Wednesday, August 3, 2011

JULY 2010

  • Saturday, July 31, 2010 12:25 PM, EDT

In case anyone missed it ( like I did ) here is the link to the TV showed that aired about the man who was injured on his wedding day and became a quadriplegic. It also has clips of Rachelle's murder ball movie in it.

Luckily, a friend found it on the internet and sent it to me ( yay)

Who knows maybe one day we will see Rachelle falling out of the sky too.

http://www.tonyrobbins.com/breakthrough/episodes/episode-1



  • Friday, July 30, 2010 10:21 PM, EDT

Rachelle had another good day today! She practiced doing wheelies again with tippers. Tippers are tiny wheels on the back of the wheelchair; they are similar to training wheels and they help prevent falling backwards. Rachelle also practiced going up and down curbs/ramps around the hospital.

The best part of the day was when Chris and Rach went to the ECU student store. They purchased an ECU tailgating tent and ECU clothes. Rachelle is very excited to use the tailgating tent! She went on the ECU website (Boneyard Banter) and got excited about the upcoming football season. Reading the posts of fellow Pirates got Rachelle pumped. She can't wait to use her new tent and is looking forward to her awesome seats.

Chris and Rach also went to Lowe's and looked at washers and dryers. They are looking to purchase a washer and dryer that Rachelle can use easily. Rachelle also found a cell phone that she can use easily. For dinner Chris and Rach went to Cuddie's, one of Rach's favorite burger places. Sounds like a fun little date!

Rachelle's brother, Aaron, is planning to put together a poker run. A poker run is an event where riders on motorcycles visit several checkpoints and draw a playing card at each stop. The idea is to have the best poker hand at the end of the run. All donations would be going towards Chris and Rachelle. There will be more updates as the event details are finalized. It would be amazing if everyone could come out and support the event, as well as Chris and Rachelle.



  • Thursday, July 29, 2010 4:45 PM, EDT

Hi, everybody:

Rachelle slept very well last night. She slept all though the night and did not wake up. Today she switched manual chairs and found one that fits her perfectly. The chair is small, just like she is, and is a perfect fit for her. She also practiced doing wheelies with her new chair. In rehab she pumped iron again and worked on more arm strength. She also went into the rehab kitchen and practiced washing her hands and opening the microwave. Overall, Rach had a good day. Please keep the wonderful messages coming. Rachelle enjoys reading them.

Also today, a vendor representing rugby and tennis chairs came in and showed Rachelle a few chairs. Rachelle sat in a tennis chair with tilted in wheels and she also held a racket. Rachelle used to play tennis and she wants to continue to play tennis. Of course, we all know she will do it!!!! You go Rach!



  • Wednesday, July 28, 2010 9:47 PM, EDT

Hi, everyone:

Rachelle woke up feeling a lot better this morning. She is back on her nerve pain medications. Today she practiced slide board transfers in the drivers seat. She helped out with the transfers a lot. She also tried to pick up her legs with her hands to put them in the car. Although it was difficult, she picked up one of her legs when getting out of the car. Her therapist was impressed and stated that she thinks Rachelle will be able to pick-up her legs when getting in and out of the vehicle. Rachelle continues to work very hard in therapy. Great job Rach!



  • Tuesday, July 27, 2010 9:14 PM, EDT

Rachelle did not have a good day today. She took the minimum amount of medications today in order to start over again. The doctor's have not found the appropriate medications for Rach and in order to do so they must start from the beginning. She did not have nerve medication today and did not feel very well. In therapy Rach worked on her range of motion and her stretching. Hang in there Rach. She appreciates all of your support.



