Man About Town

I'm sitting here with Tim at the start of game 6. Schilling looks sharp, but a couple of big sticks have fizzled - Manny and Lowell leaving the bases loaded. Maybe it's time for an unexpected redemption for the poorly performing JD Drew. Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait for it. There it goes! Backbackbackback - it's outta here into dead center, about 380 feet. So, I'd say we're off to a good start.

Tim had quite a good couple of days. Jancy was feeling the need to spend some more time with her brother, so she arranged a sub for Saturday's shift and headed out on the bus. She met Tim and together they went back to the Galleria Cambridge Side. I fear that Tim is becoming a mall rat, but as he says - "it's something to do." He can get around inside the mall and it sure beats hanging around the hospital. After they got back to Spaulding, Uncle John came down and escorted Jancy back to the apartment, where she spent the night alone.

Today, Tim (in his power chair) and Jance took a hike up into Cambridge to visit Sara, a former ninth floor mate who was transferred to a skilled nursing facility, about 2 or 3 miles out Cambridge Street. As you can see, he's becoming more independent and comfortable in Boston. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 70's again, so we'll head somewhere for sure.

Just after we arrived, Tim had a bunch of visitors, all from Monument Class of '06 - Allison, Jess, Emily and Sandy spent some quality time with Tim and Jance while Amy and I went for a walk.

Finally got a chance to catch up with Tim. First some clarification on Thursday's walking episode. The news is better than I had understood. You may recall that Tim had used the walker using only an ankle brace instead of the full length brace on his right leg. The "improved" report is that Tim did not need assistance moving his right leg - he did it all himself. Man, I need to see this one of these days. He thinks that he managed to walk around 100 feet, and at some point he took his hands off the walker and was able to stand unsupported. Things are really starting to heat up here.

Friday's session on the Locomat was significant as they made an adjustment and increased the amount of work that Tim's legs would handle. They are both getting stronger.

Communication from the outside world included a Halloween care package from Katie, Nigel and Art, and I'm happy to say that it included some fresh fruit. Tim was very excited to find a hand thrown pottery from Nigel himself. Also, a nice letter from Butternut boss Judy that included an interesting commentary on the managerial prospects of the New York Yankees.

So here we sit, damning the necessity of 8:30 starts in the playoffs and wondering how long we can last. We'll see.

Manny Causes a Stir

The longest RBI single in history prompted Tim to give us a call. Not happy with that call by the ump. He had given Amy a between-innings chat back in the first, and now it was my turn.

Brief report, but big news both times. He stood up again with the walker. But this time, he used an ankle brace instead of a full leg brace, and really felt strong, needing less help with moving his right leg. The other development was that he dressed himself completely this morning.

Amy and I had a nice meal this evening, prepared by our friend Cathie, a semi-retired caterer from Stockbridge. She's been bringing us a meal each week, and it's always wonderful and something we look forward to. So many people continue to reach out to us with assistance in getting things done, making our BerkshiresBostonandBack schedule bearable. I'm not sure if Kelly and her kids knew that their offer to mow our lawn would result in so many mowings, but they keep coming back, when we're not home and our lawn continues to look good. For me, it is absolutely wonderful knowing that I don't have to make time for that chore every week. Tina is still walking SamBone, poor dog who doesn't get her share of the love lately, and the Thornes keep her fed while we're gone. We appreciate all of the help we're receiving and we don't take any of it for granted. It all adds up to allowing us to spend time with Tim and to keep our affairs in order. Thank you.

Audi Inspiration - # 9

This is the last of the quotes that I found in the Audi book Tim received a couple of months ago. It's a good one:

Passion will take you places where reason doesn’t dare.

*

I'll need to find some good filler material for those nights that are a little light on activity. That said, Tim was brief tonight on the phone, but his voice was clear and strong. He got over last night's game and had a good day today. During his Locomat session, he felt that his knee was responding a bit - "snapping back into a locked position" was how he put it. And, he's pretty sure that one of those languishing muscle groups - controlling some right ankle motion - is starting to make a little noise.

*

So, that's it for tonight. We talked a little baseball, and he's off to bed in order to be well rested for tomorrow's nail biter.

This Year's Model

Some good news and some no-news for Tim today. He was supposed to get another opportunity to stand with the walker, but something went amiss with the scheduling and it didn't happen. Too bad. Between us, Amy & I had managed to convince Tim to let us take a picture of him so we could see this momentous event and share it with you. So, no news there. Maybe next week.



However, Tim's power chair was delivered today - it had been ordered about six weeks ago. Tim likes it, and he let me know that he was able to transfer himself from the power chair to manual with no assistance. Here's a picture of him telling me about the new chair just after it arrived.


After Amy left (and returned home a day early), Brigitte came down for a visit, which is always well received.



As I began this entry, I was going to mention what a great pitcher's duel we had going on. But, when a knuckler loses it, he usually loses it big. Too bad, and I'm sure Tim is not enjoying himself this evening.

Tim has always done well on tests

Just pulled in to WS, arriving top of the seventh. Varitek cutting the lead in half and Westbrook getting yanked. It was interesting listening to the game all the way home, switching between various AM stations (including one out of Chicago) all the way back. Doesn't look like I'll make it to the end of tonight's game, but at least it's moving in the right direction.

Our day started off with some visitors. Fredo came in from Holliston to say hello to Tim, Amy and me. Nice to get caught up. Fred was happy to see the changes in Tim live and in person. A little later Grandma and Grandpa came up for a weekly visit - Monday instead of Thursday so that Amy & I could spend some time with them as well. Bolstered by all that love and caring, Tim headed back to work.

In PT today, Kevin performed some "tests" on the muscle groups in Tim's legs - there are ten groups in each leg. As might be expected, the scores on all the groups in his left leg are at or approaching level 4, one level below normal strength. The right leg score was much more exciting. The last time they took a look, only two of the groups had any kind of activity. Today, it was reversed - only two muscle groups were registering a zero - the others were at 1 and 2. Later, Tim showed us what that meant by lifting his right leg, both while lying in bed and sitting in his chair. I'm trying to get him to do another YouTube video, but I'm getting some resistance there. A tangible benefit of this increased strength is that, while lying in his bed, he can "bridge" his back - lifting his butt and hips several inches. This motion allows him to pull on a pair of pants. And so it goes - day by day he gets stronger.

Couple of interesting things in the mail bag today. Aunt Merilyn sent yet another card with the news that her grandson Noah was in town from Montana on his way to Malaysia and the whole family was gathered together in Ashville, NC. One of the coolest packages to have arrived in recent memory was from Deb Jo. A laugh-out-loud funny, sentimental, stream of consciousness note assured Tim that many people are thinking of him and pulling for him every day. The note was accompanied by a CD of her favorite tunes - Santana, Van Halen, Stones, Led Zep and others. I tried to sneak it out, but Tim was on to me. I think Deb may have won some new found respect from Tim with this line:

"You may ask 'Why so much Led Zeppelin at the end?' To that I would say 'Why would you ask me that? I am Deb Jo. I am all about the Zep."

I can't wait to listen to the mix, the play list looks great. R.L. Burnside indeed.

