UPDATE 9/5

Well it took the doctors 1 full week to just read Michele’s last CT scan to only find out exactly what I said in my last email that her ventricles are too large and she needs to be adjusted from 180 to 160. No kidding! If I had the machine I would have done it myself a month ago. Michele is scheduled for this Thursday to have her shunt adjusted as the doctors are all on vacation and apparently it is not a rush to them. Yes Michele had to wait 2 weeks for a procedure that should have occurred in the radiology room at the hospital within 5 minutes. Once this is done she will be ready to leave Kindred within 2 days. Michele will be heading to Boulder Manor which is a skilled nursing facility. Michele will continue with a more enhanced therapy schedule to include 7 days of physical therapy, and 6 days of speech and occupational therapy. Once Michele can master her therapy for more than 3 hours a day at Boulder Manor she will then head to Craig for 30 days of intense therapy prior to heading home. This is 2-3 months out at this time.

Yesterday my family celebrated my Fathers birthday as we normally do by getting a balloon for each person, writing notes to Dad and PaPa and sending them off into the sky. Our once a year ritual is a way for the children to express their love for their grandfather and to keep his memory alive in them. This year’s ritual seemed a little more important as we as a family have spent the last 7 months asking for my fathers help in watching over Michele. You will notice only 5 balloons in the sky as John John’s popped just after he finished writing on it. So I help him write his note on mine as well and we sent them all up in the sky. Michele held on to hers and let it go last as she normally does.

Today Alyssa, John and myself went to the hospital to get Michele dressed up and pretty. Alyssa painted her nails her favorite color purple and I brought a tank top from home so Michele could get into some clothes for the first time in 7 months. Once she had her shirt on I asked her if it was ok and she quickly gave me the thumbs up to say it was good. We are going to try other clothes this week to help her feel more comfortable.

For those of you that have not seen the website for Michele please take some time to check it out www.miraclemichele.blogspot.com Michele’s best friend Dori Ariniello has taken the time to add every email I have ever written as well as all the pictures I have sent. You can order the saint bracelet on the website and also add comments that go directly to Michele’s email account. My emails are often blocked as spam and the website always has my latest email on the 1st page. It is a good way to keep updated and you can check it anytime.

John