Yeehaw!

Well, well, well, it is time for an update. My dad sent this to me a few days ago but our internet here, in Guatemala, can be a little touchy.

July 9, 2012

Wes’s progress continues to go well. We had a nice quiet weekend and, even though Wes did not have therapy Saturday and Sunday, we still worked him hard. We have him sit on the tile floor and push himself so he slides on the floor. We also went to see The Avengers (Ry is jealous!) which he really enjoyed and Karen and I enjoyed it as well. There sure was a lot of shoot-em-up stuff going on. I did not find myself trying to fall asleep.

Today was another very busy therapy day and we added a new twist to the day. Wes has started a program where he is riding horses now. Today was his first day horseback riding. First, he was evaluated by an occupational therapist who was very pleasantly surprised at Wes’s abilities. She sat him on a barrel and he was able to balance very well. Then she said, “Ok, we are ready, let’s get him on a horse.” It was only a moment or two and he was sitting on the back of a horse. He said this was a little scary but he did well and was on the horse for about 30 minutes. Side note from Ry: I bet it was scary… imagine riding a horse and not being able to hold yourself up with your legs! I’m gonna try it… I’ll let you know how it goes. We occasionally took breaks so he could lean back a little. It is surprising how many muscles we use to balance ourselves, especially on the back of a horse that is moving and stopping. This form of therapy will also help strengthen his core muscles so that this is something he can continue to do. We hope to have him riding 3 to 4 times a week. The more he rides, the stronger he will get.

Balancing on the barrel like a pro!

Eeeeaaaasy there horse.

Wesley, The Cowboy

We continue to feel so blessed at the opportunity Wes has to be here at Neuroworxs and the University of Utah Medical Center. We feel he is getting the very best care possible and his therapy lasts several hours a day. Wes realy enjoys board games and has been playing chess with Uncle Cliff at least once or twice a day. Wes is usually the winner, and yesterday I decided I should play Wes a game of chess ad humble the boy. I have not played for a while and thought I should easily be able to beat my son. We had not played long before he took my queen and I was in trouble. I know I need to play him again soon but I am wondering if it is I that will end up being humbled.

We are grateful for all the friends that pass through Utah and take the time to come and see us. They all remark about how well Wes is doing and they cannot believe the changes that are occurring. His manual wheelchair is a tremendous blessing and he seems to get stronger every day because of the work he has to do to get himself around. We continue to see miracles happening every day and we are so grateful for the prayers offered for his recovery. Thank You All! We have an exciting couple of weeks coming and look forward to telling you of our adventures.

Ok, I need some help. I’ve been trying to get Wes and my dad to make a video of Wesley’s skills on the manual wheelchair. He can do a wheelie…. from what I’ve heard. Comment on the blog that you’d like to see it and maybe they will be more motivated than just me asking for it. It’s going to be AWESOME.

By the way, enjoy the horse videos below!

Adios!