We were such slackers this year, we just could not find the time to get our pictures taken do to colds and busy schedules. We finally found an afternoon where we were able to get the kids picture taken. Family ones will have to wait till spring I guess. Great job hon I think they turned out Great!

Kortnee, Nic and Whitnee

Kort, Nic and Whit

Kortnee (11)

Nic (8)

Whitnee (3)

Fox 13 Cool School's

Our Elementary School was selected for Cool Schools with Fox 13. It was a lot of fun for the kids.
K and N were in two segments that they broad casted. School Choir and Speed Stacking. (I will apologize now for the picture quality I forgot the camera so my camera phone had to do).

K and N with Big Budah

N Speed Stacking

K Speed Stacking

Live Interview with Choir Teacher.

The kids had a blast and could hardly wait to get home to watch it.

Pictures From This Summer and Fall!

Whitnee started pool therapy last week and wow it was so exciting. To finally see your child do something for the first time in there life is an amazing experience. It is even more exciting when they recognize it too.

Whitnee lifting her legs out of the water all by herself.

Whitnee kicking her legs and arms (catching the alligator).

Whitnee Swimming :)

Whitnee standing :)

The SMA clinic at Primary Children's Medical Center had an event with the Real Soccer Team. Real is trying to help get the word out about SMA and we sure appreciate their help!

Here are pictures from that event.

Whitnee and Dr. Kathy Swoboda who is Whitnee's Specialist at PCMC. Dr. Kathy is our Angel. I believe Dr. Kathy is one of the reasons Whitnee is still alive today, we love her so much!

Kortnee and Nic playing soccer with one of the Real players.

Nic one on one.

Kortnee and Nic with a few of the players.

Whitnee with a few of the players.

Group shot of everyone.

Whitnee with Aubrey her OT from Kids on the Move. Today was graduation day! She is now in the School District for all her OT and PT help a long with preschool.

Whitnee with Gary her OT/PT

Sad to not have their help any more.

First day of School pictures. Kortnee 6th grade :( I can't believe she is that old. Nic 3rd grade They grow up way to fast!!!

Nic got his tonsils out in August, everything went well, here are just a few pictures of that day.

Before Surgery (notice the smile)

Looks like we had a busy summer and fall. More Pictues to come as I organize my computer and find them all.

Thank to everyone and their support and prayers it really makes a difference.

Update

I guess it has been a while since my last post. A lot has happened too. I took Whitnee to Shriner's in October for a check up on her feet from surgery in September. They removed her casts and everything looked great. I then talked with them about some concerns I had about her hips. Anyways long story short, yes she does have major hip problems. And at the appointment I was informed that there was nothing that could be done other then positioning her better. So we are in the process of getting a better manual wheelchair to help in that situation.

I left Shriner's rather upset and frustrated. Isn't that what Shriner's hospital is there for to help children like Whitnee with problems like this. To me "there is nothing we can do" is a very poor answer and I was not about to accept it.

So I contacted Whitnee's specialist and told her the situation, she referred me to a rehab specialist at Primary Children's Hospital where the specialist agreed with me, we can do something. So she put Whitnee in a knee immobilizer, and gave me some exercises to do with her. I then asked about Pool Therapy, which she said Whitnee would benifit a great deal from and sent me to another PT for an evaluation.

So Whitnee starts pool therapy on December 4th. I am so excited, I have been looking for pool therapy for 2 years now and about feel over when the specialist told me where to go. The therapist is also looking into foundations to see if we can get some assistance in purchasing an enclosed hot tub so she can continue her therapy at home.

Whitnee is doing great with the knee immobilizer and the stretching. Her PT who comes to the house is putting together a exercise program for her that we will start after Thanksgiving.

Halloween was so nice, we were able to go trick or treating as a family this year it was so warm for the trunk or treat and only a little rain on Halloween but no the less it was great! I will post pictures when Nate gets back from his trip to Moab (4 wheeling).

Whitnee came down with a cold on Tuesday of this week and managed to kick it rather fast. She is still coughing but not in bed and running a high fever anymore. The nice thing out of the cold was we needed to transport her to the Dr. So Home health dropped off portable oxygen tanks for us. So the next time I have to take her to the hospital when she is sick I might be able to do it with out and ambulance.

Report cards came home today!!!! I am so PROUD of my children they work so hard to keep there grades up. Good work Kortnee and Nic. Kortnee managed to make student council this year and is working really hard with that and all her school work. She is so amazing and smart.
And Nic was just excited to finally bring home a report card that we all understood. Letter grades not the stupid ones they get from kindergarten to 2nd grade. They are both in school choir this year too and it is so fun to hear them sing there songs around the home and get excited to go each week (Nic more then Kortnee-she was in it last year so the excitement is not like it was last year).

Well other then that, I am sorry there aren't any pictures this time but I will post them when Nate gets back.

Thanks for all your prayers and support. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!!

Happy Birthday Whitnee!!!!!

We celebrated Whitnee's 3rd Birthday today:) It is hard to believe that she is that old. With her SMA it is yet another mile stone and we are so greatful we have had the chance to celebrate such a fun day with her. We hope and pray that we have many more to come!

