Joe Fineman

Untitled Album

2010-09-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

Moving Forward

2010-08-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

Good news. Life has settle into a good routine of gym workouts ( 3X week now) and dinner and outings with friends and family. We are going to move from posting on the blog to setting up an email folder for those of you still interested in Joe's improvements. If you would like to get updates from time to time and videos of Joe's progress, please send us your email address and we will enter you in the folder. That way you don't have to keep checking this blog to see if we are having fun. We are planning on going to the velodrome for first time to watch the Master's State Championships on Sunday. Maybe I will have some pictures. Thanks for all your encouragements. Sandy & Joe

Post on You Tube

2010-07-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

I posted a video of Joe at his gym on You Tube. You can view it by going to P7240007 and scrolling down to finesaler. I know there is a better way to do this but don't know what it is. Enjoy. Will put up more when I refine my technique. Sandy

2010-07-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

We are off to So. Cal. Will call you when we get back and come down for a visit, including bringing Gigi.

Judy and Dave

Joe's comments

2010-07-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

The past 10 days have been quite eventful. I had a visit from two athletes that I coached and recruited at the University of Arizona. I hadn't seen Dwayne in 30 years so it was fun connecting with him again. Onto another topic. My training has been going quite well. I am making slow but steady progress. Last Thursday I had a positive development. My trainer picked me up from my chair and had me standing with assistance. I did this three times. It was amazing how good it felt when I put the full weight of my body on my legs. This is a good indication that there is nerve regeneration taking place. This week we will start going to training three days. I am looking forward to more progress. Yesterday Sandy and I went with friends for our monthly BAY Trail walk. They walked and I drove for about an hour. Then the group moved to our favorite Mexican restaurant for a nice dinner. Out here in California the weather has been cool unlike the weather back east where many of our friends live. Thanks for reading. Joe and Sandy

One Year Home!!

2010-07-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

Jiu and Atu in the groove

Nephews Kurt and Randy visiting

Motoring on the Bay trail with Suzanne, Robert, MB and Bob with Scooter and Olive. Bright sunshine but cool breeze. We have come a long way.

Here are a couple of photos of our weekend celebrating out 22nd wedding anniversary and Joe's home coming of one year. Joe will add his comments soon.

Ron and Dwayne visited Joe last week

2010-07-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Joe will write more later but wanted to share this picture. These are two good friends Joe recruited and coached at the UofA

June 15 update

2010-06-15T19:11:00.000-07:00

Hello! This has been a very good week and a half. We had a great one hour walk down by the SF bay with our friends Mary Beth Novak and Bob Muzzy and their dogs. They walked and I drove. That was follow by dinner at Picante. Robert Wallace joined us. I had my best week ever at physical therapy and my trainers continue to encourage me. I love it!! We will try and attach a picture taken after dinner on Sunday. Thanks for reading. Joe

A Pictures is Worth a Thousand Words

2010-06-12T13:44:00.001-07:00

Joe is in very good hands Ah.......

Joe and Roar at the gym

Breakfast with the Norhad's

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings from sunny Northern California. Winter has finally ended. I have settled into a new routine so there is not much to report. My physical therapy continues to go well. My physical therapy Kaiser Vallejo has stopped for the near-term. I will continue to go to Pleasanton 2 to 3 times a week. Sandy and I are having some friends over tomorrow for a BBQ. Thanks for reading. Have a great day. Joe

Photos of Joe at the Pac 10

2010-05-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

Joe watching the action with Ron Kennedy
Joe with the USC Coach, Ron Allice
More action reported by Ron. We love our sun umbrella

An exciting week

2010-05-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

The past week and a half have been very exciting. I had my first cuppa coffee since April 2009. My physical therapy has been going well. I am making slow but gradual progress. Last weekend I attended the Pac-10 track and field championships with one of my ex-athletes. On Saturday we had a very unusual experience. My wheelchair got locked in the wrong position in the car. We had to call the Berkeley fire Department to help us. They sent a hook and ladder to our rescue. Four firemen lifted me out of my chair and then put my wheelchair in the proper position. This episode lasted for about an hour and a half. Thanks for reading.

Picture of Leon and Joe with Wyatt observing

2010-05-06T18:36:00.001-07:00

May 6 update

2010-05-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

The past week and a half have been uneventful in terms of new adventures. Sandy and I have been going to physical therapy four and you will soon picture will stop listening that's not the computer Dido are times a week. The PT has been progressing well. Each day I see a little bit of improvement. The next big event for us will occur next Saturday when we go to see the Pac-10 track and field championships in Berkeley. The competition should be fierce amongst the different schools. I am enclosing a photo of a longtime friend named Leon who came to visit me last weekend. Leon lived in New Zealand for the past nine years and has recently returned to the United States. Thanks for reading. Joe

Day at the races

2010-04-26T16:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Sandy and I attended a bike race in Livermore. The weather was great the racing was fast and most of all we met some old friends. All of them were happy to see me and made me feel right at home. It was great reconnecting with all of them. This was my first social outing in over a year. I was very nervous about how people would react to seeing me in a wheelchair. When Sandy and I came home we topped off the day with a nice dinner and my first bottle of beer since my accident. My next adventure will be to attend a track and field competition in mid-May. There I will also reunite with some old friends who I coached at the University of Arizona. Take care. Thanks for reading.

Greetings

2010-04-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! This is the first time that I've posted my blog. Everything has been going along very slowly. I am making progress each day. Tomorrow Sandy and I will be going to a bike race in Livermore. Many of the people at the race are old friends that I am looking forward to seeing . This will be my first outing at a sporting event since my injury. I am looking forward to it with much anticipation. I will let everyone who reads this blog know how things went. Have a great day.

