Happy Halloween

Today is the first Halloween we have ever been away from the kids, but I hear mom is showing them a good time in Merkel. They got to go to the carnival last night and mom said they had a good time.

Kyle didn't do as well as he has been, he got up today but is real nauseated so he was only up a couple of hours. We did get to go outside for a little bit, another nice day in Colorado. Nana and I made a snowman yesterday, posted a pic of it up on facebook. I might call Keith and ask him how to post a pic on here so everyone can see it. Got lots of cards today.Got a card from the Vernon ISD school board, Francis and Mary Birkenfeld, Nancy, Junior and Faith Andrade, Heather Brown, Judy and Max Tatum, Betty Geisler and family, Mrs. Cochran and cathy fox, Theresa Bruggeman and Mary Grooves Family. Thanks, Kyle and I look forward to the mail, it keeps us in touch with home! Today is a short blog there just isn't a lot that goes on up here on the weekends.

Freaky Friday

It is crazy here! They take Halloween way to serious here, the head DR was a swimmer, no you don't understand he wore a womens swimsuit and thats it! They said last yr he was a baby and all he wore was a diaper, bet he was cold! One of the nurses was a whoopie cushion the PT group was the zombies and Micheal Jackson from thriller, it was great. They had a skit and danced, kinda reminded me of Josh, Lu and Kylie! Kyle had a good day he had to go on a 30 min wheelchair hike up and down ramps and he was timed. He did really well. He got done early so he is back in bed hoping for a nap before supper. Kevin Kyzer came back and visited today he was on duty. We were telling him about how much paw loves his book, he is almost done with it.
Kyle gets all the staples out this afternoon and he gets to take a shower tonight!
All the therapists gave him homework for this weekend and his schedule for next week is getting busier! They say in a couple of weeks he will get up by 8 and be in therapies until at least 4.
Today is a lot warmer and the snow is melting fast, tomorrow is expected to be very pretty here, we will see.

Bad News

We started therapy late again today at 11. They worked him out pretty good and then decided to put these electronic stimulators on his thigh muscles to see if he would get some benefit from the bikes. Unfortunately because of how far his level of injury is not only did we do some damage to the spinal cord but we also damaged the nerves that go out into the legs and tell his muscles to contract, so we got no results from the stimulators so the bikes would not work for him. They say the nerves can heal over time but its kinda like the paralysis, we will never know. That was a step in the wrong direction for us. Hopefully in time his nerves will heal along with his spinal cord. We got some more bad news when they called and told us that our house is not at all handicap friendly, which we already knew. Kyle says we should just knock it down and start from scratch! I just want him to have a home he can live and feel comfortable in.
On a different note we got our 18 inches of snow a day early, but it is supposed to warm up this weekend and melt. We got to talk to the girls on skype tonight, it was just what we needed! Brooke talked and talked and talked. We couldn't get Kyla to talk but that is about like Kyla. Karley Sue got to see her Nana she told us the other day she forgot what her Nana looked like! She wanted to know when her nana was coming home. All the girls look like they have grown so much in just these last few weeks! Poor Kevin I just realized he is living with 5 girls!!! OUCH! I heard Kyla got to eat Rodriguez for lunch, lucky her!! Too bad you cant mail Rods huh?
Today we got lots of mail, all our bills from home cards from the Odell Baptist Church, Pat Kuehler and family, Dotmama, Rhineland Catholic CHurch, Amber Reed Family, Valeral Hertel Family, Alpha and Omega Sunday school, and Leo and Pansy Koenig. Thank you for all the wonderful cards, we just started hanging them up so we can be reminded of all the people who love and care for us. If you want to send something to Kyle the address is Craig Hospital C/O Kyle Myers Rm304A 3425 South Clarkson St. Englewood CO. 80113

