My Carmen

Almost 4 years later & She's Home!

After almost 4 years, Carmen is finally home! This would not  of ben possible without the help of many, many people who gave their time and talent in order to make this a reality for our family and especially Carmen! Carmen has been home 2 weeks now and she is adjusting well, she loves eating home cooked meals, sleeping without the interuptions of strange noices, and most of all being with the family. We would like to thank all of you who have contributed to this project within the last year.

 Making the final arrangements, this day would have been possible without the help of Jake and Jessica Schell.

Wainting for her arrival...

 Carmen sleeping in her bed the first night with nephew Moises!

 Carmen's new room! Diego and Maya are so excited...

 

Carmen's new Bentley

No, this is not an April Fool's joke... Carmen now has a new ride. She can get around much easier in this chair. She uses her right leg to maneuver from place to place. I think she gets a kick out of being in control of her wheelchair now.

Of course it was the sun...

Here are a couple of the things Carmen has written with her speech therapist. She's getting better at writing.

 

L O V E

  

See the 'Happy in Seattle' photo album for pics from Carmen's first couple days at UW.

Lots of Love!

On our way to visit Tia Carmen!

 

   Joaquin and Moises!

We walked in to see Carmen right in the middle of speech therapy, she was practicing communicating with her signs, thumbs up for yes, down for no, and she shrugs her shoulders for I don't know. After speech she had an hour of exercise class where she did some strength training with her arms and legs. We even did it with her and after a half hour we were tired!

 

 

 

Moises even participated!

After exercsie class, she had an hour of PT, than lots of Carmen's best friends came to visit! Cory and Wes, Rachel, Francis, Jessica, Lencho with Lucia and Alma, Jane and Ella! It was a fun afternoon hangin out with the gang and all the crazy kids running around.

Carmens biggest Fans!

 

Carmen with Jane and Ella!

Therapy schedule

This is Carmen's therapy schedule for the weekday:

Physical Therapy 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Speech Therapy 10 - 11 a.m.

Occupational Therapy 11 - 12 p.m.

Exercise Class 2 - 3 p.m.

 In PT today, Car stood with help using the parallel bars and she was sitting and balancing herself beginning with 5 seconds working up to 45 seconds. The therapists feel that Car will make lots of progress.

It's a new day!

Today marks the day of a new adventure in Carmen's life. She left LCCMV this morning and headed South to University of Washington's rehab center. Please keep her in your prayers as she's going to have some intense therapy in the upcoming weeks. We'll post pics and more info as we have it! Stay tuned!

GOD knows EVERYTHING...

My friend, Maria recently told me about an encounter she and her daughter, Carmen had with an angel.  This is just confirmation to me that God knows everything about us.  Maria was explaining to me how her attention was first drawn to this man and woman because they "took her handicap parking space." In other words, Maria almost, "got in a fight with an angel."

 

Psalm 139: 1-3. 1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  2 You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. 3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.

 

As I thought about these verses while Maria told me the story, I realized that God's Word is always so true.  God knew that Maria would be agitated by someone who appeared not to be handicapped parking in a handicap space.  He captured her attention so that the angel could minister to Carmen and Maria. 

 

This is such a great display of God's love for us.  He does whatever He needs for us to hear his message of love.  This is an incredible story of what each of us means to the heart of God! 

 

Another thing that comes to my heart as I listen to Maria's many stories over the course of this journey of hers is that God is using Maria as a messenger. Maria has these amazing encounters with God that she does not hesitate to share.  Sorry, Maria but God is using your "big mouth".  God knows that Maria will share the stories joyfully, which will allow Him to be glorified.  Keep boasting in the Lord!!!!

 

Thank you Maria for sharing, allowing God to use you in a way that brings hope to others, and shares the love of Jesus to all you come in contact with.  I love you, my sister. You are amazing!   

-Lisa Johnson

Thank you Lord!

We are so thankful this thanksgiving for everything we have, but on this day we are especially thankful for our sister Carmen who is still with us after surviving an automobile accident. We are thankful for our God who is so amazing to show his love to us by the miracle he performed for Carmen and all of us. He definitely gave us a wake up call to life, showing us life is not forever, we do not know when it is our turn and obviously it was not Car's turn. Were thankful for the constant reminder lord that you give us in taking our life for granted. We want to offer thanks to you lord, who provides us with an abudance of blessings, yet at times we don't recognize!

Thank you to all who continue to pray for Carmen's healing and restoration! Continue to pray for Carmen's ability to speak...and also pray for Mom and Dad who are leading the project on completing her room.

Visit with an Angel...

On Sunday November 9th, we attended our church as usual, during mass a man walked up to us and asked me if he could speak with Carmen. He knelt in front of her and said " I'm an angel" He told  her that he had a message to tell her, he told her " God loves you and he wants you to know you will live a long and healthy life". At that point I started to cry on Carmen's shoulder. He asked her to look in his eyes and Carmen wouldn't so I asked her to look at him, she did and he told her that " these are Gods eyes looking at you and these are God's tears and God loves you" Later after Mass he came over with a beautiful gold crucifix for her and he told her he wanted her to have it and wear it. I put in on her and he left.

 Later I asked Pedro if he heard all what he had said and Pedro said he didn't hear anything because he was talking to close Carmen. Veronica was right behind me and she wasn't able to hear either. He walked with a cane and he had difficulty walking. I could tell that he struggled to walk. Later I asked Flor and Lupe if they saw him talking with Carmen and I told them what he said. It was an amazing experience. Carmen is wearing the crucifix and won't let us take it off.

The Thursday before this happen Lupe had asked Carmen if she felt that she would ever talk and walk again and Carmen said (signed) NO!! Lupe asked all of us to affirm daily that she will walk and talk again. And to remeber how important it is for us to constantly encourage her. Then at mass Carmen's  Angel affirmed God's Love... with a message from  God....God is amazing and continues to bless our family.

We are so blessed and so Thankful for all our blessings... We have lots....
On Saturday 11/8  five men ( I call them angels) came and roofed our addition, Carmen's new room. On Wed 11/5  two men (angels) came and worked on all the plumbing for Carmen's bathroom her barrier free shower is in.  All donated!!!! We have volunteers coming to our house daily with time to work or donate something...like granite counter tops, siding,   and God continues to bless our family... It is truly amazing to feel all that love. We can't wait until Carmen goes to the University of Washington for physical therapy...and then to finally come home. Carmen can't wait either!

Maria A. Perales-Perez