“REMEMBER your….Why!”
It’s been a busy 9 months since I last updated you all on Cody. Lots of amazing achievements, a few moments of heartache and frustration, a couple of new and encouraging treatments and a new outlook on “Remembering your Why!”
Achievements:
- Cody finished up at Lonestar doing fantastic. He is now attending Texas A&M RELLIS in College Station with his sights set on getting his Kinesiology degree and then off to Chiropractic School. His goal….to become a chiropractor specializing in functional neurology. He drives to College Station Monday-Thursday for classes and does not seem to mind the commute. Probably gives him some peace and quiet away from his mom and dad......haha!
- Cody was able to intern/shadow at Neuro Solutions in Austin for a large part of the summer. His time with Dr. Crawford and the whole team was an amazing experience that not only gave him new knowledge and understanding but also gave him the opportunity to be part of a team. A team that works diligently and passionately and truly understands their “why” for what they do day after day. They loved on him, included him, taught him, and encouraged him. They have instilled in him the knowledge that he can do anything he wants and that they are all there to help him navigate it.
- Cody did another week-long intensive with Dr. Crawford and this time, they were really focusing on his balance… fine-tuning his walking (gait) and activating his left arm. Still have some work to do in those areas, but we are still so confident that the neuro pathways are still open and able to re-connect.
- Cody is doing a new therapy called NEUBIE (neuro bio-electric stimulator). It is the process of healing and rehabilitation that focuses on first identifying the “blocks” in the nervous system, and then resetting and re-educating those blocked or broken neuro pathways, and then finally breaking through to achieving results better, faster, and stronger than before. This new treatment is showing Cody that his strength and ability to do the “normal” things is there……he just needs to continue to push through the blockages to get them re-connected.
Frustrations:
One of the hard parts of a brain injury are the expectations that not only the injured person puts on himself, but also the expectations of those who are there everyday. AKA….mom and dad! To Cody’s defense, we can’t know what is happening inside his brain and how his body is responding to it. To our defense, we want him healed and we tend to push, “encourage” and expect him to put 110% into all that he does. Can you see where this is headed?? All that led to a “time-out” for all of us. Jamie and Sophie stepped in (with help from Ryan) and Cody spent a much-needed break up in Dallas. This time away gave all of us an opportunity to take a deep breath and come up with a game plan moving forward. I also think this time away, being with his brothers and friends reminded him of what it feels like to be a young adult again. I know that he is ready for it and it is just another step in his journey to independence again.
Purpose and WHY:
Long… honest…. heartfelt conversations, opportunities to serve others, frustrations over disagreements, expectations that certainly disappoint others, hard work and God appointed doctors, friends and family have all led us to a phrase that we remind ourselves of daily. “REMEMBER….. your WHY”
- For where Cody is today…..we remember WHY. God has miraculously healed him in ways that go above and beyond all that we could of ever imagined. We remember His provision at every turn…both with the doctors and therapists, but also the financial provision. We remember His direct answer to prayers said on Cody’s behalf and ours that have sustained us for the past 4 ½ years. This continues to give us a heart full of gratitude and the reminder that God has big plans for Cody. “and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Phil 1:6
- For where Cody will be tomorrow and the days that follow …..he remembers his WHY. Why is he working as hard as he is? Why is he studying Kinesiology and then onto Chiropractic and Functional Neurology? God has graciously revealed to Cody his “Why”. He knows now, that not only does he want to help others navigate and heal in the same way that he has been blessed to have been healed, but also that his Why gives him the ability to share his personal experience of having a brain injury himself. To not only the patients, but the families that are caring for them. It has given him the opportunity to contribute to something/someone bigger than himself.
- For us…..we remember our Why. Why we are pushing him to be the very best. Why….because that is what parents do. We dream of complete restoration for him in every aspect of his life and we know that God has amazing things in store for Cody and those who cross his path.
We have all found that if we keep our “Why” front and center in our hearts and mind, it gives us our anchor on where we have been and where we are going. It gives each of us a purpose and a reason to keep moving forward, even when situations seem insurmountable. And….It gives us a heart of gratitude to understand why we are where we are today.
Prayer Requests:
- That Cody will continue to see his Why in all he does and that it will keep him motivated and give him purpose.
- Success in school. That he will continue to do well in his classes and that his professors will continue to come alongside him and guide him.
- That new neuro-pathways will continue to be formed and Cody will be healed 100%.
- That new treatments will come his way....adding to his healing.
Much Love and Appreciation for each of you who follow Cody's journey, pray for him and bring new and exciting opportunities his way. We are forever grateful!
Krista, Chris and Cody