So, that's that for tonight. Tim's settled in to watch the game with others on the floor. Hope they can pull one off out on Lake Erie.

Cookin' at Spaulding

This particular day started off as innocuously as could be imagined. Last night's game kept us all up to varying degrees of "late," so we trickled down to Spaulding one by one, and began to plan the day. Jancy needed/wanted to do a little shopping and Tim seemed to think that was as good as any reason to leave the building. So, we finished up a few odds n ends, like organizing Tim's space - including packing up some gear that's no longer needed; his collar and the stabilization boots that prevented drop foot while he was sleeping. All signs of progress.

I couldn't believe I had signed on to go to a mall - Galleria Cambridge Side - but off we went, Jancy handling the pushing. Once we got to the mall, which is a quick walk past the Museum of Science, Tim provided his own power and maneuvered through the crowds quite nicely. We went here and there, hung out in the Food Court for a bit and got Tim's hair cut. He also did some research on some camera accessories he's interested in and spent a good bit of time in the Apple Store. A good day.

Amy and Tim headed back to Spaulding, while I took Jancy to South Station to catch her bus back to Lee (thanks Phoebe and Chris for picking her up). We ran into Uncle John on this part of our journey, but as we were running late, had just a few minutes to catch up.

This is where things start to get a little funky. Turns out there's a new patient named Morgan whose sister knows Dane Cook's publicist. Today, Dane came up to the ninth floor to visit Morgan and spent time with other patients and staff. Quite a ruckus, let me tell you. I'm glad that he didn't read my review of his latest movie earlier on this site! He was funny, gracious and generous with his time and definitely gave everyone on the ninth floor something to remember.

That took a bit of time - Amy was willing to take some pictures while I watched the Pats whup up on the previously undefeated Cowboys. After it was all over, Tim's spot was a bit of a gathering place as folks came by to look at the pictures on his laptop. After our weekly sharing of local news - mostly an article about Shurika and Thalia involved in recycling at Monument - A & I headed home.

But this trip was not to be swift. Our timing coincided with the end of the last performance of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus. As we walked by the back of the Garden, we met the Ringmaster, who was about to lead the elephants and other animals on their walk back to the train in Cambridge. The circus is on a two year, 80 city tour, and they had just done show number 700-something. So, we stuck around to see what would transpire. We talked a bit with the Ringmaster - Chuck Wagner - who is actually a veteran stage actor doing his first gig with the circus. Earlier in his career he had performed in "Kiss Me Kate" at Berkshire Theater Festival. For more about him, click here:

http://www.ringling.com/explore/136/stars/cwagner.aspx

He does a little double duty and leads the walk at the end of the run. We took out our camera, but in the dark with our failing eyesights, we couldn't figure out how to turn the flash on, so these images aren't so great. Too bad, it was kind of cool.

Good Luck Butters

The Red Sox are now 3-1 in games that Tim has attended, the only loss coming in the last game of the year when the Hose trotted out seldomly used players in a meaningless game. As you might guess, Tim and Conor had a great time and returned to Spaulding safely before the witching hour. Tickets to the series go on sale at noon on Monday .........

Well, we're back in Boston. Tim was Jonesing for another outing, so we headed over to Canal Street to look for a sports bar for dinner. Ed note: Fred Snow is going nuts right now as Berkshire resident James Taylor is announcing the Sox lineup on Fox - that's a twofer for Fredo. Hurricane O'Reilly's seemed to call our name and in we went. We enjoyed catching the tail end of the contest for bragging rights in the Jesuit Football League as the highly ranked Boston College Eagles took their A game to South Bend and knocked the Fighting (and losing badly) Irish on their keesters.

We're back on the ninth floor in time to watch Schilling get touched up a bit in the first, but now Big Papi is up with one on and one out. Hope you all enjoy the game. Let's see if that charm holds up from a few T stops away.

Three months since "The Day;" and The Sun Shines on Red Sox Nation.

Today's walk across the common was delightful - sunny and crisp, just like October should be in New England. I was inside all day again, but the meetings (both today and yesterday) were extremely interesting and important - the day just flew! :-)

By the time I got out, the weather had changed. It had been raining earlier, but now it was simply gray and breezy. Why am I so focused on the weather? Because Tim is heading to another Sox game tonight, that's why. This is another "milestone" event, because it will be his first trip out into the world without a parent or staffer with him. His travelling pal tonight will be none other than Conor O'Malley, or as I refer to him now, Mr. Responsible.

Conor got there just after I did, and we waited for Tim to complete his preparation, which included adding a layer or two and packing the new lined yellow Nauset Beach slicker he got from his grandparents - tonight is it's debut. We watched him transfer from the bed (where he changes clothes) to his chair with no assistance. Smoothly and efficiently. I asked all the usual nervous parent stuff, but I probably didn't have to. He checked in with security to let them know it was going to be a late night and off they went to North Station.

Now I'm sitting in the apartment, being blinded by the setting sun over Kenmore Square and waiting for rush hour traffic to die down. I'll be headed out soon. Tim had a decent day, today doing some time on the Locomat and learning how to use his E-Stim unit more efficiently. He also got permission to permanently remove his collar. Today's mail included a Halloween Care Package from Cousin Melanie, husband Bob and children Cameron and Sophie. It included, among other things, a Rock Star wig, and some tattoos. I'll try to get a picture of that next week.

So yes, today is the three month anniversary of Tim's accident. He's come so far, but still has a way to go. As always, we know that we're not alone in this and are thankful for the help, prayers, thoughts and communication we receive daily. Thank you!

Now, I'm heading home only to be returning around this time tomorrow with Amy and Jancy. Hope those Sox do well tonight!

Close shave!

A couple of business meetings in town has given me a some bonus time with Tim. He's had two good days. I arrived Wednesday evening after swapping cars with Amy and drove straight to Spaulding. Tim was pumped to show me how far he can now lift himself out of the chair using his left leg and his arms on the wall rail. He's definitely getting stronger. He also showed me the latest art work from fine motor skills group - painted pumpkins. Except for one. Tim carved his, allowing him to continue the tradition he has shared with him mom and sister for years (I don't go there).

I started my day with a civilized walk across the Common and then spent the rest of it ensconced in a conference room. Bummer. Afterwards I walked through the mist down to Spaulding and spent a couple of hours with the lad. It was another good day for Tim. With a little help from Kevin and Maggie, he stood with a wheeled walker and was able to go about 15 feet (again, with a little help with the right leg). A little time in wheelchair group, and sessions with the Bioness and Fluidotherapy unit rounded out the day. He feels that the latter two have really improved his right hand and he can almost close it easily.

We spent some time going through some stuff I brought from home, including his disabled placard for times when he needs to take advantage of handicapped parking spots. I brought what I thought was an interesting article from The Paper, about external combustion engines. Of course, Tim knew all about them, and their stage of development. He was happy to share his opinion of them with me.

We wrapped the day up with a shave. Only this time, Tim handled it himself. It was a bit of a struggle, but he did a nice job. I believe he is going to stay clean shaven now, using his electric razor that I brought from home.

Earlier today, Tim's old roommate Brendan stopped by to say hello while he was in the building for some outpatient therapy. We appreciate that, as does Tim. He also got some mail from Aunt Merrilyn and Pastor Shawn from West Stockbridge Congregational, UCC.

