The Rosie Sparkles Thread
Apr 3rd 2017, 1:48 pm
#31
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
Brought a huge smile to my face when I read that this morning. She's looking great.
Apr 3rd 2017, 2:07 pm
#32
Concierge
Joined: May 2006
Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
Posts: 27,214
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
Great news, and she looks so happy in those photos. 
Apr 3rd 2017, 4:54 pm
#33
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
She must be so happy to have the feeding tube out at last. Great update!
Apr 18th 2017, 12:57 pm
#34
Concierge
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Oakville, ON, CA
Posts: 8,320
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
Of pitstops and possibilities
It has been a mixed couple of weeks for Rosie at Bloorview. She has made tremendous progress in physio sessions, can now transfer from chair to bed with almost no help (and occasionally with no help at all), and has begun to build friendships among her fellow rehab patients. School continues to be both an excellent way to incorporate therapy into everyday living skills, and a great outlet for Rosie’s creativity – she has apparently produced some wonderful writing, though parents have not yet had reading privileges fully instated!
In other significant ways, though, it’s been a frustrating period. Rosie has continued to lose weight she can ill afford; consistently high calcium levels (which amongst other effects, can inhibit appetite and induce lethargy) have not been helping and do not seem to be correcting themselves naturally, as had been hoped. So on Tuesday 18 April Rosie is heading back to McMaster for a while, where the hypercalcemia can be treated more aggressively and the endocrinology team, who have been monitoring Rosie’s progress from afar, can be more immediately involved in trying to fix the issue. We don’t know at this stage how long she’ll be back at Mac, but we’ve effectively checked out of Bloorview until Rosie’s body chemistry is stable enough to make best use of the time she has there. We are assured that, when she is ready to return to full-time rehabilitation, she will have both the constitution and the energy to progress even more rapidly than she has done so far. The treatment plan will be worked out in the next few days; we do know that it will involve re-introducing a feeding tube, which Rosie is not happy about but understands why it’s necessary in the short term. And we are all looking forward to seeing some old friends at Mac – Rosie is far enough removed now from her time in the ICU that she is keen to go and say hi again, as a visitor this time!
Meanwhile, the interregnum coinciding with a long weekend has meant having Rosie at home for five nights in a row. That has been absolutely lovely, despite Rosie’s lack of energy and painfully small appetite. The boys have been very good about giving her privacy in her curtained-off bedroom space in the dining room when she asks for it; Rosie has been equally good about inviting the boys to join her in movies and video games (we moved a TV and the games machine into her temporary bedroom). And of course, with the improving weather, it has been wonderful for Rosie to be able to hang out with her neighbourhood friends in the fresh air.
Since the 2017 Formula 1 season is now well under way, we’ve decided that the (hopefully fairly short) stay back at McMaster is not a backwards step, nor even a sideways one, but more of a pitstop: an opportunity to sort out one or two niggling issues with body chemistry, take on some really good nutrition, and come back out onto the rehabilitation track stronger and more energetic than before.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...08&ref=m_notif
It has been a mixed couple of weeks for Rosie at Bloorview. She has made tremendous progress in physio sessions, can now transfer from chair to bed with almost no help (and occasionally with no help at all), and has begun to build friendships among her fellow rehab patients. School continues to be both an excellent way to incorporate therapy into everyday living skills, and a great outlet for Rosie’s creativity – she has apparently produced some wonderful writing, though parents have not yet had reading privileges fully instated!
In other significant ways, though, it’s been a frustrating period. Rosie has continued to lose weight she can ill afford; consistently high calcium levels (which amongst other effects, can inhibit appetite and induce lethargy) have not been helping and do not seem to be correcting themselves naturally, as had been hoped. So on Tuesday 18 April Rosie is heading back to McMaster for a while, where the hypercalcemia can be treated more aggressively and the endocrinology team, who have been monitoring Rosie’s progress from afar, can be more immediately involved in trying to fix the issue. We don’t know at this stage how long she’ll be back at Mac, but we’ve effectively checked out of Bloorview until Rosie’s body chemistry is stable enough to make best use of the time she has there. We are assured that, when she is ready to return to full-time rehabilitation, she will have both the constitution and the energy to progress even more rapidly than she has done so far. The treatment plan will be worked out in the next few days; we do know that it will involve re-introducing a feeding tube, which Rosie is not happy about but understands why it’s necessary in the short term. And we are all looking forward to seeing some old friends at Mac – Rosie is far enough removed now from her time in the ICU that she is keen to go and say hi again, as a visitor this time!
