Happy New Year

Happy New Year from Atlanta.

The Carr family wishes you all peace, prosperity and happiness in 2008. Thanks for all of your support in 2007.

Other news..... Dana broke the candy filled pinata at the London's Rockin' New Year's Eve party at the Shepherd Center with one whack! The kids at the party loved it!

Staying awake til midnight might be a struggle this year, especially after a full day of rehab. Party safely everyone, take care, and see you next year!

Surprise.....Ernie visits Atlanta!!

We celebrated the Christmas holiday a little different this year, but full of great cheer and several surprises. On Sunday I went to the airport to drop off my friend Dave and to surprise my in laws! They had no idea that I was working on my car transfers, and was able to leave the Shepherd Center, as long as Courtney was with me. I was sure they would enjoy the surprise! Little did I know, I was getting a surprise right back!! My inlaws Susie Q and Brittany were thrilled to see me, a few tears were even shead! Shortly after the greeting, Britt said, I have to go to baggage claim to get another bag(mom packed too much again). As she walked toward me, so did a little guy on a leash. Ernie Weston made the plane ride to Atlanta, to celebrate his first Christmas with me! Words can't describe feeling! Ecstatic!!
Court,Susie Q, Britt and I went to Christmas Eve mass(at a local church),and out to Ruth's Chris steakhouse for a nice Christmas eve dinner. So enjoyable and tasty too! That of course, was after a day of therapy. Christmas day was the only day I had off.
On Christmas Day, I slept in a little and then Court and Britt picked me up and I went to Erin and Dan's house(where Court is staying)for a Christmas celebration including Ernie. We ate delicious food, watched a Christmas movie listened to Christmas music, played games, and shared a few secret santa gifts. I also spent some quality time with Ernie. The day was full of laughter and excitement!! In a cozy atmosphere, just like home! I truly enjoyed the holiday and spending it with my inlaws, Court and Ernie. It was extra special to see you Ernie!! I love all of you and thank you for the continued cards, gifts, letters, etc. A special thank you to Susie Q and Britt for arranging to bring Ernie. I am blessed and thankful that we are all a family. Enjoy the remainder of the holiday season...and lets look forward to a healthy and happy 2008!
Love, Dana

Merry Christmas!!

Wishes for a very Merry Christmas from Atlanta!! Have a nice day celebrating with family and friends. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

A weekend of fun!

Dana has been very busy with therapy. On Friday Dana's best friend Dave came to Atlanta to visit. It was great to spend time with him. (For those of you who don't know, Dave was with Dana at the time of the accident). As you can imagine, the visit was an emotional one.
Friday was also the day of the holiday party. Dana and I learned to wheelchair dance. Suprisingly, we didn't do too bad. At the party, the patients decorated, exchanged gifts and had a nice spread of food for lunch.
Friday night we went on a Therapeutic Recreation outing to Bear Rock Cafe.

Saturday was another busy day! Dana has therapy in the morning, lifting weights and stretching and did some dexterity exercises with his left hand. Since the splint was removed, the left arm/hand is really coming along. Dana is able to push his chair in a straight line.
The afternoon was filled with shopping at a local outdoor shopping center. It was the first time Dana transferred with help, into a car. As he puts it, "its great to get out and see what Atlanta really looks like."
Dave it was great to see you and catch up! Your visit was very special, as is your friendship.

Very Merry Highlights!