2010-04-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

Joe promised me he would post something on Saturday. Let's see.

Joe is getting ready to post his own progress

2010-04-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

We are working on our Dragon voice recognition and Joe will be doing his own posts soon. We are busy with therapy four days a week and acupuncture on the other day. It is good to be settling into a regular schedule. Stay tuned for "words from the horse's mouth" so to speak.

DINNER RESERVATIONS

2010-03-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

Joe and I joined another couple for our first dinner out in a restaurant on Saturday. It was a complete success, so when you come to visit we can now go out to dinner or whatever. We are getting back into our gym, PT, and acupuncture schedules. Joe also was able to drive his chair down the street and and up and down a small hill in the neighborhood. He is also planning to go see a bike race in Livermore in a few weeks and then go to a track meet in Berkeley in May. A full social schedule.

Home Again

2010-03-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

Joe came home on Wednesday. Off to the gym on Thursday and taking it easy today. He is doing well. Sandy

Pecs

2010-03-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

Joe always was worried about those pecs. Remember all that weighting.
And, Sandy, I agree - no Botox necessary for you. I suggest a glass of fine red wine as a much more satisfying facial muscle relaxant.
Great to see that Joe continues to improve, especially that the spasms have diminished.

I'll call after Joe has been home a few days and you are back in your routine.

Thinking about both of you.
Phil

The NEW JOE: BOTOX TREATMENTS

2010-03-12T16:44:00.000-08:00

Well, this is the limit. Now he gets botox. I am the one that needs it but I guess I will have to wait. His "peck" muscles are so tight, they prevent the raising of his arms to feed himself. Botox will help relax these muscles and allow his arms and elbows to lift higher. He now has a pacemaker, baclofen pump, new hip and now botox. What will be next.?? We will never get through an airport again. He will be coming home next Wednesday, St. Paddy's Day and then we will be back on schedule with hopefully more progress. At least he won't have any wrinkles in his chest.

JOE HOME ON THE 17TH.

2010-03-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

Joe will be coming home on Wednesday, the 17th. Happy St. Patrick's Day. He is working hard at his therapy and they continue to adjust the medication so he can get the most from his pump. He is totally bored when he is not in class but just one more week. We will try and reach some of you on the phone when we have time. It may not be until the weekend. He misses all your visits and phone calls.

MARCH 8: VALLEJO UPDATE

2010-03-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

Joe is getting up to 4 hours of therapy in Vallejo as they adjust his baclofen pump. The pump has taken away the spasms but also some of his strength and movement in his legs. This was very distressing to him but once he realized they could adjust the dosage and give him less of the drug, he was encouraged. It is an art to find the balance between less spasms and sufficient strength. He is scheduled to be discharged March 16 and is anxious to get home and move on with his workouts.

FINALLY - VALLEJO

2010-03-03T21:09:00.000-08:00

Joe was finally admitted to Kaiser Vallejo for 7-10 days to have his new pump evaluated and to receive more intense PT. This is a big step and will lead to more recovery. Will post more later.

JOE IS HOME

2010-03-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

Joe came home on Saturday. I realize now, we can take better care of him here than in the hospital. We are waiting for him to get admitted to Kaiser Vallejo rehab for about 7-10 days for more intense PT. We are hoping Wednesday or the end of the week. The good news is he will be in a new facility but the bad news is we have to wait until they are ready for him. He is tired but feeling better today. Definitely less spasms!!

The Pump Is IN

2010-02-26T18:04:00.000-08:00

Joe's surgery went well today and he is resting on his back for 12 hours. They don't want the contact in his spine to become dislodged. It is possible he will come home as early as tomorrow. They don't waste any time letting you get comfortable in the hospital. He will go on to Vallejo rehab when they are able to take him. The good news is he will be in a new facility there but the bad news is they may not be able to take him until the end of next week. As we have learned nothing happens until it happens. We will post more when we know it. So far so good.

Surgery scheduled for Feb 26th.

2010-02-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Joe just got a call from the hospital and they are moving his surgery up to next Friday, the 26th for his baclofen pump. Surgery is in Redwood City and then he goes to Vallejo for a week to get the pump adjusted. He is enjoying SCI in Pleasanton and works out 2 hrs twice a week. Leg presses, treadmill, resistance training, the whole ball of wax!! Will let you know how the surgery goes.

THE FIRST STEPS!!!!

2010-02-09T18:22:00.000-08:00

Joe has started going to a gym in Pleasanton called SCI-FIT (Spinal Cord Injury-Fitness Integrated Therapy). It is a great complement to his PT at Kaiser. Today was our second day and they had him on a treadmill with a harness. This allowed him to take his first steps with cues from the trainer. It was hard for him to coordinate his movements but he was able to lock out one leg and pull the other through with cueing. The focus of this gym is strength building as well as movement. We have seen good results mentally and physically. I can even get a bike ride in myself while Joe is working out. This is the best of both worlds.

We are looking at March 8 for implantation of the balofen pump and then a week at Kaiser rehab in Vallejo. After that it will be out patient at Kaiser, acupuncture, and two days a week at SCI FIT. Our week is full and we love it. Spring is in the air and our hopes our high.

January 29

2010-01-29T07:24:00.000-08:00

Well we have a date of March 8 for the pump. I am getting real tired thinking about this. If they get a cancellation earlier, they will call. We have to be off Aleve for 7-10 days so missed an opportunity this coming Monday. Joe continues to make progress so that is good.

