Tuesday, October 18, 2011

balancing...




While Ben and I continue to work on balancing our schedule and lives, which can change at any moment, Ben and his therapists have been working on his balance skills. It has been fun to watch and now has turned into a competition between the therapists as to who can get Ben to stand and balance on his own the longest!

A few weeks ago Ben was barely standing over 1 minute. Then it was 1:30 and then moved up to 2:45. Last week we tried something new to see if it would help with his balance and that was using his snow board! Growing up Ben had a paper route and he would save his money to buy lift tickets to go boarding. He always wanted to take me up and teach me but the first winter when we were dating he was deployed, the next he went like one time because of his work schedule and the third we were in GA and got like a half inch of snow (first time in like 10 years) and everyone there freaked out! It was amazing to see that Ben still remembered how to sinch up his boots and strap himself to his board! He needed a bit of help but when he did he was able to tell his PT what to do! He has missed it!

You will see in the videos below that Ben has to work super hard just to get up off the couch. He fell and got back up! Please know that he is totally fine when he falls back and the couch is totally soft so he never gets hurt! The longest he stood on his board was 5:45!!!!! Go Ben go, go GOD go!! So proud of him!





The look of pride that Ben had on his face and the satisfaction of being on his board
was amazing! His face lit up, he tried to stand as straight as he could and when he started throwing some punches Ben was in his element! Although he was not on snow up on the mountain you could tell that just being in those boots and on that board was so good for him!

I have to say that today I got the report from him and his PT (I was working out at the gym...just trying to stay upright after my workout after being out of the gym for a month) that he balanced on his own this morning for 6 min!!! No snow board, no walker, no support...just Ben! Wowzers!! Ben got alot of praise, hugs and kisses!!











We are learing to balance and train Diesel too! He has been quite the amazing pup but there are those things that come with having a puppy! As are as his crate training goes he has an A+ in that department! We put him in at night and he goes all night without a peep! Thank you Diesel! Potty training is coming along. I am trying to get him to go in one place way in the back yard and he is working on it! Ben uses the yard alot of walking so we don't need droppings all over the place! We are starting to give him one word commands and he is slowly but surely getting it. I know it will not come over night but I know it will come!

Please continue to pray for Ben and his balance...and his mobility as a whole. He really needs this! He was getting his shower in today and he said, "I need to beat this brain injury soon because I have alot of things I need to do and accomplish!" He went on to list what they were and they were goals and dreams he had at the time of the accident. His mobility is huge and I really believe that when he gets control over that, that he will just thrive and bust the walls down and make huge gains.
So, please pray for balance, mobility and freedom from the things that hold Ben back!
I am praying that God will breath life into dead cells, weak bones, weak muscles and anything and everything that needs God's breath to heal his body!

We are blessed to have y'all in our lives and continually there to pray, encourage and cheer us on in this journey! We are grateful!


Please remember that family of Dan Dan Wheldon, Indy car driver. He passed away Sunday in a race. We had the privilege of meeting him last August when he came to visit the VA. He has a wife and 2 small boys that he was very proud of!

12 comments:

Unknown said...

LOVE the videos!! Ben, you are doing amazing--your hard work is obvious and paying off. We are keeping you in our prayers that God lisfts you and you are able to acheive your goals, hopes, and dreams.

Puppies. I so remember after we brought Bear home (he's now 120 lbs) and Phil called me at work, on Labor Day, to tell me taking care of a puppy was exhausting. Here we are 10.5 years later and Bear still loves to climb into Phil's lap and take a nap with his daddy (good thing Phil is 6'6.)

Blessings, Mari

Elizabeth @ Love Is the Adventure said...

Prayed and thanked God for Ben's life and for his progress this morning. And praised God for the amazing woman he's put in his life, too! You guys are so inspirational. Keep going, Ben! You don't know us but Kyle and I are praying for you!!

B. Wilson @ Windy {City} Wilsons said...

Wow, go Ben! I think it's awesome that they incorporate some of his favorite activities into his therapies. It certainly makes them more exciting!

Also, I love that yellow sweater you were wearing in that last photo. Very sad to see another young life lost to tragedy though. Life. It's so fragile.

Anonymous said...

Ben, I am so proud of you. You and Katie will be tearing up the slopes soon enough. My son Ben, enjoys snowboarding with friends from work, occasionally. I continue to trust Father for you and your sweet wife, Marion

E said...

Praying for Ben right now, and for you Katie, as you strive to be the wife God calls you to be. So proud of both of you!

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU for the entry about Dan Wheldon. I seem to remember when you blogged about meeting him. I will trust Father for his precious family. Marion

Amanda said...

What an AMAZING post!!! God is so good and Ben is working so hard!! I love reading your posts and all of the amazing things Ben says and does. I love seeing what a FIGHTER he is and I just know that God is going to continue to do miracles in Ben's body. Lots of prayers and love coming your way!! xoxo

MommyOnTheMove said...

My word..........way to go Ben!!!

So hard to believe what we take cor granted is such a hard job to do.....and You've accomplished it Bed!! WOOHOOOOOOO

Keep up the hard work and we're keeping our prayers going

Nicky From Canada

Kim @ The Gab said...

Even though I'm a skier, I still love seeing Ben on his board :) Praying for you both.

Emily grapes said...

Those are great videos. That's such a long time to balance on his own, and I'm sure he'll double it in no time.

I saw the crash and it was horrible. Its so so sad that his wife and sons won't be with him anymore. That's neat you had the opportunity to meet him, though.

Emily w/Amazing Grapes

Ally said...

I am not sure how I found your blog but I have been visiting for a couple weeks. I think it's awesome that he said he wanted to beat the brain injury because he had a lot things he wanted to do. I love that! Go Ben! Go Katie! You are an inspiration as you stand beside him through this time. I am really impressed.

Caroline said...

Go Ben go indeed!! :)