Heal Nick

nick,
i had an amazing dream about you last night. i’ll definitely write it down and add it to my letters to nick that i want to read to you in person someday. it was incredible. you were here at my house (maybe you were dreaming of me, too and that’s what it came from?), and we had an awesome conversation.

i awoke so happy to have seen you, and talk with you again.

missing you.
hugs and love
-jess

As I’ll be away for a week, starting this Saturday, I’m departing from my normal Sunday posting. Be assured Nicholas will be well-attended & entertained by his family and friends. His frustrations and annoyances continue to be a very positive indication of increased cognition, as evidenced by an analogous phrase he used the other day when referring to his struggle to connect his neurons, dendrites and axons: “The trick’s to find where the plug is.”

hey nick,
just found a letter i wrote to you a while ago. i think i’m just going to keep adding to it and get it to you someday, like a neverending letter, i guess.

i’m trying to get everything in order at my house before my fall classes start on monday. a big part of that is finally unpacking some of the small boxes from my move at the beginning of this month. i’m certainly finding random nick items, or things that definitely remind me of you.

so, of course, i had to write. just want to say hi. i keep checking in and checking out all the photos that get posted here. you look great! and it’s amazing to hear how well you’re doing… there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that you would work this hard.

i miss you.

hope to see you soon.
hugs and love
jess

how wonderful to see you yesterday having lunch on the big porch w/so many of your friends….you are making such great strides the hard work you are putting into everything you do is very impressive shows all of us your determination to “get on with it” we all are cheering you on!! CHEERS! hugs and much love ole grams

Dear Nickolas,
The Partridge family rally enjoyed our picnic lunch with you and your family last Sat. at Briar Hill. It was a typical lazy day on the Cape with lots of people and lots of dogs milling around the porch. We were all very pleased to see your continuing progress, especially with your walking, eating, and talking, and we could tell how happy you were to be at one of your favorite places. Lucy took some special photos of you meeting Gus, the newest member of our family ( Heather’s 5 week old son), and you seemed to “connect” with him right away……fun to see!
Keep up the good work, and we look forward to seeing you at the Cape or Manchester or Spaulding soon.
The Partridges

Nicholas continues to advance in his physical and cognitive skills. He definitely prefers walking over using his wheelchair and is getting stronger and better at it daily. Cognitively he’s almost demanding explanations of everything nurses and therapists are doing. For instance, when his night nurse handed him his evening meds tonight and asked him to swallow them, he rather curtly asked her what they were. Once she gave him the names and what they were for, satisfied, he swallowed them with no complaints.

As Nicholas is getting closer to a yet to be determined discharge date and in preparation, we interviewed two out-patient therapy facilities, specializing in neuro care. We are also making every effort to take him away from the hospital environment on weekends in order for him, as well as us, to get used to new surroundings and circumstances. We took a day trip to Cape Cod on Saturday and home on Sunday. Take a look at the photo I just posted to the gallery for some of Sunday’s fun.

a bit of news you may find interesting Block Island is holding their very first amateur film festival this week next year i expect you’ll be there…..love and hugs grams

hi again i seem to be having a problem with my ability to get through to you i have sent you one message hopefully it arrived will keep trying love and hugs ole grams

hi nic i hear you are doing so well you are planning a trip to the “neck” we will be waiting for you w/bells on…when you drive in the drive be on the lookout for a little mother fox with two young one i think they live under the barn, sems the tennis court their favorite place to play in the late afternoon hope they are avialable for you when you arrive see you soon much love and hugs ole grams

HI N,
Well we spoke a couple of days ago, but since others are posting from the wild wild west, I thought I’d send some proper mountain vibes from Colorado. I’ve been in Winter Park for the past few days and am currently in a parking lot taking advantage of free wireless internet (no need to be doing this other than the fact that it’s here and free). We just drove thru Rocky Mountain National Park (elev 12,183) and are slowly making our way to Devner to fly home tonight. I’ll miss the mountains and the big sky. I’ve been sending you all kinds of energy from out here. I’m looking forward to a run tomorrow so I can use all this high altitude training to my advantage. We’re hanging out tomorrow night so I’ll be sure to pass on some of my extra O2 to you and we’ll go have a proper work out..sound good?!
See you tomorrow bro…
lovep

Well, helloooo there, Nicholas!

