Thursday, April 2, 2015

Update # 195

8 Years

Holy Week. We knew this year was going to be different since Ken retired. Tonight 3 young people received their First Communion. Ken married 2 sets of those parents – one being his first wedding in Hillsboro in 1990 and the other Jeff video taped their wedding in 2001. Good Friday tomorrow was going to be our drive to Waterloo to celebrate Easter with Jeff & Meridith. Maybe our location will be different but we’ll still celebrate Christ’s Resurrection on Sunday with Jeff and Meridith.

We have daily seen continued improvement in Jeff’s ability to move arms/legs and balance core/back muscles.

Monday, Jeff was helped into the 2nd floor gym standing frame. Two different times, he stood for 4 minutes.

Tuesday, he was up in the standing frame for almost 13 minutes with 30 seconds of that having supported himself with no help. Big difference in one day.

When Jeff completed the standing frame task, he then proceeded to wheel himself 125 feet. Remember last week, he wheeled 30 feet and then 50 feet. Oh, almost forgot – Jeff had his wheelchair switched from a 60-lb. model to a smaller sleek 25-lb. one.

I never imagined I’d have to see our son learn to walk again but I watched him take his “first” steps Tuesday afternoon. Upstairs in the stroke gym, PT hoisted him in a harness and then each one took a leg and moved it in a walking movement. It did not take Jeff long to begin to try to move his legs on his own. Each walk was 25 feet. By the 3rd time, Jeff could move his left leg without help but still needed guidance with the right.

After working his legs, Jeff then was taken to the Garden Level gym to use some of the weight machines. He pushed the handles on one machine and lifted a bit over 10 pounds.

No April Fool’s joke, Wednesday morning, Jeff used his arms more to help dress himself. And this morning, we just watched as Jeff was much better using arms and legs to change his clothes. Again, the one day difference was great.

The big thrill of yesterday was the speaking valve on Jeff’s trach was replaced with a red cap. Respiratory wanted to do a 24 hour trial of Jeff breathing on his own through his nose and mouth. The red cap closes off air movement through the trach. Jeff did so well, he’s continuing on to a 48-hour trial.

When Jeff was put in the standing frame yesterday, he used his own muscles to straighten himself up tall. He stood straight for 10 minutes plus did hand/arm exercises at the same time!

Then PT suggested Jeff wheel himself from that 2nd floor gym all the way back to his room. Mission accomplished! I have no idea how many feet that trip entailed.

This morning, Jeff was put into a harness and hoisted part way up at the parallel bars. PT asked Jeff to use his arms and legs to straighten himself. Jeff did this 5 times and held himself up anywhere from 10 – 40 seconds. A great start!

Warm Spring weather the last 2 days, had us outside in the courtyard for 10 minutes watching traffic on Highway 40 or sitting out front for 30 minutes listening to the carillon of a nearby church. A wonderful “new” item added to Jeff’s day. He works with all his might during those 3 hours of daily rehab so sleep comes easily at night for Jeff.

The case worker did not come to Jeff’s room this afternoon to discuss the outcome of the team’s weekly meeting. We assume she’ll stop by tomorrow with the results. It’s obvious to us that improvement was seen this last week. OT and PT daily mention it and have to come up with a new daily plan cause Jeff has surpassed what they expected from one day to the next.

Thank you one and all for those prayers in helping Jeff surpass goals. Good Friday brings us the Crucifixion of Jesus but our eyes on that Cross takes us to that new resurrected life on Easter. We are again seeing new life in Jeff and give all the Glory to God. As the four of us worship together at the small service in the dining room on Sunday morning, our prayer is for each of you to have a Blessed Easter.

love,

Marcia