Hello Prayer Warriors,
I don't even want to look at how long it has been since I last updated you. It is certainly not because Amy hasn't progressed further. On the contrary. Amy continues to improve. Thanks to her husband continuing with his "tough love", her home help; Sharon - who is amazing and therapy through Logan Chiropractic College and Dr. Ginger with Sport n Spine Chiropractic in Warrenton, up until just recently.
The boys continue to be busy with school and then whatever season they are in; soccer, football and soon it will be baseball. I think the fall was crazy busy back and forth juggling soccer with Sam and football with Justin. I do recall that Justin's team went to the "superbowl" with his team. Exciting times!
Until just recently, Amy has had continued therapy at Logan Chiropractic College twice a week; where they focused on the bottom half - legs, etc.. And then twice a week at Sport n Spine Chiropractic with Dr. Ginger; worked on the top half - arms and such. The combination of this therapy has reached the point of Amy walking with assistance. That's right!! Walking! Some of you have maybe seen Amy around Warrenton. I do believe that at one point Dr. Ginger challenged Amy to walk down the street to the Bakery and she would buy her a donut. Well, Amy certainly didn't turn that down :) And I believe Amy walked in to Carson's ice cream.
Amy does wear a brace on her left calf/ankle/foot when she is walking. It is a newer brace probably within the last 6-8 months. It does a better job and hurts Amy less than the one before; but because it hurts she doesn't wear it as maybe she should. But it holds the foot and ankle in place so that she can take the steps forward. I say "walked". She is walking with assistance on both sides of her or she can use a walker. Either way, isn't this incredibly exciting!!???
How far you ask? Over Christmas break, Justin on one side and Sharon on the other; Amy walked 50 yards without stopping. Understand that Amy is not jumping up and grabbing the walker and off she goes. She still needs assistance getting up to the standing position and then into the wheelchair. Sharon is having Amy use the walker on every trip to the bathroom at home. And that is a lot of trips! Let me explain. (Well actually Sharon has a time schedule now, that will make sense after the next paragraph)
This is actually something you can pray specifically about. Might seem minor and in fact personal, but hey if we are specific in prayer it can make all the difference. Basically, Amy feels like she has to "p" but when she gets in the bathroom she can't and doesn't. This can go on all day. And this is not only frustrating for Amy but challenging for the care giver of the day. (The up and down and up and down from sofa to chair to toilet and back) Trust me! The few days I have had the pleasure of Amy time............I think we went to the bathroom 5 times before Noon! Because........what if...........this time is THE time??? So, there ya go - pray that Amy can "p" when she gets to the bathroom or that her brain gives the signal when her bladder is really ready???? Not sure what is going on, because this wasn't a problem before??
That doggone right ankle. That is another specific to pray about. It is still twisted crooked. It is better and it is more flexible, but it still naturally goes crooked or turns in. There is some good news for the future in relation to this ankle.
Certainly everyone has been working with the ankle; Logan, Ginger and even I see Amy and Bob working to bend it and stretch it back in place. Amy has built up the strength in her core and her right leg that I saw her lift it up and cross it over the left or lift it up and pull that foot up to rest across her left knee. So cool.
This past week Amy revisited Dr. Worth. He is the Neurologist/Chiropractor in Fenton. Dr. Worth was AMAZED how far she has come since he saw her 2 years ago. AMAZING....for Dr. Worth, he was able to talk with Amy and Sharon didn't have to interpret, he could understand Amy just fine. During her visit, Amy had e-stem therapy on her ankle and more good news. Dr. Worth from about 2 feet away from Amy's face, asked her to stare at his nose. When Amy did her right eye opened up further and teared up. He said something fired in the brain that hasn't been that is why she teared up. (They did an vision test and her vision is fine on both sides - I think it always has been.) He wants to work at getting things to "fire" in the brain so that progress continues and can be maintained. Her eye still doesn't track with the left and is only about half open compared to her strong left eye.
Amy went this week to get fitted for a different brace or modify the one she has. Dr. Worth is also ordering a super padded night brace for Amy to wear. It will hold that right ankle in the proper position. He is concerned about the future since it has been crooked for all this time.