Meanwhile, the interregnum coinciding with a long weekend has meant having Rosie at home for five nights in a row. That has been absolutely lovely, despite Rosie’s lack of energy and painfully small appetite. The boys have been very good about giving her privacy in her curtained-off bedroom space in the dining room when she asks for it; Rosie has been equally good about inviting the boys to join her in movies and video games (we moved a TV and the games machine into her temporary bedroom). And of course, with the improving weather, it has been wonderful for Rosie to be able to hang out with her neighbourhood friends in the fresh air.
Since the 2017 Formula 1 season is now well under way, we’ve decided that the (hopefully fairly short) stay back at McMaster is not a backwards step, nor even a sideways one, but more of a pitstop: an opportunity to sort out one or two niggling issues with body chemistry, take on some really good nutrition, and come back out onto the rehabilitation track stronger and more energetic than before.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...08&ref=m_notif
Last edited by SchnookoLoly; Apr 18th 2017 at 1:58 pm. Reason: formatting
Apr 18th 2017, 1:47 pm
#35
:)
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 133
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
This young lady amazes me every step of the way. She has personality, courage and strength of character, a strong family unit and great medical care. Hang in there Rosie, I hope your pit stop won't be too long, keep that engine revving. 
P
P
Apr 18th 2017, 2:21 pm
#36
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,022
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
Although I have only met Doug...this family never ceases to amaze me. 
What a family!!! Doug's determination and resolve must spread throughout the whole family. Their glass is not just full...it's positively brimming over.
It's great to hear Rosie was able to stay home with her family for the long Easter weekend. Sorry to hear that she's back at McMasters...but as usual you are managing to turn it into a positive and she will be able to catch up with old friends.
Onwards and upward Rosie...onwards and upwards.
What a family!!! Doug's determination and resolve must spread throughout the whole family. Their glass is not just full...it's positively brimming over. It's great to hear Rosie was able to stay home with her family for the long Easter weekend. Sorry to hear that she's back at McMasters...but as usual you are managing to turn it into a positive and she will be able to catch up with old friends.
Onwards and upward Rosie...onwards and upwards.
Apr 19th 2017, 7:23 am
#37
Cup of tea, Father?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Underground, overground, wombling free
Posts: 6,895
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
It sounds like Rosie's made some great progress at Bloorview. Fingers crossed that the pitstop is short and gets her back on track quickly.
May 8th 2017, 12:49 pm
#38
Concierge
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Oakville, ON, CA
Posts: 8,320
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
Another Facebook update this morning!
Rosie Sparkles update, 7 May 2017
Today marks six months since Rosie’s accident. What a journey we have all been on: what enormous progress Rosie has made, and what a long way there is still to go! Once again we are overawed with the medical teams at both McMaster and at Bloorview (not forgetting the occasional foray into Sick Kids) who have managed the ups and downs, the backs and forths, of the last half a year with consummate professionalism, compassion and encouragement.
Exactly two weeks after being re-admitted to McMaster, Rosie was discharged back to Bloorview last Tuesday. Yet another session of packing up a hospital room, schlepping everything across town and unpacking in a different hospital. This time, though, the nurses at Bloorview managed to arrange things so that Rosie has her same room back again – the biggest difference is that the view out of the window is now much greener than it was just before Easter!
Everyone is happy to see Rosie back. Just before she left, the whole school took part in a “design your inspirational T-shirt” exercise, and we learned within minutes of arriving back that there was to be an assembly for everyone to show off their designs in a sort of fashion show. Rosie was able to join in (delaying lunch in favour of heading to the gym), which was a great opportunity for everyone at Bloorview School to say hello and welcome back. The teal hair was suitably admired, nobody paid the slightest attention to the feeding tube, and all was well with the world.
So far, it seems the treatment at Mac has achieved what it was supposed to. Endocrinology are pleased with calcium levels; other minerals remain more or less where they should be and can be managed mostly through diet (in fact, Rosie’s now being encouraged to drink plenty of milk and eat dairy foods to ensure that her calcium level doesn’t swing too far in the other direction…). The dieticians and gastrointestinal medicine specialists are happy with Rosie’s calorific intake, and the balance between eating normally and being tube-fed is ensuring she gets consistent nutrition even when she may not feel like eating too much. Importantly, the combination of better chemistry and better nutrition has meant that Rosie has much more energy and enthusiasm for all her various activities, and has already been working on new techniques in physiotherapy. Transitions and transfers, while not yet exactly second nature, are becoming more manageable for Rosie as she gains confidence in her wheelchair skills. And she dribbles a mean basketball, too.
