Jessy Lyon’s Blog…

Sunday 06-10-2012

hello everyone, this is my last message. =( last week i graduated. yahoo.i had my graduation party at spooky’s then i had my graduation ceremony then we had an all nigher at Bullwinkle’s. we played putt putt bumper cars ( but we couldn’t bump) all the arcade games.then we had day to rest then we went to Newport beach for our senior trip. which was awesome. i’m still working at spooky’s on Saturdays for now. me and mom are going to Texas in august for 9 days ( grad present from mom and dad) well that’s all that’s new love everyone bunches Jessy Dae

P.S. Hello everyone, this is Cyndy— Jessy and us have decided that now is a great time to wrap up this site. Thank you very much for all of your prayers and support over the last few years. Jessy is feeling well physically and mentally, the future looks very bright for her. Take care.

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Sunday 05-28-2012

hello every one been a busy few last weeks getting ready for graduation. our last day of school is wednesday less then a week now till graduation which is june 2nd. august 10th thru 19th mom and i are gonna take a trip down to texas who hoo =) all is well here everyones doing great gettting the house ready for everyone to come for my graduation. hope every one is fine and dandy hope to see everyone at my graduation love y’all bunches jessy dae ps party is june 2nd @ spookys 11-1:30pm and cerimony is @ dufur school @ 7pm that same day.

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Sunday 05-13-2012

hello everyone, nother good week past 2 1/2 weeks till
graduation yahoo. went and saw dark shadows on friday with my
friend sam. awesome movie. still working at spooky’s on saturdays,
hopefully work more hours during the summer. hope to see y’all at
my grad party. june 2nd 11-130pm love y’all bunches jessy dae.

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Sunday 05-06-2012

hello everyone. had a busy week getting ready for gradution. yay. went to see avengers on friday with my friend samantha. realizing that watching 3d movies can be a bit difficult. but also fun. cant beilve less than a month till graduationn. i hope everyone can attend my party june 2nd 11:00am to 1:30 pm at spookys in poppy’s room. may 17th is our senior skip day and were still planning the date for our senior trip to the great wolf lodge water park. hope all is well for everyone love y’all bunches jessy dae.

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Sunday 04-22-2012

hello everyone had a purdy good week. had my spring concert on thursday, rocked my solo. worked my usual saturday shift 11-3pm. redied my hair the same color to touch up my roots. its really purday. i still really enjoy reading everyones comments. hope everyone has a great upcomming week. lcve jessy dae and family. p.s everyone is invited june second 11-2 at spooky’s for my graduation party. the cermimony’s at 7pm june second.

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Sunday 04-15-2012

hello everyone. another good week past. saw titanic in 3d it was
AWESOME. worked saturday 11-3ish my normal shift. i love reading
all of your messages. they always bring a smile. hope everyone has
a great upcomming week love everyone bunches love jessy dae.

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Sunday 04-09-2012

hello had a busy week, getting ready for our carnival on friday.
i did the guess how many jelly beans are in the jar. worked 11-3:20
on saturday. then got ready for easter on sunday. easter was really
nice got lots of cool stuff and had dinner at grandpa and jo’s
gonna have my gradutation party @ spooky’s saturday june 2nd @
11am-1:30pm. hope y’all have a great week love y’all bunches and
hope u all had a great easter.

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Sunday 04-01-2012

hello everyone had an awesome spring break went to portland
twice this week. did lots of shopping.XD worked this saturday yay
not ready to go back to school yet.happy aprils fools day havent
pulled a goood prank YET but the days still young =) went bowling
did purdy good i bowled ok considering i havent bowled in ages.
well hope every one had a good spring break and a good upcomming
week. love y’all bunches jessy dae.

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Sunday 03-26-2012

hello everyone,had a goood week.half day on friday. worked with
the tip a cop and the special oplimics people. it was and a
challenge. had a super duper st pattys day. its spring break and i
think were going 2 portland 2 day. yay have great spring break and
a great week love y’all bunches jessy dae.

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Sunday 03-18-2012

hello every one. hope y’all had a great st patty’s day!!!! i
did, i worked tho but it was fun i put green in my blonde streaks,
it looked purdy cute. school’s good were planning on going to a
water park for our senior trip i think it’ll be a blast. hope y’all
have a great week love y’all bunches jessy dae.

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Sunday 03-04-2012

hello everyone. nother good week getting ready for graduation
yay love mr walworths comment lol. worked 11-3:25 this saturday.
gonna have dinner with the mcmc people on monday @spooky’s on
monday thatll be fun other wise all is good love y’all bunches
jessy dae

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Monday 02-27-2012

well hello everyone another good week past. saw my nerologogist
and she was estatic to see me. worked 11-3:09 on saturday. i sang
l-o-v-e, i love you this big, darling,and i cant remember the
others. well hope y’all have a great rest of your week. love jessy
dae. oh and i went to to the train and home expo show in portland
on sunday with my grandpa

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Sunday 02-19-2012

Well hello, had an awesome week did the singing valentines. had
a valentines dinner got a emerald and diamond palm tree necklace
its beautiful. =) school’s good . worked 11-3:08 this saturday
cashiering, running food and bussing. so all in all i had another
great week. i love reading all y’alls messages. love y’all bunches
jessy dae

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Sunday 02-12-2012

well hello everyone, had a purdy good week again. wasnt gonna battle the crows and wait till midnight to get the twilight saga pt1. i got it the next day before i went to work. i got the movie, hat, and a poster, which i would have gotten if i got there at midnight the night before, but not many people showed up. i worked 3 1/2 hours this week yay, working register. did good no mistakes who-hoo. im totally exited for valentines day, im gonna do the singing valentines this year. well hope y’all have a great week and a happy valentines day love y’all bunches jessy dae

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Monday 02-06-2012

hello everyone. had a pretty good week,i worked the last 2 saturday’s good shifts =)school’s good. watched only the comericals for the superbowl didnt watch the game tho. so i hope y’all have a great week. love y’all bunches, jessy dae. and i love reading all of ur messaages =)

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Sunday 01-29-2012

hello everyone one had an awesome week. got a 100% on my math test who-hoo =) went and saw haywire with some friends. it was totally awesome. worked 3 1/2 hours this saturday yay. got all my valentines day shopping done. and thank you for all the messages, i really enjoy reading them. love jessy dae

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Sunday 01-22-12

hola everyone,had a very un-eventfull week. all snow days so no school wed-friday. i stayed home everyday ecept yesterday and today. today i got my hair touched up =)whoo-hooo. didnt get to work because of road conditions. other wise all is well. love everyone bunches jessy dae

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Sunday 1-15-2012

hello everyone, I had a great week this week. finnished my outline and rought draft on my mental health paper. had a good time at work on saturday. played bingo at the senior center with my mom and her friend cher. i won $10 and i had a really good time hanging with the girls. i kept up playing bingo without any help. it was a blast. i got my lanard, hoodie, keychain, and senior shirt, YAY and thank you for all the messages i really enjoy reading them love y’all bunches jessy dae
 
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Sunday 1-1-2012

well hello and aloha. i had a great christmas and really enjoyed reading all your messages. and a great beginning to a new year. i went ice skating on my brothers birthday…. i made it around the rink once thats good enough for me. me and the family went bowling i bowled a 104 100 and 144. im startin back to school tomorrow (monday) hope y’ll had a great christmas and a happy new year love y’all tons jessy dae
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Sunday 12-18-2011

hello everyone, my christmas party was a blast =) i got 2 gaia gift cards and an awesome peace sign charm, and got to hang out with all my friends and co-workers. my christmas concert was alot of fun. i had a solo on santa baby and i didnt miss a word. i finnished my school year and i dont have to go back till 2012 yay =). im totally exited for christmas and a new year. hope you have a very merry christmas and a great new year.
 Jessy Singing Solo At Christmas Concert
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Sunday 12-11-2011

hello its me again, another good week past. just finished my second rough draft in english over one flew over the cukoo’s nest. had a good time at my grandpa’s birthday. cant wait for my spooky’s christmas party on december 12th. and my chirstmas concert on the 15th of decmber. good night y’all =]
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Sunday 12-04-2011

That I had a really good day at work. Im starting to be able to work longer hours. And that my corditation is getting better. I played guitar hero with my brother and i did qiute well and i didnt get fusterated. im going very well in school, im passing all my glasses. and yes this is jessy typing this yahoo!! =) mommy says good night
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CINDY STUBING’S BLOG

ON JESSY LYON…

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Sunday 11-27-2011

Happy Thanksgiving! Jessy and our family had a great Thanksgiving together. Sitting at Thanksgiving dinner I looked across at Jessy sitting there with a smile from ear to ear…. Thank you God.

Over the weekend Jessy went with her friends to see a movie and have ‘teenager time’. Whew, Dan and I compared that with letting go of the bicycle without training wheels again. Jessy’s wings grew stronger and she had a really good time with her friends. Good Night.

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Sunday 11-13-2011

Jessy underwent many tests over the last week to check for the possibility of an ovarian teratoma, because of her previous diagnosis of Anti-NMDA (N-methyl D-aspartate)receptor encephalitis. The results came back negative and we will check again in approximately 3 months.

Jessy had her first report card and she passed ALL of her classes. Jessy is very proud and so are we! Jessy brought home leaflets from her school with graduation information, order forms for class rings, graduation gowns, invitations etc. Jessy is making plans! Good Night.

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Sunday 11-06-2011

Jessy had a very fun week. Jessy went out trick or treating with her brother Ritchie on Halloween night. After the evening came to an end, Jessy said that she thinks she might be getting a little to old to trick or treat. That was another big step for Jessy in getting to know her self again and where she fits in. Jessy does struggle with that part of her recovery. The traumatic brain specialists advised us that Jessy will mature one year for every month that she been awake since her coma. Jessy really awakened about the end of December 2010 and that puts her right on track.

Jessy had only 3 days of school this past week and she did enjoy the days off. Jessy is getting more comfortable with her schedule at school and her confidence level is rising. Good Night

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Sunday 10-30-2011

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Jessy has talked about halloween non-stop this week. Jessy helped out with a haunted house that was put on by the senior class at her school over the weekend. Jessy was an emerald green witch and stirred a ‘boiling pot of witches brew’. It was cute and Jessy loved giving a wonderful sounding witches cackle as spectators walked by.

Jessy worked on Saturday and received many compliments on how well she did. Jessy was very proud of those compliments and made sure to share them with her Dad as soon as we got home. Good Night

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Sunday 10-23-2011

Jessy is excited with the upcoming fall season. Jessy has taken another step forward in her recovery proving that to us on Saturday. Jessy was asked to help out with the senior class to work at the bake sale stand during a volley ball tournament. Jessy also was signed up to work at Spooky’s later that same day. SO Jessy went in and helped out for a while at the bake sale before her shift at Spooky’s. WOW, I totally expected her to be tired out before even starting at Spooky’s, but she took care of business. Jessy started at 11:30am and next thing I knew she swung over to the area where I was sitting to inform me that it was two o’clock and she was ordering some lunch. Jessy was very happy to be back at Spooky’s again. It has been quite a while since she has worked because of g-tube complications. Jessy is feeling a lot better and has a positive outlook. Good Night.

