Well its Wednesday night and I figured I would write on my blog due to everyone telling me that I don't do it enough! This has been a very good week. My dad and a friend of our family built me a workout table. The table is exactly like what I worked on at rehab in Little Rock. Its a few feet off the ground and is firm enough for me to do all my workouts instead of using my bed which is really comfy and soft but not ideal for working out on! I am in training now in preparation for rehab in Atlanta. Since they want to work on walking at Shepherds I am trying to prepare myself so I can hit the ground running once I get there. Some of the things I am working on is strengthening my core so that I will have better balance when I support my weight. I still pray daily for more return in my legs which will make walking that much easier, but....no one said this was going to be easy! In fact it is just the opposite, this is the hardest thing I have ever tried to do. Everyday is a struggle but I know I will get through this with God's help and the prayers of so many of you.
I am amazed everyday by the response this blog has gotten. I try to write on the blog once a week and I hope to write on it more often once I get to Atlanta. I will tell everyone of my daily progress so that I can have specific prayers while I am in therapy! I need constant prayers to come my way so that I can one day be whole again. I know that nothing is impossible and I know that from the miracles that my family has seen since this accident. The Lord has a plan for me, one which I do not know yet but he will reveal it to me in time! If this accident can bring others to him than it will all be worth it!
Please use this blog as a ministry to others. Tell others of my story so that God can be glorified through this accident. The progress I make is because of him and this should all be for his glory. I will work hard to keep my legs strong and keep moving them as much as possible. However, I still ask everyone to please pray for my complete healing, which has been my prayer since this accident occurred. I know that complete healing is possible and I ask for everyone to please keep me in front of God with this request! I will get through this and I plan to dedicate myself to helping others who have suffered such a traumatic accident. I am blessed to have the support of so many people and it's faith that will see me through this! I hope to pass that encouragement on to others so that they can believe! I want to thank everyone for your prayers. I ask everyone to please keep praying for me! Thank you all for your encouraging words and comments you leave on my blog! They build me up every time I read them.
I LOVE YOU ALL,
IN HIM,
BRENT
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Prayer WORKS! Details from my Atlanta trip!
Well Tuesday we left early in the morning for Atlanta to visit the Shepherds Center. The day was FULL of miracles which we can not explain. Every door that we thought was closing got blown wide open by a chain of coincidences that we believe without a DOUBT was God 's hand.
(miracle #1) We arrived at the Center an hour and half early so that we could find our way around. While my parents waited in a room I decided to check things out. I went into a rehab gym and met a therapist there who I thought could answer our questions. We had SO MANY questions and did not know where to go in the hospital. The therapist laughed and said, "you are in luck!" She went on to tell me to ask a lady on the other side of the gym for help. I asked the therapist if the lady worked at Shepherds? The therapist replied, "ummm....you can say that?" So I went over to this lady to ask for help in finding out where I needed to be and what program to be apart of in the center. She was the BIGGEST help and so sweet to me. She helped give me some ideas for therapy and what to expect at the hospital. The lady was at the center to be apart of a television interview for the news....as it would turns out the lady i was talking to was ALANA SHEPHERD! It was kind of....Her Hospital!! A coincidence? YOU BE THE JUDGE!
