Wednesday, March 31st, 2004 ~We really need everyone's prayers and thoughts right now! Trace is still in the ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. Yesterday, they extubated Trace, taking her off the respirator. Her xrays showed that the fluid had cleared in her lungs, however, once she was off the respirator, she never returned to a normal breathing cycle. Instead she began hyperventilating off and on throughout the day. PT came yesterday afternoon and stretched Tracy's legs really well. They also put her right knee cast on for a few hours. Late in the afternoon, Tracy started hyperventilating more and more. She became extremely uncomfortable and her gaggle of doctors had to be called in. After giving her many breathing treatments, taking another xray, and giving her some pain meds, Tracy finally calmed down. The xray showed a mucus plug in her left lung. They are going to try to keep her extremely hydrated and hope that her breathing will stabalize. Needless to say, it was a very long day. Unfortunately, all of these complications are a result of her initial drug overdose. Mamaw is flying in today from Louisiana and we are so excited to see her. Tracy was more alert yesterday and had her eyes open more so then not. She seems to know what is going on. Visiting hours at the ICU are from 930-10am, 1-6pm, and 830-10pm. Dad is allowed to stay with Tracy during non-visiting hours and sleeps in her room in a chair. We are so thankful that he can be with her all the time. Tracy is still in the woods and we really need your prayers right now. They did start the Baclofen pump on Thursday in order to keep Tracy from going through withdrawal. Since she had such a large overdose of the drug, the small amount that they can give her is just not enough. We really appreciate everyone's support. We have been reading the guest book entries to Trace and thank you all for your lovely notes.

Tuesday, March 30th, 2004 ~We really need everyone's prayers and thoughts right now! They are still trying to ween Trace off the respirator, but because of the pneumonia, it is still difficult for her to breath completely on her own. She is still extremely unstable and very uncomfortable with the breathing tube in her mouth. They did some additional tests and xrays to determine exactly what's going on with her lungs. She still has fluid in the upper and lower lobes of her right lung. This most likely was caused by the trauma and inflammation to her trachea and vocal chords, which in turn was caused by the tube that is still currently in her mouth. Mamaw is flying in tomorrow from Louisiana and we are so excited to see her. Tracy seems to sleep all day and then she starts to open her eyes again at night. She is extremely tired from being on the respirator and it's wonderful to see her eyes open again. Visiting hours at the ICU are from 930-10am, 1-6pm, and 830-10pm. Dad is allowed to stay with Tracy during non-visiting hours and sleeps in her room in a chair. We are so thankful that he can be with her all the time. The first goal, right now, is to get Tracy off the respirator. They can take her off the respirator once her lungs clear, the inflammation in her throat heals, and her breathing returns to normal. Tracy is still in the woods and we really need your prayers right now. They did start the Baclofen pump on Thursday in order to keep Tracy from going through withdrawal. Since she had such a large overdose of the drug, the small amount that they can give her is just not enough. We really appreciate everyone's support. We have been reading the guest book entries to Trace and thank you all for your lovely notes. It's definitely nice to have friends and family near.

Monday, March 29th, 2004 ~ Happy B'day Dad! We really need everyone's prayers and thoughts right now! They are trying to ween Tracy off the respirator again, but she was breathing short and shallow breaths all day yesterday. Her breathing became steady late in the afternoon, but through the night she started hyperventilating again. She is still extremely unstable. She still has fluid in the upper and lower lobes of her right lung. This most likely was caused by the trauma and inflammation to her trachea and vocal chords, which in turn was caused by the tube that is still currently in her mouth. Since she practically has pneumonia, Tracy has been extremely uncomfortable and has been coughing quite a bit. Tracy started opening her eyes again last night. Uncle Johnny, Nana, and Aunt Diane came to visit Trace last night along with Dr. Go and her family. Trace opened her eyes to look at Nana, Uncle Johnny, and Aunt Diane. She is extremely tired from being on the respirator and it's wonderful to see her eyes open again. Visiting hours at the ICU are from 930-10am, 1-6pm, and 830-10pm. Dad is allowed to stay with Tracy during non-visiting hours and sleeps in her room in a chair. We are so thankful that he can be with her all the time. The first goal, right now, is to get Tracy off the respirator. They can take her off the respirator once her lungs clear, the inflammation in her throat heals, and her breathing returns to normal. Tracy is still in the woods and we really need your prayers right now. They did start the Baclofen pump on Thursday in order to keep Tracy from going through withdrawal. Since she had such a large overdose of the drug, the small amount that they can give her is just not enough. We really appreciate everyone's support. We have been reading the guest book entries to Trace and thank you all for your lovely notes. It's definitely nice to have friends and family near. Just to recap, Tracy had surgery on Tuesday and didn't wake up fast enough. Everyone tried to figure out what was going on and four hours later they found out that the Baclofen Pump was set incorrectly. Tracy was only supposed to receive 80mics per day of Baclofen and essentially, in four hours received 3,000mics. Baclofen is a muscle relaxer and Tracy is now in the ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital. We really need all of your prayers and good thoughts right now. Tracy is a FIGHTER and has an extreme WILL to live. However, she still needs your help. We will try to keep you posted as much as possible on her condition. Right now, the doctors believe that she will be ok, they just have to get the Baclufen out of her system. From what we understand, this is not supposed to cause any more brain damage and Tracy has not been without oxygen. Again, please keep her in your thoughts. We really appreciate all of your support and prayers. Tracy was admitted Sunday night to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital to undergo a surgery to implant an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump. I'll try my best to keep you posted.

