Good friends are the best medicine! 3/31/14

Our snowy cold blustery Sunday was brightened  by a visit from the Lees!  A warm fire, hot tea, and a lively game  of cards ensued. As the wind and wintry mix swirled outside, laughter, fun memories, and maybe some card trickery   created a magical ambiance inside. We are blessed today to be warm and safe at home with friends.  Surely Spring is right around the corner.  

Team 44

Wonderful teachers! 3/26/14

These two are helping me get closer to graduation as i have ever been. They are lots of help with all of my  assignments given to me as homework. It will be very gratifying to graduate high school in June and be finished.

Thanks to home bound teacher Ms Miller & speech pathologist Ms Gauthier who are helping me complete 12th grade English Thanks a whole bunch you guys for being so helpful! -Forrest Stone Allen.

Back Home 3/12/14

Forrest was in Baltimore for several days for appointments, and we wanted to put people's fears at ease. The wound breakdown in Forrest's scalp appears to be improving. The Doctors feel comfortable that it can be treated at home. We are keeping the wound open and although the daily cleaning isn't very pleasant for Forrest, it's helping it to heal. We were able to visit the National Aquarium in Baltimore and see their impressive new Blacktip Reef exhibit. Toliver was especially intrigued by the puffins and jellyfish.

Thanks for the well-wishes, we are glad to be back home rather than staying at Johns Hopkins.

Love,
Austin, Forrest, Kent & Rae


The cranio-facial reconstructive surgeon examining and treating Forrest's skin breakdown

The family had a great outing at the National Aquarium in Baltimore

Life's Precious Moments 3/9/14

If you look for them life's precious moments are all around.  Sometimes the most powerful moments are the simplest ... an unexpected smile or a kind word.  Sometimes they overwhelm us with love and gratitude and the pure joy of spending time together.   Saturday was a magical day in Middleburg and everything just seemed perfect.  You were in great spirits, in music therapy you composed  a new song with Tom about Toliver, stretched your tight muscles on the Pilates reformer with Kay, and then we had lunch together at Salamander Resort to celebrate your successful CCI recertification with Toliver. The sun was shining again and the promise of Spring was finally in the air.  

A Short 24 hours later on Sunday we find ourselves at Johns Hopkins emergency department with yet another breakdown and infection in your beleaguered scalp.  It feels a universe away from the magic of Brightwood, but even here at 3 o'clock in the morning we are blessed with precious moments. A compassionate but clearly exhausted surgical resident delivers good news with a warm smile. Your bloodwork and CAT scan suggest the problem is still superficial.  The primary craniofacial reconstructive surgeon cannot see us until Tuesday and cultures and more bloodwork are pending.  We are grateful for the good news and stumble out of the hospital bleary eyed  to find a nearby hotel.   

We will make the most of this day. Austin is driving up to deliver more medication and supplies.  We plan to visit the aquarium to reconnect with each other and some sorely missed marine life!  Hopefully tomorrow will bring more encouraging news and a clear path for the future.  

With love and gratitude for precious moments,

Mum

Forrest and Toliver Saturday at Salamander Resort in Middleburg

Toliver giving his paws up with Forrest & Pops in Johns Hopkins ER early this morning 

Toliver and Forrest's Bond Grows 3/5/14

Today as Toliver and I wait for you Forrest, outside the Hyperbaric Chamber, he remains focused on the door, waiting until you reappear.  His whole demeanor changes when he catches sight of you. You are HIS person and he is totally devoted to you.  If your voice raises in frustration, he moves immediately to place his head in your lap or touch your hand.  His unwavering focus on your face says, "Let me carry your load.  I can handle it."

 Day after tomorrow, you Toliver and I will meet with CCI trainers and other recent graduates for your recertification test. You haven't been able to get out much since your surgeries, so this week Tori was home from school and volunteered to help you and Toliver sharpen up your public skills at Wal Mart.   You and Toliver navigated the aisles like a well seasoned team and Toliver demonstrated his ability to open the refrigerator door by pulling on the attached felt rope.  Then Tori pulled out the country ham we brought and subtly dropped it on the floor.   I pushed your  wheel chair forward and you told Toliver, "Let's Go."  He walked forward proudly by your side and never so much as glanced at the tempting ham as he strode right over it.

