Horseback riding is proving to be a good thing (please see video). Steve now rides a horse named Rudy who is a little shorter and quicker than Malabar. His posture and ability to match Rudy's gait gets better each week. His teacher is Jessica, and she is wonderful. She has lots of stories to tell, and Steve ends up listening to her and responding to her even when he's riding, which has been fun to watch. Each week as we pay for this therapy we send a thank you to all of you who have made this possible! This would not be happening without your support.
He continues to get weekly massages in our home from Eric and Theresa, and they have developed such a wonderful relationship with Steve. He does lots of talking with them, and it's obvious that they care deeply for him, as he does for them.
Through a number of coincidences, we found our way to a new PM&R doctor who has a connection with a rehab facility that specializes in TBI. They have begun working with Steve two afternoons each week, and now have him swimming in a therapeutic pool every Monday. These people have high hopes for Steve, and we are so thankful for their expertise and encouragement!
We take Steve to the gym twice each week to work out, and he plays tennis there every Thursday with our friend Jennie. It has been so good for him in many ways, including hand/eye coordination, strengthening his arms, and exercising in a fun way that he hasn't been able to do in a long time. They also have a martial arts room with bars that he can walk along, and Rob and Jennie help him with that. Good stuff!
Beth has started coming home three evenings each week to work with Steve on the recumbent bike. It's more than just pedaling...she has him work through a routine that will get harder as time goes by. We have been really worried about his lack of cardio exercise, and are so thankful that Beth has taken on the challenge of addressing this issue.
A couple weeks ago I managed (once again!) to pull Steve's feeding tube out. The good news is that it was replaced with a different kind, which is smaller and less annoying. It also makes it possible to swim, so I guess was a good thing in the long run! We really hope to have it out before too many more months go by. His eating/drinking are getting better all the time.
We appealed to Blue Cross to increase the number of therapy days they'll pay for each year, and were turned down (despite letters from his PM&R doctor and neurologist). We're going to pursue this further, and are wondering if any of you have ideas or experience in doing this. If you do, you can communicate with us in this blog, or you can email me at lindapercha@gmail.com. We would really appreciate any thoughts or advice you might have! It's amazing to us that they'll pay for unlimited days in the hospital, but very few outpatient therapy days, despite the cost difference between the two. The other "interesting" thing we've learned is that people injured in auto accidents have opportunities for much, much more therapy than people injured in other ways. Just doesn't seem right, but that's the way it is.
Steve's friend Jamie is an OT student at Wayne State, and she just spent a couple hours here talking with and evaluating Steve. She and a group of fellow students are exploring the possibility of working with Steve, and also had a fundraiser for him. We are so excited to see what sort of plans they come up with!
We've often spoken of Steve's friends, and how amazed we are by the support they show him even as time goes by and their lives change. They visit, email, and text! No matter how they stay in touch, their presence is so important to his recovery.
We know of some people who would like to have contact with him, but maybe feel too much time has passed or feel that if they haven't been in touch before, it's not appropriate now. Please don't let that stop you. He would love to hear from you. His phone number for texting (which is a great way to communicate with him) is 248-770-6092. Thanks.
We also want to say thanks to the people who send a random note or email, or comment in this blog, just to let us know they haven't forgotten about Steve. It means so much.
We hope life is good for you. As Thanksgiving approaches, please know that we have all of you on our list of what we're thankful for.
Love,
Linda & Rob