Sunday, March 28th, 2004 ~ We really need everyone's prayers and thoughts right now! As you know, Tracy had her surgery Tuesday afternoon and didn't wake up as fast as everyone wanted her too. Right now, she is still in the ICU. Yesterday, we found out that Tracy has fluid in her right lower lung. This most likely was caused by the trauma and inflammation to her trachea and vocal chords, which in turn was caused by the tube that is still currently in her mouth. Since she practically has pneumonia, Tracy has been extremely uncomfortable and has been coughing quite a bit. Dad continues to stay with Tracy through the night. Last night they had to give Tracy medicine to relax her since she was coughing so much. She is extremely sensitive right now to stimulation and her autonomic system is pretty out of whack. She constantly is fighting off a temperature and her pulse has a tendency to spike. Tracy is still in the woods and we really need your prayers right now. They can take her off the respirator once her lungs clear, the inflammation in her throat heals, and her breathing returns to normal. They did start the Baclofen pump on Thursday in order to keep Tracy from going through withdrawal. Since she had such a large overdose of the drug, the small amount that they can give her is just not enough. We appreciate everyone's support. Hopefully Uncle Johnny, Nana, and Aunt Diane will be visiting today. Yesterday Tracy had a lot of visitors. Ashley Spoto and her friend Diana spent the day with Trace. Plus, yesterday afternoon, Chip and Eileen stopped by again and Sasha and Nicole, Tracy's friends from UM, visited her as well. It's definitely nice to have friends and family near. Just to recap, Tracy had surgery on Tuesday and didn't wake up fast enough. Everyone tried to figure out what was going on and four hours later they found out that the Baclofen Pump was set incorrectly. Instead of being set on 1mic an hour it was set on 1cc and hour, an extremely higher amount. Tracy was only supposed to receive 80mics per day of Baclofen and essentially, in four hours received 2,000mics. Baclofen is a muscle relaxer and Tracy is now in the ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital. We really need all of your prayers and good thoughts right now. Tracy is a FIGHTER and has an extreme WILL to live. However, she still needs your help. We will try to keep you posted as much as possible on her condition. Right now, the doctors believe that she will be ok, they just have to get the Baclufen out of her system. From what we understand, this is not supposed to cause any more brain damage and Tracy has not been without oxygen. Again, please keep her in your thoughts. We really appreciate all of your support and prayers. Tracy was admitted Sunday night to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital to undergo a surgery to implant an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump. I'll try my best to keep you posted.

Saturday, March 27th, 2004 ~ We really need everyone's prayers and thoughts right now! As you know, Tracy had her surgery Tuesday afternoon and didn't wake up as fast as everyone wanted her too. Right now, she is still in the ICU. Tracy, thankfully, had an uneventful night and of course, Dad did not leave her side. They tried to take her off the respirator Friday morning, but found out that she has suffered some trauma to her trachia and vocal cords. This sometimes happens when people have a breathing tube and hopefully the inflammation will go away soon. They are going to have to monitor it and will try to take her off the respirator in a few days. Tracy started going through withdrawal from the Baclufen yesterday. She became diaphoretic, had a fever, and was straining a lot. Because of this, they had to give her a lot of medicine to relax her. Therefore, she is in a deep sleep. However, this morning, she started to open her eyes when Dad moved her arms and legs. They did start the Baclufen pump on Thursday in order to keep Tracy from going through withdrawal. Since she had such a large overdose of the drug, the small amount that they can give her is just not enough. Tracy is being monitored very closely and hopefully we can continue to keep her stable over the weekend. We appreciate everyone's support. Today, Ashley Spoto and Chip and Eileen are stopping by to see Trace. It's definitely nice to have friends and family near. Just to recap, Tracy had surgery on Tuesday and didn't wake up fast enough. Everyone tried to figure out what was going on and four hours later they found out that the Baclofen Pump was set incorrectly. Instead of being set on 1mic an hour it was set on 1cc and hour, an extremely higher amount. Tracy was only supposed to receive 80mics per day of Baclufen and essentially, in four hours received 2,000mics. Baclufen is a muscle relaxer and Tracy is now in the ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital. She is on a respirator and has been over-breathing it. She still has yet to "wake-up" and Dad has not left her side. We really need all of your prayers and good thoughts right now. Tracy is a FIGHTER and has an extreme WILL to live. However, she still needs your help. We will try to keep you posted as much as possible on her condition. Right now, the doctors believe that she will be ok, they just have to get the Baclufen out of her system. From what we understand, this is not supposed to cause any more brain damage and Tracy has not been without oxygen. Again, please keep her in your thoughts. We really appreciate all of your support and prayers. Tracy was admitted Sunday night to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital to undergo a surgery to implant an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump. I'll try my best to keep you posted.

