Snakes, F ish, and Frustrations!

Luke's favorite thing....fishing with dad!

Brave Boy touching a snake!

Luke had a busy weekend. On Saturday morning he went with Nana and Papa to see snakes and birds at the Riparian Preserve. He is certainly braver than me touching the snakes! Then after that he went fishing with dad, and also fishing again on Sunday. He loves to go with Mike to a secret lake they are so lucky to be able to use. He is getting pretty good at reeling those fish in!

Now for the frustration...this is me being frustrated. On Saturday we got a statement from Blue Cross Blue Shield, for something they paid that I did not recognize. So this morning I called the company and asked about the charge. They told me it was for nursing services for Luke to come and give him medicine via an IV. Ok, he has never had nursing services or medicine via an IV. So, they are researching it...don't expect to hear back from them. Then I called BCBS and they were kind of like whatever. The frustrating thing for me is they paid over $500 for something he didn't even get, yet wouldn't pay for the oxygen therapy he got that helped him! The other frustrating thing is I see how much my parents pay for their employees to have health insurance, and this is why it is so high!! Sorry for the rant...believe!

Balance, Balance, Balance

Luke standing by himself holding onto the wall.

Luke sitting up by himself pushing buttons on his computer.

We have been working with Luke on his balance. We have been doing lots of sitting with him on the carpet, and some standing. We will have him stand using his walker or help him walk to get somewhere in the house where he has something to hold onto. I must say, his balance is getting so much better. He really needs to get his core strong in order to advance in other areas. So, that is our focus right now. He is getting to where now when he is sitting he is able to play rolley-ball, which takes other coordination skills because he has to use his good hand to roll the ball back and forth.

Here is part of an email I received from another mom whose daughter has a brain injury...I found it very encouraging:

Brain pruning

Synaptic pruning is thought to help the brain transition from childhood, when it is able to learn and make new connections easily, to adulthood, when it is a bit more settled in its structure, but can focus on a single problem for longer and carry out more complex thought processes.

For example, if a child receives a brain injury before age 10, another area of the brain can often take over the functions of the damaged region. If the same injury occurs at age 20, however, the person may lose a vital ability, because the brain has lost the flexibility to transfer that function to another area.

Thanks for checking in...believe!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Hope you are wearing green today, because if not Luke has his claw out ready to attack! Things have been a bit crazy over here as we get used to life with baby, although she is a great baby:)

As for Luke, he had an evaluation a few weeks ago to start getting OT at home once a week. It amazes me the info they give these therapists on the kids. About half way thru the evaluation she says to me, "You mean he hasn't been like this since birth." Ummmm....no! Anyway, she was amazed at what Luke could do with his right hand and will concentrate on getting lefty working as well. A few things that she asked me if Luke could do, I wasn't sure because we hadn't tried since he got hurt, such as draw a horizontal and vertical line and stack blocks. After she left, I had him do these things and he did them all! Yesterday when he was sitting on the couch, on the end table next to him was a pen and paper. I looked over and he had the pen and was "drawing" on the paper. Mike has also been taking him fishing a few times a week and has noticed an improvement just in the last week with how he reels in the fish, and also his reaction time when the fish bites on his hook. Go Luke! Thanks for checking in...believe!

Two Years and a baby!

Well...first I have to say...THANKS SO MUCH for all of the encouraging emails I had in my in box on March 6th...the two year anniversary of Luke's accident. In the amazing way God works we were blessed with a sweet baby girl just 13 minutes before the day of the anniversary, on March 5th at 11: 47pm. She came 2 1/2 weeks early to us, but just on time for Him and we are truly thankful.

Here is the post I had I pre-written earlier in the week to post on March 6th, the day Luke was hurt two years ago...

Black old navy t-shirt. Power Ranger boxers. Jeans. Black and camo DC shoes. Little did I know when I picked out these clothes for Luke to wear two years ago today, that they would be the clothes he would be wearing when he would be fighting what will hopefully be the biggest battle of his life. Funny how we can remember every detail about tragic events of our lives. I can remember right where I was when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded (in my fifth grade class,) and where I was when I heard the news about Sept. 11th (on a walk listening to my headset-no ipods then-when the breaking news came on.) I am sure some of you can even remember where you were when you heard the news from someone that Luke had been hurt. I know I can remember everything I did that day...the last time I dropped two kids off for school in the morning, the last parent-teacher conference I had for Luke, the last time I saw my son walk across the school cafeteria with his smiling face ready to go home and play, the last time I saw Luke ride his bike up and down his ramp he loved so much, the last time I saw him with both eyes open, the last time I saw his full face smile. If I could change how that day ended, I would do it in a heartbeat. However, I can't so instead I choose to rejoice in all of the miracles we have seen since that day two years ago. The biggest of which is that Luke is even here 2 years later with the odds he was given that day, and he continues to improve each week! We still notice new things...that is a HUGE praise God when you have been told your son will lie in a bed for the rest of his life. Two years later, he is only on one medicine (a baby aspirin a day,) he has no G-Tube, he is starting to learn to talk again, he no longer has to use the shower chair my cousin made for him because he can sit up in the bath tub again and take a bath, he can drive his Jeep around outside and hit a t-ball and many other "normal" kid activities, you can read him a story and ask him questions about it with great accuracy, he has gone back to his Sunday school class at church (as of 3 weeks ago,) he can help brush his own teeth, and I could go on and on and on...which is an amazing thing! I can't help but think great things about what the next 2 years will bring for Luke..when I picture him then, I see him walking and talking..so let's pray for that. Thank you all so much for sticking around, following Luke, and supporting us these last 2 years. They say in times of trial you find out who your real friends are. All I can say is we are truly blessed in every sense of the word, and I pray you will be blessed many times over for everything you do for us. We give a huge thanks and praise to God for keeping Luke with us and for healing and restoring him.

Back to those clothes Luke wore 2 years ago, they are in a brown paper bag in his closet with a medical record label on them, as they had to be cut in half off of him that day. I have been saving the kids' meaningful t-shirts because someday I want my mom to make a t-shirt quilt for them, you better believe that black Old Navy t-shirt will be front and center (cut in half or not) because this Gladiator is winning the battle he was sent out on 2 years ago. In honor of Luke and the fight he has fought these last 2 years, just for today don't sweat the small stuff, hug your kids a little tighter, and give thanks to God for all of the blessings you have, because you never know what tomorrow will bring. Believe!

"And so we celebrated because the Lord has indeed worked Miracles for us." Psalm 126:3

Now here are some pics of our new arrival...thanks again and God Bless!