(miracle #2) I was doing my evaluation with the Physical Therapist who saw some promising things with my legs. She knew for sure I had my hips but felt a flicker in rest of my legs like they were trying to fire! However, she was hesitant with my rehab because of my shoulder. She said i was a candidate for braces, but the therapy put A LOT of stress on your shoulders and didn't know if mine could take it. She left and came back a few minutes later and said, "You are in LUCK, there is a "shoulder clinic" going on right now with a doctor who specializes in spinal cord and shoulder problems.....hahaha...I have BOTH problems......A COINCIDENCE?? NO! She said the clinic is always full BUT....there was ONE opening and she was able to squeeze me in, if I left right away! We went over to the clinic and the doctor was WAITING on us, ready to evaluate my shoulder so I could be admitted into the program! I had X-rays taken of my shoulder and the doctor was baffled! He said, "Well....your shoulder has had the best possible outcome" He explained that my shoulder had FUSED with my body. Basically what that means is the ball does not float in the socket...instead the ball is fused to the socket so it doesn't move. Sounds bad...BUT let me explain! The doctor explained that with a shoulder shattered as bad as mine that its is common for doctors to surgically fuse the shoulder. However they do so with limited movement about 30 degrees forward and 30 degrees to the side. However, mine just HAPPENED to fuse itself...and it did so at the perfect place giving me more than 90 degrees in both directions. This makes my arm VERY functional and really strong since they are fused. My shoulder blades is what gives me most of my range! But he was going to CLEAR ME FOR THE PROGRAM!!!!! He said my arm was really strong since the bones fused themselves and they did so BETTER than if a doctor were to PURPOSELY do it! COINCIDENCE? haha....there are some miracles at work here!
So we currently have some paper work to finish up but we will be in the DAY PROGRAM at Shepherds! I will get to workout EVERYDAY to maximize my return. We have been put on the list for BEYOND THERAPY and other research programs...hopefully when I am done with the Day Program I can move straight into BEYOND THERAPY PROGRAM! Everything worked out better than we could have ever expected! We saw so many miracles and could not believe how the doors opened for me! God is guiding my life and my recovery! He is healing me better than doctors. He is laying everything out for me to succeed and one day walk again! Thank You so very much for your continued prayers. It is YOUR prayers that is making this possible! Please do not ever give up and keep me in front of God so that I can one day see the full power of his miracles and walk again!!
I LOVE YOU ALL
IN HIM,
BRENT
(miracle #1) We arrived at the Center an hour and half early so that we could find our way around. While my parents waited in a room I decided to check things out. I went into a rehab gym and met a therapist there who I thought could answer our questions. We had SO MANY questions and did not know where to go in the hospital. The therapist laughed and said, "you are in luck!" She went on to tell me to ask a lady on the other side of the gym for help. I asked the therapist if the lady worked at Shepherds? The therapist replied, "ummm....you can say that?" So I went over to this lady to ask for help in finding out where I needed to be and what program to be apart of in the center. She was the BIGGEST help and so sweet to me. She helped give me some ideas for therapy and what to expect at the hospital. The lady was at the center to be apart of a television interview for the news....as it would turns out the lady i was talking to was ALANA SHEPHERD! It was kind of....Her Hospital!! A coincidence? YOU BE THE JUDGE!
(miracle #2) I was doing my evaluation with the Physical Therapist who saw some promising things with my legs. She knew for sure I had my hips but felt a flicker in rest of my legs like they were trying to fire! However, she was hesitant with my rehab because of my shoulder. She said i was a candidate for braces, but the therapy put A LOT of stress on your shoulders and didn't know if mine could take it. She left and came back a few minutes later and said, "You are in LUCK, there is a "shoulder clinic" going on right now with a doctor who specializes in spinal cord and shoulder problems.....hahaha...I have BOTH problems......A COINCIDENCE?? NO! She said the clinic is always full BUT....there was ONE opening and she was able to squeeze me in, if I left right away! We went over to the clinic and the doctor was WAITING on us, ready to evaluate my shoulder so I could be admitted into the program! I had X-rays taken of my shoulder and the doctor was baffled! He said, "Well....your shoulder has had the best possible outcome" He explained that my shoulder had FUSED with my body. Basically what that means is the ball does not float in the socket...instead the ball is fused to the socket so it doesn't move. Sounds bad...BUT let me explain! The doctor explained that with a shoulder shattered as bad as mine that its is common for doctors to surgically fuse the shoulder. However they do so with limited movement about 30 degrees forward and 30 degrees to the side. However, mine just HAPPENED to fuse itself...and it did so at the perfect place giving me more than 90 degrees in both directions. This makes my arm VERY functional and really strong since they are fused. My shoulder blades is what gives me most of my range! But he was going to CLEAR ME FOR THE PROGRAM!!!!! He said my arm was really strong since the bones fused themselves and they did so BETTER than if a doctor were to PURPOSELY do it! COINCIDENCE? haha....there are some miracles at work here!
