Last spring we started the months-long process of getting a speech generating device for Rand. It is still a work in progress but we are making headway. Love the bureaucracy of managed care! Uff da!
Rand can now walk for about 15 minutes with safety precautions in place but with minimal assistance. Here he is walking, in early December, with help from two therapists. He is not wearing his leg brace and is using a regular cane rather than the quad-point cane. He leans heavily on the cane but his sense of balance is good.
Rand continues to be a demonstration patient for the "Recovering Function" course, which is part of the national certification process for physical and occupational therapists. In this photo a candidate is working on his right shoulder. Notice that his hand is "paddled" to keep his hand and fingers from curling up. He is their star student!
Rand relearned to hit golf balls in the "Saving Strokes" program. The first session he hit very few balls as his balance and stamina were so poor. By the 8th session he was hitting golf balls like mad - his stamina and balance were awesome. Thuan's support was dangerous but critical!
Rand and friends break in one of the eight new "Rand Elness Honorary Handicapped Curbs" on Antigua Drive. Notice the champagne glasses - some of which was used to christen each new ramp! It is so wonderful to have those ramps, especially with the new power wheelchair, Rand can go zooming where ever he wants!
Rand had so many visitors this year - friends from Illinois and various parts of California, Connie's cousins from Norway, his brother from Minnesota, his sister and her husband from Wisconsin, and at Thanksgiving, our niece and her husband, also from Madison, WI. This photo is of Kiki and Michael with Rand and me during a Thanksgiving weekend visit to a local winery.
Last Christmas, my sister Annie and I went on a wonderful cruise to the Mexican Riviera with friends. She will be coming here for Christmas again this month. She and I also spent a week together in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in June. I'm not including photos of our hair braiding expedition, the jet ski escapade, or other adventures during those fun times! I also spent a week in Hawaii with my cousin and his wife and ten days in Minnesota visiting friends and family.
Another major highlight of 2007 was buying three new vehicles: a handicap-converted mini-van with automatic ramp for Rand, the electric wheelchair "hot rod" to give him some more independence, plus a bright red Toyota Prius mainly for me. Rand is so good at maneuvering the new wheelchair - he never ceases to amaze me!
Rand and I celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary in August - what a journey it has been. The highs have been fabulous, the lows devastating. As 2007 marched by, we had great joys, unexpected accomplishments and tearful depressions. Next month it will be two years since Rand's stroke and the two of us are still struggling with the realities of it all. Rand's progress in that time has been nothing short of miraculous and we celebrate that every day, yet every day we also have to deal the limitations, frustrations and memories of times past. But who knows - maybe we'll dance on our 45th anniversary!
Thank you for being there for us during another year. We truly appreciate your cards, calls, visits and good thoughts.
We wish you all the good things for the holidays and in 2008 -
HOPE, PEACE and COOKIES!
Love,
Rand and Connie
