Updates on Mark' S Wheelchair, Van, & Surgeries

I have finally managed to get the tendon transfer surgery on my left arm scheduled for April 8th!

 

I will then have to have my arm casted for about 3.5 weeks, followed by another 3 to 4 weeks in a splint which will restrict movement as the muscles and tendons stretch out and I learn to use them better.  I will be undergoing a bicep to triceps transfer to give me active arm extension at the elbow, and a brachial-radialis to wrist (ECRB) to give me wrist extension and control.  Then, possibly sometime new the end of May I will be undergoing the surgery in Cleveland to have the implant placed.  Unfortunately, that will be followed by another three weeks in a cast, but the implant which functions some unlike an artificial nervous system to stimulate some of the paralyzed muscles in my forearm, will give me some use of my hand to pick up and hold things, etc. The folks at the Cleveland FES Center about so expressed interest in working with me on a slightly different implant for my right arm also.  So eventually, by the time I'm done maybe this coming fall, I will have undergone tendon transfers and forearm implant in both arms!  It will be both exciting, challenging, and trying!

 

My new wheelchair should finally be delivered sometime in about two weeks!  Talk about a ridiculously long wait!

 

Last week the state Department of vocational rehab finally also put out the request for bids on my van.  I learned to today that all the bids have to be in by March 30th.  So if everything goes well, and I am able to close the paperwork with a Pontiac dealer the next day, on the 31st I might finally have my new van!  Unfortunately I will have to wait another month to six weeks to get the hand controls installed. 

 

I'm hoping by mid April, I should be in my new wheelchair, by the end of April have some more function in my left arm and hopefully be able to start driving my van myself by mid-May.  I can't wait to get out of the house on my own so I don't have to depend on others to pick me up, which I can imagine is inconvenient, my apologies and appreciation to everyone who has done so!

 

So finally things are closer coming together!  Grin

 

Mark

Recipe: Tortellini Soup

This was a soup recipe my very good friend, Marie, makes regularly and I made for the first time last week.  It was a big hit with my family and is quite healthy.  Jim wanted the recipe so I thought I would share it with the rest of you so you can try it if you like and enjoy it too.  It would work great in a crock pot too, once you have the meat cooked first.  It is always great to walk into the house at night to a wonderful smell and supper ready!   

- Love,  Mom (Darlene Felling)

TORTELLINI SOUP 

• 1 lb. ground Italian pork sausage (or hamburger)
• 1 qt. Tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ to 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 lg. or 2 med. Carrots, julienned
• 1 to 1 ½ pts. Beef broth
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 box fresh mushrooms, sliced
• several cloves garlic, minced
• basil, oregano, (or a pizza spice blend)
• salt, pepper
• some sliced/chopped cabbage
• some fresh spinach, chopped a bit
• pea pods
• broccoli and/or cauliflower
• any kind of veg. you have on hand or want
• fresh tortellini

Brown the meat, add onion, peppers, carrots and cook a bit longer.  Add rest of ingredients and simmer a long time.  Just before serving add fresh tortellini and cook 4 to 5 minutes longer.  If tortellini are dried, cook 8 to 10 min.

 

Marie doubles this in a very large (6, 8 or 10 qt) kettle and then you have some to freeze  for later.  Amounts of ingredients can vary to what you like and what you have on hand J

Original recipe from Rhea Nelson (copyright 2005).

Fun: Just Try Reading This. You will be amazed at how fast you can!

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch taem at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Such a cdonition is arppoiately cllaed Typoglycemia :)-

Amzanig huh? Yaeh and yuo awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt.

Comedy: Think about This...

• The ultimate oxymoron: "a civil war"!
• The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.
• If  someone  with  multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?  
• Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines?
• If you spin an oriental man in a circle three times does he become disoriented?
• If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?