Tim has a big night ahead of him tomorrow, so it's early to bed. For both of us.

Shaking things up a bit

Tim had an exhausting day today. FES bike and OT focused on transferring himself from chair to bed, which he has pretty much mastered. He also dressed himself, in bed, for the first time. Very tiring, though. Amy was with him this afternoon, at the time when therapies end - but he was too tired to talk or hang, he just wanted to sleep. So, Amy took a walk, came back - still snoozing. She went home, and he awoke later in the evening and they said their good nights via phone.

I just checked in with Tim and he had one other bit of news which I find very encouraging. Kevin, his PT is going to shifting the focus next week -to walking! They'll be phasing out the FES Bike and adding two or three afternoon sessions of standing, as they did last week. As you might guess, Tim is thrilled.

I think that's about it for tonight. Time to prepare for Amy's return to WS and my drive back to Boston!

Nahsua Street Shuffle

Tim may be having a tough time keeping track of what day it is, thanks to us. Jancy passed me in the night yesterday and arrived at Spaulding this morning to spend most of the day with Tim. Then around 3:30, Amy swooped in and took Jancy to South Station for her return trip to the Berkshires. Amy spent the evening with Tim.

Jancy reports that Tim is getting pretty adept at transferring between bed and chair on his own, that was nice to see. Amy says that Tim seems to have more controlled activity in his right hand. More good news. She's been away for a week, so is glad to be back with Tim.

Today being a holiday, things weren't as structured as they generally are on a Monday, so that's about it. I'm watching the Yankees bow out against the tribe - it just doesn't look good. I guess I'll find out in the morning.

Good Luck Chuck - NOT!

Tim must have been very tired. He gave me permission to sleep in today, and I did. I took my time having a leisurely breakfast over yesterday's Eagle and this week's record, packed and cleaned up the apartment to make ready for a quick escape this evening or early tomorrow. When I got down to Spaulding, he was still snoozing, and I let him continue.

He got up around 11:30, took a shower and we enjoyed a nice "brunch (frosted flakes, cheese danish and a tuna sandwich)" together. We decided to make the most of the rainy, chilly day by going to a movie and settled on "Good Luck Chuck." As we were finishing our meal, my cousin Danny and wife Heather stopped in for a visit, the morning after the wedding of a friend had brought them to town from Tuscon. Great to see them and get caught up on things.

We set off for the multiplex on the Common and decided to take the T, again no problem. The movie was a bust as far as we were concerned, but it wasn't painful. When we emerged from the theater, the sun was out. Several big tents and a ton of porta-potties on the Common got our attention, so we headed over to see what was up. Turned out to be a Right to Life rally, just getting underway. When we saw a youth group approaching behind a big banner, we decided to get out while the getting was good.

So, we headed over to the Public Garden and took a half loop around to Arlington and then back to Brimmer Street, where I began a little tour of Beacon Hill for Tim. I showed him simple stuff like where we parked our car and our apartment, then followed the route that Amy & I use several times a day. I am sorry to say that Beacon Hill is a tough spot for an old man to push a chair! Actually, the worst (and somewhat scariest) part was heading down Anderson Stret - steep!

When we got back in the neighborhood, we enjoyed a slice at Half Time and headed back to Spaulding, We learned that the Pats won again and we are watching the Hose as I write (up 2-0). Jancy is coming out later this evening with cousin Lily as she returns to school, and will spend some time with Tim.

Tim is feeling good now - very happy with the progress he is seeing in his right leg. I can't wait to get back out here later in the week to see what's new.

Father - Son night at Spaulding

It's Columbus Day Weekend and the Butterworths are strewn all over the place. It's Harvest Festival and Amy is dutifully overseeing the Opportunity Dress Shop, helping to raise thousands for the Berkshire Botanical Garden (which you must visit the next time you're in the Berkshires). Jancy and I worked this morning and then Jance headed off to Belchertown for a soccer game, while I headed east on I-90. Tomorrow (Sunday), Jancy will somehow join me in Boston, and then Amy heads out Monday while I head home. Good lord.


That was just a little editorial aside while I thought over what news I'd share about Tim. I arrived to find that the lad had moved to room 928. Nice of him to let us know! Anyway, he's in good spirits (what Sox fan wouldn't be) but going a little stir crazy at the same time. The strength in both of his legs continues to improve. The first thing he showed me was very interesting, but I should have taken a picture, as this explanation is a bit tricky. Here goes. Tim backed his chair up to a wall railing and then stretched his arms out to the side and gripped the rail. Using his arm strength and his left leg, he was able to lift his butt about 3 inches out of the chair. Very significant. On his right side, his adduction muscles seem to be working better and better - moving his knee left and right, and he saw some wiggling in his toes.


I asked him if he'd thought about standing again, and he said that he has to be careful asking for that, because it would use up a full PT session and he might miss out on something more beneficial. Still, he is pumped to do it again.


As you might guess, Tim has a pretty good handle on what's going on with his overall program. This week, someone on staff noticed. The head nurse on the 9th floor was scheduled to make a presentation on patient care to a group from Partners Healthcare and asked Tim to give her notes a review and fact check them for her.


We continue to be grateful to all those folks who reach out to Tim in various ways. Yesterday, cousin Paul stopped by for a nice visit and Tim received a postcard from Aunt Merrilyn and a nice note from the O'Malley's. I brought a card that had been mailed to our home from Elizabeth and Adolf of West Stockbridge - two people who have not met Tim, but share their support and prayers. It's very humbling.


We also reviewed the news clippings I brought along. Tim was excited to learn that the Monument / St. Joe's game was being filmed tonight. Maybe a DVD is available? And, saddened to learn about the fire at Baba Louie's.


The day ended on an high note with a visit from Conor, his mom Mary and friend Ethan. Conor is in the drum line for the BC Eagles and they are having a hell of a year, today kicking some Bowling Green butt. Marching band is keeping Conorooman very busy this year, but his mom was glad for a three day weekend so that she could bring him back to Richmond for a couple of days.

Take me to the river.

Tim gave me a call this afternoon to get caught up on last night's game. He said that Josh Becket was unbelievable - the ball was just "twisting" out there. And yes, he felt like he got up a couple of inches out his chair when David Ortiz cranked one.

Grandpa came up to visit during lunch and joined Tim on a Spaulding outing to Half Time Pizza. He brought up a beautiful hand sewn Red Sox blanket from our long time friends, the Halpins from Los Angeles.

Tim took advantage of a Spaulding recreational therapy program today - canoeing on the Charles. He joined another resident and two therapists for a paddle through that dirty water. The boat was rigged with a "bungee paddle" that allowed him to use just one hand - his left.

A couple of other developments to report. Today Tim was able to perform a two new ADL's (remember that acronym? - Activities of Daily Living). He pulled on a pair of pants and put on his shoes, tying the left one. He is also noticing improved hip adduction strength, and is able to pull his right knee in towards his left. Little by little.

