These past few weeks have been WONDERFUL! I have been continuing my rehab at University of Central Arkansas working with an AMAZING Physical Therapist. She has helped me so much in my walking. Last two weeks she had me walking on a treadmill!
The first time on the treadmill they had me walking on a body weight support system. The body weight support system is a harness that suspends me over a the treadmill. I starting walking at a normal walking speed. My therapist then lowered the body weight support system more and more until there was slack in the harness, and I was 100% bearing all the weight through my legs, AND I WAS STILL WALKING!! They sped up the treadmill and I was able to keep pace! My new braces are amazing, and I am able to walk so much easier with them. It is still a lot to get use to because I am trying to learn to walk more functionally in the braces.
Last week in therapy I walked without the body weight support system on the treadmill, using just the parallel bars, after walking with the bars we got out the loft stand crutches and I worked on bearing weight through the crutches as I walked on the treadmill. After my walking on the treadmill, we then did e-stim therapy on my quads, getting them to flex as I kicked me legs out! Im very excited with how things are going!
Another great thing, is that my doctor has written me a script to get outpatient therapy at Baptist Rehab, the same place were I did my acute care after my accident. I have so many friends and therapists that work at Baptist and I will be able to do therapy there several times a week ON TOP of my therapy at UCA! I am doubling up on my therapy trying to get use to my new braces and hopefully in time get out of my chair! GOD IS GOOD!! I have been so blessed since coming back to Little Rock. I am so excited to be around all my close friends and the people at Pleasant Valley.
I have even started a new tradition at my apartment. This week I had my first GAME NIGHT! HAHA! During my time in Florida, I was so blessed to have some WONDERFUL friends come to my house every Monday to spend time with me and play games. Robin, Sarah, Nick, Jennifer, Alisha, Barbie, Theresa David, and Owen would come to my apartment almost EVERY MONDAY for the time I spent in Florida and would have a game night with me! I MISS ME FRIENDS and all they did for me in Florida! I have decided to carry on the tradition and we grilled out hamburgers and played games (I still miss my moms cooking though) haha! This Thursday my whole family is coming to Little Rock for Harding's Homecoming! I am so excited to see them again! Please pray for a safe flight to Arkansas and a great weekend.
AS ALWAYS PLEASE, PLEASE continue to pray for my recovery! I am going to be double timing it with all the therapy I will be getting in the coming weeks/months. Please pray that my walking will continue to get better and I can recover even MORE in my legs and one day WALK AGAIN!! I KNOW I WILL, I just have to keep the faith and BELIEVE that it is possible! Nothing is impossible with God, please continue to pray for me! This has been a LONG, HARD road to recovery, but I am JUST AS DETERMINED as I've always been to walk again! Keep me in your daily prayers to accomplish this goal that I have ALWAYS had and I promise you I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!
SO MUCH IN HIM,
BRENT
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
I need your prayers!
I am writing you all today on behalf of a good friend of mine. Bethany Cox, a girl who went to Harding University was in a very serious car accident on Sept 7th in Little Rock. Talking to her family and friends I found out that we suffered much of the same injuries. She was taken to UAMS because of her trauma and spent about a month in ICU there before being transferred to Baptist Rehab Hospital. Hearing Bethany's story is de ja vu for me having experienced much of the same things. She is currently on the same wing at BRI (just a few doors down)were I spent several months in acute care. All of my old nurses and the staff who worked on me are currently with Bethany. (I know she is in GREAT HANDS)
I did not know Bethany before this accident, but several of my friends contacted me and told me of her accident. Bethany is a few years younger than me so we never crossed paths at Harding. But I already feel close to her based on the same experiences we have shared.
Bethany had severe lung trauma, which she needed constant suctioning of her lungs in order for her to breath, and also had a brain injury (SOUND FAMILIAR)along with a broken arm (mine was a shoulder but close enough). Hearing her story and her injuries just made me relive all those hard and painful times I went through. I went to UAMS after hearing of her accident and met with her mom and dad, Duncan and Kim. We became very close and would text each other everyday to tell me of Bethany's progress. Being that I had been through the same things they would contact me to find out "what certain things meant" as most of you know, Doctors do not tell you ANYTHING in the hospital.
