Apologies for the Silence

Sorry that it's been so long since my last post-we've been busy!

I was in Scotland for the first few weeks in January (it was an incredibly productive trip) and, while I was gone, Jason's mom Gail was in town helping with Savannah.  They all did well, despite a few unexpected bumps in the road.

Jason is still doing great.  He's working out at SCI-FIT 6 hours per week.  I caught the tail end of his session yesterday and was able to watch him working on crawling with his trainer.  While he still needs the trainer's assistance in order to maintain balance, I was amazed by how much he was able to do on his own. He can use his hip strength to pull his legs forward.  Such an amazing improvement over the last few months.

We've got some exciting things coming up-Jason meets with his physiatrist on February 7. He should be getting his referral back to PT for the leg braces...it'll still be a while before he actually gets up in the braces, though. Nothing happens fast in medicine :)  So, he'll get the referral, make an appointment for PT (which could take some time), then go in to get measured for braces, then wait another few weeks for said braces to be manufactured and delivered....so, maybe Jason will be in braces in March?  This is assuming, of course, that insurance doesn't slow things down any further...

In wheelchair news, J's new seat back should be coing in sometime next week.  Hopefully, that'll eliminate the pain he's been having in his back (nothing too terrible, but enough to be annoying).

We are also looking forward to a big day next week: Jason's birthday!! When Jason was in the hospital, we used his birthday as something of a "goal" date.  We talked a lot about what he would be able to do by his birthday.  Initially, all of our goals revolved around walking and life being exactly as it was pre-SCI.  This was, of course, before we had any knowledge of what it means to have a spinal cord injury.  I still think Jason will walk again someday, but walking isn't everything anymore.  After 6+ months, you realize that life in a wheelchair can still be a great life.  That's a realization that takes some time to come to, and is one that I imagine many people reading this won't entirely understand.  It's hard to explain to others that we're okay, and will continue to be okay if things stay as they are.  In all the ways that matter, Jason's achieved, and exceeded, any goal we set in July.

Love you all,

Ashley