steps

Journal entry by Julia Lundman

I always begin these entries wondering what to say. It is not that I have a lack of words, it is that there are so many. I sit here at my desk trying to figure out how to organize the chaos running around in my head, how to make sense of my own feelings of utter shattered-ness into some sort of cohesive statement that describes not only how Jamie is doing, but also how I am feeling. I had been thinking about what I might report yesterday when something lovely happened, making it quite easy to write. 

 
Jamie has several different kinds of therapies during the day from morning until evening. Twice a day he meets with the Physical Therapy team who work with him to get his brain and the right side of his body talking to one another again. Although he has some feeling in various spots along his right side, in many areas he does not. Despite this, his therapists get him up standing, work on strengthening his trunk by shifting weight from one leg to the other, balance his weight with one hand on a table so that he can stand unassisted – and, yesterday afternoon, take a couple of steps!
 
What an accomplishment! It’s almost a week since Jamie has been in the rehab facility, and he’s already taking steps! Jamie was not as excited about it as Jo and I were, because he cannot detect himself taking these steps. Yet the neurons between his brain and leg are indeed firing, otherwise he would not have been able to move the leg. As he improves, the feeling should increase in his leg, making it easier for him to connect the thought to the movement. Unfortunately, I was not there to witness the steps. I have decided this week to go back to work while Jo is here. My job at Disney Interactive allows for one month of paid family emergency medical leave. I want to be careful about when is best to take that time off, ensuring the most benefit to Jamie. After speaking with the case worker about when that would be, her recommendation was to take the time off during the eventual transition from rehabilitation to home, when our home health care schedule kicks off. 
 
Not being at the hospital with Jamie has been very painful for me during the day. All day long I miss him and feel that kind of “punched in the gut” sort of ache knowing that we are not together and that I am not there to help cheer him on. The only relief I have is by knowing that Jo, Jamie’s brother, has been able to stay for these past few weeks and be with Jamie during the day. I know that Jo is a deep comfort to Jamie and is there for him every step of the way. 
 
I’ve been discovering these past few weeks the importance of how healing a caretakers positive mind set can be for a traumatic injury patient of any kind. Each night I read Jamie the messages from this message board, which he REALLY looks forward to. In addition to that, I am reading to him the book, “A Stroke of Insight” by brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor, who suffered a massive stroke and fully recovered. In the book, she outlines the importance of surrounding the stroke patient with people who are there with positive energy. 
 
This morning, I happened across this from the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. 
 

“When you love someone, the most precious gift you can make to him or her is your true presence. That is why you have to practice in such a way that you are there. You are there one hundred percent and you look at him or her, and you say, ‘Darling, I am really here for you.’ That is the greatest gift that we can make to our most beloved one. 
But this is not only a statement. You know a mantra is not a statement. A mantra is something you utter out of reality—that means you have to be there one hundred percent in order for what you say to become a true mantra. So in order to be really there you need one minute or two of practice—you breathe in:
‘Breathing in, I am calm, breathing out, I smile. Breathing in, I am really here, breathing out, I’m really here.’ You do that a few times, and suddenly you are really there. It’s wonderful. You are not caught with your problems, you are not caught with your projects, you are not caught by the future, or by the past. You are really there, available, to the person you love.  Then when you are sure that you are truly there—body and mind together—you go in the direction of the person you love, and looking at him or her mindfully, knowing that that person is really there and you are there, you smile and you say, ‘Darling, I am here for you, I am really here for you.’ ” 

~Thich Nhat Hanh

 
Love,
Julia

33 thoughts on “steps”

  1. Jamie–Walking!!! That’s huge progress in such a short period of time. Don and I are cheering you on from a distance.

    Julie–I am in awe of the support you are providing to Jamie. The book you both are reading sounds wonderful. Love to you both,
    — Susan Lundman, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  2. Julia,
    Outwardly, you do have reassuring expression that for us awaiting the daily news about Jamie’s progression is so appreciated. Though I can only imagine inwardly, you are filled with worry – and understandably so.

    It’s really great to hear that Jamie anticipates your reading these comments to him, because it means we can be there for him alongside you, – kind of like a group hug from afar.

