The Week in Review

Mike and Verinica at the airport

Hello all! Sorry about my lack of posting. We still do not have internet at our apartment and with Veronica it is a bit difficult to sit at an internet point to write. However, my computer is now up and running so I will write and put pictures then just upload it at the internet point.

Milan

On wednesday Mike, Veronica, and I played the amazing race Milan. We caught the 9:30 train with no problems that got us into Milan at 12:29pm.

The day before I had found out that Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" was in Milan. The only way to see it is by booking an appointment a month or so in advance. Mike was able to find two last minute tickets to see it on Wednesday at 1:00 pm. Once the train got in to Milan we jumped on the Metro got off at the right spot and then walked to the church. We got there at 1:05ish. Luckily our group had not yet gone through the first set of doors so we managed to make it. It really was spectacular. Veronica only let out 2 screams during our 15 minutes.

Once we finished with "The Last Supper" we walked back to the place where we were meeting Veronicas doctor. On the way she got hungry so I fed her sitting on a stone bench in the middle of an intersection/roundabout in Milan. No one looked twice at me! I love Italy!!!

The doctor - was great. He was very professional and spent alot of time with us. He examined Veronics arm and was very pleased with her hand, finger, and wrist movement. Because she has all of her hand and wrist movement IF she needs surgery it will not be as invasive as they won't need to cut her clavical. They would make a small insision in her neck to see what is happening with the nerves. If they are severed they are able to graft/reattach other nerves to fix it. The nerves would be taken from her calf. It will have no effect on the function of her legs, it just might make her baby toes a little numb but it will go in time. She will never know.  With her type of injury he is certain her bicep will gain function. With continued physio her arm should be practically fine. She may not have external rotation of her arm but this too can eventually be fixed if it needs to be. I think she will have it. So we have until the 17th of december to get her bicep moving. If it isn't she will be operated on the next day. In terms of the operation I would be able to stay with her for her entire stay to feed her. I won't have to pump. If anyone has any questions about all this you can just e-mail Mike or I. I haven't put everything in just because there was so much info. BUT, in the mean time we will continue with physio. We have seen improvements - she can put her arm on her stomach and can almost bring it out all the way sideways. I am watching her stretch right now and her arm IS going sideways and she is bringing it VERY far up now. She is SO CLEVER!!!!!!

 After the doctors we went to the Duomo and the shopping area which is right next to it. Infront of the Prada store there is a Bull on the ground and for good luck people step on his testicles and turn three times. Veronica and I did this for her arm!        

   

Friday

On Friday we took the Metro and Bus to Mikes work. Everyone at his work was super nice and already talking about experimenting on Veronica!  This is what happens when you work in the mobility field. Mike is going back next week to finish with the forms and will start work on Monday  Novemeber 15th.

After we met everyone his supervisor, Yuri, took us to the apartment building where there were two apartments for us to look at. The first apartment we saw we fell in love with. It has a big front room where there is a sofa, tv, and dinning table with four chairs. The kitchen is tiny (who cares), the bathroom is big and the bedroom is big. The best part are TWO HUGE concret balconies. One off our bedroom and another off the living/dinning room. The thing that is weird is that it is supposidly smaller is square feet than the one we are in now but because it is so open it seem MUCH bigger. The second apartment is the same as the first only with a narrow circular staircase going up to another room and bathroom. we didn't like it. So we said yes to the first apartment and could have and would love to move in right away but we have paid for our current apartment until Dec.1st.  The other nice thing is that even though there is a washing machine in the basement for everyone to use we can buy our own, which we will do. Now I get to shop!!! We will move in on December 1st! We are very excited as the area is much quieter with parks around. It is no trouble to get to historical rome but nice to not be living in it.

Misc.

Since we now have a place to live, doctors for Veronica - still trying to get a physio - and are getting to know the transportaion system we thought it was time for a bank account, internet, and mobile phones. What a mess all that has been. You can't get a bank account without a mobile but can't get a mobile without an Italian credit card. In the end we just paid cash and got a phone. We go back tomorrow or tuesday to try and finish opening an account. Internet is a whole other mess but will hopefully be sorted by Tuesdayish...

ARG... everything takes a long time... will post more pictures later..