Hello –
I'm writing this update using the new voice activation software that we have-it's pretty cool. Once you get the hang of how it’s used, it's actually pretty accurate. Kari had a little trouble with setting it up this morning, but it was more a problem with the computer then with the software. When I got home today, I worked on it a little bit and trained it to my voice. I'm guessing that probably tomorrow you will see an update from Kari that she wrote using this new software. Since we bought a mouse she could use, when there's a problem with the software she can just use the mouse to select what she wants. If you had to rely solely on the software, it would take a long time, but purely for typing and text entry it is extremely fast. I think once you get the hang of it, it would be faster than typing for anybody.
As far as how things are going for us, the things that Kari has written in the last two updates are true. We are all very tired, but happy that things are going so well. My groups at school are getting back on track and I'm excited to be taking my advanced band to a regional festival after they scored a superior at the district festival a week ago. My other groups played well too, and I am very proud of them also. We had auditions today for octet, which is our select string group, and hopefully will be going to another festival with them in April as well. I'm very busy at school, but I love my job and going back to work was the best thing for me as far as getting back to normal and getting out of the hospital mindset. Anyways, more updates from Kari to follow. We've gotten some new equipment and she wanted to share with you how we are using the donations that we have been given. I'm not sure how many people are still reading this site, but we still covet your prayers and thank you for following our story. When I get around to it I still need to call the reporter from the Press-Enterprise that did the article on us way back in August. Anyways, got to go, talk to you all later.
Aaron.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Adjustments
Hi!
I’m typing to you on my new nifty little computer! I love it! Tomorrow I will start training the voice activated software. We also will be getting the voice activated phone tomorrow.
Several of you have asked about my sermon last Sunday. It went very well. I talked about our experience over the last 8 months- how critical my condition was at the beginning- my 40 day vacation from reality—all the fun parts! I talked about a thought-changing conversation I had with Candi, our hospital chaplain, concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus. This conversation and Romans 8 were the basis of my sermon. There was a great response- praise be to God.
Things are going well at home. We are still overwhelmed. We still have a way to go with settling in. It’s frustrating for me to not be able to help Aaron. He is so tired when he gets home from work that after making dinner, doing the dishes and taking care of me, there is no energy left to do anything else. Our dear friend Sarah, who is the one that stays with me, helps us out tremendously. Our friend, Nicole, also hangs out with a few days a week and is a huge help. We love our two girls!
That’s it for now. Please leave your comments. They entertain me!
Love to you all.
Kari
I’m typing to you on my new nifty little computer! I love it! Tomorrow I will start training the voice activated software. We also will be getting the voice activated phone tomorrow.
Several of you have asked about my sermon last Sunday. It went very well. I talked about our experience over the last 8 months- how critical my condition was at the beginning- my 40 day vacation from reality—all the fun parts! I talked about a thought-changing conversation I had with Candi, our hospital chaplain, concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus. This conversation and Romans 8 were the basis of my sermon. There was a great response- praise be to God.
Things are going well at home. We are still overwhelmed. We still have a way to go with settling in. It’s frustrating for me to not be able to help Aaron. He is so tired when he gets home from work that after making dinner, doing the dishes and taking care of me, there is no energy left to do anything else. Our dear friend Sarah, who is the one that stays with me, helps us out tremendously. Our friend, Nicole, also hangs out with a few days a week and is a huge help. We love our two girls!
That’s it for now. Please leave your comments. They entertain me!
Love to you all.
Kari
Friday, March 17, 2006
A brief update
Hello everyone!
It was so good to read all your comments. There are a few more things I wanted to tell you. A few people have asked if we could post our address on the website. We are not comfortable doing over the internet. So if you would like our new address, please email us and we will decide if we want to give it to you. (hee, hee!)
Secondly, I am having FREE lasik eye surgery on March 28. My sister Cyndi found an ad in a magazine in Sept. about a Dr. in LA that does this free for quadrepelegics (how the heck do you spell that word?) Anyway I met him last week-he’s very excited to do this surgery for me…and get this! His PR guy emailed me a couple of days ago and wants to call the media in because they think my story is interesting. So my surgery might be on the evening news. (
One more thing- if you’re the praying type- This Sunday I am preaching my first sermon since our accident. I’m not sure how it will work out-I can’t write notes- and I’m not good at just “winging it!” Also I don’t have good breath support since a lot of my “breathing muscles” are paralyzed. So I get winded pretty quick. It might be a really short sermon. No complaints there, huh?
Ok- my mouth is tired…good-bye for now.
Love to you all,
Kari.
It was so good to read all your comments. There are a few more things I wanted to tell you. A few people have asked if we could post our address on the website. We are not comfortable doing over the internet. So if you would like our new address, please email us and we will decide if we want to give it to you. (hee, hee!)
