Registration, party, and sponsorship information click here The Patty Mac Twister Open Oct 10th

To see who your competition is click here The Patty Mac Twister Teams So Far

To learn more about the event sponsor click here What is Bristlecone Health Services?

Tell Your Friends and Business Associates, We Need More Teams, and Prize Donations.

Current Hospital

Craig Hospital Room 205A

If you want to send cards...etc. the address is

Craig Hospital Patricia Schmidt 3425 South Clarkson St. Englewood, CO 80110
(303)789-8254

E-mail's, cards and notes will all go in Pat's new scrapbook.

We know your love is here. Debra

Mailing List Subscription Information The Aunt Pat Mail List

I was able to stop for a day on my way back to New York from Los Angeles. I arrived late Tuesday nite and stopped in Craig expecting just to poke my head in to see her sleeping. But she was up and kicking -- you know how it is when you take a long nap in the late afternoon, which she did, then you're up at nite.

She was cranky and wasn't in the mood to pay much attention to me. (Or she was just reflecting on all those years in Brainerd when I picked on her and she was giving me the brush off.)

Today she's been busy with her classes and drill instructors. Just now she's playing catch with a balloon, sort of. She did catch the balloon and knew what she was supposed to be doing. Her left hand works really well, and her right is considerably more mobile than it was a few weeks ago.

They're asking her to differentiate between a green block and a red one. She picked up the wrong one, but that's OK. Two weeks ago we were ecstatic that she could pick up anything.

She certainly is more active since the last time I saw her. Sitting in a wheelchair, she pushed herself back and rotated around about a half turn. She lifts her head up and she looks over at the door when someone comes in.

She got a new type bed, a so-called Craig Bed, which looks like a cross between a playpen and a honeymoon love nest, with a little padded cell thrown in. This will give her a lot more room to roll around and kick in.

I'm taking lots of pictures, which will get put on the web, so make sure to take a look. More later.

Love, Dan

They put a new, smaller trach in her. It hurt a little taking the old one out, but the new one will be much more comfortable for her.

This week she gets therapy in the morning and nap club in the afternoon. Next week everything will be twice a day. Most of the therapy now centers on responding to commands - point to the apple, pick up the red block, draw a circle here. She does what's she's asked sporadically (which seems about normal).

Most of the time she looks directly at the therapist though, like she's trying to do her best, but just can't quite. The one time she responded right away and completely, however, was when the therapist said, "Pick up this block and put it back in the box, then we're done for the day." No hesitation! The block was in the box and she was ready to go back to her room. (Why does this sound so familiar?) It must be tiring for her, concentrating and doing the best she can to reconnect all those synapses.

Her new physician, Dr. Weintraub, just came in to introduce himself. He was very personable and mentioned that he is (or was) a member of the Colorado Doctors Ski Patrol Association (or something along those lines) and knows Dr. Nichols, who many of you know.

After her lunch lie down, the aids prepared to get her in the wheelchair, and they asked her to roll over to the side of the bed, and she about climbed into the wheelchair all by her self. She looks better sitting up than lying down, and it appears that she likes it too.

A little later we went outside for a while, which she enjoys. She's been in a serious mood. I had been hoping for a big smile and a lot of recognition, but she's more or less given me el brusho.

Later when Larry came in, she wouldn't give him the time of day either. So I didn't feel so bad.

All for now. I leave tomorrow morning. I'm hoping to work in a trip here again next week as part of another trip I'm making.

Dan