Sam had the filter in her inferior vena cava taken out this morning.  The threat of clots has been greatly reduced by the passage of time and if you leave it in too long it will . It took less than an hour and she was back in her room watching Criminal Minds.  She ate very well this morning.  Sam says she can't wait until she can just chug an apple beer.  Sam's cousin from Louisiana got here earlier this morning to visit. She should know how loved she is from all over the U.S..  Sam has been in a very good mood today.  She has had to do her therapy from bed today but everyone has been so nice but still working her out enough that she gets sore. .  She updated her facebook by herself and they had her use the phone and ipad with her assistive devices.  Last night was the Shake it for Sam, Zumba.  I heard it went well.  I am sure Mariah will post an update on that soon. Sam sends thanks for all the cards and letters she gets.

A Good Weekend

Sam has been doing really well. She had a great weekend! She doesn't have as much therapy on the weekends so she is able to relax and get some needed rest. She had a bunch of her friends come up on Saturday and Sunday and it made her so happy! She loves her friends and being with them really puts her in a good mood. We are so grateful for her friends!
On Friday the doctor and all of the therapists met with Sam and my parents for a conference (I had to work so I didn't go). My mom said it went really well. They are happy with the progress she has made so far. They still have no idea how much function she will regain, but they are hopeful that she can still make a lot of progress. The doctor said there is a bike that pedals your legs and really works the muscles so that when she gets use of her legs they are still strong and ready to be used. It is really expensive, but they are going to look into grants and using the money from the fundraisers and donations from everyone.
In my last post I asked you to pray for her throat and prayers were answered again. Her throat started feeling much better. It is still hard for her to swallow, but not as bad as before. She has been eating a little bit and is getting better every day. So, thank you for the prayers! It is pretty amazing to see the power of so many combined prayers. I truly know that when we sincerely pray our prayers will be answered.
My mom said Sam had a great day today. Her therapy was really intense, but she did well. She was even able to use her iPad a little bit today! They have an attachment that goes on her hand and allows her to swipe the screen. I am sure it will take practice to do all she wants to, but it is a start!
Her arm and hand movement really seems to be improving. It is so slow and small, but when compared to where she was a couple of weeks ago she really has come a long way. Her triceps are still really weak so that makes it difficult to do certain arm movements. She still has no movement of her lower body, but she has had more sensation. Multiple times last week she would ask my mom to take her blankets off of her feet because they were hot. And last night the nurse said she had some sensation during her bowel care. These all seem to be good signs and we just hope and pray that the improvements keep happening.
Sam continues to have an amazing attitude. We all knew she was an awesome person, but we had no idea how truly strong she is. She is not angry or bitter at all, which is just amazing to me. She even jokes about her situation. I know she will have hard days and will have breakdowns, but I am so proud of how she is handling everything.
We are so grateful for the continued prayers and support. We honestly feel the power of prayers at all times. It feels like we are just surrounded by love and concern. Please continue to keep Sam in your prayers, especially that her triceps and hands can regain function so she can start to be more independent. Thank you all so much!

Update

Sorry I haven't updated for a while. It has been a busy week. I was able to spend all day Tuesday with Sam. It was quite a day. She had assessments by occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and the doctor did his own assessment as well. It was a busy, hard day. One of the worst parts of the day is when she takes her medications. Her throat has some inflammation and it is still really sore. So, they give her liquid meds, but they taste terrible. I think it also makes her anxious to take meds because she is worried she is going to choke. It is terrible, but I know it will get better. After physical therapy she just cried and said, "It is just so hard." It broke my heart. They also put her into a wheelchair for the first time this day. I think that it was emotionally hard for her. She only stayed in it for a few minutes and then wanted to get out.
She had a rough night that night, but since then has been doing much better. Yesterday and today have been really good. She is SO busy! She gets a schedule every day and has therapy from 8am until 4 pm with an hour break for lunch. Today she was mostly in the gym for her therapy. She was in the wheelchair most of the day and my mom said she even drove it a little bit (they have an attachment on the joystick that she is able to control).
Her attitude continues to be amazing. My mom said she woke up about 5:30 this morning and just wanted to chat. She was laughing and joking with my mom. She was singing along to a song on CMT and her voice was raspy and she said, "Geez, I can't even sing good!" and then laughed at herself.  It is so amazing to me that she can be in such a difficult position, but is still able to laugh and be kind. She really is so amazingly strong. When I got here today she was exhausted from therapy, but was still happy and so cute with my boys. She is so great.
We are really happy to be at the U. She has amazing people caring for her. Dr. Rosenbluth is her doctor and he is amazing. He is so positive and kind and encouraging. Her main physical therapist is Aaron and he is great. He is so confident and competent in his job. Sam really loves him and I think that makes her want to work harder. Everyone has been really great and we are so thankful to be where she is receiving the best possible care.
Thank you again for all of your love and support. My mom and I were talking about how amazing everyone has been. My mom said, "How can I ever repay everyone? I just want to rent a billboard and put a huge THANK YOU on it." Obviously we can never repay all of you, but please know all you are doing is not going unnoticed. We can't even talk about it without crying. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such a huge group of loving friends and family.
Please continue to keep Sam in your prayers-especially that she can continue to have a good attitude and that her throat can heal so she can eat more and take her meds more easily. Thanks again! Love you all!