    As for you, Jamie, I wish you continued progress. You’re Doing Great my friend!
    — Tom Rubalcava, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  3. Jamie –
    Great news to hear that you are walking. We had a great table read on Battlesaurs and things are moving to Editorial. Scott Morse was kind enough to give me your cat fighter plane drawing when he won the cat and dog drawings at the White Elephant party. It is sitting on my cabinet next to the teeny pachyderm that Bobby made that you took a photo of for me. Sending you and Julia good thoughts and prayers.
    Mary Alice
    — Mary Alice Drumm, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  4. Dearest James,
    We watch the pages for every improvement and slice of news! We do hope we can see you soon! The many and varied, wonderful messages of support could only lift you, eh?
    Like Margie, we are indebted to Julia and Jo for their faithfulness and strength too! Love from us here in a hot Armidale (yes, hot!),
    Wendy
    — Wendy Baker, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  5. Dear Jamie, Julia & Jo,
    I have just come into this site again and realised that up until now I have completely overlooked the ‘Journal’ tab and have only now read all the entries since the first. What an epic story and what great reference material and inspiration to others to have Jamie’s recovery so well documented.

    You have mentioned the value of pictures Julia so I will busy myself with getting off some family photos today. Not sure whether they can be sent via this site or maybe I’ll just send to Jamie’s email address.
    It’s predicted to be a ‘scorcher’ here in Newcastle today – all over the country generally. Lots of bushfires burning particularly the ones in Tasmania just may have made the news in the States.

    Keith & Jessica send their best wishes love Marg
    — Margaret Thomas, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  6. Julia, you’re a fine, sensitive, loving person. No wonder Jamie loves you.
    Lots of love, Jana
    — Jana Canellos, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  7. Great to hear about the steps! Joke of the day (which now being a Jewish Husband myself I have even more “cred” telling this one:
    A Jewish boy comes home one day and tells his mother he’s really excited, he’s just landed a role in the upcoming school play. His mother asks what part he’ll be playing, “The part of a Jewish Husband!” he proudly answers. “You go back to that teacher and tell her you want a speaking part!”
    — Jonathan Rosenthal, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  8. Hi Jamie! I knew you’re going to come back strong! Why do you think being a friend of “The Mighty STEve” would do for you?? You’re going to get MIGHTY yourself! Having someone like Julia is fantastic! No one should be alone, but with people like you, you’ll never be alone! Please let us know when we can come on by and give you the business! We all miss you my friend. Stay strong and MIGHTY!
    MIGHTY Steve.
    — Steve Lee January 11, 2013

    Reply
  9. Cheers James, Julia & Jo
    Like Julia I usually have a head full of things and emotions when I come to put my two cents’ worth in here, but have difficulty selecting. Like Marg and Wendy and so many others, I’m full of admiration for the steadfastness of Julia, Jo, and Jamie himself – for the progress he’s fighting to achieve and for you other two’s engaged way of reporting it to us. Like all those other good mates, such as Tony Stacchi whom I mention exempli gratia among so many because I’ve met him a fair few times in Jamie’s company, I want to keep coming back to this site to put more of my good cheer and encouragement into the mix. What to say?!

    Then the penny dropped. It was time for me, as a published (and “award winning”, as the copy-writers say) limericist in Australia and New Zealand, to invoke Wuncewozza, the Muse of Limerick Poetry:

    There’s my son (a cartoonist named James; Good at comics, and movies, and games); In a hospital bed
    Since things popped in his head,
    Swathed in love from a queen among dames! Keep forging ahead, gang.
    Love,
    Dad
    — Rob Baker, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  10. Dear Jamie and Julia,
    I just read your post, Julia, and was SO happy to hear that you took steps yesterday, Jamie! That’s incredible, fantastic news, and I hope you are feeling some joy about that, because it’s huge.
    Julia, I loved your quote from Thich Naht Hahn (coincidentally I’m reading a book by him now- The Energy of Prayer). Thank you for sharing, since even though I’m reading the book i have miles (thousands and thousands ..) to go before remembering to be present even part-time!

    Steve and I committed to a ‘daily drawing’ practice where we post a piece a day. I know you’re most likely just resting and then working hard, but if you get bored and want to be amused, mine’s at and Steve’s is and-matteo-screaming-match.html . If you just have 49 seconds the link i sent of Steve’s goes to a funny video of Zadie and her friend screaming at each other, which always makes me laugh. His daily stuff is in the Jan 2013 section after closing the video window.

