Formerly "Neil Stone Updates"

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Neil Stone Updates


It's been a while.  Thought I'd fill you in on Neil's current doings and progress. 

Wave jumping at the shore

SCHOOL
Neil just completed a year at the high school where he was taking five classes:  math skills, resource lit, computer repair, P.E., and a cooking class.  He did very well in each of them.  Although he has long since met the requirements for graduation, we are holding off on receiving the diploma because the school has so much to offer him to prepare him for future education or training. 

Next year, he will be back in the high school again.  It looks like his schedule will include a standard level Algebra I, and a standard level lit. class.  These will be a step up for him and we're hoping he can keep up with the pace.  In the afternoon he plans to be in the school's work/study program with a paying or volunteer job.  

THERAPY
Starting this last Monday, for three days a week we take the familiar road up to Kessler in Chester for 45 minutes of speech therapy, followed by five hours (yes, I did say hours) of cognitive therapy.  In CRP(Cognitive Rehabilitation Program) Neil works with a group of other brain-injured clients that covers different aspects of dealing with disabilities, including, thinking, judgement, memory, vocational, and social skills. 

He also has one session each week to work on vision therapy.  He continues to have trouble getting his eyes to work together.  There may be some surgery down the road to help correct this, but we're hoping Neil doesn't have to resort to that.

His left hand has come a long way, but progress has plateaued a bit, so he's not getting any formal therapy for it currently.  However, we're still exercising it at home.  We're not giving up!

THE FUTURE
This part's tough.  We don't know how much more therapy Neil will be eligible for.  If CRP is still helping him with great results at the end of the summer, we may continue with that instead of the job angle.  He's still looking to go to college or vocational training.  He's still dreaming about Tons of Tacos.  Neil's favorite line (which has been in constant use since he started talking again last April) would be appropriate here:
 "I guess we'll see."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update. Sounds like some good plans, with room for flexibility. You are awesome, Neil.
Love, Aunt Michelle

Meredith said...

Thanks for sharing. I am holding my breath for tons of tacos!

Trinyan Mariano said...

Amazing progress Neil! What you don't write about Lori, but is evident in every line, is the day-in-and-day-out dedication of the courageous and loving mother who makes all of these things possible for Neil.

HMStammler said...

OMGoodness! I have a lot to catch up on! Please know that I have had you all in my thoughts and prayers in recent months but my little man Jack has kept me too busy to keep up on the blog! Now, I am back to work and back into the swing of things I'll have an extra minute! It's great to see the Stone's are achieving great things as usual!!