Just a quick note.....We had a family meeting on Monday with the Drs and therapists. It was a meeting to tell us about mom's progress and to talk about what the next step will be. She has sort of plateaued so they think that unless she makes progress she needs to come home...in other words this could be it for her progress. But we know she is in there somewhere and we just need her to work harder!!! It isn't that she isn't working that hard on purpose but she isn't making the connections...it is very frustrating for her and for us! But the bright side is that she will be home maybe next week! Maybe she will make more progress at home. Well that is it for now, we should know more tomorrow....hopefully.....you know how Drs are!!!

*I should tell you that mom still has no movement on her left side...she can transfer from bed to wheelchair pretty good but that is it!

You might wonder who these people are...They are the Jensen's. They are friends of Brian and I. Their little girl, Shelby, who is 7, had an aneurysm. On Tuesday she had brain surgery at the U. She had the same neurosurgeon as Mom!!! They thought she had a stroke because of her symptoms and they couldn't see it on the ct scans. It turned out to be an aneursym in the middle part of her brain and it was 4 times larger than they thought. She was at the U because Primary Children's had never seen anything like her case before....She is doing great now! Shelby, like mom, has a long road of therapy ahead of her. Please keep her in your prayers too! If any of us know how prayers can help it is us!!!

It is interesting how these things come about and how we are hearing more things about strokes than we have heard before....Like the commercials showing on TV.

I thought I would just put some of Jodi's birthday pics on for all of ya!!!! Jodi and Jade...aren't they cute! We are singing "Happy Birthday" to Jodi and her friend Emily has the Gong....we had such a good time! Brian and I took her and 8 of her friends to a restaurant called Bonsai. It is like a Benihana's but cheaper...Mom had talked about taking her and her friends to dinner so Brian and I decided to do it...We had a blast! It happened to be on the night of the sugar bowl so the place was empty...which was good cuz 8 teenagers can get kinda loud!

Bishop Simmons and his wife, Sue, came to visit mom today. Sue and mom are nursery leaders in the ward!

Jax giving Grandma Janie kisses....notice Jade making the kissy face too!!

Baby J giving kisses too...he LOVES to give grandma wet kisses!

The grandkids with Grandma Janie...

Jodi and Jade with Mom....

We had a good visit with mom today. We went up after church and Jodi, Jade, Jacob and John were there too. We took mom to the commons area where we can visit better.

So Jodi had mom almost laughing today....Jodi said that mom's hands looked dark, like she had a tan...and I said "Jodi, didn't you know that tanning is part of Mom's therapy!!" Jodi looked at mom and said "Really?" It was kinda a blonde moment!! Mom just looked at her and raised her eyebrow and winked at her!!!! It was soooo funny!!! We asked her if she missed all the noise...she held up her finger and thumb and gestured "a little bit". Jodi asked her what she wanted to eat first when she is able to have "real" food....I thought she would have said shrimp or steak but she wants a hamburger....Jodi asked her what her number one wish would be and she said to walk....so we are all praying for her to get her wish!!!

Well no pictures again...I keep forgetting to take my camera....maybe tomorrow after church!
We had a nice visit today with Mom. We got mom out of bed into her wheel chair, she did alot of the work herself, then we went to the commons area and she got to watch the kids play!!! I think that she would watch them all day long, I know she misses them! She was in good spirits, a little tired but that is too be expected when we go at dinnertime! When we were leaving Brian made her smile so big it was almost like the old mom!!! He had a cup full of water and bent over to kiss her goodbye and spilled a little water on her arm....she looked at him and he said "sorry it's my first day using a cup!!!" She smiled soooo big! It was nice to see!! Yesterday when Grandma and I went up there we were asking her about therapy and Grandma asked her about the machine that helps her stand...She said "What is that machine that helps you stand up called?" Mom looked up at her and without missing a beat said in her little whisper "The standing Machine!" I just busted up laughing and said "Duh! Grandma!" It was hilarious!!

These pictures were taken on Sunday...sorry again for the lack of updating...I like to update when I have pictures and you know, when I have time...so right now, in between the kids brushing their teeth and saying our prayers before bed, I have a little minute to update!!!

Well, the week has flown by! Mom had a lot of therapy this week which has worn her out. The Doctors were concerned about some "swelling' by her right eye and that her left eye was "bloodshot"...I guess John and Mom got quite the run around today while going to the eye appointment...I didn't talk to John, but grandpa said it was just a waste of time! It turned out to be nothing...I guess it is better to be safe than sorry!!!

If anyone is interested I know mom would be so happy to have visitors!!! She is at the University Rehab Unit....

Thanks to all those who have helped us during this time....even the littlest gestures help us get through this difficult time....