    Sending huge love and strength to you both. And on Thich Naht Hanh’s suggestion, please take care and breath and feel calm and smile when you feel able.
    Larissa xoxox
    — Larissa Martin, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  11. Good one Rob, though possibly not quite up to the class of Jamie’s limerick speech at Wendy and your wedding reception!
    Marg
    — Margaret Thomas, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  12. I’ve been out with a piece of chalk this weekend writing “Equals 16” after that 4×4 thing that drivers seem to insist having on the spare wheel cover.Next week…sticking little wobbly eyes on the “Koalas next 5km” signs. The koala silhouettes are just screaming for it.
    More later, keep up the good work!
    — Deane Taylor, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  13. Well done Jamie. Great to hear you have taken some steps. Keep moving forward mate! Love to you, Julie, and Jo.
    — Philip Dale, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  14. Hey James ……… I thought I should give you an update on what’s happening in Australia. The Kookaburra’s are going nuts…at least around our place they are. I think it’s, kick the kids out of the nest time. They’re having conversations at three in the morning …..it’s pitch black for Christ sakes …………what decent bird has a half hour chat at that time of night. I was in the back yard a couple of days ago when one swooped down and attacked a small rock and successfully beat it to death with it’s beak. It didn’t eat it though, which lends a little weight to
    my Kookaburra adolescent theory , actually it looked a bit miffed like, it was the rocks fault… he had the technique going for him though, I’m pretty sure he’ll work it out. Let’s see, other stuff happened too……………..Tasmania burnt down, that was kind of spectacular. Without loss of life I might add, mind you a bunch of people (tourists), left without telling anybody where they’d gone so you can be sure there were some pretty angry phone calls. Oh and Felix dyed her hair blue, and that’s about it for what’s happened in Aus.
    Julia writes that you’ve got a couple of steps under your belt… I’m impressed, by June you should be right to pop down here and therapeutically help me paint the house. Julia it goes without saying you’re invited too. It’ll probably be too cold to swim, so we can really concentrate on the therapy part……foods included.
    Love you dearly …..keep walking
    Chris
    — Chris Hauge, January 11, 2013

    Reply
  15. Hey Jamie & Julia
    Just wanted to say hi and let you know we’re thinking about you guys Lisa and I have been following your updates avidly
    its lovely stuff Julia ;-) very much appreciated
    Splendid to hear you’re making such progress and so soon Jamie !! beginning to walk already ?! Jees!
    you’re making us feel all lazy & daily achievement free and AMC huh.. dont get all super film buffy on us
    I hope you’re watching the cartoons too ;-)
    Hang in there, keep silly and all that good inspirational stuff I didn’t have a good joke for you so I went to google apparently this is officially the best joke in the world:
    Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator says “Calm down. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence, then a gun shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says “OK, now what?”
    Spike Milligan/The Goons I think… I’m sure it was funnier on the radio but another site did yield these gems !:
    ”I went to a zoo the other day, there was just one dog in it, it was a shitzu.”
    ”I said to the Gym instructor “Can you teach me to do the splits?” He said, ”How flexible are you?” I said, ”I can’t make Tuesdays”
    Two aerials meet on a roof – fall in love – get married. The ceremony was rubbish – but the reception was brilliant.
    “I said Doc, I can’t stop singing ‘Green Green Grass of Home’.” ‘That sounds like Tom Jones syndrome’ he said
    ‘Is it common?’ I asked.
    ‘It’s not unusual’
    and Julia posting videos got me thinking here is the best Python sketch ever ;-)
    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=seIdHOrUNSs
    and Yes Bowie is a national treasure..
    ‘Life on Mars’ is my favourite song in the world ever !
    the little extra piano bit at the end always gives me goosebumps…
    plus ‘Space Oddity’ is intrinsically linked with a whole generation of little 70’s boys growing fascinated with Sci- Fi & NASA ;-)
    All the very best as ever ;-) Cheers
    Simon & Lisa
    — Simon Dunsdon, January 12, 2013

    Reply
  16. Attaboy, Jamie!
    Keep taking those steps, my friend. We’re all rooting for ya!
    Love,
    Tony, Adrienne, and Scarlett
    — Tony Preciado, January 12, 2013

    Reply
  17. Jamie –
    So glad to hear you have taken those first steps! That’s terriffic! Whenever you are working on your exercises, keep focused on the exercise they are teaching you, even if it seems small, it all adds up. Keep it up, keep focused & keep working. It’s all about re-building, reconnecting and building detours for those neural pathways in your brain to get things to reconnect. Lucky for you you’re a smart devil (so you have lots of those pathways to build on – lol).

