A Most Encouraging Day at Shriners Hospital!

Today may have been one of the most, if not THE most, encouraging day regarding Ellie's potential since she came into our life over 6 1/2 years ago!

Among other things, we heard about a girl similar to Ellie who came to Shriners when she was 5.  Today that girl is a woman independently mobile in a wheelchair she controls with her head, she has a job, and is married!  (No promises or guarantees were being made about Ellie, just hope and encouragement).

They put Ellie in a similar chair (unfortunately it wasn't really charged enough to use more than a couple minutes) and she did better than I expected, and seemed to really understand the connection between what she did with her head and the movement of the chair!  They were very encouraged and believe that with a little practice she will do quite well in such a mobility device.

They also gave us a new (used) stander to take home today (see pic below), and they gave us hope about possible communication devices in the future.

We have many more appointments in the next couple of months, but we are really looking forward with expectation that we will see HELP in her progress.  Thank you for your continued prayers on her behalf!

Family in December 2013

We have had a number of guests in December, including our daughter Kendra and her husband Steve, from Scotland (and Steve's sister Becky from New Jersey)!  We are so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family in our life!
Here are a few pics from the month...

November 2013

A few miscellaneous pics of Ellie: with the Millers' golden retriever Daisy and asleep in her stander.

Ellie "Rocks"...

...in her cupcake jammies!

At the RR with the RCR

This week the United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon & Southwest Washington sponsored an evening at the roller rink with the Rose City Rollers (roller derby women)! It was great fun to watch Ellie and the other kids with their families get loved on and pushed around the rink in their wheelchairs and other devices!  Ellie absolutely loved getting moved around at high speed!

Summer in Oregon

Other than having the stomach flu for a week, Ellie seems to be settling well in our new home in Portland.  We are still waiting for her Individual Education Plan to be developed by the panel of experts.  Meanwhile, she is being privately tutored in our home 3 days a week.  This Thursday she goes in for 4 1/2 hours of tests and evaluations.

Here are a few pics from the summer:

                               (This was actually in Alabama but I had to sneak it in)

                                                         Ellie and her brothers

Ellie at Camp Smile, July 2013

                                                                                                           

Ellie had such a great time at Camp Smile (sponsored by UCP/Mobile and held at Camp Grace in Mobile, Alabama)!  We wondered how she could ever have as great a counselor this summer as last year when she had Pranaya...but Jordan was incredible as well.  The truth is that they are BOTH AMAZING young women and FANTASTIC counselors to whom we will always be grateful for the way they (and the other staff as well) loved on Ellie so well, and gave her this awesome experience.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!