What You Have Been Waiting For: How You Can Help!

Please share this with your friends.  Through some collaborative effort, we are having a fundraiser for Cassandra in relation to obtaining the medical devices and therapy sessions necessary to continue the healing and recovery process.  Please refer to the right hand margin that is present on every page for more information.

In addition, there is now a "Donate" button linked to an account to make online donations.  There are many ways in which you can contribute to the effort.

Many of you have helped with meals and other forms of invaluable service.  We appreciate those who have reached out with their support and love.  We could not do it without you.

A "Blistering" Few Days

The diameter of this blister is about 
the size of a 50 cent piece

A couple days ago, Ariana and I took walk, measuring almost 1 mile. I wore my new tennis shoes and I regretted it for that last half mile. When I got home and I took my AFO and my socks off, I realized what I had done: a big huge blister on my right foot. I will be stubborn for the rest of my life time, because I go through things and I don't learn, or at least I learn slowly.  It has sure not helped me, because when I walk I can barely stand the pain.

Grandma Condit is now resting in Spanish Fork Cemetery.  I cried a lot; it was emotional for me because I cannot keep my emotions down.  My stroke has some influence on me still in these types of settings as I am more emotional.  I know that it is just her body and that she is free from earthly pains.  I feel happy for her but sorrow for myself.  I thought that she might have gone in January, but I feel that due to my circumstance that she waited.so that I could be part of the funeral. The service was nice and many family and friends paid their respects to my grandma.

Ethan, Ariana and myself at Grandma Condit's funeral

My Grandpa Condit laying his red rose on
his departed wife's casket

A Good Start + A Rough Ending

A few days ago I was able to once again take advantage of the Bioness devices.  I went through OT and Speech as normal, then had a break for a couple hours before returning to PT.  It took a really long time, but it worked so well.  With these devices I can walk without my braces and I am able to move more normally.  These devices are what we are shooting to get.  Here is an example of how it helps me to move.  This video, although the device remains on my leg, goes on and off at certain selected points.  So sometimes I'm moving under my own power.

Later that night I joined my husband with some of our neighbors at a fire pit.  It was fun, and it's nice to be with people.  I didn't say anything though.  I feel like I have so much to say but no one is there to talk to me. If there was four people, including myself, they could understand me and listen to me, and I would be able to converse.

Yesterday, my Grandma Condit passed away around 12 noon.  I feel sad and then I feel happy for her because she is free!  Free from all of it.  My grandma was not her normal self for the last 3 years of her life.  Now she is free from her aches, dementia, arthritis and all of her worldly cares.  Now she can go on!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day! To my dad for staying with me in the hospital even though he doesn't like it!  To my husband, for the ups and downs our relationship goes through.  Happy Father's Day!

Good News Minute

June 11
My hubby got a scholarship and he could start in the fall back at school. I also toured Ariana's apartment for the first time!

June 12
My mom and I shopped for maple mountain apparel and we did find what we wanted to find.  We had a good time shopping! We got these Sketchers, having hoped that we would find something casual other than my Nike shoes ,and we did!

June 14
I did the elliptical for ten minutes! We talked to Teri Vantassell, who stopped by our place and brought a nice treat.  We have also received letters from the Call brothers, so that I can appeal to have more therapy!

Updated Video Pages!

So this is an invitation to those who are frequented this blog many times, or for those who are new to our journey ... please look at the right margin of the blog and you will see some extra bonuses!  Namely, the redesigned video pages!

At first, all videos were posted on the same page.  But, oddly enough, when that page was loaded not all the videos would come with it.  It was a random selection, and was quite irksome to me.  So I have decided to make individual pages for each therapy discipline, and most likely in the future will make videos available in the posts rather than the video pages.  I will certainly leave a note so that you can still enjoy the videos, wherever they may be.

So for now, our redesigned video pages are as follows:

• Videos – Speech and Occupational Therapies
• http://chrisandcassieholt.blogspot.com/p/videos.html
• Videos – Physical Therapy
• http://chrisandcassieholt.blogspot.com/p/videos-physical-therapy.html

I hope you enjoy seeing her progress!

Therapy & Botox

We went on a walk around the whole block again then we took a break and then we went to the corner and back!  We do speech therapy as well.

I am quite nervous and happy for my Botox treatment. At first I felt good about it and still do, but I am getting those butterfly feelings.  As it turns out, it went very good! My mother-in-law said that those needles were so big! I didn't think they were big. The one in my bottom of my forearm, it hurts a bit. I talked to Dr. Leininger and I asked him to write a letter for an extension on therapy.

Gardening & the Malouf Visit

One thing worth mentioning: the blog is now real-time, i.e. we are no longer revisiting the past but are now in the present time.  Here are some gardening pictures from a few weeks ago.  As I mentioned, I have enjoyed gardening and taking care of the tiny plants as they bloom and as new shoots come.