Whitnee opening her presents

I think she was Surprised

Daddy picked out the balloons.

Got Ya Dad!!!

Nothing says party like Silly String

Whitnee getting chased

Mom starting the fight and winning :)

Happy Birthday Whitnee

We love you!

Surgery Pictures!

Okay, I finally found time to update the blog! Here are the pictures I promised. Here Nate is trying to keep Whitnee intertained before surgery. They just gave her some sleepy meds so we were waiting for them to kick in.

This is the hardest walk-on our way to surgery

the medicine kicked in and a fun wagon ride to surgery

not sure she remembers this.

Whitnee after surgery TRYING to sleep.

not possible in a hospital!


Whitnee's purple casts, she picked out!

She is doing really well, we got 10 min in the stander today, slowly we will get up to an hour!

SMA Awareness Night With Real Soccer!

Nat was able to get us tickets to a soccer game against the Chivas US Team. Nate and the Kids had a blast even though Real Lost. Whitnee and I were unable to attend due to Whitnee's surgery the day before. Here are a few pictures from the game.

Thanks again Nat, we had a lot of fun!!!

Dinner With Nat Borchers Real Soccer!!

We got an e-mail back in August from Abby Smart (Whitnee's Nurse at Primary Children's) inviting us to a dinner being put on by the Real Soccer Team. Nat Borchers a Defender for Real Soccer has a God Son who was in town and he wanted to have dinner to help with getting the word out about SMA. It was a wonderful dinner and lots of fun.

Here is Whitnee eating with Seth and ???(sorry I am drawing a blank)

all 3 of them have type II-It was very interesting to see

how differently it affects each child. Both Boys are stronger

then Whitnee. Neither one are on machines.

Here is Nate, Kortnee, Nic, Whitnee & Nat

Here are all the kids who were able to attend.

Nat was so kind he had a big bag of Real Soccer

stuff for each kid. (Kortnee and Nic thought that

was the coolest thing ever. Then even got his

autograph.)

Thanks Nat for a great night out, we all had fun! We look forward to many more events!

4th of the 4th

Dang it I got Tagged! Okay her it goes.

Step 1: Go to your picture file.
Step 2: Open the 4th file.
Step 3: Now Open the 4th picture and post it!
Step 4: Tag 4 people to do the same ;)

This is Daisy our dog! Isn't she pretty! I think this is when we first got her 5 years ago WOW!!!
I can 't believe how skinny she is.
Okay I tag, Taci, Lecia, Jody R. & Jesse! (Lets see how many people actually read my blog)!

Surgery Success

Whitnee's Surgery went really well yesterday, it went better then they expected. She intubated and extubated with no problem :) Which is great for a child with SMA. She picked purple casts and she is constantly asking to take them off. (it will be a long 6 weeks). Her Dr. said she can start standing next week or as soon as she is feeling better, which surprised us but were really excited to here we could start standing rather then waiting 6 weeks.

I have kept her pretty drugged up with meds for the pain. But other then that she is doing great! We were able to come home yesterday around 8 p.m. which really excited us to not have to spend the night. That and you never sleep in the hospital, they are always touching, poking, etc... you the whole time you are there. I thought that sleep was one of the best things to help in recovering from sickness, surgery, etc... but I don't think hospitals believe that.

When Whitnee got home she slept till 8:00 this morning, and boy did she need it. She drove Wally (her wheelchair) around this afternoon for a bit which did perk her up some. Thanks for all of your support and e-mails we sure appreciate it. I will post pictures later.

Surgery Scheduled

Back in March I believe, I took Whitnee up to Shriner's for her 6 month visit. As we talked with the Dr. we were informed that Whitnee would need both her Achilles Tendons stretched. We have tried to prolong this procedure for as long as we can do to the recovery time and even the risk we take in intubating Whitnee again. We even contacted Dr. Swoboda hoping she would discourage it. But she was in support of doing it asap, so we can get Whitnee standing in her stander again for an hour. They told me that it would be this summer, we were thinking early summer.

I actually got the phone call today informing us that Friday Whitnee is scheduled for surgery. We will have a 3 day stay in the PICU and from what I am told she will be casted from just below the knee down to her toes for 6 weeks :( From then on I don't know what will happen.

So we ask that you remember her in your prayers that her surgery will go well with no complications (breathing etc....) and that her recovery will go well too.

Thanks for all your support. I will up date the blog on her progress soon.

Trying to catch up

We finally got to go to the cabin this year as a family! Whitnee's health was great so we thought we would try it. It was a success. We went up while Jesse was here in July (yes I am finally posting pictures) It was a nice visit, lots of fun!!!

Kortnee driving the 4 wheeler!

Whitnee driving the 4 wheeler (huge progress with her arms thank you PT)

Nic and Kaylen exploring.

Kaylen, Julia and Jayson on the 4 wheeler

(we could not get Jayson off of it)

My Family! I think the last time we had a family photo was about 6 years ago, before Dad passed away I wish we would of had time to do it professionally, oh well next time. I sure loved being with everyone. And being up in the mountains. (Mindi and Jill had to work we sure missed them too.) The Cousins what a cute bunch of kids!