Climbing Higher 4/21/13

Hey Champ. It's your Mum. It's been a challenging but rewarding week for you. The dreaded emesis episodes returned early in the week, threatening your airway and a potential backslide. But you beat them again, overcoming our fears and after only a couple of rest days, you charged back into your demanding schedule.

The only way to maintain progress is to proceed, no matter what…one foot in front of the other. The only way to overcome your motion sickness, is to keep moving. So you gather yourself up and climb back into the car. The only way to free your body of the stomach tube that both sustains and infuriates you, is to practice swallowing. Despite your dreams of bagel bites and Chipotle, you gamely attack the various healthy concoctions we blend for you. To regain mastery of your thoughts and voice you tackle endless cognitive, memory, and speech drills. Daily you strengthen your body with an ever increasing array of physical challenges. With your heart racing, you still insist on completing more reps than we suggest, until your nurse insists that you sit and catch your breath. You inspire all of us who work with you. In turn you are spurred on by the amazing Team 44, including your nurses, teachers, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, and music therapist. And just when the doldrums start to seep in, your friends send you a crazy video message or come by for a visit, leaving you motivated and recharged ready to attack whatever obstacle comes next .

There is so much hope and power in each step you take, Forrest, rebuilding your life with compassion and optimism. Each day we count our many blessings and revel in the miracle of your recovery. Below are just a few of the highlights of your very busy week. They include your first trip to our attic gym in 2 1/2 years to work out with Del. Thanks to Nadia's generosity you also had an outing to the Spring Races. Unfortunately, you couldn't enjoy the food yet. But your day was still the best, with sunshine, horses, visits from your nurses and their families and the parents of many of your friends who stopped by to see you.

With Love and gratitude for every day of progress, Mum

YouTube link to Physical Therapy video:  http://youtu.be/TgfjdAbc8Ag

Working & Playing Hard 4/11/13

Hey Forrest it's your Mum. As Tami reminded us last month, your days are filled to the brim, mostly with the hard work of recovery. You still struggle daily to find your words and to shape them in meaningful ways. Your mind sometimes wanders in search of those words to long-ago memories. Just as you drill each day to strengthen your balance, your swallowing, and your speech, you continue to challenge and connect your memories again. It's hard frustrating work for you. But your resiliency and your humor always come shining through. Your positive outlook is one of your most powerful assets and it is our job to protect your optimism. Along with the continued support of your friends and community, one of the best ways to do this is to safely introduce as many new activities and experiences as we can. So this past week along with speech and memory exercises with Annie, your physical therapy extended to outside activities with Del, balloon toss with Uncle Brad, and your world expanded to include feeding Franny's lambs! Always your nurse is nearby to keep you safe and we incorporate strengthening, balancing and memory exercises along the way. It's just so good to see you out in the spring sunshine! Thank you Darlin' for always being game to try something new and to stretch a little further. With love gratitude and admiration, Mum

Visiting Familiar Places 4/2/23

We were blessed Easter weekend with visits from great friends. Tori, Andy, Keith, David, Peter, Kyle, Tom, and new friends, Quentin & Findley all spent quality time with you, talking, kicking soccer balls, playing guitars and pool. You and Your team were re energized by their faith and enthusiasm. So much so that we decided to use our daily trips in the car to visit familiar places in Middleburg. It is amazing, each time we can help you walk into a place familiar to you, like your fathers clinic or my Dolphin Quest office where you used to shovel snow, and the Red Fox Inn where you worked as a busboy in the summer before your injury. You were warmly embraced at VEI & Dolphin Quest and quick to offer Mrs. Reuter at the Red Fox one of your famous hugs. Today we visited the Safeway pharmacists to pick up your prescriptions. They were overcome with joy as you walked up to the counter to thank them. Of course, you arrived with an entourage, your nurse, aide, mum, emergency medical equipment and your wheelchair trailing you, but you walked up to the counter on your own two feet. Another milestone another miracle in your journey of recovery. We are so grateful for all of the friends, family and our community that embrace and celebrate every step you make. Sleep well and sweet dreams, Forrest. Tomorrow will surely bring new challenges...and with them new opportunities to grow. Love, Mum