Back to the Kitchen...

Well, I told Mom today, "Your vacation is over! It's time for you to get to work!!" So, we started our work on our One Handed Cookbook by experimenting with different cutting techniques. Cutting with one hand sounds easy until you try it! I've learned a lot already. For one thing, don't make things so difficult! Tear the tops off of those strawberries and then lay them upsidedown and cut 'em up! After we got the strawberries cut for tonight's dinner, we moved on to making Peanut Butter Cookies for Dustin and Garrett in Iraq.

Bowls don't hold still when you stir so we put all of the cookie ingredients in a 1 gallon baggie. Mom did it all...cracked the egg/measured the oil/cut the bag open. A brick covered in aluminum foil serves as her "other hand" and holds many things down quite nicely! After we got everything in the baggie, Mom squished and pushed and squeezed it until it was mixed up quite perfectly.

We made a pan of cookies for both Dustin and Garrett and they're vacuumed packed and ready to go! They'll be tickled first of all, just to get the cookies, but secondly because Gma Chamberlin made them!

Like a good cook, Mom washed and dried all the dishes by herself -- with me standing by as the "balance supervisor" - even though she did not require any help. I'm thinking she's going to be back to work quicker than she may think! Dad's gonna love that because I can just about guarantee he likes HER cooking more than he likes his own!

We also went to quilting club today and had a nice visit with the ladies. The food is always good at quilting club and as I write this, I'm feeling kind of guilty for not bringing some of that yummy dessert home for Dad. Oh well, next time!

It's been a great day! Thanks for your prayers and interest in Mom's progress. They're certainly working...

Love, Audi

Good Morning Friends!

Hello everyone! I hope you've had a good week! We certainly have! On Monday, Mom and I spent most of the day together. We went to the credit union, to Wal-Mart and had a nice leisurely lunch at the Olive Garden with my sister. Then we just went home and hung out for awhile.

Mom and I have a new project! (Wish us luck!) We are going to start working on One-Handed Cookbook! I have searched the web and googled everything I can think of and although there are a lot of PRODUCTS out for "one handers" there are few ideas out of how to do things one handed.

Mom is a great cook and it's one of my passions, too. So, I'm thinking that we can help ourselves and others, too. Don't get too excited! I'm notorious for great ideas and little follow-through! SO, if you want to pray for me, pray that we will get some work done on our cookbook so others can benefit as well.

Hope all is well. It seems like Spring is here and hope is all around!

Love you all -- Audi

Remarkable Progress

The good word this week is that although her progress is not quite fast enough for La Donna, her therapists are saying she has made (and IS making) remarkable progress. In a conference with her involved therapists, they marveled at the way she is improving.

She walked about 150 feet on the hemiwalker this past week and only had to have her balance corrected one time. Her speech (aphasia) is improving and her right hand is beginning to get a little bit more mobility.

Yesterday she joined the 30 Whispering Woods Residents for their monthly luncheon (this time held at Bravos Restaurant in Indianapolis). Her occasional trips outside the house help to brighten her spirits and negate her impatience as she hears her friends tell her how much improvement they see in her.

The people of Fishers United Methodist Church have brought her meals since her second week home ( and Nelson is learning to be an efficient microwave operator). It is wonderful to have so many great friends caring for her. Please be assured that she enjoys having company. It would be well to call her before coming to make sure she is not involved with any therapist at the time of your visit.

Update from the Cathcarts

Hi Friends! We've had a good week. Mom and Dad were over for dinner and the weather was so nice we ate on the screened in porch! It was beautiful out and so wonderful to have the parents back at our house! Mom and I were talking yesterday and we were looking forward to walks outside. Mom continues her therapy and is still making steady progress. Not as quickly as she would like, but steady...

My best friend was in town this week (she's a speech pathologist too) and she was so shocked by how great Mom's speech was. She kept saying "I give her an 85 - 90%!" She saw Mom about a month ago and reminded me that what she did then does not even compare to her speech now. Way to go, MOM!!

Some of you have asked about Dustin and Garrett, our twin sons, who are BOTH over in Iraq right now serving our country. Word from them indicates they are doing great. They are both in charge of the MITT (something to do with M____ I______ Transition Team). They are training 650+ Iraqi soldiers to take over. They are at different bases but have seen each other while Garrett was training on Dustin's base.

Dustin LOVES his job. He's been there since December and repeatedly says he has "no complaints." He's encouraged by the progress that they are making. He talks a mile a minute when he calls home and his enthusiasm is evident.

Garrett says he's fine, but he's tired because he's doing two jobs. (MITT plus his job last time he was there.) This is also his second tour in Iraq so he's probably not quite so enthusiastic! His tour last time was physically and emotionally costly. Anyway, he says that he is doing fine and he's safe. He's not on a base. He lives in an old meat packing facility. Has a roommate but that should change eventually.

We continually pray for their contentment and safe return to home and thank many of you for doing the same. Sometimes I feel so SELFISH because so many people are praying for our family! It is very humbling to say the least. Goes to show how needy we are on family/friends and most of all, Jesus!

Well, that's all I know for now! I'll write more later. Have much to do on this last OFFICIAL day of my Spring Break! Lots of love... Audi

Riverview Rehab Revisited (by Poppo)

Last week La Donna had to go to Riverview Hospital for an Ultra Sound on her thyroid.

After the test, I took her up to the third floor rehab facility to visit the therapists there. When we came in Sara looked up and fairly squealed in delight to see her. She was so happy to see the evident progress that La Donna has made.

We went around the corner to where Susan was working with a patient. When she saw La Donna she stopped therapy on her patient, came running over to the wheel chair where Mommo was sitting, hugged her and said, "La Donna ... I will never forget you as long as I live."

We had a delightful conversation with both of these great therapists, then went down the hall to visit with some of the nurses who had cared for her in the rehab facility. They were all delighted to see her and to note her progress. They had not forgotten her.

It was evident to me (Poppo) that even in her diminished state of a stroke, she had made a profound impression on all of these people. Thank God for the progress that surprised even the professionals who took care of her.

"Lefty" Playing Her Piano Again - by Dad

What a great family we have!

Monte (who owns his own construction business) brought in some of his men to refit our house with the equipment needed for her stroked condition – lowered bed from 34 inches high; removed some doors from hinges so the wheel chair could get through more easily; established a grab bar in the bathroom to help La Donna stand; refitted lounge chair to remove the tilt and swivel mechanisms to provide a more secure foundation for her sitting down and getting up.

Audi established her blog (lamentations3.blogspot.com) to keep all our friends informed about La Donna’s progress; has used her skills as a Speech Pathologist to help her overcome her aphasia (speech difficulties); and has guided us in all our medical decisions.

Lori has redecorated our house with a Spring Theme (to Mom’s relief); has spent a great deal of time sitting with her and caring for her; BUT MOST OF ALL, SHE HAS SET UP A PROGRAM WHEREBY MOM CAN PLAY THE LEFT HAND PIANO PART WHILE LORI PLAYS THE RIGHT HAND PART (RECORDED) ON THE ROLAND KR3 DIGITAL PIANO. She has provided a written musical score for the left hand so La Donna can get back into using her piano in a meaningful way.

And the original arrangement Lori has written so beautifully – “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL” … is that not prophetic?