Here’s a little something I was asked to post to this blog, so here goes:
I am Jenny?s sister, Melissa, and am participating in the LA Triathlon on September 11th, 2005 to honor Jenny and her accomplishments as well as to raise money to donate to the American Stroke Association. You can help by clicking on this link to donate to the cause: www.melissacondren.com/donate/
OK, everyone, time to step up to the table and pitch in!
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IT WAS VERY SM., BUT MY LEFT LEG & ARM MOVED VOLUNTARILY TODAY, & THOUGH MARK CAN’T FEEL MY LT. FINGERS MOVE, I CAN! THIS IS JUST WHAT I NEEDED SINCE I HAVE BEEN STAGNANT FOR SO LONG! I HAVE FOUND IT NOT UNCOMMON FOR THINGS TO COME & GO, SO I ALREADY HOPE THEY WILL WORK TOMORROW!
Today has been an exciting day! Already, Jenny has began to be more vocal in the past week or so. Instead of using her call buzzer, she tends to just say my name (which comes out as “Marrr”). She does the same for Zach and even told me “I don’t know” last week in a voice that I clearly understood. As for today, Jenny was standing on her tilt table and had forgot to take her hand out from under the left strap. It does not hurt her, but it bothers her. As I was talking to her, she lifted her hand out (about 6 inches up and out). Jenny was more surprised, but she said that she wanted it out and it just lifted out. I was not sure what to think of it, but as I was doing her exercises on her left side, her left leg was making very strong and distinct voluntary movements. Her leg has had some movement, but it was very impressive none then less. However, the true excitement occurred as Jenny was doing her exercises on her left arm (where there has been absolutely NO movement since her stroke) and she was consistantly able to volunarily move her arm at the shoulder and the elbow! These were not little, but huge movements. We truley have been blessed by God and we are so grateful and excited.
MY OLDEST CHILD, ZACH, WAS BAPTIZED SATURDAY. I MADE THE PROGRAMS (SO I COULD BE AS INVOLVED AS POSS.), I PLAYED THE PIANO (When I am Baptized), MY GIRLS (JESS & FIA) SANG (I’m TryinG TO Be Like Jesus), & 1/2 OUR MY FAM. WAS IN TOWN. THE BAPTISM WAS GREAT, & ZACH SEEMED SO GROWN UP-HE EVEN HAD MATCHING TIES WITH THE BISHOP! WHEN HE WAS ASKED HIS FAV. PART, HE SAID BEING BATHTIZED, NOT BAPTIZED! I HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT I WOULD SING AT MY SON?S BAPTISM, BUT I WAS ABLE TO USE MY RIGHT HAND TO PLUCK OUT WHEN I AM BAPTIZED, WHILE MY HUSBAND SUPPORTED ME ON THE PIANO BENCH. IT WAS GOOD TO SAY WHAT I THOUGHT MOST ABOUT BAPTISM THROUGH MUSIC AND IN A WAY ZACH WOULD UNDERSTAND!
MY B-DAY WAS 8/8 & I GOT MY COMP. RUNNING FINALLY, 3 FRIENDS CAME BY, DINNER WAS AT OLIVE GARDEN, & MARK & THE KIDS MADE, FOR MY CALE, MY FAV. DESERT WHICH IS AT CHILI’S. I ALSO OPENED MY GIFTS, MY KIDS WERE SO EXCITED, U WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS THEIR DAY! BUT FIA WAS THE ONLY KID TO TELL ME HAPPY B-DAY. WHEN FRIENDS CAME BY, NOT ONLY COULD I SIGN A LITTLE TO THEM FOR THE 1ST TIME, BUT W/LITTLE HELP, I COULD OPEN CARDS & GIFTS! LAST YEAR I WAS TOLD MY B-DAY THIS YEAR WOULD BE SO MUCH BETER. I EXPECTED TO BE ABLE, AT LEAST, TO BLOW OUT MY OWN CANDLES! TO MY DISMAY, I CAN’T! I CAN’T DO LOTS OF STUFF, BUT I CAN SIGN & HAVE A MOTORIZED WHEELCHAIR NOW SO I CAN SEE WHAT I WANT TO SEE!
MARK HAS GOTTEN VERY CREATIVE SO HE CAN LEAVE ME HOME ALONE, WHICH I APPRECIATE! HE LEAVES ME W/A PHONE, WHICH I CALL IF I NEED HELP & USING AUTO. DIAL, SPEAKERPHONE & A SERIES OF BEEPS TO ANSWER HIM, I CAN SAY WHAT I NEED! THE OTHER DAY AUTO. DIAL WOULDN’T WORK, SO I ACTUALLY DIALED THE PHONE! & MARK HAS DISCOVERED THAT IF HE HELD MY WRIST, I CAN PLAY W/ALL 5 FINGERS.
ZACH TAKES PRIDE IN BEING THE ONLY KID WHO CAN FINGERSPELL & UNDERSTAND MOM! I APPRECIATE HE DOES IT & HAVE HIM TURN OFF MY COMP. WHEN IT FREEZES!
JENNY LYNN'S NEWS 