Isabelle is 8!

Yesterday was a big day!  My baby girl turned 8!  We are lucky enough to share our birthday so every year we have some sort of mommy/daughter day.  We talk about our birthday for weeks and weeks trying to out-do the last.  This year we met Shelly and Delaney for lunch (thanks Shell) then blew a wad of cash at Claire's. Happy Bday Bella!  

Email from Liv

hi mom, school was great. I wanted to cry a couple of times but i had a great time. I have been thinking about what i would like for my "care baskets" and i would like the following things:

1. lotion

2. new moon

3. shampoo & conditinor

4. the batteries that my camera holds

5. all white tennies

and any other things you can think of.

p.s. tell dad that if he gets the cell phone that fabiola has (the nextel radio) that we can talk to each other with out it costing 200 bucks a call. Tell everyone that i love them and i am working on the "whole picture thing" and spread my love throughout the whole family

love, Liv

Brittan's progress

Grandpa Terry and his wife Cheri came for a visit!  It was so fun to see them!  

It has been a few days since I posted Brittan's progress.  She has made a lot of progress in the last couple of days!

B's pain is becoming so much more manageable.  She is only requiring 2 pain pills in a 24 hour time period with Advil in between.  She is mostly comfortable, with bouts of misery instead of the other way around.  

Michael set a few new ground rules yesterday with Brittan in hopes to get her moving a little bit more. 

1.  No more eating your meals in your room-  you have to come downstairs to eat.

2.  Shower every day-  the only thing that you don't have to wash yourself is your hair.

3.  Get out of bed yourself-   She scoots right out now without a problem.

There is a fine line between "pushing" and "pushing too hard" and we are trying to figure out that balance.  

She can also get in and out of the bath (with help) and soak in the tub.  This one is huge!  

I have a lot of people ask me if she will be able to start school on time.  We decided that we will make that decision the day before school starts-  she is making great progress but I'm not sure where we will be on the 8th.  The school district will provide a tutor for her if she can't attend school full time.  All in all- it will all work out!  

Olivia

I love this girl!   

4 of my favorite people!  

Olivia-  this kiss is for you!  We all love you!!!!!!!

Olivia is doing amazingly well in Veracruz.  We have talked to her a couple of times and she has emailed also.  We have a skype conference call all lined up for Sunday and I can not wait to hear her pretty little voice!  We are so proud of her and know that she will be speaking Spanish in no time.  We miss her terribly but pray that she will be tough, brave, courageous and simply enjoy her experience!  We love you Olivia!  

Brittan is offically in her own bed!  Hooray!  Thank goodness for nice brothers too! 

 

My little slaves...Brittan's cousins have been wonderful!  

Nurse Isabelle blowing the fingernail polish dry!  

I think that I am a day behind on my posting-

Brittan "turned the corner" today!  She heard her dad was headed to the Nike employee store and decided that she was going to go too!  We tried to talk her out of it thinking that the outing would be way too much, but she insisted!  She did great at the store-  Hayden wheeled her around in the wheel chair and carefully tried on several different pair of shoes on her fragile feet.  It was one of those chosen moments as a parent.  After the Nike store she wanted to climb the stairs in the garage with the crutches instead of lifting the wheel chair which was pretty exciting!

The last two nights Brittan has been quite emotional.  It is  upsetting to her  that she is  stuck in the family room and  simply could not "go up to my own room and shut the door like Hayden can".  She wanted me to sleep with her last night so I cuddled up next to her in the twin sized bed and held on for dear life all night.  I got her to laugh as we laid there as I made up a song called "The STUPID chair".  It was a song about a girl that got hurt in a ATV accident and had to ride in a wheelchair....  I will always remember her giggle.  Isabelle was laying on the couch next to us and informed me that I "really needed to work on my tune!"

  

Feels like Christmas!  Just ask Isabelle!  

Brittan is doing awesome.  We took her to the bone Dr. today and he said that everything looked good!  The Dr. agreed that surgery is not necessary and she will heal up great on her own.  She is still on bed rest accept for the  4-5 outings she takes around the kitchen island with her walker.  She is in good spirits most of the time and has enjoyed the many care packages, cards, visits and love that she has received.  She is as beautiful as ever and is becoming quite talented at sliding out of bed with poise and grace.  We love this girl more than ever and are so very appreciative of everyone's amazing display of love towards her! 