Progress, January 19

2010-01-20T07:49:00.000-08:00

Joe is continuing to make progress both in his movements and sensations. He has more core strength and can lift his arms higher. He is beginning to have more feeling in his hands and feet. The doctor today was very happy to see his progress although they feel it will be at least a year or so before he can walk. We are hopeful that we will know the date of the pump surgery soon. After the pump, he will spend a week at the rehab facility for daily therapy. That will be a good indicator of his progress. Will keep you posted. Sandy

2010-01-15T21:04:00.001-08:00

Looking Good!!! Keep up the progress!!!
Love,
Judy and Dave

JANUARY UPDATE

2010-01-11T19:03:00.000-08:00

While we had a rough holiday season with another infection and trip to the hospital, Joe is recovering well and we hope for the baclofen pump in Feb or March. Here are a couple of pictures from our PT session today. Enjoy. Sandy & Joe

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2009-12-26T21:08:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a great holiday. Joe enjoyed all the phone calls. He is definitely doing better and we hope to have a date in February for the pump. The doctor who does this surgery is out of the country until February, so hopefully he comes home well rested. We have high hopes for the coming year and wish you all the same. Will keep you posted on the upcoming surgery. Sandy & Joe

Sunday, Dec 20

2009-12-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

Joe should be home tomorrow, Monday. We will most likely get the pump in February 2010. Stay tuned. Sandy

Friday morning

2009-12-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

Joe is doing better but will be in the hospital for a few days. Too bad he couldn't enjoy his ride with the paramedics. He was very confused but much better now. We will hope the pump can go in early next year but I have learned that hospital surgeries are very subject to change. Will keep you posted. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and thank you for all your cards. It just isn't going to happen on this end but will send a card of Joe when he has the pump and we can celebrate. Sandy & Joe

Best laid plans go down the drain

2009-12-17T10:43:00.001-08:00

Joe is back in the hospital with an infection from his procedure yesterday. We will not get the pump in this year. Will post more later. Sandy

Wednesday Dec. 16: Losing my Mind

2009-12-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

Joe survived his kidney procedure and is home sleeping it off. The surgery went well and their biggest problem as getting Joe out of his power chair and onto the operating table. I barely survived when they told us this surgery may prevent them from implanting the pump on Friday. I had a coronary as we had asked and asked again about the risks of that happening. Let's hope things go as we have planned. Stay tuned. Sandy

The stones are history

2009-12-16T08:01:00.000-08:00

We are off to Oakland Medical Center to have the kidney stones zapped. Joe will be out for the procedure and home this afternoon. We recover on Thursday and then go to Redwood City to have the pump implanted on Friday around 2:30. We will stay in the hospital at least one day. Will post more later. Sandy & Joe

BUSY WEEK COMING UP

2009-12-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

We have high expectations for the surgeries next week. Wednesday Joe goes in for kidney stone surgery which hopefully will have no complications. On Friday, the 18th he goes to Redwood City to have the intrathecal pump implanted which will help with the spasms. I will try and send up dates as we go through these events. The kidney procedure is the same day but the pump will involve several days in the hospital and then possibly more time at Vallejo rehab as an inpatient. Send us those positive vibes you are all know for. Sandy & Joe

Joe worked his charm

2009-12-04T15:33:00.000-08:00

We have a date of Dec. 18 for the intrathecal pump to be implanted. Joe worked his charm on the surgeon, doctor, etc. and got this early date. He will be in the Redwood City hospital a few days and may then return to Vallejo for more intense PT. We will see how things proceed. We also have a date of Dec. 16 to deal with the kidney stones. It will be a busy week but well worth the rewards. Joe is very encouraged. Keep you posted. Sandy & Joe

December 1: Good test results

2009-12-01T17:51:00.000-08:00

We spent the day at Kaiser Redwood City to test Joe for a baclofen pump and it seems to be a success which means they will implant a "hockey" size pump under his skin and deliver the baclofen anti-spam medicine directly to his spinal cord. Now, we just have to bribe the neurosurgeon to move Joe up in his schedule so we can get the surgery done ASAP but it might not be until next year. After the trial today, Joe was much more relaxed, less spastic and had better control over his muscles. We are very pleased with the results.

November 29: Looking at a busy week

2009-11-29T07:11:00.001-08:00

For those of you still keeping track of this blog, it will be a busy week for Joe. Between PT and acupuncture, we hope to complete his test for an intertecal pump to deliver the baclofen directly to his spinal cord. We are also going to check out another PT facility that works specifically with spinal cord injuries. They can provide additional therapy which Vallejo Kaiser cannot. Next week on the 11th we deal with the kidney stones. We are making progress and hopefully qualify for the pump later this month. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Love Sandy & Joe

Saturday, November 21: Hurry up and wait

2009-11-21T21:15:00.000-08:00

Our test for the pump got delayed several weeks as the doctor was ill. We will try again on Dec 1. It feels like a major step we need to get completed. Joe will also have surgery for kidney stones on Dec 11, so this month is going to be a busy one. He continues to make good progress on his core strength with PT and looks forward to these twice weekly appointments. We are also trying to develop a voice activated control for the TV and fine tune our instruments. We need to thank our friend Bob Broderson for the many hours he has spent on this project. We are close to completion, we hope. I will put up a post after the test on Dec. 1. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! Joe and Sandy

Quick update

2009-11-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

Joe seems to be recovering well. He went to PT on Monday and acupuncture today. If things hold, we will go to Redwood City next week to have a test for the baclofen pump with surgery scheduled after that. This pump will reduce the oral medications and enable him to control his muscles better. It seems kidney stones were probably the root of our problem last week and we will deal with them also. Never a dull moment. We are hoping his brother will be able to visit this weekend. Sandy & Joe