Friday, March 26th, 2004 ~ We really need everyone's prayers and thoughts right now! As you know, Tracy had her surgery Tuesday afternoon and didn't wake up as fast as everyone wanted her too. Right now, she is still in the ICU. I spoke too soon this morning when I said they took Trace off the respirator. They tried to take her off the respirator this morning, but found out that she has suffered some trauma to her trach and vocal cords. This sometimes happens when people have a breathing tube and hopefully the inflammation will go away soon. They are going to have to monitor it and will try to take her off the respirator in a few days. She continues to over-breath the respirator. Tracy is also going through some strong withdrawals from the overdose. She had some trouble this morning and they are constantly monitoring her. Just please continue to pray for her! Trace is starting to show signs that the Baclufen is leaving her system. She is now opening her eyes and looking at us. She also has most of her tone back, meaning, her arms and legs are tight again. They did start the Baclufen pump yesterday and set it to 100mics/day in order to keep Tracy from going through withdrawal. We appreciate everyone's support. Tracy has had many visitors since she was admitted to the hospital. Yesterday, Aunt Diane and Debbie Rand stopped by, plus Allison Rand and Chip and Eileen. Tonight we are hoping to see Ashley Spoto . It's definitely nice to have friends and family near. Just to recap, Tracy had surgery on Tuesday and didn't wake up fast enough. Everyone tried to figure out what was going on and four hours later they found out that the Baclofen Pump was set incorrectly. Instead of being set on 1mic an hour it was set on 1cc and hour, an extremely higher amount. Tracy was only supposed to receive 80mics per day of Baclufen and essentially, in four hours received 2,000mics. Baclufen is a muscle- relaxer and Tracy is now in the ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital . She is on a respirator and has been over-breathing it. She still has yet to "wake-up" and Dad has not left her side. We really need all of your prayers and good thoughts right now. Tracy is a FIGHTER and has an extreme WILL to live. However, she still needs your help. We will try to keep you posted as much as possible on her condition. Right now, the doctors believe that she will be ok, they just have to get the Baclufen out of her system. From what we understand, this is not supposed to cause any more brain damage and Tracy has not been without oxygen. Again, please keep her in your thoughts. We really appreciate all of your support and prayers. Tracy was admitted Sunday night to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital to undergo a surgery to implant an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump . I'll try my best to keep you posted.

Thursday, March 25th, 2004 ~ We really need everyone's prayers and thoughts right now! As you know, Tracy had her surgery Tuesday afternoon and didn't wake up as fast as everyone wanted her too. She is still in the ICU and is still on a respirator, however, they are starting to ween her off of it, b/c she is breathing the majority of the time on her own. Trace is starting to show signs that the Baclufen is leaving her system. She was really trying to open her eyes and she is getting muscle tone back in her arms and legs (just a little). They say that it should take about four to five days for it to totally leave her system. Right now, she is extremely vulnerable and they are monitoring everything. We appreciate everyone's support. Tracy has had many visitors since she was admitted to the hospital. Fallon and Alex came from Key West and visited Tracy on Tuesday. Chip and Eileen came during Tracy's surgery and are coming again today. Cousin Judy kept us company yesterday as well and was kind enough to bring us lunch. It's definitely nice to have friends and family near. Just to recap, Tracy had surgery on Tuesday and didn't wake up fast enough. Everyone tried to figure out what was going on and four hours later they found out that the Baclofen Pump was set incorrectly. Instead of being set on 1mic an hour it was set on 1cc and hour, an extremely higher amount. Tracy was only supposed to receive 80mics per day of Baclufen and essentially, in four hours received 2,000mics. Baclufen is a muscle relaxer and Tracy is now in the ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital. She is on a respirator and has been over-breathing it. She still has yet to "wake-up" and Dad has not left her side. We really need all of your prayers and good thoughts right now. Tracy is a FIGHTER and has an extreme WILL to live. However, she still needs your help. We will try to keep you posted as much as possible on her condition. Right now, the doctors believe that she will be ok, they just have to get the Baclufen out of her system. From what we understand, this is not supposed to cause any more brain damage and Tracy has not been without oxygen. Again, please keep her in your thoughts. We really appreciate all of your support and prayers. Tracy was admitted Sunday night to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital to undergo a surgery to implant an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump. I'll try my best to keep you posted.