Secondly, I am having FREE lasik eye surgery on March 28. My sister Cyndi found an ad in a magazine in Sept. about a Dr. in LA that does this free for quadrepelegics (how the heck do you spell that word?) Anyway I met him last week-he’s very excited to do this surgery for me…and get this! His PR guy emailed me a couple of days ago and wants to call the media in because they think my story is interesting. So my surgery might be on the evening news. (
One more thing- if you’re the praying type- This Sunday I am preaching my first sermon since our accident. I’m not sure how it will work out-I can’t write notes- and I’m not good at just “winging it!” Also I don’t have good breath support since a lot of my “breathing muscles” are paralyzed. So I get winded pretty quick. It might be a really short sermon. No complaints there, huh?
Ok- my mouth is tired…good-bye for now.
Love to you all,
Kari.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Update from Kari
Hello everyone!
This is the first time I’ve written anything on our website. This will not be very long since I’m typing with my mouth stick- I can only push one key at a time. I think that there are probably several people still checking our blog. I apologize for not writing sooner. Getting back to “normal” has been much more difficult than we had anticipated. I realize that there have been hundreds of people following our story from the very beginning. We are so grateful for the overwhelming response-financially and spiritually. It still surprises me that so many people care. There are a couple of things I wanted to share about the response we’ve received. First- please don’t put us on a pedestal. We humbly receive all of the beautiful things people have said about us- but we are no better than anyone else. Also, I was beginning to feel like a reality TV show- (- with people waiting for the latest news of our lives. But now that we are out of the hospital, we are just trying to get our lives back. So please be patient with our long intervals of time between updates.
Aaron is doing very well. He is super tired all the time. He works about 9-10 hours a day at school. At home he tries to keep up with the cooking, laundry, cleaning, the cats, shopping- oh yeah… and taking care of me. He goes for 16-18 hours a day without hardly stopping. He does all of this so cheerfully. He never complains. I am amazed by his love and devotion. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband.
I am doing very well also. Every day I feel stronger and healthier. I can’t remember the last time I had to take pain medication. My pain is so much less than it used to be. My equipment is all working well for me. I am getting a new computer next week that will work better with the voice activated software. I also am getting a new cell phone in the next few days that will be easier to use. We’ve had several “technical difficulties” in the last couple of weeks- Aaron’s computer at school crashed- the internet at home stopped working- our laptop keeps freezing- and Aaron’s cell phone was stolen last Sunday at a restaurant. It seems as though we are constantly battling something.
Things with Sarah are working out really well. She is a tremendous help to us. She is also very cheerful about everything- never complaining.
I’m going to close now. My cheeks are getting tired from all this typing (about 2hours!) I will try to do another update soon. We love you all.
Kari
This is the first time I’ve written anything on our website. This will not be very long since I’m typing with my mouth stick- I can only push one key at a time. I think that there are probably several people still checking our blog. I apologize for not writing sooner. Getting back to “normal” has been much more difficult than we had anticipated. I realize that there have been hundreds of people following our story from the very beginning. We are so grateful for the overwhelming response-financially and spiritually. It still surprises me that so many people care. There are a couple of things I wanted to share about the response we’ve received. First- please don’t put us on a pedestal. We humbly receive all of the beautiful things people have said about us- but we are no better than anyone else. Also, I was beginning to feel like a reality TV show- (- with people waiting for the latest news of our lives. But now that we are out of the hospital, we are just trying to get our lives back. So please be patient with our long intervals of time between updates.
Aaron is doing very well. He is super tired all the time. He works about 9-10 hours a day at school. At home he tries to keep up with the cooking, laundry, cleaning, the cats, shopping- oh yeah… and taking care of me. He goes for 16-18 hours a day without hardly stopping. He does all of this so cheerfully. He never complains. I am amazed by his love and devotion. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband.
I am doing very well also. Every day I feel stronger and healthier. I can’t remember the last time I had to take pain medication. My pain is so much less than it used to be. My equipment is all working well for me. I am getting a new computer next week that will work better with the voice activated software. I also am getting a new cell phone in the next few days that will be easier to use. We’ve had several “technical difficulties” in the last couple of weeks- Aaron’s computer at school crashed- the internet at home stopped working- our laptop keeps freezing- and Aaron’s cell phone was stolen last Sunday at a restaurant. It seems as though we are constantly battling something.
Things with Sarah are working out really well. She is a tremendous help to us. She is also very cheerful about everything- never complaining.
I’m going to close now. My cheeks are getting tired from all this typing (about 2hours!) I will try to do another update soon. We love you all.
Kari
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