Big Week!

We have a few things to report this week. It was busy so sorry for the delay in posts. First of all Sandra had a birthday on Monday, she had a great time with family and friends. Time keeps marching on, I can't believe how old she is! 

On Thursday night we picked up our van that has the hand controls added. We are very excited to get her back on the road, it gives her one more step of independence. We still need a few more items added but as it is I can send her off on her own and she just needs a little help getting her chair out at her destination. When the rest of the equipment comes in that will be another exciting step.

I have saved the bests for last, in theropy on Friday and today Sandra has had a little voluntary movement, a true answer to prayer. It has occurred when she is in a supported standing position, able to weight shift to aside then move her opposite leg forward and back approximentally 2 inches and was able to do this with both legs. The movement is instigating with her glutes but also appear to be involving her quads, it isn't a functional movement but a movement none the less. We are excited for this and continue to be thankful for every bit of recovery made. 

So please keep in prayer these few things, 

1) the movement is including the quads and that it continues to gain strength

2) Sandra's nerve pain and spasms to decrease so she can remain off medication and sleep better

3) keep her spirits up as it is easy to get down

Have a great night, Mike

Are you ready for some football?

Today is a great day, instead of driving down the 401 I'm sitting back enjoying some football. This is our first week of our new schedule and we are excited for it.
Things on the home front are as good as they will be in this home. Most things are organized, as in most homes it is a journey not a destination. Sandra can get around the main floor, the kitchen is probably her biggest issue as she misses cooking and my culinary skills are a little week, however I do take directions. For a home that wasn't designed to be accessible it is workable, and it will be a great day removing the accessible equipment when it is no longer needed.
The message this morning at church was A Walk of Faith; and the final note was "God wants you to walk by faith in every season of Life". So Sandra and I were challenged by this today and it is our desire to seek God in every season of live including this one.
Mike

Next Step!

It's amazing what our bodies can go through .... We are so fragile yet so strong. My body was fragile when I injured my self, but it's been amazing to see what its been able to go through over the last six months. Especially the last three in detroit. Its been hard physically and mentally but by the grace of God, He strengthens me. Just as Mike said I'm moving forward, slowly but forward. So many things to be thankful for... My shoulder has been holding up and even starting to get stronger, with every assessment I have made a gain. We wanted to go to Detroit for three months to see what could be accomplished through there intense program, be reevaluate and than make a decision as to what we should do next. It has gone really well in Detroit but hard being away from home, making it difficult to be a long term plan. So between my physiotherapist in Ottawa and in Detroit we have been able to come up with a program that we will be doing here in Ottawa 3 days a week. Once a month I will still be going to Detroit to have therapy and an assessment to make sure I'm staying on track and progressing well. I've been wanting to get a little more independent and one way of doing that is to get driving again. In Ottawa it's a 8 month waiting period to start the process of getting my hand control license. But our wonderful case manager told us about this place in Toronto that I would be able to get into much sooner. So for the past several weeks on the way home from Detroit we've been stopping into Drive Again and I've been having a driving lesson. It's been fun getting behind the wheel again. It's amazing how freeing it is. I was excited today when to my surprise I was being tested to see if I was ready to receive my learners permit, which allows me to drive on my own. It's like having my 365 again or for those young ones out there a G1. I passed and I'm looking forward to being back on the road in the next few weeks. I want you all to know how much we appreciate you. Knowing that your praying, cards of encouragement, your encouraging words on the blog and dinners (yum). It's been a huge support mentally, physically and spiritually. THANK YOU. Hugs Sandra 

6 months today!!

Well it is anniversary day again, 6 months since the accident. When I think about it sometimes it feels like a bit of a blur spending  2 1/2 weeks in trauma, to Ottawa rehab center, renovating the home, buying different equipment and now the last 3 months being in Detroit every week.
We are excited going forward spending more time at home with the kids and just getting a better family routine.
Today is also reassessment day in Detroit. With these reassessments we have always had progress, hoped and prayed for more progress but progress none the less. Today we have the abductor on the right leg to add to our list of functioning muscles. This muscle is the inner thigh, we were hoping for her quad but that will just have to wait for another day. Her hip flexors and glutes continue to get stronger but not enough yet to get voluntary movement.
See you all soon, Mike

Showing my age

Time for a short "mike post" to the point! We had a good couple days. Sandra was feeling strong and completed her workouts (crawling and core) well. She continues to have changes in sensations but no confirmation if the changes are good or bad so we will take any change as good. 

I have prayed since the beginning that we will see continued progress and we are, just not as quickly as our impatient selves want. Now to the title of the blog, we are getting ready to watch an 80's tribute band in the casino. P.S if they play Wham or Culture club I'm leaving.

Mike

Here we go again!

Well here we go again, it was nice to get out of the routine of life and take a trip to California with the girls and our dear friends the Martins. While we were away we got to celebrating Julia's 14th birthday and enjoy some warmer weather. Arriving home on Sunday we had about 15 hours before I was back on the road to Detroit, this time with my sister in tow. We had a good week catching up and spending some time together.  I was glad to see that my body didn't take long to get back at it. I was able to pick up where I left off, which I was really thankful for. Mike and I have been talking with my physiotherapist in Detroit and in Ottawa about what we should be doing long term for therapy. We have decided to try to have therapy in Ottawa for 3 weeks and 1 week in Detroit. We have looked into purchasing two pieces of equipment for home, the standing frame and the FES bike. Also, Jacquie my therapist in Ottawa has offered to come to Detroit to observe what they do so that she can adapt as much as possible for me. We are hoping that this will really work out. It will be much easier on our family and I really look forward to getting a more normal of a routine established. So my last consecutive week in Detroit will be November 14th. I'm looking forward to this week and have been praying that the muscles that have started to contract on demand will continue to get stronger and that my quads will start to contract. Some moments are harder than others but it always seems that God sends me just what I need when I need it. Thank you for your continued support, love and prayers. Hugs Sandra