Computer Evaluation

I took Noah to have his computer evaluation this week!  We met with 3 speech therapists who were very sweet and knowledgeable.  The computer that they and I want for Noah is an eye gazing computer, that recognizes the retinas of Noah's eyes and as he looks at items on the computer screen.  He can "talk" to me by telling me what he wants, needs, feels by looking at pictures and words on the computer....  cool, huh??!!!   They gave Noah a number of things to look at, and I think he did pretty well, not having looked at a computer like this in over a year.  The computer set-up they chose had 60 squares (pretty small when thinking about the average size of a computer screen) showing various items as well as actions. They continued to ask him to find various things, but it's when I asked him to look at the thing that Mom drinks ALL THE TIME(for those of you who may not know me too well...I ALWAYS have at least 1...sometimes 2 cups of coffee with me at all times...I LOVE COFFEE!!)...and his eyes INSTANTLY went to the coffee cup...well, I got SUPER excited!!  HE KNEW...and he showed me with his eyes!!!!!  He glanced on it rather quickly, but the therapists saw it, as well...EXCITING!!!!!  They said the next step is to talk to Noah's doctor and then submit for approval...hoping that all will go smoothly!  Thanks for checking in...love to you all:)!!! Lisa

Quiet Times

Just wanted you all to know we're still alive and well here at the Addesa house:):)!!  It has been very quiet around here, of late, though, and not much is really new.
I had an appointment to take Noah for Botox shots, and had planned on going by myself with Noah, as David had a previous appointment... but Emma volunteered at the last minute to go with me.  I was thankful, as I was ABLE to go by myself, now...we have wheels, after all.  This was, though, the very first time that David had not gone to a doctor's/hospital visit at CHKD with Noah and me, and I was a bit nervous that even with a van and not having to transport Noah to and from his chair... I would be alone.  Parking??  Ramps??  Would it be easy to find a parking space that would allow me to get Noah into the hospital easily or by myself?  There are never disabled spaces available in front of the hospital that I have ever seen, in the afternoon...you have to have very early appointments or be willing to wait for an opening.  Otherwise, you park up the ramps and come down the elevator.  I was a bit unsure about all of that.  As it turned out, the whole look and even the ramp design at CHKD had changed since our last visit, so even though we had to park in the leveled ramps, there was more than adequate handicap parking in the bottom floor of the ramps....SUPER!!!!!  Having Emma there was just a great support to me, and I now know that I CAN do it the next time by myself!!  The appointment was the  smoothest EVER....three hours at the hospital, and home we went.  The last couple times with Botox, we have been at the hospital for 8 hours...yes...8 hours!!  So, this was sweet!!  Noah slept for most of the night, upon our return home.  The difference in his arms is uncertain...I think it's better, but not really sure.  His arms DO seem to be able to raise a bit easier, but it is not a WOW kind of difference.
I was sick a couple times since last writing, really the first times I can remember getting sick since Noah's injury, so I am SO THANKFUL, but Noah had a sneezing jag days after I recovered, and I thought he was getting my bug.  I gave him lots of antihistamines and his sneezing was semi controlled, but he was groggy.  With that said, we had to cancel his computer appointment until mid March(the next available appointment), wanting to make sure that he was not spreading "stuff", but also, that he is also very alert when he has his appointment.
Noah's best friend, Noah, and his mom, Felicia, come to stay with Noah twice a week.  I use that time to run errands and grocery shop.  Lately, Emma comes with me and we hang out together.  Last Wednesday, I planned on taking my Noah to Noah's  house.  Emma was sick, but what is sooooooo cool, is that I could do it myself!  Noah seemed to have a great time, his friend, Noah, and his family, loved having him there...it was wonderful and sweet!!  We're planning on taking him again, this Wednesday:)!!
The money from Noah's Wheels that is remaining will  be used towards building a shower for Noah...how much he AND I will love that!!!!   Noah's shower/bathroom  plans have been completed by the architects...now on to the next step...not sure what that is, but let's just say...exciting, changing times at the Addesa house...!!!!   Love to you all, Lisa          

