Tim's blog

We returned home from holiday in the states yesterday, (Thur the 30th) and thought I would share a few pics and comments!  We had a chance to visit Kathy's sister, Pam, in person and to help Dave (Pam's husband) a bit in her therapy/recovery.  Here's a few pics to SHOW you how she's doing.

This was Pam's 55th birthday and Kathy is with her in room at Enloe Rehab Centre in Chico, CA.  Pam rests in her bed between therapy sessions, of which there are 5 or 6 per day!

This shows Pam learning to walk again.  Husband Dave is behind her with a wheel chair while two therapists are teaching Pam to go slowly and use a walker as her brain is relearning this basic skill.

Ragan is Pam's vision therapist (in the green top) and told us that Pam's eyes are showing marked improvement already, and that was after less than a week in this facility!  They are targeting 12th August as the date Pam will be going home to live, for the first time in 5 1/2 months!  She will be getting out patient therapy 3 times per week once she is released!

This picture was taken in Pam's room and is of Shirley Jager (Kathy & Pam's mother) Sarah and Kathy.  It was fun to have a birthday party for Pam while we were there.  Thanks so much for your continued prayer support for Pam, Dave and the rest of the family and friends.  God is doing amazing things . . .  AGAIN!

We have been in California for about 11 days now visiting with our kids and family, and attended an even bigger family reunion on Kathy's side, in Morgan Hill, California on the 17th!  The picture below is just those of us in Morgan Hill from our immediate family, but there were around 65 members of Kathy's extended family.

Now that we are accustomed to Dublin weather, 103F  temperature just about does us in!  We even were in temperatures as high as 109 in Chico, CA, when we paid a visit to Kathy's sister, Pam! Speaking of Pam, we were able to join her in a tea party at the rehab hospital she is currently in, and then later that evening, we watched her 'going home' to her house about 30 minutes away.  Her improvement is huge and she will be moving back home for good very soon.  She can speak clearly, though slower, but she still cannot walk unassisted yet - even with a walker.  That is coming, however, and we continue to pray for her full recovery.

We did just learn that Pam has little  memory of her childhood at this point and her short term memory is still a bit hit or miss.  So, a very long way to go, but there is so much to be thankful for.  Pray for her family, as many new adjustments will be needed upon her return home.  Below is a picture of Pam with Kathy at the tea party.  Pam wears an eye patch to correct her double vision.  Hopefully that will clear up as well.

We touched down at San Francisco International at 7:40 pm on Thursday the 8th, waited for Sarah's flight to land at 8:24 (she was on a different flight because she is not going back to Dublin with us due to her 3 week trip next month to Guatemala), rented a car and arrived at Mark & Aubrey's just before midnight!  The next morning we were excited to meet our newest grandson, Jack.  Here he is with Daddy Mark in their home in Sacramento!

We are on holiday (vacation) for 20 days or so here in California; we are going to have all four kids together, and their families, for the first time in four years!  We will be here in Sacramento until Monday and then head to Salinas to be with Kathy's family - which will be our rendezvous point for everyone else.  Andrew & Sarah landed in San Jose last night and are already in Salinas; Matt & Christies fly in on Tuesday night!  More picture to follow . . .  We are so thankful to be able to gather again to renew family ties, play with the 6 grandkids and be with our USA family; what a great blessing!

We miss our Irish friends and family and are so grateful for their unbelievagle love and support to us! We are beyond thankful to The Lord for His blessing and mercy to us.