So we currently have some paper work to finish up but we will be in the DAY PROGRAM at Shepherds! I will get to workout EVERYDAY to maximize my return. We have been put on the list for BEYOND THERAPY and other research programs...hopefully when I am done with the Day Program I can move straight into BEYOND THERAPY PROGRAM! Everything worked out better than we could have ever expected! We saw so many miracles and could not believe how the doors opened for me! God is guiding my life and my recovery! He is healing me better than doctors. He is laying everything out for me to succeed and one day walk again! Thank You so very much for your continued prayers. It is YOUR prayers that is making this possible! Please do not ever give up and keep me in front of God so that I can one day see the full power of his miracles and walk again!!
I LOVE YOU ALL
IN HIM,
BRENT
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Im Going To Shepherds Center In Atlanta!
The reason for the post today is to inform everyone of my upcoming appointment with the Shepherds Center in Atlanta on Tuesday July 22nd at 1:00P.M. The plans right now are to leave here Tuesday morning and have my dad fly me up there for my appointment that afternoon. The Shepherd Center offers three different programs:
1) OUT-PATIENT- This is where you live off campus but drive there about 3 times a week for several hours of therapy, this is NOT what we are really wanting to do. I want to maximize my time there and do therapy as often as possible! I would work out 7 days a week for 8 hours a day if I could!!! Also the living arrangements for outpatient will be up to us to find. Do we stay in a apartment? hotel? We need to know the best decision to make!
2) DAY-PATIENT- This is similar to the outpatient except I would go to therapy DAILY! This is the program I would really like to get into. It would maximize my time there and I would get the most out of my rehab! If we have to MOVE to Atlanta for this therapy I do not want to go a few times a week. As a daypatient the rehab center own special apartments which they PROVIDE us to stay in while we are doing rehab. I special van will come by every morning and pick me up and take me to rehab so that I can do my therapy! This is the IDEAL SITUATION! I will have a place to stay, and I will be working out everyday! (PLEASE PRAY I GET INTO THIS PROGRAM)
3) BEYOND THERAPY- Beyond Therapy is a very INTENSE rehab program which maximizes your return through active training! Lots of physical exercise and using state of the art equipment to regain function. Beyond Therapy is DAY-PATIENT on steroids! This is actually something I would REALLY like to be apart of the only thing is....there is a VERY long waiting list to be apart of this program! I would take this program for SURE, but I dont know if I will be able to get in?
So those are the programs that they offer. I have decided that since Beyond Therapy has a waiting list I would like to be apart of DAY-PATIENT so I could get the most out of my time there plus have a place to stay. It would just make life so much easier! I want to be on the list for Beyond Therapy and when that opens up hopefully I can be apart of that program. Until that time I NEED REHAB and DAY-PATIENT would best fit my needs at this time.
I ask everyone to PLEASE pray for me and the upcoming decisions and my evaluation next Tuesday. Pray that the Lord will guide me and the doctors to make the BEST decision on what I need! Pray that I am able to have housing and things work out in that regard.
After my evaluation on Tuesday I will then go home to Florida for a week or two until they have developed a program that would best fit my needs. I will then return to Shepherds to be admitted! Please, please pray that everything works out!
I LOVE YOU ALL,
IN HIM,
BRENT
P.S. I am getting more return everyday! I need the PRAYERS to KEEP COMING!! Please dont stop!
1) OUT-PATIENT- This is where you live off campus but drive there about 3 times a week for several hours of therapy, this is NOT what we are really wanting to do. I want to maximize my time there and do therapy as often as possible! I would work out 7 days a week for 8 hours a day if I could!!! Also the living arrangements for outpatient will be up to us to find. Do we stay in a apartment? hotel? We need to know the best decision to make!
