Pool party!

Our friend Dylan turns 16 on Wednesday and his family had a pool party today. It was Aubree's 1st time in a pool and she enjoyed walking all around the pool!!

Prescott graduates preschool!!

Cubbies


Check in


Reading center


Snack/art table



Beta the fish!




His diploma

The program

Goodies for his friends



Prescott has really enjoyed attending the UNLV preschool Sea Turtle class. Friday, May 16th was his graduation day. He did a great job and even was a little upset to leave his friends and teacher.



Mrs. Rene-the best teacher ever!

Jim Culveyhouse Day!

Please read about my brother, Jim Culveyhouse!

Dear friends, please check out my website at: http://www.jimculveyhouse.com/ to see the national animated version (It’s neat) from the MDA-ALS National Headquarters honoring May 13, 2008 as Jim Culveyhouse Day for the country. Below is the press release:

MDA NATIONAL ALS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FEATURES SALEM , OREGON RESIDENT
TUCSON, Ariz., April 29, 2008 — The Muscular Dystrophy Association has included Jim Culveyhouse of Salem in its national campaign promoting awareness of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease), a devastating neuromuscular disease. May marks the 17th annual national ALS Awareness Month.

During May, Culveyhouse will be one of 31 people featured (one per day) in the MDA online series “ALS: Anyone’s Life Story.” The series highlights how people have learned to live with ALS, gaining new perspectives on life even as the disease progressively steals their ability to move, eat and breathe. These people are the real “heroes” in life; they have no cure or hope and yet keep working to help other people, knowing full well they don’t have much time left. Jim has raised over $275,000 in a grass roots efforts with no administrative help so 100% of his proceeds go to ALS research.

Culveyhouse, 54, learned he had ALS in February 2007, and according to his doctors probably had it for a year before that. His photo and a brief biographical profile will appear Tuesday, May 13, on his website:

http://www.jimculveyhouse.com/ and/or MDA - ALS Division Web site (http://www.als-mda.org/anyone/May_13.html) as May 13, 2008 has been designated: “Jim Culveyhouse Day” for the country.

Culveyhouse was a tournament golfer with a zero handicap, playing the game four to five times a week. Before ALS, he traveled frequently with his wife, ran the business management program at Chemeketa Community College , and worked as a business consultant.

Although he has retired from his college position, he still does consulting work via e-mail and phone, and plays golf once a week with the help of friends and a leg brace. “My new job is to continue to raise awareness and funding for ALS,” he said. “My goal is $2 million!” And knowing the determination of this community minded, driven individual we don’t doubt he will.

Average life expectancy of people with ALS is three to five years after diagnosis, Jim’s is a little shorter than that for the type he has. The disease attacks the nerve cells that control muscles, ultimately resulting in paralysis of all voluntary muscles, including those used for breathing and swallowing.

The “Anyone’s Life Story” series grew from the personal saga of fitness pioneer and entrepreneur Augie Nieto, who received a diagnosis of ALS at age 47 in 2005. A leader in the fitness equipment industry, Nieto underwent a dramatic shift in his life’s priorities after his diagnosis, from striving for business success to searching for personal significance and fulfillment. He and his wife, Lynne, are co-chairs of MDA - ALS Division, and the driving force behind MDA - Augie’s Quest research initiative.

MDA is the world leader in providing health care services for people with ALS, and in funding research that seeks treatments and a cure for the disease and some 40 other related diseases. The Association supports 225 hospital-affiliated MDA clinics across the country, of which 38 are designated MDA/ALS centers. The MDA clinics at Oregon Health & Science University and Shriners Hospital for Children serve residents with ALS, muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular diseases in the Salem , Oregon area.

Mother's Day

It was a nice day!! All of us slept in to 8am!!! We went to breakfast at Denny's and spent the whole day together. I wish I could have talked to my mom but I am thankful for the progress she has made. I hope she continues to improve.

Happy Birthday Aubree!

May 7th was Aubree's 1st Birthday!! It's almost like she knew it was her special day. She (and brother) were greeted with presents in the morning along with her banner above the garage. Aubree loved having her car seat turned around. We thought they both would enjoy the Rainforest Cafe for dinner and she LOVED the cake, especially the whipped cream frosting!!

Phoenix trip!

A pit stop between Vegas and Kingman!


Papa reading to Prescott instead of Nana...they
loved it!

A pit stop between Wickenburg and Wikieup!

It has been a busy month so far!! We started the month with all of us visiting Dad and Mom in Phoenix. Here is the latest update on Mom written by my dad:

After 6 Weeks of being fed through a stomach tube with a canned supplement, she has progressed from pureed food by mouth to the past ten days, regular food semi- ground up. Her weight after leaving the ICU unit at Barrows Institute was 76 pounds and as her strength slowly improves thru magnificent efforts daily by a physical therapist, her weight is now 88 lbs. She cannot walk on her own but with a walker and physical assistance by the therapist is gaining strength. The speech therapist has her talking and her long term memory is improving but her short term memory is improving very slowly; for example, I have been there every day, and she does not know my name yet, but I believe that she knows my face, as she smiles when I arrive. There was much damage to her brain from the fall, and I am grateful for any tiny bit of progress. I am most grateful for the huge volume of support by her friends most of whom I don't know, from her high school and college days and our mutual friends from our hometown. However, all prayers are gratefully received and may God Bless you for your support. The staff at the acute care center tell me that they see a miracle about every 6 months, and my Rita is the current one.