Tuesday Shepard's Center from Atlanta is sending a representative to evaluate Holli to see if she is a candidate for their facility. They are specialized in brain trauma patients and hopefully be able to help Holli progress with her rehab. Of course they have to get her insurance to agree with this move to Atlanta. I am praying that this door will be open to Holli so she can hopefully regain more use of her body. She is doing well with her talking and taking thickening liquids and yogurt. She has been having a very hard time the past several months with severe leg cramps and spasms that causes her to get very agitated at times and other times to cry. We have been trying different medications to try to control her discomfort but she still has been having several rough days lately. It breaks my heart to see her suffering and upset. Please keep Holli in your thoughts and prayers.

Diane

Sunday, Valentines Day, is Holli's birthday. We plan to have a small birthday party for her at Madison with friends and family. It is hard to believe that on the 24 th of this month that it will be a year since Holli's accident in India. What a journey it has been for the both of us.
It is so great that in the last three weeks that Holli is talking more and more and she has begun to start eating again. This weekend she ate strawberry yogart, apple sauce, thicken apple juice and a couple of bites of banana. She thinks they taste "great" but she keeps talking about steak & shrimp, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli..... It is great that she is wanting food. As soon as we get the okay from her speech therapist I will do my best to get the foods she is craving! She is also wanting red velvet cake for her birthday.
Holli got her new feeding tube inserted this past Thursday at the hospital where I worked for 37 years. It was good knowing the nurses and staff that took care of Holli for the procedure. They did a excellent job and everything went very smoothly. Now I am trying to find a physician that will take her insurance to start her botox injections that she needs for the tone in her right arm ,leg and neck. I am also trying to get Holli accepted to Shepard's Center in Atlanta which is a special facility for brain injury patients that do great work rehabbing patients back to their full potential. I am needing your special prayers again that she will be accepted. They are in the process of reviewing her case and making a decision.
Diane

I know this is short notice but I just got a text from Holli's good friend, Curtis, who lives in San Francisco and is giving a benefit for Holli this Thursday, Feb. 4th at 8 pm. He wanted to be able to get the word out to her friends there in SF. It will be at McTeagues Saloon 1237 Polk SF, CA. They will have Matt the Electrician (from Austin, Tx.), the Mission Street Stranglers and then
Whiskey Pills Fiasco with Jinx Jones. Donations at the door. I hope you can be there.
Diane

Holli and I are enjoying our big snow tonight. We already have several inches and they are calling for it to snow until tomorrow morning. We have not had significant snowfall like this in a long time here in Nashville. I will be spending the night with Holli and sleeping in a chair. I know I will not get much sleep tonight.
Holli has been doing so well with her talking. She usually greets everyone that comes in the room and is usually so polite. At times she can get very angry and shakes her fist or says inappropriate words. When I ask her why she is angry , she will calm down and say...."I don't know". I know this is a part of her brain injury and that we will have to not take it personally when she says or acts inappropriately. She has also been taking alittle nourishment by mouth and doing well. She only wants a couple of spoonfuls at a time but at least this is a start. It is so much fun being able to talk and sing with her. She loves singing along with her music on her Ipod. She still enjoys watching the Simpsons and Friends and laughing every evening. I read her a book tonight that was really funny that really made her laugh hard. What sweet music to my ears!

I am on cloud nine!! In the last week Holli is starting to talk more and more. Yesterday while Heather, her sister, was with her they called me at home and put Holli on the phone. She said "Hi Mom" and "I love you". Today I have been with her and she has said no and yes when I asked her several questions very loud and clear when she was up in the chair. Once we got her back in the bed I asked her could she say her name....she said Holli. I asked her could she say Hawthorne and she said it very clearly. It is not all the time she is talking but it is happening more and more without her sleeping medication. She has said several more words and short sentences today. Tonight when her sister, Heather, came by to see Holli, we got her abc letters out and Holli would say the words that Heather was spelling. I decided to try and see if she could sing the ABC song. She started immediately when I began and did not miss a letter! Of course we had to sing it several times!!!I feel so blessed that this is finally happening and prayers are being answered.

Along with this blessing I am saddened by the loosing of a dear friend last week, Mark ,who was Harrison's Mom's love for so many years. He was such a wonderful man who loved Karen and her family dearly. He was so kind to me while I was there in San Francisco. I will truly miss him. I send my love and prayers to Karen , Harrison and Riley during this difficult time in their lives.

Diane

It is hard to believe that this year is already gone! This has been such a hard year for us. I pray that Holli will have a great year in 2010 and continues to heal and improve to get her life back. She got her new custom made wheelchair today. It gives her good lateral support but she does not have the head support. She can hold her head up straight when she wants but it only lasts a few seconds and then she lets her head drop. We are also going to find a neurologist to take Holli for Botox injections in her right arm so we can really stretch her arm out and be able to leave on a sustained brace to get her arm straight again. Both of these is an expense out of our pocket. I am so thankful we still have some funds left to help out. If it wasn't for friends and family and even strangers that have helped us we would not be able to give this extra medical care that Holli really needs. Thank you so much. I also want to thank you again for all the love and prayers for Holli and for me this past year. It has really made a difference. Happy New Year!!!

Diane

Today marks the 10th month anniversary of Holli's accident but today we also celebrate Christmas Eve. Holli has started the last couple of days to move her left leg really fast, like she is shaking it. Yesterday she was doing this while in bed and fell out of bed on her knees. There was no one in the room with her at that time. The nurse heard someone yelling "HELP" and came into the room to find it was Holli!!!! Thank goodness she was not hurt but it is also great to know that when in distress that she was able to call out and SAY help!!!! She is also getting into the agitated stage of her injury. She seems to loose her patience very easily and will definitely let you know she does not want to be bothered. Thank goodness you can still get her to smile and laugh when she is not tired or agitated. My mom and dad, sister, Joy and niece, Jill with her two boys are coming up from Mississippi on Sunday for a couple of days to see us. It will be great to be with family and I know Holli will be glad to see them. I wish all of Holli's friends and family and all that have sent their prayers and thoughts to Holli this past 10 months a Very Merry Christmas from the both of us. God bless each and everyone of you.
Diane