Happy New Year....

Yeah, OK, so it is technically 54 days after the new year started, but I am still within the accepted time parameters to wish everyone a happy new year... aren't I... I mean they give newlyweds something like 6 months to a year to get out simple 'Thank You' cards.



Anyway, moot point right now. Let me get to the business at hand. So the quick recap....



Cooper - Finalized January 30, 2008 in the Ocean County Courthouse... very happy day... pictures to follow. Still sleep issues but he does seem better. We have taken him to CHOP sleep center for an initial assessment; will try some behavioral changes as well as may try a sleep study... mmmmmm fun for me!!!! Otherwise, he continues to adapt well, loves his sisters, much m ore playing, trying to mimic a lot of words and sounds, etc, and running EVERYWHERE and getting into trouble.



Kira - absolutely stuck on volume and speed = 10 (11 for those Spinal Tap fans) from sun up to sun down. Always something funny and interesting to say. She is loving preschool, but still is only limited to a few half days. We discussed full days but as quick as she is to ramp up her energy level, she can also melt down as quickly when tired so not sure if she is ready for 6-7 hours of constant interaction like that. Otherwise, doing well; playing nicely (some of the time) with Olivia as well as Cooper.



Olivia - Continues to shoot up like a weed. Another school lover, and she is doing so well. Excellent marks across the board and always positive comments from her teachers. She loves to read and is going at about a 2-3 grade level right now. We just signed her up for her 3rd year of T-ball; we were hoping to go to coaches pitch this year, but the rules committee went against the request..... even with Coach Bob gravelly pleading his case like he was Tommy Lasorda or something. C'mon, those of you who know him, you have the picture in your head right now of Mr. Sattan "...{in your best gravelly, mumbling voice}... come on folks, I have worked with these kids and they are ready to move up.. I don't understand.... I have them all prepared.... etc, etc." Sorry, I digress.....



As for Susan and I.... status quo at home although I have moved on in the work realm. Well, sort of. As most of you know, I have worked with NovaCare Rehab (and it's previous incarnations) since 1994 in the SOCH centers. Well, this past year, SOCH made a business decision NOT to renew our contract after 13+ years of superb patient care. I don't fault them for making business decisions, but I do think they made a big mistake letting us go because there are MANY intangible components to our relationship built over the last 13 years, not the least of which was extreme patient satisfaction. Well, fear not campers, Old Scotty landed on his feet.. just a few hundred yards away as it turns out. That's right, Select Medical (NovaCare's parent company) purchased all the outpatient HealthSouth rehab clinics about 2 years ago, and it just so happens that we had one located right outside of the hospital parking lot. So off we went to start a new venture and moved into our new digs December 3, 2007. And I will say that positive relationships go a LONG way which allowed us to have 100% clinical staff retention with NovaCare and losing no one to the new company contracted at the hospital. Furthermore, we had over 50% of active patients from the hospital seek us out to continue their care, some driving as much as 15-20 minutes extra just to see us {LEGAL ALERT... we did NOT recruit these patients, they asked where we were going and they made their OWN choice to come}. Susan continues to come into her own in her new position of activities coordinator for Southern Regional. She had some big (pointy as far as I am concerned) shoes to fill. She is getting to the stress point with also being a junior class advisor in preparing for the junior prom and laying the groundwork for their senior trip and prom. But as always I am sure everything will be wonderful and the kids will have the best experience because of her hard work (and of course, me taking care of things behind the scenes so she can do everything :-).



Enough yet... say uncle???? If so, sorry because you will miss the pictures... If not, pictures to come.....

Unfortunately you have to wait a little more time until I can get an hour or two more to do this because (read above), most of my energy is zapped trying to keep up with the brood.....