Wednesday, March 24th, 2004 ~ Please pray for Tracy! She had her surgery yesterday afternoon and afterwards she didn't wake up as fast as they wanted her too. Everyone tried to figure out what was going on and four hours later they found out that the Baclofen Pump was set incorrectly. Instead of being set on 1mic an hour it was set on 1cc and hour, an extremely higher amount. Tracy was only supposed to receive 80mics per day of Baclufen and essentially, in four hours received 2,000mics. Baclofen is a muscle relaxer and Tracy is now in the ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital. She is on a respirator and has been over-breathing it. She still has yet to "wake-up" and Dad stayed with her all night. We really need all of your prayers and good thoughts right now. Tracy is a FIGHTER and has an extreme WILL to live. However, she still needs your help. We will try to keep you posted as much as possible on her condition. Right now, the doctors believe that she will be ok, they just have to get the Baclufen out of her system. From what we understand, this is not supposed to cause any more brain damage and Tracy has not been without oxygen. Again, please keep her in your thoughts. We really appreciate all of your support and prayers. Tracy was admitted Sunday night to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital to undergo a surgery to implant an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump. Dad was supposed to leave this evening, however, he is going to stay. I'll try my best to keep you posted.

Monday, March 22nd, 2004 ~ Yesterday we stopped by the Rand's for a visit before heading down to Miami. Tracy is at the hospital and they did the Baclofen trial this morning. Tracy was admitted yesterday to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital. If all goes well today with the trial, Trace will undergo surgery to insert an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump on Tuesday. This morning they gave Tracy Baclofen via a spinal tap. Hopefully the medicine will relax Tracy's muscles significantly. Physical therapists and doctors will examine Tracy throughout the day to determine if she reacts well to the medicine or not. I have linked a website that explains what the pump is and why she needs it. She may be in the hospital for 20 to 40 days. We will keep you updated about the procedure and her continued progress. We will be living in Miami at a hotel while Tracy is in the hospital. You can still send mail to either our DC address or the Palm Beach address. Mom stayed at the hospital with Tracy last night. Trace slept well once she relaxed in her new room. Tracy had a nice weekend. Friday night, Nana, Aunt Diane, Mom, Dad, Charles, Tracy and I went to dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel across the street. We all had a nice time and Tracy enjoyed the jazz trio that entertained us. Saturday, Tracy's friend Melissa and her Mom, Margo came over to visit. They relaxed on the balcony with Trace and then Margo did a Reike massage for Trace. They brought Tracy an adorable Easter bunny and some beautiful flowers. Saturday night we all went out to dinner for Dad and Chip's birthdays. We went to a delicious Italian restaurant and after dinner the owner and our waitress led a prayer for Tracy. Charles leaves for VA Beach today and Dad leaves on Wednesday. Please continue to pray for Tracy.

Sunday, March 21st, 2004 ~ Tracy is having a nice weekend. Friday night, Nana, Aunt Diane, Mom, Dad, Charles, Tracy and I went to dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel across the street. We all had a nice time and Tracy enjoyed the jazz trio that entertained us. Saturday, Tracy's friend Melissa and her Mom, Margo came over to visit. They relaxed on the balcony with Trace and then Margo did a Reike massage for Trace. They brought Tracy an adorable Easter bunny and some beautiful flowers. Saturday night we all went out to dinner for Dad and Chip's birthdays. We went to a delicious Italian restaurant and after dinner the owner and our waitress led a prayer for Tracy. Today we are taking Tracy to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital. She will be admitted to the hospital and will undergo surgery to insert an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump on Tuesday. I have linked a website that explains what the pump is and why she needs it. She may be in the hospital for 20 to 40 days. We will keep you updated about the procedure and her continued progress. We will be living in Miami at a hotel while Tracy is in the hospital. You can still send mail to either our DC address or the Palm Beach address. Charles is visiting until tomorrow and Dad leaves on Wednesday but will be coming back on Friday. Please continue to pray for Tracy.

