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