  • Monday, July 26, 2010 9:46 PM, EDT

Rachelle started out her day with some blood pressure issues. Her blood pressure became very low even for her and she had to be put back to bed with her feet up higher in the bed. After she took her blood pressure medication ,she began to feel better and had a full day of therapy. She worked her arm strength by pumping a 4 pound bar over her chest pushing her arms up. She also worked out with the weight machine with 5 pounds of weight by wrapping her wrist around the bar so she could pull it toward her. She also worked more on turning over by rocking her body back and forth until she can finally toss her body over on her side ( which is easier on a flat matt and not so easy on a bed) but this will help getting her out of bed and her being able to turn herself over. She also worked on pushing with her hands to help with board transfers.

She is trying new pain medication to help with the nerve pain that she has been experiencing . With spinal cord injuries the pain she has can change from time to time so its just hard for the doctors to regulate the nerve pain and find the perfect medication for her. But her Doctors are awesome and they are trying to find the right combination for her.

Chris went to spend some time with his parents so I have been hanging with Rachelle. It's so nice to be with her , as usual, and it's always nice to get in my rachelle hugs and she has been getting plenty of Mom hugs. : ) Rachelle has been missing her man and he wil lbe back with her tomorrow.

last Sunday, she was also able to spend time with her brother and Dad all in the same day. They usually are here at different times so it was great having all of us here together.

thank you all again for all your support that you have given her and Chris and of course our families.



  • Sunday, July 25, 2010 9:58 PM, EDT

Today Rachelle attended the Sunday in Park event and listened to blue grass music, while hanging out with her family. The other day Rach and her best friend, Kasie sang together. Kasie played the piano while Rachelle sang (she busted it out) to some of her favorite music. Rach explained that she felt like herself again while singing. She also had and audience, which consisted of the medical staff. Singing has always been one of Rachelle's favorite hobbies. She is very good at it; she has an amazing voice!



  • Saturday, July 24, 2010 9:20 PM, EDT

hi it's me Rachelle , going home was so much fun and it turns out there needs to be a lot of work to be done to get the house ready for me. The carpeting needs to be ripped up and replaced with hard floors to make it easier for me to use my wheel chair. It is a little over whelming with what has to be done to make the house accessible . It was great to see Peedee and he was happy to be home too. While Chris and I have been gone he has been boarded at a doggy day care.

Hopefully, tomorrow night,we will be going to the Sunday in the Park it's the 20th anniversary of the signing of the American Disabilities act . We hope to learn a few more things there.

I had a little bit of therapy but i am suffering from a lot of nerve pain and the doctors are trying to find out what medications work best for the pain that I have.

Hopefully, I will feel better tomorrow and I love reading what ya'll write and we will keep the updates coming.



  • Friday, July 23, 2010 9:46 PM, EDT

Hi, everyone:

Chris and Rachelle went to their home in Knightdale, NC for the day today. One of the therapists went with them to look at the accessibility of each room and to determine where ramps need to be placed. She got to see her doggy too while she was there. The trip home was exciting and overwhelming at the same time. She also went to Dick's Sporting Goods and tried on football wide receiver gloves. The gloves she has for her manual chair don't fit her very well and that is why she is trying wide receiver gloves.



  • Thursday, July 22, 2010 10:39 PM, EDT

Rachelle got in her three wheel-hand bike for a whole hour today! She is also doing her own pressure releases in her manual chair. The way she does that is by leaning from one side to the other. On top of that, she is continuing to assist with transfers.

Additionally, Chris and Rach got their picture taken for an educational booklet for the hospital about people that are paralyzed. Rachelle will be staying at the Pitt Memorial Hospital for an additional few weeks. Her release date is estimated to be around August 18th. At this time, Chris and the family are filling out paperwork for Rachelle to attend the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA. The Shepherd Center in Atlanta is one of the best spinal cord injury rehab facilities.

Keep up the hard work Rach!!



