3rd Day...Hospital Day...Costa Rica

Today was our 3rd day in Costa Rica. Joey slept great last night. We got up early to get ready. We had a lot to do this day. At 8:30a he started his first of 5 ABM sessions. It took him about 30 min. to get use to it and then he calmed. He did great. Then off to the ICM clinic for our meeting with the doctors and of course to give them the MONEY. The doctor answered all my questions, of course I didn't have many since this is our second time doing stem cells.

We then hung out by the pool with Pam and Makenzie and our new friends Lisa, Al, and Brock.

Then off to the hospital at 11:30a to get the catheter put in for the Stem Cells. Poor Joey, he wasn't allowed to eat after breakfast because he is going to be sedated for the insertion of the catheter. By 1:00p all our friends were at the hospital waiting their turn. Finally at 2:30p Joey was taken back for his turn. The procedure including being sedated only took about 30 min. When he woke up from the sedation, he woke up screaming. He screamed for approx. 30-40 minutes. Boy does he have some lungs on him. The doctors put a partial cast on his leg where the port is so that he won't pull it out.

The day finally ended around 7:30p for him. He was exhausted.

Tomorrow Joey will have his first stem cell injection.

2nd in Costa Rica

Today is Sunday in Costa Rica. We started off the day welcoming the ABM practioner, she came in really early this morning. After breakfast and some goofing around we decided to go have some lunch and site see. We went to the butterfly garden. It is a beautiful place.

We all had a great time together. Then back to the hotel for a little relaxation. Ok, so maybe not much relaxation. Joey again today was very fussy. Whether I held him or not he was fussy. My back is starting to ache real bad. After dinner he finally calmed down a bit. Our friends came to hang out in our room and we starting goofing around some more.

Tomorrow (or today depending on when you are reading this) Joey has his evaluation at the ICM clinic in the morning, then his ABM session, then off to the hospital for this catheter insertion for the Stem Cells. I am getting very excited know JOey is going to get more stem cells.

Please pray Joey will calm down and not be so fussy anymore.

P.S again I have posted more pics and video on www.dropshots.com/fightingjoey

1st Day in Costa Rica

Today was our first full day in Costa Rica. Joey slept crappy during the night (I knew he would, we are in a strange place for him). We took our time and got up and dressed. Joey and I hit the continental breakfast, runny eggs, I love um.

Then around noon we went with our friends, Pam and Makenzie, Jennifer, Scott and Gracie, to subway for lunch then arcoss the street to the park. We had a great time at the park.

We then spent the rest of the afternoon in Gracie's room discussing, Farkle and Bejeweled and our kids funny habits and strollers and wheelchairs. Joey was a wreck by this time. He was

so fussy. He finally fell asleep listening to me playing bejeweled (he loves the noise the game makes), as Scott and I discussed stem cells, waiting for Pam and Jennifer to get back from the market. I thought the nap would help, but not so much.

We then got ready and went to an adjacent hotel for dinner. Joey was not a happy camper, however he did eat a ton. Then the challenges of changing a childs diaper who is too big for a changing table in a bathroom with no counter. WOW, that was a fun experience.

Then back to the room. Joey finally was calm and is almost ready to go to sleep.

I have taken tons of pictures and I am unable to post them all on thi blog, so if you want to see more pic, go to www.dropshots.com/fightingjoey

Stolen Posts

So many times I read other peoples blogs and steal some of their posting. Here is one I stole.

Disability Beatitudes".

Blessed are you who take time to listen to defective speech, or you help us to know that if we persevere, we can be understood.

Blessed are you who walk with us in public places and ignore the stares of strangers, for in your companionship we find havens of relaxation.

Blessed are you that never bids you "hurry up" and more bless are you that do not snatch our tasks from our hands to do them for us, for often we need time rather than help.

Blessed are you who stand beside us as we enter new ventures, for our failures will be outweighed by times we surprise ourselves and you.

Blessed are you who ask for our help, for our greatest need is to be needed.