2) DAY-PATIENT- This is similar to the outpatient except I would go to therapy DAILY! This is the program I would really like to get into. It would maximize my time there and I would get the most out of my rehab! If we have to MOVE to Atlanta for this therapy I do not want to go a few times a week. As a daypatient the rehab center own special apartments which they PROVIDE us to stay in while we are doing rehab. I special van will come by every morning and pick me up and take me to rehab so that I can do my therapy! This is the IDEAL SITUATION! I will have a place to stay, and I will be working out everyday! (PLEASE PRAY I GET INTO THIS PROGRAM)
3) BEYOND THERAPY- Beyond Therapy is a very INTENSE rehab program which maximizes your return through active training! Lots of physical exercise and using state of the art equipment to regain function. Beyond Therapy is DAY-PATIENT on steroids! This is actually something I would REALLY like to be apart of the only thing is....there is a VERY long waiting list to be apart of this program! I would take this program for SURE, but I dont know if I will be able to get in?
So those are the programs that they offer. I have decided that since Beyond Therapy has a waiting list I would like to be apart of DAY-PATIENT so I could get the most out of my time there plus have a place to stay. It would just make life so much easier! I want to be on the list for Beyond Therapy and when that opens up hopefully I can be apart of that program. Until that time I NEED REHAB and DAY-PATIENT would best fit my needs at this time.
I ask everyone to PLEASE pray for me and the upcoming decisions and my evaluation next Tuesday. Pray that the Lord will guide me and the doctors to make the BEST decision on what I need! Pray that I am able to have housing and things work out in that regard.
After my evaluation on Tuesday I will then go home to Florida for a week or two until they have developed a program that would best fit my needs. I will then return to Shepherds to be admitted! Please, please pray that everything works out!
I LOVE YOU ALL,
IN HIM,
BRENT
P.S. I am getting more return everyday! I need the PRAYERS to KEEP COMING!! Please dont stop!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Please continue praying for my complete healing!
Well its Friday night and I have had a world wind of a week! On Monday we flew to Little Rock where I had a speaking engagement at my church that Wednesday. When we arrived back at my old apartment I was excited to see all my old friends from Little Rock. We were laughing the second they walked in the door which really made me miss all my friends in Arkansas.
On Tuesday I woke up and went to Baptist Rehab where we filmed my progress to be put in a video for the talk on Wednesday night. I had prepared my talk for weeks. Every night I laid awake in bed thinking of the message I wanted to tell everyone at Pleasant Valley. I wasn't nervous because I had gathered all my thoughts and felt very prepared for the talk. However.....once on stage, I started reliving the terrible days in ICU. I looked out into the crowd and saw my friends and all the people who were there for me through out the toughest days of my life and the emotions could not stay inside. I struggled throughout the entire talk. I have tried SO HARD to block those days out of my mind. Waking up in ICU for the first time at 2 or 3 in the morning and asking the doctor why I couldn't feel my legs and hearing his response was an absolute nightmare! That second my world was turned upside down. However, I never gave up faith that no matter WHAT the doctors told me I WOULD WALK AGAIN! I know that God can perform miracles and with enough prayers I would be healed through faith!
I posted a link to the video of the rehab session at the bottom of this page. Know that all of these movements are mine! My legs are only being lifted up and supported. My improvements are TRULY A MIRACLE FROM GOD! However, I do not want everyone to think that I will be up and walking tomorrow or the next week. I still have a LONG WAYS TO GO! I ask you to please never stop praying for me and my complete healing!
I know that God has a plan for me that is the ONLY reason I am alive today. If my struggles can bring just one person to Christ than this has all been worth it! I am not going to lie to you this is hard. This is the hardest thing I probably will ever face but through faith and the continued support of everyone of you I will recover from this terrible tragedy. I will take this tragedy and turn it into something wonderful to glorify God! PLEASE, please now is not the time to give up on prayer. He has showed us that nothing is impossible and he has already performed a miracle in my life, lets keep asking him for my complete healing and together through faith we will show everyone a miracle and glorify him in doing so!
I LOVE YOU ALL,
IN HIM,
click the link below to watch the youtube video of my rehab session. (what you will see is all of my movements. I am not being helped on any of it. My legs are only being lifted up and supported so they do not drag against my other leg) PRAISE GOD!!!