  • Tuesday, July 20, 2010 9:15 PM, EDT

Hello, everybody:

Rachelle helped out a lot today with slide board transfers. She used her hands to push up, making it easier for the medical staff to transfer her. She also worked out her arms by using weights. However, the highlight of her day was when she saw a Rugby chair. One of the guys who plays on the Raleigh Rugby team (they are called the Sidewinders) said they have three extra chairs and he invited Rach to come out and play. Rach mentioned that playing sports is a great way to get involved and meet new people, not to mention traveling to cool places. She also likes to kick butt though, so that is another reason for her to get involved. Finally, Rach got her hair done again today. She says she gets her hair done weekly now and she loves it (lucky).

Keep it up Rach!!



  • Monday, July 19, 2010 9:32 PM, EDT

Hi, everyone:

Rachelle stayed busy today by swimming in the pool. Her therapy for the day consisted of lots of swimming. We all know how exhausting swimming can be, so she is now resting. Great job Rach.



  • Sunday, July 18, 2010 10:26 PM, EDT

Hello,

Rachelle went out today with Chris and their families. She went to see the new Pirates Stadium and also went downtown Greenville to see how the town has changed. Rach and the crew also went to the mall, followed by dinner. During dinner, Rachelle fed herself with a fork and passed a plate. Tonight, Chris and Rach are staying in the independent living room, where they can spend some alone time. Hope you two have a great night!



  • Sunday, July 18, 2010 11:20 AM, EDT

hi everyone, Rachelle is going to go out on the town today . She has a day pass that allows her to bust out of rehab from noon to nine. ( wonder if she will make it until 9 ) Of course, she will be headed to see the ECU football statdium ( she is suprising her dad)




  • Saturday, July 17, 2010 11:30 PM, EDT

hey everyone..its rachelle again!! i am so sore from cycling but at least i got a good workout! today i brushed my teeth by myself with no assistive device and brushed my hair. of course i make sure i do my makeup everyday..lol. speaking of that..i found out there is a ms. wheelchair NC pageant where the winner goes on to compete in ms wheelchair USA! im so excited! one of the winners teaches a wheelchair aerobics class and i used to teach aerobics at a senior citizen center, so i am motivated. among other interests is wheelchair rugby, tennis and cycling. by the way, everyone should rent the movie murderball. it is a documentary of guys who are quads like me playing wheelchair rugby! best movie ever!!


i try really hard to think about the things i can do as opposed to the things i cant do. i try to stay motivated and strong, focusing on moving forward in my life. its helps me to know others are inspired by my story and the outpouring of love has in turn inspired me. i want everyone to know i am ok and always improving.

and at least i get good parking for ecu games :)....GO PIRATES!



  • Friday, July 16, 2010 11:55 PM, EDT

Another fun day for Rach! She went bowling today. The best part of the day though was when she got in the three wheel-hand bike. She paddled with her hands and she absolutely loved it (pics coming soon). She paddled really fast down the hallway and she amazed the medical staff. Everyone was so proud of her. One of her friends, who also has a spinal cord injury, is planning to bring his three wheel-hand bike to the hospital and race Rachelle. Rachelle was exhausted from all the activities today and she fell asleep in her manual wheelchair. She had a great day and everyone was so proud of her hand bike skills. Fun day!!

Thank you all very much for all the love and support you are continuing to show for Rachelle and Chris. They truly appreciate it.



  • Thursday, July 15, 2010 10:16 PM, EDT

Rachelle worked really hard again in therapy today. She did her usual routine and she is getting really good at all the exercises. She also mentioned today was very fun and she is perfecting each exercise.

Rachelle also started singing again. As many of you know, Rach is a great singer (amazing voice). Her voice is getting stronger. In addition to singing, Rach is also playing the piano. Rachelle plays the piano by using a device that fits her hand like a glove and it has a pointer that comes down, which allows her to press one key at a time. She uses the same device to type.

Great job, Rach!