So cool. Dr. Ginger had a baby girl last week. Congrats to she and Dr. Josh! So that is why her therapy has stopped locally. But, with the revisit to Dr. Worth new doors will open for progress.
So we can send prayers of thanksgiving for the 4 interns that worked with Amy at Logan College and Dr. Ginger for making soooo much happen over the past almost 2 years. So now, in a nutshell Dr. Worth is going to work with the brain. He said the brain is what will help her maintain all of this progress she has had up to this point. Isn't this awesome!!!!???? GOD is SO GOOD. Doors close and doors open. GOD has a plan! And as Sharon said; Amy has so much to look forward to in this life. So much more to do!!!!
Amy's goal is to walk down the aisle to re-marry Bobby. When you ask her what can people pray for and she says for her to walk. -that is it. To walk. Specifically down the church aisle. :)
Amy's biggest blessing this past year has been Sharon. Sharon is amazing. She has the tough love attitude to push and encourage Amy to keep moving forward each and every day. She can reason and talk Amy through tough days. And Sharon loves Amy and visa versa. There have been tears with Amy's first steps and so on. Now Sharon will tell you that they fight and yell at each other but then minutes later everything is fine. Sharon also being a Mom, she can speak right up when the boys need some direction :) (I hear that a very hot summer was a challenge with 2 boys). She and Amy take the boys in to school every day. She has been their biggest asset this past year. They consider her a part of their family. In fact, Bobby knew Sharon had been wanting a new car for Christmas so he got her one! That's right! Ok...well, it was a Hot Wheel little car, but it was CAR, Bobby said! Sharon thought it was hilarious :)
Amy's speech and communication is better all the time. Of course the more you are around her the more you can understand her. She laughs at me when I can't understand her....so I get her to spell the words. She was trying to tell me where their white car was at and I just couldn't understand. She spelled Gastorf. That in itself is an accomplishment - ha! She will ask you the same question throughout the day; but I think that is because she is wanting to talk more but her brain only comes up with that same question again. So, Sharon will tell her now; ask me something different Amy. So, now she asks her what color is her underwear today? They end of laughing in the end.
She cracks a joke or will toss in some sarcasm in conversation. She will speak back and forth in conversation, but not as fast as you and I would (YET). Many of you ask me if she knows what is going on and what has and is happening. YES. Her memory of the specific accident is not clear but she knows what happened. Recently she said to me "I'm sorry." Why? "For having my accident." I said, I know. It's ok, Amy. "It wasn't my fault." I know. "I lost control of my car."
Check this out!!! Amy went to have a massage at her previous place of employment; Chiropractic office in Wentzville. Bobby had her to walk in with the walker into the office. All the girls where ecstatic! Cheering and smiles!!! So exciting!!! One of her colleagues said they thought they would never see the day.
Please pray consistently for Sharon's back. She is in great pain. The physical part of working with Amy is a strain for Sharon but she is tough cookie. But tough cookie aside, an aching back is sometimes unbearable. She needs healing. Based on the next 4 weeks if her pain doesn't improve she is up for possible surgery. She has a compressed vertebrate. It is a serious situation. Please pray for her healing. God is still in the healing business.
I had a thought. Wish I would have thought of it sooner than now. I asked Amy, Bobby and Sharon's permission to start a Facebook Group. WE can post thoughts, prayers, encouragement and positive comments for Amy. If you see Amy somewhere and want to post how she is doing or how you were together, please do so. So, if you would like to be a member of this Group "Amy's Prayer Warriors", then friend me on Facebook "Lynda Stuermann Chandler" or if you are already a friend then message me that you want to be in the group. It will be a closed group for only those invited. I figure this will keep everyone updated a bit sooner with at least tid bits, rather than me and my novel emails :)
Well, hopefully the next Amy Update won't be quite so long. But, no guarantees. Thank you for being a prayer warrior and thank you for passing this on just like you did from the very beginning, 4 1/2 years ago. Prayers make a difference.
Farewell for now. Guess I'll be seeing some of you then on Facebook!
Love, LyndaLove, Lynda
