My Recent Progress and Blessings!

Well I have just gone through my second week of therapy at the Shepherd Center and I am truly convinced this was the place the Lord wanted me to come! I have meet so many great people here who have encouraged me and helped me throughout my recovery. My therapists here are really sweet to me and work me hard (per my request!) I believe that the Lord will continue to bless me throughout my recovery and I will use my story to bring glory to him!
I will have to catch everyone up on my current therapy sessions. I have been getting in the Locomat (look on previous posts for pics). I LOVE getting in this machine and it makes my legs feel so great. I have been scheduled to get in it three times this week at 8 in the morning. I usually have the session before everyone gets in the gym at 9am. They are seeing some movement in my legs in the unit and are very optimistic about my progress (I could have told them that before I started therapy!)
I know that God has a plan for me and this accident is just a trial that I must face. Everyone has trials in their lives that they must confront. This trial is MY TEST! I truly believe with all my heart that HOW I deal with this trial will dictate the blessings the Lord will rain down on me. Feeling sorry for myself and being locked in a room will not glorify him. However, I believe that I should work hard and give all my credit of my progress to the Lord. I will share my story with others to show them how God is working in my life that the blessings that will be showered on me will be unmeasurable! The Lord has already blessed me beyond measure. Coming to Shepherds I look around everyday and see people in the gym who have it 10 times worse than I ever had it. People with absolute no function of the arms or legs breathing in straws to move there wheelchairs and I thank GOD for my level of injury!
I was encouraged today talking with one of the physical therapists today. She has been working at Shepherds for 18 years. After she got done with me on the Locomat we had a few minutes to talk before therapy started at 9 and the gym got flooded with people. I told her of my injury and she said that it is VERY VERY RARE for someone considered a complete injury for as long as I was to all the sudden be changed to an incomplete! She told me that incomplete injuries have all the hope in the world for recovery. She said "no one knows how the body will heal!" She has seen incomplete injuries come back walking years after there injury and she told me she believed I would be one of those people. Hearing of my progress and how my status was changed by GOD'S miracle (which is the only way it could have happened) she told me to never give up! I was encouraged by her words and I know that God will see me through this tough time and I firmly believe WITHOUT A DOUBT I will walk again (I knew it the day they told me I wouldn't!)
Yesterday afternoon I was FITTED FOR BRACES!! They fitted me for the type of braces that can be converted to smaller braces with more return I get in my legs. He asked me if that was something I would be interested in getting. He said do you want me to fit you for the rigid braces that can not be changed? or the hybrids that can be converted for when you get more movement. Without hesitation I told him I needed the ones designed for when I get more movement back! I am looking forward to getting my own braces and "LEARNING TO WALK AGAIN!"
Today I had my first pool therapy session. I got in the pool that was HEATED...(ohh my goodness it felt so GOOD!) I felt like I was in a huge hot tub (except no bubble jets). Once in the pool the therapist saw A LOT of movement in my legs. I was able to kick my legs a little and do more movement than if I was out in a gravity present environment. The therapist put my legs up against the wall of the pool and bent my knees and I could PUSH OFF THE EDGE! She had to grab my legs to keep me from pushing myself out into the pool! I was very encouraged by what I saw in the pool and I look forward to more therapy sessions there!
Everyday I am getting stronger. My shoulder is still something I must deal with and sometimes it hinders my therapy. However, its just something I have to deal with, I will get better in time. I want to thank everyone for there continued prayers and support. I am still blown away by the amount of people this blog has reached! I am in awe of how the Lord will open doors for you to glorify him. Who would have thought it would have taken a life altering accident for him to give me this platform!? It is a BLESSING!! A blessing that I have this opportunity to minister to others. If this accident is what it takes to minister to others I will take this accident ANY DAY!! Its hard work, but it will all be worth it in time! Please, please keep praying for both myself and Jennifer as we work for our goal of complete healing. Physical therapy will do nothing in comparison to the power of God and his blessings, THAT is why I need your prayers more than anything!
I LOVE YOU ALL
SO MUCH IN HIM,
BRENT
(sorry no pictures) I will try to put some up in the next post!