Here are some more pictures of mom at therapy...sorry it has taken so long to update the blog!!! She seems to be getting stronger every day! They thought they might have to put the feeding tube back in because she wasn't getting enough calories...but John and the nurse pointed out that she can get equal calories from drinking one carnation instant breakfast compared to two cans of the stuff they put in her feeding tube! So the dr's said no tube for now....John said that he thought mom was going to cry when they said they had to put it back in...I probably would have cried too!!! To help her hand stay straight and not "curl" up she has to wear a splint at night...the kids had fun trying it on!

We want to thank everyone again for their prayers and well wishes we love you all so much and we wouldn't have been able to stay sane and make it this far without all of you!!!!

Emagene and Johnnie came to see mom today. They work with mom at Western Foods...mom went to see both of them while they were in the hospital...they are good friends!!!

These are a few pictures of mom doing therapy...she is doing so much better...we are going to see significant improvements now!!!

Sorry about the dark picture...i don't know what happened! Mom made the move to the rehab unit smoothly. It is nice to see her in clothes!!! I asked her on Thursday if the therapy was easy or hare and she said it was easy!!! I hope she still thinks it is easy when she has been there for awile!! Today she talked to me without me asking a question first which is progress....it is still kinda hard to hear her. I was able to sit with her while she ate dinner. She did a good job, she getsdistracted so it takes her awhile to eat. She has to eat pureed food which I am sure doesn't taste the best but it is better than a tube down her nose!!! Hopefully this weekend we can get some pictures of her at therapy.....

Thanks for your continued prayers and thoughts....we love you all and hope to see you all soon!!!

Hello again! Mom was moved to the rehab unit at University Hospital...she apparently felt she was doing well enough that she pulled out her feeding tube during the night!!! Now that she is in the rehab unit we should see some significant improvement!!! We will continue to keep everyone updated!!!

For those who have expressed how they can help, we have set up an account at Zion's Bank under Janie Zmuda Donation account....we will use this to pay for hospital expenses...this is just an option and please do not feel obligated to use it....

Thank you all for everything that has been done so far....we would specifically like to thank all those who have brought dinners to the family!! Without mom there, it is nice to know that Jodi, Jade, Jacob and John will have delicious home cooked dinners!!!!

Sorry, no pictures this time....
If anyone has doubted the power of prayer and fasting this should be a testimony that it truly does work....
Just this afternoon I received word that mom will be able to stay at the rehab in the hospital!!!
The rehab nurse called me to ask some questions about mom's support system at home...I personally think she has a wonderful support system! Anyway I told her that someone can be with her 24 hrs a day and that I was a CNA for some time...she thinks mom will be able to stay in the rehab center for about 4 wks and then she will be able to come home!!! We have to learn how to transfer her and help her with her therapy when she comes home but I think between all of us we will be able to work it out!!!!
Thank you for willingness to fast and pray for mom, we truly are blessed to have such a wonderful family and caring friends....I know mom will be so touched by all of the support we have received!!!
Love you all, and I will get more pictures to post!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JODI!!!!

SWEET "18"......YOOHOO!!!

Due to the situation with medicaid and the "rehab" centers, we would like to ask those that are able, to participate in a special fast this fast sunday. We are fasting for Mom to make significant improvements so that she can stay in the facility that would give her the best chance of making a full recovery!!! We feel that staying at the hospital's rehab would give her that chance. She needs to be more alert and able to tolerate 3 hrs of therapy a day....we want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers and visits....we love you all!!!

Please pass this on to anyone who you think would be willing to participate....Love, the family

Mom kissing baby J. Ashton, John and Mom on New Year's Day, Mom and the kids New Year's Eve opening mom's Christmas presents.....

It has been a rough couple of days for us...John

and I went to look at "rehab" centers (nursing homes) for mom to go to when she is discharged from the hospital. The first one we looked at was AWFUL!!! It was dark and gloomy. The person that helped us was nice enough but it was not good at all! I was crying by the time we left!! They told us that medicaid no longer covers therapy...thanks to budget cuts by our governor...but that is another topic for another day...anyway, the rehab places have worked something out in order to still provide these services but she can only be seen for 1/2 hr a day....yes that is right, 1/2 hr a day!!! and that is not all...she can only be seen by one therapy a day, so one day physical therapy will see her and the next day occupational therapy will see her...I have no idea when speech therapy will be able to see her!!! Well we sent to another facility and it was WAY nicer but it was still hard to think that we have to send her to a place like that! So we told the case managers that we like that one and they started with the paper work...since mom is medicaid "pending" the facility won't take her!!! So we were told to look at other places. Let's just face it, I think we are going to have the same problem at the other places we look at and the places that do, are not that great!!! We still have time they say so that might be good! They said that the rehab at the hospital will evaluate mom again and if she is able to tolerate 3 hrs of therapy a day then she can stay there!!!!