Saturday, November 7

2009-11-07T07:35:00.000-08:00

Joe is home and feeling much better. Now we just have to keep him healthy. He is very happy to be home and in the care of Atu and J. More later. Sandy

November 5: Better

2009-11-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

Joe was better when I left him last night. He will probably be in the hospital until the end of the week. With luck we got a private room which makes up for being in the basement all of Sunday night. Once I get the nurses trained in one room, they move him to another but at least we are going up where the view is good. Will add more later. Sandy

November 3: Back in Hospital

2009-11-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note. Joe is in Kaiser Oakland with a blood infection due to incorrect antibiotic for a bladder infection. He is doing much better but was very sick for a couple of days. We hope this does not set him back too much and he was doing better on Tuesday. Hopefully we will be home by the end of the week. My hospital is better than their hospital. Will update more later. Sandy

2nd Sunday Undate

2009-10-25T17:23:00.001-07:00

Greetings: Not too much new to report. Joe continues to make small steps of progress. We made a trip to the neurologist and they determined he might be helped with the baclofen pump but they have to test him as to the effectiveness of the medication. THEN, maybe within two months, they can install the pump which will help with his spasms. This would be done in the hospital, so will keep you posted. We continue PT in Vallejo and acupuncture weekly which helps the arthritic shoulders and Joe's recovery.

He enjoyed watching the World Track Cycling competition in Australia and his buddy, Larry Nolan, won several gold medals. The first he dedicated to Joe which was a thrill for him. We attended the competition last year. He also had a great phone visit with many of his Westchester friends during their 45 yr college reunion at Westchester, PA. several weeks ago. That is it for now. Joe and Sandy

Sunday, October 11:

2009-10-11T14:00:00.001-07:00

Joe eating fruit
Joe and Luke
Hitting the road
We have had a busy two weeks as the enclosed pictures will show. We continue to visit Vallejo for PT every Monday and have an acupuncture appointment during the week. Both seem to be helping Joe with more movements. He can serve himself some fruit with the help of a hand brace and we continue to venture out with our van. We helped Luke celebrate his first birthday in Danville and even managed to take a walk over to Peet's for some coffee.

The one problem Joe is having is severe spasms. While they are good for toning the muscles, they are interfering with his rehab and also send his blood pressure through the roof, so we will visit a neurologist to see if Joe is a candidate for a baclofen pump which is suppose to be more effective. If we proceed with the pump, it will mean a few days in the hospital but it might be well worth it. Enjoy our pictures.

September 28

2009-09-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

We had a busy week including a return to Vallejo for PT and OT which is great. This is where Joe spent 5 weeks and is one of the best rehab facilities in No Calif. We also started getting acupuncture again to treat his shoulder pain and spasms. The spasms and shoulder pain are the two things that will hold him back. They are talking about installing a Balofen pump to deliver the drug directly to his spinal cord. This will require a hospital stay to adjust the drug and install the pump. We will keep you posted but the spasms are really becoming a problem. He is still making small but sure progress and having our van is wonderful.

I will try and post every other Sunday evening so you will know when to check out our progress. I have also included a picture of his two buddies from the Univ of Arizona who came to visit on Sunday.

Sunday, Sept 20, One Day Before

2009-09-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it is one day before Joe's 67th birthday and he has a new Toyota Sienna van complete with automatic ramp as a present. We are returning to Vallejo Rehab for an evaluation tomorrow and hopefully a series of appointments for PT. He had a visit from Kurt, Leighanne and Luke Levensaler on Sunday. See picture. Luke is about to celebrate his 1st birthday in October. They have just moved from Portland to Danville CA and we look forward to more family time together. Joe continues to make steady but slow progress. We will update you after we have been to Vallejo. Just another thank you for everyone who supports us daily from the chocolate chips cookies to the Sierra Nevada beer and expert computer advice . Everyone is making our journey better. Love Sandy & Joe

Cruising

2009-09-14T16:33:00.001-07:00

It's a beautiful, warm sunny day in the Oakland Hills and what could be better than the weather? The sight of Joe and Sandy appearing at my front door this afternoon! And to top the surprise visit, Joe drove the speedster home!

Out with the Old and in with the New

2009-09-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update with more to follow. We managed to sell Joe's Honda van and have purchased a Toyota Sienna complete with power doors and ramp. It should be delivered next week so we will enclose some pictures of us having fun. This will also allow us to return to Vallejo for more intense PT, etc. YAH!!! Love Joe and Sandy

FINALLY - OUR POWER CHAIR

2009-08-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

Joe received his power chair today and is busy learning to drive. This chair is made to fit Joe specifically and is so much more comfortable. He is able to drive himself from one end of the house to the other. Here is a picture of he and Wyatt who is able to ride on the back. Stay turned for more "action shots" as we venture outside. Joe continues to make slow progress and was able to sit on the side of the bed for about 1 minute. The goal is 15 minutes. He enjoys visiting with his friends if they can keep up with him.

August 24.

2009-08-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty good week and Joe had his first experience with acupuncture. We are hoping this will help with the regeneration of the nerves and with his shoulder pain. Joe continues to work hard on his PT and Liza is able to move him from his chair to the bed using a sliding board which is much nicer than a Hoyer lift. The power chair should be coming in the next couple of weeks which will be a blessing and then the van. Joe has also learned to use Skype for phone calls and can partially operate his computer with voice activation which makes him more independent. Now if we could just get him to operate the TV that way, we would be set.

