UPDATE ON IVY'S CONDITION

This morning the doctor confirmed that the staph infection is the same one Ivy has been battling. This is the fourth time it has reared its ugly head. She is now being treated and when the bacteria is gone from her blood, which will take three or four days of negative cultures, there will be a decision to be made. Either leave Ivy on strong antibiotics for the rest of her life or take the pacemaker/defibrillator out because that is where the bacteria is hiding. Each time a course of antibiotics has been run, it protects itself with a layer of a "slim like gel". When the antibiotics are gone it is then free to run a muck. Ivy completely understood this explanation saying "Oh I learned that in Miss McCartney's class. We investigated the slim, I know what the doctor was talking about." She had no questions for him.

That's where we are now, so if you have 5 minutes to stop by and say hi, she would love it I am sure. And.....don't forget to give her a hug. The staph is not the scary MRSA bacteria...we are not in quarantine.

Melinda ....still trying hard to keep singing "....don't worry....bout a thing....cause every little thing's gonna be all right...."

SENDING OUT AN SOS

After a week of high fever and two trips to the dr and one to the ER at French.........French called us saying that Ivy needed to be admitted to the hospital. Please come by and see her when you have time. She is in need of positive visits and a whole lotta love and hugs...
thanks for your continued support.
Melinda

Latest Dance

A couple of weeks ago, Ivy and I followed Unfinished Business to a Santa Maria Gala Fund-raiser for Orcutt Children's Art Foundation. Very fancy event....after the live auction it was announced that ...."we have already raised over $33,000 and this doesn't even include the silent auction or the dinner sales"

We even got to sit at the table with the band which pleased Ivy very much. The pictures were taken by a band member's wife. Thanks Karen!!!!


Ivy spent one dance being twirled around in a huge circle by a very good wheelchair dancer. He even had her doing wheelies. The rest of the dancers smiled at them, giving them plenty of room. Ivy laughed so hard that the dance really wiped her out. She had to sit out the next several songs before she could limp back out on the dance floor again.

We are impatiently awaiting April 4th, the next event which is a benefit for MS in Arroyo Grande. For details visit unfinished-business.org.

Come and dance with us.
Melinda

PROGRESS

Ivy's first successful attempt to stand up from a sitting position, using the ball to balance herself. Linda, her therapist is sitting next to her while Kirsten, a Cal Poly student stabilizes the ball.

Now she is beginning to stand "by her lonesome" as she calls it.

Linda barely helps out.















LOOK NO HANDS!!!!!!















Ivy is now standing on her "lonesome" for 10-15 minutes at a time. She usually stands up from her wheelchair with no assistance. This all depends, of course on the time of day and how much she has already worked her muscles. She made the comment after her therapies last Tuesday that her muscles were sore, just like they used to be after a good workout at the gym. She was sooooooo pleased.

Last Tuesday saw a really big jump in achievements. Ivy also touched her mouth with her left arm stretched. This was a first since last July!

We are so pleased with and absolutely adore our therapists. Ivy has lower body, Physical Therapy (PT) three times a week and upper body, Occupational Therapy (OT) twice a week.

Thank you so much California Children's Services (CCS).

Melinda ....who still makes poor Ivy listen to "......every little thing's gonna be all right...." at least a half dozen times a day while driving in the car.

Ivy is such a good sport...she's not complaining....well...... not too much anyway.

San Luis Obispo City Council Meeting

Ivy spoke at the City Council Meeting Tuesday tonight. Apparently there is the possibility that funds are to be reallocated and she wanted to show support for the police and fire departments by telling her story.

First, Frank started out with a short blip of what had happened to Ivy, making the point that Ivy was alive and making progress because of the quick response time of SLO City Fire Department Station #3. They were already at the scene administering fluids and CPR when the paramedics arrived. This was less than 4 minutes after the 911 call.

Ivy and I walked up to the podium next and Ivy told the council "I'm Ivy Alvarado from Arroyo Grande. I want to thank the firemen for saving my life". She then chocked up a bit so I emphasized again that the rapid response time enabled her to make the progress she was now making. In fact, today Ivy stood BY HERSELF for 7 minutes. And with that I began to choke up and had to walk away. The entire room, including the council members began to clap.