Kickin' Back

Tim was nice enough to call me today at the office. He needed my credit card to purchase tickets to tonight's opening game of the playoffs. 6:37 vs. the Angels. Brendan, a PT aide was going to accompany him. We got that out of the way and talked a little bit about the last couple of days. He continues to do work with the Locomat, FES Bike, Bioness and Fluidotherapy unit, as well as spending time in wheelchair "group."

He hasn't tried to stand again, but did have another significant development. Last night, while lying on his side in bed, he was able to "kick" his right leg back behind him just a little bit, which is a little bit more than the day before.

Communications from the outside world included a nice card and note from Paula & Preston of West Stockbridge.

So, as I write, he's at the game, gave us a quick call just after the Sox went up 4-0. I wonder if Big Papi's two run blast got him up and out of his seat with the rest of Red Sox Nation?

"Put one foot in front of the other...

...and soon you'll be walking out the door!"
Couldn't resist calling upon the words of the infamous Abominable Snowman and risk dating myself(Rudolph c. 1970 +/-), but the news is sooo good and the not-so-graceful but ever profound image of you taking steps conjured sweet childhood images. Let's hope this will be the subject of your next video!!?? My deepest conciliatory GRRRR goes to your dad for missing it all by seconds. You'll just have to do it all over again, and I bet you anything you will!!! Well done, Tim!!! Love from Aunt Carolann, cousin Tascha and Allott.

Audi Inspiration - #8

We believe in proactively planning for the future rather than reacting to whatever comes our way. We always have.

** This is a direct quote taken from Tim's new book on the history and philosophy of Audi.

wow!

Tim! I can't believe you stood! That makes me so happy, I'm proud of you!

Keep up the good work!!

-Alex

Get up, stand up. Don't give up the fight!

What a wonderful day. Amy and Jance headed back on Sunday night - Amy to start the final push to prepare the Opportunity Dress Shop at the Harvest Festival for the Berkshire Botanical Garden, and Jancy for schooling purposes. So, I got a taste of a quiet morning at 9 Willow and headed down to Spaulding to talk with Tim a bit before his day got started. That didn't really happen because Tim slept late, which I approve of. When he did wake up, we discovered that he was scheduled for a outpatient session at New England Baptist and we hadn't been informed. Not a big deal, but off we went in a "Cabulance" for a delightful tour of Boston through Back Bay, the Fenway and beyond towards JP. It was a nice time to "just talk."


The session was routine and when we got back to Spaulding, Tim went off to therapy and I went to the lunch room and did some work on my laptop. I needed to leave around 3:00 in order to catch my bus, so I went down to the gym to say goodbye a few minutes before then.


Tim: Hi Dad. I stood.
Kaye: He stood.


So, there I was, needing to leave almost immediately, and also needing to stay in order to absorb this incredible news. So, I tried to get as much information as I could and headed out. I did call Tim when I returned this evening, and this is the full story:


Tim's right leg was put in a full length plastic brace while he was sitting in his chair, which locked his knee and gave that leg rigidity. Then, using a harness, Tim was lifted out of his chair and onto his feet, with legs bent. Gradually he was lifted into a near standing position - just a few inches shy. Then the harness was loosened, and he straightened out his left leg on his own and was standing under his own power and balance! He was positioned between two parallel railings and placed his hands on them for support. The therapist (Kaye) picked up his right foot and moved it forward, leaving weight on the left. Tim then took a step (not that pretty, but still a step) with his left leg. They did that a couple of times. Wow. I came in a little after that. How frustrating is that? I was checking emails about 100 feet away! Just before I left, Tim pointed to his right thigh and showed me a slight flexing movement that he was creating and controlling.


So, how could a day like this get any better? Red Sox Rally Monday, that's how. Tim asked his friend Emily to come down to Spaulding and escort him to tonight's rally at Government Center, a quick ten minute roll away. His status as a chair rider earned him front row spots and he heard speeches and performances by the Dropkick Murphys and The Standells - including Sweet Caroline and Dirty Water. Owner John Henry even sat in on guitar.


http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071001&content_id=2244399&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos



So, it looks like Tim's week is off to a good start! Meanwhile, back in the Berkshires, some cows got loose in Richmond.

Season Finale

Tim slept late today. Good. When he awoke, he was focused on one thing. He and Jancy were going to the last Sox game of the year. He had called the box office and yes, there was one seat accessible seat left with one companion. So they bought the tickets and away they went. Amy and I accompanied them on the Green Line and the experience was very good (on the way home, too). We feel better and better about using the T now. After we dropped them off at Gate A, Tim needed an Ellsbury tee and then they disappeared.

Amy and I had a nice walk back to the Hill along the esplanade and enjoyed a much-needed nap before walking back to pick them up via Back Bay. It was a beautiful day to be in Boston and we both enjoyed stretching our legs.

When we returned to Gate A, we waited for the entire park to empty out - no Tim, no Jancy. We found them via cell phone - hanging around the players parking lot and watching the team drive away one by one. I think that Tim was savoring every bit of free time outside of the hospital, because tomorrow, it's back to work. On our way back, we learned that the day was great, they loved being together (alone) and that even though the Sox lost it was a good game.

Hi Tim, family and friends,
Lincoln and I have been cruising around Europe for the past few weeks, spreading good Tim karma, to the best of our ability, in places both sacred and maybe, ever so slightly, profane. This picture we like because the trail to the top of this mountain is completely accessible. There are a couple of nice restaurants once you get there, and the views are amazing. Lincoln really enjoyed shooting the bracelet on cool sculptures we found everywhere. I'll post a few more snapshots in the next couple of days, as long as no one thinks that, perhaps, we had too much fun with the blue bracelets!
ciao for now,
Nancy Fitzpatrick

Braceless in Boston

Tim has been dying to get that neck brace off, and last night was a step in that direction. He has been cleared to sleep without it, and I'll find out soon how that went and see what the long term prognosis is.

Amy, Jance and I arrived yesterday as we usually do and spent another leisurely evening on the patio, enjoying the warm weather while we had it. We went through some local news and sports stories from the Eagle and Record. Tim let us know that Marge & Bob, Chris and Liam had stopped by for a visit during the day. He received a nice card from Pat & Bob as well as a tin of "Fat Witch" brownies from Brendan's (his old roommate) sister and her husband. They had spent a lot of time together during the month or so that Brendan was here. That was nice and the blondies were very good.

Tim is popping and holding wheelies now with abandon. Very nice to see. And you will. Now that we've charged the battery for the camera I'll get a shot today and post it. I took a look at the Fluidotherapy unit - pretty much just like the one in the link I provided. We talked some more about vehicles, and will get some images out there as soon as plans are a little more firm. He got a call from Amanda, who is visiting Bonnie in Boston. She was coming down for a short visit with Priscilla and Mika. It was time for us to leave, so we didn't have an opportunity to meet them and thank them for including Tim in their plans. We all continue to be incredibly appreciative of all those who visit, blog, email and send cards and notes his way. Thank you!

Another therapy heard from

By the time I caught up with Tim this evening he was pretty tired. He did have a nice visit from Brigitte and Meredith today, and they walked over to Mass General to pick up some papers. Aside from a session on the Locomat, Tim had a Fluidotherapy session for his hand. Today wasn't the first day, but it was the first I had heard.

