her ready for the standing frame. Please pray that Mom will need to trade in Tracy's tilt table for a standing frame in the near future. After PT, it was time for Speech Therapy with Anita. Tracy was very awake and alert during Speech. Luca sat quietly in Tracy's lap while Anita worked on Tracy's switch training. First, Mom stroked the various tactile stim items on Tracy's left cheek while Anita held the Yes switch on her right cheek. Felicia was taking notes to collect response data for Anita. Tracy responded very quickly to the various tactile stim items: a feather, a comb, a tooth brush, a cotton pad, a swatch of silk, etc. Next, Anita and Mom tried auditory stim: cymbals, a bell, a triangle, etc. Tracy did not respond as quiickly to the auditory stim. In fact, she did not respond at all to some of them. Then Anita and Mom mixed up the various stimuli, randomly switching from auditory to tactile to olfactory. We could be seeing signs of response fatigue when Tracy shows no response to the different stimuli. Next, it was time for Tracy to make some sounds. She did a good job making several MMM and AHH sounds. We will continue to work on these various exercises at home. After therapy, Mom let Tracy take a well-deserved break in her bed. She was pretty tired from her busy day of therapy. Tomorrow, Tracy has PT at 2 PM and Speech at 3 PM at NBMC. Tania returns tomorrow evening and Dad leaves for a week-long conference in Amelia Island (Jacksonville). Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to live our journey through life as water flowing in a river. "The journey of water as it flows upon the earth can be a mirror of our own paths through life. Water begins its residence on earth as it falls from the sky or melts from ice and streams down a mountain into a tributary or stream. In the same way, we come into the world and begin our lives on earth. Like a river that flows within the confines of its banks, we are born with certain defining characteristics that govern our identity. We are born in a specific time and place, within a specific family, and with certain gifts and challenges. Within these parameters, we move through life, encountering many twists, turns, and obstacles along the way just as a river flows. Water is a great teacher that shows us how to move through the world with grace, ease, determination, and humility. When a river breaks at a waterfall, it gains energy and moves on, as we encounter our own waterfalls, we may fall hard but we always keep moving on. Water can inspire us to not become rigid with fear or cling to what's familiar. Water is brave and does not waste time clinging to its past, but flows onward without looking back. At the same time, when there is a hole to be filled, water does not run away from it in fear of the dark; instead, water humbly and bravely fills the empty space. In the same way, we can face the dark moments of our life rather than run away from them. Eventually, a river will empty into the sea. Water does not hold back from joining with a larger body, nor does it fear a loss of identity or control. It gracefully and humbly tumbles into the vastness by contributing its energy and merging without resistance. Each time we move beyond our individual egos to become part of something bigger, we can try our best to follow the lead of the river." Lesson of the Day: Fluid Like A River: Living Like Water!

Wednesday, January 17 th, 2007: ~ Four years since Tracy's anoxic brain injury in Naples, Italy! ~ Tracy and Luca slept well again last night. This morning, Felicia and Sandra bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. After her bath, Tracy spent two hours each leg on her CPM machine. Mom took Luca for a very long walk. Luca is still too little to walk with a leash, so Mom carried Luca during their walk. They clocked in about 5 miles or so, before Luca started to bark (his bark is so pitiful) and Mom was afraid that he was thirsty. So, she headed back north to home ASAP. Tracy did not have any "official" therapy today, so she was able to relax and catch up on her rest. Around 3 PM, Mom and Felicia got Tracy up in her chair and out in the family room. Tania left a little early to fly to DC/NOVA to attend a friend's memorial service who recently passed away with cancer. Please keep Diane and her family in your daily prayers. This evening, some friends from Mannatach came over to discuss Tracy's current supplement protocol. They offered some very good ideas to improve Tracy's stamina and nutritional status. Tomorrow, Tracy has Physical Therapy at 2 PM and Speech Therapy at 3 PM. Mom and Felicia will take Tracy to North Broward Medical Center for her therapy sessions, while Tania is in DC/NOVA. We miss her already! Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to be accountable for our actions in our daily life. "Every thought we think and every action we take has an effect on the world around us. To be aware of this is to be conscious of our impact on the people in our lives. Sometimes we just want to do what we want to do, but considering the full ramifications of our actions can be an important part of our spiritual growth and awareness. At first, being more conscious requires effort, but once we have made it a habit, it becomes second nature. The more we practice this awareness of others, the more we find ourselves in easy alignment with our integrity. Our thoughts are an important place to begin this practice because our thoughts are the seeds of our actions. It is not necessary or beneficial to obsessively monitor all our thoughts, but we can perhaps choose one thought or action per day and simply notice if we are in alignment with this experience of integrity. For example, we may find ourselves replaying a negative encounter with someone in our minds. We may think that this doesn’t affect the person about whom we are thinking, but the laws of energy tell us that it does. When we hold someone negatively in our minds, we risk trapping them in negativity. If we were this person, we might wish for forgiveness and release. We can offer this by simply letting go of the negative thought and replacing it with a wish for healing on that person’s behalf." Lesson of the Day: Considering Others: Reaffirming Our Integrity!

Tuesday, January 16th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Felicia and Mom showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Felicia performed Tracy's morning stretches, ranging her shoulders, arms, wrists and hands. Then it was time to stretch her hips, hamstrings, and achilles. After her bath, Tracy spent an hour and a half on each leg on her CPM machine to range her hips and hamstrings. Tracy is doing a good job tolerating her splinting devices. Her new dynasplint is working well to maintain bilateral foot dorsiflexion. Around 12:30 PM, it was time to head to therapy at North Broward Medical Center. Tracy had Physical Therapy at 1 PM with Angel. He spent the first part of the session ranging and stretching Tracy's lower extremities. He had not worked with her in several weeks and was pleased to see how loose and flexible her lower extremities were. Next it was time to get Tracy seated on the edge of the therapy mat in preparation for standing in the Lite Gait. It takes four people to get Tracy positioned for standing. Once Angel and Genevieve got the support harness strapped up, everyone worked on actively stabilizing a spot (e.g. knees, hips, head, etc.). Angel recommended that Mom bring Tracy's dynasplint next session to help stabilize her right knee. Tracy tolerated about 7 minutes from start to finish on the Lite Gait! She is tolerating standing orthostatically as well. The tilt table got her well prepared for this next step. The plan is to keep advancing on the Lite Gait each session to strengthen Tracy's muscles. After PT, Tracy had an hour break and then it was time for Speech Therapy with Anita at 3 PM. Mom and Felicia accompany Tracy, Luca and Anita for the one hour session. Luca initially sat quietly in Tracy's lap and then got a little rambuncious. Anita asked Tracy if Luca was distracting Tracy and she responded by hitting the Yes switch right away. Then Anita asked Tracy if she would like Mom to hold Luca for a while. She responded Yes again! So, Mom held Luca while Tracy focused on her Speech session. To start, Anita asked Tracy some questions about her tasting the nectar consistency coffee, water, and the chocolate frosting. Tracy did a good job answering the questions. Then, Anita gave Mom a little plastic box with different tactile stim materials: a feather, a tooth brush, a comb, a cotton square, a nail file, a tissue, a silk swatch, etc. Mom touched Tracy's left cheek with the various materials while Anita held the yes switch on Tracy's right cheek. Tracy responded instantaneously by hitting the YES switch when she felt the various items brushed against her cheek. It seems that Tracy is very sensitive to tactile stimuli on her cheeks and neck. This is important information and will be useful when Tracy is evaluated for an augmentative assistive communications system on March 13th and 20th at Nove Southeastern University in Davie. Next, Anita instructed Mom to play the noise makers she had in the auditory stimulation kit. Mom played the triangle, the bells, the cymbals, the sand blocks, etc., one at a time, for Tracy to respond as quickly as she heard them, hitting the YES switch. Tracy did not seem interested in playing this game. Anita thought that Tracy had reached sensory fatigue, but Mom knew better. Tracy did not seem the least bit interested in playing the noise maker game! Next, Anita held up a very large letter M that Mom brought with her and asked Tracy to make the MMM sound. She did MMM several times, some softer than others. Then Mom and Anita held up the letters M and T (for Tracy, Tiffany and Tania) She asked Tracy to look at the M, and Tracy did although it took her a few seconds to do so, Then she asked Tracy to look at the T. She did a good job turning her head to look at the T. This evening after therapy, Mom and Tania put Tracy and Luca in her chair and went for an hour walk around the neighborhood. Luca sat still in Tracy lap while they checked out all of the pretty houses in the neighborhood. This evening, Tracy and Luca sat in Tracy's chair while Mom and Dad had dinner. Tracy started to laugh when Luca was giving her puppy kisses! She really seems to enjoy having Luca as her puppy! Tomorrow, Tracy has a free day and we plan to spend some time outside on the therapy mat on the patio. Mom plans to get Tracy on all fours over the peanut ball. We'll keep you posted... Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to maintain connectedness with our family and friends over long distances. "Life’s journeys may sometimes take us away from our families and friends, but there are many ways to stay connected. Aside from making use of the technology available—speaking on the phone or seeing each other from across cyberspace—we can create simple ceremonies using nature and our own thoughts to connect our hearts across the miles. The first step in creating your ceremony is to look to nature for similarities in the different surroundings. The second step is agreeing upon something that is meaningful to all involved. If your mother loves birds, then perhaps each time you hear a bird chirp, you can think of her and mentally send love. You may choose the sight of a butterfly, the feel of a breeze or raindrops, or the scent of flowers to remind you of a special someone. The pink glow of sunset might be your favorite time to send a thought, or perhaps the warming oranges of sunrise. We can all see the sun, the moon, and an array of twinkling stars when we look to the skies. The monthly full moon may be your time to connect with your loved ones, or the first star you see each night, knowing that they, too, are gazing into the night sky and sending love. You could choose a day that you would usually celebrate together, such as a holiday or a solstice. If you once shared Sunday brunches in the garden, you can each seek out a garden on Sundays. Or you can choose a specific time and account for the time difference in order to connect by heart and mind at exactly the same moment." Lesson of the Day: Creating Connections While Apart: Family Ceremonies!