    I’ve been reading that you’ve been having trouble sleeping, but when do you get your downtime it is super important to try to sleep as much as you can (sleep is when the brain starts building in all the skills you worked on when you were awake and exercising).

    We think about you every day, stay strong big guy!
    — Deana Igelsrud, January 12, 2013

    Reply
  18. Excellent news, Jamie stepping out! Soon you’ll be back with all the moves we can never forget ( no matter how hard we try ).
    Lets break down a couple of my personal favorites shall we? – There is your patented karate Elvis dance moves (you know the chubby white leather/rhinestone Elvis when he was “fighting drugs” for Nixon and the FBI).
    Then there is the iconic super hero party crouch-ripper split that you flow into so elegantly and can’t get out of.
    And then, for me, there is the classic… the greatest piss-your-pants-can’t-breath-tears-snot-spurt funny Baker in motion moment for the ages… the night we played basketball in the dank, dark, smells-like-burnt-squid Chinatown YMCA. You spaz-dribbling down the lane and walrusing up for a layout is permanently burned into my mind as the final silhouette on the evolution of man chart – homo gomeropolous – when man transcended the physical world and became a pure object of funny-as-shit.
    You always like to point out you won that game… maybe, I was laughing and crying so hard I can’t remember. BUT I do remember that this was the moment I thought… God I love this *ucker.
    Hang in there pal. We love you and are with you and as soon as you want us we will come by and laugh at/with you some more.
    Julia and Jo it’s been a little time now. You just have to ask if there is anything we can do. Lotsa love from Gale and Sabatino.
    — Tony Stacchi, January 13, 2013

    Reply
  19. Hi Jamie & Julia & everyone –
    Julia mentioned ‘My Stroke of Insight’ by Jill Boalte Taylor, a neurologist & brain specialist who suffered a stroke and wrote about her recovery from the most experientially& scientifically informed perspective possible. I read this a few years ago and was hugely affected by it – even more so now of course – so thought I’d post this link to Julia Boalte Taylor’s Ted lecture –
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU
    This is just a snapshot of the book, hope you’ll check the book out too.
    Love and good thoughts going out to Jamie & Julia their extended family here,

    Scott
    — Scott Tolmie, January 13, 2013

    Reply
  20. HI there Jamie,
    Well, this has been an incredible shock to hear of your ordeal. literally nearly passed out when I read the text from Joy. I sat down, and the very first thoughts and feeling that came flooding into me were, very strongly, that your mum was with you.

    I’ve taken a little bit of time to gather myself and my thoughts, but straight away I started praying for you and I have 100% positive belief in your recovery from this. I believe this James, deeply. I don’t know why we have such things happen to us at times in our life, but I want you to know that I’m there for you in spirit and in thought. 100% of the way.
    Years ago I found you on the net and contacted you. Remember?…I wasn’t sure if you’d remember me or not, and your reply was something along the lines of “I remember you, you hate me.”

    I can’t tell you how that made me feel. Mainly and most importantly because I have never felt like that towards you ever, and I’m pretty sure that I’ve never said anything like this to you. I have no idea where you would have got that idea from, and to read that made me incredibly sad, especially as I was so happy to have found you again through the internet. So I never replied, because I didn’t want to buy into whatever it was that I had brought up in you.

    Anyway, even so, that sadness has stayed with me, but I still tried to make a little contact here and there, just to say I’m here, and thinking of you, and then be satisified with asking people how you were and looking on the net at some of your stuff. Somehow connecting vicariously. When Joy texted me about your stroke, all this came rushing up to the surface, and so I took some time to look at and deal with all the thoughts and feelings.
    I’ve told you I have a very good friend in Uralla, and I go up there quite a bit, and honestly, every time we head into Armidale I can’t stop thinking of you. I have an old school friend who came from Walcha as well, so it’s a real sentimental time when I’m up there. I think I’ve driven up and back all the different ways one can. Haven’t flown yet though.
    Anyway, I don’t know what it is/was that I said or did that ever made you think I ‘hated’ you, but it seems like as good a time as any to set the record straight, at least from my point of view.

