Well....AS USUAL, I am a few days late in posting on my blog! haha, Please forgive me, I get pretty busy here in Atlanta, and I try to only post when I have a good video or story to share.
Let me start off my telling you about an AMAZING story that happened to me just this past weekend! God has blessed me so much throughout this journey and part of what I feel is my obligation to share with others my blessings and give hope to those who do not have any. It is AMAZING how God works in our lives.
My brother in law Kyle came down to Atlanta so that we could go to the concert of our favorite band. O.A.R. While at the concert,we sat in the ADA seating for wheelchairs. A young girl saw me in my chair and climbed the railing to come talk to me. She asked if I was going to Shepherds? I said, YES I am there for rehab right now in Beyond Therapy and I am working on walking again. She told me that she was JUST at Shepherds that day visiting her friend! She told me that her best friend was in a bad car accident and is currently an INPATIENT at shepherds, she was injured just under a month ago. After sharing with the girl about my accident and my success she desperately wanted me to talk to her friend. She gave me her name and asked me if I could encourage her cause she is going through a rough time. All the doctors were giving her a very slim chance of walking again, based on the severity of her injury. So yesterday I made my way to the hospital and went into her room. I said, "YOU DON'T KNOW ME, BUT YOUR FRIEND AT THE O.A.R. concert said I had to meet you!?" We talked for about an hour! She was so glad that I came to talk to her and said that, it has changed her outlook on her recovery! She said I gave her HOPE when no one else would. I told the girl, that the secret to recovery is through FAITH and PRAYERS and NO DOCTOR, will EVER write you a script for that! I was so glad that God used me the way he did that day. A stranger at a concert, sitting RIGHT in front of me and had a friend who needed comforting at the Shepherd Center.......YOU TELL ME THAT WASN'T GOD WORKING!!??
Now onto my recent progress in BEYOND THERAPY:
Usually, my therapist is always trying to push me further during EACH new walking session. If I walked 276 feet on day, he wants to to shoot for 300 the next. Constantly upping my distance and endurance. Well, on this walk, I not only beat my previous mark, but I destroyed it! I went an extra half a lap around the basketball court! That may not sound like much, but during my first session several weeks ago, I had to sit down once I reached 20 feet. Now I am taking laps around the basketball court without stopping. I am getting less fatigued and I am pushing myself harder during each session!
Also, I have been working on a machine called "the power tower"! This is kind of like the total gym that you see Chuck Norris promoting on the late night infomercials. You lay on a sled and it has pulleys and cables for you to squat your body weight! My therapist has been feeling my muscles in my quads and hams twitch and quiver as I push through my legs! This is good news, it is showing that I am getting some signals to my muscles, they are weak and can no completely contract the muscle, but they are TRYING TO!! They are twitching and quivering TRYING to turn on!
The video below, may look like the ones that I have posted in the past. WELL...PROBABLY, EXACTLY like them, BUT...what you don't see is that I CRUSHED my old distance record in this walk.
PLEASE KEEP PRAYING FOR ME!!
I LOVE YOU ALL,
SO MUCH IN HIM,
BRENT
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
SURPRISE FUND RAISER! GOD IS GOOD!
I would probably count this past Saturday as one of the best days I've had in a very long time! God is SO GOOD and he always provides for me! When I set off to come to Atlanta, I knew that insurance was not going to cover my bills and I would have to pay for it out of pocket. My therapy in Atlanta is very expensive and this past weekend God answered my prayers and provided for me as he always does.
Robin Lashley, one of my best friends but the event together. Robin, who I consider one of the biggest spiritual GIANTS in my life, with the help of a few people, put together one of the greatest fund raisers I could have ever imagined. I arrived at the Wekiva River State Park Saturday morning to a mob of people standing in front of a big banner which read: FIRST ANNUAL BRENT ADAMS CHARITY CORN HOLE TOURNAMENT 2009! I was in shock at how many people were there at the gates to welcome me as I drove in! Once I picked my jaw off the floor, my mom reached around and dropped the newspaper in my lap! The headline read, POPULAR OHIO SPORT PLAYED TO HELP FRIEND! As I read the story in the paper, my heart was overwhelmed by the love and support that I have had since my injury!
Robin had gathered many sponsors from around the Orlando area to help donate to my charity. The event consisted of large tents, bbq grills, professional corn hole tournament reps, banners, t-shirts, canoeing, raffle tickets and door prizes. This was a professional charity event, with marketing, advertisement in the paper and other media. There was a LARGE turn out with many people I had never met before, but came just to support me! I doubt very few people has had the opportunity to feel the love that was shown to me that day! It will go down as one of the best memories of my life!
The monies raised on Saturday will go a LONG ways in helping me with my therapy bills in Atlanta. It is very expensive but God always provides a way! Since the beginning of this journey I have been on, I have been amazed at how the doors have opened for me! Every need that I have had has been met and my expectations have been exceeded. God always blesses with abundance and he did for me on Saturday.