Another good week of therapy! Although it is only Thursday, tomorrow is a holiday party for Dana's team! He will be celebrating the holiday season all day.....a well deserved celebration, I might add.
This week was full of highlights. On Monday, Dana worked on transfers to and from his chair to the therapy mat. They are coming along well, especially as his strength increases.
He has been dressing himself in the mornings as well as doing many of the daily living activites independently.
On Tuesday he got back in the kitchen to cook a full meal. It consisted of Italian grilled chicken, alfredo pasta and chicken caesar salad. The meal was delicious and I was so glad to share it with him. He cooked all of my favorites! The therapy aspect behind cooking a meal was to have several things going at once. Remembering what time something started cooking, and making sure to have all items prepared at the same time. Time management and safety in the kitchen!
Perhaps the best day was today(Thursday). We started the morning with transfers again, but this time into a car. It was challenging at first, but with practice and patience it will get easier. We can't tell you how much we are looking forward to getting out in a vehicle. I look forward to being able to give Dana a tour around the great city of Atlanta. This afternoon he played his first round of pool, in therapeutic recreation. As Dana says,"although fun, it will take practice getting used to his new method of shooting pool. A different, exciting experience, nevertheless." Later in the afternoon, the upper extremity surgeon who reconstructed Dana's left arm, stopped by. He had nothing but wonderful news. Yesterdays xrays showed everything has healed well. The bone graft has taken formation and all bones have healed in good alignment. No more splint. Dana is thrilled and looking forward to having no restrictions on his arm. FINALLY!!! (Keep in mind, everything up to this point, he has been doing with only one arm.) Two will make things soooo much easier!
We are off to dinner, we have a little celebrating to do! Today marks Dana's 99th day at The Shepherd Center.
Thank you for all of the holiday wishes, cards, packages, etc. You all have helped so much in brightening our season!

Winner of the Santa Raffle

The drawing for the Santa was held today! Congrats to the winners, Frank and Karen Steed of Elmira. The raffle was a huge success! Thank you to all who helped organize this drawing and to those who contributed. Words can't express how appreciative we are for the tremendous love and support that has surrounded us during this challenging time in our lives. We are looking forward to getting home soon! Happy Holidays to all.
Love, Dana and Courtney

Rehab all the way!!!

An update of this weeks events.
The week was full of therapy! All kinds...physical, occupational, mental and I even made a few crafts, during a dexterity class.
Monday night I made Courtney a Christmas stocking and necklace at a craft class. Also on Monday, my favorite sister in law Brittany was in town to visit for a few days. I couldn't be in better hands, my wife an ICU nurse, my sister in law an almost Dr. in physical therapy.
In physical therapy I have been working alot on my transfers. To and from my chair to various places. They are coming along well, but things will be much easier when my left arm restrictions are lifted. It should be sometime later this week. Yah!! I have been looking very much forward to this, as it will make everything go a little smoother. Especially pushing my wheelchair!!!
I was able to get out on a couple of outings. Dinner a few nights and the mall Thursday night! It was great to get off the Shepherd Center campus for awhile. The mall was a bit busy, during the busy holiday season, but I maneuvered okay with the help of Courtney and a few Therapeutic Rec advisors. Keeping in mind that Courtney doesn't drive my chair any better than she drives a car!!
A highlight of the week was my cycling class. The class offered alot of different options for paracyling. Something I will be interested in for sure!
Now that I am feeling better, I have learned several machines in the weight room. It will be great to spend some free time lifting iron and building up my cardio!!!
Thanks for all of the Christmas cards! I am getting better everyday and look forward to getting home soon!
Enjoy the holiday season...and to all of you in the north, stay warm!
Dana and Courtney

There are benefits to being in the South ............

Like sunshine and 75 degree weather. Woo Hoo!

This is the end of my first full week in rehab and it was great to be back. The week was filled with PT, OT, and other physical activities (like working out in the fitness gym on the hand operated exercise bike). I loved getting out in the "real" gym again. With all of this physical activity comes great afternoon naps and restful nights (rehab is almost as tiring as running again). I had an extra one hour PT session on Saturday morning consisting of arm strength training and manual dexterity training for my left hand. My left hand improves a little bit every day. Mom can't believe the difference since her last visit!

On Wednesday evening, Dad and I went to watch Rugby practice (aka murder ball). If you haven't already seen it you should rent the movie "Murder Ball" and you'll have an idea of how tough the sport is.

Dad took over as "junior" nurse mid week and went through the training necessary to obtain a push pass. Thanks to his efforts he was "certified" on several procedures, and we were able to leave the Shepherd campus on Saturday. This is the first time I have been outside Shepherd's in my manual chair, so it was a new experience. In the afternoon we went to the drug store and had lunch at Chick-fil-A (a southern fast food emporium just across the street). For dinner, Mom, Dad, and I went to the Montana Grill (also just down the street) where the specialty is bison; very tasty.

