Happy Holidays Everyone! I Am So Blessed!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Holidays and enjoying the colder weather. I for one am NOT enjoying the cold weather as the temperature changes my bones (i.e. metal in my bones) begin to ache. However, it is good for a change of scenery from time to time and getting the cool air instead of sweating every time you go outside.

I have had an exciting few weeks in therapy recently. I have been going to therapy 3x a week doing out patient therapy at Baptist Rehab (where i did my acute stay after my accident) and once a week at the Physical Therapy school at UCA (University of Central Arkansas). I have taken this entire week off of therapy in order to have the final fitting done to my braces. I have been using the braces for over a month but they were not the finished product. Once I had walked in them and agreed to the fit, they would then put the finishing touches on them and make any changes. I should be getting my braces back tomorrow and its back to the routine next week.

During my therapy sessions at Baptist, I had been learning to walk with the braces in stance control setting. This allows my knee to bend during swing through and then lock once my heal strikes the ground. This will allow me to walk more fluidly once I get it down. Since the beginning of my therapy I had been using an overhead lift and harness to help me in case I were to fall. But starting last week I have been spending the entire hour walking with both legs in stance control and without the safety net of a harness. I am starting to disengage the knee and swinging it forward on almost every step. It actually looks like im walking normally! SLOWLY...BUT NORMALLY!

During my therapy at UCA the professor and students are working on strengthening my legs and working on my walking motion. In order to this I am locking both of my knees out and putting 20 lbs on each ankle! I say, "I" but what I mean is "MY THERAPIST" is "MAKING ME" put 20 lbs on each ankle! She loves to push me to my limits and BELIEVE ME SHE DOES! I would have a hard time walking with 20 lbs on each ankle BEFORE my accident, let alone after. BUT I DID IT!!!! I am getting much stronger in my hips and taking more fluid steps with the weight on each ankle. (the video is below) and remember, that is 20 lbs of weights on each ankle :) just had to throw that in there again!!

God has continued to bless me through out my rehab! I am SO VERY FORTUNATE to have the support of my family and friends. My friend/neighbor upstairs Alexis came down to help me wrap presents tonight (because I am not good at wrapping) and we were talking about my accident. Retelling that story just reminds me of JUST HOW FORTUNATE I AM!! Most of the people who go through such a traumatic injury do not have the support of their family like I have had OR my friends! Hearing the stories OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE who came to the hospital that night almost brings tears to my eyes! Filling out the waiting rooms and sitting in the hallways......i am so very lucky!! Everyone has stuck by me this WHOLE time! My church family at Pleasant Valley helps me out so much as well as my family who have sacrificed SO MUCH to help me reach my goal of one day walking again!

PLEASE continue to keep me in your prayers and never give up praying for total and complete healing! I believe in miracles, I know God can do ANYTHING! who knows, one day I could wake up and be 100% healed! I have NO DOUBT that could happen! God is so powerful, but we must keep the faith and put our trust in the one who made us! AND WE WILL SEE THAT MIRACLE ONE DAY!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!
SO MUCH IN HIM,
BRENT