Friday, March 19th, 2004 ~ We found out that Tracy will not be admitted to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital until Sunday evening. Things have been pushed back due to insurance matters. If all goes well, she will undergo surgery to insert an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump on Tuesday. I have linked a website that explains what the pump is and why she needs it. She may be in the hospital for 20 to 40 days. We will keep you updated about the procedure and her continued progress. Tracy did really well at therapy yesterday. Mom, Dad, Alison, Tracy's best bud, and I took Trace to therapy at the RCCA. She had OT first with Donna. Donna wanted to do something new. She got Tracy on a big therapy ball that looks like a peanut. She helped Trace sit up on the ball and bounced her on the ball to stabalize her balance. Trace did a great job holding her head up and relaxed on the ball. During the second half of the session, Donna helped Tracy lean on a table. She had Trace lean on her elbows on the table while sitting on the peanut. Trace continued to hold her head up and at one point was sitting all by herself. Donna was extremely pleased with Tracy's head and trunk control. During speech, Tracy was pretty sleepy after OT. Emily did Tracy's warm-up oral exercises first. She then gave Trace a sip of lemon lime HI-C, but Trace was tired. Emily put a lolly-pop on Tracy's lips and in her mouth to stimulate saliva and swallowing. During PT, Rose and Kathy put Trace on a tilt-chair. They had her sit up and coached her to keep her head up. They also helped Tracy lean on a table onto her elbows. During the second part of therapy, Rose stretched Tracy's feet and put a Ked tennis shoe on Tracy's left foot. She then put an air-cast on Tracy's right foot and leg. Tracy will not have therapy at the RCCA again until she is out of the hospital in Miami. We will miss all the therapists at the RCCA! Alison was a big help yesterday and we are so glad she came over to hang out with Tracy. Mom and Dad took Trace for a walk to the Lake Worth Pier yesterday afternoon in her jogger. Tracy has a doctor's appointment today and we hope to see Nana and Aunt Diane tonight. Charles arrives today and Tracy's friend Melissa and her Mom are coming to see Tracy tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 17th, 2004 ~ Happy St. Patty's Day! We found out that Tracy will not be admitted to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital until Monday. Things have been pushed back due to insurance matters. If all goes well, she will undergo surgery to insert an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump on Tuesday. I have linked a website that explains what the pump is and why she needs it. She may be in the hospital for 20 to 40 days. We will keep you updated about the procedure and her continued progress. Tracy did really well at therapy today. Mom, Dad, and I took Trace to therapy at the RCCA. She had OT first with Donna. Donna let Trace relax in her chair while she stretched Tracy's arms out. After some good stretching, we moved Tracy to the mat and Donna helped Tracy sit up. Donna worked on Tracy's trunk and head control. She also applied a moist heating pad on Tracy's right hip in order to relax it. During speech, Emily did Tracy's warm-up exercises to loosen Tracy's facial muscles up. She had prepared some green kool-aid for Tracy in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Emily used some thickening powder to thicken the kool-aid to a honey-like consistency. She fed Tracy three spoonfuls and Trace swallowed it all. During PT, Rose stretched Tracy's feet while Trace was laying on her side on the therapy mat. Then they sat Trace up at the edge of the therapy mat in order to work on trunk control. Rose placed Tracy's feet flat on a bench so Trace could bare weight through her legs. She coached Tracy to keep her head up and to remain balanced. Rose leveraged Trace by holding on to her knees. She would push Tracy's shoulders up and Tracy would stop herself in mid air, holding herself up. Trace was really trying hard. Last night, Mom, Dad, and I took Tracy to City Place to walk around the shops and to eat dinner. Tonight we are relaxing at the condo. Tracy has therapy again tomorrow at the RCCA. This weekend, Charles is coming to visit and Tracy's friend Melissa and her Mom are coming as well.

Tuesday, March 16th, 2004 ~ Happy B'day Cousin Chip! Tracy did really well at therapy yesterday. During OT, Donna helped Tracy sit at the edge of the therapy mat. Then Mom, Donna, and Dad got Trace on a huge double ball called a peanut. They put Tracy prone on the ball and stretched her arms up over her head like Superman in flight. Tracy also had her knees on the floor and was baring weight through them. During speech, Emily did Tracy's warm-up oral exercises and used a grape to stimulate Tracy's saliva. Tracy really enjoyed tasting the grape. Emily also gave Tracy some thickened water and wanted to give her more to eat, but Trace was sleepy. During PT, Rose really stretched Tracy's feet and put them flat on a bench to allow her to bare weight through them. While Trace was in her chair, Rose pushed on Tracy's knees to try to get Trace off-balanced. Trace played the game well and didn't allow Rose to pull her down. She used her trunk stregnth and kept her upper body up. It was awesome and Rose was extremely pleased. Tracy should have therapy again tomorrow at the RCCA. Last night Mom fed Trace some baby's banana food. Trace loves it and ate half the jar! Today we are relaxing at home. Yesterday, our dear friend Shelly Alvarez stopped by to see Trace. It was great to see a friendly face from Naples! In other news, sometime this week, Tracy is going to be admitted to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital. If all goes well, she will undergo surgery to insert an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump. I have linked a website that explains what the pump is and why she needs it. She may be in the hospital for 20 to 40 days. We will keep you updated about the procedure and her continued progress.

