The Smart Vest

Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well. I just wanted to write a quick note to let everyone know that my new Smart Vest arrived. This was a pleasant surprise for Mom and Dad because when I was born we were told I wouldn't have a vest until I was at least 5 years old. This is one of those little things that lets us know medical advancements are always happening. The vest performs my percussion treatment all by itself so Mom and Dad can quit pounding on my chest, back, and sides to help clear my lungs. I can wear the vest during my medications I inhale with my nebulizer and I never have to be turned upside down like I did when Mom and Dad did the percussion.

The vest works by using High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation (HFCWO). HFCWO creates a gentle and rapid "SQUEEZE and RELEASE" action around the chest from 5 to 20 times per second. The SmartVest® delivers air pulses supplied to the body from the generator via the unique inflatable vest, with a unique single hose design, giving the patient more maneuverability during treatment. The action of rapidly compressing and releasing the chest creates air pulses, or air flows, within the airways that act like repetitive "mini-coughs". For those of you that want to read more you can go to http://www.electromed-usa.com/ to read more. Here are a couple pics of me doing my treatment with the new vest:

That's the only real news I have. I've been keeping busy playing in the house the last couple of weeks due to the extreme cold and all the snow we've been getting. I did get out a little so I could help Daddy shovel the snow.

It looks like it may warm up a little next week so maybe I can get my snowsuit on and play outside. Until then I'll have to stay inside and play with my favorite toys like my mop and broom. Take care everyone. Hugs and Kisses,

Luke William

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009

Hello everyone. I hope you are all doing well. Let's go back to last year and I'll tell you about the worst drive to Iowa we have experienced. The drive home to Iowa for Christmas was filled with snow and ice. We moved very slow and the drive took ten and a half hours. I may have been a little bit pissy by the time we arrived at Grandpa Bob & Grandma Kris' house. Uncle Scottie was there with my cousins Kaiden and Maeghan but I wanted to get right to bed without saying hi to anyone.

The next morning I was much more cheery and I ran around and played with Kaiden and Maeghan all morning. After my nap Daddy and I went out to Grandpa Bill and Grandma Ann's house while Mommy went to have cheesecake with Great-Grandma Dorothy. Grandpa Bill and Grandma Ann came over to Grandpa Bob and Grandma Kris' house for Christmas Eve dinner and we all played after dinner. Here's a pic of Grandma Ann and I doing a little fishing.

Before bed Kaiden and Maeghan helped me spread out some food for Santa's reindeer. I made the food at school the week before Christmas.

Christmas morning!!! We had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then we opened our stockings. Santa brought me a spongebob toothbrush!!

Next we headed downstairs to open all of our presents. I'm not an expert yet, but I'm learning how to open my own presents.

After Kaiden, Maeghan, and I opened all of our presents Daddy, Mommy, and I went to see Great-Grandma Dorothy.

Then it was time for Christmas number two out at Grandpa Bill and Grandma Ann's house with Uncle Jason. We also had Christmas dinner with everyone at Grandpa Bill and Grandma Ann's house.

On Friday we went to see Great-Grandpa & Great-Grandma Scott. We went inside to get caught up and Grandma got a bunch of tractors out for me to play with, only the green ones though, we don't play with red tractors. Then Grandpa got out the sleds so we could do a little sledding. The snow was a little too deep, but I had fun when Daddy pulled Mommy and I around the icy driveway. Here are a few pics from our visit.

Friday night I stayed home with Grandpa Bob and Grandma Kris while Daddy, Mommy, and Uncle Scottie went out for a few drinks. We just hung around the house Saturday until Mommy and Daddy left to go to Cedar Rapids for Kenley Ray Unruh's baptism. Her parents (Jessica and Jason) are my Godparents and now my parents are her Godparents.

Everyone gathered at Grandpa Bob and Grandma Kris' house to see us off Sunday morning. Here are a few pics of me saying my goodbyes. Then we headed back to Michigan. To make up for the crappy drive to Iowa, we had the best drive we have ever had on our way home. It was fast and I behaved most of the way.

January 7th was my appointment at The University of Michigan. I am happy to report that I am 34 and a half inches tall and I weighed in at 26 lbs and 7 oz. Everything went well and Dr. Arteta says I look great. Two big new things happened at the appointment. The first was a new medication called hypertonic saline. It is basically salt water for my lungs. I'm going to start using it in my nebulizer tomorrow night. The second piece of big news is that we have ordered a vest to aide in my chest percussion. I'll get pics of that up when it arrives. Mommy and Daddy are excited too because they won't have to pound on me anymore.

That's all for now, take care everyone.

Love,
Luke William