Staples out, well almost

This morning we woke up to about 4 inches of snow and as the day progressed it was closer to 10 in and by tomorrow we should have 18 inches, but guess what I was warm in all my warm clothes!
Kyle got to sleep in today his therapy didn't start til 11 am and they were going to take his staples out but there was still a little piece that didnt look ready so he has 5 still in. It beats the 30 he had in before and hopefully by Friday the rest will come out and he will finally get to shower. These bed baths are not working for him, you know those Myers boys they have to have like 2 showers a day! Therapy was a little harder today, his arms were really sore so he got really frustrated when he couldn't do his exercises as well as he did them the day before. I am sure this is the first of many frustrations, but he is a fighter so he will push thru.
The therapuetic recreation dept came and visited with us. They are known as the fun group, they do crafts and go on outings such as skiing, canoeing, they go to nuggets basketball games and bronco's games. It is kinda like a way to get out and have fun but it also teaches Kyle how to get around outside the hospital and gets him ready to deal with things when he gets home. I can see him going to many football games but I don't see him canoeing, he is not really a water type guy.
His stamina is getting better he was up all day except maybe 2 hours. Everyday gets a little easier for him as far as pain and stamina. He does say however that his arms feel like jello. The therapists here don't take any excuses and you know Kyle he tries to talk his way out of everything! I think he was really missing the girls today. He said he is ready to see them hopefully that will be real soon because I am ready too! We talked to Brooke today she had just finished her homework and we could hear McKyla in the back ground saying Daddy, Daddy, Daddy so I am sure they are missing him too. I hear they get to go to Whumpo's and eat popsicles after school, wish it was hot enough here for a popsicle.
We got to meet Jeremy Phillips last night, he is Dayle Kuehler's nephew, very nice guy. Talked to him for about 30 min. We also met Kevin Kyzer who is Mrs. Winchester's son, I think. He flies a helicopter for a medical company here, right next door to be exact. He gave Kyle a book called Lone Survivor sounds like a good book. I will probably start reading it to Kyle tomorrow, because I want to read it too. We got cards from the Lutheran Church in Vernon, Nancy Birkenfeld and family, and John Krauss and family. We love reading the cards, its nice to know that so many people care. Thank You.
Let's hope the weather man in Denver is as wrong as the weather man in Texas and the snow will not continue another day.
By the way Halloween over here is like Christmas in Texas, they get way to into it. If you have any ideas on a costume for Kyle we are taking suggestions, try to make it something easy we dont have much time but they say he needs to dress up!

New wheels!

I didn't get up as early as I should of I guess not getting enough rest finally caught up. I felt like I was playing catch up most of the morning. Kyle got up at about 9:30 and started OT at 10. Today other than weightlifting he played catch which is another way the therapists try to work on his balance, Kyle wonders if he will ever feel like he isn't falling. The therapist say that is normal and that feeling will eventually go away.Right after OT we went into PT and he got a new wheel chair!(if you saw the old one he was in you would be excited as well) His new chair is a lot easier to maneuver and more practical. Kyle wanted to know what he had to do to get the remote wheelchair! LOL. We got signed off so we can take him outside. We had to learn how to get up and down curbs in his chair. He was a trooper cause we all had to do it, even Mary. You should have seen the look on Kyle's face. A little bumpy but she made it. He also got Michael Jackson gloves to help him push himself! He did really well again! Not suprising I am sure. He talked to his psychologist and he reassured him that he would still be able to do whatever he desires he just may have to go about it another way. Very nice guy.
Today was a pretty day but they say tomorrow is supposed to get ugly. We should see about 18 inches of snow between tonight and Fri. I will post a picture on face book of the snow since we don't see it there. Mindy and Mary Beth I just got your package, just in time THANKS! I will need it tomorrow. Also want to say thanks to Lisa Cypert for the quarters they have come in handy doing the laundry around here, its expensive! 1.25 to wash and 1.25 to dry thats a rip off don't you think? But its convenient. Also thanks to Keith. Kyle's sweaters just got here and the therapist said he will need them. He likes the navy blue one the best its soft!
I heard the girls went and ate at the DQ for aunt nelle's 29th birthday yesterday! Haha. I am sure they had a blast and I bet they ate steak fingers. Received a card from whumpo and hennie, the hospital crew in quanah and The crowell state bank, thanks they put a smile on our faces.
We are doing really well and hope to continue to move forward.

Busy Busy Monday

It seems as if Mondays are always busy no matter where you are. We got Kyle up today at about 9 this am for occupational therapy he lifted weights and worked on upper body strengthening for about an hour, then we walked around and enjoyed the pretty day, its kinda funny but Colorado is a lot like Texas in that it is hot one day and cold the next. After lunch Kyle had physical therapy at about 2 he worked on balance which seems so easy to us but with him losing the feeling to his lower half its like it isn't there so even the simplest thing as sitting up becomes a task, but like I knew he would he mastered thru it and did well, the therapist said he was way ahead for having such a fresh injury. At 3 he got to finally lay down which means he was up for a total of 6 hours! WOOHOO! He did great I am so proud of him and his pain has been tolerable thru it all. They are supposed to be removing the staples to his incision on Wednesday and I think he will be a lot more comfortable as soon as those staples come out. We talked to Kevin this morning and he says that Kyla is her daddy made over. For those of you that don't know Kyle, Kevin, Keith and Billie go to Allsup's every Sunday they are together, its like a ritual. Since Apaw and Kyle are gone the girls wanted Kevin to take them Sunday so he did and he said Kyla went straight for the Muncho's which is Kyle' s favorite chips, funny how kids remember that! They sound good, still missing them but hopefully they will be able to come out here soon to visit!