Blessed are you when by all these things you assure us that the thing that makes us individuals is not our peculiar muscles, nor our wounded nervous system, but is the God-given self that no infirmity can confine..

Blessed are those who pick thing up without being asked.

Blessed are those who understand that sometimes I am weak and not just lazy.

Blessed are those who forget my disability of the body and see the shape of my soul.

Blessed are those who see me as a whole person, unique and complete, and not as a "half" and one of God's mistakes.

Blessed are those who love me just as I am without wondering what I might have been like.

Blessed are my friends on whom I depend, for they are the substance and joy of my life!!!

Costa Rica........We made it!

Gracie eating her Brownie

Pam stretching Makenzie

Joey sitting like a big boy with the airplane tether.

Well we finally made it. We left LA at 915 yesterday and had a 3 hr flight to Dallas, 3 hr layover, then 3.5 hr flight to Costa Rica. We meet up with Makenzie and Gacie in Dallas. Joey did fantastic on both flights, however as soon as we got to Costa Rica, he had a break down. He screamed for about 1.5 hrs. We got to the Hotel, checked in and went to bed. Joey doesn't do goos sleeping other places. Its morning now and only after 6 hrs of sleep we are awake. That is just not enough for me. We now have a couple days to rest.

On Monday Joey has his first appt. at 10am for a check up and then another at 2p for the insertion of his iv catheter.

WOW! I can't believe we are here for more Stem Cells. I am very excited.

Thank you to all for your thoughts and prayers.

2 More Days till Costa Rica.

2 more days until we head to Costa Rica.

I am starting to get a little excited. I just have a lot of home planning to do before we leave. Jeremy will be home with the kids and with the help of my family everyone will get to were they have to be. I will probably start packing Thursday night. Hee hee hee Go figure!

I am going to Costa Rica with 3 other families. I am meeting 2 of the families, Makenzie and Gracie, in Dallas for our layover to Costa Rica. We will be sharing a hotel room with Makenzie and her mom. Brock will be joining us on Sunday. I am very excited to spend time with all this great kids and parents. It is a very special world we live in together.

We will also have the chance to try ABM (Anat Baniel Method), a type of therapy, when we are in Costa Rica. An ABM practitioner will be joining us in Costa Rica to work with all 4 kids. I am very excited to see how Joey responds to this. I would like to continue the ABM when we return home.

We will only be in Costa Rica for 1 week, unlike the 4 weeks we were in China. The protocol in Costa Rica is different then China's, so I am also interested to see how Joey responds.

I would like to extend a HUGE thank you to my dad and stepmom and my sister and brother-in-law for there generous donations in helping us get to Costa Rica. Unfortunately I did not raise all the monies needed, but we have found ways to move our monies around to help Joey get his stem cell treatment.

Thank You to everyone for your support and constant thoughts and prayers.

Spring Break!

The holiday's and spring break are here again. Softball and baseball are on hold until after spring break. Jessica and Joey are doing great. Passover and Easter have been great. We celebrated Passover with a special service at temple on Friday night. Jack's 4th grade religious school class ran the services. Jack made his own Talus. It was a nice night. Then on Sunday we had a family gathering for Easter with my husband side of the family. Boy have I eaten WAY to much. Back to the gym on Monday.

All kids are out of school this week, however Joey still has therapy to go to. On Friday we leave for Costa Rica. Guess I better start getting our stuff together. I am very excited, but just a little stressed with trying to get organized. I am very excited to see our friends and get a chance to hang out with them for the week. I'm aslo excited about the ABM sessions we will be receiving when we are there.

Joey has been doing good these last few weeks. No major improvements or changes lately, however he is a very happy man. I am hoping these stem cells will give him another little boost. In May Joey will receive botox injections in his calfs and then will be serial cast to help stretch his muscles and tendons so that we can get his AFO's on his feet without him being in pain. He will then stat an intensive session of therapy soon after that in May.

Happy Holidays' to all. Blessings.