Tuesday, September 29, 2009

START OF MY HOME WORKOUT PROGRAM!

Well, its another week at home in Florida and I am starting my home exercise program that was given to me from the Shepherd Center. My family and I have just joined the YMCA by my house where I will continue my rehab daily. My therapist still comes to my house every week and we build on the things that Shepherd taught me.

My days will consist of the following: 1)Passive Bike for an hour 2) Standing frame for an hour 3) Working out on the Nustep leg bike at the YMCA for an hour 4) Upper body workout at the gym 5) Walking with my braces in my driveway and we hope to walk in the gym at the YMCA soon. 6) I also do a therastim treatment on my quads and calves to keep my muscles strong. Once a week my PT comes to my house and we do various exercises at my house. My legs always feel so great when my PT comes to my house and really works on my core and increasing my strength in the muscles I have regained in my legs.

That is a days work for me! I am excited to start working out at the YMCA and also continuing my walking. My goal is to ween myself from my wheelchair and ONLY use my braces for an entire day. I want to start using my braces everyday, so that I will become more comfortable walking. Its like, if you want to teach someone how to swim, you just throw them into the water! haha Its either SINK or SWIM! I guess I just have to throw myself into "WALKING" so that I will get better at it! I will try to keep posting videos of my workouts at the YMCA and from my therapy at home.

Some GREAT news! Today I took my driving evaluation and passed with flying colors. Vocational Rehab had a driver come from Tampa to my house and we drove around my town. The teacher said I did GREAT and I have NO PROBLEM driving! Now, we are going to look for a vehicle. Once we decide what vehicle to get, Vocational Rehab well pay for the modifications. The gentleman today said, I will NOT need many modifications after he saw what I was able to do! I hope to be driving SOON!! I CANT WAIT!! I am so ready to start driving!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS!!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
SO MUCH IN HIM,
BRENT

Sunday, September 20, 2009

HOME SWEET HOME!!!

Well, im sorry again for the delay in my blog posts but I hope to get back on track of writing every Sunday night.

I AM HOME FINALLY!!!! With mixed emotions I have returned home to Florida for a break from rehab. I hope to return to Beyond Therapy in the future but until then I will be at home working on a home exercise program that was given to me from Shepherds. I was very pleased with the Shepherd center and the progress that I have made throughout my time there. I have increased my stamina and strength and I am still seeing great progress in my legs.

I have been extremely blessed by everything God has done in my life! I would NOT be where I am today had it not been for all of your prayers and support. From the beginning of this injury, I have made up my mind, THAT I WILL WALK AGAIN!! Despite what any doctor or the statistics says, I will OVERCOME this to walk again. I will not lie, it has been a struggle but my goals are in sight. I have been working hard during my rehab, and I am still in need of more return to my legs, but I know it will come. I have prayed for complete healing and complete healing I know I will receive! I have not lost my focus and never thought for one second what my life would be like in a chair. I know that this will be temporary and I will continue to work and pray until my goal are accomplished. God does not know medical statistics, nothing is impossible to God! I ask for everyone to PLEASE keep me in their prayers and continue to ask for complete healing. Pray that my legs will return to me fully, I know it will happen! I have already defied the odds due to your prayers and I know my progress will continue!

Below is a video of my LAST walking session at Shepherds. I was able to walk two full laps around the basketball court without stopping. My progress has been amazing but the BEST IS YET TO COME!! One day, I will walk again and I will be completely restored. BELIEVE IT!! Because I do!! Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I have not been doing this alone and I am forever grateful!
I LOVE YOU ALL,
SO MUCH IN HIM,
BRENT

Sunday, September 6, 2009

WALKING FASTER!!

I know these videos are looking redundant and I apologize for that. However, my walking is becoming faster and faster during each of my walking sessions. I am able to cover more ground and increase my distance during each session. Not ALL of my Beyond Therapy regiment has consisted of walking. I work out for 3 hours a day, (3x1 hour sessions) and during each hours session I am doing something different. I have only really posted videos of my walking, because that is what I am most proud of and my therapist always has an aide "helping/watching" during my walking sessions so he is always free to shoot the videos. During my other hours sessions the aides are usually not available so I do not have anyone to shoot the videos.

I am making SO MUCH progress, each week I am constantly encouraged by my gains. God is truly blessing me along this path to recovery. I realize this is going to be a VERY LONG and arduous task but I know I will over come this injury. I have always kept the thought, that I AM GOING TO BEAT THIS THING, IM NOT GOING TO LET IT BEAT ME! My therapy each day is very hard and I am pushed to my limit in each session. At the end of this walking session, I had to have the chair put under me with 5 min to go in the hour, not because I was done, but because I ALMOST PASSED OUT! I am trying to walk further and faster with each and every day. It drains me both mentally and physically, but my strength does not come from myself, but from God who sustains me! If I keep my focus and allow him to work through me, I know that I will walk again one day! He has already showed me so much progress, I will continue to trust in him and we will see this miracle through!

On another note: While online the other day, I was contacted by that girls mother who I had met at shepherds from the random stranger at the concert. All of her family and friends were coming up on Sunday to meet with her and she wanted me to share my story with all of her friends and family. I met them up in the lounge on the 6th floor Sunday afternoon and we talked for a few hours. It was wonderful, to share with all of her friends and family the blessings I had received throughout my recovery and to encourage them and give them HOPE. I remember what it was like to be in her shoes, to hear the grim outlook from the doctors, to hear you will never walk again. I remember how NO ONE had answers for me. All I ever heard was, "NO ONE KNOWS how you will heal, BUT STATISTICALLY SPEAKING BLA BLA BLA"...(that was usually the part where I tuned out my doctors)haha! I want so badly to meet with newly injured patients and tell them, THAT THERE IS HOPE!!! WE CAN WALK AGAIN!! Through a lot of faith, prayers, and hard work we CAN MAKE IT! I hope to make that my mission once I recover from this injury!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support! I COULDN'T have made it this far without all of your help and encouragement! PLEASE KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYER FOR COMPLETE HEALING, as I KNOW it will come!
GOD BLESS,
I LOVE YOU ALL
Brent