100th blog post...

(my friend just gave to this me from years ago...love it)

Today marks my 100th post! Wow, time has flown by and I am surprised to already get to 100! In the ones that I have posted there have been many, many miracles that have taken place in our lives and all I can say is to God be the GLORY!
Alot has taken place in the last week! Two of my little brothers (well both are over 6') drove down from WA to spend a few days with Ben and I. We were able to squeeze in an Oakland vs Mariners game (of course the Mariners lost) and also went up to San Francisco! We had alot of fun together and Ben showed off and was happy to have them there too! The only downside to the visit is that my quite room turned into nights of loudness because one bro snored and one talked in his sleep! In return for my lack of sleep I got good brother lovin and some good cooked meals by them!
I also was able to go down to San Diego for a few days to hang with some amazing friends! We had alot of fun and it was very relaxing and a good change of scenery for me. We had lots of laughs, good food and I got to give 3 month old baby, twin boys some sugar to their cheeks! They are precious lil guys! Thank you to my San Diego family for taking care of me and for all your encouragement and lovin!
While I was gone my brothers were with Ben on Sat and part of Sun and then Ben's Aunt and Uncle from Redding were able to visit Ben on Monday when they were in town! Of course they nurses here are wonderful to Ben but it is nice to know that he had familiar faces around! One nurse even fed him some peaches and ice cream...she spoiled him!
Some things that Ben has been doing in therapy since I have been back....
PT - riding the bike machine again and doing well, new standing lift that makes Ben work harder, lots of leg stretching...Ben continues to move his legs more and more, and he was on the Lokomat (robotic assitive walking machine) twice this week! Ben's head control has increased immensly since doing this machine in Atl!!
OT - more stretching, splinting, shaving, toothbrushing, dressing...all things his therapist is working with Ben on. He continues to do well with these tasks. Still not able to do on his own but so much better and quicker!
ST - Working alot on swallowing. He is eating his bananas again and still on the pureed foods. Ben tolerates them really well. His therapist tried him out on some diced peaches and he seemed to do well on those too. ST is co-treating with OT in the afternoons and working with Ben to eat on his own!! He has a bowl with sides and a spoon with a thicker handle and it is bent towards him to make it easier to get in his mouth. He wanted to get a spoonful of peaches and go to town but they told him for swallowing purposes he could only get one at a time. Those peaches are slippery lil suckers but he was able to have the coordination and get one on his spoon at a time and get it in his mouth!! He did great!
ST is also working alot on mouthing words! Ben has been doing great on this! It stinks because when I am with him he is mouthing so many but I cannot read lips...he is trying so hard to communicate! She is also now giving him homework and oral and facial exercises in front of a mirror to work on. Ben continues to work hard on all of them and gets them almost every time!
I had a conference with all of Ben's team this past Wed and say that they see continuing improvements. I heard "small but meaningful" alot in our meeting. Ben will be off his Dilantin (one of the most sedating seizure meds) May 1! After he is off of it completely they will do another EEG (seizure monitoring session) to see if he is having any continuing seizures! Please pray that he be seizure free!!!
One thing that has totally blessed my heart (and I have not even asked them to do it) is that if Ben is sleepy or they feel like he is down a bit they will take him to the door that has a whole bunch of scriptures on it and ask him to read them. They will read them with him and he is to track with his eyes and try and say the words with his mouth!! I was so happy to hear that they are doing this with him!!

Prayer requests:
1. As they continue to decrease seizure meds that they would stay away...in Jesus name!!
2. Continuing of builing up muscles and trunk control!
3. Muscles to loosen and would continue to kick in
4. He would be able to communicate!! Voice would come!
5. His mind to continually be restored and renewed!
6. Strength for me to fight on and not settle for where I am in life or in my relationship with Jesus
7. Jesus would teach me new things...i have learned the faith and patience part! :)
8. Jesus would teach me how to be an encouraging wife in the way that Ben needs right now and how I can pray specifically for him!

Blessings to you all and thank you for all your encouragement, words of wisdom and prayers through these 100 blogs...I know there will be more to come!!


(Bros and I at Oakland game)


(me and my Linds)


(extended family...love them)


(sad to say see ya!)