YouTube - Brent Adams
On Tuesday I woke up and went to Baptist Rehab where we filmed my progress to be put in a video for the talk on Wednesday night. I had prepared my talk for weeks. Every night I laid awake in bed thinking of the message I wanted to tell everyone at Pleasant Valley. I wasn't nervous because I had gathered all my thoughts and felt very prepared for the talk. However.....once on stage, I started reliving the terrible days in ICU. I looked out into the crowd and saw my friends and all the people who were there for me through out the toughest days of my life and the emotions could not stay inside. I struggled throughout the entire talk. I have tried SO HARD to block those days out of my mind. Waking up in ICU for the first time at 2 or 3 in the morning and asking the doctor why I couldn't feel my legs and hearing his response was an absolute nightmare! That second my world was turned upside down. However, I never gave up faith that no matter WHAT the doctors told me I WOULD WALK AGAIN! I know that God can perform miracles and with enough prayers I would be healed through faith!
I posted a link to the video of the rehab session at the bottom of this page. Know that all of these movements are mine! My legs are only being lifted up and supported. My improvements are TRULY A MIRACLE FROM GOD! However, I do not want everyone to think that I will be up and walking tomorrow or the next week. I still have a LONG WAYS TO GO! I ask you to please never stop praying for me and my complete healing!
I know that God has a plan for me that is the ONLY reason I am alive today. If my struggles can bring just one person to Christ than this has all been worth it! I am not going to lie to you this is hard. This is the hardest thing I probably will ever face but through faith and the continued support of everyone of you I will recover from this terrible tragedy. I will take this tragedy and turn it into something wonderful to glorify God! PLEASE, please now is not the time to give up on prayer. He has showed us that nothing is impossible and he has already performed a miracle in my life, lets keep asking him for my complete healing and together through faith we will show everyone a miracle and glorify him in doing so!
I LOVE YOU ALL,
IN HIM,
click the link below to watch the youtube video of my rehab session. (what you will see is all of my movements. I am not being helped on any of it. My legs are only being lifted up and supported so they do not drag against my other leg) PRAISE GOD!!!
YouTube - Brent Adams
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Another Post!! (whats new with Brent!)
Its Wednesday night and I am doing very well! Today I worked in my standing frame for an hour, I was on my bike for an hour, I used the therastem (e-stim) machine for an hour and half, AND worked on my exercise program. Everyday I am striving to do better with each of my exercises. Once I reach a certain level on my bike I try to increase my pushing power the next time. I can currently push my bike approximately 80-90% every time.
Let me just take some time to let everyone know exactly the progress that I am making. There have been many people thinking I should be walking in a couple of days or at least in a few weeks. I am currently not at that level YET....but my progress is slowly getting better. I will do my best to explain the movements that I have regained.
After my accident I had absolutely NO movement or feeling. My legs felt like they were just dead weight. However, today after 7 months (hard to believe its been that long) I am regaining movements in my hips. I still have not regained anything in my knees and ankles...YET! One of my exercises is to lay on my side with one leg supported at the ankle and knee by someone. I am able to pull my leg up into my chest using my hips and then extend my leg straight out. I can do this several times back and forth very quickly and with a lot of force. My feelings are vague but are slowly returning. I also do an exercise when I cover my eyes and try to feel where my legs are being touched. Some of the feelings are vague but the hardest thing for me to do is localize exactly where I am being touched. I KNOW you are touching my left leg and I know you are touching the foot....but i have NO clue which toe you are touching?? But that will come back in time!
There is still a great possibility for me to walk with braces sooner than later. What this does is locks my knees and ankles in place. With braces and crutches I will be able to swing my legs at the hips in order to walk. Since my legs would be straight and not able to bend at the knee it will be an awkward walk.....BUT its a walk! I know that in time once I get more and more return in my legs I will be able to walk unassisted! Just like I use to walk before the accident-man, did I have a pretty walk!!! haha jk!