    James, I like you. I always have. I think you’re an incredibly sensitive and creative man. Very funny. Very funny too. I’ve always had nothing but the greatest of admiration for you.
    One of the best times for me was in Taiwan when you and I were re-doing a part of a story board and we were just firing off each other with gags and drawing them into the show. I don’t know if you remember that or not. I can’t even remember the show, but just that time of sitting there cracking up as each other’s idea’s grew on the others and got sillier and sillier. It was one of those, “thanks, I needed that.” moments.

    Another time, was when you were back here in Sydney and we’d met at a cafe somewhere behind the Natural History Museum in town, and I had just been for a job interview at a magazine near by. I think you wanted to see my stuff, and I may or may not have shown you, because already by then you had streaked light years ahead of me to be the most incredible artist you are today, and sadly, my drawing ability halted, and I’ve never grown as cleverly or insightfully as you have, so you can understand I was extremely embarrassed to be showing you anything of mine. Basically, I just thought I wasn’t up to your level of talent.

    Once at Hanna’s I remember the boys, (Chris and Simon, naturally enough) talking about something or other, and you describing your legs in shorts as being so white, they were like ” fly-spotted neon tubes”…cracked me up so much. You have a wonderful way to express yourself. You used to complain about all the girls coming into the room when we were all doing “Bunjee Venture”, to see Chris. ” A Greek God Convention” I believe you called it :-) If I would send you some of the old drawings if I could.
    Well my friend, and you are my friend. Enough of the serious stuff. Julia sounds just so wonderful. How blessed you are to have such a caring and loving person in your life. i’m so glad your brother is there too.

    Rehab sounds tough though, but I know you can do it. You can do anything you set your mind to do. Just look back over your life at all the things you’ve accomplished. This is just one more, and I believe in you.

    Oh, by the way. All that sarcasm that we all used to sprout as our way of humour in the old days? I ditched that long ago. That wasn’t me. That was me trying to fit in with all you cool guys. That came solely from fear. Much more scary, but infintely more satisfying, is being real. i may not be as funny, but hey…

    Oh, by the way, remember Sadie? The receptionist? I found out last year that she and her family are old family friends of my cousins. So I have met up again with Sadie a few times.
    Hanna’s no longer exists. Last year they finally pulled the building down and rebuilt and new ‘you beaut’ kind of building. Funnily enough, Sadie still works in Atchison Sttreet, so we met for lunch up Willoughby Road at the Stoned Crow, which has also had a makeover and is very cool and modern.
    Well, I guess that’s all from me, Love you lots James, Keep working hard and keep those neurons firing on all fours. it’s all coming together whether you can feel it yet or not.Janine xoxoxooo
    — Janine Dawson, January 13, 2013

    Reply
  21. Dear Gang
    “The moving pinkie having stopped moved on”!! What soul-stirring news; keep it up. For some mad reason, I’m reminded of one of Kenny Everett’s loony characters from a fair few moons ago: Doctor Gitfinger.
    Love, Dad
    — Rob Baker, January 14, 2013

    Reply
  22. With the help of Tenzing (Julia), and Norgay (Jo), Edmund (James) turns his attention to the summit. Stay strong and focussed Jim!
    — John Dillon, January 14, 2013

    Reply
  23. Jamie,
    It’s great to read about your progress. Every day I go into our office and see your empty desk is a daily reminder of how much your missed over here at work, and by me. As a purely selfish reason, when your here at work, there is much more traffic here in our office. Barely anybody pops by for a chat(John Hoffman still does, god bless him) Anyway its comforting to read these posts and be assured that you are surrounded by a blanket of love from friends from ALL around the world.(literally) Cant wait to see you when your up for it and bitch about movies.love Rej
    — Rej Bourdages, January 14, 2013

    Reply
  24. Morning James,Keep going, pal. Some days are better than others but you’re always going in the right direction. Sending lots of positive thoughts and love to you. The brain is plastic and has recovered from so many things, it’s just a matter of believing. Whatever you believe, you can achieve.

