GO TEAM WES

OK, ok, ok… I know, I haven’t had A RANDOM RYANNE Moment for a while so I should probably have one… except, it’s not really random.

Ben and I are safe and sound in Guatemala. It is beautiful here. Everyone is so kind and so welcoming. If any of you are ever wandering around Guatemala, give us a call. Spanish is coming very slowly.

Mi aerodeslizador esta lleno de anguilas.

My hovercraft is full of eels.

Onto more interesting news… Wesley.

Here is an update from my dad:

June 21, 2012

I guess it is about time for an update. We have fallen into some sort of routine, but I would not call it normal by any means. We usually start the day at the University of Utah Medical Center for Occupational Therapy and then we head to Neuroworx for several hours of therapy. We spend approximately three hours a day traveling on the freeways of Salt Lake during rush hour… we think it is punishment for always criticizing Utah’s freeway system.  For years we have tried avoiding Salt Lake during rush hour. We pass the time listening to books on tope and sometimes Wes works out with weights while we are driving.

Twice a week we go to Liberty Park in SLC late in the afternoon or early evening so Wes can do hand cycling. Often he is so tired from the days workouts that he does not have much energy for hand cycling, but he still does his best. He usually does the hand cycle for 1 1/2 miles before he is wiped out. He could do much farther on the hand cycle if he were not working so hard during the day.

Once or twice a week, in the evening, we try to take him to a pool where he can try and swim on his back, we do this outside of therapy. Occupation therapy is about an hour, 3 or 4 times a week. Nikki works with him on a variety of activities which include an electronic stimulation arm cycle with electrodes connected to three different places on his arms. We are trying to build up his upper body muscles and especially his triceps. This week he also was put in a manual wheelchair where Nikki had him pushing with his arms up hill and then doing a form of crunches from his wheelchair. He also spends a fair amount of time on a table rolling, stretching, and doing various exercises. We love Nikki and she really pushes Wes and brings out the extra effort from him.

Nueroworx is where Wes does his Physical Therapy and we are there everyday. Twice a week he spends time in the pool with a therapist. He spends time on a mat stretching and strengthening muscles. There is all types of equipment that they work him out with including an electronic stimulation bike with his own muscles being stimulated. Wes works with a team of therapists who all push and encourage him to work harder. His attitude is wonderful even when we have to get a very early start which means leaving the house by 7:00AM. He really is doing very well.

This last weekend we drove home to Montana. Our daughter, Brittnee, and her children and our son, Trevor, drove up from Arizona to spend a week. We really enjoyed being with them at our home. About the time we think we might get rested it’s time to leave again. At the end of the weekend we drove back to Utah for therapy. Wes travels very well and usually keeps occupied during the drive with his ipad.

Sunday, July 1st is a Fast Sunday. We typically fast one day a month and it is usually on the first Sunday of each month. If you do not have a purpose for your fast for July we would ask that you and your families fast for Wes. We will be giving him a blessing Sunday evening on July 1st. We would ask in your personal and family prayers that you be specific. We will be fasting that Wesley’s spinal cord will be completely healed and that the signals from the brain will pass through the spinal cord, stimulating the nerves and allow all the muscles to work. We are asking Heavenly Father to restore, repair, and heal Wesley’s spinal cord and allow everything to begin working. With the spinal cord healed it will be up to Wes to work hard so that everything begins working properly. Those who are attending the temple this week please put Wesley’s name in the temple again.

I promise to do better about taking pictures and videos. Karen is doing well; she has been struggling with a kidney stone over the past month. Things should start getting better, she has a doctor’s appointment scheduled.  Brittnee and her kids have been at the cabin the last few days and we have Ashley and her kids with us in Utah for a few days, it has been nice to have all the kids around. Thanks for you all your prayers and well wishes. We are doing just fine.