April 12 - Truth is Inspiring!

AJ came home from his mission with a new focus for college: Instead of a major in medicine, he wanted to focus on Finance.  He had one semester before the accident to pursue this new major. Shortly after the accident we realized how following these promptings set him on an educational path that he could continue even after this major physically impairing event.

Last week AJ felt like he should look into the requirements for a Non-Profit minor. It turned out that one of the required classes is only offered Spring term.  He felt good about it so he called the school and they registered him! He will start this 2 days a week, on-campus BYU class on April 28!

We drove to BYU a couple of times to meet with the Accessibility Center. AJ saw 4 or 5 old friends and met with Grant to see if they would be able to room together this Fall.  They were all very happy reunions! The only drawback to BYU: no beards allowed! AJ will have to enjoy it while he can!

The Young Single Adult ward in Murray is great! We've been so impressed to watch AJ reach out to others and make friendships so quickly.  He even went to one of the ward member's home's for games on Sunday night.  It was just down the street, so when he was ready to come home they all walked him back. What a great group of Young Adults!  AJ also gave a talk in church recently.  It was really amazing.  If you'd like to listen in, just click on the link below (it's awesome!):

AJ's Talk 4-17-2015

April 5, 2015 - Bryce Canyon & A Special Letter

We spent our Spring Break with AJ in Utah.  It was fun to be together again.  We decided to take an overnight trip to Bryce Canyon,UT. AJ used the power chair and was able to see many of the beautiful sites.  He LOVES hiking and did quite a bit of it before his accident. It must have been hard to be so limited at the canyon, yet he still found joy in the trip and saw as much as he possibly could.

We got an interesting call on our way back home to Washington from a woman named Patsy.  She's an EMT in Nevada where AJ was first taken after the accident.  She was not working the night of the accident but was so moved by the events and how it effected the people she worked with that she tracked us down to share her experiences with us and ti talk to AJ. We felt the conversation with her was another tender mercy where we were again able to feel the Spirit and know that God is with us. She sent us this portion of a letter she wrote to her missionary son about her experience:

In my EMT class on Thursday evening, Aug 28th, C my instructor shared a very special experience she had in early hours of that morning:

When I got to class RB, our EMT Captain said, "C you really need to share your experience with Patsy", C said "OK, if I can, I'll probably cry".  C, K (the other student left in our class), and I were sitting at a large table in the EMS Building.

C and S were on duty and received a 911 call for a roll over on I-80, about 15 miles out of town.  When they arrived there were 3 college age young adults out of the vehicle who appeared fine, however one young man remained in the car, trapped in the back seat.  They were on their way to college where they attended BYU.  Apparently during the roll over the roof of the car was crushed around this young man's head.  The Fire Dept. had to cut off the roof of the car to extricate him.  It didn't take long to realize he was paralyzed from the neck down.  When C and S got him into the ambulance he kindly told them that he was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He was 21 and had just returned from a mission to Nicaragua and asked if it would be OK if he said a prayer.  As C began to repeat the prayer the Spirit enveloped the room and we were on holy ground.  Here was this young girl, unfamiliar with Mormon terminology, yet I knew exactly what she was trying to say.  "Dear Heavenly Father, I have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I accept what this world has to offer me and whatever comes of this I will accept."...She said he continued to express heartfelt gratitude for his many blessings.  He thanked his Father for the medics who were there to help him, for his friends, for his opportunity to go to school, for the cute girl who was in his life, and he expressed special gratitude for his family, and most specifically for the love he had for his Mother.  He pleaded that God would help his Mom and asked that she would be especially comforted at this difficult time. 

C cried, we all cried!  C asked me questions about the garment, and I was able to share my love for my garments and the sacred significance the garment plays in the life of a committed member of the church, that they represent and remind us of sacred promises we make in the temple and that they are a protection to us in this life.  She mentioned that there was not a scratch or bruise on his body.  I asked her if anyone administered to him and she wasn't sure what that meant so I was able to share with her and Kim about Priesthood blessings.  I explained that worthy men in the church hold the Priesthood and that it was the power to act in God's name.  I told them that some time they may have the opportunity to see someone receive a blessing and that I knew that miracles happen through this wonderful Priesthood power.