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Sunday 10-16-2011

Jessy is doing well at school. We received Jessy’s first progress report and Jessy is passing most of her classes. There are some adjustments that need to be made for Jessy to ensure her success. There are two types of diplomas that Jessy could get, one is called a ‘modified diploma’ and the other is a regular diploma. Modified basically means that Jessy has had to have help during all of her classes and she will not be eligible for scholarships. If Jessy recieves a modified diploma she has the option of returning to school next year to get full credit for those same classes if she can pass them on her own. Jessy really wants to finish this year with a regular diploma and be done. Jessy has finished reading ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and can remember most of what she reads or needs just a little prompting. Jessy has also improved greatly at physical coordination. We played mini-golf on Friday and Jessy did great, very competitive. Good Night.
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Sunday 10-09-2011

Jessy had a really nice week. Jessy’s g-tube area on her stomach is closed and not leaking at all. Jessy commented today that it has been a relief to not have that problem anymore. Jessy was seen by her surgeons Tuesday at Legacy Emanuel to have the staples from her tummy removed. The surgeons were very impressed with the healing of the g-tube area and felt confident that all will be well.

Jessy enjoyed the festivities of the past home-coming week at school. Jessy painted her face, dyed her hair (temporary), wore crazy clothes and showed awesome school spirit. Jessy even danced with her fellow classmates at the pep rally in front of the whole student population. I have some pictures of Jessy that I tried to post tonight, but for some reason there are technical difficulties. I will get those pictures on here this upcoming week. Good Night.

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Sunday 10-02-2011

Jessy had a challenging week at school. I was not able to attend classes with Jessy so she had to handle more on her own. Jessy took hold of the reigns and is trying very hard to be more independent. Jessy is helping out with upcoming ‘homecoming’ events at school and put in some extra time too with decoration. Everyday this week the kids get to have spirit days, such as pajama day, crazy day etc. Jessy has her clothes picked out for the whole upcoming week. On Tuesday Jessy has to return to Portland for a follow up with her surgeon. Jessy’s stomach area is looking great and healing very well. Jessy is so happy to have that g-tube area finally closed, she is very relieved. Good Night.

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Sunday 09-25-2011

The rest of Jessy’s week was relaxed. Jessy has been recovering very well and the incision areas look great. Jessy was not up for doing much until Saturday night. Jessy was very excited about going to the PigBowl in The Dalles. Jessy loved being out there and walking around visiting. Jessy even went out onto the field and talked over the microphone. Jessy said ‘HI’ to everyone, told them that last year she was there in a wheelchair and this year she is walking out onto that field and thanked everyone for coming. Jessy and I met the McCoy Family who are this years recipients of the PigBowl fundraiser, very sweet family. Tomorrow Jessy is going to try and make it to school. Good Night.
(I ALSO FOUND IT VERY SWEET AND CLASSY THAT CINDY AND JESSY MADE A DONATION TO THE MCCOY FAMILY, WHICH HELPED PUT THE OREGON TEAM OVER THE TOP!  It is pretty cool that last year Jason & Gavin Magill Pig Bowl Recipients in 2009 made a donation to the Lyon Family.  I guess this is what you call paying it forward! THANK YOU LYON FAMILY)
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Tuesday 09-20-2011

Hello. Jessy’s surgery went well and Jessy is doing great this evening. The surgery took longer than expected because of unforeseen issues that needed repairing. Jessy’s stomach is back to the way it should be and now Jessy just needs to rest for a few days. Jessy and I are spending the night here at Emanuel and looking forward to hopefully heading home tomorrow afternoon. Good Night

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Sunday 09-18-2011

Jessy had a GREAT week. Jessy loved being the birthday girl and relished every minute of her day. We also took Jessy to Portland to meet with another surgeon and Jessy is set to have surgery this Tuesday morning. It is a same day procedure so Jessy gets to come home right afterward. Jessy had a good week at school and now has a stable schedule. Jessy’s first class of the day is English and we are reading “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”. Jessy is about 1/4 of the way through the book and she is retaining the information well. I ask her questions about what she has read and she can usually answer with minimal reminders. Also this upcoming Saturday is the PIGBOWL game here in The Dalles. Jessy has been asked to attend and say ‘HI’ to the crowd in between the first and second quarter. Jessy is looking forward to attending and says that she is a ‘lil’ nervous but it will be fun. Please keep Jessy in your prayers, thank you. Good Night.
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Sunday 09-11-2011

What a week it was for our Jessy. Jessy started Tuesday morning with much enthusiasm and she did her best to stay positive. Jessy tried to attend many classes that day with the rest of her classmates. Jessy was exhausted after her day ended and you could tell she was really thinking it over. By Wednesday morning, Jessy said that she liked being in her ‘old’ room with Ms. Tara and that the day before was too much for her. So we spent the rest of week rearranging Jessy’s schedule and to make it less stressful for her. Jessy’s writing is incredible and she did very well in English. Jessy is going to take a math course online at her own pace there at the school, in Ms. Tara’s room. Jessy was happy to hear that. Last school year Jessy spent her school days in Ms. Tara’s classroom and it is a big step for her to branch out into other classes. Jessy also is in choir, which she has loved participating in since elementary. It is a small group with many of her friends so it should be a lot of fun.

Jessy has not been able to work at Spooky’s for quite a while because of her g-tube. Jessy misses it very much and is looking forward to going back after her next surgery. We are taking Jessy to Portland this Wednesday for another consultation and we should then have a date for the surgery to close her g-tube. Jessy is counting down the days.

This Tuesday is Jessy’s birthday and she is VERY EXCITED. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSY, WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday 09-04-2011

Jessy has been busy this week getting ready to start school on Tuesday. Jessy and I will go on Tuesday morning and register her for classes. There will be a few challenging classes in order for Jessy to get the credits she needs to graduate. Jessy says that she is ready for the challenge. I believe that Jessy is going to surprise us all. And now for the rest of the story…… the surgery that Jessy had last Monday did not close the G-tube incision area. There were clips placed on the inside of Jessy’s tummy and it was a 50% chance that it would work. Unfortunately it was not successful. So Jessy will have surgery again to close the g-tube site and that is scheduled towards the end of September but we are working on moving that date up. We are going to place the mickey back into Jessy’s tummy (per doctor request) until she has the surgery in order for her to have some relief from the complications. Good Night.

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Sunday 08-29-2011

Hello…. Jessy’s surgery went smoothly and Jessy is doing great. Jessy woke up after surgery and was ready to go. We had to convince Jessy to rest a bit just to make sure all was well and for the nurses to check her vitals!! Jessy could not get out of there fast enough. The staff at Emanuel did a wonderful job. Good Night.

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Sunday 08-28-2011

Hello to every one. This week was quiet for Jessy. We have started planning for the upcoming school year. This will be Jessy’s senior year and we will have a graduation party for Jessy next summer. Jessy is going to take some very challenging classes this fall. We will be meeting with the school to make final plans hopefully this week. As for now, Jessy is getting ready for surgery in the morning. Jessy is nervous but so ready for some relief from that G-tube area. Please keep Jessy in your prayers. Good Night.

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Sunday 08-21-2011

Jessy has had one busy week. This week was spent at the Wasco County Fair, every day from sun up to sun down. Jessy handled things very well and was happy to be there. Brother Ritchie had raised a wether lamb for 4H and Jessy helped out as much as she could. Jessy was very supportive of Ritchie and offered him many hugs today as his lamb was auctioned off. Dan and I were very happy to have Jessy walking around with us this summer at fair versus last summer when Jessy had to be pushed around the fair in a wheel chair. Go Jessy. Jessy rode as many rides as she could until she couldnt ride any more. Dan and I did not think that was possible!!

As far as Jessy’s G-tube situation: there is relief for Jessy next Monday, August 29th. We will be taking Jessy to Portland on Sunday night and spending the night there in the city because Jessy has to be at Legacy Emanuel at 0600 Monday morning for Surgery. Jessy is counting down the days. Good Night.

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Tuesday Night 08-16-2011

Hello. Jessy will not be having surgery tomorrow morning. We are going to be taking Jessy back to Legacy Emanuel to follow up on Jessy’s G-tube care. There is one other procedure that can be done for Jessy that is not as invasive as surgery but needs to be done there at Legacy. Good Night.

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Sunday 08-14-2011

Jessy’s week was good. Jessy had a lot of difficulty with the healing of her g-tube area this last week, so enough is enough. Jessy has tried so hard to deal with the inconvenience of that g-tube area but her patience is wearing thin. Jessy will most likely be scheduled for surgery this upcoming Wednesday to repair that area of her stomach.

Jessy loves to attend plays so this weekend Jessy and I went to see “Sweeney Todd- The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”. WOW, what a play that was! Jessy loved that movie before she became ill, and loves it just as much now. Jessy LOVED seeing that play, she was very attentive. Afterwards it was like a reunion for Jessy because she knew most of the actors and actresses from school and work. Jessy was very happy to visit with them again. We all went with Jessy also to the Dufur Threshing Bee to take in the sights and sounds. Jessy loved walking around and checking out all the exhibits. I will check back in on this upcoming Wednesday to give an update on Jessy’s surgery status. Good Night.

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Sunday 08-07-2011

Jessy has had a much better week. Jessy is back on solid food, we just have to be careful on how much and what types of food that we prepare for Jessy. Jessy returns to Dr. Moon in two more weeks for a follow up. If the G-Tube site is not closed by then, surgery will be scheduled. We went on an overnight trip to Portland over the weekend to a get together held by Dans employer. Jessy was so excited to go. Jessy loved every minute of every activity that we did in Portland. Jessy talked about many memories that occured before she got sick and it was a lot of fun to hear her stories. We took Jessy to the Ronald McDonald house at Legacy to visit our friend Maria. Jessy has not had a chance to meet Maria until then and they hit it off well. Jessy used to attend a Swedish Camp in Northern Minnesota during the summers and Maria attended a French Camp there also so they had many stories to share. Jessy thought that was pretty cool. They also have a scrap booking table at the Ronald McDonald House and Jessy took a liking to that. Jessy is already making plans of where she can set up a scrap booking area. After visiting the RMH we walked over to visit the staff where Jessy stayed at Legacy Emanuel. It was a very nice to see many of Jessy’s nurses and cna’s. Jessy received many hugs and enjoyed to visit. Jessy does not remember any of the time that she was hospitalized. The upcoming weeks are going to be busy for Jessy, every weekend she has plans made and is ready to seize the days. Good Night.
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Sunday 07-31-2011

Hello to everyone. The last week has been difficult for Jessy.

Jessy has been on a liquid diet all week because the area where the

g-tube was at is not closing. Jessy has another appointment with

Dr. Moon tomorrow to discuss closing the G-tube area with stitches.

Jessy is doing well at understanding that this will get better.

Jessy amazes us everyday with the improvements that she is making.

