Don't Panic!

Jenga "therapy"

There are several theories out there about the prognosis for a brain injury. Some of the scariest ones say you pretty much get all you're going to get by one year--maybe 18 months. Fortunately, many, many individuals who have suffered TBIs have proven this to be false. Some say you can see progress for eight to ten years, maybe more. But there is much evidence that shows that relearning does begin to slow down at some point. Neil's physiatrist told us that by the end of year one, you're pretty much in the ballpark of where you are going to be. What does that mean? I don't really know, but it gives us a sense of urgency. I see Neil continuing to improve for years to come; I see his ballpark as very, very big. But I want him to be farther than he is now when that one year mark rolls around. We're almost at 10 1/2 months. I think it's time for some cramming.

Some who've helped along the way:

Erin--Speech Therapist Extraordinaire!

Samantha--Occupational Therapist student with a very bright future!

Note to Self: Next Time You're On TV...

...remember to get plenty of sleep, have someone else fix your hair, and EAT first! Two days ago it was time for more fun with the True Life crew.

I'm glad the camera was rolling as we got the good news that Neil's vision is improving. It was pretty exciting to hear his eye doctor say that he probably wouldn't need surgery. He gave him a lower prescription prism for his left lens and some new exercises to work on and wants to see Neil again in a month. We're so encouraged!

When we came home from the appointment, the tv crew sat us down for "formalish" interviews. They expect to use this material for voice-overs, but some of the video may by shown as well. Some of the questions were about details of the night of the accident--including how we were notified. (Two uniformed policemen knocked on the door at midnight, asked if I was Neil's mom, then asked me to sit down--in case you were wondering.) Of course I had a hard time keeping it together as we talked about such emotional stuff.

Some of the questions were very personal. It's hard to keep your head when a sympathetic producer is asking in such a kind way. Neil and I both felt a little nervous after it was all done--like maybe we talked too much, or shared some things we shouldn't have for a televised audience. I know their intent is to inform the audience and teach about what it's like to live with, and try to recover from, a brain injury, but will they care enough about Neil personally not to embarrass him in the process? What will be left in, and what will be left on the floor of the editing room? I'm having second thoughts, but it's too late--I already signed the release. They own our souls...I mean, whatever we said on camera.

And this brings me to the lack of food and sleep. I couldn't figure out why my mind kept going blank as they asked me questions about things I've talked about a hundred times before. Where was the information? I felt like I had a brain injury myself. It wasn't until after they left that evening that I realized I was running on half an apple and a little peanut butter, and maybe five hours sleep for the last few days. Low blood sugar--of course! And poor Neil! His neuro-fatigue may have started manifesting itself a little early because of the excitment of the day.

So, as I said, next time you're on tv...

Blessings in Abundance

This is the speech Neil gave at his Eagle Scout court of honor one month ago. It seemed appropriate to share at this time of giving thanks:

"Thank you for coming tonight. Now that this moment has finally come, I have a stronger realization of how much scouting has helped me, and will help me in my life.

The trail to Eagle is a long, hard goal. It would have been impossible to earn on my own without guidance from scout leaders to help me stay on the path. My family has helped me a lot with earning my rank advancements and merit badges, too.

Most of you are aware that nine months ago I was in a car accident and had a traumatic brain injury that has changed my life. Going through the stages of recovery has been a long and arduous path, and I am still on it. Just like the trail to Eagle, I couldn’t do it alone. I have been helped by doctors, therapists, teachers, family, and many others who care.

Because I have seen all of the hard work and dedication that people have given to my cause, I want to give back and help other people with as much support as I’ve been given. My scouting experiences have taught me to be a hard worker and to not give up on my goals. These traits have helped me in my recovery as well. I hope to pass these on to other people working on a worthy goal that seems far off and nearly impossible to complete.

In closing, I would like to thank my many scout leaders who have pushed me along, especially when I got distracted from my goal to advance. I would also like to thank all of my friends, family, and other volunteers who helped me with my Eagle project at Fairview Farm. I’m also very grateful for all of the support that has come my way during my recovery. And I want to thank my Heavenly Father for helping me pull through in all of my endeavors, be it scouting or my rehabilitation.

Thank you."

I echo Neil's thanks. We are so blessed.

Painfully Aware

On the phone with Scott:

Me: "Neil pointed out a dead raccoon on the side of the road as we drove home from school."

Scott: "That's awesome!"

And it was awesome. Because Neil notices things and he didn't used to. He looks around and makes comments on what he sees. He can find something in the refrigerator if you give him the general area to look in. Huge deal, this is. The problem is, there's a lot he can't see. He's still troubled with left-side neglect, so he wouldn't have seen the raccoon if it were on the left side of the road. He struggles to recognize faces of people he knows. His left eye drifts 30 degrees left of center.

Along with Neil's new awareness of his surroundings comes his awareness of what he's missing, and his vision issues are finally starting to annoy him. No one wants to feel handicapped. Hope we can lick this.

Soon.

Two Letters

Click on above images to enlarge

Pretty cool, huh?

A Picture Tutorial

This is what an Eagle Scout Court of Honor looks like.

And this is what it looks like when it's being filmed for a documentary.

This is what it looks like when your brother earns a million merit badges and a rank advancement.

This is what it looks like when you're giving a speech you practiced A LOT because it's hard to see the words and to keep your place on the page, but you do a great job anyway.

This is what some really proud parents look like.

And this is a really happy Eagle Scout!

True Identity Revealed

Happy Halloween from Superman!