                                          Toliver celebrates with you and Tori by selecting a new chew toy!

You and Toliver are ready, Darlin.  For your recertification and for what ever other unknown challenges lie ahead.  We are eternally grateful for Toliver, Canine Companions for Independence, and for Colleen, who taught Toliver how to love, trust, and heal HIS person.

Colleen, Toliver and Forrest were featured today in the Farmville Herald cover story.   Try this link to read about them:

http://farmvilleherald.com 

We hope you will enjoy this story and its message of generosity, love, and the bond between assistance dogs, their trainers and the recipients of this amazing program.

With love,

Mum

Grateful Hearts 2/16/14

We have so many blessings to be grateful for. Among our most treasured blessings are the love and faith of familiy and friends. In the darkest uncertain hours and throughout the long arduous  stretches, our family and friends have surrounded Forrest with love and never let us lose hope.  Their thoughtfulness and generosity brightens Forrest's hardest days and helps us focus beyond today's troubles to envision endless joyful possibilities.

My amazing sisters, Tricia & Lobie, never fail to lift my spirits with their enthusiasm and encouragement.  

A surprise visit from Hill teacher, Debbie Sharples, this week brought fond memories to Forrest and joy and laughter to BrightWood.  

With a grateful heart for family & friends,

Mum

A Hero

Forrest is currently taking English 12 and has been learning about Epic Heroes.  These heroes  are described as having many characteristics…They have strength and courage.  They have a guide or a sidekick.  They face demons, monsters and darkness.  They are people of action.  They accept challenges.  They achieve their goals.  Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Achilles, Odysseus....and of course, Forrest Stone Allen.

Here is a little update on our Epic Hero.

A big challenge for Forrest right now is fighting serious iron deficiency anemia from the multiple surgeries, infections and hospital stays.  This can cause a variety of symptoms, but the big one for Forrest is fatigue.  He is taking an iron supplement and has had weekly blood draws to monitor for any issues.  He still has the PICC line, although we are hoping it comes out this week (fingers crossed!).   We are trying to get his weight up as his appetite is low and the pounds have been dropping – finding creative ways to get extra calories, iron and protein into his daily meals is a unique challenge for chef Pops.  Forrest is also working on improving the clarity and volume of his speech - an area that is noticeably affected by the fatigue he battles each day.  He continues with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy five days a week, Physical Therapy, Music Therapy and has now added Movement Therapy!  In Music Therapy he has been busy writing a series of new songs about his journey and shows off some sweet dance moves and vocalization in Movement Therapy.  As mentioned before, he is taking English 12 (currently at home with support from Fauquier County School staff) and every week has multiple vocabulary terms to learn in addition to reading and writing assignments.

The Same Sky Project made a return appearance last month, visiting three schools in one week.  For those of you that have not had the opportunity to attend a Same Sky performance, Forrest delivers a monologue where he tells his story and at one point mentions how a lot of people thought he would never walk or talk or sing again.  After delivering that line, he is supposed to stand up to finish his speech and then sing “The Impossible Dream”.  At the performance at Foxcroft School, Forrest did not stand during the monologue and he did not stand during his song.  We all looked at each other and thought maybe he was too tired and just decided to stay in his wheelchair.  Then, at the very end of his song, while people were applauding, Forrest stood up, stepped forward and bowed.  The crowd erupted.  It was a truly special moment - one that showed Forrest’s spirit and the smile on his face was as if he said “I may not always do something the way others want or expect, but that’s ok, because when I do it, it will be better than you ever imagined”.  It is a moment that I don’t think anyone will forget.  Later that week, Forrest and the other performers went to two Loudoun County schools and presented the project to around 800 seventh graders.  It was so amazing to look out into the audience and see every face glued to what was happening on stage.  The students were visibly touched by the stories and encouragement to look beyond labels and to celebrate differences.  It was an exhausting day for Forrest, but he powered through the fatigue to stand up to deliver his lines, monologue and songs with strength and courage…just like the hero he is. 

Thank you all for the continued encouragement for Forrest on his journey.
- Team 44

The cast of "Behind the Label" - part of the Same Sky Project

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