Jessy is already looking forward to school starting this fall! Good

Night.

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Sunday 07-24-2011

Hello everyone, our apologies for not updating last Sunday. We were without internet for a bit due to our relocation. We have not moved very far, just across the street. Jessy is settling into her new room and decorating it her way. The move was hard for Jessy at first, she did not like the change. Last Monday Jessy had her g-tube (feeding tube) removed from her stomach for good. Jessy is very happy to have that gone. The g-tube site is not closing very well on its on, so tomorrow we will follow up with the doctor. A few days ago, Mr. Walworth, who was Jessy’s former choir teacher came by for a visit. Jessy loved seeing him. Mr. Walworth brought with him some sheet music to share with Jessy and they sang a few songs together. It was precious. Jessy did very well and was able to keep up. Jessy loves to sing. Good Night.

 

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Sunday 07-10-2011

Hello everyone.  This week has been boring for Jessy but we have tried to keep her busy.  There has been a little more work needed on our new house than we thought, so hopefully this upcoming weekend we will be finished.  Jessy is always eager to help out and does a pretty good job.  Jessy has discovered playing the game “Wheel of Fortune” on the pc and that has been a great learning tool for her.  Overall she does well and will get better with time.  We have been gradually decreasing her meds and the good news is that today was the last day for her to recieve seizure medicine.  GO JESSY!  Jessy has a few others, but she is able to take those by mouth which means that g-tube in her tummy will be coming out very soon.  Jessy is looking very forward to that!  Wow, what a day that will be. Looking back on the day that g-tube was surgically placed was a very hard reality for Dan and I, and now what a blessing to know that soon the g-tube will be gone.  Jessy still requires assistance with many things, but nothing in comparison to last July.  Jessy did work Saturday for a couple of hours at Spooky’s.  It was very busy due to activities in The Dalles and she was ready to cut out a bit early. Jessy told me on the way out that she is very happy working at Spooky’s and has made some new friends.  Also during the last week of school, Jessy was given an 8th grade story to read.  Jessy read the story very well and was given a test asking her questions about that story.  Jessy answered 85% of the answers correctly!!  That was awesome!  Good Night.
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Sunday 7-3-11

Jessy has had a very good week, we are in the process of moving and we have been doing some repairs on the new place before we move in next weekend. Jessy has really gotten into the painting. Please excuse our short update as we are exhausted. Please have a GREAT and Safe 4th of July. Goodnight
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Sunday 06-26-2011

It was a fun week for Jessy. Jessy helped out at vacation bible school every night. At first it was a bit overwhelming and Jessy was very quiet but as the week went on she opened up and was more interactive and comfortable. Jessy made some new friends and loved being with the kids. Jessy could not get over how fast the week went by and was bummed out that VBS had ended. Saturday came and Jessy was ready to head to Spooky’s for her shift. Jessy had a good day at work, a 2-3 hour shift is still perfect for her. Good Night.

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Sunday 06-19-2011

Jessy asked this week to go visit her previous high school in The Dalles. School was still in session and that made it a great opportunity for Jessy to reconnect with many of her past teachers. Jessy had a great time and loved visiting with every one that she met. Starting this upcoming week Jessy will be a helper every day at vacation bible school here in town. Jessy is very excited and cannot wait for tomorrow. Good Night.
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Sunday 06-12-2011

Jessy finished school this week and is ready for summer vacation! We will continue to work at home with Jessy to ensure she keeps on with positive development over the summer. I think Jessy already misses the daily routine of attending school and all that goes with it. Jessy has been helping brother Ritchie out with his lamb (4-H project). Jessy loves to help feed the lambs and enjoys sitting in the pen and petting them. Overall Jessy had a better week than last. Jessy worked at Spooky’s on Saturday for almost 3 hours and had a great shift. Due to local graduation ceremonies there were a lot of friends and teachers there at Spooky’s that Jessy was very happy to see and visit with. It was a busy day and Jessy handled it well but was ready for a nap after her shift. Jessy is interested in helping out with the vacation bible school program that is happening here in town. Jessy likes to be around younger children, she is a natural teacher. Good Night

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Sunday 06-05-2011

The past week was a little rough for Jessy due to a change in medication, but we are working with her doctors on this. Towards the end of the week Jessy started to feel better. Jessy has become very aware of this years graduating class and is dealing with emotions that come along with the fact that she is not going to graduate yet. BUT the good news is that Jessy will graduate next summer, class of 2012. With a normal high school diploma, and will be eligle for scholarships. Jessy was very happy to hear that on Friday and her spirits were totally lifted. AND WHAT A GRADUATION PARTY THAT WILL BE!! Last night we had a bonfire in the back yard. Jessy and Ritchie were able to make smores and light off some sparklers. Jessy was so excited to take part and thought that was very fun. Jessy could not believe the colors of the sparklers and would yell out “LOOK! IT’S GREEN! NO WAIT…. IT’S BLUE… THIS IS AWESOME”! She loved every minute of the evening by the fire, was very careful, and watched over brother Ritchie to make sure he was safe. Good Night.

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Sunday 05-29-2011

Hello to everyone. Jessy had a nice week. Jessy was still floating on cloud 9 from going to prom last week. Jessy talked a lot about the prom every day. Jessy is getting better with her memories and recalling events from yesterday. Just a few months ago Jessy could not recall what happened that same day, but now she is talking about yesterdays and is pretty accurate. Jessy still has confusion about when some memories have happened and she tries very hard to make sense of time. But as time goes by, Jessy is more patient and will listen to those who try to help her understand.

Jessy did work at Spooky’s on Saturday for a couple of hours. Jessy shadowed at the register for most of her shift. Jessy is getting better with her interaction with customers. Jessy’s personality is coming through more and more and so are her smiles. Jessy does well at placing the orders as long as the customers are patient. Giving change is an obstacle for Jessy, but she tries very hard.

There are pictures posted of Jessy and Dan on Facebook. Look up Tim Fain. On his page is ‘Fain Photo’ close to the top. Click that and you will see Dufur Prom 2011.

Or try this link http://fainphoto.zenfolio.com/dufurprom2011  Good Night.

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Sunday 05-22-2011

This past week was wonderful for Jessy and our whole family. Instead of working this last Saturday, Jessy went to PROM! What a night it was. We spent the day on Saturday getting Jessy’s nails and hair done. Oh she loved the pampering. Jessy looked through all the hair style books and picked just the right one for her. Jessy looked so beautiful. Jessy was taken to prom by her Dad and she had a blast. Jessy danced a few dances and loved being there at prom. Her fellow classmates were very sweet to Jessy and many asked her to dance with them. Dan said he did not blend in at all!! That was funny. Jessy asked to go to Spooky’s before prom for dinner and say ‘HI’ to all of her friends. Jessy loved to show off her dress and was so proud to be going to prom. Jessy was exhausted about 1/2 way through prom but was happy to go have a slice of pie at Shari’s for old time sake. Good Night.

Sunday 05-15-2011

Jessy had a much better week. Jessy did try out some spanish classes and she said that she enjoyed being there. Jessy has been attending school for 4 hours on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. Jessy is very prideful about those days and looks forward to staying that long. Jessy is trying hard to be independant. Jessy likes to have us set her alarm clock on school nights and is great about getting up in the morning to turn it off and then as any typical teenager would do—- get right back into bed. Jessy is doing much better with sleeping at night too. Jessy did work on Saturday at Spooky’s. Jessy’s shift was great, she did awesome. It was the best shift that Jessy has had so far. Jessy told me as we were driving home from Spooky’s that she felt good about how her day went and how happy she was. Jessy and I spent some time on Facebook today. Jessy is remembering a lot of family and friends and is surprised to see where they all are, what they look like and what they are doing now. Jessy loves to look at her Uncle Johns page and check out the picture of him riding his mini-bike, she laughs and giggles. Good Night.

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Sunday 05-08-2011

Posted May 9, 2011 2:53am

Happy Mothers Day! Today was very nice. Jessy’s brother Ritchie had a baseball game that we all went to watch together. It was chilly but Jessy bundled up in warm clothes and a blanket and made the best of it. Jessy does try to keep up with the game, keeps an eye on brother and where he is playing and what inning it is. The last week has been a little rough for Jessy due to medication decrease. The medication that we are decreasing right now (with doctor approval) is a heavy one and has many side effects. So far it has been the hardest for Jessy. The clouds are clearing from Jessy’s eyes and sometimes it is too over whelming for her. Jessy is such a trooper though and it is amazing how she keeps pressing on. Jessy is going to try some middle school level spanish classes this week and she is excited about that. Jessy has become interested in reading more and more and enjoys the quiet time. When she comes home from school she will read for a bit and then nap. Jessy is comfortable with that ritual. Good Night.

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Sunday 05-01-2011

Posted May 2, 2011 2:39am

Jessy had a pleasant week. Jessy has been attending school for 1/2 an hour longer a few days a week so she can attend a physical education class with 2nd graders. That has been great for Jessy. Jessy loves the interaction with the kids and they enjoy being with her. Jessy is handling her days at school very well. Jessy is looking forward to graduation eventually and does understand that it might take a little while but will happen. Jessy has been talking about going into the Air Force, which she was planning to do before she became ill. That has been great to hear Jessy talk about that. Keep looking forward. Jessy worked again on Saturday at Spooky’s for about 2 hours. Jessy worked hard and looked for tasks to be done, kept busy. Jessy asked me to talk with her teacher at school and see if she can attend a spanish class. I thought that was great, and will address that this week. Good Night.

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Sunday 04-24-2011

Happy Easter to all. The weather warmed up this past week and we were able to get Jessy outside for more activities such as walking and shooting hoops. Jessy also had another good week at school and continues to amaze us everyday. Just a month ago when Jessy would count to 30 it was very difficult for her, but as of this week she only missed a couple of numbers on the way to 30. What an improvement. On Friday Melissa, who is one of Jessy’s past caregivers, came up to spend the day with Jessy. Jessy was so surprised and had a great day with Melissa, even teased her a little bit. Later that afternoon we went to town and Jessy spotted one of her past teachers, Ms. Froemming from TDWHS and Jessy ran up to her and said HELLO, asked her how she was, and then reminded Ms. Froemming about who she used to be in class with, was very accurate with her classmates names and the name of the class Ms. Froemming taught.