We had been sitting in the front row next to the podium for a good 45 minutes waiting for the item to come up on the agenda. By now it was 8:00 which is about the time of day that Ivy is wiped out and ready for bed. As we turned to leave, we were astonished. The room was packed with firemen, firewomen and other supporters. Everyone was smiling and thanking Ivy for her message and telling her to keep up the hard work. When we had reached the hall there was a lady standing there whom I recognized but couldn't place her or think of her name. Ivy said..."mom, you don't remember Claire my 6th grade teacher?!" Neither Frank nor I had remembered Claire's name.

Is there any doubt about whose memory works the best?

Melinda....still singing.."....every little thing's gonna be all right..."

PS I am trying to give updates at least once a week, but life is moving so fast. I have pictures to show you of the continued amazing progress Ivy is making. Keep tuning in...happy things are happening...and last night she WIGGLED HER LEFT TOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm in the clouds!

Ivy is completely finished at Children’s Hospital. Her feeding tube is out and we are home. Please come and visit!

Frank, Ivy, Marco and I went to a Valentine’s Dance last night…..”Ivy’s” band was playing, that’s what she calls Unfinished Business these days. Ivy worked her muscles so much that she had to sit out the last set. During previous “dance” therapies, she was up, mostly held up by someone else. But last night was different.

Let me take you on a mind walk. Up until the last two events, I have been the one on the dance floor with her, save a few cut in’s by brother, father and a couple of friends. Now, it seems I have been replace by MARCO, Ivy’s boyfriend. Does that bother me?….ha…..I laugh in the face of jealousy, HA-HA.

But I have to put my foot down. “I” get to dance with her when the band plays Soul Man and Shout, which they do back to back. So the band gets ready. Ben and Jim put on their shades and I tell Ivy “to bad if you are tired. It’s my time now.” As we were dancing, Ivy felt as if she was supporting her weight and was balancing herself. I pull my arms away from her and her reaction was to pull the one arm she has around my neck, up off my neck.

SHE WAS STANDING….ON HER OWN….WITHOUT SUPPORT!!!!!!!!

Now granted this was for a brief moment, but we, no she did it over and over again while singing with the band “I’m a soul man….” I looked at Frank and Marco and they were watching giving a thumbs up. The drummer, Dave and lead guitarist, Ed couldn’t stop smiling. They saw her as well.

At other moments, she also was bending her knees to the beat of the music and lifting her feet….one at a time of course. She also stretched out her left arm…away from her side, straightening her elbow as best she could.

She really worked and this morning is sore and tired. But she wants to exercise again today “because that is what you do with sore muscles…to build them up of course”.

I have one more short story to share from yesterday. Ivy wants me to tell you that she did not approve this message, whatever that means….

As we were driving home from LA we were listening to one of Ivy’s CD mix. A Bob Marley tune came on that I had never heard before and I’ve been singing over and over and over again ever since. Both Frank and Ivy think I’m nuts and tell me to shut up….

Now, in order for me to learn the words to a song, I must play it over and over again. Ivy says I become annoying. The lyrics to this particular song are very simple but I repeated the song all the way home from the south end of Santa Maria to Arroyo Grande, over half an hour, and with Ivy’s help I learned the lyrics.

And it goes like this….

Rise up this mornin,
Smiled with the risin sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin, (this is my message to you-ou-ou:)

Singin: dont worry bout a thing,
cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Singin: dont worry (dont worry) bout a thing,
cause every little thing gonna be all right!

That’s it.................…it repeats and repeats…..and repeats

When we got home we called Casey, Ivy’s brother. I was singing while they talked. They both told me to shut up, nice kids don’t you think….at least they were laughing while they said it.

Now I sing it with my whole heart because it is so perfect.

This morning Ivy is wiggling the toes on her right foot and asks why she can’t wiggle the toes on her left foot. And I tell her…”don’t worry ….about a thing….cause EVERY LITTLE THING GONNA BE ALL RIGHT….” And again she laughs and tells me to shut up. Again she questions me “Are you high? What have you been smoking?” My reply is "This is much, much better….I’m just sooooooo happy for you!!!!!”.

AND I’m still singing……”…….every little thing gonna be all right.”

PS the song is Three Little Birds.

The Rumors Are True

As hinted previously, Ivy was seen at the SLO High winter formal, "dancing up a storm". She was invited by her good friend Marco and had an amazing time.
Marco's mom made a fantastic meal prior to the dance and even spruced up her place to look like a restaurant.
Ivy had a great time dancing, and seeing more friends. She's looking forward to moving back home very soon. She has just one more procedure down here at Children's Hospital next week and then she gone!