back on track...

"If the challenge you are facing doesn't place a demand on your faith, it neither pleases God nor involves Him."

Ok, thank you for bearing with me these past few weeks! It has been a few weeks of visitors, traveling to GA, snow storms (I am done with snow), and a few days of training with Ben in therapy!

Starting with my brother Rich and sis in law Joy! We had a great time with them! Rich and Ben were typical boys and punched and picked on each other! We also were able to take Ben to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island! It was an awesome time! When we were at Ellis Island Ben got fidgety and I asked him what was wrong and he said, "my butt hurts!" We stood him up as he held onto the stair rail and got some good stretching in! Later when we were at the Statue of Liberty he got antsy again and was trying to get out of his chair. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I want to get up and walk like everyone else!" Bless his heart, he is trying so hard!













Ben continues to work hard in his therapies...as always! On Monday he got on the treadmill (he now does it Mon, Wed and Fri) and did 2 sets of 10 min! He said he wanted to double that time on Wed and we asked him for a little more realistic goal and he said he wanted to add 2 min! Well on Wed session he did one time of 11 min, 10 min and 5 min for a total of 26 min!!!! He even beat his 22 min by 4!! Ben still needs assistance in stepping correctly and reminders to keep his head up but 95% is all him! I have also been able to continue walking with him. I am now cleared to transfer him with his walker but still waiting for clearance on the walking! We are a funny sight in the hallways but we are getting better! Tuesday I walked him back to his room after his PT session and sat in a real chair and ate his lunch...he was loving it! I get a small glimpse of how hard he works because at the end of me walking with him I have worked up a sweat!!




{this is what he does after a good walk on the treadmill}



{his ewww face...he hates peppers and yes i tease him}

One BIG prayer request...
Ben has an AMAZING speech therapist but at this point Ben is in a love/hate relationship with him! Ben calls him mean and tough because he makes Ben do things and Ben thinks he is hard on him! Ben understands that his ST is there to help him, speak more clearly, help him work on his memory, and use more words and for this he is grateful. His ST is very good with Ben and knows that Ben can do the things he asks whether he is there or not. He pushes Ben because he knows Ben can do it!
Please pray for Ben and that his additude would change or soften! I want the best for Ben and so does Ben but he has to be willing and not just call people mean when they are trying to help!



Sayings of Ben...
Me-"I love you Ben!" B-"I love you." M-"I love you more." B-"that is not fair!" M-"why?" B-"I love you more and I will because I have a brain injury!!" Ok, he wins!