Good Lord, I'm out of shape!

This morning was focused on training for taking Tim home next weekend. For that, Amy and I participated in Tim's 2 hour PT session with Kevin. First, in the gym, we transferred Tim from a manual chair on to a bed, and then back to the chair. We did that twice. Tim was an offensive lineman. The lifting positions are awkward. Our first glimpse of life in a few months. Then we moved outside and did the same thing, but into and out of the car. This was trickier, as I had to fit into the small area where the open door attaches to the vehicle. I am not all that small, and that is a small space. But through both procedures, Amy and I worked together (with Tim letting us know if we were doing something that wasn't exactly right) and made it work out. After the second transfer, we took Tim on a little ride around the block. Then we worked on bumping Tim up steps in his chair. There's a real good chance that I'll feel that in the morning.

Later in the day, the O'Meara's came up from Bourne to spend some time with Tim before he headed off to his afternoon sessions - an hour of "arm work" where Tim lifted light weights (very light) to strengthen his upper arm muscles, and then an OT session in a "practice apartment" where he started to learn how to use adaptive techologies to do every day things like opening the fridge and drawers. I think I'd like the second work out better. As a matter of fact, that does sound like my work out - a few 12 oz. curls and then a look through the kitchen for a reward for all that hard work. At 3:00, we joined together in the first class of a three week edcuation program on spinal injuries. Then Tim had some stretching. The day was capped with a visit from cousin Melanie of West Hartford, her husband Bob and children Cameron and Sophie. Melanie hooked up Tim with decals, fuzzy dice, air freshener and other things necessary to pimp his ride. She'd also just purchased an iPhone, and Tim had mentioned how that technology might be a useful replacement to his cell phone. Now, he's had a chance to check it out first hand. Amy and I caught up with Dr. O'Connor who described the movement in Tim's middle finger, left hand as a "subtle, but significant improvement." He finds Tim to be an "exceptional young man," and enjoys working with him. Hey, it's his blog and I'm his dad.

Mail Bag: From home,. we brought a couple of IM's that I printed out from Amanda and Brooke, a prayer card from Pat on the Cape, some words of wisdom from one of the Yarmos at Camp (I'm sorry - I wrote this at home and can't remember!) and a big card from many staffers at The Red Lion Inn http://www.redlioninn.com/ (sorry, couldn't resist). The mail man was complaining about the weight of Tim's delivery today - nine cards, Dave & Marianne and family of Pittsfield, West Stockbridge Congregational Church UCC, O'Malley's, Tim's 4th grade teacher Kathleen, Lisa & Chris of Scarsdale and West Stockbridge, Aunt Merrilyn (again!), Tim's old music teacher Deborah, George & Shirley from LA, and second cousin (my cousin - I think that makes her a second cousin of Tim's) Joanne from Denver. Whew. He loves this part of the day. So do we.

Well, Jancy and I got on the road by 7, home at 9. Drove Tim's car over to Troys to have a few things attended to, and found John, John Victor and Anthony all hard at work, so I was able to get them caught up on all things Tim. On the walk home, ran into Brigette, who was off to a going away party for Jake. I know that Tim would have loved to have been been home for that one.

West Stockbridge - the village that never sleeps, the Big Zucchini.