A wild weekend we just had. Beginning with a bang, the fundraiser Friday night raised tens of thousands of dollars toward therapy and other health care needs for M. Little did I know this would be the the outcome of my saying yes to BVD. We have been blessed by her heart and hard work and by those of others - many of whom we do not even know. Those of you I do know, I'm sure I'll never know how much of your time and attention have gone to us in these past few months. I'm honored and touched and grateful to you and God above.
I don't know how this all will end, but I am convinced things will be better. What a great adventure we are on, I've told the kids. Others may pay thousands of dollars and leave home, but we are together with all the comforts of home, surrounded by friends and family. We've reached the base camp and shortly will be setting out to ascend our own Mount Everest. Bless you for being our supply chain and for cheering us on.
Yesterday, M got to go home on our first eight-hour day pass. Day passes provide the family a practice run, to see if the house is fully accessible and if the caregiver is adequately trained. We accomplished everything we tried, but I discovered a few more modifications to be the house will be necessary.
Please pray that I will be vigilant enough. Brain injury survivors are at much greater risk than the general population of being brain-injured again - eight times more likely, I am told. And the consequences of the second injury are much more severe. As much as I look forward to having the family under one roof, I'll be needing to tend to the whole family - all at the same time. This was brought home to me last night as I pulled M, in his wheelchair, into our tiny bathroom, so I could keep an eye on him while I showered our son.
Plans now are for M to be discharged May 17th or 18th. He then will continue his therapy at TIRR in the day program. So he will continue to have speech, occupational, physical, recreational, and music therapy, along with his group therapy, all with the same therapists he sees now. I'll transport him back and forth and ensure he has someone sitting with him or waiting for him at TIRR during the day, from about 9-4. This may continue another 2-4 weeks, into mid-June, to be followed by perhaps the Transitional Learning Center, an inpatient program in Galveston, or the Challenge program at another TIRR facility, through the summer.
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