Saturday morning came and Jessy was excited to go back to work at Spooky’s again. Jessy worked 2 and 1/2 hours and was very successful that day, best shift so far. Then after work it was all about going home to color Easter eggs. That was truly one of those moments we have shared with you all about: it was like her first time to color eggs, it was magical for Jessy. Jessy then woke up Easter morning and was happy to see that Easter basket that the Easter bunny had left for her. After surveying the goodies she hurried to Ritchies room and woke him up to share the excitement and go find the hidden Easter eggs. After all the eggs were found we sat down as a family and watched a live streaming of the Easter service from our past church, Cross Timbers in Texas. During the service you could see tears from Jessy’s eyes, it was abvious that she was moved by the message and the memories she was having. Jessy told us how she used to love working with the younger children in Sunday school and loved to listen to the loud music. Then we spent the day together and went bowling, Jessy said ‘it was just like old times’. Good Night

 

 

 

 

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Sunday 04-17-2011

We have made another decrease in one of Jessy’s seizure medications, and so far so good. Jessy is more aware and a little more sensitive to over stimulation though. Jessy did work on Saturday for a bit, and was tired out after an hour. In her defense it was crazy busy and I’d be tired out too. Looking back at things though, isn’t it great to be writing about her trying to work at Spooky’s on a Saturday afternoon compared to what we used to write about a year ago? Amen to that. We have totally finished off one of Jessy’s seizure meds and have two more to go. It will take a while, but the results have been amazing so far. Jessy does tire out quickly but I think it is because she is more awake with the medication decrease and it is a lot to take in. Over all Jessy is trying very hard every day to get accustomed to the new world that she is living in. Good Night.

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Sunday 04-10-2011

Hello to everyone! Jessy had another great week full of surprises. Jessy did not work at Spooky’s on Saturday, it was so busy due to the Cherry festival in The Dalles. But we found some fun activities to get into. Tonight Jessy already got her work outfit picked out and is ready for this upcoming Saturday. I forgot to mention in last weeks update about Jessy and I going to The Dalles Wahtonka High School for a basketball game between the staff of the high school and employees of Mid Columbia Medical Center. Jessy had such a great time and was very thrilled to walk around that school. Jessy met many friends and acquaintances and recieved many hugs and words of support. While we were there Jessy took me on a tour of The Dalles Wahtonka High School and showed me where many of her classes were and where her last locker was. And she was RIGHT. That was totally amazing and I loved every MINUTE of it. Talk about a walk to remember. We spent Saturday with Joan and Colleen, relatives from Beaverton, and went bowling then out for lunch. Jessy loved the bowling and was showing off her dance moves on the approach. There was an afternoon session of ‘cosmic bowling’ and Jessy just cannot get enough of that. Awesome music therapy.

Thank you for the messages that are left here for Jessy to read, she looks forward to reading them. Her reading is getting better everyday. Good Night.

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Sunday 04-03-2011

The last couple of weeks have been an awakening for Jessy. Jessy worked again at Spooky’s on Saturday. We do stay with her because she is not able to handle or understand a few circumstances that could come her way. Jessy worked very hard in the dining room cleaning off tables and carpet sweeping. Towards the end of her shift she shadowed at the register again and did pretty good. Work was a little over whelming this last Saturday and we are all learning Jessy’s limitations. Jessy is already talking about going back to work again this upcoming Saturday. Jessy loves the interaction with her co-workers and customers. Jessy was very conversational when she first started her shift on Saturday but did tire out quickly. Jessy was ready to go home and chill out. I asked Jessy if she wanted to go bowling after work and she just rolled her eyes at me, I took that as “no”.

When Jessy sees people that she knows she responds a lot differently than she used too. Until recently we were unsure if Jessy recognized a lot of previous acquintances. BUT NOW when we are out she is looking around and ‘people watching’. If she sees someone she knows, and it DOES NOT MATTER WHERE WE ARE, she will YELL out their name and is so excited to see them. Jessy has also recognized previous classmates that she has not seen in quite a while and will go right up to them and say “I know you” and catches up. Jessy has also taken an interest in text messaging. She has sent messages to two people so far and does well, spelling is a tad bit rough, but she tries really hard. Good Night.

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Sunday 03-27-2011

Hello to everyone!! This last week has been so incredible. Jessy is making big leaps in her recovery. I am so excited to tell you what has happened this past week. It was spring break here for the kids and we did a few activities locally and kept it mellow. And here is the coolest part……. Tuesday we had lunch at Spooky’s in The Dalles. While there Jessy asked Ms. JoAna (the owner) if she could come back to work!!!!! OMG!!! JoAna and I were blown away, and of course Ms. JoAna said “YOU BET HONEY, WHENEVER YOURE READY”. Jessy said that she could start that day, but Ms. JoAna recommended to start on the upcoming Saturday. Everyday after that until Saturday Jessy was so excited and talked about going back to work A LOT! Well Saturday FINALLY came, Jessy said that it felt like ‘forever’ to get here, and off we went to take Jessy to work at Spooky’s. Jessy started at 11:30am and made it until about 2:30pm! We were there with Jessy to make sure all would be well and she handled things like a pro. You should have seen her, it was INCREDIBLE. Everything came back to her like she had never left, she knew where things went, how things went and even had the opportunity to shadow at the register. Jessy was soooooo happy with herself, it was amazing to witness, Jessy amazed us all! The Oregon State Patrol was also having a fund raiser at Spooky’s yesterday for Special Olympics and had some officers there assisting in the restaurant. The coolest part of that was some of those officers also participated in the Pig Bowl that was held for Jessy last September and they could not believe their eyes when they saw Jessy there working! What a great get together that was!! After Jessy was done working, she was ready for a break and then asked if we were going to go bowling!! You bet. Last night was the best night of sleep Jessy has had in almost 2 years. I think she felt a huge sense of accomplishment and was very happy with herself. Life is good, Good Night.
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Sunday 3-20-11

Cyndy is not feeling well this evening so you get the 2nd team updater. Jessy has had a good week and memories are increasing. Jessy has had a hardtime with getting stuck on words or ideas that she has, and she will repeat them until she gets angry or upset, she is also getting angry very easy we think this is due to the final reduction of one of her medications, and this should correct itself soon. We had a great weekend we took a trip and Jessy said as we were driving that she wanted to read a book and she pulled one out of her purse and started to read it, this is important because she has always been a bookworm and loved to read. Saturday night we played rock & bowl at 20th Century Lanes in Portland we were a little concerned about how Jessy would handle the loud music and the lights, but as usual Jessy handled it GREAT as a matter of fact she showed us some of her fancy dance moves on the approach. We hope all of you have a GREAT week.

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Sunday 03-13-2011

Jessy is sittin’ here with me tonight and wants to tell you all that she had her hair cut and her nails done. Jessy says that her week was really good. Jessy went on a field trip with brother Ritchie’s class to the Discovery Center here in The Dalles. They spent the whole day out. Jessy said that it helped refresh her memory of the Gorge area. They also played at a park in The Dalles that Jessy had not been too in quite a while and Jessy said that was a lot of fun. This last week has been great for Jessy and her independence, she is taking major leaps. Jessy says that she has liked her longer days at school so far and is ready to learn some more. I am serious, SHE REALLY SAID THAT! Jessy is sitting here giggling. Jessy talks more about “before” she became sick and “after”, she is putting things together. Jessy likes to look at this webpage, at the pictures and messages. Jessy says “Good Night”.

Sunday 03-06-2011

Jessy had a challenging week, but with her strong spirit she arose to the occasion. Jessy attended school this past week for 3 hours everyday. Jessy will stay on that schedule for a while and we will adjust as needed. That will be great for Jessy to attend for a full day eventually. Jessy is doing so well, her teachers are trying to keep up with her! Jessy was tired out after her school days this week and was ready to rest afterward. Jessy is interacting more with her peers and has been in a very good mood. Jessy is very interested in playing a ukulele, so I took her to a class last Monday right here in town. Jessy did pretty good through the first half, then became frustrated the last half. Getting her left and right hands to coordinate is difficult, but we are going to keep plucking at it.

Jessy is becoming more mentally aware and her speech is getting so much better. A few friends from Legacy Emanuel were passing through town over the weekend and we caught up with them for a visit. They were very impressed with Jessy and commented on how surprised they were with her progress. Ms. Froemming, who was Jessy’s 11th grade chemistry teacher, also stopped in to visit with Jessy and they had such a great time visiting with each other. It was so awesome because Jessy was remembering classmates, things that they had done and good times.

Jessy has also been doing great in her room, she LOVES it! Jessy has been sleeping in her bed every night. Jessy loves picking out a cd everynight, just like she used too, to listen to while falling asleep. We have Jessy’s bed pushed up against the wall and only one side open to get out of, so we set up a barricade of pillows to ensure that she doesnt fall out. So far, so good. Good Night.

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Sunday 02-27-2011

Jessy had another great week. Jessy did very well at school. Jessy is getting much better at reading. Jessy can read to herself and describe to us what she has just read. It is hard for Jessy to read out loud but she is getting better at that. Math has been difficult for Jessy and we are working on the basics with her. Yesterday I asked Jessy what 3 dimes and two pennies added to, Jessy thought for a minute and told me ’32’. I was so happy to hear that, that was too cool. Jessy is writing very well, and her spelling is pretty good. Many things she spells just like it sounds. Jessy has been talking a lot about the Harry Potter movies so we found a theater and went to see the last Harry Potter movie that is out right now. Jessy loved it and I think it brought back many memories for her. Jessy was able to recall scenes from the previous Potter movies and everything just fell in line. Good Night.

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Sunday 02-20-2011

Jessy keeps amazing us everyday with her progress. Jessy had a good week and had a great attitude everyday. Starting March 1st, we are going to extend Jessy’s school days. 3 hours to start, Monday thru Friday. We think she can handle it. Jessy tried to stay awake to help out with the update, but wanted to go to sleep in her bed. I apologize for cutting this update short, but it has been a long day. Good Night.

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Sunday 02-13-2011

Many good things happened for Jessy this past week. Jessy has mastered tying her shoes! Jessy is so proud of herself and feels even more independent. Jessy also wrote her first name in cursive, just like she used to. That was very interesting because she took a piece of paper and said “look Mom” and slowly but very accurately wrote her name. Wow.

Jessy also had a dental appointment. With Jessy’s past seizures and storms we were very worried about damage to her teeth. Well, Jessy was very cooperative, handled the x-rays like a pro, and the exam went great. Jessy does not have any cracked teeth or damage, and not any cavities. That was quite a relief. It was impossible to brush Jessy’s teeth for a long time so thank goodness for Chlorhexidine.

Jessy is very excited for Valentines tomorrow. Jessy already exchanged a couple Valentines cards and she was so cute about it. Happy Valentines to everyone. Good Night.

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Sunday 02-06-2011

Jessy has had a nice week. It is so fun to watch Jessy learn new things and experience life. Jessy is all about the basketball and loves to shoot hoops. We play everyday at school, and our weather has been so nice that we have been able to play outside too. Jessy has taken an interest in sewing during Home-Ec class and is making a pillow case. Today we went to the fabric store and picked out a few different materials to make pajama bottoms and a purse. Jessy does awesome at sewing on pieces of paper that look like connect the dots.

Jessy loves going up to the school for Ritchie’s basketball games, and other school related activites. Jessy has made a lot of friends at school and you can tell it makes her very happy to interact with them. Jessy had an appointment with her neurologist and we discussed the seizure. We do not think the seizure was brought on by previous changes to Jessy’s meds, but we are going to make some changes for possible prevention. Jessy looks forward to everyday and always asks what is on the agenda for tomorrow. Good Night.