Computer Update

Welllllll....I finally have word on the computer.  There isn't one.  I  was told that the paperwork that I filled out last February 11th was never submitted??!! I think I need to keep from saying much...but will say that after getting beyond my anger, frustration and huge disappointment...decided that , as asked,we are going to begin the process again.  I am not being given any reasons for why, but have simply been told that Noah will have to be re-evaluated for the computer.  I can and do choose to focus on the greater, positive possibilities that  there are now TWO different  eye gazing computers available as opposed to only ONE having been available since beginning the computer "thing" 3 or 4 years ago...so I may be able to get one like I REALLY wanted for him a couple years ago.!  That is GREAT news!!  The other cool thing is that, now having a van for him...all I had to do was say, "When can we come in?"...rather than having to check with David to see when we could work out schedules to get him there.  Also, if additional visits are required, I will easily be able to do that BY MYSELF...I cannot tell you how incredibly exciting that is!!!  One more REALLY good thing is that our visits will now be at their offices that are only about 3 miles from our house, as opposed to CHKD in downtown Norfolk a 1/2 hour and 15 miles away(with REALLY difficult and challenging parking...even and especially disabled, there are never any parking spaces available...so it's up 4 to 5 levels of ramp parking).  It's all good...
I am taking Noah in for Botox treatments on Monday.  We saw the doctor back in October, and Noah was due for his shots then.  There is only one rehab doctor at CHKD...2 have left within the last year.  That means there is only one doctor to see all the patients AND do botox treatments.  They told us in October that they could not guarantee an appt for botox until APRIL, but would try to fit Noah in when there was a cancellation.  We got a call this week, and again..."When can we come in?"...I CAN DO IT ALL BY MYSELF, NOW!!!!  Botox is important to keep Noah's limbs from being too tight all the time and will hopefully help his muscles relax a bit!!
Just wanted to let you all know...and will let you know what happens from here with the computer...I love God's goodness and his faithfulness to our son and our family!!!  Much love to you all!!!  Lisa

It's a New Year

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years!!  Ours was sweet and wonderful...had Hannah and Nic here for over a week, the time with them was sooooo nice!!!  It was a wonderful, as well, for we had a new van to take Noah places with us!!  We went to see the lights at the Botanical Gardens in Norfolk not once but twice.  The first night, we made the mistake of going on Military family night, and waited 1 1/2 HOURS to just get in!!  It was fun, though!!  It was Noah and I, Hannah, Nic and Emma.  Nic told constant jokes for the duration, kept us all in stitches...so the time passed quickly and the lights were too short, but WONDERFUL...for those of you who may not know what the "lights" are...here are a couple pics:

They are lights that line a path at the gardens and the cars drive through and look at the various displays.  The Gardens have a "garden theme" throughout with the various seasons...this year synchronized to music at one part...soooooo cool!!  We did take pictures of "us"... here is everyone minus me(even Lucy our dog after her shave that day:)!)...

 Emma and Lucy(Emma had Lucy entertaining people in other cars with her Bichon wave:)!!)

 Noah with his blanket to keep warm while we had the windows open!!

Hannah and Nic snuggling together...awwwwwwww!!!!

I took Noah back the night after, as everyone was busy doing other things...and it was even better...even sweeter.  The weather was warm, I rolled all the windows down(the side windows on this van ROLL down...never heard of such a thing before...but sooooo cool!!!) and we took a LONG stroll through the lights again(no waiting line this night)!!  The sweetest thing was looking in my rear view mirror at him and watching him looking back and forth out of both windows, up and down at all the lights...so engaged with the splendor and beauty...it truly touched my heart!!!
Emma and I took Noah with us to Williamsburg a few days before Christmas...about an hour from our house.  We visited the Yankee Candle Shop there(HUGE store with lots of Christmas stores along with the candles).  Emma took Noah to a spot where snow falls on you...Noah LOVED it!!  Emma and I sang to the Christmas songs on the radio while driving..having fun with each other, and Noah was "splitting a gut" behind us....at one point, Emma and I looked at each other and with tears, I said, "Emma, THIS is Christmas...this is IT!!"...she was crying too.  This was as close to "normal" as we could get...driving...shopping...singing...laughing...having fun...being together...the van has been life changing for Noah and our family......wow....what a blessed Christmas we had!!!!
We are hopeful for great things this year...for our family and for yours...and that the love of our Savior will abide, abound, and will advance throughout us and the places we live...much love to you and yours!!!!  Lisa

NOAH HAS A VAN!!!!!!