He enjoyed following the Master's National and the fact that Larry and others won some metals. He enjoys all your phone calls, visits and goodies, so thank you. Until next week. Love, Sandy & Joe

Joe supporting himself with Liza in the background.

2009-08-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

STEADY PROGRESS. Time trialing was never like this!! Joe was able to sit up for 15 minutes.

First Shower and First Bike Ride

2009-08-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

We received our spa/shower chair the other day and Joe enjoyed his first shower in our new accessible bath. Quite a treat. We will post pictures soon. I was also able to take my first bike ride in 4 months on Saturday. That was also quite a treat. Joe continues to have PT at home and enjoys it immensely. Liza is able to slide Joe from the bed into the wheel chair and back again. As Joe gets more strength in this core, he will be able to assist her. We are waiting for the power chair and then comes the van. That is it for now. Thank you again for all your encouragement and support. Love Joe and Sandy

Stay tuned

2009-08-16T12:04:00.001-07:00

I will try and update this blog with pictures of our new shower chair, etc. soon. Sorry for the delay. Sandy

Power Chair Fitting

2009-08-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

Here is Joe getting fit for his power chair. Going down the hill took some getting used to. He is able to move his left hand enough to drive the chair and as he gets used to going over the bumps, he will relax and enjoy himself. Look for us and Shasta cruising the neighborhood.

I have had some luck in dealing with Kaiser and am hopeful quicker action will take place. We are back to PT in the home as the hospital PT was not appropriate. Once we get our van, we will have more options. Until next time. Sandy & Joe

The week of July 27: Still Evolving

2009-08-03T07:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings: We continue to refine our home care process and are settling into somewhat of a routine. We are hopeful the bath room will be finished this week and Joe will get a proper shower soon. Kaiser is proving to be a challenge every time we deal with them. We are now in the process of securing proper physical therapy to assist his recovery. These challenges will make me into an assertive and directing individual. Maybe that is the lesson to be learned.

We are encouraged by the small improvements in Joe's condition and he is now able to move his arm part way up to his mouth. He is anxious to chew his finger nails. HA! He are also enjoying lots of goodies provided by friends and lots of visits. As a note, Joe hits the hay by 8 pm West coast time, so if you call from the East coast, try and make it during our afternoon or leave a message and we will call you back. He loves to hear from all of you. Until next week. Love Sandy & Joe

Looks Like a Busy Week

2009-07-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

This may be the one update this week as we continue to refine our new lifestyle. We are hoping to finish the bath over the next week or so and receive our shower chair. Thursday, Joe will be measured for his power chair which takes two months to assemble. That will lead us to a van down the road, so we can hit the road. Friday, Joe begins the first of his out patient physical therapy and occupational therapy appointments. All of these are major steps along our road to recovery.

Here are a couple pictures from our visitors this weekend. Ed Rush on the left and Nan on the right. Both were visiting from the East coast.

Friends have been wonderful keeping our refrigerator stocked full of food. Thank you everyone. Love, Sandy & Joe

Joe, Atu and Ji

2009-07-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

Joe with his care takers, Atu and Ji. In spite of construction in the bath, disputes with Kaiser, and visits from nurses and therapists, we are maintaining because of Atu and Ji who are Joe's personal aides switching channels to view the Tour, bathing, feeding, and standing in for me when I have my moments of insanity. Hopefully, our new bath will be completed near the end of next week and Joe's cool new bath chair will be here so we can have a real shower.

Joe has had lots of visitors including Phil and Linda Avilo from PA and local neighbors who always show up with lots of goodies: brownies, pies, cookies, salads, fruit, etc. I can't thank everyone enough. You are all wonderful!! Near the end of next week, we will start out patient therapy at Kaiser and this will move Joe further down the road to recovery. Thank you again for all your prayers and support. Love Sandy & Joe

Monday, July 20

2009-07-20T19:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Atu and Joe. Atu is one of our caregivers who has made our trip home possible. We will post a picture of Jay, Atu's cousin who is also helping out, next time.

Joe had a visit from niece Amy from Seattle and nephew Dan who lives in San Francisco. This coming week, Joe expects several visitors from the East coast so we will have more to post later in the week.

We are also busy remodeling our bath, so things are still in turmoil here. But, there is a faint light at the end of the tunnel. Give us another couple of months. Joe was able to lift his left foot up off the floor today. So, further signs of recovery. More later. Love Sandy & Joe

Update from Home

2009-07-19T20:35:00.001-07:00

It has been awhile since I have had the energy to add to this post. Transitioning home has had it's challenges. We have hired a caretaker which is a huge help but it is still a challenge to realize Joe will be OK and remain stable. He is enjoying many visitors including his niece Amy from Seattle. We have taken some pictures and will include them on the next post. He is expecting several visitors from the East Coast over the next week and in between we will have visits from nurses, PT and OT . At the end of the month, we will begin PT at the Kaiser facility in Oakland which will be very helpful. Joe continues to have small improvements in his movements.

Joe said his final thank you. See you later!

2009-07-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

Joe with Todd, chief physical therapist and Geffa, a visiting PT from Germany who helped Joe a lot. She and Joe traded favorite German expressions. We can return to Vallejo for out patient therapy as Joe improves.

