UPDATE 7/1

It has now been 5 months and 2 days since Michele’s fall. Michele and I have spent 1 month in Mexico, 2 months in Miami and 2 months in Denver. Michele has been through 3 brain surgeries, 1 disease and I can’t count how many infections from head to toe literally. Michele has been medically revived 7 times and she continues to surprise us every day. I always knew I had a special wife and a very strong willed partner. She has proven this over the last 5 months and I do not think anyone that knows her is surprised at all. I will caption a few emails from the family today so you can hear what Michele has done today.

“Michele had a very active morning. When I arrived Michele was in her bed and Terry, speech therapist, was working with her. Terry was giving Michele ice chips and asking her to chew them and swallow which Michele did very well. Terry also asked Michele to shake her head yes and no. The no was clearly visible but the yes was a bit weak but recognizable. Terry also asked Michele to raise a certain number of fingers and she did. Heather, PT, came in and did oral hygiene on Michele. She also exercised Michele's hands, arms and legs. She repeated the yes/no exercise and Michele did fine. She picked up Michele's head and asked her to hold it there for the count of 10 which Michele did. Heather asked Michele to wiggle her hands and toes which she did. We asked Michele if she wanted to be moved to the chair and Michele clearly put her no head motion into action. Tom, Chaplin, came in and we said a prayer for Michele
After all this Michele closed her eyes and fell asleep. Dad”

“Thelma and I went to see Michele at 1:30 today and found her watching TV, wide awake and in good clean condition. She seemed to have an issue when I arrived and wanted to tell me something and tried very hard but could not get the words out or give me any clue as to what she really wanted to tell me. She is moving her left hand more and more and closer to her face. She can move her hand from side to side to say no which was a first for me anyways. I understand she did not want to go to her chair earlier today when her Father was with her so I spent a few minutes telling her how important is was to go to her chair everyday no matter how she felt. I asked her to trust me and do it. We moved her to the chair for 1.15 hours and back to bed without any issues. The nurses are instructed to take her feeding tube out 30 minutes prior to moving her to the chair as well and keep it out while she is in the chair including 30 minutes after she is back in bed to help keep her stomach settled. Michele was able to move her left toes on command as well which is also a first for me. Michele was also able to lift her right knee alittle I heard today from heather. I also saw her move her right arm which I have seen in the past but it looked a little more deliberate today when I asked her. I also spent time today explaining what her next surgery was about and how it can help her and what to expect. I have calls into the doctors to get a time frame as I know all of us are on pins and needles waiting for this as we all know it will benefit Michele tremendously. John”

The family has no doubt that Michele will continue to work hard to get herself back to normal or as close as she can make it to normal. The children, family, friends and myself have spent the last 5 months working with Michele to help her on her journey to recovery. We all are determined as well as Michele to succeed and fortunately we are really beginning to see the fruits of that determination.

I would like to state again as I have not done so recently that I appreciate everything that everyone has done for our family and Michele. Every card, well wishing, food, charitable donation, care giving, flowers, emails, child watching, car riding, church going, school attending, pat on the backs, phone calls, understanding, pictures, cd’s, places to stay, medical advice and many more that I cannot recall at this moment. My strength that so many speak of is only strong through the help of all the loving people that have been by our side through this tragic moment. I am thankful for the friends and family that have continuously been there for Michele and I as well as the ones we don’t even know that have been a support in many ways especially through email and prayers that we receive that mean so much even from complete strangers.

This week is a special week as it will be Michele’s birthday on July 8th. My Mother came to Colorado in hopes to see Michele at home for her birthday but that will not be. However I truly believe we will all experience a rebirth of a truly loving person over the next few months. Michele is obviously not giving up and continues to show her remarkable strength to live.

I am blessed to be her husband.
John