Good morning, friends and family! It's been a while since our last update, so Tiff wrote something out recently to send out to everyone.

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost two months since I got to come home. Since then, I’ve had some small setbacks here and there, all medicine related. They had me on quetiapine (Seroquel) for ‘sleep’. I hadn’t asked for anything to sleep. I wasn’t sleeping in the hospital because it was a hospital. Finally got off of that a week ago and experience withdrawal for the first time in my life. No thank you! I’ll research every med BEFORE I take it and ask questions. This was a med that affects your mental processes and shut down all of my drives for work and creativity.

It's only been a week and I’m much better, although still dealing with the remaining effects of the withdrawal. I’ll be all good with a few more good nights sleep!

I got to practice driving my car a few weeks ago and did okay, but my reaction time wasn’t that great (I’m blaming the Seroquel). So giving it a little more time. Getting a new walker today that has a seat on it to help with my stamina. PT is very happy with my progress. I love both my OT and PT people who are friendly and encouraging as they torture me. It’s not so bad. They see my progress better than I do and help me out greatly!

Yesterday I had a visit with my PCP, who was more versed in diabetes than the nurse practitioner. I explained that I quit taking my evening insulin, because I realized that I was EATING just to take the insulin in the evening, when they told me to take it. And that I was afraid of low blood sugar. She looked over my log and said my numbers looked good! I’m on the right track and not only that, but my A1C from a month earlier…WAS NORMAL! It’s so good and low, they don’t want it lower! That’s a huge compliment. She gave me some tips and referred me to two new doctors, a nephrologist and an endocrinologist. I’m looking forward to seeing them and will try to contact them next week.

I’m progressing, but not as fast as I’d like. So, I’m keeping this thing in mind. Two months and a week ago, I couldn’t walk unassisted. I couldn’t do anything without someone helping me. Today, I stood in the shower! Only for a few minutes, but I stood. My stability and balance is getting so much better! I do NOT have nearly as far to go as I have already come. I remember waking up…being unable to move or talk. That was horrible.

Today, I may be a bit tired, but I’m healing and building up muscle. I feel so skinny. My body isn’t what it was! I went from just over 200lbs to 165! And some of that’s rebuilding muscle! Best of all, I feel good!

Good afternoon, friends and family!! Today's update comes from Tiffany herself --

January 10th to April 9th. Almost three months have passed since I went to the ER. I never would have imagined what lay before me when I felt the need to go to the ER. It’s the first time I’ve had to go to the ER in my life. I don’t remember much of that time. I didn’t wake up to reality for a couple of weeks. And then, I couldn’t believe how much my life had changed.

Thankfully, I had so many people reaching out with prayers and simply reaching out to me to tell me they were so worried about me. My publishing and writing groups were primary among them! I was so amused that they sent someone to knock on my door before they knew I was in the hospital.

Since then, I’ve grown progressively stronger and am on the path to return to my life as it was as an able-bodied person. My struggles aren’t entirely over, but it’s getting there! Getting out of the hospitals and then rehab has been wonderful. Not without its challenges, but wonderful by the fact I’m at home.

Thanks to everyone who has extended their help in whatever way. I’ve felt it. Insurance has paid a great deal of the bills, but some things they’re not covering and/or are passing on the bill to us. I just discovered a few new bills in my phone messages of all places. So much easier when they mail them to me. In any case, we’re getting by and it’s in thanks to all the caring people in our lives!

Today was a great day!! Tiffany Ross found out a little after noon that insurance had approved her rehab hospital, and the transfer would be happening later this afternoon/early evening. By 3:30 they were on site to pick her up, and relocate her to Flower Mound. From what everyone has said, it looks like rehab will be 7-10 days and then she'll be headed home. 

She's in great spirits, happy for the move, and getting to build back her muscles in the more intensive PT and OT she'll be receiving here.

Good evening, friends and family! Tiffany is still at the long term care facility. After coming off of the trach, she's had some issues with low blood pressure. There's been a few theories on the cause, but it hasn't fully been fixed yet.  They've cut back on her lasix meds now that she's no longer showing swelling, hasn't had a dialysis in a couple weeks now, and her kidneys are performing well. As of today she's no longer being monitored for her oxygen sats, and is happy to have the pulsox off her finger. 

My (Robert's) parents came into town for Spring Break and we spent the week doing things around the house for Tiff's return home. We now have a ramp on the front steps, several grab bars in the bathroom, and a better handrail for the back step. Got a couple other big projects done for her piece of mind as well. Now we just need Tiffany to come home to enjoy them!

Good morning to all the friends and family out there! This weekend saw Tiffany get her trach removed! She's very grateful to no longer have that attached in her neck, and has been breathing well on her own without it. On Thursday, her doctor let her know that he'd like to see her transferred to rehab soon, and it's possible that within 7-10 days of rehab she could be headed back home. Previously Tiffany has been keeping her expectations low, saying she'd be happy to be home by the end of April. I've kept hoping for sometime in March, while we missed Valentine's Day last month, we celebrate her birthday and our anniversary this month and it would be wonderful to have her home for at least one of them.  After that news she realized that its looking more and more like I had the better estimate. Hopefully my next update is for the move to the rehab facility.

Once again, we are eternally grateful for all the support you have provided us with your donations as well as your thoughts and prayers! 

Good morning friends and family, and to all who have contributed in some way to Tiffany's care if you're not the latter you're now among the former! Tiff continues to make progress with her physical capabilities. We're seeing more motion and strength in her legs, and she's been able to be much more social online recently with better finger mobility and a loss of shakiness. She's also working on getting weened off of the trach so we can get that out. She's been happy to get back to normal meals and drinks, being able to enjoy food again. We've been told it's okay to bring in outside food, but that hasn't happened just yet. Though I got word this morning that her dialysis appointment for today was cancelled as her kidneys are looking better, so maybe if we're off the renal diet she can get a deserving treat! 

She is very appreciate of all the love and support she has been shown and has been feeling it during her stay, it helps give her the strength to keep up her spirits and endure the challenges that have been put before her. 

Tiffany's been at the long term care facility for a week now. Things have been progressing well. Last week she could only tolerate the speaking valve in her trach for a few minutes, this week she's been leaving it in for hours. We're actually able to converse again, rather than me talking and her writing back. Today was a day of celebration, she passed her final swallow test this morning and got the nasal tube out. She got her first drink in a month, one she's been anticipating for a couple weeks, and has her first dinner tonight. 

We also started receiving our first bills from the hospitals this week. It looks like the first stay, at the local hospital in Lewisville, is set to run us about $3500. No idea yet on what the weeks at Plano will run, or the ltc facility.

We are deeply appreciative of all that has been given for Tiffany! Both the monetary donations, as well as the prayers and well wishes on her recovery. We are eternally grateful for all the love and support that has been sent to our family.