Isabelle is the best nurse ever!  She is having a wonderful time caring for Brittan and making sure the pillows are tucked just right under her feet.  She insisted that she sleep downstairs with Brittan and Maison last night because she was one of the nurses- and then confessed that she has never slept alone and she wasn't about ready to start!  

August 16th

Dave and Shelly's family.

Muriera boys.  Yummy food Lyn!  

Natalie's gorgeous girls...  

B is continuing to progress-  She had a tough morning but is doing much better this afternoon. She is practicing with crutches and getting more and more comfortable with them.  We have had a lot of family visitors today and it was very enjoyable for B to see her cousins.  We came up with a code word "can I have some gatorade mom" that means- get them the heck out of here!  We are feeling blessed and loved.  Thank you!  

August 14th

Aunt Mary rocks!  She has been by Brittan's side the whole way.

Homeward bound!  

Yesterday we were able to bring Brittan home.  What seemed impossible turned out to go amazingly well!  We waited  until we could overlap  her pain and anxiety medication and carefully got her into the car via wheelchair, walker and 105 pillows!  She slept about 90 percent of the time and even wanted to hit Dairy Queen right before we got home.  We were greeted with big burly men to help carry her in and lots of yummy food.  Mary and Maison slept by her all night and Michael and I were able to get some sleep!  Michael left for the airport early this morning and will get Olivia sent off to Mexico tomorrow afternoon.  Things are looking up and it is sure nice to be home!  Thank you all for everything-  prayers, thoughts, meals, etc.  We feel strengthened by you!

August 13th

Rough day-  This is B's attempted smile!

Today has been a long day!  Brittan continues to recover even though it is not fun.  She continues to do really hard things even when she doesn't want to.  The PT and OT are not her favorite people, but in time she will realize they are her friends. 

B's church young women's class organized a video chat today that really perked her up!  It was fun to see her light up and show her pearly whites!  They called from our house where they had been decorating her bedroom in hopes to help get her excited to come home.

We are working with the doctor(s) on medication. It's a tough thing to balance pain, anticipation of pain, muscle spasms, inflammation (kidney and liver), etc. Seeing her in pain is very hard on us so we're sometimes a bit pushy . It is hard to see her hurting so much, but we are working through it one day at a time.

We appreciate the love and prayers that have been offered in Brittan's behalf.  We can feel the love and support and truly feel blessed.  

xoxo The Neals

August 12th

Brittan continues to make progress.   The OT had me get her out of bed this morning which turned out to be a torture session.  B and I were both bawling by the time we finally got her in the wheelchair.  Once in the wheelchair (and a 30 minute rest) we were able to get her feet positioned, put a little makeup on (she really is feeling better) and take her for a ride around the hospital.  We visited the garden down below and took a trip to the gift shop.  She lasted almost an hour then wanted to get back into bed.  Maisy and I were able to take her potty and get her back into bed all by ourselves.  Hooray for us!  Aunt Mary and Maisy will spend the night with her again tonight so that I can head home and love on my other kids and give Olivia a farewell hug.  She will leave for Mexico on Sunday after the Sampson family reunion this weekend.  Daddy will join them on Saturday to get Olivia off on Sunday and bring all of the kids home.  Thank you for all of your sweet notes!  

August 11th- Brittan's progress

Zac Efron here we come!  The girls thought it would be a good idea to have matching PJs.  I say "whatever works!"  

Brittan is amazing!  She is DOING very hard things!  She has now officially showered!  

Britt enjoying a crossword puzzle that her friends from the Sisters branch brought her.

"You want me to do what?"

Britt let the PT Jackie know that she was a "very mean person" today.  She told me that I was mean too....   I think she is right.