Courtney bought a small Christmas tree for my corner of the room complete with white lights and blue candy canes and decorations. The staff at Shepherd's seem to enjoy the tree and it helps keep us in the Christmas spirit.

I am looking forward to next week and a full rehab schedule. We are also looking forward to visiting with guests traveling to Atlanta over the next several weekends.
As always, I appreciate your cards and letters as they provide excellent motivation and support during this transitional period in my life.

Best wishes and happy holidays. Enjoy the season!

Dana

The Santa Raffle is extended!!

The drawing for the "Santa Raffle" has been postponed. The drawing will be Sunday, December 16th. If interested, see earlier blog posting for further information. Thank you and Happy Holidays!!

Back on track!!

Good evening everyone! We just wanted to give a brief update on the last few very busy days.
On Wednesday, Dana moved back to the 2nd floor. This is the main rehab floor where Dana was prior to his last surgery. He was glad to get back into the swing of things, and resume a daily schedule. He is in room 218 A at this time.
Tomorrow morning starts full status rehab. Dana has waited patiently for the okay to be given....and it has!!!! We celebrate yet another green light!!
His left arm, athough still healing, is much improved in its mobility and flexibility . The splint is no longer needed all the time.
The weekend was filled with different activites. On Friday night, we celebrated our friend Erin's birthday with her, here at The Shepherd Center.
Saturday, Dana had therapy in the morning and in the afternoon we went down the street to a salon, where Dana got his hair cut. The haircut was followed by some lunch at a nearby deli and a trip to the Fresh Market(a local grocery store). All places are in walking distance to The Shepherd Center so we can get to them without a car. We aren't to that point yet, but hope to be soon! The Shepherd Center encourages patients and families to get out during free time, and experience things together before the patient goes home. Saturday night was a holiday concert at the center. The music was very nice and it felt great to get out and share in some holiday spirit with other patients, families and people from the community.
It was a beautiful Sunday in Atlanta. The temperature was approx 70 degrees. We spent a good part of the day outside enjoying some sunshine and pet therapy. Several times a month, pets are brought in for patients to see. It was great to see and pet some very cute dogs, but it made us realize how much we miss Ernie.
Have a great week! We will let you know how full rehab is going as the week goes on.

A green light once again!

Today was a very positive day in Atlanta. The morning started off with the removal of the last JP drain(from the flap surgery), which makes Dana eligible to move back to the second floor. The biggest news of the day was that Dana sat up in his chair for two hours. It was great to see him vertical again. Starting on Friday of last week, he sat up in his chair for 30 min. The length increases by 30 min each day.

In addition, he has obtained more mobility in his left arm(post surgery), with all of his superb effort during PT and OT.

The first of his two hours in the chair was filled with OT, while the second hour Dana and I spent roaming the halls of the Shepherd Center. We even ventured outside, dodging the rain drops. It was a well deserved trip for Dana after he spent weeks in bed without sunlight.
Wednesday Dana will most likely move back down to the second floor. He should resume full rehab status by the middle of next week. Way to go Dana!!
Dana requested to be weighed today after several people mentioned he was looking a little healthier. He lost nearly 20lbs during the last several months and is beginning to put a few pounds back on. Still, he has room to pack on a few more!!
Thanks to everyone for remembering us with cards, letters, gifts, etc this past week. It was a special Thanksgiving for us, as we have alot to be thankful for. I am most thankful for my amazing husband and the incredible progress he has made, during this horrible ordeal. "Dana, you are such an inspiration to me and my biggest hero! Keep up the great work! " We are also thankful for the friends and family that have surrounded us and supported us during all of this!
Love, Courtney

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

The Carr's and the Lampman's celebrated Thanksgiving 2007 on the 7th floor of the Shepherd's center with a view of downtown Buckhead (fabulous view)! The room on the 7th floor has an entire wall of glass and it was a great place to spend the afternoon with my family. After a great traditional Thanksgiving dinner (arranged by Aunt Kim and cousin Missi (thanks so much!), Uncle Jake and Jessy serenaded us (Jake on the piano) with Jessy singing Bonnie Raitt's' "I can't make you love me". What a treat! While Uncle Jake and Jessy performed, the Lampman contingent in Boston listened in on the cell phone. We missed you Courtney, Susan, and Brittany! Hope Ernie enjoyed his first Thanksgiving turkey!