A night at the U

I got back to Sams room just as they were fitting a wheelchair to her. She was worked over pretty good by the physical therapist.  They wanted to take her down to the gym but, she was just totally exhausted.  They put her back into bed so she could visit with family.  Mariah and the boys had visited most of the day and Alex visited later during the night. Sam was in pretty good spirits but was just really tired. I stayed with Sam last night in her room and Jill slept at the apartment. The night was kinda rough. Sam feels there is something stuck in her throat and could not get it to come out or dislodge, even with help from the respiratory therapist. I will talk with the MD today and see if they can scope her throat.  Please remember Sam in your prayers.

Progress

I was able to spend last night with Sam. Around bedtime she had a visit from her good friend Megan. She is so blessed to have good friends. She just lights up when her friends are here. After Megan left she was in a great mood! We stayed up and talked and laughed and watched Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. 

Her night was okay. Her night was okay. They want her to wear the bipap when she sleeps, but it is really uncomfortable and the respiratory therapist was having a hard time getting the fit right. 

This afternoon Kellsi and Kaitlin brought a bunch of cards. Kaitlin opened one and Sam told her that she wanted to read it herself. She reached for the card and almost grabbed it, but was unable to do it. We were so excited with how well she moved her arms and hands, but she just started to cry. She was so frustrated. Then she said, "I just want my legs. I just want my legs." It was one the hardest things to witness. She has been so strong and positive. This was really her first break down. I hate watching her go through this, but I know she has so many things going for her. She will be okay, but she definitely has a long, hard road ahead of her. It was so sad.

She is in much better spirits tonight! She had a visit from her friend Maddi and that always makes her happy. She went outside twice today and did really well with her physical therapy. She even asked for therapy today. Just now Jordan was touching on her legs and she felt it. She could feel really well on her right leg and could even tell he was touching her with his thumb. Her left leg is not quite as good. She can feel pressure, but can't localize. She really is doing so well. 

She is going to move to the University of Utah rehab on Monday. She is a little nervous to go, but I think it will be good for her to get started on rehab. 

Thanks again for all of the love, support, and prayers. We are so grateful to know that so many people are in Sam's corner! Everyone at the hospital knows who she is. When her friends came last night the security guard knew who she was and said to tell her he was thinking of her. She is definitely making a difference in so many people's lives. 

I can't believe how much my testimony has grown in 11 days. I am so thankful for the knowledge I have of my Savior. He truly loves us and is aware of our needs. I continue to be amazed at the miracles we witness everyday.

Shake it for Sam!

Shake it for Sam!

Date: Thursday September 6, 2012

Time: 7:30-8:30

Place: Juab High School 802 North 650 East Nephi

What: It's a benefit BLACK LIGHT ZUMBA party & all admissions/donations will be given to

the Sam Guillory family to go towards her medical expenses. This is an event for ANYONE

and EVERYONE to enjoy and for a GOOD CAUSE!!! Instructors Marci Rasch & Josalyn 

Blackett will be SHAKIN' IT UP, so come join the FUN! There will be some fun drawings too!

Good Days

Sam has had a couple of really good days. Her pain is finally under control and she is using a lot less pain medication. My mom said the last two days have been so good. She got a visit from the Spanish Fork softball team last night and it made her day! They brought her a blanket and the jersey she wore when playing for them this summer. I am happy they came to brighten her day!
They decided to wait over the weekend and transfer her to the U of U on Monday. We are excited to get her there, but it might be nice for her to have a couple days of rest before the really hard work starts! She is moving her arms really well and as more feeling in her thighs. She still has an amazing attitude and is just so positive.
I had to work so I haven't seen her in a few days. I am going down to spend the night with her and I am excited to see her. Just being around her strengthens me.
My mom wanted me to again thank everyone for their amazing generosity. She cries when I tell her who has donated money and every time she tells me about someone doing something kind for our family. We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful support system. Thanks again!