Lazy Day

Today was a typical Sunday, received communion and prayer this am then basically did nothing. Kyle got up at about 11:30 again and ate a good lunch with us and was shooting for being up four hours today, but since his bowels have been so sluggish they decided to load him up on laxatives! So they had to move him back to bed which was disappointing to him, but he has a busy day tomorrow so he probably needed the rest! His pain is really coming down, today he only had his scheduled pain meds, which is a good thing. We got to watch Facing the Giants which was a really good movie, if you haven't watched it you should. We ate pizza for supper and watched the snow come down! It is 30 degrees here which is way too cold and the only time the snow is pretty is if you are watching it out of your window near a fireplace, other than that it pretty much sucks! I heard the girls were going on a picnic today and were going to eat some of Dotmama's good ole chicken. I also heard it was a beautiful fall day there, go figure!
Tomorrow should be interesting being that Kyle has to be up a little longer than he is used to and has to do therapy at the same time. Hopefully he will do fine. He is a strong guy!

Saturday

Today was a good day. Kyle ate some breakfast then got up in his chair at about 10:30. He stayed up 3 hrs which is twice as long as he did the day before! His pain has been a lot more tolerable today. We got to take him outside to the garden which was nice. It is a very pretty day, about 65 degrees and lots of sun. He really needed that. He then stayed up and ate with us in the cafeteria and guess what he finally SHAVED! He looks good, but he would probably say I always look good! And he wouldn't be lying. The Dr came in this am and said all continues to look good. He is now back in bed watching, guess what, FOOTBALL! Haven't decided if we will attempt to get up for supper or not, but so far it has been a very good morning!
The girls seem to be doing well with Kevin and Shelley. I hear Brooke and Karley camped out in the living room and stayed up most of the night (poor Shelley). And McKyla is still Kyla refuses to share her bed with anybody! Keith is supposed to be setting up their new labtop with skype so maybe we can talk and see them tonight. That will be nice for the both of us. We miss those girls more and more everyday.
Hopefully we can stay up a little longer tomorrow and have just as good of a day.

Day 2 PM

Well Kyle got up in a wheelchair today and got to go workout in the therapy room. He did really well, but is now really tired and hurting pretty good. Maybe he will sleep ok. Weekends at Craig are really uneventful, no therapies and no projects, but he will need the rest because starting Monday his schedule gets really busy!
Let me tell you what not only is Kyle getting a good workout but so am I. I am sore and it just started. I am also very cold by the way. Tonight has been the coldest so far and they say this is nice. After halloween they act like it snows lots-just great!! Another thing, they do not have mexican food places here like back in texas. Everything is fast food kinda like taco bell, which I hate! Well I am going to try to get some sleep so goodnight.

Day 2 Test results

Ok so the Dr. just came in to let us know about all the tests and here is what we found: The ct scan to the right leg was indecisive. It seems that it is getting less blood flow than the left but we can't figure out why. No clots and no compression to that leg, so they are sending the results to a vascular surgeon to get his opinion. This morning however his leg seemed a little warmer. His liver enzymes were way elevated so they took him for an ultrasaound of the abdomen and found that he has gallstones and what they call sludge in his gallbladder. Dr. says this is common in spinal cord injuries it should resolve itself but it will help to eat high fatty greasy foods which would work if this was Kyles old appetite but since he is not really hungry I have to try to force food down him! The gallbladder stuff is the reason for the liver enzyme elevations. Otherwise all the other organs looked great!
They hope to get him up this afternoon maybe he can stay up a little longer than yesterday.

To everyone who sent cards, money, food, gifts and most importantly prayers THANK YOU. My family will never have enough words to tell you how greatful we are for friends and family like you. This is my first blog so bare with me.
Day 1- Kyle got up this morning and physical therapy helped him to a chair where he sat up for about an hr. He did really well, however he was in lots of pain after he got back to bed, which I guess is normal for someone with his kind of injury. They did lots of tests today and here are their concerns: First of all he is very dehydrated and is not putting out enough urine so we have really been trying to force fluids. Second his right foot seems to be really cold and pulses are weak so they are going to scan it in the Am to check for blood clots, pray its not! Finally his bowels do not seem to want to cooperate, hopefully that will come with time. As for his spirits they seem to be ok, not great but ok which is something we can work with. Tomorrow is more tests and they hope to get him up again after lunch. Pray his pain is less.
As for me, I am good, trying to stay strong for my family. These last few days have been trying but I know great things are coming I don't know what yet but I know god is good and he will make things ok. I am missing my kids, but I know they are in great hands with Kevin and Shelley, they have always loved my kids as if they were their own. I'm ok if Kyle is ok.
By the way the weather here is not as bad as I thought, kinda nice actually, still would rather be there with my family.
Love Erica M