Sherman Update

Hi Everyone,

I have been waiting to write this because I have been waiting for info from the Urologist. Well, there is still no word from him (probally tomorrow) and new stuff has been happening. Sherman is getting stronger and more able to take care of himself. He is eating much better now that he doesn't have to have pureed food and can drink regular water.

Way back when we watched a demo of a computer that would talk for Sherman. Really wonderful. The speech therapist and someone else that evaluated him submitted their reports to the company to see if we could get the computer for Sherman. We finally heard today that the company doesn't even have a medicare number. We all know what that means and of course I don't have $12,000 in an old purse in my closet. Never fear we have not given up. The speech therapist at Red Oak is going to explore other avenues and try to get some help from somewhere else (another company that sells computer for people that cant speak). It looks like it may still be a while before he can talk. She wants to get an ENT evaluation. Hopefully we can get the kidney stone taken care of and the ENT eval all at the same time.

Other than the let down about the computer things are going good. I went the other morning to watch therapy and Sherman walked with the help of the therapist for quite a distance. They also play a game where he stands with his hand on the walker and the therapist will throw a balloon to him and he has to turn loose and hit it back. Not to worry, he is braced on his bad side. There was a time not to long ago when he could barely sit on the platform and throw a ball to Katie and now he has been able to sit for up to 30 minutes. He is making progress by leaps and bounds. Our short term goal is to get him to Shirley's for Thanksgiving. He has to learn to get in and out of the car. He says he can do it now.

Once I find out when he will go take care of the kidney stone I'll let you know. In the mean time please continue to pray for his strength as well as mine. He has agreed to let me have one day off "to sing". That means I can go to Church on Sunday morning and choir practice on Sunday afternoon. Then he grins.

Be Blessed,
Dolores

Now for the Real News!

With all the commotion about the hurricane, the real news got overshadowed...

And that is that there is a new little Capello on the block! Well, his last name isn't actually Capello, but Ronald Cooper (my brother, Diana Capello's son) just had a baby boy last Friday! ...you know, not him...his girlfriend.

Layne Michael was born Friday, September 12, 2008 at 1:26am!

He was 6 pounds 8.8 ounces and 20 inches long.

We Got the Power!

Hehe

Electricity came back on tonight. Not in time to save any of the food. But all is well!

Electricity Still Out

I'm at work this morning but the electricity at the house is still out. Longview School District is closed, but Alexandra's school is open. It's really nice weather here, only like 66F right now, so even without electricity, it's quite comfortable. Big contrast to what I heard from the family in South Louisiana last week with temps. in the 90s.

Anyway, it's actually been kinda fun. I guess fond memories of hurricanes during my childhood predispose me to a good hurricane attitude. When we came up to the office Saturday night, we told Alexandra we were going on "an adventure" and we have been doing a lot of things like reading, blowing bubbles and playing board games. Alexandra has been having fun holding the flashlights.

I'm grateful that it wasn't very bad. I never did finish my "emergency kit" before we lost power (and I lost the Internet & hadn't printed out everything I needed in it. haha). It's all still strewn on the dining room table. But I'll be ready for any type of emergency next time! ;-) I fear that the food in the standup freezer may be lost though we have not opened it the whole time. ;-/

Our Turn Now

Electricity has been out since Noon today. Lots of wind and some rain but not really too bad. A few limbs (biggest probably 6" diameter) down in the front yard but that's about all.

Coworkers called & invited us to meet them at my work (which has electricity) to watch the USC-Ohio State Game so we took showers & gave Alexandra a bath by candlelight, grabbed what we could out of the frig, and headed up. Once we got a few blocks from the house, most of the businesses on the "main drag" had electricity though my coworkers said that coming from their house, most everything was out.

So now we have that game going on one TV & the Fresno State-Wisconsin game going on one of the projector screens in the conference room. Like a big adult slumber party up here and Alexandra has her little friend Aiden (my coworkers' son) so they are having fun being up past their bedtimes. ;-)

Guess we'll see if the electricity is back on again when we go home.

Sweet! I just see that LSU beat North Texas 41-3! ;-) (You can see we're all fine. haha)

Love,
April

Sherman Update

Dear Folks,

The speech therapist called from Red Oak and told me that Sherman has passed his swallow test. That means he no longer has to drink thickened water, juice or coffee and his food will be chopped instead of pureed. This is wonderful news and I am so excited for him. Now maybe he will drink more and get rid of the bladder infection and eat more and gain weight. He is down to 138.

Thank you all for praying for both of us. I would never make it without all of you.

Thanks,
Dolores

Sherman Update

Hi Everyone,

Things looked really good today. Yesterday Sherman didn't feel to good but today he is 1,000% better - his words. I am also 1,000% better. I never realized how much I needed to get away. Sherman did fine while I was gone. His sister looked in on him daily and even took him some bread pudding.

I watched some of his therapy today and he walked quite a distance with the help of his therapist and a one handed walker. He was really proud of himself. I am so pleased with his progress. He has an appointment with a urologist on the 19th of this month to deal with the kidney stone. Right now everything else looks good. Please continue to pray that this will continue. He is doing more and more for himself and lets me know when I have done more than I should. He will have another "swallow test" either this Friday or Monday to see if he can start drinking regular water and not thickened water. I believe the water is the reason he is having the problems he is having. He is not drinking enough so things don't work right. We offer but it just doesn't go down right or something.

Thank everyone for your prayers for both of us. I don't even want to think where I would be or where he would be without them.

Be Blessed,
Dolores

Report from La

Dear All,

Jerry just talked to Harold Capello a while ago.

He reported that they are all fine. The roof of the house will have to be replaced, they have some shingles gone. They had several minor leaks in the house, the west fence is leaning and he lost a crape myrtle and propped up another one. He is running the generator now and they will probably be without electricity for almost 2 weeks.

Jerry also talked to Buddy and Wayne LeBlanc and they are fine, but will probably lose their big tree in the back, it is torn up badly. They have lots of debris around the house, but they are safe. Cheri’s house lost at least 5 trees and she said her yard is just torn completely up out there on the River Road.

The good news is that everyone is safe and well.

Tammy’s daughter Carla came home from hospital with the baby. She still has a slight temperature, but they are keeping a watch on it and glad to have her back home. The huge tree by Tammy’s house is okay.

We were very relieved to hear the news and hope others and their families are the same.

Love, Gail and Jerry Lee

Update on Family in Dutchtown

Just got the latest update from my mom, Diana, in Dutchtown (Geismar), LA. She said that the electricity was still out since about 11am but that they were running a few things like the frig/freezer, TV, & a few lights with the generator from their RV. The whole area is without electricity including Aunt Betty & Uncle Louis (& my in-laws) down the street and all the stores have been shut down since yesterday. They lost the fence on one side of the house. It blew against the side of the RV and Barry tried to move it, but that was during all the wind so he didn't have much luck. She said as far as they can see right now there isn't any damage to the RV. Everyone is fine that we know of.

Aunt Betty & Uncle Louis moved their new car to their daughter Heidi's house, but a pine tree in their yard came down on one or two of the vehicles still parked in their driveway. I am not sure where all their children stayed, but Aunt Betty & Uncle Louis stayed hunkered down at their house. I know their daughter Heather lives in a trailer so I am hoping they did not stay there.

That's all I have right now on any of the Capello Family down there.