Mrs. Hesh here…checking in to see the comings and goings in your life. We are excited with your Dad’s weekly postings on your unreal progress. Go to it! We need you to be up and ready for a sail on KATANNAH sometime soon… (The Speedo is not operating on the boat and ONLY YOU (and that includes Manchester Marine) seem to be able to fix it…thirty years sailing with Steve, and we still very much need you to come aboard for a sail or a motor toot to deal with all of our electronic foibles.. Sigh. So, sound like a deal? Hurry up and let us know when you’re available? Until then, keep having fun doing what I cannot now and never COULD do on that windsurfer. Love, Linda (Steve, Kate and Susannah, too)

Hi Nicholas- I’m in Salt Lake City at the Outdoor Retailer Show buying for our store for next summer. All this outdoor stuff always makes me think of you. I saw your dad’s posting this morning and was delighted to see that you are fiddling around with the computer. And it does sound like you’re up to some of your old impish tricks.

Keep up the good work and progress- you’re doing a terrific job and must be a great source of pride for all your therapists!!!
Love- Julie (Adams)

Nicholas was caught again. As he continues to assert his desire to know exactly what is going on and who’s doing what with and to him, we are seeing more and more frustration, probably with himself more than others. The other day he tried to out smart the safety belt on his wheelchair (it can only be released from behind out of reach of the occupant) by wriggling under it. He was discovered with about 80% of his body out of the chair and when asked what he was doing, he said, “escaping”. Bravo! We love this initiative. He has taken a keen interest in just what the nurses and therapists are doing with him and why and asking very astute questions. He is also repeating instructions given to him to reinforce his understanding of situations. On Saturday, we took him for the second time to the house for a relaxing day away from the hospital. Unfortunately, with the lack of the usual cooling sea breeze, it was over 100 degrees outside and not much better in. Nicholas did not take well to the heat. He was happy to be in a relaxing environment but it wasn’t until we discovered the coolest place in the house was the garage and moved the “party” there that he seemed to perk-up. A picnic in a garage was a new experience for all of us.

As Nicholas is just beginning to explore using the computer with our assistance, I’d encourage any and everyone to post anything of interest to this web site.

Nick,
Man, I wish I was in Boston so I could see you more often. Grad school has taken over my life in these past 8 weeks and I’m sorry I haven’t been more in touch with you. I now, however, have high speed internet access at my house… no more dial up insanity for me. Hoping I can check in on you more often now and to write more again as I did earlier in the summer.
I’m actually procrastinating right now, me, procrastinate, yeah right! I guess that’s a side of me you never got to see. I’m in the middle of a psych paper that’s due tomorrow and thought I’d check up on you. Seems like you’ve had so many visitors. I really wish I could be one of them, lucky enough to see you in person. Well, again sometime, I’m sure… but for now, school and Indiana. I’m hating the miles missing you.
Have a great week and I’ll write more soon.
Hugs and love
Jess

It was another fairly quiet week with Nicholas working hard. Along with being in a lunch group 7 days a week to advance his social skills, he is now participating in a breakfast group, Monday through Friday. His physical therapists are very complimentary to the way he rises to every challenge they give him. We’re not surprised in the least. Nicholas very much enjoys his weekly therapeutic and cranial sacral massages, and we have decided to try schedule 2 per week. These are not within the scope of Spaulding’s program and are contracted independently, so we have to be sure they will not conflict with his normal schedule. One of the big pluses this week is seeing the development of a “temper” directed at those around him who are continually trying to help him. He’s definitely getting annoyed and wants to do things on his own. Unfortunately, for his own safety, he needs helping hands, so we have to get used to his outbursts. This behavior is a very good sign that he’s emerging cognitively.

Be sure to check the photo gallery for a picture of friends who dropped in last week.