Day 493 | January 16, 2023

Good evening, Friends; today is January 16th, 2023, on our new and grateful life.

We have started the new year with a few changes; some are very exciting, and others not as much; I will begin with the positive changes.

Charlie is now back in our main bedroom; she goes upstairs in the evening and comes downstairs in the morning; this has been a significant step towards normalcy; she is now sleeping on our regular and comfortable bed.

Also, part of the reward of her effort to come upstairs is that she gets to snuggle with her babies and visit them in their rooms, which is just an incredible gift; a few weeks ago, we didn't know if that would ever be possible again.

Charlie continues to work with her PT and OT; She has a new doctor now; Dr. Jones from VCU is her physiatrist; we are very grateful that he is willing to take Charlie under his care; we have been in search of a physiatrist for months, UVA didn't have one available due to the complex maintenance care she requires; you may wonder why this is exciting, it is because now, Charlie has one Dr. That is now the facilitator between all the different disciplines responsible for her care, we are so grateful for that!

She will continue her PT and OT Therapy at UVA, but her primary doctor is now at VCU.

As you may remember, we lost our nanny, so Charlie and I decided to send Julien to school, and it is hard on Charlie because she has missed almost a year with him. Still, at the same time, he must socialize and develop; he will start next week for half a period.

I am keeping myself busy with work; the travel agency is bustling at the moment, and I have also been working on an exciting new project; I am hoping to reveal it soon; it has to do with writing and mental health; stay tuned.

There is a lot that is happening, but if I am being honest, the last few weeks have been challenging psychologically and physically; the lack of childcare is taking a toll on us, and there are many things that Charlie would like to be doing that she can't yet, like bending her knees. The cold weather is also brutal on our mental health, but no matter how hard life is right now, I can never forget what we have overcome, what Charlie has overcome; we have so much to be grateful for; I need to keep reminding myself of it daily.

The next few months will be hard, we know it; Charlie will likely require additional surgeries to release some of her scar’s contracture, which will require hospitalization and temporary loss of mobility; as much as we would like to be done with all the surgeries and medical needs, we now know that Charlie has a lifetime commitment to her burn care, not sure if there will ever be one last surgery. Still, I am grateful for our access to provide her with the best care possible.

One cute thing happening now is that Charlie comes upstairs and doesn’t have her chair; Bluey, our cat, is becoming best friends with Charlie, and she loves it!

That is what is happening with us, busy with life but grateful for many things.

Thank you for your continued support, thank you for your support of my book, and thank you for your prayers.

May God Bless You.

André