Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Happy Memorial Day!!

Well its Memorial Day and it was a wonderful day. I went to a cook out at our friends the Reed's house. I stayed out on there gorgeous deck on their lake and had BBQ...(which is my favorite!) I was jealous because everyone got to ride the seadoo's but once I can walk again, I assure you I will be tearing up the water just like the old days! Over-all it was a beautiful day on the lake! When we were leaving Dave Reed mentioned that he had an E-Stem or a (Therastem) machine. This is another unit which we have been needing and we were able to use one for my therapy. The Therastem is a unit that will shock my muscles and keep the nerve endings firing. What a blessing, isn't it amazing how God works!?
Last week we also received my moto-med bike. The moto-med is a passive assisted bike that moves my legs for me. The bike is a stationary bike that will move my legs passively because of a built in electric motor but allow me to actively move them once my legs start firing. As I did in rehab my legs moved the petals for several minutes at a time. I am looking forward to my standing frame that is suppose to be in this week as well. My gym is slowly getting built up in my apartment and soon I will be walking again! The progress that I have made is amazing but I still have a long ways to go until I reach my final goal of walking again.
I have spent the past few days researching medical facilities across the country. The places I have found specialize in spinal cord injury rehabilitation so that I can receive hands on state-of-the-art therapy on my legs. The two choices we are currently looking at are the Shepherds Center in Atlanta and the Kennedy Krieger institute in Baltimore. Project Walk is also a possibility for a very strenuous physical therapy regiment.
Since my injury I have met a new friend which I encourage EVERYONE to check out his website. His name is Matt Courson and two years ago he received a similar injury and like me he would not take NO as an answer. Through prayer and therapy he has been able to walk and one day he will walk without assistance. Matt is at the level which i hope to be at one day. I know that he and I will one day walk again. Matt is a man of great faith and both he and his mom has helped our family out tremendously.
His website is www.mattcourson.org
I encourage everyone to check out this website and keep both Matt and I in your prayers as we continue to strive towards complete healing. The videos on this website is some of what I am currently doing and soon I will be doing all of the therapy once I find a rehab center. I know this blog is reaching people around the world, its impact has been huge and I want to add Matt Courson to everyone's prayers. He and I both were given a giant trial to face in this life but through God and with the prayers of everyone I am CONFIDENT through faith that both he an I will one day walk again. Thank you all for your continued prayers!
THANK YOU
I LOVE YOU ALL,
BRENT

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

A new post from me...can you believe it?!?

Well its Monday night and time to update my blog to let everyone in on my daily life since my accident. I really appreciate everyone following this blog and to be honest I had NO IDEA how many people were reading my blog. Everyone I talk to tells me that they have been following my progress on the blog. I feel bad that I do not post as often as I probably should. I will try to do a better job of keeping everyone informed, I guess I just never thought my life to be THAT interesting!
This week is going to be exciting because we are hoping to get my exercise equipment sent to the house. We are going to turn my apartment into a gym so if you want to come over you might be limited on places to sit. We can watch a Kevin Bacon movie but you will have to fight for the bowflex seat. haha! Once I get my equipment I will be working out everyday working those legs and arms and getting stronger! I need my legs to remember how to move so I can get back to walking! I am not going to settle for ANYTHING less than walking! Everyday I am going to work harder than ever to make this happen. I realize that there is only so much I can do and I have to put the rest in God's hands. So far my recovery has been NOTHING short of a miracle. I should not be alive let alone able to move my legs. We have to keep this miracle going by telling others about this accident and the work God has done so that one day I can walk again. Believe me when I say modern day medicine has exceeded its limits along time ago. All bets are off with my recovery and what I will be able to do (that was a quote from my doctor).
I also wanted to take this time to thank EVERYONE at West Orange my home church for there continued prayers on my behalf. I went there for the first time since coming home yesterday and was BLOWN away by the response I received. I felt like a celebrity with the line of people waiting to give me a hug! BUT I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! It was so great to see everyone and thank them for all they have done for me and my family. I have family all over the country/world actually! Everyone who prays for me and thinks of me I consider family. I would do ANYTHING for you and wish I could meet with everyone and thank them personally. My progress has NOTHING to do with me but with EVERYONE who constantly lifts me up. It is you who has made all this possible and I will never be able to repay everyone for your continued love and support for me.
I LOVE YOU ALL,
IN HIM,
BRENT
P.S. I am limiting everyones comments to 2 per post. 3 comments is just excessive! HAHA Just Kidding KB!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Whats Happening with Me!