Tim inserts his hand into a chamber and finely ground corn husks (Cellex Medium) are heated and swirl rapidly around his hand. The purpose of this therapy is to improve flexibility in the hands.

http://www.cmki.org/LMHS/Chapters/35-Fluidotherapy.htm

http://www.promedproducts.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1866/.f

It looks like the Sox magic number is one, at which point Tim will probably also start rooting for the Indians. I'll find out more tomorrow.

A bicycle built for two ......

Tim did something new yesterday - he rode a bike down the Esplanade, as far as the softball fields. One of the Recreation Therapists introduced him to Spaulding's tandem bike. Tim sat in front and made use of a hand crank and pedals to help propel the bike while the therapist sat in back and steered. Tim says it was fun and a nice change of pace. However, he won't ride with me in the back seat at this time.

He also started looking at vans yesterday. The dealer brought by a Toyota Sienna and they talked about some other options. Tim obviously enjoyed that, but it caused him to miss the annual Spaulding Cup - an annual kayak race for staffers and patients alike. One of Tim's nurses - Matt - was the eventual winner.

Today was some standard PT and OT including some time with the Bioness for his right arm and wheelchair class, where Tim reports that his wheelie skills are improving. He also handled getting up and down the ramps pretty well using both his left leg and his arms. During lunch he attended a presentation about a summer camp program for follow up therapy that would take place next year, and would offer a return to intensive therapy if necessary.

And that's it. The Sox are on, and he's watching.

Audi Inspiration - #7 and more!

Winning is not the sole objective. Rather a welcome result of careful planning.

** This is a direct quote taken from Tim's new book on the history and philosophy of Audi.

*

I didn't learn too much about Jancy's night last night, except that she learned a lot about Tim's day-to-day by staying with him and spending time with him today.

*

Amy escorted Tim over to Mass General again for a CT Scan of his neck. Tim's been pushing for this so he can take his brace off - the scan will go out to Dr. Kantrowitz who will decide.

*

The Sox are up 3-1 tonight, and Tim is going to try to buy playoff tickets. I am not allowed to accompany him, due to my allegiance to a different team. We'll see what happens.

*

Here's a parting shot from Carey's & Brian's wedding:

Dentistry, Neurosurgery, Advocacy, Consultative Sales, Sister

Tim started his day off with a visit to a dentist based at Mass General. He and Amy were transported "all the way over there" in an ambulance, which too all of 5 minutes at 8AM today. They decided to walk back. Tim was having some work done on a front tooth that suffered a small chip back on July 12 when his resperator was inserted. His teeth were graded A2, which we're all pretty proud of!



We had lunch out on the patio, savoring these last few days of summer. One of the things we talked about was yesterday's Eagle article about Drs. Kantrowitz & Lasner (Tim's neurosurgeons) and the groundbreaking work they're doing with herniated disks back at BMC. If you missed it, read it here
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/search/ci_6983814?IADID=Search-www.berkshireeagle.com-www.berkshireeagle.com

After his therapy sessions, we all sat down with his new Case Worker, Tara. She's wonderful - with experience in disability and medical insurance claims, voc rehad counseling and getting through an actual cervical injury (with time spent on the 9th floor), she knows the issues and how to get things done. She and Tim are getting along great, and we're glad to have her on the team as Tim's advocate.

A bit later, Tim returned a call from Roland, the modified accessible van dealer. He and Tim talked about some models and designs, and it looks like Tim might get a look at a demo or two later this week.

Finally, the day wrapped up with a first for Tim - a slumber party. Jancy asked, Tim's roommate said OK, the staff approved, and soon some sort of portable bed was set up in 902. That's all I've got, but you'll learn more tomorrow.

Pats-Bills Game Preempted

It doesn't happen too often, but a Monument Mountain Spartans football game was scheduled for a Sunday afternoon this year. This scheduling quirk occurred in observance of Yom Kippur, which fell on Saturday the 22nd. We're grateful for that, as it allowed us to plan a day trip for Tim to watch his ex-team mates play the game he enjoyed so much. More about that in a couple of paragraphs.

Day trips to the Berkshires require early starts to make the most of them, so we were down with Tim by 7:30 to get him ready to go, which included choosing the best Spartan-friendly clothes we could put together. Next was getting Tim into the car, which proved to be a "watershed" moment for me. When we last brought him home, back in August, this necessary task was a lot of work, and had given me what I thought was an insight into our future. Now, like all of you, I have seen the YouTube video, and of course, have seen Tim work his leg "live." However, the practical aspects of this improvement in Tim's condition really hit home when we got to the car. The manuever into the passenger seat (and all transfers today) were a piece of cake. Tim has developed enough strength in his arms and left leg to do most of the work himself, with just a little guidance and a push or a pull here and there. That was good news!

We had a great ride out to the Berkshires, with no traffic, and arrived in West Stockbridge, where Tim asked me to take a spin around town. We drove slowly, allowing him to soak in the sites that are so familiar to him, and something new - our rapidly progressing transformation of Village School into our new town hall. After catching up with Jancy and some time spent with Sambone the aging wonder dog, we headed over to East Stockbridge for a pre-planned lunch with friends at the Elm Street Market. Tim craves their cheeseburgers, and sharing a meal with Jancy, Russ, Luke and Stefan was just great. I'm happy to say that the Market, and the downtown area around it, were pretty accessible.

Then, it was off to the game. Many thanks to Pam Race and Coach Huggins for setting up what turned out to be a great day. I'm not sure if they had anything to do with the weather, but it was a perfect day - clear blue skies, 70's temps and the backdrop of the early autum Berkshire Hills made for a perfect setting. We arrived as planned, around 1:00. The team was waiting for Tim and sent out one of the players to greet and take him back to the pre-warm up meeting. After Hoosac Valley arrived, the Spartans emerged in double file with Tim leading the team down to the field. From the sidelines, he watched the team get ready, and then was escorted back for the pre-game meeting. On their way back to the field, they formed a gauntlet, and Tim wheeled himself through it and led the Spartans on to the field. If that wasn't enough, Coach named Tim the Honorary Captain and he participated in the coin toss. It was a great game to watch and well played. Unfortunately, MM lost by a point after leading most of the game. Tim was in a great mood however, and was able to catch up with a lot of folks during half time and after the game.

Before heading back, we stopped Tyler's house where he was working with Matt on a truck. They had a good time catching up. We went back to the house to say goodbye to Sam and pick up a few loose ends. Tim asked to go up to the Thornes and take a look at the meadow behind their house that goes up Lenox Mountain. He had noticed that the sun was hitting it very nicely. We did, it was, and just sat there quietly for a bit before getting on the Pike towards Boston.

Traffic Cop Needed

By the time we rolled in to Boston, Tim had already had a pretty fun packed day. After his morning sessions, he had a visit from Grandma and Grandpa, and friends Emily, Ayannah, and Erin had stopped by as well. We met Regina and Stefan coming in the door, squeezing in a visit after an open house at Berklee and an acupuncture session in Quincy (that's an interesting day). Just after they left, Don and Deb from WS stopped by on the way to run in a triathlon tomorrow. Never a dull moment!

In between all that, Tim was really flexing his left leg, kicking it all over the place. He's feeling good and looking forward to seeing the Spartans kick some Hoosac butt.