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Sunday 01-30-2011

Jessy had a seizure last Monday and that started her week off on a bad note. Jessy bounced back quickly and the rest of her week was fine. Jessy had some busy days at school, she had physical, occupational and speech therapies which made some of her days longer and she handled it well. Jessy took many naps this week. Today, Ms. Janelle, (previous school teacher) came over to take Jessy out to lunch. It was the first time Jessy has gone out without the company of parents or caregivers. It was a good test run. Jessy and Ms. Janelle just walked down the block to our little coffee shop here in Dufur, but for Jessy it was a big step. Jessy was so excited when she got back home and could recall everything that she ate, drank and did. Then she crashed for a good nap. Tonight Jessy is going to try to sleep in her own bed in her room. Jessy is a little unsure about this because she likes her posey bed which she calls her ‘canopy bed’, but we think it’s time to give it a shot. Good Night.
 

Sunday 01-23-2011

Hello to all. Tonight Jessy is sitting right here with me and wants to help out with the update. Jessy says that she has had a very good week. Jessy did great at school and understanding how to communicate on the computer with speech therapist Mark in Portland became easier for her. Jessy also wants to let you all know that she had her nails done again and she is very happy with how they look. Jessy says that she loved going to her brothers basketball games and she cheered very LOUD. Speaking of getting loud, at school Jessy has made some friends in home-economics and will share stories with them. Jessy gets so excited that you can hear her all the way down the hall! It is great to see and HEAR her interact with other teenagers. We went bowling yesterday and Jessy was upset with herself that she did not bowl ‘like she used to’. Jessy told us all about how she used to bowl, and how she needs to practice more. Good Night.
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Sunday 01-16-2011

Jessy continues to improve and everyday is always exciting. This week Jessy did even better at school than the week before. Jessy did read a simple childrens story from front to back that was about 20 pages long and approx 15 words per page. Jessy tried very hard and missed only a few words per page. It was so awesome to hear her read that book, incredible. Tonight Jessy and I read her messages here in her webpage and she was tickled to hear them. Jessy said “are those all for me?” That was cute. Jessy was very curious also as to who had sent the messages. Jessy asks many questions now about EVERYTHING and those questions are wonderful to hear. Jessy still requires constant supervision and needs help with many things, but when we look back to when she first came home all we see now is sunshine. Good Night.

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Sunday 01-09-2011

Jessy returned to school this week and her teacher Ms. Tara could not believe how much Jessy had improved over Christmas break. Everything that Ms. Tara had planned for Jessy had to change, for the better and to be more challenging. There also is a new speech therapist who has a great plan set for Jessy. Jessy will work with him via webcam a few days a week too. Jessy is understanding everything that she does so much better and that does make her much happier. Jessy still experiences different cognitive levels so we still have to keep an eye on her all the time.

Jessy is sitting here right now next to me helping out. Jessy wants everyone to know that she has a new kitten, his name is Spencer. He is precious and loves to lay with Jessy and is very sweet natured. Jessy is going to have trumpet lessons starting tomorrow and she is very excited about that. Jessy also wants to tell you that she has re-pierced her ears. Jessy says Good Night.

Sunday 01-02-2011

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Happy New Year!!! With the progress that Jessy has made so far, this upcoming year should be awesome. Jessy is excited to return to school tomorrow. Jessy has made a lot of progress within the last month and you can tell just by looking at her face that her personality is shining through. Jessy’s memory is getting so much better and that helps her days to run much smoother. It has been a wonderful holiday season. Good Night.

Sunday 12-26-2010

It has been an incredible week. We loaded up the van on Tuesday and went on an adventure. We ended up at Seaside. During the drive Jessy shared with us memories of going to the beach before her illness, and most stories were accurate. Jessy has always loved the movie “Goonies” so we ventured up to Astoria and found the Goonies House. Jessy loved being out and seeing all the sites. We also took Jessy SWIMMING. Yes, at first it was scary for us, but not for Jessy. She was ready and off she went. The hardest part for Jessy was getting in and out of the water. Jessy knew to keep her head above the water but she would not be safe in water over 5 feet deep. Jessy wanted to swim all the time, it was great and we had SO MUCH FUN! We returned home Thursday and Jessy has talked about going back to the beach ever since. I think it was those ions!!

Then Christmas came and it was a happy peaceful day. Jessy thought it was magical. We asked Jessy if she knew why we celebrated Christmas and she did. Jessy said it was Jesus’ birthday. Jessy was so excited to find presents and a stocking for her under the tree Christmas morning. Jessy took her time opening her presents and was thrilled with every one. Jessy asked us many times today if Christmas has happened already and was bummed out to hear that it had. Jessy is getting better at understanding though because when she forgets like that she does not get as upset as she used to. Then we can give her reminders of how the day went and she will usually say ‘oh yeah, I remember’. Good Night.

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Sunday 12-19-2010

It is hard to believe that it is almost CHRISTMAS!! What a year this has been and what a great Christmas this is going to be. For all of us to be home together is an awesome thought. Jessy had a great time Monday night at the Christmas party at Spooky’s and enjoyed visiting with everyone. Jessy even joined in on a round of musical chairs and developed her own set of rules. Jessy would walk for a little bit around those chairs but sat down when she wanted and smiled preciously at everyone still walking around her. Jessy made it about half way through the game. Jessy has been addressing those around her by name as much as she can and will ask what their name is if she does not know. Jessy has had more emotional moments with memories coming through and trying to sort everything out. We are all going to take a vacation this week for a couple of days. Jessy is very excited and is very inquisitive about what we are doing and where we are going to. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!! Good Night.

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Sunday 12-12-2010

Jessy has had a wonderful week. The week started off with going to a birthday party for Grampa. Earlier in the day I dialed Grampa’s phone number and asked Jessy to tell Grampa ‘Happy Birthday’. Jessy did tell Grampa Happy Birthday very loudly!! And at Grampa’s party Jessy helped to sing the happy birthday song and was smiling ear to ear the whole time. Then a day later we took Jessy to get her nails done. Jessy said “I have not had my nails done in forever”. Jessy savored every minute and is in love with her nails. Jessy loves to show everyone her nails. Then on Saturday morning we went to Legacy Emanuel in Portland for a Christmas party for previous long term patients. That was an incredible event. Jessy was able to make a beaded bracelet, colored a tote bag, decorated a jewelry box, shot some hoops and THEN WON A KARAOKE MACHINE! Jessy had an awesome time. Jessy just could not believe that she had won that karaoke machine. She was so cute about it. Then we went to lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant that Jessy and I used to frequent A LOT. Jessy knew exactly what she wanted and kept telling me how much she was enjoying her lunch. THEN we went to Clackamas Mall and Jessy recognized some of the stores. Hot Topic of course still rules and she picked out the coolest jacket for herself. Jessy handled being at the mall this time much better than the last time she went.

Last week Jessy had more memories coming through and this last week has been phenomenal. Jessy remembered what she had bought for a Christmas exchange party two years ago! And the funny thing is that she has drawn that persons name again for this years party and wants to bring them the same thing again. That Christmas party is tomorrow night and she has been talking about it all week. Jessy’s short term memory is getting a little better, some days better than others. Jessy has an advent calendar that everyday she opens a little door and gets a piece of candy for that day. That has been interesting because she will go to that calendar multiple times a day and ask if she has opened that door. If I tell her that she opened it she will tell me that she did not and we have to work through that. SO as the days have gone on, it has actually gotten easier and I think that calendar has been good for her. Good Night.

Sunday 12-05-2010

Jessy’s days keep getting better and better. This week Jessy was much better with words, understanding and memory. Jessy addressed a few of our friends and caregivers by their first names. We were very tickled when we heard her do that. Jessy has fell in love with coloring books and is very articulate when she colors. Jessy takes her time and works very hard at staying in between the lines. Jessy is still attending school for about an hour a day and is becoming more interactive. Jessy has not shut down at school for quite a while now and her teacher says Jessy is doing better and interacting more everyday. Ms. Carol, Jessy’s speech therapist, brought out a notepad and was going to have Jessy copy letters in order to spell her name. Ms. Carol wrote a ‘J’ for Jessy to copy and Jessy wrote that ‘J’, then on her own wrote an E, then a S, then another S, then topped it off with a Y without being asked, all on her own! It has been a really good week.

It also has been a lot of fun driving around with Jessy and Ritchie checking out Christmas lights. It is like a first Christmas for Jessy. Good Night.

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Sunday 11-28-2010

Jessy has enjoyed the festivities of the week. Jessy helped to make the deviled eggs for our Thanksgiving dinner and she loved smashing the yolks. Every morning when Jessy looks outside she notices the snow and gets all excited. Jessy is fine with the snow as long as it is outside and she is nice and warm inside the house.

Jessy’s doctor appointments went well and both physicians were impressed with her progress and good health.

Tonight, Jessy and Ritchie hung Christmas ornaments on our Christmas tree. Jessy is so excited for Christmas and asked me many times how many more days until Christmas. Aunt Shari came up from California for Thanksgiving and was pleasantly surprised at how well Jessy is doing.

Jessy tried bowling on the WII and did pretty good. It is hard for her to press buttons a certain way and consistently, but it is getting easier. Good Night.

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Sunday 11-21-2010

Hello everybody. Jessy has had another awesome week. Everyday Jessy looks forward to staying busy and will tell us if she is bored. Jessy enjoys going to town, and as soon as we mention that we might go out, she goes and gets her shoes. Jessy tries very hard to tie her shoes and is able to make the first knot, but cannot get those bunny ears to cross. Yesterday Jessy went to brother Ritchies basketball game and was cheering them on. Jessy stayed focused for the whole game and was having a good time. We took Jessy to a Christmas bazaar before the game and she loved that too. Jessy enjoyed all the goodies and checking everything out. Jessy loves smelling candles and body soaps. I have learned to use those candles, body sprays, and soaps as tools to help Jessy refocus and calm.

Jessy also has become the ‘Connect Four’ champion of the world. She is so cute about it. If you ask Jessy if she wants to play, she grabs that game lighting fast and is very happy to do so. Brother Ritchie is a great sport about playing games with Jessy too. Today they played ‘Hungry Hungry Hippos’ and they both were laughing and having a blast.

Jessy is totally done with tube food. We intermittenly try to give Jessy her medicines orally, but have not been very successful. Jessy will tell us that she if fine with having her medicines put through her ‘micky’ into her tummy instead of ‘eating’ them. This upcoming week Jessy has two doctor appointments. We have totally discontinued one of Jessy’s heavy meds and so far, so good. Maybe we can start attacking another.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, peace be with you. Good Night.

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Sunday 11-15- 2010

Jessy just keeps getting better and better. Everyday is exciting and full of surprises. Jessy has been very coherent and has been describing memories very clearly. Jessy still has moments that she will want something, and when you give it to her she says that she did not ask for that. Her short term memory has not been very well but she surprised us yesterday with the memory of getting an air-brushed tattoo during this last summer. We asked her where she got it and she knew it was a green peace sign and that it was on her arm. She could not remember having it done at the Wasco County Fair, but she was trying very hard to remember that.

