Heal Nick

Nick, Shane here, I was excited you recognized my voice on the phone after not seeing me for 2 months!! ( i tested him )

I sent an update out to the burning man family about your recent success being patient of the year! Everyone will be glad to know you are doing ok and keepin on…
i love you man, keep up the good work!!
Shane

It’s been an interesting week.

Monday, being a holiday, meant no therapy for Nicholas. So, he slept-in and was helping me make pancakes for a late breakfast. We were standing side-by-side at the kitchen counter and suddenly he was gone. He hit he deck rather hard and cut his lower lip. After eating his pancakes, we decided to take a trip to the ER which resulted in 6 stitches. Nicholas didn’t miss a beat. Just like taking a stick or puck in the mouth or catching the wishbone on a bad jibe. It didn’t slow him up a bit.

On Saturday Kwasi moved into the house. He’s a full-time, certified caregiver and a delight to have around. We’re confident he’s going to be a great help all of us, and especially Nicholas. Kwasi is a Ghanaian and of the Ashanti tribe. As an Ashanti part of a given name is the day of week on which one is born. We now have new names to learn and Nicholas is Kwabena Mensah. It will be an unexpected pleasure for us to learn of a new culture.

The warm weather arrived but we never got to try any cross country skiing. It was only going to be a short exercise just to see how Nicholas can balance walking on skis and using poles. When the conditions are right, we’ll give it ago another time.

Progress continues to be agonizingly slow, which is to be expected. All of us just need to be reminded that it’s only been a little over a year since the accident and realize and take heart in just how far Nicholas has come to this point.

The rehab therapists have decided to try a new approach. It appears that Nicholas is more responsive to speech therapy when combined with physical activity. Therefore, two days a week he will receive a co-treatment (simultaneous treatment) of both physical and speech therapy. This was initiated last week and quite successful.

We’re back and the break was good for everyone. Nicholas definitely enjoyed the change in scenery. This, combined with finally shaking a cold and getting plenty of rest, resulted in a renewed alertness and getting back on track after a couple of very mediocre weeks. Perhaps with all the snow that landed on us today, he’ll try some cross country skiing, if we get a fairly warm day this week.

So as not to alarm Nick’s World, we’ll be away for a few days, returning on Wednesday, Feb. 8th, and there will not be a posting on Sunday. All’s well.