Monday, January 15th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well last night, after she vomited around 1:15 AM. This morning, Mom saw the prettiest rainbow! We hope this is a sign of many blessings to come to Tracy this year! This morning, Felicia and Sandra bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Felicia performed Tracy's morning stretches, ranging her shoulders, arms, wrists and hands. Then it was time to stretch her hips, hamstrings, and achilles. After her bath, Tracy spent two hours each leg on her CPM machine to range her hips and hamstrings. Tracy is doing a good job tolerating her splinting devices. Her new dynasplint is working well to maintain bilateral foot dorsiflexion. Tracy was pretty sleepy today and spent most of the day dozing off and on. Felicia took advantage of Tracy's relaxed mood and painted her nails. This time, she used a silver platinum shade. It really looks pretty! This afternoon, Mom and Tania put Tracy and Luca in her chair and went for an hour walk around the neighborhood. Luca met some of his cohorts out walking with their owners. Luca sat in Tracy's lap and looked perfectly content as they toured the neighborhood. There are a lot of dogs living in the neighborhood! Even though the other dogs were ten times the size of Luca, he held his own and was not intimidated by their stature! It was a beautiful day with plenty of sunshine. Tracy finally began to wake up and enjoyed her evening outing. This evening, Mom went to Spinning with Debbie and the gang from the Rand Eye Institute. It was a lot of fun. The last class Mom taught was four years ago today! Dad stayed with Tracy and they watched some sports on TV and hung out with Luca in the family room. Tania found some very large textured letters which she plans to use for Tracy's tactile stimulation during Speech Therapy. She also found some very big bubbles too. We plan to bring them both to Tracy's therapy sessions tomorrow. Tomorrow, Tracy has Physical Therapy at 1 PM and Speech Therapy at 3 PM at NBMC. Tracy's Occupational Therapy is still pending administrative approval due to Medicare's strict therapy criteria. Luca is becoming quite the pet therapy puppy. Yesterday, Tracy started laughing at him when he missed his piddle pad and wet on the floor. Mom scolded him (lovingly) and Tracy started laughing so hard; it was priceless! He is a good little puppy most of the time, but can have his mischievious moments! It felt good to see Tracy laughing at Luca! Tiffany returned safely from her visit with Michelle and Gabe in Chicago. She had a great time! Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to go for your goals to make your dreams come true! " There are times in our lives when all the signs seem to be pointing us in a particular direction. Our thoughts and dreams are echoed in the songs and stories we hear and the media we see. Maybe the message we are getting from the universe doesn’t even make sense in the “real” world, but somewhere inside, these urges feel right. Maybe you feel you are being told to move to a new city although your life where you are is just fine. Or maybe you feel the desire to pursue a new direction in your career when it never really interested you before. When we spend time getting in touch with our higher selves, our intuition sends us directives to lead us to become our best and most fulfilled selves. And when we are open and listening, the next step is to take action and go for it. Once we make the decision to pursue our inner urgings, the universe sets into motion the means for all sorts of details to fall into place. A sense of peace will come over us, because we know that any questions will no longer make us wonder if our dreams are possible, but how to make them happen. Instead of deterring us from our goal, these questions only serve to clarify our focus to move us forward. We need not throw caution to the wind to follow our dream. The positive shift in our energy affects everything around us. Like a rush of water, it goes ahead to clear debris from our path so that we can go forward. Our new attitude also attracts likeminded people. Sometimes even the most unlikely angels arrive to help us along our way with the information and support we need." Lesson of the Day: Making It Happen: Go For It!

Sunday, January 14th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca enjoyed another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Felicia and Mom showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Felicia performed Tracy's morning stretches, ranging her shoulders, arms, wrists and hands. Then it was time to stretch her hips, hamstrings, and achilles. We gave Tracy a break from her CPM sessions today. She is doing such a good job tolerating all of her splinting and stretching devices that Dad felt that she deserved a day off! This afternoon, Mom, Dad, Nana, Tracy and Felicia went to cousin Eileen's grandfather's memorial service. This was the first time that some of the relatives had seen Tracy. It was a very short service, and very beautiful. The deacon who led the prayer service gave a good sermon on loving one another and doing your best! After the service, everyone stopped to pick up Luca and then it was time to visit Aunt Diane. She is doing well and really appreciates our visits. She especially loves when Luca visits as does all of the others there. Luca is the best pet therapy dog and brings so much joy to everyone's day! Mom recently received Luca's health certificate and discovered that he was actually born on Mamaw's birthday! What a surprise! His birthday (and Mamaw's) is October 22nd! Snow, Tiffany and Tracy's former dog (American Eskimo) who is now living with Mamaw and Papaw was born on October 1st, 1994! We can't believe he is already twlelve years old! He loves living with Mamaw and Papaw, where he has been since we moved to Italy. They are so attached to him, which is why we decided to get Luca! Tiffany has an Australian Shepherd named Luna Bella who is a year old and lives with her in Northern Virginia! Maybe some day soon we will have a doggy reunion! This evening, Mom made baked breaded pork chops and steamed zucchini and yellow squash for dinner. Nana and Uncle Johnny had dinner with Dad and Mom. It was really delicious! Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any "official" therapy and the plan is for her to catch up with her CPM sessions and then Tania and Felicia will get Tracy out on the patio on the mat for therapy. Luca is becoming quite the pet therapy puppy. Yesterday, Tracy started laughing at him when he missed his piddle pad and wet on the floor. Mom scolded him (lovingly) and Tracy started laughing so hard; it was priceless! He is a good little puppy most of the time, but can have his mischievious moments! It felt good to see Tracy laughing at Luca! Tracy seems to be adjusting well to the decrease in her Baclofen dosage. She was awake and alert all day and evening. At times, her tone is somewhat tighter, especially in her wrists and hands. This could be more of a result of the BoTox wearing off and not the change in Baclofen. Baclofen affects lower extremity spasticity three times more than upper extremity spasticity. We will continue to monitor this and make adjustments if necessary. Her current dosing protocol is continuous with two steps, in place of the boluses that she had been receiving for several years. She now receives 21 mcgs/hour from 6 AM to 9 PM and then 14 mcgs/hour from 9 PM to 6 AM for a total daily dose of 441 mcgs/day (down from 488 mcgs/day). We'll continue to keep you posted on Tracy's response to this dose reduction of Baclofen. Tiffany is enjoying her visit with Michelle and Gabe in Chicago. She will return to DC/NOVA on Monday. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to uncover our true selves in our relationships with family and friends. "Many of us know the feeling of being stuck in a particular role within our families, as if we are wearing masks whenever we see the people we love. Maybe we are the good daughters, expected to always please others, or perhaps we are the family clowns, expected to be jovial and make everyone laugh. This same scenario can play out within a work situation or a group of friends. We may be so good at our role that we hardly even notice that we are wearing a mask, and yet, deep down, we know that we are not free to simply be who we really are. This can leave us feeling unseen and uneasy. There is nothing inherently wrong with wearing a mask or playing a role. It is a natural part of any social dynamic and it can even be creative and fun. It only becomes a problem when you feel that you have no other choice than to wear that mask, and this is especially challenging if you realize you are never without one. Perhaps you have forgotten who you really are—a vast and unrestricted being of light—and have identified yourself completely with a role. You may be the dutiful, caring son who keeps his parents’ dysfunctional marriage intact. You may be the angelic wife who enables your husband to continue on a destructive path. You may be the cheerful daughter to a deeply depressed mother. Whatever the case, knowing the motivation behind your performance—the function of your mask—can help to uncover your true face." Lesson of the Day: Uncover Your True Face: Underneath The Mask!

