wednesday evening

brrrr! it is pretty cold here now. it has been raining for a couple of days, but tomorrow is supposed to be milder and sunny. gen is scheduled for an outing wherein she will drive her chair in a store, improving her "community skills." that should be fun. today was a full day, even if not one of the busiest. gen had e stim on her arms this morning, and it was combined with recreation therapy. she played yahtzee again, using her stimulated arm muscles to turn the dice cup up and down. she also worked on moving her arms up and down, at an angle out in front of her. she is working up to being able to raise her arms up, but it takes a good foundation of strengthened arm muscles to do that. in pt she was evaluated for some new thin splints for her feet that would fit snugly and would be worn under shoes to keep her feet straight when she walks instead of letting them rotate out onto their sides like they tend to do now. she is still having some trouble with "tone" which is that tensing of muscles that interferes with motion. the doctor has gradually increased the dosage of both the medications she takes for that condition. in speech therapy, gen got to read grocery ads to katie, and katie had to be able to tell what gen was reading. in the afternoon session, gen was evaluated by another speech pathologist who was trying to determine if there is something they can do to help gen keep air from escaping through her nose when she is trying to say letters that need the air to build up pressure in her mouth to make them come out right. (ex: p, b, g, k). there are a couple of devices that would help, and he is planning to try one of them tomorrow morning. it really amazes me to see the creativity of the therapists, and to see their committment to helping people. i thank God for His gifts to us that come in so many forms. i am reminded that when moses was given the instructions for the tabernacle, and when solomon was given the instructions for the temple, they were each supplied with specific men who were prepared by God to have the skill and knowledge needed to follow the instructions and create something acceptable to God. i see therapists working here who make me believe that God placed just the right people in just the right place to accomplish His will for genevieve. i am grateful to God and to those he has put in our lives who keep me thinking of Him and His goodness to us.

susan
ps jenny: gen says "a young girl's strange erotic journey from milan to minsk...rochelle, rochelle."