I'm doing well and looking forward to next week. I start sitting up in the chair tomorrow and building up by 1/2 hour increments added each day. If all goes well I'll be back on the second floor (the rehab floor) towards the end of next week.

I'm very thankful that so many of my family members were able to make it to Atlanta, as I know the! drive from DC was long (12 hours) and lots of traffic. I'm also thankful for all of the love and support from everyone. I am blessed to have all of you cheering me on. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Love you Courtney!

One, Two...Three, Four!!

Hello all from Dana and Courtney in room 318. We wanted to update you on this weeks happenings. Week two of healing following the muscle flap is nearly complete. Weeks 1 and 2 down and weeks 3 and 4 to go. Hard to believe that it has been 13 days since the surgery!! The flap is healing well. Earlier this week, 2 of the 3 drains were removed as well as the staples. The doc is very pleased with the progress. We continue with "therapy" in the room by strengthening right and left arm muscles.


On Wednesday afternoon, we met with a Neuropsychologist and several other team members, to review the results of the neuropsych test, Dana took several weeks ago. The results of which were overall very positive considering the impact of the collision on Dana's brain. He will follow through with therapists doing cognitive excercises to strengthen the weaker areas. (The brain is a muscle too and needs time and strenghtening to heal.) The docs are encouraged with Dana's progress and therefore don't anticipate the brain injury recovery to be very lengthy. In our free time we have been playing Outburst and Memory Madness to stimulate our minds. We also watch the occasional movie and episodes from season one of the West Wing.


A highlight of our week was a visit from our good friend Mara. The three of us enjoyed visiting and catching up. Thank you Mara from making the trip from Boston and for the goodies. We will let you know when we complete the brain teaser puzzle.


Thank you everyone for your continued cards, emails and care packages. They all mean so much to us! Have a great weekend!

One week down and about Two to go!

This is Dana dictating to my assistant (Mom). Sorry not to have blogged in a week, but l've been busy. I know that sounds a little crazy, but the first week of bed rest after surgery on 11/5/07 flew by much quicker than I had imagined.

Busy doing what you ask? Even though I have had to lay relatively flat in bed, the trusty PT, OT and Speech team have continued to visit and work with me as much as possible. I have been working on building up strength in my right arm with bicep curls, shoulder presses and raises and have been working very hard to stretch my left arm and elbow to increase my flexibility and mobility. Yesterday, I was able to do sets of reps with my left arm with a theraband hooked to the lift in the room. I'm sure I'm not describing that very well, but trust me it works and it tired me out. All small steps in the right direction.

I've also been watching the first season of "The West Wing" (thanks Dad) - I'm on episode 11!

Thanks so much to Laura Little and the wwwww's for the quilt. My favorite colors and the perfect size. It is truely a work of art and greatly appreciated.

Also, thanks to the West Coast Spirit Club aka Aunt Jann, Peggy and Corky - "Fa geh da bow dit". Great T-shirt!

The docs checked on me today and think everything looks great. I am healing very well and as of today, I'm headed toward starting to get up in a chair for a short time just after Thanksgiving (here's hoping I stay on plan). The stitches in my left arm were removed today. Ouch!

My continued gratitude to everyone for all of your love and support. It means everything to me. That is it for now - I'm going to catch one more commercial free episode of "The West Wing" before bedtime.

Love you all,

Dana

"A Santa Raffle"

For Your Information....