Saturday, January 13th, 2007: ~ Check out the photo of LUCA, Tracy's new puppy! He's nine weeks old in this picture, taken on January 2nd, 2007. He was born on Mawmaw's birthday, October 22nd! Tracy and Luca had another good night's sleep last night. Luca really likes his little house and sleeps right next to Tracy's (and Mom and Dad's bed). This morning, Felicia and Mom bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Felicia performed Tracy's morning stretches, ranging her shoulders, arms, wrists and hands. Then it was time to stretch her hips, hamstrings, and achilles. Dad fitted Tracy with the new multi-podos boots that Mom ordered which will help to maintain Tracy's dorsiflexion and prevent foot drop. This is especially important after her extensive orthopedic surgery. This afternoon, Felicia gave Tracy a manicure. She really enjoys her spa days. Then it was time for the CPM to range her hips and hamstrings. Tracy tolerates two and a half hours on each leg once a day! After her manicure, Mom and Felicia worked on Speech with Tracy. They gave her several nectar consistency items to taste: coffee, water, and chocolate frosting. They used Tracy's switches to see which flavors Tracy wanted to taste, and also to ask Tracy which flavors she liked best. Tracy selected (by using Yes/No) chocolate frosting over lemon frosting. She answered the questions right away without any latency and also let us know that she did not want any more. Mom gave Tracy a small amount to taste, since she is not able to swallow more than an ounce or so at a time. We still need to be careful that Tracy does not aspirate. Luca is becoming quite the pet therapy puppy. Today, Tracy started laughing at him when he missed his piddle pad and wet on the floor. Mom scolded him (lovingly) and Tracy started laughing so hard; it was priceless! He is a good little puppy most of the time, but can have his mischievious moments! It felt good to see Tracy laughing at Luca! Tracy seems to be adjusting well to the decrease in her Baclofen dosage. She was awake and alert all day and evening. At times, her tone is somewhat tighter, especially in her wrists and hands. This could be more of a result of the BoTox wearing off and not the change in Baclofen. Baclofen affects lower extremity spasticity three times more than upper extremity spasticity. We will continue to monitor this and make adjustments if necessary. Her current dosing protocol is continuous with two steps, in place of the boluses that she had been receiving for several years. She now receives 21 mcgs/hour from 6 AM to 9 PM and then 14 mcgs/hour from 9 PM to 6 AM for a total daily dose of 441 mcgs/day (down from 488 mcgs/day). We'll continue to keep you posted on Tracy's response to this dose reduction of Baclofen. This evening, Felicia stayed with Tracy while Mom and Dad went out for an early dinner. They were home by 8 PM in time to watch the Saints beat the Eagles. Geaux Saints! Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any official therapy. Mom, Dad and Felicia plan to get Tracy on the therapy mat for stretching and then on her knees over the peanut ball. It will be the first time that Tracy will weight bear on her knees since her orthopedic surgery on October 3rd. We'll let you know how that goes! Tiffany is enjoying her visit with Michelle and Gabe in Chicago. She will return to DC/NOVA on Monday. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. "Women’s circles are formal or informal gatherings in the interest of bonding, sharing energy, and creating ritual. The origins of women’s circles are ancient, but their applications are as modern as the women who participate in them. There are no hard and fast rules as to how to form a women’s circle or how to run one. Some circles invent their own agendas, rituals, goals, and ceremonies, while others borrow ideas from sources as far-ranging as Buddhist or Native American cultures. Some circles are open to new members at all times, while others prefer to practice with a set number of members, closing the circle once that number is reached. At their best, women’s circles perfectly illustrate the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The work that can be accomplished within the loving embrace of our sisters is far more powerful than what we could achieve on our own. If you are not already part of a circle, you may want to start one. Follow your intuition as to the women with whom you’d like to work, reach out to them, and set a date to begin. After that, you can simply allow the circle to create itself. Men need not be forgotten when it comes to circles and they, too, can come together to form their own circles and create strong bonds and healing in a way that is specific to all men."
Lesson of the Day: The Whole Is Greater: Women's Circles!

Friday, January 12th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well again last night. Luca really likes his little house and sleeps right next to Tracy's (and Mom and Dad's bed). This morning, Felicia and Sandra showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. This morning, Felicia, Sandra and Tania got Tracy on the patio on the mat for some stretching exercises. Tania sat behind Tracy and stretched her shoulders and arms while Tracy practiced head and trunk control. Tracy's pecs are tight which encourages her to round her shoulders. This is not ideal for trunk and head control. It also makes it more difficult for Tracy to stand up straight on the new Lite Gait machine at therapy. Tania is working on stretching Tracy's chest in order to improve her posture for sitting and standing. Tania spent some time ranging Tracy's feet and ankles to assist with joint mobilization and scar tissue minimization. Tracy is tolerating all of her splinting devices and the CPM which are helping to maintain her range of motion. Tracy seems to be adjusting well to the decrease in her Baclofen dosage. She also seemed a lot more awake and alert and did not get sleepy around noon like she did before the boluses were eliminated. Yesterday afternoon, Mom and Tania took Tracy to Dr. Alberico, to get Tracy's Baclofen pump refilled and her dosage adjusted. He changed Tracy's dosing schedule from boluses to continuous with two steps. She now receives 21 mcgs/hour from 6 AM to 9 PM and then 14 mcgs/hour from 9 PM to 6 AM for a total daily dose of 441 mcgs/day (down from 488 mcgs/day). We'll continue to keep you posted on Tracy's response to this dose reduction of Baclofen. Tiffany made it safely to Chicago this evening to spend the weekend with her friends Michelle and Gabe. It had been several years since Tiffany had seen them and she is looking forward to a fun visit. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to confront our problems rather than running away. " There are times when change—moving to a new city or a new home, or changing careers—is the right thing at the right time. But there are also times when the urge for change is really just a desire to run away from problems that need to be faced rather than avoided. These are the kinds of problems that recur in our lives. For example, issues with coworkers that seem to arise at every job we take, or repeatedly getting into unhealthy relationships. A move might temporarily distract us, and even cure the problem for a time, simply by taking us out of the situation in which the problem fully manifested itself. However, the problem will eventually appear again in our new situation. One way to make sure you aren’t running away from your problems is to notice whether you are moving towards something that is exciting in its own right, as opposed to something that is appealing only because it is not where you are now. For example, if you are leaving a city because you feel you can’t afford it, you could be reinforcing poverty consciousness, and you might find that you are unable to make ends meet in your new city as well. It would ultimately be less of an effort to stay where you are and look more deeply into your beliefs about money. You may discover that as you address these issues, you are able to make more money simply by changing your mindset. You may still decide to move, but it will be an act with a positive intention behind it and not an escape, which could make all the difference." Lesson of the Day: Facing Problems: Running Away versus Moving Forward!