Back upstairs, we looked through the mailbag and found a book and nice note from Eileen & Dylan, a card from Cousin Roberta, and another from his first boss, Ann. later we played another game of Scrabble (I don't know why I subject myself to this game) and went through some news from the Berkshires - soccer scores, Josh results, football preview and an article about our neighbor & friend Dick Ziter being named Grand Marshall of the Foliage Parade. We also showed Tim the Construct, Inc. newsletter that dedicated this years Walk to Prevent Homelessness to him. We were all pleased about that, as we have walked together as family for many years, and hope to do so again this year. We'll see.

Alright, it's off to bed for all of us - need a good night sleep for tomorrow's trip to the Berkshires and back.

About our Annual Walk...

Hi Tim, All of us at Construct have been following your progress at Spaulding and continue to wish you well, with high hopes you will get sprung from there soon, if not already, AND in time for our Walk. We are looking forward to your being with us, with your family or your church family again this year if that is something you would like to do. And we would love to honor you and the terrific fundraising you have done for us in the past, as well as the good work and very hard your are doing now at Spaulding. We announced that we are dedicating this year's walk in your honor. I think it is so very important to lift up our young people who have worked or walked or raised money and celebrate them...and you stand out as one of our young stars. Cara Davis

It's autumn in New England

Tim headed up to Peabody today with a few mates and some staff for a good old fashioned day of apple picking, which he really enjoyed. It was a beautiful day and good to get outside.

Other than that, nothing new to report on the rehab front. He's getting ready to head home for the Spartans game and a few other odds and ends on Sunday - Berkshire friends Matt and Tyler are prepping the Audi for Amy and me to bring him back and forth. Thanks guys. Because of the trip, Grandma and Grandpa are postponing their weekly visit until Saturday, when Tim will apparently be getting a few other visitors from the Berkshires. We know he appreciates that, and so do we.

The mailbag this week included a nice card from the O'Malley's and a CD of tunes that are currently popular in Europe, courtesy of his British cousin Gabby, via Portugal. He played that right away and enjoyed what he heard - that was a nice surprise.

So, that's the name of that tune. Over and out until tomorrow.

Wow - VERY cool!

Hi Tim! We had hoped that we'd have an opportunity to meet you in person by now, but alas our schedules haven't afforded us that chance yet. So sorry we missed you while you were in W.S.

Just wanted to let you know that we saw the YouTube video and it's the COOLEST thing! Your progress is just mind-blowing and so inspiring! Don't know if your folks have told you, but about 8 years ago I had a cerebral hemorrhage and was paralyzed on my left side (arm & leg). A matter of months later, as the blood in my brain resorbed, the movement started to come back and it was like the skies opened up and angels began to sing. I didn't have YouTube back then to share the progress with others. What a world we live in. So cool.

We hope that you'll manage another trip to W.S. sometime soon and that we'll finally have a chance to see you face to face. Until then, keep up the awe-inspiring progress!

Best,

Lisa (and Chris) Paul

Takin' it to The Hill

Today was Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day, and there was an event at the Statehouse to recognize it. Tim and two other Spaulding patients headed up to Beacon Hill with some staff and one mother (guess which one) to observe and listen to the speakers. Tim said it was interesting. Two of the speakers were Dr. O'Connnor and a man named Travis Roy, who was paralyzed in his first game as a BU hockey player back in 1995. Tim was able to spend some time with him and enjoyed that. It was an interesting day.

http://www.travisroyfoundation.org/

Other than that, a little Easton bike here and a locomat there. Plans are coming together for his trip home to watch the Monument game on Sunday

.

Sister Act

People often ask me "How's Jancy doing?" It's a great question, and I always try to give a truthful answer, best I can tell. Because, as the father of a 16 year old girl, I'll never know exactly "how she's doing!"

Here's what I think about my other amazing kid. This was the summer when she turned 16, when she was going to learn to drive, when she was going to work hard to save money for a trip to Africa in 2008, when she was going to prepare for a junior year with no big brother hanging over her and many other things. Tim's accident could have changed all that, but it didn't.

She continued to work hard at the Inn as a breakfast, lunch and room service server and banked a nice chunk towards Ghana. She got in the car every Saturday with Amy and me and drove to Boston to be with Tim. Then she came home and went back to work - sometimes with me and sometimes on the train. Sometimes she was home alone, sometimes a friend would stay over. When Amy and I were home with her, we were swamped trying to keep up with work and home life, so couldn't always be there for her. She found her own rides, prepared a lot of meals and even did some laundry and ironing. She wrestled with the plan to go to Africa, wondering how Tim would feel about it (he told her to go). When vacation week came, Amy & I decided we just couldn't break away, and Jancy lost out on that family tradition and went with friends instead. Through it all, she has managed to become a pretty good driver, including a long stint on the Pike to Natick, although we haven't ventured into Boston yet.

*

Now she's in school, playing soccer, still working Saturdays, still driving out with us and coming back on Sundays, still planning for Africa. Jancy gave up a lot of what a young woman looks forward to, and she hasn't complained a bit, except when her time with Tim is cut short for one reason or another. She could have said "what about me?" but she hasn't. She's been there for Tim from the start and we're very grateful for that. I'm sure Tim is too. We think she's pretty amazing, indeed. But that's only her parents' opinion, and what do we know?!?

OH MY GOD!

Tim, just checked the youtube video and it's absolutely incredible, i'm so proud of you!

ps. my friend Candice thinks you're cute. haha.

keep up the awesome work! Hopefully I'll see you soon!
--Alex

Audi Inspiration - #6 and other stuff

Frost warnings in West Stockbridge tonight. "Dad, can we please turn on the heat?" Sigh. I love this weather, but it's another reminder that time is marching along. A long day today before returning home. Tim is still feeling a little under the weather, so he took it a little easy today, not much new to report. He's losing three floor mates this week as they head home. Jim and Joe are "older" guys (somewhere between Tim and me) and they're off to live in new homes in Syracuse and Salem. Shauna is going back to a renovated home with her family in New Hampshire. All had an influence on Tim in one way or another, and were a pleasure for all of us to know. They'll exchange contact information and stay in touch. And on it goes.

The USPS brought by a couple of nice cards from cousin Andrew P. Williams of Belmont, CA and West Stockbridge native Joanne Campbell of Lexington, both of which brought smiles to his face.

A couple of interesting things on the horizon. Wednesday the 19th is SCI Awareness Day at the State House and a bunch of Spaulding residents are heading up to Beacon Hill, where Dr. O'Connor will be among the speakers.

http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=33&list=1218

Apparently Tim has been approached by Spaulding staff to meet with some of the folks from the Locomat company to talk about his experience and perhaps be photographed. We'll have to see what that's all about.

And now, a word from our good friends at Audi:

It takes time to consider each and every detail. Even the ones you’ll never see or touch. But when the final result is nothing less than perfection, time and effort melt away.

