FROM ARTHUR:

Hi everyone! A lot has changed in the last few weeks, and as some of you may already know, we have finally found a new place to live to restart our lives! We moved out of the tiny apartment and into a bigger home, just about a mile away, still close to rehab and doctors, the Claremont Colleges and a charming downtown area. The town of Claremont is a quiet and quaint suburb, just outside of Los Angeles. We are very much enjoying a little bit of peace and quiet, very different from what we were used to in LA. We are still moving in, meeting neighbors and getting comfortable. As we were unpacking, we were constantly reminded of all the care and hard work that the Lange family put into getting us packed out of our old home. We are eternally grateful and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are also extremely grateful for all of those who came to help us move in, move furniture, unpack, and keep us company. We are very happy with this area and this new house, and having our own pool doesn’t hurt either. I’ve been able to get in and do some aqua therapy, which is such a nice addition to the existing rehabilitation.

Megan returns to work next week, and I will continue training and working on becoming more and more independent. We’ve also recently hired a caretaker to help me get out of bed in the morning and prepare food when Megan is gone. There is a local shuttle that will take me just about anywhere in town for $2.50. I am continuing to make progress; my core is becoming stronger every day, and I am increasing my ability to hold myself sitting up, move around in bed and in the wheelchair, and I even started being able to get dressed on my own. Tuesday I was able to kick my left leg up just a tiny little bit.

Shortly after we moved in last month, the insurance company approved at-home, occupational and physical therapy as well as social services to help us navigate new challenges. We will probably only get about six or so weeks of therapy, but this was a very welcome bonus. I am continuing my training at The Perfect Step twice a week and will be starting additional outpatient therapy back at Casa Colina once a week, as soon as the at-home therapy ends. Another added bonus of our new house is that we have enough bedrooms for me to have my own gym. The Perfect Step generously donated a training/stretching table where I can practice every kind of motion and stretching that I have been taught to do at rehab. I am continually amazed at how fortunate we are to have received so much support, not only from all of you, but also from this wonderful team of doctors and therapists who are dedicated to helping us as much as they humanly can. Things finally feel like they are falling into place, we are becoming more and more comfortable with this new life, each day, finding more reasons to celebrate being alive. We send you our love.

FROM MEGAN:

It really is amazable (to quote my niece Emma, when she was little) how much has changed in just a short amount of time, and how the positive changes outlined by Arthur help us look forward to what's to come. This morning we were able to pick up a new scooter attachment for Arthur's chair, which will help him get out and about much more freely - max of 15miles/hr - watch out Claremont!! The attachment will not only help him enjoy strolling - making small inclines and thresholds much more manageable - but will keep his shoulders from wearing out. I can't wait to join him on some local hiking trails, now that I won't have to push! 😉 Our ability to obtain adaptions such as the scooter (and the lift that allows us to get him in and out of the pool on our own) would not be possible without the incredible generosity of so many friends and family - THANK YOU!