Monday, March 15th, 2004 ~ Tracy slept well last night. Lisa came by to give Tracy a massage. We also had a special visit from Emil, our dear friend and Tracy's masseuse in DC. Emil gave Dad a massage after enjoying some pizza with us. Tracy has therapy today at the RCCA. Dad and I arrived safely in Florida Saturday night. Liz left Saturday night to visit her brother in Ft. Lauderdale and is leaving FL on today. We really didn't want her to go! Saturday night we went to the Rand's house for dinner. Debbie did some speech therapy with Trace out on their patio. She coached Tracy repeatedly to try to say the words arm, water, and Prada. Debbie also stretched Tracy's right arm. Tracy relaxed her arm and was really concentrating with Debbie for over an hour. At the end of the session, Debbie was coaching Trace to say arm for Mom and me. Tracy blurted out "arm" and surprised all of us! I was away from Tracy for only a week and I noticed a huge difference. She is making progress every day. Sunday we relaxed at the condo with Aunt Diane, Uncle Johnny, and Nana. In other news, sometime this week, Tracy is going to be admitted to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital. If all goes well, she will undergo surgery to insert an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump. I have linked a website that explains what the pump is and why she needs it. She may be in the hospital for 20 to 40 days. We will keep you updated about the procedure and her continued progress.

Sunday, March 14th, 2004 ~ Tracy is having a lovely weekend. Dad and I arrived safely in Florida last night. Liz left to visit her brother in Ft. Lauderdale and is leaving FL on Monday. We really didn't want her to go! Last night we went to the Rand's house for dinner. Debbie did some speech therapy with Trace out on their patio. She coached Tracy repeatedly to try to say the words arm, water, and Prada. Debbie also stretched Tracy's right arm. Tracy relaxed her arm and was really concentrating with Debbie for over an hour. At the end of the session, Debbie was coaching Trace to say arm for Mom and me. Tracy blurted out "arm" and surprised all of us! I was away from Tracy for only a week and I noticed a huge difference. She is making progress every day. Today we are relaxing at the condo with Aunt Diane, Uncle Johnny, and Nana. Friday, Tracy did not have therapy. Liz' daughter Mary and Mary's boyfriend, Mark came over to see Tracy on Friday. Uncle Johnny took everyone into Palm Beach to ride a surrey. Liz, Mom, Mary and Mark rode a surrey while Uncle Johnny pushed Trace in her wheel chair. Friday night, Aunt Diane and Nana joined everyone for dinner at the condo. Liz made a delicious dinner for everyone. Tracy really enjoys being around her family and friends! Tracy has therapy tomorrow at the RCCA. In other news, sometime this week, Tracy is going to be admitted to the Ryder Trauma Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital. If all goes well, she will undergo surgery to insert an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump. I have linked a website that explains what the pump is and why she needs it. She may be in the hospital for 20 to 40 days. We will keep you updated about the procedure and her continued progress.

Friday, March 12th, 2004 ~ Tracy has been doing really well this week with therapy. She is making advances every day and is really enjoying the company of her friends and family in Florida. Today, Mom and Liz hope to take Tracy on an exploration of the island of Palm Beach. Mary, Liz' daughter, and Mary's boyfriend are visiting for the day. Tracy does not have therapy today. Wednesday's therapy at the RCCA went really well. During OT, Donna helped Tracy sit at the edge of the mat with the new versaform pillow. The pillow supports Tracy while sitting up. Trace held her head up during the entire session. During speech, Emily did oral exercises with Tracy and then fed Trace some vanilla custard. Trace ate it and swallowed it well. She is doing much better with her mouth and lip control, but still has a hard time moving food back in order to swallow it. During PT, Rose stretched Tracy's feet and got both of them flat on a bench while Trace was sitting in her chair. Then everyone helped put Trace in a prone position on the mat so Rose could really stretch Tracy's feet, legs, and hips. Yesterday, Tracy had therapy at the RCCA again. Tracy had her best session yet. She really showed the therapists her perpetual strength. During OT, Donna got Tracy prone on a therapy ball and stretched Tracy's arms all the way out above her head. During speech, Emily did oral exercises with Tracy again and fed Tracy some HiC drink that was thickened. Tracy swallowed right away, but only had one sip. Emily also worked on Tracy's breathing and vocalization. During PT, Rose put some shoes on Tracy's feet while Trace was sitting in her chair. Rose had Trace bare weight through her legs and feet by putting Tracy's feet on the bench with shoes on. Tracy's head was down on her knees and they asked Trace to pick her trunk and head up. With minimum help Tracy pulled herself back up! Then, they played a game with Trace. Tracy was sitting straight up in her chair and Rose tried to pull Tracy forward by pulling her legs. Tracy resisted and supported herself by pulling back. Tracy maintained her balance by pushing her arms and legs down. Everyone was so surprised and extremely pleased with Tracy's performance. Last night, Mom, Liz, and Tracy relaxed at the condo. Dad and I are flying back to Florida on Saturday and are currently in cold, Washington, DC.