Thursday, January 11th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca enjoyed another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Felicia and Sandra bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Sandra is Tracy's new personal assistant in training who will be helping Felicia Monday thru Friday from 8 AM to 12 noon.. Felicia is training Sandra to become proficient in Tracy's morning routine so that Mom can have some free time to focus on Tracy's rehab program development. For nearly four years, Mom has been providing total care for Tracy. She is now assuming the role as Tracy's rehab program coordinator, and has decided to delegate Tracy's routine care to her competent and talented health care professionals. Tracy and we are so blessed to have such a dynamic team of talented and compassionate care givers. This morning, after Tracy's CPM session, Felicia and Sandra took off Tracy's nail polish on her fingernails. Tomorrow is spa day and they will give Tracy a manicure and a pedicure. Today, Tracy had another first: she was able to wear her NIKE tennis shoes today for the first time in four years! We were able to get her AFO adjusted on her right foot so that it was comfortable and fit well in her shoe. This afternoon, Mom and Tania took Tracy to Dr. Alberico, to get Tracy's Baclofen pump refilled and her dosage adjusted. He changed Tracy's dosing schedule from boluses to continuous with two steps. She now receives 21 mcgs/hour from 6 AM to 9 PM and then 14 mcgs/hour from 9 PM to 6 AM for a total daily dose of 441 mcgs/day (down from 488 mcgs/day). We'll keep you posted on Tracy's response to this dose reduction of Baclofen. After her doctor's appointment at Northridge Medical Center, Mom, Tania and Tracy went to visit Nana in Boca Raton. Uncle Johnny was there and they had a nice visit. This evening, Tania massaged Tracy's feet and ranged her ankles. Then it was time to put on her dynasplint on her right ankle. We plan to rotate the ankle splint as we do her CPM machine to keep her ankles, knees, and hips in tip top shape for the Lite Gait machine in Physical Therapy. Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to count our blessings that are bestowed upon us in our daily lives. "Sometimes we forget to take the time to recognize the richness that defines our lives. This may be because many of the messages we encounter as we go about our affairs prompt us to think about what we don’t have rather than all the abundance we do enjoy. Consequently, our gratitude exists in perpetual conflict with our desire for more, whether we crave time, convenience, wealth, or enlightenment. Yet understanding and truly appreciating our blessings can be as simple as walking a mile in another’s shoes for a short period of time. Because many of us lead comparatively insular lives, we may not comprehend the full scope of our prosperity that is relative to our sisters and brothers in humanity. If you find taking an inventory of your life’s blessings difficult, consider the ease with which you nourish your body and mind, feed your family, move from place to place, and attend to tasks at hand. For a great number of people, activities you may take for granted, such as attaining an education, buying healthy food, commuting to work, or keeping a clean house, represent great challenges. To experience firsthand the complex tests others face as a matter of course in their daily lives, try living without the amenities you most often take for granted. This can be a great experiment to undertake with your entire family or a classroom. Understanding working poverty can be as easy as endeavoring to buy nutritious foods with a budget of $100 for the week. If you own a car, relying on public transportation for even just a day can help you see the true value of the comfort and conveniences others do without. As you explore a life without things you may normally take for granted, ask yourself for how long you could endure."
Lesson of the Day: Empathy In Action: An Experiment In Gratitude!

Wednesday, January 10th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well again last night. This morning, Mom, Sandra and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Sandra is Tracy's new personal assistant in training who will be helping Felicia Monday thru Friday from 8 AM to 12 noon.. Felicia is training Sandra to become proficient in Tracy's morning routine so that Mom can have some free time to focus on Tracy's rehab program development. For nearly four years, Mom has been providing total care for Tracy. She is now assuming the role as Tracy's rehab program coordinator, and has decided to delegate Tracy's routine care to her competent and talented health care professionals. Tracy and we are so blessed to have such a dynamic team of talented and compassionate care givers. This morning, Tracy spent an hour and a half on the CPM ranging and stretching her right hip and hamstring. Then it was time to head out to NBMC for Tracy's OT, PT and Speech Therapies at 1, 2, and 3 PM. During OT, Tracy was a little sleepy to start. Charlene showed Tracy some family pictures but she was not interested in looking at them. Charlene began by ranging and stretching Tracy's upper extremities and then it was time to get Tracy prone over the wedge. She tolerated around 15 minutes in this position, and was trying hard and doing a good job lifting her head. Charlene stimulated Tracy's neck muscles with a mini-massager while Mom showed Tracy Luca. Luca is doing a good job as a therapy dog-in-training. Next, it was time to get Tracy seated at the edge of the mat to work on trunk and head control. During this time, Charlene sits behind Tracy and works on trunk alignment and stability. Tracy still needs some assistance with sitting but is more stable now that she can get her right knee down on the floor and her hips square. We will continue to practice sitting and balance with Tracy. During Physical Therapy, Genevieve reassessed Tracy, measuring her hip, knee and ankle range of motion. Tracy's range improved in all parameters except her feet and ankle. We will continue to stretch her feet to improve her dorsiflexion and will increase her wear time for her dynasplint on both ankles. Mom ordered some new multi-podus boots which allow for dorsi-flexion to minimize foot drop. Tracy's right hip range has improved from 14 to 8 degrees over the past two months. Genevieve was very pleased with this progress. Next it was time to get Tracy seated on the edge of the mat to stretch Tracy's trunk for improved alignment and posture. Genevieve placed a full length mirror in front of Tracy so that she could see herself. Tracy still can not focus her eyes and track for more than a few seconds at a time. We will continue to work on this. Next, Genevieve, Mom, Felicia, Tania and Tiffany (rehab assistant) got Tracy suited up to try a new piece of rehab equipment: the Lite Gait. (Click on the link to learn more about the Lite Gait). The Lite Gait suspends Tracy and provides her some partial weight bearing. Tracy did really well standing with maximum assistance. This is a big step for Tracy and we hope she will be able to contiue to progress on this equipment. The goal is to get her comfortable in a standing position and then begin simulating walking, with the premise that muscle has memory. Tracy was so happy to be standing on her own two feet (with maximum assistance) that she laughed and smiled when Mom called Mawmaw and Nana to tell them. Mom put the cell phone up to Tracy ear so that she could hear how proud they were of her accomplishments. During Speech Therapy, Anita, Mom and Felicia worked on improving Tracy's response time with her Yes/No switches. They started with tactile stimulation using a cotton ball, tissue, soft feather, nail file, brush, lotion, etc. on her cheek. Tracy responded within seconds to the stimuli. Felicia was monitoring the number of times Anita had to give Tracy the question/direction as an additional data collection variable. Tracy did a good job responding to the various types of stimuli: tactile, verbal, and olfactory. We will continue to practice switch training both at home and in therapy. Tracy was also making some good mmm sounds and even mimicked an mm hmm sound! Tracy's therapy has been renewed for another month for Physical and Speech Therapies. We are still working on Occupational Therapy for approval. More later...This evening, Tania worked on massaging Tracy's feet and working on her ankle range while Tracy rested in bed. Then it was time for her CPM session on her left leg and dynasplint on her left ankle. She is doing a good job tolerating all of her splinting devices. Tomorrow, Tracy has an appointment at 1 PM with Dr. Alberico to get her Baclofen pump refilled and to reduce her overall Baclofen dosage by 10 percent to 441 mcgs/day. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to reacquaint with ourselves when we are in uncharted territory. " map to figure out where we are and how to get to our chosen destination. This works well, assuming that there is a map of the territory in which we find ourselves, and assuming that we know our destination. However, this is not always the case. At this time in human history, we are all venturing into uncharted territory, whether we know it or not. And as individuals, we may find ourselves covering ground that our predecessors never even knew existed. When we look to them for guidance, they often come up short. Not knowing exactly where we are, we find ourselves unsure of which way to go, and eventually the uneasy feeling that we are lost presents itself. The beauty of being lost is the same thing that makes it scary—it asks us to look within ourselves to find the way. If we have no map, we must go on instinct, relying on our inner compass to show us which way to go. This can be scary because so much seems to be riding on it. We fear we might go too far in the wrong direction, or become paralyzed and make no progress at all. And yet, this is the very challenge we need to develop our ability to trust ourselves. We are also learning to trust that the universe will support and guide us. We may believe this intellectually, but it is only through experience that it becomes knowledge of the heart. Learning to be okay with being lost and trusting that we will be guided, we begin our journey." Lesson of the Day: Uncharted Territory: Feeling Lost!