Here are also some pictures from the visit from Jordan and Mady Malouf, visiting from Dallas, Texas.

The Recovery Must Go On

Cassie has exhibited no more seizure-like symptoms, which is a good sign.  Ideally it would be due to her body healing, but the prescribed seizure medicine could be helping as well.  I call it her medicine cocktail as she is taking multiple medicines; it is hard to keep track of them.

I will be honest.  I am almost paranoid, at times, whenever Cassie makes a noise and when she doesn’t do anything at all.  I unnervingly anticipate anything going amiss, which is not healthy.  I am just overly concerned at times, but I certainly do not want to be so unobservant that I miss any warning signs.  It’s like being in the ICU paranoia.  This time around, it’s just normal things that set me off.  I recognize that it is still a burden for me, albeit an entirely different burden than the one that Cassie shoulders.  In my opinion, she has the spiritual gift of optimism and faith – she seems to be able to accept her trial without complaint, even in the midst of a hard day, and to smile and laugh and look for a better day.  I appreciate that, as I am pessimistic sometimes, planning for the worst.  She helps to balance life.

Time is running out on her therapies.  She is scheduled for Botox on June 6, as Dr. Leininger believes that such an injection will help relieve the tension and tone that her arm and hand are currently using.  It would do so by weakening the overacting muscles and tendons/ligaments, so that the overpowered muscles and such can work and be controlled by the brain.  Her hand, at times, can be completely relaxed, while at other times is resistant to movement.  On the flipside, some good news: she was able to move her foot the other day.  She has been working on voluntary movement of her ankle, feet, and toes.  At this time she can only do it while lying down, but it was a pleasure and uplifting experience to see her bend that ankle and those toes.  It is a waiting game, and fortunately she is still months within the timeframe of the quickest recovery.

Exciting event! We were able to participate in a stroke awareness event entitled "Strides for Strokes." It was held at the Kiwanis Park in Provo, Utah, sponsored by multiple Utah County organizations.  It was such a huge blessing to have Cassie walk a 1K with such determination.  We were able to see multiple therapists, Dr. K. Call and many others.  As she crossed the finish line, tears came to my eyes and acquaintances and strangers alike applauded her.  It was a great reminder of the support system we have in place.  We were joined by my parents and Cassie's mother.  What a wonderful family event.

Cassie and Dr. Kevin Call sticking out their tongues – one of the requests he often made of her during her
stay in the ICU

The ladies in action! It is a walk, after all.
And my dad is there also.

The name of the event sponsored by multiple stroke
awareness institutions

A Weekly Record – May 21-May 28, 2013

May 21
I have grown fond of growing flowers! Petunia, snapdragon, forget-me-nots, geraniums and other plants! They are cheery, happy and bright! I put them in front of my door; they are the first things I see when I open my door!

May 23
My mom and had a talk about Benadryl. I was getting upset because I had the case of the itches. But she was right and I was wrong. I had gotten addicted to Benadryl, or I think I had. I am about to start trying to kick Benadryl out of my life, because I don't have time for that crap. I was thinking of getting stronger and I don't have time!

May 24
I had a good night sleep with nothing! No drugs or Benadryl!  I was washing myself and I got of the tub and I bent over and my right leg looked stronger.

May 25
It was a normal day! My mom and I cleaned up the house; before that we did stretches and push-ups. We vacuumed, swept, mopped, dusted and watered my plants. We ate lunch and Chris came home and then I napped for an hour.  We went to grandma Johnson's old house and then went to his parents house and went to our house. Night!

May 26
Mady and Jordan were at my family's house; we had a really great time. After we had embraced and we dried our tears, we talked about my recovery and Botox and my foot and my hair.  Then we started to talk about Ethan; he is so tall!

May 27
We went to the movie theater to see Star Trek and I thought it was good .  We went to rehab where grandma Johnson is going to stay.  We stay with her she had a stroke its not as bad as it could be. We went back to our house and slept.  With Nanny and Gramps we played Mexican train and I won it all.

May 28
We went to Dr. Call's and we heard a lot of stuff. We watched a funny movie with my ward!

May 29
I prayed to be humble but I didn't get it because things keep happening to me. I have an earache that won't go away.

May 30
I had a really hard night. But it turned out alright. My plants and my no bake cookies turned out ok! We had waffles tonight! I realized my discernment came from the Holy Ghost it is like having a feeling and I don't know what it is for!

May 31
My earache has gone away as long as I put eardrops in. My right toe is showing signs of an ingrown toenail.

June 3
We went on a walk in Kiwanis Park with my mom and my husband and his parents. Afterwards we gathered and they gave a gift! I talked to Kevin Call and  I asked him to write a letter.  Then we went to mom, dad in laws house and we played Mexican train! Today we walk a whole block!!