It was a good week at school too. Jessy asked me tonight if she has school tomorrow. THAT WAS AWESOME! Jessy is asking more and more questions such as what day it is and what time it is. Jessy does not understand how to read a clock yet, but if you ask her what time it is she makes a good guess at it. Jessy is understanding morning, noon and night better too.

Dan, Jessy and I were standing in the kitchen conversing and Dan asked Jessy if she knew why we celebrated Christmas. Jessy paused and thought for a while. Then she leaned over and kissed her Dad on the cheek and said “Thats Why”. Good Night.

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Sunday 11-8-2010

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK FOR JESSY. (That makes me so happy to write that) Jessy attended school for 3 days only this week, the kids had Thursday and Friday off. The days that she did attend went well, and her primary teacher is amazed with Jessy’s progress every day. Jessy’s memory is getting better. A few days ago Jessy was looking through our dvd’s and pointing out her favorites- Coneheads, Billy Madison, Harry Potter, Twilight… so I asked her “of all those movies, which one is your favorite?” Jessy looked at them for quite a while and then pulled out Fried Green Tomatoes. That was amazing because that was her favorite and in between watching all the others, she would always watch that one. Towanda! Ya know, thats Jessy. Our warrior.

Jessy has also spent more time with her brother Ritchie, and that has been precious. Ritchie set up ‘Sims’ on the pc and encourages Jessy to sit with him and they play. Jessy used to play Sims a lot, and she gets very excited to watch and try again. Jessy likes to go into Ritchie’s room and check stuff out too. Ritchie has a guinea pig named ‘Crystal’ and that has been great for Jessy to hold and pet her. Jessy loves that critter.

Jessy has been awake more and more during the days. Her sleeping at night varies, between a little and a little more. Therapist Ms. Carol stopped in and Jessy was napping at that time. Ms. Carol noticed that and said that she would be glad to come back later. Right at that moment Jessy popped up, said “HI” and was ready to roll. That was a first. Jessy was very cooperative. Ms. Carol brought a magnetic house with misc pictures of furniture, pets, people etc….. that also were magnetic that Jessy could place any which way she wanted. Jessy LOVES playing with that. One last note before I close this up for the night– Thank you to everyone for the continued support and prayers. Good Night.

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Sunday 11-1-2010

Happy Halloween to everyone. Jessy has enjoyed the Halloween festivities of this past week. Jessy did well at school this week and we tried to have Jessy attend during the afternoon one day to change things up a bit. It is hard to get Jessy going sometimes, but we eventually do get her to school. Jessy would see her Halloween costume hanging in her room and everyday would comment on it. Some days she would ask what that costume was for and somedays she knew exactly why her costume was there. There was trick-or-treating in The Dalles on Friday afternoon and Jessy was excited to go. Jessy was able to trick-or-treat about half way down 2nd street and that was enough. Jessy was amazed at the process of asking for candy and GETTING IT! There are so many things that Jessy is learning to do all over again. Then came today and when I told Jessy that we needed to get ready for a Halloween party and trick or treat again, she was very interested. Jessy tired out quickly tonight, but was spoiled by neighbors so her candy bag was pretty full and she was very happy. Good Night.

 

Sunday 10-24-2010

Hello everyone, this last week has been good. We met with a traumatic brain injury specialist by the name of Penny and discussed Jessy and her progress. Penny confirmed that Jessy is making great progress and everything that Jessy is doing is normal. Penny was very impressed with the progress that Jessy has made so far and predicted great things for the future. That was so nice to hear. Jessy has episodes were she does not recognize us and/or sometimes periods of anger. Those episodes are probably “storms”. Nothing in comparison to the “storms” that Jessy used to suffer with, but mild ones. They usually last about 10 minutes and then Jessy ‘pops’ back into our world and is back to herself. To Dan and I that totally made sense. Penny recommended that we keep doing what we are doing and stick to a schedule as much as possible. Jessy is very excited for Halloween and has already picked out her costume. Jessy is going to be a vampire-witch. Jessy will say that she is a vampire, so I call her ‘vampire witchy poo’ and she gets such a giggle out of that. Jessy’s sense of humor has been awesome. She loves to tickle us, make funny faces, and be silly. Saturday Jessy stayed awake almost all day and made it through brother Ritchies football game. Jessy rested a lot today, she was tuckered out from yesterday. This week Jessy was more aware of time and what day it was. I think she understood more of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Good Night.

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Sunday 10-18-2010

The week has been great. As of today, Jessy has not had any food via g-tube, and has been eating regular food by mouth for 6 days in a row! We are so happy, big step for Jessy. Jessy has also been taking some of her medications by mouth, but not everyday. There are a lot of medications that Jessy is given twice daily. I am going to make a prediction that Jessy will have that g-tube removed from her stomach by Thanksgiving. That will be so awesome and what a relief for Jessy. Jessy’s vocabulary grew this week too. This last Wednesday, Jessy had the best therapy session EVER and SO FAR. Jessy listened, responded, played a game, and seemed happy with herself during the session. Jessy also made it to school everyday and was there for at least an hour. Jessy did better at occasionally recalling memories. More often than not when we asked her how school was she would answer with an ‘OK’ instead of insisting that she did not go. Jessy made a great collage at school on Monday and was able to pick out some precut pictures and paste them on a poster board. Good Night.

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Sunday 10-11-2010 

More great days for Jessy. The week started off with Jessy sitting down and watching “Ice Age” with us for 30 minutes straight. Jessy stayed focused and laughed and laughed and laughed. Every day at school was positive too. Jessy has really come along way with cooperating for the time that she is at school. Friday was a big day, we took Jessy to Portland and stopped in at Legacy Emanuel to visit. Everyone was blown away when they saw Jessy walk in, without a wheelchair, all on her own. That was so awesome and Jessy loved all the hugs. I do not think Jessy remembered being hospitalized there (which is great so maybe all the pain will be forgotten). Then after leaving the hospital we went and had lunch. Our waitress’ name happened to be Jessy Lyons too, is that weird or what? Ritchie had on a PigBowl shirt with Jessys name on it and our waitress said “that’s my name!” Jessy got a giggle out of that. THEN we took Jessy to Clackamas Mall. Oh my goodness, she was so overwhelmed when we walked in. Jessy walked all the way to the end and back, upstairs then downstairs. All through the mall, Jessy kept saying “it’s Christmas!” Jessy was excited to go into the shops especially Hot Topic. She was funny about that one, all the rest of the shops we had to introduce her to, but Hot Topic she walked into like old news. Jessy made it through that whole day with being overstimulated, she never shut down. We thought for sure that she would fall asleep on the way home, but no she did not. Jessy is still not sleeping through the night, and with all that excitement she did not sleep hardly at all that night. We ask Jessy everyday about Friday to see if she remembers all that she did that day, but so far she does not. But you never know, maybe tomorrow. Tonight we went to Spooky’s for Grandma Jo’s birthday. While we were there, one of Jessys’ classmates came over to say ‘hi’. Jessy asked her if she was going to college. That surprised Dan and I because that means Jessy understands more than what we think. Then she told her friend to ‘drive safe’, which was sweet but we all gave her a hard time about being a crazy driver herself and she laughed right along with us. Jessy was pretending to hold onto a steering wheel and was making car crashing noises. Her sense of humor is great. Good Night.

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Sunday 10-4-2010

It has been another amazing week! Tuesday, when Jessy started her day, you could look into her eyes and see that she was different. That was the first day that when we asked Jessy how her day was at school, she could recall attending. GO JESSY! Everyday (since Tuesday) we ask Jessy how her day has been and Jessy will tell us. Dan and I are so tickled with that progress. That Tuesday morning was the first morning that Jessy grabbed her backpack, on her own, when we were heading out the door to go to school. So we loaded up in the van and drove to Dufur school. When we got there, I got out of the driver side and went over to help Jessy get out of the passenger side. Jessy looked at me like I was crazy. I asked Jessy what was wrong. Jessy told me “I dont got to school here”. So I asked Jessy “where do you go to school?” and she pointed towards The Dalles saying “down there”. I said “Where’s that?” and Jessy told me “I go to The Dalles school”. I was blown away, and wanted to dance around that parking lot. I tried to explain to Jessy what was going on and why we were there at Dufur School, and she still would not budge from that van. I could not get her out of the van, or back into the van. Coincidently, Mr. Wyatt, the Dufur School principal came out to the parking lot and advised me that there were 2 bears spotted in town and the school was going into lock down. Well, this is were I asked God to help me convey this information to Jessy and please let her understand. I told Jessy that I was scared of bears, unless they’re named POOH and we REALLY NEED TO GET INTO THAT SCHOOL. Jessy giggled, hugged me and said “OK”. Jessy stepped out of that van, walked into school and even turned down the right hallway to get into her class. The rest of the school week was nice and Jessy had great days there. Jessy has been better with understanding how time works also. Jessy used to wake up from her naps and would start her day all over thinking it was morning again. This week Jessy has napped less and when she woke up from her naps, Jessy would carry on from where she left off. Jessy has been more cooperative and I think she is understanding more of what is going on around her. We have heard a lot more laughter and giggles from Jessy this past week. I took part in a tv show this past week for channel 7 and spoke about Jessy, it is supposed to air October 11th, at 7pm. There is a link at columbiagorge.com to watch it live if you want too. Good Night.

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Sunday 9-27-2010

Jessy had a rough week up until Saturday night. Jessy made it to school everyday but Monday, and those days that she was at school– Jessy did super. Jessy is learning more and more everyday and so are all of us. Next week Jessy will have school only and there will not be any therapy sessions. We feel that will help Jessy to handle her days better. Saturday night was the PIGBOWL, and that was INCREDIBLE!! We had a police escort out onto the football field and Jessy was sitting in the front seat of a jeep with the top off and windows down and WAS LOVING IT! As we drove by the stands it was so exciting with all the clapping and shouts of encouragement. Jessy was waving to everyone and was whoopin’ it up LOUDLY!! Jessy was having so much fun and was just loving every minute of it. We all stood out there on that field with Jessy as a life-flight helicopter brought in the game ball (that was just too cool!) and all the officers playing football from Oregon and Washington were introduced. Jessy did very well and we kept noise reduction headphones on her which helped to keep her from being over stimulated. After the introductions we went up into the stands area and Jessy had to return to her wheelchair, she was exhausted. Brother Ritchie proudly wore Jessy’s football Jersey while he was on the sideline. What a great night. Thank you to EVERYONE involved with the PIGBOWL. The happiness expressed on Jessy’s face was priceless. Good Night.
 

