Up and down

Back and forth. That's what they kept saying to me but the words didn't really hit home. Brain damage recovery is always going back and forth. Some days, one area is better than another. And then other days, nothing is going well. For months he would improve and then do nothing. Hope would soar high and then get shot down, only to rise again later.

(This picture is of Gus in his stander playing with shaving cream and marbles with his occupational therapist here at our home.)

For the past several months, Gus hasn't improved much. I didn't update the blog often because I could think of little or nothing to say that wouldn't be too redundant.

Hope has been hard to maintain. All day, Deborah and I work through a long checklist of therapies to help Gus of which he complains through most. Progress is difficult for us to notice but the therapists keep us going. They tell us he's improved and what to do next step.

God has been gracious. This past week, we've seen Gus do more and more:
On Tuesday, at his speech therapy appointment, meeting also with a dietician, we realized Gus is gaining a little too much weight with all of the extra food he's eating. So we can now give him less formula and more regular food (mostly mashed up).



On Tuesday afternoon, with his appointment with a vision specialist, Gus started to play with a 'light box' (now here at home) and a special box called 'A Little Room'. A Little Room enables kids to explore their world and learn to play on their own. (check it out at http://www.lilliworks.com/products.htm) We were thrilled to have Gus playing more on his own with the light box and A Little Room.

Wednesday, Gus was attentive, supported his muscles really well, and was happy most of the time.

Today, Gus did really well all morning, and did fantastic at his physical therapy appointment this afternoon. Today, they had him in the lite gait again (for walking practice) and he smiled and laughed throughout almost all of the time. He picked up his knees and then put them down again with full weight on each leg. I haven't seen him move his knees that much for the past year.

With this encouragement, our energy is renewed to keep up the work. God is good to us. Thank you for praying.

Please continue to pray for better coordination, complete recovery for the brain, and hope. Thank you!