November 24 Update

Just wanted to post these images and another update before I leave on vacation for a couple of weeks. These photos were taken by Kurts mom Lou who was out visiting during my last visit, of the amazing hand bike (and amazing Kelley). I talked to Kelley this weekend and her time with Sean, the new full time therapist has already been extremely valuable. She sounded more positive then I think I have heard her since this whole thing began. He is doing physical therapy, massage, reflexology (on an almost daily basis) and getting definite results. She said her movement, sensation, and muscle tone, have all noticeable improved. And he fully believes she will walk again. It was so exciting to hear the excitement in her voice. One of the things I have always valued in my friend Kelley is her ability to "work" when we were pursuing atheletic goals in the past. She just never held anything back. It always pushed me to go a little harder myself, to see her laying it down like that. And watching her work over the last several months, believe me she still has that strength. But I think the lack of consistency, because of the lack of continuity with us well meaning but unskilled (and sometime unavailable) friends was holding her back. I think Sean is allowing her to work at her full capacity, in ways that are balanced and progressive. I can't wait to meet him and see her improvement with my own eyes. Anyway Kelley will be going back east to the Johns Hopkins Transverse Myelitis Center during the 3rd week in December. I will post after I get an update from her after that experience. In the mean time drop by or drop her a line if you get a chance...and keep the vison of kelley walking in your heart and mind . Sue

November 15 Update

Well another eventful month has gone by… ..This photo is a mold of Kelleys legs, that will be used to make her some high tech leg braces so she can safely start walking again. At first this will happen between parallel bars , and then….. beyond…... Kelley continues to work hard at her PT, in between pain management, which is still a constant challenge.

She recently got a great new recumbent hand bike, will try to get picture of that next time. We did go out about a week ago for its first outing. She can ride right from her house to the bike trail along the American river. We got carried away and went out for about an hour and a half, it was one of those beautiful perfect fall days in Sacramento. Unfortunately some unused muscles got a little over worked and she’s been having to tend to some tweaks in the neck, going to have to taper a little more next time. But she can fly in that thing.

And she also now has some fulltime help for awhile. A few blogs back I told you about a woman named Margorie who also has TM, and has had remarkable recovery. A lot of her success she owes to an interesting fellow named Sean (a chinese scholar, and self taught physical therapist) who came to work full time with her, integrating physical therapy with massage. He has recently finished up working with another client and now will be working for Kelley. He will be living across the street from Kelley, and coming to work with her 6 days a week, 6+ hours a day. The consistency and professional capability Sean will provide for Kelley is going to be huge I think.

We will be planning some more fund raising events soon, to keep the coffers in Kelley’s NTAF account sufficiently funded. This will include a film showing of 3 women/300 miles in South Lake Tahoe, and scheduling some more donated outfitter river trips for next spring and summer. Keep in touch with this blog for more news on that, as well as Kelleys progress over the next few months. She is still determined to walk again, and we invite you all to do what you can to help in that journey, whether its donations, your prayers, coming by to go for a bike ride, drive her to appts. etc.….Thanks, Sue