I would like to give a SPECIAL THANK YOU: to ROBIN LASHLEY, who organized the charity, and the many company sponsors who gave so generously to help fund the event. I am FOREVER GRATEFUL for everything! God has been blessing me with this amazing miracle of a recovery and is opening the doors to make it EASIER ON ME AND MY FAMILY!
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
SO MUCH IN HIM,
BRENT!
Robin Lashley, one of my best friends but the event together. Robin, who I consider one of the biggest spiritual GIANTS in my life, with the help of a few people, put together one of the greatest fund raisers I could have ever imagined. I arrived at the Wekiva River State Park Saturday morning to a mob of people standing in front of a big banner which read: FIRST ANNUAL BRENT ADAMS CHARITY CORN HOLE TOURNAMENT 2009! I was in shock at how many people were there at the gates to welcome me as I drove in! Once I picked my jaw off the floor, my mom reached around and dropped the newspaper in my lap! The headline read, POPULAR OHIO SPORT PLAYED TO HELP FRIEND! As I read the story in the paper, my heart was overwhelmed by the love and support that I have had since my injury!
Robin had gathered many sponsors from around the Orlando area to help donate to my charity. The event consisted of large tents, bbq grills, professional corn hole tournament reps, banners, t-shirts, canoeing, raffle tickets and door prizes. This was a professional charity event, with marketing, advertisement in the paper and other media. There was a LARGE turn out with many people I had never met before, but came just to support me! I doubt very few people has had the opportunity to feel the love that was shown to me that day! It will go down as one of the best memories of my life!
The monies raised on Saturday will go a LONG ways in helping me with my therapy bills in Atlanta. It is very expensive but God always provides a way! Since the beginning of this journey I have been on, I have been amazed at how the doors have opened for me! Every need that I have had has been met and my expectations have been exceeded. God always blesses with abundance and he did for me on Saturday.
I would like to give a SPECIAL THANK YOU: to ROBIN LASHLEY, who organized the charity, and the many company sponsors who gave so generously to help fund the event. I am FOREVER GRATEFUL for everything! God has been blessing me with this amazing miracle of a recovery and is opening the doors to make it EASIER ON ME AND MY FAMILY!
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
SO MUCH IN HIM,
BRENT!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Week 7 In Beyond Therapy!
I would like to start off by apologizing again for the delay in posting. I will try my best to post every Sunday night/ Monday morning, but every once in awhile I cant get caught up on everything and I am a few days behind. But I will try hard to post every week. I have been trying to take new videos of some therapy, but they are walking me ALL THE TIME NOW! I am sorry for the redundant videos, of pretty much the same thing. I walk in almost every therapy session I have now!
You may look at the video in this post and think, I've seen this before, but I am progressing so much more than what you can see. It may be hard for you to tell the difference in my videos, but I am walking further and further in each session. The first time I tried walking, I got about....20 feet, and I WAS DONE! completely exhausted and drenched in sweat. My hands where killing me and my triceps were on fire from squeezing the life out of the walker because i was afraid of falling. Now, I am walking several laps up and down the basketball court, baseline to baseline, with fewer rests and stops. I am getting less fatigued and I am able to push myself further in each session.
My therapists who was assigned to walk with me two days ago for our session had never walked with me before. He told me that he had a preconceived notion with how he would have to walk with me based on my level of injury. He figured he would have to pull my legs forward and manually guide my steps. He also figured he would have to put his shoulder into my backside to keep my hips forward so that I would not FLOP and keep my posture. He told me he was shocked when he saw that I could do all of those things on my own! He said walking with me is easy, because all he has to do is keep contact guard on my knees so that i don't fall down. He told me he was very impressed with what I was able to do on my own!
I have no doubt I will walk again on my own one day! I am getting stronger, but I am still in need of more return in my legs to be completely independent. My quads, and hams are still lagging behind, which is why my therapist are needing to help me on my knees.
I know that this path has been put before me for a reason! But I know I am NOT doing this alone! I have more support than ANYONE I have ever known with an SCI injury! Everyday I am humbled by the love that is shown towards me and my family as I am fighting to recover! It has been my goal from the beginning to show the world, and ALL THE DOUBTERS what is possible through the power of prayer, and the miracles that are possible to those who believe in God! My recovery has not been through anything that I have done, but by God blessing me and granting me this recovery. I take ZERO credit for all my progress! The doctor told me in Arkansas that in order for me to walk again, it would take a miracle! Well....THAT CAN BE DONE! Please continue praying for my total and complete healing! AND HAVE THE FAITH, that it will happen!
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PRAYERS!
So much in him,
Brent
You may look at the video in this post and think, I've seen this before, but I am progressing so much more than what you can see. It may be hard for you to tell the difference in my videos, but I am walking further and further in each session. The first time I tried walking, I got about....20 feet, and I WAS DONE! completely exhausted and drenched in sweat. My hands where killing me and my triceps were on fire from squeezing the life out of the walker because i was afraid of falling. Now, I am walking several laps up and down the basketball court, baseline to baseline, with fewer rests and stops. I am getting less fatigued and I am able to push myself further in each session.