** This is a direct quote taken from Tim's new book on the history and philosophy of Audi.

British Invasion

We got a little bit of a slow start today, after dancing Saturday night away under a tent in a Columbia County corn field. Congratulations Carey & Brian - what a great wedding and reception in a beautiful part of the world I'm sorry I don't have a better picture than this one from the day before). We arrived at Spaulding to find Cousin Allott pushing a large rubber ball (bigger than him) around the therapy gym. He had just arrived from Cape Cod on the second leg of a visit to the US from England, with his mother and father Carolann (Brian's sister) and Tony Patterson. From the looks of it, Allott thinks hospitals are fun! Aunt Carolann and Uncle Tony scored big by bringing Tim some Audi insignia stuff including a hat, tee and very cool watch. Uncle John came down, too and we had an altogether too short visit before the Pattersons headed off to the Berkshires with Jancy hitching a ride.











Earlier in the day, Spaulding hosted their 9th annual "Set Sail 2007" fundraising street fair with music, art and food among other things. We missed that, but everybody else - including Brigitte and Meredith from Emmanuel - enjoyed the day. Body and face painting seemed to be particularly popular. Appearances by some players from The Revolution added to the excitement.











After bidding farewell to the other visitors, we settled down for dinner out on the patio and spent some time getting caught up. We shared some Eagle articles including news from home - former track teammate Corrinne Hillman winning a race and the boys team doing the same, and news from the world of sports. The spinal cord injury suffered by NFL player Kevin Everett is raising awareness of the injury and is discussed on the 9th floor of Spaulding. Tim has talked to Dr. O'Connor about the injury and treatment, including the "hypothermia treatment" that Everett received. Apparently there is some debate around that procedure, but experts have credited the quick response of doctors to a good prognosis in this case. We know how effective that can be. After flipping through the Josh Billings insert (Spaulding student nurse Krystin Meade is running), the Construct, Inc. newsletter (Tim is think about coming home to roll it) and reading a nice card from Paul & Louise Faggioni of Hotel Street, we gathered in the 9th floor dining area to watch the Sox/Yankees and Pats/Chargers games and eat some Stonyfield Farm ice cream that Uncle John supplied. It's organic, so we polishied off what was left. Unfortunately, we'll all have to read the game scores in the morning!

Weddings and Flat Tires

I knew it was going to be a tough couple of days to post. I am serving as a groomsman in Carey and Brian's Columbia County wedding this weekend, which has been wonderful so far. Last night we got a flat tire and this morning we had to get it fixed today so we could head to Boston tomorrow. That left us a one car family with a daughter who needs transportation to work and all the other hectic Saturday morning things that are part of life. So, I am taking a few minutes before heading up to Pittsfield and then down to Hillsdale to let you know that Tim has been a little tired the past couple of days, but pushing on with his rehab. We don't have too many details as he hasn't been in the mood to talk. Jancy is heading out to Boston this evening to be with Tim and we'll join her tomorrow. More news for you on Sunday night.

Lights Out

Well, I can't rustle Tim up this evening. Maybe he's exhausted and has conked out. Or maybe he's resting up for the big three game set this weekend. Maybe he's out carousing at Fanueil Hall. Who knows?

I did speak with Grandma and Grandpa, who had their weekly lunch with Tim today. The weather is cooling, but it was still nice enough to eat outside. They reported an upbeat attitude and remarkable dexterity with a fork. That's all good.

Maybe Tim's just saying I should take a night off.

Two Months

A lot has changed in two months, which is not a lot of time in the world of spinal cord injuries. We have good reason to be hopeful. The biggest reason for that hope is Tim himself. On Sunday, he told me and his Uncle Bob that pain was not going to get in the way of achieving his goal of walking again. He insists on using the manual chair every day, which makes lots of things more difficult, but which also forces him to get stronger. There are a few on the 9th floor who don't have that attitude, and Tim has seen where that gets them - nowhere fast. I wonder what I'll be writing about on October 12?

There was no observation of this milestone out at Spaulding, it was a pretty routine day. In addition to time on the Locomat, which did show increased strength in the left leg as expected, Tim and Amy meet with Rachel (his OT) and Jackie, who is handling the home modifications. They discussed ways to make our kitchen somewhat accessible to Tim, but it will be tricky to get perfect.

He had another visit from Emily this evening. We received a funny email tonight from Melanie:

"So Cameron included a picture of himself with Tim in his presentation about what he did this summer, and since then his class has been very interested in Tim's progress. Apparently to third graders the "monster chair" is the coolest thing going!!!!! "

Forwarding address

Today was sort of a going-nowhere day. Tim didn't sleep well last night, so opted to sleep in a bit this morning, since Kevin his PT was out. He ended up "starting" his day around noon. A round on the Bioness and more work strengthening his left leg were the activities of the day. He had a nice visit from Brigitte and Sam, and enjoyed receiving a card from Aunt Merilyn and the Races of West Stockbridge with some more info about the September 23 game.

Tim has moved to another room. His roommate Kevin, who he liked, developed an infection and had to be quarantined. So, Tim is next door now in 902. No report on the new roomie, but he is much older.

Back home, I was pleased to find a vegetarian lasagna in the fridge from Bobby & Laurie of East Stockbridge. I cut myself a nice chunk for dinner and then portioned out the rest for future meals. Delicious! Thanks guys.

Audi Inspiration - #5

Today was a long day, but I'm not sure why. Hmmm. Anyway, I'm back in West Stockbridge, thinking about the day. Before leaving, I said goodbye to two residents - Jim and Trevor and wished them the best. Both are leaving in chairs and are in good spirits. Meeting them and getting to know them has been a pleasant experience, and they've been a positive part of Tim's time there. But, again, it's weird to be in such close contact with some people for a relatively long period of time, and then they're gone.

The three of us sat down for our second weekly meeting, a fact which I consider a major accomplishment, to talk about Tim's state of affairs, and it seems that we are on a good track.

Dr. O'Connor spent a little time with us at the end of the day, talking about several things. Here is the wisdom he shared with us : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpDLWJBZdxU

Laughter is the best medicine, I suppose.

So, I close this day with another quote for you, and one which I think is very relevant.

We never underestimate the importance of a human’s touch. Neither must you.

** This is a direct quote taken from Tim's new book on the history and philosophy of Audi.

Football Season Opens

I headed down for the early shift today and sat with Tim for breakfast. I brought a few things from the local periodicals including an article and pictures of a ceremony honoring Ray Murray for the work he has done for BSA Troop 23, among other things, where Tim had many memorable experiences. We also took a look at the pre-season Berkshire County Football previews. Tim seemed impressed by what he read about the Spartans, and we began to kick around the idea of another day trip home for the Sunday September 23 afternoon home game. After breakfast and a shower, I gave him a shave. He flirted briefly with the idea of a goatee, but that faded quickly. We did trim the sideburns a bit.

The weather was cool and overcast, and there was no real reason to hustle off anywhere, so we eased into the day. Uncle Bob showed up relatively early. He had just flown in from Charlottesville, VA to spend a couple of days in the Hub with his nephew, and will be staying with Uncle John. We spent some time getting caught up, and introduced Bob to Tim's friend Trevor (another diving accident resident). Soon a bunch of Geisheckers stopped in - Great Aunt Ann & Uncle Ed from Natick, cousin Paul from Medfield and cousin Joanne from Denver, CO. Quite a sizeable gathering, we decided to head over to Half Time Pizza, where Bob treated us to lunch and we enjoyed the Pats opening day win over the Jets.