At home for the weekend, Rosie was very enthusiastic about heading down to Oakville to watch the Oakville Children’s Choir’s end-of-season concert. Not only did both her brothers put in superb performances with A Few Good Men and AFGM In Training, but Rosie was able to head backstage after the concert and spend some time with the girls of the Intermediate Choir, who have been hugely supportive over the last six months and are looking forward to having Rosie back in their ranks when the new season starts up again in September – almost as much as Rosie is looking forward to joining in again!
The last six months have been full to overflowing with trauma, drama, and challenges for the whole family. While none of this will ever be easy, here’s hoping that the next six months will bring steady progress for everyone as we work to get Rosie home and learn to adjust to being all under the same roof once again! #therosiesparklesfund
Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/TheRosieSpa...41488489363107
Rosie Sparkles update, 7 May 2017
Today marks six months since Rosie’s accident. What a journey we have all been on: what enormous progress Rosie has made, and what a long way there is still to go! Once again we are overawed with the medical teams at both McMaster and at Bloorview (not forgetting the occasional foray into Sick Kids) who have managed the ups and downs, the backs and forths, of the last half a year with consummate professionalism, compassion and encouragement.
Exactly two weeks after being re-admitted to McMaster, Rosie was discharged back to Bloorview last Tuesday. Yet another session of packing up a hospital room, schlepping everything across town and unpacking in a different hospital. This time, though, the nurses at Bloorview managed to arrange things so that Rosie has her same room back again – the biggest difference is that the view out of the window is now much greener than it was just before Easter!
Everyone is happy to see Rosie back. Just before she left, the whole school took part in a “design your inspirational T-shirt” exercise, and we learned within minutes of arriving back that there was to be an assembly for everyone to show off their designs in a sort of fashion show. Rosie was able to join in (delaying lunch in favour of heading to the gym), which was a great opportunity for everyone at Bloorview School to say hello and welcome back. The teal hair was suitably admired, nobody paid the slightest attention to the feeding tube, and all was well with the world.
So far, it seems the treatment at Mac has achieved what it was supposed to. Endocrinology are pleased with calcium levels; other minerals remain more or less where they should be and can be managed mostly through diet (in fact, Rosie’s now being encouraged to drink plenty of milk and eat dairy foods to ensure that her calcium level doesn’t swing too far in the other direction…). The dieticians and gastrointestinal medicine specialists are happy with Rosie’s calorific intake, and the balance between eating normally and being tube-fed is ensuring she gets consistent nutrition even when she may not feel like eating too much. Importantly, the combination of better chemistry and better nutrition has meant that Rosie has much more energy and enthusiasm for all her various activities, and has already been working on new techniques in physiotherapy. Transitions and transfers, while not yet exactly second nature, are becoming more manageable for Rosie as she gains confidence in her wheelchair skills. And she dribbles a mean basketball, too.
At home for the weekend, Rosie was very enthusiastic about heading down to Oakville to watch the Oakville Children’s Choir’s end-of-season concert. Not only did both her brothers put in superb performances with A Few Good Men and AFGM In Training, but Rosie was able to head backstage after the concert and spend some time with the girls of the Intermediate Choir, who have been hugely supportive over the last six months and are looking forward to having Rosie back in their ranks when the new season starts up again in September – almost as much as Rosie is looking forward to joining in again!
The last six months have been full to overflowing with trauma, drama, and challenges for the whole family. While none of this will ever be easy, here’s hoping that the next six months will bring steady progress for everyone as we work to get Rosie home and learn to adjust to being all under the same roof once again! #therosiesparklesfund
Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/TheRosieSpa...41488489363107
May 8th 2017, 12:54 pm
#39
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,022
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
What a remarkable young lady. What a remarkable family.
May 8th 2017, 1:58 pm
#40
Concierge
Joined: May 2006
Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
Posts: 27,214
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
Fantastic update, and so pleased she is making good progress.
May 8th 2017, 2:08 pm
#41
Concierge
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,139
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
It's a joy to read of the resilience of the Sparkles family. Rosie and her family are putting so much heart, soul and effort into her rehabilitation. I hope there's a video when Rosie rejoins her friends in the choir! 
May 8th 2017, 7:03 pm
#42
Professional Cat herder
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: TORONTO- yay!!!
Posts: 5,707
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
all the cool kids have funky hair!
SO glad to hear the awesome news
SO glad to hear the awesome news
May 8th 2017, 7:09 pm
#43
Happy
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 2,942
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
remarkable for sure. Shes braver than I am sure I would be.
May 8th 2017, 7:27 pm
#44
:)
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 133
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
Strong, brave, persistent and funky hair. Great combination, keep it up Rosie and family
May 8th 2017, 11:58 pm
#45
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: The Rosie Sparkles Thread
Loved the basketball video this morning. Rosie is an awesome kid!