Saturday update

Today marks 5 months since the accident.  This week's accomplishments  
include getting into Dad's SUV, increasing my left knee's range of  
motion to 125 degrees, and getting a much needed haircut.. babysteps.   
My next goal is to get up the stairs... I'm concerned about keeping  
Tomoka entertained during her visit as I might be confined to the  
first floor.  Other issues, of course, persist.  This week I struggled  
a lot with balance.  I'm doing a lot of standing exercises in therapy  
and the therapists insist on good posture.  We're experimenting with  
walkers and canes so I can finally get out of the wheelchair.  My poor  
posture results in poor balance and makes canes dangerous.  It looks  
like I'll start with some sort of walker and graduate to a cane once  
my balance improves.

We've been eating real well recently and the other day, in a moment of  
StephenColbert-esque brilliance, invented a new word: garlicious.

Carollers came by last night to spread Christmas spirit and Pastor  
Mike impressed us all with his eerily accurate singing of Alvin and  
the Chipmunks.  Our tree is up and looks great.. there aren't any  
presents under the tree yet as I'm still trying to think of gifts  
for everyone. 9 shopping days left to figure it out.  I hope holiday  
cheer finds you all in this last frenzied week until Christmas.
- jamie

howdy

We're trying something new today. As part of my therapy I will be  
contributing to the blog from now on.
Yesterday was kinda tough.  Despite lots of effort and pain, the range  
of motion in my left knee is below expectations. Any bending past 100  
degrees is incredibly painful.
The stitches from my toe surgery were finally removed yesterday.  The  
good news is that I'm healing very quickly.  The downside to that was  
new skin had grown over several stitches and cutting them out was  
bloodier than expected.
Everyone seemed to have the same answer to problems yesterday: do more  
at home.  As a result, I will be in charge of updating this blog.   
Feel free to email me if you think it's gone too long without an  
update.  Improving range of motion in the left knee will be another  
responsibility for home.  Dad feels as though he's picked up enough  
over the past 4 months to be a physical therapist and had me doing  
exercises before I even got out of bed this morning.

Despite the prospect of torture at home there's a lot to look forward  
to.  It's Christmas time and there are plenty of annual joys: Charlie  
Brown, Christmas Story and the Grinch. I'm sure there's a wonderful  
Sam Adam's brew for the season that I can't partake.  I'm hoping I'll  
be able to visit the Animink crew this week.  I've yet to see the new  
house and there are new people working there I haven't had the chance  
to meet yet.  Everyone is looking forward to Tomoka coming to visit.  
It'll be exciting to share the Holidays with her.

-jamie