a few new things...

"I am ready to perform My Word." Jer 1:12
"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things..." Jer 33:3

First of all thank you all so much for the love, encouragement, prayers and comments on my last blog post. I have to be real because our journey is real! As the week has moved forward it has gotten better and for that I am grateful. It just takes time to get through these thoughts and emotions and just as I do another one peeps its head around the corner! Gotta love it!

Ben has been trialing a new wheelchair that is almost 50lbs lighter, smaller in size, folds up and so many more wonderful things! The biggest thing is that Ben can self move the whole thing. He was able to do it with his other one but it was really heavy and harder to move! He was trying to propel a 90lb wheelchair and his 190 body with 2 weaker arms! Lets just say that it was slow moving! This new wheelchair has opened up a whole new door if independence for Ben! He is doing REALLY well with it and is moving much faster! I tell him to get himself to the gym and he starts moving! I walk behind him and he gets himself there with no directional help. If we are sitting at a meal and he is done and I am still visiting he takes off! Ha, he doesn't want to stay for that...not unusual! Since it is lighter it is also easier for Ben to steer! As his arms continue to get stronger and his coordination gets better Ben will continue to move this new chair better and better! Benefits for me...it is lighter to push when I need to, folds up so it will be good for traveling, did I mention lighter and now that it is lighter I should start sitting on his lap for him to wheel me around too!

Another thing Ben was introduced to this week was the leg press! Yes, he has used one before but it of course was before the accident. His PT came to the room and asked if I had a sec to come check Ben out! I scurried to the gym and found Ben leg pressing 60lbs!! WOW BEN! He was loving it and of course saying, "I am crushing this!" His PT told Ben that he is not able to get many of his patients on the leg press because they are not strong enough! Ben's face lit up and said, "really? I am good!" That's right, you are Ben!!



PT has also been working with Ben from getting from the floor to a chair. Reason for this is if Ben falls! Eeeekkkk! They have been working on it all week and his PT said that Ben has been doing really well and next week they will have me come in and work with Ben on it since it will be me trying to get Ben up in the future! Praying against any falls but want to be prepared!

A huge thing we tried this week is walking Ben around the hospital with no dowels, walker or anything but people! It was his PT on Ben's left and me on the right. We Linked our arms around Bens waist, Ben held our hands and we took off! Ben kept saying he wanted to keep going so we made 4 HUGE loops around! Probably next week it will be Ben, I and another therapist and I have to instruct them on how to do it just as if I was instructing a family member to help me! The motivation that Ben has these days has been awesome to see!

And one more new HUGE thing! Ben is down to one stimulant medication. His doc thought it was time again to look at all of Ben's meds and wean him off the ones that he doesn't really need. Well, a stimulant was one of them! Ben has been tapered off of it and now completely off! We kept an eye on his cognition and fatigue issues and there were no decreases in it so off he goes! This is another massive step in his recovery. As of now Ben is on one stimulant, 2 seizure meds and vitamin! Not to shabby! Praise the Lord!

All these things in just one week! The Lord has been shining Himself through in my weakest moments and reminding me of His faithfulness and how He is still and always with us!

The plans to come home are still in the works!! We are so close and I am super excited. Might have a few hiccups to deal with if the government shuts down but we should be ok! Keep that in your prayers as it effects many, many people along with all of our military both stateside and overseas! We also depend on this paycheck!