Hi everyone,

I know it’s only been a few weeks since there was a CaringBridge post but there are many things I am very eager to share with you. You are our prayer warriors and have been standing strong for us and with us from the beginning. We are so grateful for you.

In the past two weeks, Brad has made a tremendous amount of progress!! Praise the Lord! Here’s a list of celebratory events!

1. Brad has been on the therapy mat that we have at home twice. You might not think this is much, but he’d been telling me and our daytime caregiver that he wasn’t getting on it because we weren’t certified physical therapists. His main issue was fear of falling or being dropped. The caregiver and I are receiving on-going training from the PT therapists at WakeMed and we are getting better! Even today, they supervise us in transferring Brad when he is at their facility.  This is great he is on the mat. We can do trunk strengthening exercises and better range of motion of his arms and legs. This is especially important because after today, there are only 4 more therapy visits for the year 2023 that his insurance will pay for unless we appeal, and the appeal is approved. Prayers needed for that!!

2. Brad practices some movements of body parts when he is in bed and then surprises us with them. Just yesterday, he showed us that he can lift his LEFT elbow off the bed. This is fantastic. Can I hear an AMEN? It was in October of 2022 at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago that his brother Charles first felt a tiny movement of the bicep in the left arm. Now Brad can lift the elbow without help. 

3. Brad is also able to participate in ACTIVE range of motion (versus passive where we do all the work) with his LEFT arm. Progress is being made, folks!

4. Also, while lying flat on the mat, Brad has me or his caregiver lift his right arm so that it is perpendicular to the mat and then LET GO holding it. Brad can hold it up himself for a few seconds.

5. Another mat exercise is weightlifting. I just so happened to have a set of weights in that room. The smallest amount of weight is a one-pounder. I was laughed at for having it. BUT it works for Brad. He is able to lift it across his body with his right arm without any assistance!  Praise the Lord!

6. Another first is that Brad asked to use the mini-bike that was gifted him at Christmas. It has been a few months since then as Brad felt his arm get stronger and felt he could do the hand/arm cycling without excruciating pain. He’s cycled a few times (this serves at occupational therapy on days he only has outpatient physical therapy or no outpatient therapy at all). 

7. And now, drum roll….. People, Brad has fed himself a cheese cube on two different occasions! That was a huge moment the first time it happened. And the second time. We shared with an occupational therapist and the very next session, she gave us helpful self-feeding advice and adaptive equipment suggestions. 

What else has been going on?  Had 14 therapies since I last posted. Only 4 more for the year that insurance will pay for. Had some repairs to the wheelchair—technician came to the house. So glad we didn’t have to go anywhere. 

And Brad had an MRI of his brain and his cervical spine this past Tuesday. Was a long appointment. His caregiver and I assisted the technicians—he and I actually did the lateral transfer of Brad from his wheelchair to the gurney that would take him to the MRI room. Brad had to insist the staff get us from the waiting area. We had brought our own transfer board. I was sure to give credit for our training to their own outpatient therapy department and told them we’d be back again next week. Brad has another MRI scheduled—of the thoracic and the lumbar parts of his spine. Then later in June, he will see a doctor that will explain all the results to us 

This afternoon, Brad sees his rehab doctor. Brad’s legs have had increased muscle spasms the past two weeks. So we’ll find out what the doctor can offer him for relief. The expert daytime caregiver who loads Brad into the van will not be going with us. He has a second job. So the loading falls to me. I’m anxious-haven’t done it in a while. 

Brad also sees a dentist on Monday. You may be thinking—no big deal. Well, you have to have a dentist that allows the patient to STAY in their power wheelchair during the cleaning and also a dentist that dedicates two hygienists to work on Brad—one does the cleaning, and one maintains constant suctioning. 

What about Jim and me? We are taking care of ourselves. There have been 5 visits since the last post of he or I getting care. 

But our BIGGEST news is that our house in Greenville went on the market TODAY. Please pray that it sells quickly!! You can see a link for it if you are Facebook friends of Brad and/or family.

So now you know why I just had to send this information to Kim to post on CaringBridge. Please rejoice with us over all this great news and progress and continue with all your prayers for Brad and us. Thank you!!