Tuesday, January 9th, 2007: Tracy and Luca had another great night's sleep last night! This morning, Felicia and Sandra bathed Tracy and got her ready for her busy day at North Broward Medical Center. She had Occupational Therapy at 1 PM, Physical Therapy at 2 PM, and Speech Therapy at 3 PM. Luca has been accompanying Tracy to all of her therapy sessions since Dad brought him home a week ago. He is the ideal therapy puppy in the making and a very sweet friend for Tracy. He goes everywhere with Tracy and is small enough to fit in a puppy purse. He is now 2 lbs 1 oz and we hope he will stay small enough to travel with Tracy. This morning, Tracy wore her Dynasplint on her right ankle and her bilateral hand splints for two and a half hours. She is tolerating all of her splinting devices very well, and is beginning to look like Dyna-woman! After her morning CPM session, it was time to head out to NBMC for therapy. During OT, Gail worked with Tracy's upper extremity range of motion and then it was time for some vestibular therapy. She and Genevieve sat Tracy up on the edge of the mat and rocked her gently from side to side. Tracy did a good job maintaining control and not appearing dizzy. When Gail and Gen rocked Tracy backwards and forwards on the mat, Tracy did appear dizzy and went into spasm. It seems that the backwards motion triggers this response. Gail put a large therapy ball in front of Tracy and had her lean forward to stretch her back muscles. Tracy seemed to like this stretch. Next it was time for PT. Genevieve worked with Tracy trunk and head control and alignment. She got her positioned in long sitting on the mat with her legs extended out in front of her. Gen worked with Tracy's trunk to improve her muscle balance and posture. Tracy's relaxed position is assymmetrical which makes standing on the tilt table difficult at 70 degrees and higher. The goal is to strengthen Tracy's trunk and neck muscles to improve her posture and head control while standing and sitting. Next, Gen sat Tracy on the edge of the mat and put a full length mirror in front of her. (We know how much Tracy loved to check herself out in the mirror!) Gen held Tracy's arms up over her head and coached her to hold her head up. Tracy did a good job holding up her head for several seconds; she tries so hard during therapy! Gen focused on stretching Tracy's pectoral muscles which are very tight and shortened. The goal is to stretch and lengthen these muscles in order to correct Tracy's rounded shoulders and improve her posture.During Speech Therapy, Anita worked on decreasing Tracy's response time with her switch. The No switch is still broken, and the company is sending a new one. So Anita held the Yes switch on Tracy's right cheek while Mom played some of the musical instruments in the auditory stimulation kit. The goal was for Tracy to hit the Yes switch as soon as she heard the sound. Felicia was keeping track of the number of seconds from the sound initiation to recognition. Tracy's responses ranged from 1 to 30 seconds. Anita repeated the same exercise using olfactory and tactile stimulation. Tracy did a good job with tactile stim recognition on her face and neck. She seemed to fatigue more with olfactory stimulation and was pretty wiped out at the end of the hour session. After therapy, Tracy had an appointment with Mark Selleck, her orthotist, at 4:30 PM to adjust her right AFO. He trimmed some of the plastic around her ankle which seemed to be the pressure point. Tracy was a lot more comfortable with this modification. We will look for some shoes that she can wear with her AFOs now that they fit her well. This evening, Tracy rested in her bed and listened to some reggae music on the cable television. She always liked Bob Marley! Dad put her new Dynasplint on her right ankle to keep her foot in dorsiflexion. She tolerated it for five hours with minimal pressure observed. Tomorrow, Tracy has her therapy reassessments for OT, PT and Speech at NBMC at 1, 2, and 3 PM. They will be working on a schedule for Tracy's next session that begins next week. Dad has a business day trip to NYC Laguardia Airport tomorrow with American Airlines. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to recognize our limits in conserving energy for those activities that we love to do! "Every human life is defined, to some extent, by limits. No one person is capable of fulfilling every possibility. We are all born with unique aptitudes and sensitivities, and it is these qualities that largely determine the paths we will travel in life. What invigorates, excites, and inspires one individual may exhaust or overwhelm another. When we understand what we as individuals are capable of reasonably handling, we gradually learn to accept that we have control over our wellbeing. Yet determining where our limits lie can be difficult, as it is likely we have been told time and again that the discomfort, fatigue, and stress we felt while engaging in activities outside the range of our comfort zones was all in our heads. If you have never before given thought to the notion of personal limits, creating a list of those tasks and situations that leave you feeling drained can give you insight into your own. You will know definitively that you are operating within your limits when you have the necessary energy and drive to address your personal and professional commitments. This is not to say you should not push yourself or work to extend the range of your capabilities. The wisdom you gain through dynamic self-examination will give you the tools you need to create an individual life strategy that allows you to achieve your goals without compromising yourself or your needs. The limits you honor by focusing your energy on what you can do rather than what you cannot do will not interfere with your ambitions unless you allow them to interfere. You can thrive within your limits, actively shape your circumstances, and avoid anguish by simply recognizing that certain aspects of life nourish you while others drain you, and doing your best to perceive the fine line between applying yourself diligently and overworking yourself." Lesson of the Day: Knowing Your Limits: Energy To Spare!