  • Wednesday, July 14, 2010 10:27 PM, EDT

Rachelle participated in a lot of therapy today. She did her usual workouts and then some. She walked her hands from the back to the front and she leaned forward. As she moved her hands forward, she picked them up and fell back on her hands. The therapists mentioned that it takes most people months to complete such a task, but not for Rachelle. She also did more rolling on her elbows and pumped iron. Rach also saw a hand bike for people with disabilities. The bike is a bit difficult to get into, but Rach will be trying the bike on Friday. This is not an exercise bike though, it is the same type of bike used for outdoors. Also on Friday, Rach, Chris and the crew are going bowling. How fun!

In today's conference meeting, Rachelle's Recreational therapist stated she's done very well this week and in general she's "kicking butt."

Way to go dude.



  • Tuesday, July 13, 2010 9:39 PM, EDT

Even though Rach did not feel 100% today, she still had a full day of therapy. During therapy she worked on learning how to turn over while laying down. She also pushed up with her elbows, which isn't exactly the easiest task. Additionally, Rach put on her own makeup.

Rachelle also went outside with her manual chair and practiced going around curbs. She also had the opportunity to see Lisa's truck. Lisa is a young lady who was in the same facility Rachelle is in now; she also had a spinal cord injury. Rach got to see Lisa's F150 truck with remote seats.

Rach also got her hair done again today and Chris brought her some of her favorite clothes to wear.

One thing that is bothering Rach is the sensation of dripping water inside of her. That is an irritating feeling for Rach.

Once again, great job in therapy Rach. Keep up the hard work. Everyone is rooting for you.



  • Monday, July 12, 2010 7:08 PM, EDT

Rachelle woke up feeling a whole lot better today! She had a whole day filled with therapy. Rach rolled on her own and played dominoes in therapy. She also grabbed blocks with velcro to work on her grip. She then worked on balancing forward and backwards by herself.

Chris used the slide board to move Rach in and out of his car with relative ease. He was able to transport Rachelle all by himself and they also took a drive around the parking lot.

And after all this work, she took a nap (well deserved). She is now shopping online at oldnavy.com for skirts and dresses because they are easy to put on.

Great job on working super hard today Rach.



  • Sunday, July 11, 2010 10:50 PM, EDT

Rachelle had the opportunity to relax today and hang out with her dad and grandparents. She is now on new pain meds, which work better, but make her a bit sleepy. Rach is also feeling a lot better than she did last week and she is ready for therapy tomorrow! She's a fighter!



  • Saturday, July 10, 2010 11:36 PM, EDT

The IV fluids are helping Rachelle feel better. Hopefully, her new medical team will get her back on track and feeling up to lots of therapy next week

Rachelle enjoyed a relaxing day with friends from the senior center where she worked , grandparents and friends.

We are looking into other Rehab centers to find the best place for Rachelle to go after she leaves Greenville.
Monday , a spokes woman from. the Shepard Center in Atlanta will be meeting with us and let us know what our options are. We are also looking into the Miami Project , Carolina Rehab in Charlotte as well as Wake med in Raleigh.

Rachelle has also started to have muscle spasm which is good because the spinal cord shock is starting to wear off. When the nurse was trying to get the blood out or Rachelle's foot this morning her foot moved like it was being tickled. Of course, this meant that she became our form of entertainment ( a new party favor) and so we kept lightly rubbing the bottoms of Rachelles feet to make them jump. Yup, we did annoy her : ) But heck, Chris and I have to have some fun, right ?

Rachelle doesn't feel the muscles spasms and it is too early to tell if she can , if at all. regain any movement or feeling ,

What Is Spinal Shock? : Bone and Spine


Rachelle has also gained deep feeling in her stomach, this past week she has felt the needle as well as the burning of the shot. Of course. she isnt that crazy about getting that feeling back but..... we are excited about it anyway.

Thanks everyone for your love and support . You all have meant so much to us and the continueing healing of Rachelle

Carol and Larry




  • Friday, July 9, 2010 7:53 PM, EDT

Not a very good day today for Chris and Rach. The GI
complications caused Rach to become dehydrated. The nurses attempted to give her an IV in her hand and arms but her veins were too dehydrated to be able to get an IV established. They had to put the IV in her foot so she could get the fluids she needs. She also went for more testing and had a x- ray taken of her chest and stomach to see if there are any more complications. Rachelle is frustrated with the GI problems. Hang in there Rach. We love you!