The Elmira Country Club Women's Golf Association is holding a "Santa Raffle", all proceeds to go to Dana. The "Santa" is a one of a kind by Sayre, PA, artist Glory Kilmer. The Santa is currently on display at the Elmira Country Club. The ticket price is $10.00. If you would like to help out, here is the information:

1. Send a check made payable to "ECC Women's Golf Association" to:

Judy Mustico
826 Holley Road
Elmira, New York 14905

2. Please include your email address or a self addresses stamped envelope, if you would like a receipt. Receipts will be forwarded after November 18th.

Drawing is scheduled to be held on December 2nd. If you would like more information or would like to help with ticket sales, please contact Judy Mustico at judym@stny.rr.com. Thank you very much!

Surgery Went Well....Hooray!!

Good Monday Morning Everyone,
The plastic surgeon just came out to let me know that the surgery is done and everything went great. He was very pleased!! Dana is already awake and talking to the recovery room nurses about cycling. He will return to his room around 11:00 am, just in time for lunch. Thank you for all of the extra prayers last night and this morning....they sure helped!! As far as we know, this is the absolute last surgery that Dana will need for now. Lets keep our fingers crossed! Have a great day!!

A Busy Weekend and an Early Monday Morning

It was a busy weekend here at the Shepherd Center for Dana. He had Occupational Therapy on Saturday morning for an hour. The therapist focused on stretching the left arm to get full range of motion back. After the session Dana did a little extra and spent some time on the therapy bike. It is set up to move your legs for you in the pedaling motion while you move the arms. The hope is that someday Dana's brain will reconnect with the nerves and his body will recognize that motion as one he was very familiar with. In the meantime, it keeps the leg muscles from totally withering away(atrophy).
Saturday afternoon and evening we spent visiting with our friends Eric and Colleen. They flew in from Baltimore to see Dana. The visit was very refreshing. It was great to chat about something other than the injury or The Shepherd Center. You get so consumed with daily life at The Shepherd Center, you forget that there is a whole world out there around you. For dinner we were joined by Dan and Erin. We had a push pass and went across the street to TGIFridays. A late night as we didn't get in till around 10:30pm. Thanks Eric and Colleen for the visit. It was great to catch up with you two, Dan and Erin. We are blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful friends.
Sunday was a restful day. Dana and I went to the church service here at The Shepherd Center and spent alot of the day outside because starting Monday morning he will be on bedrest for approx 3-4 weeks.
As you start your Monday morning, say an extra prayer for Dana as he will undergo(what we hope to be the last) surgery around 7 am. He has a sacral wound(tailbone area) that is taking its time to heal. It could take months to heal. Instead of waiting the months to heal, and per doc's suggestion, Dana will have the quarter size hole closed tomorrow via muscle flap. The surgery itself won't take long. The doc will take muscle and skin from another area and cover the sore. The recovery time however is a bit longer and will be a true test of Dana's patience. He will have to lay fairly flat(with side to side turns only) for 3-4 weeks. That means...lots of reading, movies, watching TV etc. The timing is planned so that the sacrum and left arm with both be healed around the same time, late November. With that being said, watch out....come the first of December, Dana will be ready to go! In the meantime...keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Cards, letters, emails etc. will be especially appreciated during the next few weeks. I will have an update as to how the surgery went, tomorrow afternoon. Goodnight!

