Happy Birthday Luke

Happy 9th birthday Luke!! We are SO VERY proud of you, and the fighter you are!

I have to admit when went birthday shopping for Luke this week it was a little bittersweet. I couldn't help but think just for a second what kind of presents I would have been buying if this was a normal 9 year old birthday...most likely it would have been some sort of skateboard or scooter thing. But....dropped that pity party real fast, and thought...snap out of it and celebrate the fact that he is here celebrating 9 years and progressing still! So, after getting some transformers, a mini drum set, some mini skateboards and a ramp, I found some things he can play with. Today we celebrate Luke's birthday, and the amazing gladiator that he is!! We are so thankful that God continues to be at work in Luke.

Also, deposit is mailed, we are going back to Napa August 3rd!

Decisions, Decisions

We took Luke yesterday to be evaluated for therapy at the Neuro-Institute in Tempe. Mike and I both said as soon as we walked out of the place...not the same as LA and the awesome Napa Center. So, we are willing to give it a try for a few weeks and see. Hopefully we will be surprised. However, I checked with the Napa Center. When I first checked they were booked thru the end of October. They had a cancellation for the Aug 3rd session, so we are really thinking hard about taking Luke back then for another three week session, then going back the end of October for a four week session. I talked to many moms there (who came from all over the US) who have taken their kids to a place in Poland called Euro Med, and also tried other places across the US like Napa Center. They all said Napa Center is the closest they have found to the therapy their kids received in Poland. So, I feel lucky that we got the place right the first time, instead of trying others that just weren't that great. Please pray as we make the decision that is best for Luke and also our family, as we will be split up again for another three weeks, right after Lynsey starts middle school. The thing is, Luke loved going to therapy each moring there, and they also all loved him.

One more day:(

Well...one more day of this great therapy left. I am so, so sad to be leaving this awesome and amazing place!!! Luke is doing so good here. He loves to come to "school"!!! I think he is proud of what he is accomplishing. He is getting so much stronger. The therapists are really proud of how good he has done. Tomorrow we will get his official "report card" as well as exercises we can do at home with him. We just need lots of prayers that he will keep up the progress and work as well at home as he has here. I scheduled an appointment today to check out another therapy place in Tempe on Monday, that I hope will take him as patient, as they do not accept very many pediatric kids, but because we have BCBS they are willing to give him an evaluation. We also are hoping to come back here the end of Oct-Nov for 4 weeks. They are pretty much booked between now and then! We may try to do a 2 week session between now and then if it works out. We found out that they contracted with BCBS June 1st, so they should pay for the therapy everytime we come. Great, great news!!! I have to brag a bit and say I have had 4 different people here tell me what a great kid Luke is and how he is going to do great things...warms my heart and makes me so proud of that kid...he such a fighter...we couldn't be more proud:)

Knee walking..he did this for over 100 feet!

Walking with help on the treadmill.

Try This....

Try this the next time you are working out...knee walking on the treadmill. Luke did it for over 10 minutes today (with his wonderful helpers guiding!) Little stinker, when they first put him on it, reached right up and pushed the red stop button.

Flamingo Boy-balancing on one leg.

His most favorite part of the day-Ms. Geni and Tomatis "listening" therapy. He is so good at making sounds and words for her...even some we have never heard before.

Have I mentioned yet how much I LOVE this place?? We have made great steps up that mountain we are climbing by coming here!

Almost Halfway

I can not believe that tomorrow Luke is going to be halfway through this therapy. It is AWESOME...almost worth moving to LA for...that is until you try to get on a freeway around here! He is working so incredibly hard every single day! He is one determined trooper. I ask him every morning if he is ready to go to "school" and he gives me the thumbs up sign. He knows it is helping him...amazing...amazing. If I ever happen to win the lottery, I would for sure open a place like this in AZ. Here are some pics of what he has been working on the last few days:

Standing on the balance board swing.

Walking in the walker with his awesome therapist, Raf.

Luke spent over an hour today crawling. He did not like it, but persevered through. The other 2 ladies helping him are PT students from USC.

Pics

Expect a miracle...

Sorry for not updating sooner, but WOW! this place is awesome. The sign when you come into the Napa Center, the therapy place where Luke is at, reads "Expect a Miracle!" I believe it. They work these kids hard. I know there is no way I could work out 6 hours a day 5 days a week. Luke is tough...my hero for sure. You will not ever find me complaining about my little treadmill run from here on out! He goes to therapy at 8am and ends at 2pm. Unlike the intense therapy we did last year at St. Joe's, here they start at 8:00 sharp, not 8:10 or 8:15, and do not end until usually after 2:00 (with a half hour lunch break.) These therapists are great!!! They push these kids, and the most important part is...they believe in them. Lynsey and my mom are here this week, so Lynsey has us sightseeing in the afternoon when Luke is done. We went to Manhattan Beach on Mon, Santa Monica Pier on Tues, and today to Hollywood Blvd to see Up in 3D at El Capitan theater! As we were leaving we saw (and got a pic) of Denzel Washington. Lynsey didn't even know who he was. No rest for the weary around here, that is for sure!

I have some great pics of Luke hard at work, but for some reason the uploader is not working now. I will try again tomorrow. Until then, the next time you are working hard to push through something, think of Luke, Rylee, Cannon, and all of the other kids I have seen here working so hard, giving it their all, and maybe just maybe it will give you the strength to go...expect a miracle and always...