11/16/2021 Update
Returning to Craig rehab this week truly felt like coming home. We were so excited to pull back into the Denver airport, make our way back through the familiar streets until the Craig campus came into view. Such a comfort to be back where therapists and doctors are familiar with spinal cord injuries.
What caught me off guard was the sudden rush of deep emotion…. Once again, looking up to the window to his old room on the 4th floor, the window I would stand below outside after a full day of therapy with him, as I cried out to the Lord to heal my son.
Once again, strolling the halls with Zachary, the halls we spent hours upon hours of time , as Zac first learned to master movement in a manual wheelchair.
Once again, watching him in therapy class, classes that used equipment to enable him to move in ways his paralysis limited him, as I silently held my breath and cheered every nerve on in recovery.
So many long days here.
So many long nights of tears as I worked out fear and faith, trusting God, believing what I couldn’t see.
Now here again.
Now back to the reconciliation of fear and faith.
First came the physical re-evals. He is able to move his right wrist backwards now. Awesome Lord!
He can stand, with knees locked and a spotter on his hips, for a moment (just a brief moment) as he supports his core. Thank you, Lord!
He can move his right big toe, in addition to the smaller toe on his foot. You’re doing it, Lord!
Then therapy came fast and furious. The electric stimulation going to his core, quads, and hamstrings is now doubled to reach deeper into his central nervous system and shake up those new stem cells. The EksoSkelton that responds to his weight shifts, enabling him to mechanically walk. The Therastride Treadmill to teach his new stem cells what muscles they need to communicate with.
Over the weekend, we took a quick trip to Minnesota, flying over on Sunday and returning Monday, for a quick Mayo Clinic stem cell re-eval. They are gathering information, but God already knows what He’s gonna do.
The saga continues as I brace my heart for Saturday.
One year of this journey.
I would have never wished to be on this journey.
But God is making the trip very worth the while.
