We have made it to the other side of the most current of transitions… Now, Todd is an active participant in the world of outpatient therapy. It is a whole new level of different and an oddly busy world. Regular comings and goings are a daily piece of the equation, complicating things and schedules that can be inflexible. Adaptation. The therapist home visits are a thing of the past, the once was. It was very necessary for the therapist to come to us for the period they did. It was an amazing period of time beginning in a wheelchair and ending with stairs, some major developments and accomplishments! To merely be awake, clean, and fed before therapy began, was all we could muster when we first returned home and a tall order indeed.  The changes are quite telling of how far we have come to in order to be able to tackle the new hurdles, distractions, and challenges of the outpatient environment. We are becoming familiar with the new team of therapists and the approach to Todd’s needs is naturally different. This is a welcome difference. As the therapy system changes you slowly become more and more responsible for managing, maintaining, and integrating a great deal more on your own. Slowly we gain independence. Our home is now a sanctuary separate and integrated to the daily therapy regime. It is less a public sphere and is now a much, much more private environment for us (which is a very nice transition).

The holidays were kind to us. The flu reared its head but we actually enjoyed doing nothing for a change.  We have not had such an opportunity surprisingly enough. There has been so much work for us on a daily basis. Our first Christmas at home since the accident was definitely something worth celebrating and we spent a great of time just enjoying one another alongside Todd’s increased independence and healing.

Then Todd’s birthday followed….. he now has a survived a half a century! Todd had some difficulty wrapping his mind around it……and when asked how he feels. “Older now.” I remind him that much of what he is interpreting as “older” is actually the stiffness and physical limitations that are a result of the injury/ prolonged bedrest. In time with continued physical and occupational therapy these “issues” will mellow.

So many milestones for us and spring is right around the corner….upon us. Last February we were landing in Oakland Airport and leaving Amsterdam which had itself become familiar and safe. Our home was now the unknown.

Todd continues to plug away, with a smile on his face and rarely utters a complaint. It is a great challenge to make life work and give the commitment of time and discipline required by Todd’s therapies. You must implement the therapy learned during the day and find time to cook, clean, and meet life’s many demands. That is life for you though, an amazing juggling act.

I say now we are living the dream….. and someone else’s nightmare 

What a joy it is to wake up every day with a guy I was told would most likely never exist. Not just once or twice, but over and over.  It is one of the things that an injury of this magnitude can do to people…. to strip them/you of hope and determination. (Luckily we did not cave under the weight of this potential mindset!) I have become so aware of the impact this has on other families and stories different and like our own.

Now that we are part of the outpatient community we are much more connected to other injury survivors, caregivers, and some of their stories. It makes us so appreciative of our community and life.

A community that we are looking forward to connecting with again. Keep your eyes out for us.  We love you and miss you.