Week Six at Harmarville
Week Six
Day Thirty-six...
July 9, 2003
We are beginning our 6th week at Harmarville. It seems like
forever and at the same time like time has flashed by.
When I left at about 2:30, Greg was trying out a new chair.
This one has front wheel drive instead of real wheel.
Apparently he will try out different ones while he is here.
Marcy, the PT tech, told him she was seeing (feeling) improvement
in his triceps today. Also, he had a goal to sit up straight for
5 seconds by himself. He did it !! Now, understand, I don't mean
sit up from a prone position. I mean someone pulls him up and he
has to balance himself by moving his arms and head. He has been
doing this in the pool, but this was the first time on the mat.
Before, he said that he felt like his trunk was like the head on
a bobble head doll. Now he is feeling some support. This, of course, is a very big deal.
Since he is getting some improvement in his triceps, he began "reaching" in OT.
A table top is placed in an inclined position and he has to slide his hand up
the table. He was able to reach out and move his right arm a few inches up.
I wished I could mark the spot the way you mark a child's height,
just to be able to compare later.
Yesterday I mentioned that Greg got a new roommate: Sean.
Sean was in an automobile accident about 11 months ago.
The car rolled over and over and he fractured his C6 vertebrae.
He has no feeling at all below his upper chest. Sean is from the
Erie area and was in a Healthsouth facility there for a couple
of months. He said they did nothing with him. A month or so
later he heard about Dr. Brenes and wrote to him. Dr. Brenes
invited him to come to Harmarville for an evaluation. He was
there for 6 weeks. He said he made amazing progress.
He is now able to transfer himself from chair to bed to mat etc.
He has excellent upper body control and strength. He is here
for a week to learn to use a special brace that looks like an
erector set on his legs and wraps around his body with a back brace.
He walks with it by holding on to a walker..and right now, with
Chris' help. He says it is for exercise. I'm guessing that
Sean is about 19 or 20. He is a great young man, very positive
and grateful for what has been done for him. He is scheduled
to leave on Friday.
This morning I asked for your prayers regarding decision-making.
I have received some very supportive emails. I'll share
one scripture that our buddy, Barry Fasenmyer sent:
"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value
for all things, holding promise for both the present life and
the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves
full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we
have put our hope in the living God, who is the savior of all
men, especially those who believe."
1 Timothy 4:10
Blessings,
Connie
Day Thirty-seven...
July 10, 2003
Hi all.....
Greg continued to work on his triceps today in both PT and OT.
Also, he learned how to put his pants on this morning although he still
doesn't really have the strength to do it himself. He did do well
with putting his shirt on though. He has increased strength in
his wrists and arms so he can maneuver his way into the shirt better
and can lift his arms to sort of let it slide to his shoulders.
He's working on getting it over his head.
Heather has been working on a website which we hope will
include some photos and links and generally more information.
She's in Florida right now so more on that when she gets back.
There was a little excitement today. They lost Doc Thompson.
Background: Dr. Thompson is an 82 year old retired cardiologist
who suddenly was unable to walk. Apparently, arthritis had
caused his C3 and 4 vertebrae to collapse. The doctor also has
diabetes and a pacemaker. His wife Marcia is a Spanish speaker,
so we talk all the time. Anyway, the doctor got a new wheelchair
in PT today. Generally he has OT right after just as Greg does.
He never came. One of the therapists went looking for him,
but couldn't find him. We went on to Hand therapy. They
paged him...no response. They walked out to the front door.
No Doc. We were becoming alarmed. After lunch, we went to PT
again and in he rolled with Marcia by his side. It turns out
that he had taken his new wheels out to the front entrance to
wait for Marcia. For some reason he decided to go into the
garden area which is hidden from the front door. His new wheels
got stuck in the gravel and he couldn't move until someone found
him...about 1 1/2 hrs later. Marcia said she's going to get him a whistle.
Everyday is something. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.
Blessings,
Connie
Day Thirty-eight...
July 11, 2003
Well easy come easy go...Greg lost his new chair today:
It had been sold. He ended up with an older model, which,
at least when I left, seemed to be more comfortable than the original.
Francie brought the plans for the temporary renovations to their
downstairs for approval. When they met with the woman from the
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, she said that the temporary
renovations could move forward without impacting the major
renovations to the upstairs. They have to apply to have those
done and it could take months. If approved, the OVR gets the
architect, the contractor and takes care of everything. If not
approved....we go to plan B. We don't know what that is yet.
It kind of makes me chuckle at how little we know about the future.
How we make plans as if we actually have control over it. A few weeks
ago, our buddy Barry reminded us of this passage from James 4: 14- 17:
"How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like a morning
fog-it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is,
'If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.'
Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all
such boasting is evil. Remember it is sin to know what you
ought to do then not do it."
OUCH !!!
Blessings,
Connie
Day Thirty-nine...
July 12, 2003
Happy Saturday everyone,
I have just returned from Harmarville. We had an interesting morning.
When I arrived at about 7:30, Greg was still in bed...normal.
I usually work his hands and arms to help relieve that icy-hot
numb sensation. As I was doing that he said that he didn't
think he was going to get much more back. When I asked why,
he said that his improvement seemed to be slowing down.
I pointed out some of the improvements that I thought he
had made. No response. I asked if he thought that the
people who have said that God has "impressed on them a
vision of Greg walking"* were wrong. He said he didn't
know. *Note: I emphasize this because the 2-3 people
who have mentioned it have all used the same terminology.
Anyway, about 10 or 15 minutes later Dr. Brenes came in.
He did the usual routine and asked Greg to flex his toes
up...and down. No outward movement. He asked him to
extend his knee..right...left and contract..right..left.
No outward movement. He asked Greg if he was receiving
electronic stimulation on his legs. Greg said that he was,
on his quadriceps. Greg also said that when he attempts to
straighten his knee, he feels the muscles contracting. Dr.
Brenes said that the twinges he has in his thighs have
strengthened a lot. He thinks its time to put Greg on a
tilt table. I think it's a table that you are strapped to
and raised up to vertical to get you upright and to put
weight on the legs. I'll let you know. Greg seemed cautiously optimistic about that.
Praise God for his comfort and promises.
Blessings,
Connie
Day Forty...
July 13, 2003
Well, hey it's day 40 and hopefully we're on our way to the
Promised Land...oh yeah..that was forty years..scratch that.
I'd like you to add KJ to your prayers tonight. KJ is a 20 year
old who was injured 4 years ago. He is paralyzed from the waist
down. Recently he developed a pressure sore and has had surgery.
He wheels himself around on a bed, always having to lay on his
belly. Still, he is one of those kids who laughs when he talks.
Anyway, today KJ got some bad news, his fiancee, Amanda,
has called to break up with him. He was so overwrought that
he began to wheel himself out the front door and up the driveway.
Greg's roommate, Shawn, was in pursuit in his wheelchair.
Francie and Tom came upon him when they were going out to get
us dinner. She said he was in the middle of the road (driveway)
with cars going past. She stopped and talked to him. He said he
didn't care what happened to him. Thank God he didn't make it
out to Guys Run Road. He is now under a type of suicide watch.
An aid is with him all the time. When we left Greg and Francie
went out to talk to him.
Pray that God gives him His peace.
More on Greg tomorrow.
Blessings,
Connie
Day Forty-one...
July 14, 2003
Hi all !
Today was a very busy day. We got to go to the staff meeting today
and hear what the therapists have to say about Greg's progress.
They described him as a good worker. He is improving in the C6 nerve
bundle (wrists) and is beginning new activity in the C7 (triceps ).
He is able to trigger electrical impulses in his thighs...not voluntary
movement, but increased signal. He is off any neck collar at night
and only has to wear a soft collar during the day. He is improving
in his upper body balance and strength. He has improved in his
transfers from dependent (can't help at all) to maximum (able to
steady himself somewhat by extending his arms and locking his
elbows). ...then next is moderate help then minimum then independent.
He was up in a standing frame today...very woozy, but he didn't faint. Then
he went into OT and picked up beans. In addition, she put a penny on the
table and he could slide it to the edge and pinch it. That's a lot of progress.
He remains concerned about the financial situation after the end of the year,
and the whole house thing.
Please continue to pray. Your prayers are a wonderful blessing to us.
Connie
Day Forty-two...
July 15, 2003
Hi all....
Not a bad day overall. Greg had a lot of spasms today.
He almost "took out" Marcy the PT tech a couple of times.
Thank you for your continued prayers and words of encouragement.
I print all the emails and take them to Greg. He can now hold them and read them for himself.
I'd like to bring a couple of other prayers requests to you...
- T.J., Linda Martin's godson. He had been having fever
with night sweats, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite. They said he had
mono, well today he found out he has T Cell Lymphoma (tumor on lymph
node) which according to him is very rare. He said the doctor is
contacting an oncologist and then they will give him small doses of
chemo. T.J. just finished his second year of college. Please continue to
pray for him and his family as they go thru this trial.
- Eric Dickson, who may have Hepatitis C.
Blessings to all....
Connie
Back to Week 1
Back to Week 2
Back to Week 3
back to Week 4
Back to Week 5
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Return to homepage
Return To Top