Wednesday, March 10th, 2004 ~ Tracy slept well last night after a much-needed massage with Lisa. Today, Mom and Liz are taking Trace to the RCCA for three hours of therapy. Yesterday, they hung around at the condo and let Tracy rest. Liz and Mom stretched Tracy's arms and legs while Trace was in bed. Tracy vocalized a lot while they stretched her. Mom also did Tracy's oral exercises, but was unable to feed Trace anything since she was so sleepy. Cousins Judy, Michelle, Todd and Auntie Anna come over to visit along with Nana, Aunt Diane and Uncle Johnny. They had a house full of relatives! Michelle brought dinner for everyone. Mom and Liz took Trace to therapy at the RCCA on Monday. During speech, Emily used a muscle stimulator on Tracy's mouth and cheeks. This procedure got all of Tracy's face and oral muscles to move. During OT, Donna fixed all of Tracy's splints and casts. Tracy really wears them out! During PT, Rose stretched Tracy's feet really well while Trace was resting on the therapy mat. Rose was able to get Tracy's feet flat on a wedge and was really happy with the exercise. Then they got Tracy prone in order to stretch her feet and hips. Tracy loves being around family and friends. Dad and I are flying back to Florida on Saturday and are currently in cold, Washington, DC.

Tuesday, March 9th, 2004 ~ Mom and Liz took Trace to therapy at the RCCA on Monday. We are so happy that Liz is visiting! Tracy did an awesome job at therapy yesterday. During speech, Emily used a muscle stimulator on Tracy's mouth and cheeks. This procedure got all of Tracy's face and oral muscles to move. During OT, Donna fixed all of Tracy's splints and casts. Tracy really wears them out! During PT, Rose stretched Tracy's feet really well while Trace was resting on the therapy mat. Rose was able to get Tracy's feet flat on a wedge and was really happy with the exercise. Then they got Tracy prone in order to stretch her feet and hips. Aunt Diane, Uncle Johnny, and Nana came over last night to enjoy some pasta that Liz made. Today, Tracy does not have therapy, but they are hoping to take her to the beach in her jogger. Cousins Michelle, Judy, and Auntie Anna are supposed to visit Trace today as well. Sunday afternoon, Liz, Mom, and Aunt Diane took Tracy for a walk to the Lake Worth fishing pier. Then, Debbie Rand came over to work with Tracy. She is a speech therapist and a dear friend of ours. Debbie asked Tracy to mimic her by saying "Ahh". Trace did and followed all directions! Sunday night, Mom, Uncle Johnny, Aunt Diane, Nana, Liz and Tracy went to dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel. Tracy really enjoyed the outing and loves being around family and friends. Dad and I are flying back to Florida on Saturday and are currently in cold, Washington, DC. Please check out the following link to read an article that was written about "Project Anzalone" and the great people who provided us with dinner three nights a week while Tracy was outpatient at NRH in Washington, DC. Kelly Neely, the wife of Tracy’s high school friend, Chad, wrote the article. NNMC Article. I apologize for not linking the article earlier!

Sunday, March 7th, 2004 ~ Tracy is having a lovely weekend. Nana and Aunt Diane are spending the weekend with us. Friday, we relaxed here at the condo with Nana. Aunt Diane came over in time for dinner Friday night. Mom fed Tracy some vanilla yogurt and she swallowed a few spoonfuls. Saturday, we let Tracy soak up some rays on the balcony. Saturday afternoon, Aunt Diane, Mom, and I took Tracy for a walk in her jogger. We walked to the Lake Worth Beach boardwalk and checked out the shops. Tracy really enjoyed the outing. Saturday evening, Nana, Aunt Diane, Mom, Tracy and I went out to dinner. It's so easy to get Trace out and about here since we don't have to layer her with clothes! Our dear friend Liz arrived Saturday evening from DC and is staying the week. I leave for DC this morning and will return to Florida on Monday the 15th. Tracy has therapy again on Monday at the RCCA.

Friday, March 5th, 2004 ~ Tracy did well at therapy yesterday, but she did not sleep well last night. During Speech yesterday, Emily put some music on for Tracy and did some oral exercises with her. Tracy was really sleepy and extremely relaxed throughout speech. During OT, Donna put heating pads on Tracy's hips and legs to loosen her muscles up. She also stretched her arms and shoulders really well. Halfway through OT, Rose, Tracy's PT joined in. They put Tracy on her tummy and Donna made sure Tracy's arms were positioned correctly while Rose stretched Tracy's right leg and hip. Uncle Johnny joined us at therapy and then helped Mom and I get Tracy in the pool once we got home. Tracy really enjoyed the pool. The water was warm and Tracy relaxed after a few minutes. While sitting on the steps with me, Trace started to put her head down towards the water, so Mom showed her how to put her face in the water and blow bubbles. Trace thought about it and then quickly put her face in the water and pulled it back up. It was great! After the pool, Uncle Johnny, Mom, Trace and I went to dinner across the street and enjoyed the outing. Tracy does not have therapy today. Nana and Aunt Diane are coming over this afternoon and will spend the weekend with us. Tomorrow night our dear friend Liz is coming and will be staying for the week. We can't wait to see her!

