Artem had his first Botox appointment with a neurologist to treat the spasticity and tightness in his right arm. We have already seen some improvements in his ability to fully straighten his arm but we should be able to see the full results of the first injections within the next week. It will likely take a few sessions of trial-and-error to get the desired results. 

Artem has received his braces and they fit quite nicely - we have not had any issues with rubbing or bruising yet. We had to special order extra wide shoes to accommodate his braces which set us back from using them for an extra week but he has now been using them for over a week. He is much more stable in the braces and has been practicing walking within it any harness or support already. 

At a neurologist visit last week, Artem was able to walk into the office and complete the visit without needing his wheelchair which they were very excited to see. We are trying to focus on more outings without using the wheelchair like small grocery stores, restaurants and walking Toast (our dog) outside. 

We will be moving forward with GyroStim therapy for Artem soon with his neurologist. This will be very exciting to see how this helps his balance and coordination. 

Motivation and initiation are usually lacking in most TBI survivors and can be some of the biggest hurdles to overcome. This is one of the reasons why they generally recover better and faster with a strong support system. If left to his own preferences, Artem would watch TV, sleep and eat all day. I try to break up Artem’s days with cognitive exercises, doing chores around the house, games, reading books, and looking through pictures and videos from before the accident. During the week this can be more difficult as I have to work but we always start our morning with Speech or Physical Therapy to get us started on the right track. 

A few other things we do to help with Artem’s recovery:

•Take Artem once a week to the pool to walk/exercise in the water. This is easier on his joints and is something he has always enjoyed.

•Encourage Artem to throw toys for Toast to retrieve (inside and outside). This helps exercise his arms and is a fun activity for them to do together.  

•Workout with his Jiu-Jitsu class twice a week. This is a great supplement to his regular workouts and helps integrate him back into his regular routine and friendships. 

•Follow a low-carb Mediterranean style diet. This is the diet shown to have the most benefit for TBI recovery. 

•Supplement his diet with vitamins and supplements. Most of these are temporary while he is in recovery. 

•Ensure Artem gets fresh air each day and does at least one cardio workout daily. Oxygen flow to his is important for his recovery and will be important to maintain his brain health in the future.