It was such a wonderful opportunity to share my testimony!  They were so receptive and touched by the Spirit, thanks to this sweet worthy young man's example!  I just feel so much gratitude for his willingness to be an example of the believers even in his hour of need.  C was so impressed with his beautiful spirit of faith.  

I just called her again to make sure I got the details right and she said, " the easy way would have been for him to pass away, but he will instead use this challenge to bless other people and change lives."  

On my way home that night I followed K and when we got to the junction to turn, she pulled over and got out of her truck.  I pulled over to see what she wanted and she said. "Patsy I'm still thinking about that young boy and how incredible he was, his parents really need to hear about this.  Don't you think you can somehow call the school and get a message to his family?  I still feel goose bumps every time I think of him!"  

I'm sure he will never really know the impact his pure testimony had on not only the EMT's who helped him, but the entire crew of EMT's in the Battle Mountain office, and all those who share this experience.  

Well, I can't top this experience, but I have had my testimony strengthened and I know that as missionaries you can change lives and hearts just through being your best self.  Never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  It is the balm that heals hearts.

March 2015 - Road Trips, TV & BYU

AJ & Alexis with Ivy-dog.

AJ felt like visiting home this month, so we hopped in the van and made the 10 hour drive!  It was a smooth drive with a few additional stops so AJ could get out of the car and move around. Sitting in one place for too long can cause pressure sores so he has to make sure to move himself often.  He also found that he doesn't sleep well in cars anymore.  Maybe that will resolve over time.  He also made an overnight trip to California with Alexis for a friend's wedding.  He loved being back in California and seeing special people that he hasn't seen since before the accident.  To go places overnight requires a lot of equipment or really strong people to help with moving him.  AJ was grateful to Alex's dad and brother who powered him around for the visit!

KSL, the local news station in Salt Lake City, UT, did a piece on Neuroworx, the physical therapy place AJ attends. In the news piece they told some of AJ's story and interviewed him.  If you want to watch the piece, just go to http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1010&sid=33725531#eHsuwTEAreUX82Ai.01.

This month AJ also registered for Fall classes at BYU and signed up for an online class -- a refresher in Calculus.  From the pic he took and sent to us you can tell he's excited to be back! He used a fine tip Sharpie that can be clicked on and off for this writing.  He has found that the small amount of movement in his left thumb and middle finger gives him a good enough control that it's worth becoming a lefty!

 BYU has an Accessibility Department where students go for assistance with their individual needs.  Before school starts, AJ will meet with them to discuss things like help with note taking and the type of software he may want to purchase for his schooling.  There's a lot to consider and get arranged.  Luckily, AJ has always enjoyed school.  Now there will be many new challenges for him to tackle!
We know he can do it!

February 2015 - Buses and Trains

AJ's innate desire to be independent and his willingness to work hard is proving to be a great blessing in his progress (although at times it also gives his parents some serious worries - haha!).

This month AJ figured out the Utah public transportation system (UTA). Even though he has already been accepted on the Para-Transit (a division of UTA that transports individuals with limiting conditions) he wanted to ride the general bus/train system because it is faster and it gives him the ability to get around without having to schedule ahead.  Both of his therapy offices are close to bus drop off locations, so as long as the weather is good he can use this system.  There are many challenges (like uneven side walks, pushing fast enough to get to the right place at a transfer station, keeping things like a cell phone on his lap, etc.) that would be simplified with a power chair, but AJ wants to use his wheelchair so he's finding ways to make it work.

This month we also discovered a very small movement in AJ's left leg.  If his leg is hanging bent, he can will it to move upward an inch or so!  It was an exciting discovery and we made him repeat it until his muscle fatigued and would move no more :).  Who knows where that may lead?! It may be slow, but it's still improvement.

