Alex had another amazing day here with milestones uncovered! He never ceases to amaze me even when he gets tired and thinks for just a second he can't go anymore. We walked on the walker thing again ( my task tomorrow is to give you guys the correct name of this device, lol) ... we started in the pediatric gym out the door and down the hall where you see pictures of him walking down the hall and holding onto the rail.... during our walk... which got faster as we went down the hall .... Jenny, his physical therapist, was working with the feet and helping the left leg while he stepped with the right leg and TWICE.... and I repeat that, TWICE she said the LEFT FOOT CAME FORWARD ON IT'S OWN!! TEARS MUCH, LOL? Now.... let's put that into perspective.... we probably took 100 steps, and we got going faster, which freaked him out a little......but as Jenny explained, when tested, the results showed that people recover faster when walking and stepping faster because you don't have time to stop and think about it... you just do it. So his brain just reacted and that leg came forward TWICE! THANK YOU JESUS! I'm telling ya'll now... just watch and see.... ALEX MICHAEL ROSS WILL WALK OUT OF THIS PLACE!
SECOND MILESTONE FOR TODAY
During speech therapy today Nicole tried the "passy-muir" valve that we tried last week with old trach and it wouldn't work because the swelling was too bad. WELL GUESS WHAT? IT WORKED and we will be using it everyday during speech therapy and then in a couple of days we will be able to use it ALL DAY! This allows voice to come thru and you can actually hear voice.... right now we hear whisper. Alex is sooo excited! We were crying today in therapy we were so happy to hear his voice and to see that it worked and he looked over and asked us why we were crying, lol! We explained that it was a happy cry and he just kept saying WHY? hahahahaha
THIRD MILESTONE TODAY
Alex's diet has been upgraded to a mechanical soft diet. Our terms... REAL PEOPLE FOOD, lol! Well ... to a certain degree anyways. Soft foods... gravy biscuits, french toast, cut up chicken and turkey, french fries, mash potatoes... etc... basically soft stuff. Again.. real people food! YAY!!
Alex's mental state right now is awesome and he remembers everything I ask him.... even phone numbers which is crazy to me! But he also seems to have the mental state of a 4 year old, asking a million questions about everything, tells us certain things we can say and we can't say.... like he has to be the last one to say ok. He has to be the last one to say I love you by saying I love you more or I love you the most.... He has to be the last one to say to say yeah...like when he is agreeing with you about something. When its time for bed or a nap and I tell him to close his eyes and rest, he closes his eyes tight for a second and opens them right away and says " I can't keep them closed for long it hurts", hahahaha. He reminds me of my 4 year old niece when I would put her down for a nap, lol. But then as I sit here typing this.... Randi says she is going to finish up the chicken salad from dinner and Alex looks over at her and calls her a "FAT ASS"!!! What the french toast??? The things that have been coming out of his mouth trip me out lately!
We have made new friends here and their children are going thru things like brain tumors, paralysis and blindness. I sit here and think... ya know... it could be always be worse! I can't imagine waking up and my child telling me they have a headache to find out they have a brain tumor, lose their sight, have a stroke and lose all their movement, speech ... everything.... but then again... I never would have imagined a phone call saying my son has been shot in the head and he has 3 hours to live! Soooo I guess maybe when you put it in that perspective... we all have our obstacles to overcome. We all have one thing in common... BABY STEPS.... and we are all surviving for our kids! Thank you Lord for Alex's health. Thank you Lord for Alex's sight. Thank you Lord for Alex's strength. Thank you Lord for letting Alex be able to eat. Thank you Lord for Alex's movement throughout his body. Thank you Lord for Alex's spicy sense of humor and sweet disposition. Thank you Lord for giving me back my precious gift from you! And most of all Lord... thank you for ANOTHER day with my handsome boy! YOU ARE AN AWESOME GOD!
CHAD, NICK AND BROOKS.... I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!! Chad, I know it's got to be hard going home to an empty house everyday and I just want to thank you for being so patient and understanding and to know that one day very soon.... we will be a family again! Alex tells me everyday that he loves all of you.... and yes even you Nicholas, lol! Ronnie and Angie... thank you a million times over for taking care of Brooks through all this and treating him as if he were your very own! I can't thank you enough!!! Ronnie this is for you.... HE LOVES HIS HAT!
Tomorrow is a new day and I can't wait to see what Alex unveils for us next!
PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP!!
Lisa