On July 22nd I am going for my evaluation at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. The evaluation will figure out exactly where I am and the goals I want to achieve. Let me just tell you my goals....ITS TO WALK AGAIN! That should be a simple answer to give them. Once they evaluate where I am I will then go home for a couple of weeks while they design a specific plan for therapy. The Shepherd center is GOAL oriented so I guess they are going to have to help me walk again before I get discharged!
My progress has been tremendous! Moving my hips is crucial to walking again. I can brace my knees and ankles but I get most of my movement out of my hips. In time I know I will regain A LOT more in my legs. Slowly but surely I am getting better and I give ALL the glory to God! I humbly ask each and everyone of you to keep me in your prayers! This is going to be a long journey for me but it is one that I will need constant support through! Your prayers are directly affecting my outcome and progress! My progress so far is nothing short of miraculous!! To go from a complete injury with NO HOPE of recovery to being able to move my legs is huge. I am defying the odds and I have FAITH that I will walk again! Its FAITH! so hard to describe this feeling but I know that through prayers and God's blessings I will come out of this tragedy OK!!
I want to thank EVERYONE for there comments they lift my spirits so much to read them. I check this blog probably 10-15 times day to read the comments so many of you have written me! Thank you for your kind words.....AND SONGS?!??? haha Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers!
I LOVE YOU ALL!
IN HIM,
BRENT
Let me just take some time to let everyone know exactly the progress that I am making. There have been many people thinking I should be walking in a couple of days or at least in a few weeks. I am currently not at that level YET....but my progress is slowly getting better. I will do my best to explain the movements that I have regained.
After my accident I had absolutely NO movement or feeling. My legs felt like they were just dead weight. However, today after 7 months (hard to believe its been that long) I am regaining movements in my hips. I still have not regained anything in my knees and ankles...YET! One of my exercises is to lay on my side with one leg supported at the ankle and knee by someone. I am able to pull my leg up into my chest using my hips and then extend my leg straight out. I can do this several times back and forth very quickly and with a lot of force. My feelings are vague but are slowly returning. I also do an exercise when I cover my eyes and try to feel where my legs are being touched. Some of the feelings are vague but the hardest thing for me to do is localize exactly where I am being touched. I KNOW you are touching my left leg and I know you are touching the foot....but i have NO clue which toe you are touching?? But that will come back in time!
There is still a great possibility for me to walk with braces sooner than later. What this does is locks my knees and ankles in place. With braces and crutches I will be able to swing my legs at the hips in order to walk. Since my legs would be straight and not able to bend at the knee it will be an awkward walk.....BUT its a walk! I know that in time once I get more and more return in my legs I will be able to walk unassisted! Just like I use to walk before the accident-man, did I have a pretty walk!!! haha jk!
On July 22nd I am going for my evaluation at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. The evaluation will figure out exactly where I am and the goals I want to achieve. Let me just tell you my goals....ITS TO WALK AGAIN! That should be a simple answer to give them. Once they evaluate where I am I will then go home for a couple of weeks while they design a specific plan for therapy. The Shepherd center is GOAL oriented so I guess they are going to have to help me walk again before I get discharged!
My progress has been tremendous! Moving my hips is crucial to walking again. I can brace my knees and ankles but I get most of my movement out of my hips. In time I know I will regain A LOT more in my legs. Slowly but surely I am getting better and I give ALL the glory to God! I humbly ask each and everyone of you to keep me in your prayers! This is going to be a long journey for me but it is one that I will need constant support through! Your prayers are directly affecting my outcome and progress! My progress so far is nothing short of miraculous!! To go from a complete injury with NO HOPE of recovery to being able to move my legs is huge. I am defying the odds and I have FAITH that I will walk again! Its FAITH! so hard to describe this feeling but I know that through prayers and God's blessings I will come out of this tragedy OK!!
I want to thank EVERYONE for there comments they lift my spirits so much to read them. I check this blog probably 10-15 times day to read the comments so many of you have written me! Thank you for your kind words.....AND SONGS?!??? haha Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers!
I LOVE YOU ALL!
IN HIM,
BRENT
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