Journal Update 12/21 From Kristi

Today was a day filled with hope. Zac had his first class called Power Up in the Peak Center. It was awesome to see him have the opportunity to get back into something he was very familiar with: weight training. It was humbling to go from previously lifting 80 pounds to now lifting 10 pounds and still get a workout. But even though he is back to ground zero, the same determination is there. He is focused and always smiling. Little by little, progress will happen.

During the next class, he had his arm hooked up to electrical stimulation, therapy which sends low-level electrical impulses to specific muscles to stimulate their movement. The wrists were the target today. Though he has been able to move his wrists on his own with some limitations, It was great to see his wrists respond to the impulses and he handled the sensation well so he will be able to graduate to challenging other muscle groups later.

For the first time today he was able to fully sit up on the edge of a raised therapy table, legs hanging over the edge, with no need to use his hands for support. I almost wanted to cry. I was spotting him so I couldn’t snap a picture, but it was a beautiful moment.

His left triceps are strengthening and right triceps are beginning to fire. Lord, You are doing something big in him every day.

I’m humbled by some of the other patients here. The ones with trachs who will never breath on their own. The ones who can’t move anything at all. Now that his neck brace is off in bed, my boy can hug me goodnight. It is so wonderful

“So I will bless you as long as I live, in Your name I will lift up my hands!” Psalm 63:4