Great things!

Sorry...it has been a crazy but great few days! Luke has a few new tricks up his sleeve and he loves to show off. The first one, I have to admit, I never thought I would be excited to write about, but I am. He can pick his nose with his left hand!! That is right...his left hand, the one that is in a fist and contorted in some of the pictures I post. He had his first purposeful movement with that hand on Monday when he licked frosting off of his finger, then today he could pick his nose, and even when I left the hospital tonight my aunt told him to wave by and he lifted his left arm and hand up. This is an awesome improvement as Mike has promised to take him fishing when he can use both hands:) Guess a trip to the lake is in our future.

Today we had Luke's evaluation with the NACD. They give us an evaluation to fill out on the program and I had put that we felt Luke was reaching a plateau-well that was my first mistake! The last time they evaluated Luke was the beginning of April, before the stem cell therapy. Well they are amazed at the progress he has made. She looked at me and said, "Stacey, the last time we met this kid could not hold his head up, he certainly could not sit up, could not move his left hand, his left leg was much weaker than his right where now they are equal, and you think he has reached a plateau." Okay, so what do I know, I guess that is what happens when you are with him day in and day out, you forget about the small things that are getting us to the BIG thing! So she was super impressed with his progress and also the strength he has in his muscles.

Now this was my post from Monday that I never got around to posting...
Luke had a great day in therapy today! His started off with the cutest puppy coming by for a visit, pet therapy. They put the little shi-zuh on Luke's lap and let him pet him; he loved it. He especially liked it when the dog barked for him, and hours later when I asked him how many barks Tiger did, he would hold up two fingers. Then in speech he worked lots on blowing bubbles and blowing his horns. His mouth seems to be getting so many more movements. (Mike and Jaimi, the therapists love the Oregon ducks blower horn and want to know where they can get them. It is Luke's favorite horn to blow:) This afternoon he was able to make a fire truck and spider out of food with the great recreational therapist, Natalie, who also happens to be the aunt/sister of our dear neighbors. I think he had the most fun licking the frosting off his hands. They told me to put some on his left hand, sure enough he brought it up to his mouth to lick off. They all agree he is capable of doing so much with that arm (he proved that today), but has some "learned non-use" of it. The best thing of the day came when Luke woke up from an afternoon cat-nap. Mike had just gotten there. He woke up saying a new sound, "n." Then it became a, "no," sound. We told him no more using his hand to show us no because now he can say it. So I asked him if he liked barbie dolls and he said, "no." Praise God for all of the great things we are seeing...He can only do great, awesome things, and I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. Lamentations 3:25