Therapeutic riding

Years ago, dh and I lived in the country, where we had horses and rode all the time. Here's a photo of dh from those days.

I had known of riding for the handicapped then and, with the help of a friend who teaches at one such facility, had dh evaluated late in 2007. Though there's a long waiting list, dh was able to start this spring, hooray!

Here are a couple of short videos of dh's first lesson at SIRE, which offers certified therapeutic riding and hippotherapy near us.

The physical and emotional benefits of horseback riding have been known for several hundred years. In particular, the horse’s gait replicates the correct position of the human body in a walk, helping retrain movement in the rider's trunk and retraining a senseof balance. At SIRE, certified instructors serve more than 185 clients weekly through programs which include therapeutic riding, carriage driving, vaulting and hippotherapy. Clients report great improvements in gross and fine motor skills, balance and posture. So much more than just sitting on the back of a horse, for the only time in their lives, these children and adults are able to move through space, with a freedom of movement and sense of accomplishment that changes lives.

More progress

Recently I asked dh to help find something our son lost. A few months ago, ever agreeable, he would say "yes, I'll help," then he promptly would sit down without making ANY effort to do what he said he would do. He since has progressed to where he would have made a cursory attempt, but not stay focused or on task. Now, though, he agreed and then immediately went to our son and asked him where he last had the notebook. Dh systematically looked in all the likely places, persisting until I told him to not bother anymore. (We still haven't found the notebook!)

And another - one of dh's chores is to unload the dishwasher. Each morning, ten minutes after unloading it, he won't remember. So when I ask about it, dh will go and unload it again, even if the dishes are now the next load waiting to be washed. He's on a single track, "unload the washer," and doesn't catch on to whether unloading makes sense (such as when you're putting a peanut butter encrusted knife back into the silverware drawer).

But yesterday, when dh was unloading the washer, he picked up a bowl, showed it to me and remarked, "This isn't clean, I'll put it back in to be washed again."

Just a few days ago, when he was at his sister's, he observed a disagreement between her and her 18 year old daughter. After the teenager left, dh made appropriate empathetic remarks to his sister and noted we're about to have a teenager in our house, too.

And dh spontaneously remembered, without ANY prompting, that our son had to be at church early this week for his baptism, remembering about 6 days after Mark last heard the schedule.

I'm very grateful for all these signs of progress. Especially grateful since I am making a conscious effort to turn dh's recovery entirely over to God. Dh and I have been working very hard, but I've come to acknowledge that our hard work isn't enough. In some ways, I feel as though I had been getting in God's way, picking up burdens that are not mine to bear. And God has been very good to us.

Another Recovery

A TBI caregiver's story, from the online support group TBI Together -

She starts her letter:
It's been a very, very, very long 20 months since my husband's fall off his ladder (and subsequent coma for about a month). He was hospitalized for over 5 months. And when I first brought him home in October 2006 ... he couldn't walk. He was in diapers, he needed to be fed most of the time, he couldn't talk very well. He had horrible behavioral problems and my arms and upper trunk were usually covered in black and blue marks.

This caregiver continues,
here we are, all this time later, and I have to tell you all, life DOES get BETTER. Dean is walking with a cane now, he speaks very well and even wrote a long letter to his sister in a birthday card. (He remembered her birthday without any help from me.) .... He's just finished reading his first FULL LENGTH book since the accident!

He rides his tractor to plow out the driveway .... He participated fully in our Christmas celebrations (even getting our son and daughter-in-law to take him shopping for presents for ME!) And his behavior is under control. .... He tells me he loves me often! Truly, my cup runneth over. And life IS getting better, better everyday. And to think he hasn't even reached his 2-year anniversary yet.

And she concluded her email saying,
I keep"talking" with people who have either survived TBI or have cared for loved ones with TBI and the message is ALWAYS the same. Two years is nothing. Improvements continue and continue and continue. ... I wanted to provide our story and to give hope to those just starting. Of course, there are times when life continues to be difficult, but there are so many more times when life is delightful. Who could ask for more?

Let's play a game

For your viewing pleasure, a video of dh playing ping pong using his affected left side.
This was filmed during a occupational therapy session, January 2007. Occupational therapy focuses on the upper body and skills for daily life.