Monday, January 8th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom, Sandra and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Sandra is Tracy's new personal assistant in training who will be helping Felicia Monday thru Friday from 8 AM to 12 noon.. Felicia is training Sandra to become proficient in Tracy's morning routine so that Mom can have some free time to focus on Tracy's rehab program development. For nearly four years, Mom has been providing total care for Tracy. She is now assuming the role as Tracy's rehab program coordinator, and has decided to delegate Tracy's routine care to her competent and talented health care professionals. Tracy and we are so blessed to have such a dynamic team of talented and compassionate care givers. This morning, Tracy spent an hour and a half on the CPM ranging and stretching her right hip and hamstring. She is doing a good job wearing all of her dynasplints (bilateral wrists, right ankle, and right hamstring)! We will soon be calling her the Dynawoman! This afternoon, Mom, Tania and Felicia headed to NBMC for Tracy's OT, PT and Speech Therapies at 1, 2, and 3 PM. During OT, Charlene and Genevieve worked together for part of Tracy's session. They focused on Tracy's trunk control, beginning with Tracy in long sitting (legs extended in front of Tracy on the mat). Genevieve stretched and ranged Tracy's trunk, with the goal to improve her postural alignment.Then both Charlene and Genevieve stretched Tracy forward and back to give Tracy some vestibular input. The goal was for Tracy to begin righting herself to improve balance. She is definitely getting stronger trunk and head control with all her recent PT and OT. Mom is still working on getting Tracy into a vestibular therapy program at the NBMC Balance and Dizziness Center to improve her vestibular control and to minimize her continued vertigo issues. Next, Genevieve and Charlene worked with Tracy on rolling from side to side. This movement also triggers Tracy's nystagmus/vertigo. Unfortunately the only way to help Tracy overcome this is to expose her to the movements little by little for her to accommodate. During PT, Genevieve worked with Tracy's lower extremities, stretching and ranging them in preparation for standing on the tilt table. Today, she decided not to wrap Tracy's lower extremities. Tracy did a good job tolerating 70 degrees on the tilt table for several minutes maintaining a stable blood pressure.Gen tried taking Tracy as high as 80 degrees for several minutes, however her color in her feet did turn purple and mottled. The goal is for Tracy to tolerate 90 degrees without losing color and circulation. We will continue to work on this. During Speech, Anita worked with Tracy on lip closure and MMM sounds. Tracy did a good job making the MMM sound, although they were very quiet. Then it was time to practice switch training with head control. Mom discovered that the NO switch was not working, so Anita focused on only the YES response. She had Mom make noises using the auditory stimuli kit. The goal was for Tracy to hit the Yes switch (Right) when she first heard the sound. Tracy did a good job responding, with times ranging from 2 seconds to 30 seconds! One of the sounds (obnoxious would be an understatement) that Mom made with the noisemaker did not elicit a rapid response by Tracy! It was beginning to hurt everyone's ears when all of a sudden, Luca (who was sitting in Tracy's lap) couldn't take it anymore and sat on the YES switch! He is so smart, he responded for Tracy! Then Anita and Mom did the same with tactile stimulation (feather, straw, cotton ball, sand paper, etc.) Tracy seems to have good sensation on her cheeks and neck. Next, Anita tried aromatherapy scents (eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, cinnamon, etc.) This evening, Mom went to Spinning with her good friends Debbie and Claire. It was a fun class and a great workout. This evening, Mom went to Spinning with her good friends Debbie and Claire. It was a fun class and a great workout. Tania massaged Tracy's feet, calves and hamstrings with some lavender vanilla massage butter. Tracy really seems to enjoy her mini massages! Tomorrow, Tracy has OT, PT and Speech at NBMC at 1, 2, and 3 PM. She also has an appointment at 4:30 PM with Mark Selleck, her orthotist, to readjust her right AFO. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to create links in our communities. "Since the modern Western lifestyle can isolate us from one another, it is often difficult to forge meaningful connections. Self-protection and mistrust prevent us from reaching out to neighbors and peers, and we consequently feel like we don't truly belong anywhere. Yet creating community can be as simple as reaching out within our own neighborhoods. To form the bonds that eventually solidify into long-lasting friendships, we must first be willing to rise above the walls of suspicion and doubt dividing us from the individuals who inhabit our neighborhood, block, or our building. We are taught from childhood to fear those we do not know, but community is as much a part of survival as safety. When we take a proactive approach, we can harmoniously unite our neighbors and build a network of support that contributes to the well-being of all involved. Your overtures of community needn't be complicated. If you are new to your neighborhood, sending letters of introduction to your closest neighbors can ensure that their curiosity about you is partly satisfied. Consider telling them a bit about yourself and how you plan to positively contribute to your locale, even if it is something as straightforward as planting attractive flowers in your window boxes. Or if others have recently moved in nearby, schedule some time to welcome them to the area. By doing so, you can calm any misgivings they have while demonstrating that your neighborhood is a nice place to live. It is much easier to meet people while outdoors, so try to take frequent strolls or sit on your stoop or porch if you have one. Say hello to people who pass by, and you will likely get to know your neighbors speedily. And one of the easiest ways to build a sense of community is to organize neighborhood projects and events that bring people together in service or in fun." Lesson of the Day: Links That Last: Creating Community!

Sunday, January 7th, 2007: Tracy and Luca slept well again last night. This morning, Dad and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Mom was feeling a little under the weather and Dad let her sleep in. Too much fun in the sun yesterday; she must have gotten dehydrated. This morning, Tracy had an hour and a half CPM session on her left leg and hip. The left side seems a little tighter than the right. This afternoon, Mom, Dad, Tracy and Luca picked up Nana and Anita headed out to visit Aunt Diane. They met Uncle Johnny, Tim, Chip and Eileen there and everyone had a nice visit. This evening, everyone went to Uncle Johnny's to see his Christmas decorations. They were absolutely beautiful! Then Anita treated Mom, Dad, Tracy, Luca, Nana, a and Uncle Johnny to dinner at the Old Key Lime House in Lantana. It was really a nice evening and everyone sat outside by the water under the chickee hut. Tomorrow, Tracy's has OT, PT and Speech at NBMC at 1, 2, and 3 PM. This is her last week of scheduled therapy. Wednesday, the therapists will reassess Tracy and schedule her for another session. We'll keep you posted. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to be more positive and nonjudgemental in our daily thoughts and encounters. "Few people enjoy the company of individuals whose attitudes are persistently negative. Yet many of us tolerate the critical chatter that can originate within our own minds. Since we are so used to the stream of self-limiting, critical consciousness that winds its way through our thoughts, we are often unaware of the impact these musings have on our lives. It is only when we become aware of the power of such thoughts that we can divest ourselves of them and fill the emptiness they leave with loving, peaceful affirmations. Many people, upon paying careful attention to their thinking patterns, are surprised at the negativity they find there. But when we take notice of involuntary thoughts in a nonjudgmental way, we initiate a healing process that will eventually allow us to replace intimidating and upsetting self-talk with positive, empowering thoughts. While the occasional downbeat or judgmental thought may have little impact on your contentment, the ongoing negativity that passes unnoticed can have a dampening effect on your mood and your outlook. When you are aware of the tone of your thoughts, however, you can challenge them. Try to be conscious of your feelings, opinions, and judgments for a single day. From sunup to sundown, scrutinize the messages you are feeding into your subconscious mind. Consider your thoughts from the perspective of a detached observer and try not to judge yourself based on the notions that come unbidden into your mind. Simply watch the flow of your consciousness and make a note of the number of times you find yourself focusing on gloomy notions or indulging in self-directed criticism." Lesson of the Day: Curative Attentiveness: Being Aware of Your Thoughts!

Saturday, January 6th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well again last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy had a break from "official" therapy and had a chance to catch up on her R and R. She continues to wear her Dynasplint on her right leg to provide a sustained stretch to her right hamstring. She also wears her new Dynasplint on her right ankle to help keep her foot dorsiflexed. This morning, Dad and Mom worked on taking down the Christmas decorations. Why is it always so much fun to put them up and not as much fun to take them down? While Mom and Dad were busy with this, Tracy rested while her CPM machine ranged and stretched her hips and hamstrings. She really enjoys her sessions and they help to keep her flexible. This afternoon, Tracy caught up on her tan outside on the patio while Mom and Dad took the kayaks out exploring the many canals in Venetian Isles. Kayaking is such a good upper body workout and lots of fun. This evening, Cousin Michelle and her friend Bill came over and cooked us salmon and new potatoes for dinner on the grill. It was so good. Tomorrow, we plan to visit Aunt Diane and go out to dinner with Nana, Uncle Johnny, and Anita! We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to create links in our communities. "Since the modern Western lifestyle can isolate us from one another, it is often difficult to forge meaningful connections. Self-protection and mistrust prevent us from reaching out to neighbors and peers, and we consequently feel like we don't truly belong anywhere. Yet creating community can be as simple as reaching out within our own neighborhoods. To form the bonds that eventually solidify into long-lasting friendships, we must first be willing to rise above the walls of suspicion and doubt dividing us from the individuals who inhabit our neighborhood, block, or our building. We are taught from childhood to fear those we do not know, but community is as much a part of survival as safety. When we take a proactive approach, we can harmoniously unite our neighbors and build a network of support that contributes to the well-being of all involved. Your overtures of community needn't be complicated. If you are new to your neighborhood, sending letters of introduction to your closest neighbors can ensure that their curiosity about you is partly satisfied. Consider telling them a bit about yourself and how you plan to positively contribute to your locale, even if it is something as straightforward as planting attractive flowers in your window boxes. Or if others have recently moved in nearby, schedule some time to welcome them to the area. By doing so, you can calm any misgivings they have while demonstrating that your neighborhood is a nice place to live. It is much easier to meet people while outdoors, so try to take frequent strolls or sit on your stoop or porch if you have one. Say hello to people who pass by, and you will likely get to know your neighbors speedily. And one of the easiest ways to build a sense of community is to organize neighborhood projects and events that bring people together in service or in fun." Lesson of the Day: Links That Last: Creating Community