We have hired two very large men to help with Joe's care at home. It is a work in process as we adjust to our training routine. Meals, stretching exercises, assisted stretching, icing, more meals, more washing, etc. In between I walk the dog and try and breathe while Atu and Jay help with Joe. I could not do this without them. Pictures of these two great guys will follow. Joe continues to improve with his movements, so all the therapy is very important to continue. We visit doctors next week and that should be another learning experience, dealing with paratransit. That is it for now. Sandy

HOME

2009-07-10T20:58:00.000-07:00

Just a quick word to say we did come home yesterday, Thursday and Joe was very happy. It has been quite an experience for me, to say the least, but I now have to wonderful Fujian men who have saved me along with two very special friends who were willing to come and help at 4:30 a.m. I just hope this makes a good story down the road. Will write more later with some final pictures of Joe's therapists at Vallejo. Sandy

Monday, July 6: Getting Ready

2009-07-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

Well, D Day is Thursday and we are busy training our care workers. No one is more nervous than me but I just have to trust that things will be OK. Joe is really anxious to be home and that will make it all worth while. We are waiting for delivery of a bed that will turn Joe every few minutes. It can't come soon enough.

Joe had a lot of his biking buddies visit this weekend and so he was able to catch up on all the racing and crashing.

I will write more after we have settled into home and gotten a routine. Wish us luck. Love Sandy & Joe

Friday July 3:Happy Fourth: A Few Small Miracles

2009-07-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how many holidays we have spent at the hospital over the last three month. Hopefully, this is the last.

I wanted to report several small changes Joe is noticing over the last few weeks. When laying on his back with knees bent and asked to lift his butt, you can see his stomach muscles tightened. Of course, it helps that a beautiful blonde therapist has her hands on his butt!! and she can feel the gluts tighten. Also, when the doc. had his knee slightly bent and asked Joe to straighten his leg, his foot actually came up off the bed showing he has good quad action thanks to all those hill repeats. He now has sensations in his forearms and is able to wiggle his thumbs. These are small improvements but cause for celebration. He plans to have some out of town guests in late July, including his niece from Seattle and the Avillo's from PA. I know there are a couple of others but my foggy brain is on the fritz. Have a great Fourth!! Love Sandy & Joe

July 2: Making Progress

2009-07-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

We are making good progress on our homecoming. Joe is very happy to leave the hospital days behind and hang with his golden (Shasta) and the rest of us. The neighbors are anxious to visit as well and that is the best medicine he can have. We have hired two good care givers who will be assisting us, at first for 24 hours and then, as we get comfortable, maybe 12-15 hrs/day. We are a work in progress. We still anticipate the 9th to be our discharge date. This weekend will be time to rest and get ready for the move. Love Sandy & Joe

Coming Home on July 9.

2009-06-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

Joe will be coming home on July 9th so our time now will be taken up with hiring home health care aids and learning all the fine details of Joe's care. Will keep you posted. Sandy & Joe

Weekend Visitors

2009-06-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

Judy and Dave come down from Sacramento

Some of the goodies consumed over the weekend. Yum Yum
Ann & David, Holly, Claire and Beany visited on Saturday
Krisitn and Wyatt came calling on Sunday

He is a FINE MAN

2009-06-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Here is Joe's new look, sans collar, trach and beard. We are continuing to work on our move home and looking forward to the day. We anticipate several visitors again this weekend and are looking forward to it. Of course, Joe has the nurses wrapped around his little finger and they are promising to bring in some good Filipino food tomorrow. Joe has put in his request. Love Sandy & Joe

Wednesday, June 24, First Cup of Peets

2009-06-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

Joe wanted me to let you know he had his first cup of Peet's decaf this afternoon. It was great he said. His neck seems to be relatively strong and he is holding his head up with little difficulty. We continue to learn all of the exercises and stretches we will need at home. Joe is also looking forward to catching up on the racing scene with Bobby Lea and Roman from Team Ouch who are visiting him tonight in between their training rides and races this weekend. Nothing like hearing all the strategies from inside the pack. That should send his heart racing. That's it for now. Love Sandy & Joe

Tuesday, June 23

2009-06-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

Well, Joe is moving right along. He has now lost his "darth vadar" neck brace and is looking more and more like his old self. Will have a picture soon. He continues his PT, etc. and we are looking at possibly moving home near the 1st of July. That is if we can hire some good care givers and get them trained in a timely fashion. We also have to make a few small changes to the house to accommodate his wheel chair and bathing functions. That's it for now. Love Sandy & Joe

Saturday & Sunday visitors

2009-06-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

Lynn, Scott, Bob and Shelagh visited on Saturday. Carol & Jim on Sunday

Joe enjoyed a very social weekend. Visiting with those you see above and his friend, Ed Rush,who was able to visit late in the day on Sunday before flying back to the East Coast. Now we will get ready for another week of workouts and therapy. Onward to a stronger Joe. Hope you all have a good week. Love Sandy & Joe

Saturday, June 20

2009-06-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

We had a good day. 2 hours of PT and then 1 1/2 hr visiting with friends. Hope to have some pictures to post from Saturday and Sunday. Check back tomorrow. Sandy & Joe

2009-06-19T20:32:00.001-07:00

We got back from Colorado today and are looking forward to a visit with you. Hope we can schedule that soon.
Love,
Judy and Dave

Friday, June 19

2009-06-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

We are ending our week on a positive note. We had two major accomplishments this week: eating and losing the trach. Both of these events have been major achievements. Nothing like real food to perk up a person. The PT continues but Joe's body has to heal more before they can begin any big movements. To do things too fast will only set us back. He was able to tolerate the slant board at 80 degrees upright which is the highest he has been so far. He had two visitors in between eating lunch and PT and we expect several more over the weekend. I will try and take more pictures to share with you. Again, thanks for being with us on this journey. Love Sandy & Joe

2009-06-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Joe,
Well, another good report. Once the trach heals, you will be able to bark out orders the way you used to. The rehab unit will reverberate with the sound.