  • Thursday, July 8, 2010 5:47 PM, EDT

Hello, everybody:

Rachelle was back in a different wheelchair today, trying it out.
The standing wheelchair she's been using has only front wheel drive, unlike her current electric wheelchair which has center wheel drive. She drove the new chair around today to become more comfortable with front wheel drive. Rach also worked on driving her wheelchair on the sidewalk and the grass. On top of that, Rach practiced how to get in and out of an elevator with her wheelchair. She has to go in the elevator backwards. She also mentioned her new wheelchair goes really, really fast!

During PT Rachelle balanced forward and backwards by using her hands. Great job! She also practiced exercises that worked on her reach. She was able to reach very high up over her head. Reaching high over her head means she has some use of her triceps.

This afternoon Rach is planning to watch a movie with her mom, Chris and her best friend. Enjoy!!

***Hot off the press! Rachelle opened her bedroom door (with a handle bar) all by herself! Yayyyyy.

  • Wednesday, July 7, 2010 10:45 PM, EDT
Rachelle was in bed for only half the day today. She made it out of bed for the second part of the day and she participated in two sessions of therapy. Chris and Rach hope that Rach's GI complications are almost solved. 
 





  • Tuesday, July 6, 2010 9:38 AM, EDT

While searching on the web for other options for Rachelle I was reading some one elses Caringbridge page his injury is is 12 weeks before Rachelles, and we all know the best place to find information is from people who have been in the same place. I did find this website on his caring bridge that I thought might be helpful in explaining spinal cord injury as well as her specific injury ( c6) and also has other links on the page for other resources.
Spinal Cord Injury Levels : Sorting out the Confusion


of course, there will be an update later on Rachelle's happenings for the day but I just wanted to pass this along while I had it on my mind.

have a great day!!



  • Sunday, July 4, 2010 10:49 PM, EDT

Happy 4th of July!

Rachelle spend the day with her family and friends, including little cutie, Jeremiah. Rachelle and Chris's parents brought in lots of Fourth of July decorations today to celebrate. Seriously, they brought in red, white and blue tattoos, lays, stickers, hats, crowns, hair clips...(the list goes on). They also brought ECU cupcakes.

Rachelle woke up feeling better this morning as well. She was dressed and had her pretty makeup done. Rachelle looked beautiful (as always). She spend the day in her electric wheelchair hanging out with everyone.



  • Sunday, July 4, 2010 12:59 AM, EDT

Rachelle's friend who does the updating is actually visiting with her this weekend. Rachelle was still not feeling well today and she had a few test to see what was going on. I am sure she will be back to her old self tomorrow.

And for all of you that know Rachelle will probably find this funny ,( because we all know how shy Rachelle is about speaking up ) her room mate, is very soft spoken and hasn't been expressing what she wants or needs to the nurses. Rachelle has been giving her pep talks to ask or say what she needs to the nurses after seeing Mrs Ryan in action these last couple of days I think Rachelle's efforts are paying off.

Everyone please have a safe 4th and thanks again for all your notes to Rach!



  • Friday, July 2, 2010 8:17 PM, EDT

Rachelle woke up this morning not feeling very well. However, she started feeling better towards the afternoon and she made it to one of her PT sessions. The girl deserves a break. She's working very hard.

Love you Rachelle!!!



  • Thursday, July 1, 2010 6:53 PM, EDT

Today Rachelle got her hair washed, cut and blow dried by a professional. She was very excited about that. She also did her own makeup and even put on eyeliner by herself. Rachelle can hold the phone by herself as well now.

There was an UNO tournament today and Rachelle played of course. Unfortunately, she lost the game, but again, only because the other guy cheated.

She also worked hard in PT, as she usually does.

Great Job!


 

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