My therapists who was assigned to walk with me two days ago for our session had never walked with me before. He told me that he had a preconceived notion with how he would have to walk with me based on my level of injury. He figured he would have to pull my legs forward and manually guide my steps. He also figured he would have to put his shoulder into my backside to keep my hips forward so that I would not FLOP and keep my posture. He told me he was shocked when he saw that I could do all of those things on my own! He said walking with me is easy, because all he has to do is keep contact guard on my knees so that i don't fall down. He told me he was very impressed with what I was able to do on my own!
I have no doubt I will walk again on my own one day! I am getting stronger, but I am still in need of more return in my legs to be completely independent. My quads, and hams are still lagging behind, which is why my therapist are needing to help me on my knees.
I know that this path has been put before me for a reason! But I know I am NOT doing this alone! I have more support than ANYONE I have ever known with an SCI injury! Everyday I am humbled by the love that is shown towards me and my family as I am fighting to recover! It has been my goal from the beginning to show the world, and ALL THE DOUBTERS what is possible through the power of prayer, and the miracles that are possible to those who believe in God! My recovery has not been through anything that I have done, but by God blessing me and granting me this recovery. I take ZERO credit for all my progress! The doctor told me in Arkansas that in order for me to walk again, it would take a miracle! Well....THAT CAN BE DONE! Please continue praying for my total and complete healing! AND HAVE THE FAITH, that it will happen!
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PRAYERS!
So much in him,
Brent
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Sorry for the delay! WEEK 6 Beyond Therapy! WOW!
Hey everyone! Im back! I apologize for not posting last week. I left Atlanta to come home to Florida for the week for my brothers wedding. I had a great time back home and was so happy to see my brother marry such an awesome girl in Brooke! I was allowed a week off of beyond therapy to come home for the wedding. As soon as the wedding was over I traveled back up to Atlanta to start therapy the next day!
My first day back from "vacation" I came into the gym and the very first thing my therapist said was, "Brent, meet me outside in the gym, we are walking!" I spent my very first hour back in therapy walking (video below). This is only my second time ever walking without braces (the first time was the day I left for Florida which u saw in the previous post). Last week I walked every day for one of my sessions in Beyond Therapy! I am slowly getting better at my walking! The secret is getting my technique down and not trying to rush everything. My very first time back my triceps and hands were KILLING me from putting so much weight through my arms. By the end of the week, I was putting less and less pressure through my arms and walking became MUCH easier!
I am still lacking crucial muscles return in parts of my legs to allow me to walk completely unassisted. My progress is more than ANYONE could have ever imagined, but im still not out of the woods yet! My therapy is going to be long and tedious for years to come! But one thing I can promise you..I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!! No matter how long it takes or what I have to go through, I will not STOP until I walk again! I will never settle for a wheelchair, I will overcome this! I must lean on my faith and on the prayers of everyone for God to give me the healing as only he can do! Doctors have done all they can do for me! My recovery is now in God's hands! He is the only one who can give more return to my legs and I have FAITH WITHOUT DOUBT that it will be done! Please continue to pray for more healing. My requests stay the same and will remain constant until i walk again! DONT GIVE UP ON ME! KEEP THE FAITH!
I LOVE YOU ALL,
SO MUCH IN HIM!
BRENT
My first day back from "vacation" I came into the gym and the very first thing my therapist said was, "Brent, meet me outside in the gym, we are walking!" I spent my very first hour back in therapy walking (video below). This is only my second time ever walking without braces (the first time was the day I left for Florida which u saw in the previous post). Last week I walked every day for one of my sessions in Beyond Therapy! I am slowly getting better at my walking! The secret is getting my technique down and not trying to rush everything. My very first time back my triceps and hands were KILLING me from putting so much weight through my arms. By the end of the week, I was putting less and less pressure through my arms and walking became MUCH easier!
I am still lacking crucial muscles return in parts of my legs to allow me to walk completely unassisted. My progress is more than ANYONE could have ever imagined, but im still not out of the woods yet! My therapy is going to be long and tedious for years to come! But one thing I can promise you..I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!! No matter how long it takes or what I have to go through, I will not STOP until I walk again! I will never settle for a wheelchair, I will overcome this! I must lean on my faith and on the prayers of everyone for God to give me the healing as only he can do! Doctors have done all they can do for me! My recovery is now in God's hands! He is the only one who can give more return to my legs and I have FAITH WITHOUT DOUBT that it will be done! Please continue to pray for more healing. My requests stay the same and will remain constant until i walk again! DONT GIVE UP ON ME! KEEP THE FAITH!
I LOVE YOU ALL,
SO MUCH IN HIM!
BRENT
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