A variety of information from 216C

Backing up a couple of days and starting with Thursday. Dana had therapy all day. It was the busiest day yet! The day was started off in a manual chair where he pushed with only the right arm. The left arm has another 5 weeks of healing to do. As you can imagine, pushing up hill, down hill, over curbs etc. is very draining....add lifting weights, stretching, and mental thinking to that and Dana was exhausted. By the afternoon, Dana was back in his power chair to continue with therapy. He spent some more time in the kitchen...this time making brownies.....they were delicious! In speech on Thursday, Dana ran an interview. His interviewee was a little difficult and tossed in some "make you think", type comments, but Dana ran the interview just as professional as ever. (Oh and by the way.....the interviewee was ME)! Late afternoon he met with the sports professional to learn about hand cycling and golf the adaptive way!
The hand surgeon tracked Dana down to follow up on his arm. Everything is healing well. The current cast will come off Friday and a splint will be made.
On to Thank Gosh it is Friday! Dana is able to get his shirt on by himself. He is putting in his own contact lenses, brushing his teeth and shaving. In therapy he did more weights, stretching, flexion and extension of his left arm and massaging of his neck and upper back muscles. In speech therapy Dana filled out a credit card application and answered all the follow up questions correctly! Friday afternoon the left arm splint was made and is alot lighter and less bulky. Friday night Dana and I got a push pass. Dana is able to go anywhere that we can get to without using a car. The places are limited, but we had dinner at Houstons. They use the push passes to allow families to get back into the community and figure situations out together. Dinner was great and Dana even treated! (Using a credit card, figuring out the tip, manuvering through a restaurant and around people in a chair, is all part of therapy). Not to mention...getting used to the ingnorant people that stare. Dana says,"I am getting a sign made up that says....YES..I am in a wheelchair, have you ever seen a wheelchair before???"
The two of us had a very nice meal and it was great to get out together(just us) for the first time since August 12th. This weekend will be a busy one, as we are expecting some friends to visit. Enjoy the weekend!

A recap of the past few days!

Following a busy, family filled weekend, it was back to business on Monday. In addition to Monday's usual therapy, Dana, Courtney and Brittany also attended the seating clinic. The seating clinic presents the different options for chairs and the bells and whistles that can be added. Dana ordered his take home chair a little early so he will be able to get used to it before going home. A manual chair, black and silver in color, two sets of wheels, (one for going a little faster), and a great cushion. The frame is titanium and very lightweight. Ironically, selecting a wheelchair is very similar to selecting a bicycle....an area we know Dana is an expert at!!Following the seating clinic...it was off to an orientation of the pool. As soon as Dana is medically cleared he will be able to start therapy in the pool.

Partial results of the neuro psych test that Dana took last week are in. He excelled in most all departments but there are a few that still need some fine tuning. The speech therapist will focus on the specific areas. In saying that, we have heard from just about every doc, therapist etc..that when you hit your head as hard as Dana hit his, it is hard to believe and nothing short of miraculous the progress he has made so far.

Tuesday was another busy day! Dana received his first massage in the afternoon. It helped to loosen up some of the muscles in his neck and upper back. Following the massage was a stretching class. On Tuesday night Dana and I went out to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. It was the first time since August 12th that Dana had been off the campus of a hospital. It was part of the Therapeutic Recreation program here that helps to get patients back in the community as active members. He was thrilled to get out and see some of Atlanta.

Happy Halloween (belated) to all. The Shepherd Center really does it up for Halloween. Dana and I dressed up with his team and went to the Haunted House. Dana was a Pimp Master and I was the mistress. If I can figure out how to post pictures, I will. They are rather comical. As always...thanks for the cards, love, support and Halloween treats. Dana really enjoys the cards and emails. They add that extra boost of support to the day. He continues to work hard and put forth 110% into all of his therapy. On a last note, the left arm continues to heal. Have a good afternoon everyone!

Successful Arm Surgery

Hi everyone! We apologize again for not posting sooner. It has been a very busy couple of days. First and foremost the left arm surgery on Friday was very successful. The docs were able to remove the pins in the wrist, use a piece of bone to graft the ulna, reset his broken hand and remove scar tissue from the elbow. Although it seems like alot was done the surgery itself only took 1.5 hours. Dana was awake 1 hour after the surgery.....just in time for dinner. The range of motion in his left elbow has already improved from where it was 3 days ago. Good news!
Early Saturday morning Dana was up in his chair and ready to go. Its a good thing because lots of family was in town to keep Dana occupied. It was great to see everyone...Mom, Dad, Susie Q, Brittany, Jessy and Grandma! "Thanks Grandma for making the trip. It was nice to spend some time with you." "Susie Q...thank you for all the goodies, I will enjoy them and grandmas cookies are always a sweet treat." We look forward to the next time that everyone can get together, but for now the weekend is over and Dana is back to a very busy schedule. We will update as the week goes on. Thanks as always for the cards, emails, letters and special packages that Dana has received. Love, Courtney