Sunday 9-20-2010

Hello everyone, another great week! Everyday is just amazing, and everyday we are so thankful to God for the progress that Jessy is making. At school Jessy went into the music room and told us that she used to play trumpet(that was so awesome). So Mr. Hodges, the music teacher, grabbed a trumpet and had Jessy give it a shot. She did great, strong note and it was beautiful to hear. Jessy was very happy with herself and was smiling ear to ear. Then we went to home economics and that was her first interaction with fellow classmates. It was awkward for Jessy and we could tell she felt uncomfortable so we moved on to another activity. Wednesday was pizza day at school and that was the first day that Jessy expressed interest in lunch. Jessy grabbed a tray, went for a slice a pizza and a carton of milk. Jessy knew what she was doing. On Friday, Jessy met her calorie count FROM REAL FOOD only! Jessy did not have any liquid food through her g-tube—that was SO GREAT! That was the first day since July 2009. It has been a lot of fun too when we are in town and Jessy notices a ‘Pig Bowl’ poster with her picture on it. Jessy points at her picture, giggles and says “that’s me! that’s me!” It is too cute and never gets old. We are looking forward to going to the Pig Bowl this upcoming Saturday. Jessy will love all the excitement. Good Night.

Sunday 9-13-2010

WHAT AN AMAZING WEEK!! Jessy started school on Tuesday and continued everyday through Friday. It was so different for Jessy to get out of the house and head to school but she handled it very well. Our goal was to be there by ten in the morning, but found that with our daily routines with Jessy that we could have Jessy there in good spirits closer to 11am. Jessy would participate for 15-20 minutes on average, then she would say “I’m done” and rest for a bit. Then we would take Jessy on a walk around the school, check out other classes, then go to the gym for p.e. and play basketball. Everyday was better than the previous and by Friday Jessy acted like she was understanding her morning routine. When we were walking into school on Friday, Jessy looked around and said to me “I’ve been here before, I remember this, I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE”. I asked her if she meant this last week and she said “no, a couple of years ago”. Which is true, she attended there 9th grade. That just blows me away when she comes through with memories like that. Jessy has brief moments of being ‘here’ mentally with us and those are happening more and more. I just want to wrap my arms around her when she is like that and hold on so tight to keep her here with us permanently. Jessy still thinks that she is 17, so ok, we’ll work on that later. Jessy’s 19th birthday is tomorrow, and we celebrated a bit early today. We took Jessy bowling and of course she loved it. Jessy’s Uncle John and Aunt Sarah surprised us by coming from Minnesota to join in on the festivities. John and Sarah had came out when Jessy was first hospitalized in California so they were quite surprised when they saw Jessy WALKING INTO the bowling center today. Good Night.
 

Sunday 9-6-2010

It has been a much better week. Jessy was not up for bowling last Monday, so we are going to try again tomorrow. Jessy had an appointment with her neurologist on Wednesday and since that appointment we have been trying a few different ways of encouraging positive behavior. It has been working out well too. One thing we are doing differently is if she is sleeping, let her sleep because she needs it. Most of the time if Jessy is just bored we can ask her if she wants to go shoot hoops or take a walk and she will stand right up and be ready to go. Other times Jessy is sleeping so hard that you cannot wake her up, and that is the sleep cycle that we do not want to disturb. Makes therapy a little challenging, but too bad. 🙂 lol. Jessy is all set to start school this Tuesday. Jessy is going to attend for 1 hour a day. Great shift for a teenager, 10:00-11:00am. She might be able to join in the home-economics class and do a lil’ cooking. Jessy will love that. We are all so excited for her to go. Jessy being around friends and people her own age will be great therapy. We joke about Jessy getting sick of hanging out with us older peeps. When Jessy visits with her friends she acts more like a teenager, that is pretty neat to see. Good Night.

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Sunday 8-30-2010

Jessy took a ‘vacation’ this week and did not want to do anything or cooperate at all in daily activities. I’d like to say that we did a lot of cool things, but Jessy has just been relaxing and recovering from last week. Yesterday we had to coax Jessy out of the house with the promise of a Happy Meal in order to go watch brother Ritchie’s football game. It was such a beautiful day and we knew that once we could get Jessy out there, that some fresh air would be good for her. Jessy seemed to enjoy the game and would clap and cheer for Ritchie and his team-mates. Jessy loves jammin’ out on rock-n-roll or top 40 and will dance like crazy when a good song comes on. While in the van yesterday, Ozzy started singing ‘Crazy Train’ and Jessy was boppin’ her head. Dan asked Jessy “Jessy, who sings this song?” Jessy quickly answered “Ozzy Osbourne.” That was so neat to hear Jessy answer that question, her memories surprise us all the time. We asked Jessy later on the same question and Jessy did not know what we were talking about. Jessy’s conscious level still varies so she still has little ups and downs. Jessy has a very hard time with memory. An example of that would be daily activities and if and when she has done them. Jessy’s doctor appointment with her primary doctor went very well last week, and this week Jessy has an appointment with her neurologist. There is some discussion of taking Jessy back to Portland for a visit to follow up with doctors there. I will know more about that when we see her neurologist here Tuesday. Tomorrow if Jessy is up to it, we are going to go bowling. Jessy talks about bowling often, so I am sure she will want to go. Also here is some AWESOME NEWS….. last week we were notified that Jessy has been chosen to be the recipient of a fundraiser called the ‘PIGBOWL’. It is a football game played here in The Dalles by police officers from Oregon and Washington on September 25th at Wahtonka Football Field. It is quite an event. The link if y’all want to check it out is ‘pigbowl.net’. That is so awesome, what a surprise and blessing. Good Night.

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Sunday 8-23-2010

It has been a good week. Usually Jessy tires us out by the end of the week, but not this week. Jessy came out to the fair with us everyday. Jessy handled everything quite well except for the rodeo last night which was too much for her. Jessy handled about 10 minutes of the rodeo and then she shut down. After we relocated to a quiet place, Jessy relaxed, looked up and said “That was SO FUN”. Jessy saw many friends at the fair and was excited to see them. We had Jessy with us only a couple hours a day and that was perfect for her. Jessy was always happy to get ready to go to the fair when we’d ask her if she wanted to. Everyday when we’d arrive at the fairgrounds Jessy would ask for a cheeseburger. After discovering that McDonalds is not there she just could not believe how that could be. Jessy has a busy week ahead with many therapy sessions and follow up appointments with her doctors. At the end of this month, some of Jessy’s services are going to be discontinued. Jessy’s full time nurse and some caregivers will not be returning in September. Dan and I are concerned, but we know that Jessy has come a long way and we’ll make it. Good Night.

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Sunday 8-16-2010

It has been another busy week. Constant progress and great days. Jessy is doing great. We had barbeque dinners outside Saturday and Sunday night and that was a first for our family since last summer. We all sat together outside, it was so much fun and Jessy really enjoyed herself. We keep count of Jessy’s calories daily and supplement with food through her g-tube if she does not eat enough. Dans Mom Shirley is here for a visit and she is amazed at Jessy’s improvement since the last time she saw her. Jessy likes to stay busy and is such a great helper. She is always asking ‘Can I help?’ and she does an amazing good job and is very thorough. Jessy likes to go outside and shoot hoops everyday and we have done a lot of that along with taking walks. We are looking forward to another great week, it is going to be crazy. Brother Ritchie is raising a lamb for 4H and will be out at the fair starting Wednesday through Sunday. Jessy will be going out there also, probably every day too. Should be a lot of fun. Good Night.

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Sunday 8-10-2010

Hello everybody. Jessy had another great week. Jessy was even better at bowling than the week before. Previously while bowling Jessy would walk a few steps on the approach, come to a complete stop and then throw the ball. Now she takes those steps and does not stop. It is such a thrill to watch her bowl. Jessy is using more words that are a bit harder for her to say, but she tries really hard. Jessy gets stuck asking ‘what’ quite often when we are talking to her, but she usually refocuses if we slow down what we are saying. Today Jessy had a doctor appointment with her neurologist and things are looking good. Jessy has not had any seizure activity for a few months and storms have blown away. Thank God. Jessy is getting better and better at communicating and understanding. Jessy loves to stay busy and will quickly tell us “I’m Bored”. I met with the faculty of Dufur School last Friday and Jessy is all set to start school September 7th. Is that awesome or what?! Little bit at a time, probably one hour a day to start and then those days will gradually increase. Jessy is excited and says that she wants to go to school. Over the weekend we went out shopping and as we were passing the school supply section Jessy stopped me, grabbed a cute backpack that she really liked and told me that she needed it for school. Brother Ritchie is excited to have his sister go to school with him too. Everyday Jessy talks about taking a trip to the coast and asks me when are we leaving. Dan and I think we are getting close to where we could safely take Jessy on a trip, so I tell her soon. Those ocean-ions would be good. Good Night.

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Sunday 8-2-2010

Another great week for Jessy Dae. Monday we took Jessy bowling and she LOVED it. Jessy bowled 3 games! Jessy could have bowled more but she was getting tired and we had to wrap it up. The rest of the week went awesome. Jessy had many therapy sessions and she was cooperative during most of them. Everyday Jessy took us for walks around Dufur. Jessy does tire out occasionally and we still have to use the wheelchair to get her home. Sometimes when she tires out like that it reminds me of how toddlers are when they fall asleep and there is no waking them up. Jessy quickly re-energizes though and is ready to take on another adventure. Jessy went to a birthday party this week at Spooky’s Pizza and enjoyed herself very much. Jessy has figured out how to play the ‘claw machine’ and loves playing the video racing games. Jessy also had a lunch date with some friends and was happy to hang out. Tomorrow we are going to go bowling again. That is just the coolest thing to be able to type that– going bowling– again. Go Jessy! Good Night.

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Sunday 7-26-2010

This week was even better than last week! Jessy had some visitors and she really enjoyed the company. Jessy has walked everyday this week. Jessy had two doctor appointments, which both went very well. The staff in both offices were amazed and excited when they saw Jessy walk through the door instead of rollin’ in the wheelchair. Jessy had lunch at Spooky’s, and her and Ritchie both were able to make a pizza. Jessy loved being there, and when we walked in she said “This is soooooo weird”. But after eating a piece of pizza, Jessy totally enjoyed playing some video games and getting prizes out of the quarter machines. Everyday Jessy wants to go somewhere, or go do ‘something’. It is so fun to run into her friends when we are out and watch her reaction. Jessy’s memories are coming back. Today a song came on the radio, and I asked her who it was. She quickly answered ‘Backstreet Boys’ and looked at me like I was crazy. Too funny. Jessy is getting better at communication, although sometimes it is hard for her to come up with the words. Jessy is picking out her clothes, brushing her hair and teeth, and loves to help out. Jessy has also been reading more on her own too. I am not sure how much she retains, but she follows the sentences with her finger and says some of the words perfectly outloud, and can do that for about 15 minutes. We do have a cd for traumatic brain injury and special headphones for Jessy to listen to it now. It is amazing the difference in Jessy after she listens to that cd. Tomorrow we are taking Jessy bowling, she has been asking to go A LOT! Good Night.

