The New 'NORMAL'

Things in the French household continue to progress in a positive way. While we have been looking for the new definition of 'normal' we have discovered that 'normal' can't really be defined. What is 'normal' for us right now will be completely different in a few months from now and different again in a year and even different yet again the year after. 'Normal' is an ever changing and evolving term for everyone, if it wasn't life would be the same day in and day out and pretty boring. So, the fact that our lives are anything but boring right now, we certainly are not normal, yet many of you have probably already knew that! This past week of our new 'normal' we are starting to see some huge benefits of hand clinic and physical therapy. Molly is becoming more and more independent each day. Some of the tasks that she required help with a mere week ago she no longer needs help or very little help with. she has even started to get a little bold and shows off from time to time with her rediscovered skills and abilities. Things like putting on and taking off of clothes, taking showers, cutting the cheese (actual cheese, not what you were thinking), typing on the computer by beginning to answer the close to 1,000 emails, writing some thank-you notes, and generally becoming more confident to try things on her own. The new wheelchair is working out well, especially since I took it apart and made some adjustments that now makes it easier for Molly to push, turn and maneuver it. Although the cat still doesn't seem to get that the wheelchair rolling over his tail is going to hurt as he just sits in front the wheelchair, almost daring her to move it towards him. Molly is a lot more kind about it than I am. When I am pushing her and the cat gets in the way, I just keep going, thus the reason his tail has gotten ran over. Daily we continue to fight with insurance (me not her), do exercises and hand therapy (her not me) and find new forms of therapy (me not her) like folding laundry, wheeling herself all around the house, etc. In addition to "home" therapy and getting back to a routine, we have quite a few visitors which is great. They all comment on how great Molly looks. One common comment is that Molly still looks like Molly. Some have expected to see her with a few extra pounds due to the 3K-5K calories she was getting in the hospital, however, all those calories were used by her body for healing of wounds, etc, thus not gaining any additional weight. We do continue to discuss and talk about what we are supposed to do with our experience and everything from writing a book, speaking engagements, a foundation, education and awareness, etc. has been talked about. At this point everything seems possible, yet nothing seems quite right as of yet. Any ideas that any of you may have are certainly welcomed. Feel free to email them to us at jameyandmolly@gmail.com. Lastly, continue to pray, not only for us but for yourselves and others as we continue to see and believe how truly lucky we are to have friends and family that support us, and know how much worse this whole experience could have been and continue to be as proof of the many people we came to meet while still in the hospital. Molly truly is a miracle as half with similar illnesses do not make it and most that do loose arms and legs and take 3-4 months to even make it to rehab and then another 3-4 months to get out of the hospital. So we are blessed to have overcome this and be as far along as we are this quickly. With that said, we still have a long road ahead of us, so prayer and positive thoughts are still needed and requested! SPECIFIC PRAYER NEEDS:

• Legs - continue to heal and gain strength and are actively wearing stump shrinkers. Within 2-4 weeks should be ready to be fitted for prosthetics.
• Hands - continue to show great progress, still a ways to go to return to 'normal' function.
• Job(Molly) - Molly has been moved to kindergarten for next year, with all the preparatory time needed, not sure at this point if fall is going to be possible or not. Puts Molly and the school in a quandary as to what to do. The school is not pushing us to make a decision and are being respectful of our needs, yet they also will need to know something about the fall sometime in the fairly near future.
• Job (Jamey) - As the bills and expenses are now starting to come in and we are getting a clearer view of how much we will owe/need, getting back to work is important. Being self employed has been a blessing as I have been able to take the time needed to care for Molly, however, no work = no income. Getting back to find clients, speaking gigs, and other opportunities is important.
• Insurance - The schools policy has limited number of therapy visits, so having enough visits to get Molly back to full function is important and that we do not run out before reaching that goal.
• Opportunity - Molly and I both know that we have a great opportunity to help others by sharing our experience, deciding how and when to do that is important to us.

God Bless you all and thank you!

Love,

Molly and Jamey