The rest of the day was a bunch of nothing, which is always nice. Tim got a call from cousin Sam, a UTI student at the Sacramento campus. They had a nice long chat. Meanwhile, I had a chance to meet the family of Tim's new room mate Kevin, from Hopedale, MA.

Post update: A couple of days ago, I posted what I thought was a phony item about a special off-road wheelchair that Tim was considering. The image had been supplied by reliable jokester Nutley. Well, it seems that the "Tank Chair" is real! Check it out here at http://www.tankchair.com/ Make sure you take a look at the videos!

Chauffer Driven Comfort

I just discovered a way for me to arrive in Boston a little more rested than usual - have someone else drive. Today, Jancy drove from West Stockbridge to Natick, her first long term driving assignment. She did very nicely, and I was able to read the Eagle and the Record en route.

We went straight to the hospital to drop off Jancy for some exclusive time with Tim, along with a Chicken Parm dinner for all of us to enjoy later (Amy made a tofu version for Jance). While there, we ran into Aunt Phoebe and Cousin Molly, who had stopped by on their way home from Hermit Island. Tim enjoyed his time with them, as well as the plant and healthy snacks they brought him. Earlier in the day, Emily and Erin stopped by. He showed us a nice letter from Judy, who he works with at Butternut (a gracious Yankee fan).

Before we headed back to the apartment, we asked Tim to show us his leg activity and it was pretty exciting. There's muscle definition in his calf and thigh, too.

Amy and I re-joined the children for dinner followed by Amy's chocolate chip cookies, an episode of Rescue Me and then a game of scrabble which we didn't finish. A quiet evening, looking forward to Sunday and a shower & shave, some visitors from Virginia and Colorado, and hopefully a walk along the Esplanade.

awesome vid

Tim,

I just wanted to add to the long line that was thrilled to see your video-it was well, WOW!

keep it going

Jonathan ( a friend of your folks)

p.s I too support your dad's choice in baseball teams

Friday Research

Seems as though Tim is making good progress in researching his needs for coming home. I had to wait a bit to get my info for the day, as he had a nice long dinner visit from Brigitte and Cassandra, and I had to wait my turn.

Anyway, there was a power wheel chair consultant in today to finalize Tim's choices. Because Tim wants to be able to get around in the New England Winter, and would like to be able to go fishing, which requires stability at the river's edge, Tim has chosen this model. Man, I think I'm going to have him drive me to work on snow days!

Other than that, it was a pretty normal day at 125 Nashua Street. We can't wait to get back ourselves to see these new things!

A SMILE SAYS IT ALL !!!

Helloooo Tim
I just subscribed to UTUBE because of you!! HowWow - a little scary to join the techno masses, but too exciting to pass it by. You definitely possess HUGE video direction talent, but that's sooooo secondary to your ability to overcome and tackle such HUGE obstacles!!! You moved your leg UP and DOWN!!! and Your smiling mug was the icing on the cake!!! I soooo needed to see your face after witnessing your leg go crazy!!! Weehee!!! You are doing such great things!! Keep it up, AND down!!! All love, Aunt Carolann

hooray!

dearest tim-
i just got a call from your mother asking if i had seen the youtube video yet. i hadn't and immediately watched it while on the phone with her. i then asked if it was okay to swear on your blog cause holy shit! i am so happy for you! what joy to see you moving and smiling.
much love, hannah

smooth move!

Hi Tim,

I just watched your groundbreaking “youtube” video about 6 times in a row. That is just so crazy exciting I can’t believe it. I know that all the other signs of recovery - no matter how small - have been uplifting milestones; but this is something altogether mind-boggling. I suppose something that seems to me to have happened so magically all-of-a-sudden did not, in fact. No, Tim, you have been busting your butt and it is something to see how far you’ve come. I know I now sound like everybody else but I am so stinkin’ proud of you. The best part of the video is seeing your sparkling, smiling mug at the end of it. Your expression says it all. Love, Aunt Katy

Another quiet evening at home.

7:09 PM, post dinner. Amy working on place cards for an upcoming soire, Brian absorbing the Eagle. The silence is shattered by a ringing phone. Caller ID says it's Tim! "Hey Tim." "Hey dad, check your email and call me back!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TH9wOZhhs0

And now, the rest of the story.

So after we got over our excitement with the YouTube video, we called Tim back as instructed to get the update on this newest development and the day in general. Seems as if Tim started off the morning a little down, scared even. He wasn't able to repeat yesterday's kick action with his left leg. He had lost it completely. It turns out though (obviously), that he was just tired. The involuntary muscle spasms that he experiences each night had tired out that leg. They only happen when he is lying down, so after a few hours of "rest" in his chair, the strength came back. It was at the end of the day when he did his little demo for the camera - showing off his quad (the kick), his hip flexor (picking up his foot from the floor and back on to the footrest), his adductors (bad notes by dad, not sure what that is - Patty?), pronation and supination (ankles). He is so pumped - it feels like everything in the left leg is getting stronger. I owe the new strength to a few treats he had for lunch from Grandma and Grandpa during their visit.

Other daily connections included an email from Monument Ski Coach Dre offering Tim a role with the team this year, some IM's from Brooke and Jordan, and a visit from Brigitte who brought along a new friend from Emmanuel.

His routines included FES bike, stretching group, more handwriting in OT and the Bioness on his right hand. Keep it up, it all seems to be working!

Amy and I can't stop grinning. Jancy came home from her soccer game (she started, they won), watched the video, shouted out, gave Tim a call and they talked for a long time. She declared today to be "pretty great." We agree.

Since this posting, our PT friend Patty O has added a comment to this post. It's worth reading.

TIM!!

hey man, i'm at school right now and it's pretty close to boston so i may be able to take the T up sometime to see you! you are doing such an incredible job! that picture of you kicking your leg made me so proud of you. keep up the great work, i miss you!

-alex

Kickin' some butt

A few new goings on at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, where the name has SPA in it, but it is not one (that's one of Dr. O'Connor's favorite lines). But, that's OK with us, because we are grateful for what it IS.

Today, Tim had another Fine Motor Group session, and they worked on handwriting - Tim re-learning how to write, using his left hand this time around. "That's good," he quipped, "because I'll have a lot of papers to sign (in conjunction with planning for coming home)." Later in the day, he had his first go at Wheel Chair Group, where he learned how to do wheelies. That move is used to get over curbs. He said he did pretty well for his first time out. He also worked on wrist strength, a need he identified himself.

Communications from the outside world included a card from the O'Malley's and a visit from Uncle John, who had just returned from Virginia. They spent some nice time catching up. Jancy started her Junior year at Monument, and thought to call Tim during lunch. Amy said that his face lit up - and she thought to capture the moment on camera. What a great smile Tim has - he has always been able to light up a room with that grin.


So, you think those are good examples of "kickin' butt?" You haven't seen anything. Check out this picture:










Tim was sitting by himself and just figured he'd see if he could kick. Better yet, he could hold that position for well over 10 seconds. And, in the middle of discovering this new super power he had the presence of mind to take a picture using the camera on his laptop and email to me. My, my, my.