As expected and hoped, Tomas was released from Craig hospital on December 20th. Him and I and the kids road tripped home, arriving on the 22nd just in time to celebrate Christmas with family.

Coming back home has been exciting and scary. It feels great to be back but we are still uncertain with what our new normal will be like. For now, we are living in a hotel while our home is pending modifications. We still do not have a timeline for when we will be able to officially move home and the in between stage is less than ideal.

We still have not jumped back into physical therapy or occupational therapy since being home; which has been frustrating as we want to continue Tomas’ care and improvement. At our initial assessment at Courage Kenny we were told he would only have therapy a few hours a week. We were expecting much more, especially following his intensive routine at Craig. Currently we are trying to find a solution to get more therapy scheduled to max out potential progress. Meanwhile we are doing what we can on our own.

Since Tomas’ accident, we have seen only subtle changes in his left leg. Without a PT and OT routine right now and the projected lack of therapy scheduled, we were starting to get doubtful about Tomas’ journey to recovery; until he surprised himself on New Year’s Eve. Tomas is kicking off the New Year strong with some new and improved movement in his left leg! He says he can now kick butt with both legs! Every new improvement, small or large, gives us a bit more light and hope. This one really hit a sweet spot after some challenging weeks of feeling disappointed and depleted; a physical and emotional feat!

During the last few weeks at Craig, Tomas was dealing with other health challenges which restricted him to the amount of work he was able to put into his intensive routine. It sometimes felt that progress was moving backwards. These challenges were preventable, yet, unfortunately, overlooked; and Tomas would have had a much more positive experience otherwise; with likely more improvement and less discomfort. With all of that, Tomas still accomplished a lot!

According to the ASIA Impairment Scale, Tomas was at a level C when he arrived at Craig. The scale ranges from A to E, E being normal sensory and motor functions. When he was released, he had graduated to a level D! This is a great achievement!

When we started this journey, Tomas had been lying in a hospital bed for two weeks. He had little control or movement from his waist down. He’s now mobile in a wheelchair, is making conscious connections and control to his lower half with impressive movement in both legs. Sometimes it’s hard to perceive and recognize how much progress has been made because the majority has been “behind the scenes” stuff that no one else sees. His legs are the final piece of the complex puzzle.

As new realities have been setting in at home, we are leaning on our family and friends to help keep us strong. We are still in a fragile time of balancing emotional and physical wellness. It is taking time to accept and adjust to things at home and be patient with the slow process.

We are so thankful for our continuing support.

We want to send out a special thank you to those who spent time with us in Colorado. You lifted us up and gave us some extra special memories. I also want to acknowledge our friend Javier who flew to Colorado from Argentina and stayed in Tomas’ room with him every night, attending all of his therapies and classes, helping 24/7 for 10 days. We enjoyed meals, outings and family time together as well. You came at just the right time and are much appreciated! Te queremos mucho.

We wish you all health and happiness in this bright new year!