One year later...
Today is June 11, 2005. Exactly 1 year from the date of Sam’s injury. I am sure glad we are not living that over again! I can’t say enough how important good friends, family, church, and faith were to us then… and still are today.
One year ago, I could not imagine life as it is today. The word “paralysis” seemed to overshadow almost everything. It was impossible for us (at that time) to imagine what the future would look like. It is times like that when it seems only the waves of fear, anxiety, and “worst case” kept crashing over and over. The waiting for reports from the surgical team and feelings of helplessness seem to go on and on… only to be broken up by faces and hugs of great people.
Now a year later, Sam is doing more that I ever dreamed possible back then. He is still his same old self only a little older, and a lot taller. He has grown quite a bit and has even passed up Luke in height when he stands in leg braces. We have gone kayaking, camping, rode roller coasters (oh my aching back!), learned how to mono ski, played on a traveling sled hockey team, turkey hunting with the help from Wheelin’ Sportsmen (ignore the time stamp on the picture... I guess I did not reset the new camera yet!), and trail riding in West Virginia during spring break using Sam’s hand controlled 1989 Honda pilot (it’s older than he is, but he has a riot on it). I will put a picture of Sam riding it through a stream in West Virginia. Trent, a new friend of ours who is also paralyzed found the Pilot for Sam. This week Sam started tennis lessons and he is going to an adaptive golf clinic with his grandpa Machiela next week. There is this whole sub-culture of adaptive sports and awesome athletes that we’ve learned about. It’s a lot of fun and there are many wonderful role models for Sam.
If you read our previous blog entry, you know we have a surgery date set for July 30 for an experimental surgery in Portugal. Many of you have encouraged us greatly. A few families from Sam’s school who Kris and I have never met before organized a great car wash a few Saturday’s ago to help defray some of the costs of the surgery and 2 yrs of rehab (because insurance does not cover any of it). We keep hearing of many other things people are doing on his behalf and it makes us proud to be part of such a great community. We are very grateful.
This week Wednesday, we go to Detroit to have the final required tests done in order to actually have the surgery. We will also meet with the therapists to put the rehab plan together for before and after the surgery.
Kris and I have been blown away with how God has put so many things in place just this past week alone. Just 1 example is that Sam was asked to participate in a 4 day Labor Day weekend deer hunt at Legend’s Ranch up north (again through the Wheelin’ Sportsmen association). I don’t know many details yet but it promises to be something he will never forget.
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. It really makes a difference.
Oh, one last cool thing… we spent the Memorial Day evening with the Chase family from Hastings. Eric Chase will be having the same surgery as Sam on July 29 (the day before Sam) in Lisbon Portugal with the same doctor and team. It will be great to have another family in Portugal with us doing the exact same thing. Please keep them in your prayers also.
One year ago, I could not imagine life as it is today. The word “paralysis” seemed to overshadow almost everything. It was impossible for us (at that time) to imagine what the future would look like. It is times like that when it seems only the waves of fear, anxiety, and “worst case” kept crashing over and over. The waiting for reports from the surgical team and feelings of helplessness seem to go on and on… only to be broken up by faces and hugs of great people.
Now a year later, Sam is doing more that I ever dreamed possible back then. He is still his same old self only a little older, and a lot taller. He has grown quite a bit and has even passed up Luke in height when he stands in leg braces. We have gone kayaking, camping, rode roller coasters (oh my aching back!), learned how to mono ski, played on a traveling sled hockey team, turkey hunting with the help from Wheelin’ Sportsmen (ignore the time stamp on the picture... I guess I did not reset the new camera yet!), and trail riding in West Virginia during spring break using Sam’s hand controlled 1989 Honda pilot (it’s older than he is, but he has a riot on it). I will put a picture of Sam riding it through a stream in West Virginia. Trent, a new friend of ours who is also paralyzed found the Pilot for Sam. This week Sam started tennis lessons and he is going to an adaptive golf clinic with his grandpa Machiela next week. There is this whole sub-culture of adaptive sports and awesome athletes that we’ve learned about. It’s a lot of fun and there are many wonderful role models for Sam.
If you read our previous blog entry, you know we have a surgery date set for July 30 for an experimental surgery in Portugal. Many of you have encouraged us greatly. A few families from Sam’s school who Kris and I have never met before organized a great car wash a few Saturday’s ago to help defray some of the costs of the surgery and 2 yrs of rehab (because insurance does not cover any of it). We keep hearing of many other things people are doing on his behalf and it makes us proud to be part of such a great community. We are very grateful.
This week Wednesday, we go to Detroit to have the final required tests done in order to actually have the surgery. We will also meet with the therapists to put the rehab plan together for before and after the surgery.
Kris and I have been blown away with how God has put so many things in place just this past week alone. Just 1 example is that Sam was asked to participate in a 4 day Labor Day weekend deer hunt at Legend’s Ranch up north (again through the Wheelin’ Sportsmen association). I don’t know many details yet but it promises to be something he will never forget.
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. It really makes a difference.
Oh, one last cool thing… we spent the Memorial Day evening with the Chase family from Hastings. Eric Chase will be having the same surgery as Sam on July 29 (the day before Sam) in Lisbon Portugal with the same doctor and team. It will be great to have another family in Portugal with us doing the exact same thing. Please keep them in your prayers also.