Well, its Monday night or rather Tuesday morning I guess now and I just wanted to tell everyone about my progress and what is happening in my daily life of therapy and rehab. So far I have not started rehab in Florida because we are still waiting to find the best place for therapy. I have already learned everything I needed in Little Rock to be independent and now I need to focus on rehab and getting my legs working again. Today we ordered a new moto-med bike which is a passive stationary bike that will move my legs but allows me the option of slowly moving to active movement. The bike has an electric motor which will turn my legs and keep the blood circulating and range my legs. Once my legs start pushing on the petals the bike will recognize this and slowly back off of the automatic assist and allow me to push the peals myself. Over time we hope to RE-TRAIN my legs. We KNOW that signals are getting to my legs so they work to a degree. I still need more healing in order to regain more movement and sensory and for that I STILL NEED YOUR PRAYERS! What has happened to me so far has been nothing more than a miracle. I am very encouraged by my progress and I will NOT give up until I am walking ONE DAY!
Once we get the standing frame in it will stand me up allow me to put weight through my legs. This along with the bike will really help me rehab my legs in my home. I want to thank EVERYONE for there continued support I can not thank you enough. I am blessed to have so many people who care and love me. The amount of support that has been showed me is overwhelming but I strongly plead for everyone to please not let up on your prayers on my behalf. Please continue to bring me before God and ask him for my complete healing! I KNOW it can happen I have come so far in just a few months.
Once I get my legs back and I can walk again I have to learn the footloose dance hahaha. AWESOME!! I'll tell you what.....when I walk I will make it happen. I have to pop it in and study your moves (thank you by the way for the signed copy). Ill tell my therapists its part of my rehab. Thank you again for following my blog!

If anyone would like to contact me feel free to do so. I LOVE GETTING MAIL!
Brent Adams
10143 Bunker Rd
Leesburg, Fl 34788

I LOVE YOU ALL,
IN HIM,
BRENT

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Im HOME! In the Sunshine State!

Sorry for the delay in writing on my blog. My internet went out at my house so I have to use a air-card to get a signal. Well on Sunday I arrived back in sunny Florida. My dad flew me home in the company plane in which I wanted to thank Farner Barley for allowing me to come home in luxury! haha My dad is a great pilot! I slept most of the way home and when I awoke we were landing in Leesburg. I arrived to a bunch of my friends from home waiting for me at the airport with balloons, signs and all!! I felt like I was a Beatle arriving in America for the first time except there were no SCREAMING woman! (I WISH!)
I arrived to a fully furnished apartment on my parents house! I want to thank everyone who worked on my apartment, my shower is huge now, I tried it out for the first time yesterday, one word- "AMAZING"! I can not BELIEVE how everyone has come together to make my life so much easier. We could not have done this without you! To everyone out there who gave of their time and money you are an example to all, especially me! I am so lucky to have people like you in my life and I am forever grateful. I want to thank Long Medical Supplies for donating equipment as well as Marva and Bob Blaise who helped me out with a chair on loan from the Medicine Chest in Lady Lake. Yeah.....I have great friends!
Now that I have thanked everyone let me tell everyone my good news! Miracles keep flooding my way PRAISE GOD!! A few days before I headed home to Florida we decided to video a session at rehab (BRI). My friend Joe Monan and I are making a video of my progress most of it comical with a bit of seriousness. We decided to go back to BRI to film me with my therapists and shoot me moving my legs again (which I mentioned in the last blog entry). Well Allen my Physical Therapists put a board between my legs again but instead of moving my legs a few inches like before I moved them about 50%!!!! It was AMAZING!! My leg just kept on moving and moving.....AND MOVING!! My knee was almost in my chest when I stopped! Miracles DO happen and I am living proof of that! Nick Hamilton a preacher from my church was even there to witness the event! I still need prayers if I am going to complete what I set out to do the minute I woke up which is WALK! So far medical science has gone as far as it can go and the rest I need God's help. He has already surpassed medicine and I need prayers from everyone to get more back. I have faith that one day I will walk again but I can not do this alone! I need everyone to bring me before God! I want to thank everyone so much for there continued love and support!

I LOVE YOU ALL!
IN HIM,
BRENT