The most amazing and wonderful thing happened on Tuesday...Noah was given a van by Chartway Federal Credit Union's We Promise Foundation!!!!! I am still in shock...I keep going out to the driveway to see if it's really real... and just to look at it!!...I cryed...still am, as are our families and friends...TOTALLY overwhelmed...filled with sheer happiness and gratitude!!!  Blessed and loved beyond belief!!! Thank you to Chartway, the We Promise Foundation and all who made this gift happen, we are so incredibly thankful...beyond words, and a with a gratitude that could never adequately be expressed...you have given us back a part of life that was lost to Noah and our family 4 years ago!!  Thank you!!!!!!
 ...  Here's Noah in our driveway with his new van and sign that We Promise made for his "wheels"!:

And here's a picture of Noah IN his van:

Yesterday, Rebecca and I took Noah for a field trip...first to get ice cream and then to WalMart...what a riot we had and Noah was sooooooo happy!!

                        

                 

Yes, a walmart bag draped over him so you would know where he was.  I am trying to journal with pictures, all the places we travel...what an incredible time we are having!!  The van is BEAUTIFUL and traveling with Noah could not be simpler...I can't stop crying!!  but in a good way!!  Many more pictures and details on the blog my sister, Rebecca began...Noah's Wheels... I have started to write a number of times, but am finding it so difficult to relay everything that took place on that most incredible of days in a very reader friendly way, so may tell it when I can think straight again!  It was a day  filled with not only the most wonderful gifts, but with wonderful people, and was an experience that will remain etched forever in my memory as one of the sweetest experiences and days of my life! Noah and our family are very loved and very blessed...wow...I'm speechless....God is soooooooo very good!!!

Our Crazy Thanksgiving

I didn't take pictures, but should have...it was a crazy site!  Hannah and Nic were home from Nashville, and to give them and Nic's family a relaxed day, they spent the bulk of Thanksgiving day with Nic's family in Suffolk...we celebrated our Thanksgiving on Friday.  Hannah invited her best friend and her boyfriend to join us, so there were 8 of us total.  The only room large enough to accomodate our kitchen/used to be dining room table, is the living room.  Now, picture this...the living room is connected to our former dining room which is now Noah's bedroom.  The living room has our couch, my computer desk, Noah's massive stander equipment and my massiver(I know, more massive)elliptical...it is basically an all-purpose room.  We can fit 8 people around this table, but it is tight and ESPECIALLY in this space.  Now...the next hurdle...and the thing we are STILL laughing about...the chairs.  When we bought this unfinished table 22 years ago, we also bought and finished 6 bow back chairs(the set was beautiful!)....3 of which broke and are now gone, and one of the three remaining has very few rungs on the back...in fact  it has one on either side but all the middle are gone.  So, that left us needing 4 more chairs(Noah has his own).  We used my craft room chair, my living room desk chair, a folding metal chair(no, not the kind with a cushion)...and one more needed but none to be found.  I went upstairs and brought down my bedroom set bench(Emma said when I did that, she wanted to crawl under the table). I tried to sit Noah as close to the table as possible, but every time someone would say something funny and we would laugh, so would Noah.  Not a bad thing that he would laugh, but every time Noah laughs, his feet go up in the air.  Emma' job(her and I sat on either side of Noah at the end of the table) became to try and keep Noah's feet from shaking the table....I laugh as I'm writing...over two weeks ago and still such a funny thought!!  But, have to say...I thought it was a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!!  Who says you need lots of space or fancy things to enjoy holidays and make memories with family and friends...highly overrated. ...hope these holi-"days" will find YOU laughing and smiling... Noah is doing GREAT...still my amazing boy!!   Much love to you and yours!!  Lisa

just a note...the week after Thanksgiving, due to our lack of storage space in our house AND garage, I ordered 4 nice folding chairs on ebay...they fit in my front hall closet...now we'll be ready for Christmas...lol!!(I might even take pictures!!)

Happy 16th Birthday, Noah !!!

Noah turned 16 on October 19th!!  He had had a restless night's sleep the night before, so he had to be woken up to get the day going.  The Meyers family came to celebrate  in the afternoon( Noah Meyers is my Noah's best friend and has been his faithful companion twice a week with his mom, Felicia, since his injury...what an amazing young man with just as amazing mom and family:)!!!). I made Noah's favorite, spaghetti and meatballs and he had an ice cream birthday cake, both which he ate quite a bit of!!!  He got a call from his sister, Hannah, and her hubby Nic lots of birthday shout outs on his sister's facebook and a call from Grandma ...it was a day to rejoice and celebrate another year of life...and to look forward to the next year with hope in our hearts for Noah's continued healing in mighty and powerful ways!  Thank you for loving our boy and following us in his/our journey...Noah, you are one loved young man...I love you, baby boy!!!  Love to you all, too!!...Lisa