Friday, January 5th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Today, Tracy had a break from "official" therapy and had a chance to catch up on her R and R. This afternoon, Mom picked up Nana and they both headed to the Acacia Animal Hospital for Luca's well puppy visit. Needless to say, he passed with flying colors! He is such a good puppy and everyone loves to cuddle with him. He sits in Tracy's lap and doesn't make a peep. He is well on his way to become a dynamite puppy therapist. While Mom and Nana were at the vet, Tania and Felicia got Tracy on the mat on the patio for therapy. Tania massaged Tracy's calves and feet, stretching and ranging her lower extremities. Then Tania got behind Tracy and stretched her pectoral muscles which are pretty tight. She stretched her trunk to improve alignment by stretching her left side and tucking her right side. Tracy really seemed to enjoy being outside on the patio in the sunshine. The weather was perfect with lots of sunshine and low humility. This afternoon, Mom, Tania and Nana read Tracy her guestbook emails from her website. It had been a while since we read them to her and now we should be caught up. This evening, Mom made macaroni with shrimp and organic baby field green salad. It was good and everyone enjoyed it. It is so nice to have Nana living so close to us. We really enjoy her company! Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any "official" therapy but will have her usual CPM sessions to range her right and left hips and knees. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to optimize our daily schedules by setting our priorities. "For many, life is a hodgepodge of never-ending commitments. Yet few of us can be truly healthy or happy without regular periods of downtime. While there is nothing inherently wrong with busyness, those of us who over-commit or over-extend ourselves potentially face exhaustion and burnout. When you feel overwhelmed by your commitments, examining your motivation for taking on so many obligations can help you understand why you feel compelled to do so much. You may discover that you are being driven by fear that no one else will do the job or guilt that you aren’t doing enough. To regain your equilibrium and clear the clutter from your calendar, simplify your life by establishing limits regarding what you will and will not do based on your personal priorities. Determining where your priorities lie can be as easy as making two lists: one that outlines all those obligations that are vital to your wellbeing, such as work, meditation, and exercise, and another that describes everything you do that is not directly related to your wellbeing. Although there will likely be items in the latter list that excite your passion or bring you joy, you may discover that you devote a large portion of your time to unnecessary activities. To simplify your schedule, consider which of these unnecessary activities add little value to your life and edit them from your agenda. Remember that you may need to ask for help, say no firmly, or delegate responsibility in order to distance yourself from such encumbrances. However, as you divest yourself of non-vital obligations that cause you stress, serve no purpose, or rob you of opportunities to refresh yourself, you will feel more energetic and enthusiastic about life in general." Lesson of the Day: The Time You Find: Simplifying Your Schedule!

Thursday, January 4th, 2007: ~ Tracy and Luca slept well again last night. This morning, Mom and Felicia showered Tracy and got her ready for a full day of therapy at NBMC. Tracy had an appointment with the audiologist at the Dizziness and Balance Center at 11:30 AM. He evaluated Tracy for her ongoing vertigo and nystagmus. He was able to perform his evaluation with her in her wheelchair. It was not very pleasant for Tracy, but necessary so that he could diagnose the various types of vertigo and precipitating factors. It seems that Tracy has several types of vertigo: both positional and central. He recommended vestibular therapy which Mom is planning on exploring further next week. After her appointment, it was time for Occupational Therapy with Charlene at 1 PM. Mom brought Luca since he is receiving On-The-Job Training as Tracy's therapist. He is such a natural! Charlene, Tania and Felicia got Tracy positioned on the mat and then it was time for question and answer using Tracy's Talking Buddy switches. Charlene asked Tracy if she liked Luca coming to therapy with her and Tracy immediately responded with the YES switch, turning her head to the right! Charlene asked Tracy questions about the other therapists, Angel and Genevieve! She asked Tracy if Gen had OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) because Gen is so meticulous and the other therapists always tease her about this! Tracy responded YES (right away)! Then it was time for aromatherapy! Char had Tracy smell different scented oils: eucalyptus, lavendar, peppermint, cinnamon, etc. Tracy likes eucalyptus but is not fond of lavendar! (I don't blame her, it smells like stuffy old ladies! Pee-ew) Next, Char got Tracy seated on the edge of the mat to practice trunk and head control. Tracy is doing better with trunk control but still needs to work on head control. Baby steps! Tracy had Physical Therapy at 2 PM with Gen. After spending some time stretching and ranging her trunk and lower extremities, it was time to get Tracy on the tilt table for weight bearing. Tracy did such a good job tolerating 70 degrees that Genevieve advanced her to 80 degrees. She tolerated about three minutes at 80 degrees before her blood pressure began to drop. Gen had wrapped her legs with ace wraps which helps with blood pressure management and also vascular return. Tracy did not show any signs of distress, her skin did not get clammy (diaphoretic) and she looked very comfortable. When we rechecked her blood pressure a minute later it was back up. Gen believes that the lower pressure was a false reading. She plans to increase Tracy's duration at 80 degrees next session. The goal is to get her to 90 degrees and then to increase her duration over time. Tracy had Speech Therapy with Anita at 3 PM. Anita is thrilled with Luca and his very calm and therapeutic disposition. She asked Tracy many questions about Luca and Tracy responded right away with no latency period. She asked her some very specific questions about Luca and Tracy answered them all correctly. She is doing a good job with her switches. Mom sent an application to Nova Southeastern University to get Tracy on the list for the Augementative Assistive Communications program (AAC). We'll keep you posted and say a prayer that she gets into the program soon. This evening, Mom gave Luca his first bath. He really seemed to like it and he smells much better too! Tomorrow, Tracy does not have any "official" therapy and Mom plans on picking up Nana and bringing her to see Tracy and Luca! Mom has a 1 PM Vet appointment for Luca. More later... We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to appreciate other people's suggestions without allowing them to overpower us. "As children, our parents had dreams for us. They wanted us to do well in school, and to do whatever was necessary to reach our highest potential. Later in life, friends may try to set us up with their idea of the perfect partner or the perfect job. Spouses may have agendas for us, too. People close to us may have ideas about how we should live our lives, ideas that usually come from love and the desire for us to be happy. Other times, they come from a place of need within them—whether it is the parent who wants us to live out his or her dreams or the friend or spouse who wants us to play an already-defined role. Whatever the case, we can appreciate and consider those people’s input, but ultimately we must follow our own inner guidance. There may come a time when all the suggestions can become overbearing. We may feel that the people we love don’t approve of our judgment, which can hurt our feelings. It can interfere with the choices we make for our lives by making us doubt ourselves, or filling a void with their wishes before we’ve had a chance to decide what we want. It can affect us energetically as well. We may have to deal with feelings of resistance or the need to shut ourselves off from them. But we can take some time to rid ourselves of any unnecessary doubts and go within to become clear on what we desire for ourselves." Lesson of the Day: Appreciating Suggestions: Other People's Agendas!

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2007: ~ Tracy enjoyed another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Felicia and Mom bathed Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tracy had PT, OT and Speech Therapies today at NBMC at 12 noon, 2 and 3 PM at NBMC Outpatient Therapy Center. During Speech Therapy, Mom surprised Anita with Tracy's new puppy Luca. He is so little that Mom can carry him in a puppy purse. Luca sat in Tracy's lap during her entire session and behaved himself. He is so cuddly. Anita asked Tracy so many questions about her new puppy and Tracy responded without any latency period using her Yes and No switches. She was very excited about her new puppy and it showed. She responded appropriately to 8 questions right away; some questions were about her dog Snow who is now living with Mamaw and Papaw (He went to live with them in Louisiana when we moved to Italy in 2000), and some questions were about Tiffany's dog Luna (who lives in Northern Virginia).During Occupational Therapy with Charlene, Luca was again the center of attention (second to Tracy of course). Charlene incorporated Luca into Tracy's therapy session, again asking questions about Luca. She held up family pictures, asking questions about each one. Tracy did a good job responding. Then it was time for Tracy to practice head and trunk control. Charlene, Mom and Felicia rolled Tracy on her stomach (prone) and asked her to pick up her head. Mom held Luca where Tracy could see her if she picked up her head. What motivation! Luca is a therapy dog in the making! Very gentle and oh so smart! During Physical Therapy, Gen stretched and ranged Tracy's lower extremities, then wrapped them in preparation for the tilt table. The wrapping is definitely working; her color and circulation looks so much better after she has been standing on them. Then it was up, up, up to 70 degrees where she tolerated 13 minutes, vital signs remaining stable. The next step is up to 80 degrees. This evening, Mom, Dad and Tracy watched LSU wipe out Notre Dame. What a great game! Geaux Tigers! Tomorrow, Tracy has an appointment with the audiologist in the Dizziness and Balance Center at NBMC at 11:30 AM. Then she has OT, PT and Speech Therapies at 1, 2, and 3 PM. We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to be open to and make sense of our life experiences. "Many of us long to find a spiritual teacher or guru. We may feel unsure of how to practice our spirituality without one, or we may long for someone who has attained a higher level of insight to lead the way for us. Some of us have been looking for years to no avail and feel frustrated and even lost. The good news is that the greatest teacher you could ever want is always with you-that is your life. The people and situations we encounter every day have much to teach us when we are open to receiving their wisdom. Often we don't recognize our teachers because they may not look or act like our idea of a guru, yet they may embody great wisdom. In addition, some people teach us by showing us what we don't want to do. All the situations in our lives, from the insignificant to the major, conspire to teach us exactly what we need to be learning at any given time. Patience, compassion, perseverance, honesty, letting go-all these are covered in the classroom of the teacher that is your life." Lesson of the Day: Life: Your Perfect Teacher!

Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007: ~ Tracy had another good night's sleep last night. This morning, Felicia and Mom showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Dad had the day off in celebration of the New Year! Tracy had PT, OT and Speech Therapies today at NBMC at 1, 2 and 3 PM. Dad dropped Mom, Felicia and Tracy off at 1 PM and took off to run errands. Tania was out sick with a cold. We hope she feels better fast! During Occupational Therapy, Charlene showed Tracy family pictures and then asked her (Yes/No) questions about them. Tracy did a good job responding with Yes and No, using her switches. Then it was time to put Tracy prone on the mat to practice head control. Tracy did a good job tolerating being on her stomach and also lifted her head to the right and left. She needs to practice head control in various positions to strengthen her muscles and improve her coordination. Next, Charlene took out the bubbles and blew them at Tracy so that she could practice visual tracking. Tracy occasionally will look at the bubbles but she is still not tracking them. We will continue to work on visual tracking as a therapy goal. Next it was time for Physical Therapy. Genevieve wrapped Tracy'a legs and feet with an ace wrap to facilitate vascular return when she is vertical on the tilt table. After spending some time stretching and ranging Tracy's lower extremities, Genevieve positioned Tracy in sidelying and stretched her left side to facilitate trunk alignment. Then, Gen, Felicia and Mom got Tracy on the tilt table. Gen cranked Tracy up to 45 degrees after taking baseline vital signs. Then she gradually took Tracy up to 70 degrees where she stayed for 5 minutes. Tracy's vital signs remained stable at this incline. The goal is to get Tracy to 90 degrees! Last, Tracy had Speech Therapy with Anita. During her session, Anita asked Tracy Yes/No formatted questions about her weekend, New Years, and her visit with Edna's black lab named Babe. Tracy did a really good job hitting the switches for Yes and No. She really seemed to enjoy her visit with Edna's dog Babe last Saturday. Anita asked Tracy if she would like a dog of her own. Tracy quickly hit the Yes switch! When Dad came to pick us up from therapy, he said that he had found a surprise for Tracy. He took Tracy and Mom to a pet shop and showed them the cutest little minature shih tzu puppy that Mom had ever seen. It was 9 weeks old and a pound and a half! He is brown and black and looks like an ewok from Star Wars. Mom asked Tracy if she would like this puppy and Tracy responded YES by blinking her eyes and turning her head to the right. So, Tracy now has a new little puppy named Luca (the name that Tracy wrote about in her essay Blessed). He will make the best therapy dog for Tracy, because he has a very calm disposition, is very smart, small enough to carry in a little purse, and lovable. More about the puppy later. This evening, our good friend and Tracy's volunteer from Northern Virginia, Nichole and her friend Mark, came to have dinner with us. It had been almost a year since Nichole saw Tracy and she was really surprised to see how much she has improved. Dad and Mom cooked more marinated pork loin, rice and salad. Everyone had a great visit and a good meal. It was a lot of fun! We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to appreciate other people's suggestions without allowing them to overpower us. "As children, our parents had dreams for us. They wanted us to do well in school, and to do whatever was necessary to reach our highest potential. Later in life, friends may try to set us up with their idea of the perfect partner or the perfect job. Spouses may have agendas for us, too. People close to us may have ideas about how we should live our lives, ideas that usually come from love and the desire for us to be happy. Other times, they come from a place of need within them—whether it is the parent who wants us to live out his or her dreams or the friend or spouse who wants us to play an already-defined role. Whatever the case, we can appreciate and consider those people’s input, but ultimately we must follow our own inner guidance. There may come a time when all the suggestions can become overbearing. We may feel that the people we love don’t approve of our judgment, which can hurt our feelings. It can interfere with the choices we make for our lives by making us doubt ourselves, or filling a void with their wishes before we’ve had a chance to decide what we want. It can affect us energetically as well. We may have to deal with feelings of resistance or the need to shut ourselves off from them. But we can take some time to rid ourselves of any unnecessary doubts and go within to become clear on what we desire for ourselves." Lesson of the Day: Appreciating Suggestions: Other People's Agendas!

Monday, January 1st, 2006: ~ Happy New Year! Tracy slept well again last night, after waiting up for the ball to drop in Times Square! This morning, Dad and Mom showered Tracy and got her ready for the day. Tania and Felicia had the day off (with pay) in celebration of the New Year! Tracy did not have any "official" therapy today. Dad gave Tracy the day off from the CPM too! This morning, Nana and Uncle Johnny came over to spend the day with us. It was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine. The wind had died down (finally), so everyone went outside to enjoy the pool. Uncle Johnny and Mom went exploring in the kayaks. They found some great little canals and got a good work out at the same time. This afternoon, Mom and Dad took Nana in the little boat for the first time. She really enjoyed seeing all of the different back yards in the neighborhood. Uncle Johnny stayed with Tracy, and they both caught up on their suntans. Tracy loves being outside and really enjoys the patio. When Mom, Dad and Nana returned, Mom and Dad sat Tracy on the edge of the hot tub so she could dangle her feet in the warm water. Mom massaged Tracy's feet, ankles and calves while she was soaking. She really seemed to enjoy the warmth. Next time, we will try putting Tracy all the way in the hot tub so she can soak her muscles. This evening, Cousin Michelle and her friend Bill came over for dinner. Michelle brought a delicious marinated pork loin and Nana brought some home made Italian sausage to barbecue. Mom made a salad and some red beans and rice. Michelle grilled some fresh asparagus. It was a beautiful evening, with lots of stars and an almost full moon, so we ate outside. This was the first time that we had dinner outside since we moved in nearly four months ago! We are thankful for the many good times shared with family and friends and look forward to making many more wonderful memories in the coming new year. We thank God for the many blessings we have and look forward to many new ones to come! Tracy continues to teach us all how to be better people in our spiritual journey that has been bestowed upon us! We are all very hopeful that 2007 will bring great improvements and many miracles to Tracy and our family. Many thanks to all of you who continue to pray for Tracy's recovery! Please keep those prayers and powerful wishes coming Tracy's way! Take a look at today's daily OM. It teaches us how to make a meaningful transition from the holiday season into the new year. " There are many ways you can gently smooth the transition between the holidays and the pleasures of everyday existence. In the midst of your yearly celebrations, strive to achieve balance and acknowledge that holidays are special, precisely because they represent a short time of your life. If you minimize the impact the festivities have on your personal and professional schedules, reverting to these timetables will not shock your system. Once the holidays are over, try to keep a small spark of celebration aglow in your heart. Accomplishing this can be as easy as treating yourself well and integrating holiday values such as forgiveness, generosity, and gratitude into your day-to-day existence. Stay in touch with relatives who you traditionally only see once per year, and spread goodwill by volunteering or hosting a post-celebration celebration, just for the fun of it. Even leaving one decoration unpacked and displayed can help you stay cheerful in the days that follow the holidays." Lesson of the Day: Hold OntoThe Magic: Coping With Post-Holiday Blues!