Today seems like 5 whole days!  Brittan slept well last night-  she only woke up once at 5:30am to go potty.  It is becoming less and less of an ordeal to accomplish this difficult task. Brittan's cousin Maison has been a tremendous support to Britt and has gotten her to do things that not even I as her mother or Michael as her father could do.  She had a difficult but successful session with the physical therapist and occupational therapist this morning.  She also was taken off morphine and moved to an oral pain medication which she was not too happy about.  By 1pm I noticed a huge improvement in her attitude and her willingness to move and cooperate.  I made a deal with her at about 5pm that if she would drink her mug of water and agree to take a shower I would run to Old Navy and buy her some new PJ's.  Much to my surprise she agreed!  She also bargained for the new Zach Efron movie which I gladly agreed.  Maisy and I were able to shower her and get her nice and pretty.  She is feeling better every day and making amazing progress!   

Brittan's progress

Brittan's spirits really brightened when she saw her siblings.  The kids all cried when they hugged her and in Brittan's natural form she patted their backs and assured them that everything would be ok.  She really is the second mother in our home. (Aug 9th)

Her legs are a bit banged up with scrapes and bruise and tire marks.

Brittan in the emergency room with her favorite shirt from Aunt Emily that had to be cut off!  She was pretty mad about this and insisted on continuing to wear it under her gown.  

Thank goodness for life-flight.  Our new hero's.  

Moving from the ambulance to the helicopter.  (Aug 8th about 7pm)

Brittan is doing very well.  She has made a significant amount of progress in the last 24 hours.  We decide to post pictures from the beginning of the accident until the current progress so that we can really monitor from day to day what brave strides she is making.  Today she had two PT sessions.  Both very painful and difficult but the progress from just yesterday was amazing.  She was able to sit, stand with a walker, and go potty on a commode.  We love this girl and are so pleased with her progress.  She will go home as soon as she is eating, walking with a walker and sitting for a period of time.  She also needs to be able to be off morphine!  We are taking one day at a time and hope that we can be home in Portland soon.  Please take a minute and leave a comment so that Brittan will feel your love!  

Last night Michael and I headed back to the cabin for some zzzzz's and Aunt Mary and cousin Maisy stayed with her.  Maisy was able to wash her hair in a fancy little shower cap and comb it out which was awesome! She wouldn't let me near her head so hooray for Maisy!  We planned on being back at the hospital by noon so we could button up the cabin and get the boat out of the water and missed her 1st physical therapy appt.  They were supposed to come in the afternoon, but you know how these things work!  The goal was to get her into a sitting position.  With a sufficient about of morphine, and love and care from Mary and Maisy she was able to accomplish this goal!  Every day we will make progress-  Brittan is a tough cookie!  We love and appreciate you all!  

Brittan

Our sweet Brittan was in an ATV accident last night and was air lifted to St. Charles Hospital in Bend, OR.   She is stable and doing fine, but is suffering from several fractures (hip, pelvis, sacrum and fractured L2,3,4).  We have been told that her recovery will be complete with no lasting problems, but that the recovery time period could be 12-18 months.  The doctor promised her that she should be able to start 8th grade on time but that she may have a walker or crutches (Olivia will be so jealous as her dream is to have a broken leg so she can have crutches!) 

  

We appreciate your love and support and the kind words that have been exchanged through text or email.  She will most likely be in the hospital for the next week, then we will figure out the best way to get her back to Portland and in her own bed.  

Love to you all, and please keep Brittan in your prayers.

Happy Birthday Olivia

Yesterday was Olivia's 11th birthday!  She has always been such a delight to have in our family.  She will live in Mexico as an exchange student this next year and we are really going to miss her. We played on the lake yesterday for her birthday (I'm sure that surprised you) and made a carrot cake for her birthday cake!  Yum!  

Summer pics!

Ximena is a rock star!  She can wakeboard, ride a bike, jump of tall rocks and a 22 foot bridge! 

 

Bella enjoying her cotton candy at the Newsom garden party!

Hayden with some of his friends.  They finished EFY together and then met back up at the garden party.  

Brittan on the mechanical bull.  She makes it look easy eh?

Fun summer pics!

Britt and Nina at the famous Newsom garden party.  The girls danced all night long!

Olivia is a hairdresser in the making.

This horse has some serious power!  We took the Cors family to Karen's barn and rode horses!  What fun!  

We had a BBQ for Ruben's family and invited all of the Neals.  

Macarena enjoying her icecream!