February marked 6 months since the accident.  At 5 months, AJ invited a group of friends and they all went out to dinner to celebrate his progress.  This month was just the opposite.  He preferred the day to pass without any fan fare.  He goes through many ups and downs, yet he keeps a very steady determination and hope through it all.

Our family made a decision this month:  We are going to move to Utah when school is out for the summer and possibly the following year. It's hard to say anything beyond that. We have confidence that AJ will continue to progress and we want to be close enough to help him with his needs as he moves on with his education and life.  Although it is so hard to even think about leaving this home and the people we love here, we are happy that we will all be together and we trust there are many new, happy adventures ahead!

January 15 New Year -- New Happenings

With the new year lots of new things are happening!

1. We finally figured out a way for AJ to remove the pillows during the night from under his sides (this helps reduce his risk for developing bed sores)! This means Becca doesn't need to get up at night to help and AJ can be more independent.

2. Becca went home for a few days while AJ stayed with family and CNAs to help with his needs. It was the first time AJ has been without one of his parents since the accident!  It was a great way to test the system and identify areas that need improvement. One main difficulty is that AJ needs someone to be available all times.  AJ doesn't need help all the time, but the need can arise at any time. Independence is slow coming, but with AJ's determination, we can't imagine it's too far off!

3. AJ has started physical therapy at a place called Neuroworx (www.neuroworx.org).  It is a physical therapy place that focuses solely on Spinal Cord Injuries. With AJ they are doing a lot of large motor skill work with the idea that it will encourage future movement as his nervous system retrains itself and adapts to the injury. They don't like the idea of waiting for movement to "come back" on its own. Instead they try to influence how the nervous system reroutes itself. When AJ is done with PT he is exhausted!  Here are some videos of AJ working out at Neuroworx:

As you can see, AJ works like a beast! Watching him can be heartbreaking because he has lost so much since the accident; yet it is also remarkable and inspiring to watch because AJ is willing to push on with faith and courage; always believing there is something more for him! So, after the first week at Neuroworx he is feeling really good about the change.  The therapists and staff are positive and encouraging and most of them have personal connections to someone with a spinal cord injury or they have recovered from a SCI themselves. It's been a comfort to meet others that have walked this path and made happy, productive lives for themselves. There successes encourage us!

December 16 - Small Movements

Some small movements in one foot and one hand have started to appear; all on AJ's left side.  One night while getting to bed, AJ tried to move his toes. Amazingly, his 2nd and 3rd toes responded. It's a very small movement, but it's definitely controlled by AJ's brain.  His thumb started moving on its own (while he was on a date :)) and his middle finger started to have control after his OT used a hand held electric stimulation machine on his fingers.  After the session he was able to have some movement in his middle finger.  Here are videos of his movements:

When these things happen we feel a burst of excitement! Just knowing that AJ's brain is able to get some messages through his damaged spinal cord area gives us so much hope.

AJ has also started transferring to the back seat in the van (at times with assistance) instead of riding in his locked down wheelchair. Not only is this more comfortable for him but we believe it's much more safe.  It's a challenge for him every time we get in and out of the car, but it's worth it.

December 8 - In Home Help

This week we called an in-home nursing agency to hire Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) to help with AJ's morning and night routines. We hope this will serve 2 purposes:
   1. Set AJ up to have the help he needs in order to be more independent and
   2. Help Becca get more rest and reduce the physical demands on her.

Every aid that has come in has expressed their surprise and respect for the determination AJ has to do as much as possible for himself. They have seen other quadriplegics give up as they face this difficult journey. While the CNAs work with AJ, some of their time is spent watching him do things like brushing his teeth or washing his face on his own instead of them doing it for him.

We would love to see changes and improvements everyday, but this healing and recovery takes time. Sometimes when I get feeling desperate for the relief and healing we want, I think of the saying, "Sometimes God calms the storm; sometimes He calms the sailor."  AJ won't give up and neither will we.  We are learning a deeper patience, a greater gratitude and a firmer trust in the Lord as we watch the subtle miracles slowly happen.