Linda and I will be on the road the next few days, heading first to Maine, then to Cape Cod. Don't know what our computer access will be like, so wanted to get a note to you before we left.

Keep up the good work and continue to get stronger. Will get back to you as soon as I can.

Thinking of you always.

Linda and Phil

Wednesday, June 17, IT'S OUT

2009-06-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

Well, another good reason for a post today. Joe has his trach removed, so now all that has to happen is for the hole in his neck to close up. This will take several days, so he is rolling around with a sign "Please cover my stoma is you want me to talk". Those of you who play Scrabble should spend time in a rehab unit. Your vocabulary would grow beyond your wildest dreams. We have a "team meeting" tomorrow so beware, I may have all sorts of things to report. Joe has also been learning various types of computer programs (dragon and others) which will allow him to operate a hands free computer. That's it for now. Sandy & Joe

Tuesday: Joe in his cocoon with Tony, an A+ nurse

2009-06-16T18:08:00.000-07:00

Monday, June 15: Same Routine

2009-06-15T18:04:00.000-07:00

Joe's routine has gotten established and he now knows almost all the therapists, where they are from and if they speak a foreign language. He loves different languages. I will begin to post just every few days or when something significant happens (hopefully only good news). I will try and post pictures periodically as well. We are going to have a team meeting on Thursday and establish our plan for the next phase. Stay tuned. It is so hard to have time to make any calls, I am afraid we will have to wait until things slow down. We appreciate all your emails and comments. Love Sandy & Joe

Joe Sandy & Shasta

2009-06-14T18:47:00.001-07:00

Shasta didn't know what part of Joe's set up to grab first. The hankie on his chest looked like the best bet but the sheep skin arm rests looked pretty good also.

Sunday, June 14: A Busy Sunday

2009-06-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

Joe had a busy Sunday with lots of visitors. His friends Carol and Marty got there early followed by nephew Dan and Jen with her sister. Time out for lunch and a little rest and then Pete and Narda showed up to give us the latest on the Satley Time Trial. A little later here came the fuzzy hair ball Shasta. She didn't know what to think of everyone and everything. Joe was just one of the many distractions. We did get her to chew on his foam arm pads a little just as a reminder of her visit. A big thanks to MaryBeth and Dale for bringing her over. Hope Joe will rest up tonight as we begin our training tomorrow bright and early. I will let MB post a couple of Shasta pictures when she has time. Love Sandy & Joe

Saturday June 13

2009-06-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your wonderful comments. I love reading them to Joe. He ate breakfast and lunch today but still has to be monitored by the speech therapist until next week when he eats, so no food until Monday when they come back, but that is OK. We had a good day and look forward to some visitors tomorrow along with Shasta. That will rate a picture. Until then, Sandy & Joe

Friday, Jun 12: We PASSED with flying colors

2009-06-12T19:17:00.000-07:00

Joe's first bite of food. Yum! Mashed potatoes!!
Joe working with Ramona and Andrew. Talk about attention. He was in his glory
Two of Team Joe fans, Jan and Marion congratulating Joe on his progress. I think he has too many women in his life right now. HA!

Joe had a swallowing test today to make sure food will go into the stomach and not the lungs. A month ago, he failed this test and had to do various tongue exercises. Today he passed with flying colors, all levels of food from thick to thin. So after 2 1/2 months of no food, he had his first meal of green beans, mashed potatoes and some mystery ground meat with mushrooms all washed down with cranberry -apple juice. What a thrill. We also learned it is a possibility that Joe could go to a skilled nursing facility to help him regain his strength as an intermediate step to coming home. That has taken a huge load off my shoulders. Nothing is decided yet but at least I have some options and time. He is expecting several visitors on Sunday and we hope to bring Shasta over for their first visit since the accident. It will be a busy weekend. Love you all, Sandy & Joe

Two crash victims exchanging war stories

2009-06-11T18:15:00.001-07:00

Joe had Lucas Euser from Garmin Slipstream Pro Cycling Team visit him today. It turns out that one of Joe's respiratory therapists is Lucas' mother. Lucas was hit by a car in Girona Spain during a training ride maybe a month or so ago. Besides some broken ribs, he also suffered a broken knee and has returned home (Napa) to recover and receive treatment. Joe was soooo excited he almost missed his PT appointment but I wouldn't let that happen. Lucas plans to visit again in between his own treatments and recovery. He is a wonderful guy and he and Joe really hit it off. Joe, as you can imagine, loved to hear all the inside strategies, etc.

Joe with Ramona and Muzzy

2009-06-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

Wed June 10: Too Pooped to Peck

2009-06-10T19:38:00.000-07:00

The day was fine but I am just too tired to peck out anything reasonable. Joe had Muzzy visit and I will try and include some pictures tomorrow. Sandy

Additional info

2009-06-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

Of course, my titles got moved around when I published this but you get the idea. More to come later. Sandy & Joe

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words!!

2009-06-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

On the left Joe is in his sling getting transported from the chair to the table. On the R arms exercises w/PT & Dory (right)

Here Joe is sitting on edge of table with support moving arms front to back.

Monday, Jun 8: 180 degree change in attitude

2009-06-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

That is my attitude. We have had some real gifts from the universe/gods/whatever today. Some times I am overwhelmed with sadness and then with the gifts that people give me, whether it is helping with finding home care providers, clipping and taking care of my yard, or a neighbor whose son has ALS and has offered to bring Joe home in his ADA equipped van. Also, gifts of massage, etc. When something like this happens it is horrible, but it also allows others to take such good care of you. Joe said he never realized how much people cared about him.

