Our apologies for not keeping everyone up to date on what has been going on. A lot of things have happened and only a few excuses for not keeping up. First... good news! The bill passed! Yes, it doesn't happen often but we were able to get the bill passed on the first try. Now, it doesn't look the same way it did when we started. It is a watered down version of it, but it is something and it shows we mean business. It took a lot of miles, a lot of great conversations, anger, emails, lots of texts, and dedication ... but we have something that makes us proud. I am not going to fill up space to thank everyone by name, but you all know who you are and what you did to make this happen and we want to thank you.
We were able to go on our first vacation together since Tess' stroke. We took a road trip to see family in Colorado and Nevada. We spent time in amazement staring at the beauty of this wonderful country. Sometimes you forget this when you spend so much time in doctors offices and rehab centers.
Tess received a device that helps her walk. The Bioness L300 is an amazing device that helps her complete the process of making a full step. It has allowed her to move faster and further. She still wears down, but she is able to get out and do more. This situation though is a reminder of why we fight for stroke survivor's rights. This device has been around the medical community for over 10 years but it is still considered an "experimental device." This allows the insurance companies to deny assistance with the purchase. We won't go into the price of this device, but we will say that we actually had to have a discussion on if we could afford to help Tess walk better. Seriously.
Tess is on her last week of therapy. We knew this day would come, but it is still a tough pill to swallow. We consider ourselves extremely lucky to have been covered for this long. She does have a back-up plan though. She has joined a gym that has a personal trainer. She goes a couple times a week and she is building strength and balance. Now .... Aaron on the other hand. Well ... it wouldn't hurt for him to hit the gym a little bit more!
Volunteering is really starting to pick up. Tess is helping out at the hospital still. She bounces around and helps out as many people as she can. We are trying to help more with the support group by expanding to areas in Siouxland that can't make it to Sioux City. This process will take time, but the watching your plans come together is one of the best parts. We are also heading out to Washington D.C. this weekend to take part in the 2017 You're the Cure on the Hill event with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. We have been chosen to represent the state of Iowa at the nation's capitol. We are honored ... and a little nervous. We will be listening to speakers, networking with other representatives from other states, and having our voices heard by our elected officials.
Strike Out Stroke was great this year! Once again we had another beautiful night out at the ball field. We were able to stress the importance of knowing the signs of a stroke and what to do if we are with someone showing the signs. The Mega Brain was a hit! I mean .. .who doesn't like walking inside a giant, inflatable brain!
So, that is a summary of some of the crazy things that have been going on since the last update. Make sure to check back Sunday through Tuesday of next week on Facebook, Twitter, or this blog as we try our best to bring you along for the ride as we remind the nation why you .... DON'T MESS WITH TESS!