Well, being as I am going to be up until midnight watching the Olympics, like I have from the day they started, I figured why not put my time to good use! Not that I waste the nights away by just sitting here but I have alot of calls to make and I will only get voice mails and wouldn't get anywhere!
A few weeks ago we launched our boat! It wasn't the nicest evening but the next few days were to be somewhat decent so we thought it would be a good time to do it. We launched it on a Friday late afternoon and that evening Ben wanted to take it for a drive. After a lil work we got him in, we don't have a dock yet at my parents so it's an interesting process, but then we took off. I got it out past the bouys (sp) and then let Ben take it from there! I was interested to see how he would do compared to last year. Last year we had to help him steer and use the throttle! This year we did nothing except for a few words of direction...and he amazing! Be loved the fact that we were not telling him what to do and that he was in control!
[the beast!]
[waiting his turn to drive]
[there he goes]
[loving every minute!]
The following day we hit the lake again with wakeboarding and tubing in our plans! My lil brother was up visiting from AZ so it was him, his girlfriend, my other lil bro, Ben and I! It was a lil chilly but it eventually warmed up!
Ben really wanted to inner tube! Last year he went for the first time since the accident and he did well but this year he again did alot better! Last time he had a hard time holding his head up and didn't last long on the tube due to his upper body strength. This year he went around the lake quite a few times and also held his head up the whole time! During the ride Ben kept giving me the thumbs up to go faster but me being the responsible one kept it at a safe pace! He got back into the boat and was grinning but of course had to mention that "you didn't go fast enough!"
We have been out a few more times with other family members and friends. We met some new friends and took them out too. Down side for them is that they recently moved here from Hawaii and it didn't warm up to much! Can we say goose bumps! I met up with her a few days later for coffee and cupcakes, that made up for the cold boat ride!!
Another awesome adventure Ben is starting in again is biking! There is a great organization up in Seattle who offers adaptive equiptment for those who need it. Before the accident Ben was an avid road biker. He biked to work in the summers...like 25 miles one way, or whenever the weather was nice. He got me into it in GA and it was something fun for both of us together. For some time now he has been talking about gettin back on a bike again. We went to this facility a few weeks ago and trialed a bike! Ben couldn't wait to get on it! He did and he shot away from us! We had to slow him down a bit by putting him in a grass field so he could get the idea of how this new bike worked! Once he got the hang of it Ben went back on the concrete and did much better!
That Saturday Ben's OT came down and all three of us went on our first ride! I had to borrow a bike, which reminds me I need to get my road bike tuned up! We went for about an hour and a half. This ride was not about speed but about Ben controlling his speed, listening to directions and controling the bike. It took him a little bit but he did do really well. We took a bathroom break along the way and a few stops just to make sure he was doing ok. The next Tuesday Ben and his OT went out on their own and went for 2 hours and covered 12 miles!! My man rode on a bike for 12 stinkin miles! Praise Jesus!!
[getting instruction]
[getting ready]
[ready]
[beginning saturdays ride]
[back to riding together]
[our scenery]
Next step is to get in contact with the VA regarding getting Ben a bike of his own. It was good to trial it to see how it went and how Ben did and next will be tackling it. Praying that it doesn't take long and that we can get Ben moving on a bike again...plus it lifts his spirits!
Ok, now on to another adventure we went on. Ben and his OT had gone on a hike without his walker and wheelchair a few days before we went...ya know to practice so I wouldn't pass them up on the trails!
Biking and a few more pics coming up...my computer over heated and crashed a few times while trying to get this up so I will try and finish tomorrow so it doesn't happen again...also attempting to put up a longer biking video!
To be continued...
10 comments:
I love hearing about all your updates!! The day on the boat sounds amazing :)
WOW,you go Ben! thanks for the update. It is wonderful to see Ben being so active. I will pray that he can get a bike quickly. It looks like he loves the freedom that comes with riding a bike. love, Aunt Sharon
Gosh, Katie, I can't tell you how blessed I am to see Ben in the boat, and then on the bike. He did awesome!! Tell him I am proud of him. Marion
I love the whole biking thing. I bike alot and that would be a huge mile stone in any recovery. Just one uplifting entry. Thanks so much and will continue to pray for Ben and you.
Lois
Miles is on a boat kick all of a sudden and really wants to get one - I better not show him this or he'll be jealous!
Wow, so many fun adventures. I really hope that he gets a bike of his own soon. I know that he would LOVE that. Thank you for the updates.
Dearest Ben & Katie,
Wow, this is impressive to see so many improvements. Love Ben's face in the boat, the picture below [the beast]... that tells how much he's enjoying this!
Of course he will get tired too but the willpower is there and he DOES it.
You wrote about the biking and that Ben got you into it, in GA. You mean in Georgia; my state?
Wishing you continued improvement and never give up. It might not go as fast as you want to, but for someone who's not daily around him, I do notice big leaps of improvement.
Hugs and love,
Mariette
I have been following your blog for some time now and I love reading your fun adventures. I am in grad school to become an OT and this entry warmed my heart. I love that Ben's OT thinks outside the box so much and that both of you are willing to try anything new. I hope that I can be as creative when I'm an OT!
I love catching up on your blog, and just through your boat pics I feel like Ben looks more and more like himself before the accident. The biking look awesome! Cory Remsburg has recently started doing that as part of his therapy - I see a road race in his future. Congrats on getting that man of yours outside and enjoying nature together - God is in control, he is good.
Wow! Just catching up on blogs tonight, after taking the kids camping for much of the past 2 weeks. :)
Hiking . . . Biking . . . InnerTubing . . . Driving the Boat? That is AWESOME! You may see more of the day-to-day, so it doesn't look like a lot of progress . . . but I see a whole LOT of progress with your man. Praising Jesus for ALL of the healing that has already taken place, and trusting Him for complete restoration for Ben.
Glad you have been having some FUN this summer.
Nope. This isn't where you expected to be after 5 years of marriage . . . but it really is a whole lot better than it could have been. God is working. God is moving. Keep trusting.
Laurel
mama of 12
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