To review our day, it started with OT and hand therapy which will include operating a computer, power chair and all those other things we take for granted. He now has spider man gloves to help him get his range of motion in his fingers. Only a picture will describe this. Then we move on to speech class with orange flavored tongue depressors (yum) and finally before lunch we have gait class. This entails strapping Joe to a table and slowly bringing him to a standing position. At this point we are at 40 degrees before the blood pressure drops. In the afternoon he has 1 hr of PT to practice sitting without falling over. I will be taking pictures over the next few days so you can see Joe in action surrounded by all these beautiful woman. I am also hoping to purchase a voice activated cell phone with blue tooth so he is more independent on the phone. That is it for now. Again, your support is the greatest gift to both of us. Love Sandy & Joe

Sunday, June 7: A Quiet Sunday with Visitors

2009-06-07T19:37:00.001-07:00

Joe and I had a nice quiet day which helped to restore us both. Joe was able to watch some of a track meet from Oregon, get caught up on the California muni market, and visit with several friends. Hopefully next Sunday, we can bring our dog Shasta for a short visit.

Monday will start out at 9:30 am and go until about 3:30 pm. He really likes all of his therapists and is getting to know a few more of the patients. No more "kicking ass" encounters, thank goodness. Hopefully, this week will be calm and productive. Sandy & Joe

Saturday, June 6: Sanity Returns; Joe Kicking Ass

2009-06-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

Well, things seem to have leveled out again. What a roller coaster. Since this was Saturday, Joe had abbreviated classes of PT, speech and OT where they played a pretty lame movie. Can you imagine a film "30 Days in a Wheelchair"? They have to work on that one. We left 1/2 through.

On a really funny note, Joe has been having an ongoing problem with one of his roommates who likes to watch TV until 12 or 1 in the morning. Joe has asked several times for him to use his headphones or turn the tube off mostly to no avail. Well last night Joe was watching Ch 9 at 5:30 pm and the guy asked Joe to turn the TV lower. That led to a shouting match of these two paralyzed guys telling each other they were going to "whip your ass"!! The nurse told them to calm down as they would get their blood pressures too high. This is right out of a B movie but it really made me laugh. Just what I needed.

Tomorrow is a day off so if anyone is thinking of visiting you have the entire day. Joe is usually up and ready to go by 10:30. He is in room 302. It is on 3 floor East.

Friday, June 5

2009-06-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

Joe got his hair cut so all you would be barbers can hold off until next month. I am burned out and very frustrated so have nothing to say that would bear repeating. Maybe tomorrow. Sandy

Thursday, June 4: Finding the Balance Point

2009-06-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

The highlight for today was Joe sitting on the edge of a bench and finding the point where he could hold his balance. It was quite an experience for him to realize he could rock back and forth ever so slightly and then hold himself in place. His only problem was looking in the mirror and seeing his beautiful silver hair standing out from his head. If anyone has haircutting abilities, I beg you to come and visit with your shears. It will make his day.

There were rumors of a shower/bath this evening. I told the nurse to sing to him in the shower as it will be his first. On another good note, we have reconnected with Dory who has moved up from San Jose to the Lafayette/Vallejo area. It is so great to see him as he is such a positive person and Joe really likes him. What a coincidence that he has been in both of our hospital locations. A real plus.

The only thing slowing us down right now is that Joe seems to need more O2 than when he was in San Jose. Whether it is from the pacemaker surgery or what, the sooner he can wean off the O2 is more they can push him forward. If anyone wants to visit, the best time seems to be Saturday afternoon and early evening and all day Sunday. He does have a phone again and I will list the number soon. He is so busy during the week that the only time he has is in the evening and a nurse has to be present to pick up the phone. That is it for now. Love all your notes and comments. Love Sandy & Joe

Wednesday, June 3: The Intensity Grows

2009-06-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

We are getting settled in to our rehab routine and my attitude is improving. How I just have to figure out how to keep going at the "rehab clip". Classes are scheduled from about 10 am to 4:30 so don't expect too many phone calls during the week. Sunday is an off day, so perhaps that will be our social time. There is speech and occupational therapy in the morning, mat classes, pulley classes and PT in the afternoon and if that hasn't killed you off, they have self care classes from 3:30-4:30 on a variety of subjects.

I have a much better feeling about the therapists here as we begin to meet and work with them. Joe seems to have adjusted to having several people in his room and if you know Joe he has no problem telling people what he needs. Thank goodness for that. Joe's release date is July 1, so we have a lot to accomplish in this next month both mentally and physically. We will then have PT and nurses coming to the house in ongoing therapy. It takes up to 18 months or longer for the nerves, etc to heal, so as time progresses therapy, etc will change. We are in this for the long haul. Sandy & Joe

Tuesday, June 2; Settling In

2009-06-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

Joe seems to be settling in better than me. He had a good night (that means it was quiet) and spent the day having x-rays, etc. They are very thorough which is good and we are slowly meeting the "team". Between the pacemaker surgery, the transport yesterday and getting settled, Joe is very tired but each day should be better. Once he is up to speed, they will have him busy from morning to late afternoon. The commute is still about 40 minutes but the traffic is not so difficult as driving to San Jose. Thank you all for your encouragement and support. I couldn't do it without you and Joe agrees. Sandy & Joe

Monday, June 1, A Whole New Ballgame

2009-06-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally made it to Vallejo and I think Joe is in better shape than me. Let's just say his level of care when from 10 to about 2 but let's hope I am wrong. Sometimes first impressions are not correct. I will wait until tomorrow before I totally lose it. I will write more after we have had a full day of introductions and evaluations and I have had an attitude adjustment. Sandy