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Sunday 7-19-2010

Wow, what a fast week. Jessy is doing incredible! Everyday Jessy is exploring and wanting to go, go, go, and go. From approx 0600am till midnight everyday Jessy is on the move. As soon as we return from an activity Jessy will say “so when we leaving?” Jessy is coming back. Jessy has been able to converse with a few family members on the telephone and I think she totally shocked them. Jessy has just come so far in the last 3 weeks, we are so proud. Here are some of the things that Jessy has done: Walked to Grampa Rich and Grandma Jo’s house and walked right in, sat down at the dinner table and we all joined in to have family dinner for the first time since last summer. Jessy is remembering the names of her friends and will call them by their names when she sees them. Brought up the memory of going to prom with Ivan all on her own- that was pretty exciting! Talked about being excited for tomorrow- going to ‘town’. Asked to go to Kramers market here in Dufur- so we all walked down there with Jessy and she ordered some cheese sticks. Jessy has been able to tell us if she is in pain and where the pain is for the first time. Jessy has been listening very well and complies (occasionally!) when we ask her to do something. Jessy picked up her dishes from dinner and walked into the kitchen and washed them- perfectly. Jessy has had cheeseburger happy meals for the last 5 days in a row- I know that is bad but I cannot resist when she asks me to go to Mcdonalds to get a cheeseburger! Her cuteness melts me! We took Jessy to see the Eclipse movie last week and Jessy was accompanied by a lot of friends from Spooky’s- Jessy had a GREAT TIME and was so happy. Jessy has gone to Fred Meyers and grocery shopped- she gets a basket and picks out things that she likes and that we really do need! We stopped at the motorcycle shop in The Dalles and Jessy loved looking at the bikes with her brother Ritchie and sitting on the quad runners! Jessy watched the parade in The Dalles Saturday morning and loved it. Jessy also WALKED all the way through Mid Columbia Medical Center after a doctor appointment and we visited with friends. Jessy has been walking everyday through Dufur and handles it very well- we are learning when to turn back towards home. Jessy also ate at Canton Wok in The Dalles and was able to sit through the whole dinner- Jessy has been asking on a daily basis to go there- she even looked at the menu and ordered from it! Jessy has been giving out hugs like crazy and is in a good spirits quite often. Those are just some of the wonderful experiences that we have had and it is just amazing how Jessy is recovering. Storms have gone, knock on wood, and we have not seen any seizure activity for a long time. We are going to start cutting back on one medicine at a time, little by little. Jessy has a busy week coming up, therapies everyday and more to discover. Good Night.

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Sunday 7-12-2010

Hello everyone! This week has flown, and Jessy has not spent a day of it in bed. Everyday she gets up in the morning and does not want to go to bed, ever! Hee hee. So much to see and do, Jessy is taking in every moment of the day. There are many cool stories to share, but I am exhausted and will catch up tomorrow, Monday. Good Night.

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Sunday July 4th 2010!!

Happy July 4th to everyone, hope the day went well for all. Jessy has had another amazing week. So many things are changing, everyday there are surprises. Wednesday night Jessy asked me “whens dinner”? That was too cool and then she walked into the kitchen, grabbed herself a plate, her pink spoon, and a glass of milk. Jessy carried all these items into the front room and placed them upon her tv tray, very neatly. One of Jessy’s therapists said that is great that she is organizing (which she does a lot, blankets, pillows, magazines, remote controls etc..) because both sides of her brain are connecting and working together. Healing healing healing. Jessy’s doctor appointment went well on Monday too. That van is nice, to have the ability to travel with Jessy is wonderful. Jessy overheard me talking about going to town and asked “can I go?” You BET! Saturday afternoon we took Jessy to Kmart, and oh my goodness, what an outing that was. Jessy handled all the excitement very well and walked around inside the store for a very long time. Jessy only picked out about 100 shirts (seriously) and she tried to carry them all with her! Then off to KFC we went and Jessy was able to get her mashed potatoes and gravy. Jessy was so happy. Here is another great moment: Jessy stood outside with us and shot hoops! She did not make a basket, but was SO CLOSE! Jessy has been trying to do daily grooming also, brushing her teeth, brushing her hair, and picking out clothes from her closet. Jessy is surprising many people with her recovery. Jessy even walked to the door and opened it for some visiting friends! They could not believe their eyes. Good Night.

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Sunday 6-28-2010

Another great week for Jessy! Jessy surprises us with new things everyday. Jessy’s speech continues to improve and her vocabulary is getting much bigger. Jessy will tell us “Good Morning” and “how are you”, those are her favorites. While out walking in the back yard, Jessy was given a little flower by family member Katherine. Jessy bent down to 4 year old level and told Katherine “You are so cute”. Katherine was very happy and smiling ear to ear. Precious moment. Jessy’s walking gets stronger everyday and more frequent. We are spending alot of time trying to keep her still long enough to feed her! Jessy’s hunger for real food is returning. This week Jessy requested ramen noodles, steak, ribs, and eggs! We are super careful with feeding Jessy, but so far, so good. When Jessy first tasted the steak and ribs, she said “ooooh, yum”. Jessy savors every bite and is confident when she says that she is done. Jessy’s friends Tiffany, Trent and Kevin came to visit and Jessy took them on a walk outside, all the way down the street! They could not believe it, we could not either! When Jessy was walking, it was with purpose and she was so strong. When Jessy gets going, there is no stopping her. Jessy still stomps her feet when she does not get her way, and anyone that knows Jessy, knows that has not changed. Jessy walked outside today and picked three flowers and was very HAPPY with those flowers. Jessy is having many great moments. There are times that are difficult for Jessy and for those that take care of her. Jessy has been storm free for quite a while now, and that is incredible. Those difficult times are usually short and last for about 10 minutes. It is bizarre because during those windows Jessy looks at all of us like she has no idea who we are. But then Jessy will ‘come back through’ and looks at us like ‘hey, I’m glad to see you’. If Jessy is not walking, she spends a lot of time during the day sitting up in her wheel chair. Jessy loves to color in pictures. Jessy has been doing great with reading words, and she is trying to write. She loves her dry erase board. Grampa Rich brought Jessy over some assorted colored chunky dry erase markers, and Jessy thinks those are the bomb. Our van was finished with the wheel chair conversion and brought back to us on Friday. Jessy has gone for a couple of rides here in Dufur, and tomorrow will be her first big trip (being transported by Mom) to The Dalles for a doctor appointment. Will be a big day. Jessy’s primary doctor is looking into how to obtain those cd’s that Jessy listened to last week. The therapist that has those cd’s should be back this week and we are so excited to have Jessy listen to more. Good Night.

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Sunday 6-21-2010

Happy Fathers Day. It was a great Fathers Day here. Jessy gave Dan and Grampa Rich some hugs today, BIG HUGS, totally melted those guys. This week has been so incredible. Jessy has been very cooperative with her therapy sessions and she tries very hard. Friday Jessy listened to a variety of cd’s designed for traumatic brain injured patients. Jessy changed after listening to those! We are going to find a way to get those for her everyday! It was incredible how Jessy made a huge step forward. And today has been even better. Today we were showing Jessy one word flash cards, and not only was she reading them but she would take the word from the flash card and say a sentence out loud with that word that made total sense. Jessy loves looking through the Sunday ads from the newspaper and picking out clothes and SHOES. Jessy’s friends Tiffany and Trent came to visit and Jessy was so happy when she saw them. Jessy said ‘hi’ when they arrived and ‘bye’ when they left. It was great timing because Jessy had been saying ‘friends’ all day and acting sad. I am sure Jessy would not mind me saying that she would love to have more visitors. Jessy seems to understand what we are telling her and is very accurate with her answers. Yesterday Jessy was on her way to walking around the house and she turned to me and asked “where is the bathroom”. That was pretty cool. Jessy sentences are getting longer and clearer. Good night.

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Sunday 6-14-2010

The week went well. Jessy had many good moments. Therapist Cathy brought a flower for Jessy to plant, and Jessy was all smiles. Jessy was lovin’ the sunshine, feeling the dirt and smelling the flower. We try to get Jessy outside everyday and she usually cooperates. Yesterday and today Jessy wanted to walk outside for quite a while, her stamina was incredible. We have been working on converting our van and remodeling our bathroom so Jessy will have full access. Those should both be done by the end of the month. That will be great to be able to take Jessy cruisin’, and not to a doctor appointment. Jessy has been doing better and better at reading and placing words together to make sentences. Jessy has a harmonica and a recorder and has been making her own songs. Jessys’ days are much better than before, but a couple rough ones slip through once in a while. Jessy’s physicians say that her moments of aggression are signs of recovery. Jessy was strong before, but we can honestly tell you that she is STRONGER now. Good Night

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Sunday 6-7-2010

Another great week! We are seeing Jessy do new things everyday. Jessy continues to walk around the house mostly without assistance. On one of Jessys walks she went to the backdoor, tried to open the door and we had to help her just a bit to open it, and then she walked DOWN the stairs. After walking around the porch for a few minutes, she walked BACK UP the stairs and came into the house! Jessy handled that walk like a pro. Jessy has been eager to try more foods and enjoyed eating scrambled eggs this week. Jessy had a great week of therapy and participated so awesome with each therapist. Jessy surprised the therapists with her cooperation. Jessy received a new pair of tennis shoes this week and SHE LOVES THEM! Everytime Jessy sees the shoes she says ‘Those are so cute’, ‘They’re tight’, ‘These shoes are cool’, and ‘My green shoes are beautiful’. Those expressions are sooooo Jessy. Today was a ‘super huge big time soul soothing kind of day’. Jessy walked into her room today to check things out, and noticed pictures of family upon her dresser. She keyed in on those pictures, and shouted out each of their names! ON HER OWN! She was so excited to see them. Dan and I were blown away, that is the first time Jessy has done that. Jessy had a couple of friends over to visit this week, Bev and Joana. Jessy really enjoyed the visits. After Joana’s visit it must have sparked Jessy’s memory because Jessy spent the rest of the day giving out orders like she was working at Spookys again. Jessy was calling out her fellow employees names, telling them to ‘put stuff over there’, ‘hurry up’, ‘move over’, ‘no, no, no’ ….and ‘Can I have a Coke?’ Is that our Jessy or what?! Take care and Good Night

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Sunday 5-31-2010

Happy Memorial Day to everyone !!!!!

Jessy has had another week of improvement. Jessy continues to walk intermittenly without assistance around the house, almost daily. Before when Jessy walked, it seemed like she could walk with her eyes closed and she really ‘wasnt there’. But now when Jessy walks, she has a mission. Jessy walks around with eyes wide open and tries to open kitchen cabinets, drawers, and doors. Jessy likes to look at her teen magazines every day and comment on dresses, shoes and cute boys. Boo Boo Stewart from the Twilight Eclipse movie is her favorite subject. Jessy is so cute when she sees him, she gets all excited and lets us know that she really likes Boo Boo. Jessy had some rough times this week however we continue to see improvement after those episodes. Jessy does not storm like she did while in the hospital, and has had only a few seizure like episodes. During a therapy session this past week, Jessy was able to do as the therapist asked. 6 requests in a row, such as clapping her hands together, waving ‘hi’, lifting and raising her arms and legs in a certain order and giving ‘high fives’. We hope everyone has a great week, thank you for the prayers and good wishes. Good Night.

If you would like to read more updates from the family prior to Memorial Day you can visit Jessy’s Care Page at :

http://www.carepages.com/carepages/jessydae