Bethany is facing a different struggle than i faced however. She broke her neck at around the C2,C3 level which meant she would be a quadriplegic. Based on her level, she should not be able to breath or even talk on her own and would rely on a ventilator for the rest of her life! However, GOD HAS OTHER PLANS FOR BETHANY!! She is currently breathing on her own and we talk most every night on the phone. She has most all of her feeling back and is slowly regaining movement in her arms and legs. The doctors graded her an ASIA C last week (same as me) but Bethany is just a MONTH out of her injury! Her parents are so new to this injury and understanding how the recovery process works. The fact she has gotten so much back so quickly is a miracle in and of itself.
I need my prayer warrior to go to work for this family!! They are all going through a hard time adjusting to this, but I KNOW God can do MIGHTY THINGS as he has done in my life and through my recovery! Give Duncan and Kim the peace of mind that God is in control and the encouragement to face these struggles with Bethany. Please pray that Bethany will NEVER GIVE UP and stays encouraged all the while pushing towards her goal of total healing. God can do ANYTHING! i have seem him do it in my life as I know he can through Bethany as well! Her story is an AMAZING one and I would love for everyone to visit Bethany's Caring Bridge site and give both her and her parents some encouragement. You have all been down this road with me and have prayed for me all these years! PLEASE DO THIS NOW FOR MY FRIEND BETHANY!! Show her the love that you have so graciously showed me throughout all of my trials!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!
So much in him,
Brent
The link to Bethany's caring bridge site is below.
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bethanycox/createorsignin
I did not know Bethany before this accident, but several of my friends contacted me and told me of her accident. Bethany is a few years younger than me so we never crossed paths at Harding. But I already feel close to her based on the same experiences we have shared.
Bethany had severe lung trauma, which she needed constant suctioning of her lungs in order for her to breath, and also had a brain injury (SOUND FAMILIAR)along with a broken arm (mine was a shoulder but close enough). Hearing her story and her injuries just made me relive all those hard and painful times I went through. I went to UAMS after hearing of her accident and met with her mom and dad, Duncan and Kim. We became very close and would text each other everyday to tell me of Bethany's progress. Being that I had been through the same things they would contact me to find out "what certain things meant" as most of you know, Doctors do not tell you ANYTHING in the hospital.
Bethany is facing a different struggle than i faced however. She broke her neck at around the C2,C3 level which meant she would be a quadriplegic. Based on her level, she should not be able to breath or even talk on her own and would rely on a ventilator for the rest of her life! However, GOD HAS OTHER PLANS FOR BETHANY!! She is currently breathing on her own and we talk most every night on the phone. She has most all of her feeling back and is slowly regaining movement in her arms and legs. The doctors graded her an ASIA C last week (same as me) but Bethany is just a MONTH out of her injury! Her parents are so new to this injury and understanding how the recovery process works. The fact she has gotten so much back so quickly is a miracle in and of itself.
I need my prayer warrior to go to work for this family!! They are all going through a hard time adjusting to this, but I KNOW God can do MIGHTY THINGS as he has done in my life and through my recovery! Give Duncan and Kim the peace of mind that God is in control and the encouragement to face these struggles with Bethany. Please pray that Bethany will NEVER GIVE UP and stays encouraged all the while pushing towards her goal of total healing. God can do ANYTHING! i have seem him do it in my life as I know he can through Bethany as well! Her story is an AMAZING one and I would love for everyone to visit Bethany's Caring Bridge site and give both her and her parents some encouragement. You have all been down this road with me and have prayed for me all these years! PLEASE DO THIS NOW FOR MY FRIEND BETHANY!! Show her the love that you have so graciously showed me throughout all of my trials!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!
So much in him,
Brent
The link to Bethany's caring bridge site is below.
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bethanycox/createorsignin
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