    Julia, I haven’t met you, but I just wanted to send you lots of healing love and thoughts as well. You are doing such a fantastic job, and at times it must be fantastically hard, painful and bone-numbingly, emotionally exhausting for you, but your strength of spirit and oceans of love are keeping you in there, keeping you going, and without you, not only for James, but for all of us, we wouldn’t have this link and this opportunity to connect with James and let him know how we love him and are there for him, so THANK YOU, Jullia. Thank you. thank you.

    I hope James gets the sleep he needs and that you do too. I hope Julia you have people there for you too so you can collapse, release and recharge.
    Love and laughs and big hugs to you both,Each day everything gets a little bit betterJanine
    — Janine Dawson, January 14, 2013

    Reply
  25. Hey James….”Do you want to go to Gung Guan?”
    A big howdy Jamie!!Philip and Lisa in here jollye olde. We’ve been following your progress here and communicating with your most lovely and devoted Julia via email as well.Pretty amazing progress so far!! A blessed relief as antidote to the shock.Looking forward to more missives regarding your therapy, advances, battles and victories, snarky sarcasm and delicate witticisms.Listened to Ziggy Stardust in your honour…..a favourite perfect album.Have sent you a wee prezzy which should be there mighty soon.It is a drag to be too far away to actually help you out practically.For now you’ll just have to suffer through these yadda yaddas.

    You are in our thoughts all the time and we hope and pray for the best and fastest phoenix impression you can muster.Go Jamie!!
    Big hugs and kisses from London.Phil
    — Philip Vallentin, January 14, 2013

    Reply
  26. So glad that Scott Tolmie posted Jill Bolte Taylor’s TED Talk (the most watched of all TED Talks) As a brain scientist and stroke survivor she is an inspiration to many. It took her 8 years of recovery work and you would never know she ever had a stroke. I heard her speak in Santa Barbara when Julia’s cousin Ashley was still in Acute Rehab recovering from a C4-5 spinal cord injury. I highly recommend her book, “A Stroke of
    Insight.” Jill talks a lot about energy and neuroplasticity and the ability of the brain to create new pathways to recovery, to re-wire itself, overthrowing the old notion that the human brain is static and unchanging. Scientists have learned that the adult brain is more dynamic than we ever imagined! There is always potential for recovery, but it can be slow and take a long time. So hang in there Jamie.
    Never give up Hope!
    — Deborah Schutz, January 14, 2013

    Reply
  27. My Bro’s on the ropes in San Fran.
    But there’ll be no 10 count; NO WAY MAN! With the J’s on the job, and soon there’ll be Rob. Can we expect him back? YES WE CAN!
    — Family Baker, January 14, 2013

    Reply
  28. Hello Jamie, Julia and Jo,
    Julia, thank you so much for your update. Jamie, I’m SO happy to hear you are getting feeling back in your right side- that’s huge! We’re thinking about you, rooting for you, and sending huge love and positive thoughts your way.
    One step at a time. Love,
    Larissa xox
    — Larissa Martin, January 15, 2013

    Reply
  29. Good on you Jamie. It doesn’t surprise me very much that you are getting ahead of medical expectations in your recovery. It’s very uplifting to get the good news stories of your improvements – congratulations on your determination and hard work
    love (Aunty) Marg and all of us
    — Margaret Thomas, January 15, 2013

    Reply
  30. Jamie and Julia:
    Best wishes for a speedy recovery to you, Jamie! As you know by now, this is something Benton went through as well, so I’ve witnessed a lot of the challenges both you and Julia will likely be facing in the coming months–and I know it will not be an easy road. I hope it gives you some level of comfort to know that there are many of us here in your corner wildly cheering you on.

    One thing I learned from Benton’s experience is that a good attitude can take you a long way. Keep a sense of humor about things, work hard, appreciate even the little victories, and don’t give up. These are things I know that you can already do in spades, so I am confident that you will get through this with flying colors.
    Kick some ass you guys,
    Anson
    — Anson Jew, January 12, 2013

    Reply
  31. Jamie you have so many good friends. Wow. I am impressed that so many folks are pulling for you. Nice to see that you have included many people in your life and they have good supportive stories to remind you of all those good times.

    Keep up your hard work. I know it may be frustrating at times–just do baby steps one day at a time. Smile and try to get some good shut-eye when you can–pay no attention to that ornery clock or timepiece. And I hope you are getting some terrific meals.
    Cheers, Lou Toft [Dave’s mom]
    — Lou Toft, January 14, 2013

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Mary Alice Drumm Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.