Thursday, March 4th, 2004 ~ Tracy had a much-needed massage last night with Lisa. Lisa worked with Tracy for about two hours and really stretched her muscles. Tracy was out for the count the rest of the night! She has therapy again today at the RCCA. Mom and I are going to take her and we will let you know how that goes! Uncle Johnny stopped by last night to visit for a while and it was great to see him. It's so nice to be close to family! Dad arrived in DC late last night and we miss him a lot. Yesterday, Tracy had OT first at the RCCA. Donna, Mom, and Dad helped Tracy sit up at the edge of the therapy mat. Donna put Tracy's left arm in the Fluidotherapy machine to stimulate her muscles and senses. Then, they helped Trace lay back onto Mom so Donna could really stretch Tracy's arms. Dad and Donna lifted Tracy's arms up in the air and had her hold on to a wooden bar. They held Trace in that position for over five minutes. She really did a great job. During Speech, Emily put some a Dave Matthews Band CD on for Trace and then did some oral exercises with her. She also gave Trace a few sips of cranberry juice. Tracy swallowed it quickly. During PT, Rose really stretched Tracy's feet and legs. Then they got Tracy on her tummy for a few minutes so Rose could really stretch Tracy's right hip. The consistency that Tracy is getting at the RCCA is wonderful. They already see improvements and it has only been a few weeks!

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2004 ~ Tracy slept well last night after a busy day at therapy. Dad and Uncle Johnny joined Tracy at the RCCA for therapy yesterday while Mom and I had some down time shopping. Tracy did really well and has therapy again today. During OT, Donna really stretched Tracy's arms and shoulders. She had Trace on her side and stretched her arms out around an exercise ball. Emily did some oral exercises with Trace and really cleaned her mouth for the first half hour of speech. During the second half hour, Rose, Tracy's PT, joined them and they got Trace on the therapy mat. While Rose stretched Tracy's feet and legs, Emily observed Tracy's mouth movements and sounds. Trace opened her mouth wider and more frequently on command for Emily. Dad leaves this afternoon for DC and Lisa is coming over to give Trace a much-needed massage. Mamaw and Papaw left Monday and we were sad to see them go. Hopefully they will be back to visit again soon. Tracy received many beautiful birthday gifts and loves everything! Thank you all for your thoughtfulness!

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2004 ~ Tracy slept well last night and is ready for another day of therapy. She will have OT, Speech, and PT at the RCCA this afternoon. Dad leaves tomorrow for DC again and hopefully will be back to FL soon. Marty came over last night to do some speech therapy with Tracy. He is very happy with Tracy's progress and noticed that Tracy's mouth is starting to evolve. She can close her lips, accurately swallow, and is starting to get normal tongue movements. Thank you to everyone who attended Tracy's b'day party! We had a great time and hope you all did too! Tracy really enjoyed seeing everyone and loves all of her presents. The party was a hit, the food was great, and we really appreciate everyone's support! Tracy had a few bites of her ice cream birthday cake and really enjoyed it! Tracy did not have therapy Monday, but she did have an appointment at the Upledger Institute in Palm Beach Gardens. Uncle Johnny and Nana accompanied us to the Institute. Tracy met with Mya, a therapist who did something called Craniosacral therapy on Tracy. Mamaw and Papaw left Monday and we were sad to see them go. Hopefully they will be back to visit again soon. Tracy received many beautiful gifts and loves everything! Thank you all for your thoughtfulness! Tracy is featured in an article in this week's Stars and Stripes Europe, a military paper. You can read the article at the following weblink: Tracy's Article.

Monday, March 1st, 2004 ~ Thank you to everyone who attended Tracy's b'day party! We had a great time and hope you all did too! Tracy really enjoyed seeing everyone and loves all of her presents. The party was a hit, the food was great, and we really appreciate everyone's support! Tracy had a few bites of her ice cream birthday cake and really enjoyed it! Tracy did not have therapy today, but she did have an appointment at the Upledger Institute in Palm Beach Gardens. Uncle Johnny and Nana accompanied us to the Institute. Tracy met with Mya, a therapist who did something called Craniosacral therapy on Tracy. Tracy has therapy tomorrow at the RCCA. Mamaw and Papaw left this morning and we were sad to see them go. Hopefully they will be back to visit again soon. A big thank you to Cousin Virginia and Family for the gorgeous flower arrangement and balloons! Tracy also received a gorgeous flower arrangement from her dear friend Lisa. Thanks Lisa, the flower "cake" is beautiful! Tracy received many beautiful gifts and loves everything! Thank you all for your thoughtfulness! Tracy is featured in an article in this week's Stars and Stripes Europe, a military paper. You can read the article at the following weblink: Tracy's Article.