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Friday Update: 10/7/05

Blessings of the day:
I actually have time to write! Phew, it’s been a busy couple of days. The therapists have been hitting Matt really hard these past 3 days and it shows! He’s resting pretty peacefully right now after a good 4 + hours of therapy. I am so happy with the therapists and their programs…they have been fantastic.

Also, Dad is coming back for a visit this weekend!! Yahoo!! Mom and I can’t wait to see him!

Matt got started bright and early this morning at 8:30 and we were on the go until about 12, then had a 2 hour break before the last therapy. We took Matt outside today! That’s another blessing! It was so sunny and nice out. Cool, but a beautiful fall afternoon. Mom and I shimmied ourselves outside with Matt in his chair and Mom pushing his food pole. They are starting him on different food tonight and will be feeding him only at night from now on so we won’t have to maneuver around with that pole anymore. It will help a lot with the therapies not having to mess with it either. We are all excited about that.

Matt has been spending 2+ hours with the physical therapist, and hour with the occupational therapist, and 1+ hour with the speech therapist. They are all young, professional women and are very dedicated to their patients. I think they are so excited to have someone as young and healthy as Matt with such a good prognosis. They have all taken him under their wings and are already showing how protective they are of him. They really work together as a team and are very supportive of each other and their programs. Matt is lucky to have such a great team here…but the level of medical care here is really lacking. They are so busy with patients who require more attention that they seem to just forget about us most of the time. Therapy is definitely his #1 priority, but I do get concerned that they aren’t watching some of the other things. Mom and I are on high alert that they pay attention to the other details. The therapists are really encouraging us to spend all of Matt’s rehab here with them, but I’m not really sold on it yet. We’ll see how the next week or so goes.

Here are a few of the things Matt has accomplished in his therapy:
· He has been pulling himself up from the laying down position and sitting up on the edge of the bed. It takes him a while to get the momentum going, but he’s been doing that pretty well with just a little bit of assistance.
· He has been spending most of the day up in his ‘custom-fit’ wheelchair!
· He got up between the parallel bars and stood there for quite a while, 2 times today and yesterday. (He’s getting really good at pulling himself up and standing straight up.)
· Matt has been practicing taking his shirt off and on, with a little help.
· We’ve been working on brushing his teeth, combing his hair, taking his glasses off and on, etc

And, the list goes on and on…his strength and range of motion continue to increase. He’s been working so hard these past few days. He is so motivated and determined to get better. We are all so proud of him and the strides he’s making.

I still think it’s best to limit visits right now. He’s just so focused on therapy and is working so hard during the day, that he’s really not been available for visiting during the day. Then, when he is finished, he is so darn pooped, that he’s really not up for visiting either. I think it’s just too much right now. I know you all understand.

Please just keep him in your thoughts and prayers. We need to keep praying for increased strength and motivation. Pray that Matt would continue to improve daily and keep on fighting the good fight.

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