Abby update - January 9

First of all, a BIG Happy Birthday to Abby's Uncle Greg (and Kayla's dad, of course). With the energy required for a new daughter, we think Uncle Greg had better start counting backwards this year!!!

Abby's big news today was a trip to Austin. Our primary purpose was to check out the rehab program at St. David's Hospital, but the highlight was a stop by Children's Hospital PICU and the Ronald McDonald House to let Abby meet some of the people who helped her and us through those first few weeks after the accident. It was a wonderful feeling to have Abby walk into ICU this time and say "hi" to some of the nurses and other staff who cared for her so well there. We will never forget the dedication and care of the ICU nurses--Abby doesn't remember them from her time there, but we will never stop telling her about them. And then we timed our visit to the Ronald McDonald House to "happen to" coincide with the arrival of lunch there. We were pleased to introduce Abby, have some lunch (including some of Mary's famous Tuesday homemade cake), and leave them with an inscribed cloth that will be part of a welcoming mural when the new Ronald McDonald House is built.

And then on to St. David's. Our visit there still left us a little uncertain about our best option for ongoing therapy. Many of our therapists have recommended making the switch to a "day program" (a program where the patient spends a large part of each day at a therapy location, receiving several hours of sequential, complementary therapy), especially if that allows us to significantly increase the total number hours of therapy, but one of our concerns about the St. David's program (aside from the commute) is that it is an adult program. We want to make sure that, in addition to its focus on neurological rehabilitation, it can also focus on the issues that are most relevant for Abby and that she feels comfortable and encouraged in her surroundings. We wish that a day program for children with head injuries existed in Central Texas, but apparently it simply doesn't. We'll try to talk to a few more therapist and doctor friends tomorrow, and then just pray that once again God puts us in the right spot...

One source of confidence today was Abby's first visit from her new teacher at Wimberley Junior High. We think we and Abby are going to really like Mrs. Ruiz! One thing continues to be certain--we're not in this alone, by any means...
-Lee Ann, Gordon, Abby & Frank