Mystery Revealed; Another Extremity Heard From

Another comment on things provided here on the homefront. For four weeks now, our lawn has been getting mowed and the edges trimmed. I love mowing the lawn, 45 mindless minutes of back and forth walking with the world shut out by the drone of the Briggs & Stratton. And, it's a little bit o' fitness, as well. But I tell you, at this stage in my life, it would be "One More Thing" to do. So, I've been grateful but not sure who to thank! It was finally revealed to me that Kelly, a wonderful woman from WS (who used to work with me at The RLI) brings her three children- Matthew, Nathan and Heather over here once a week with a mower and a weed whacker and they get the job done. Kelly says they do this willingly as part of their community service. She happened to be helping out at the Inn today, so I was able to thank her in person, and let her know how that gesture frees up time for me to spend with Tim or take care of business around the house. And then I come home and find Gail dead-heading and otherwise grooming our garden - and that's why it doesn't look like we're not around. Thanks!

So for those of you keeping track, you will recall that Wednesdays are Amy's return day. She was treated to a ride home by Phoebe who drove out to spend a few mintes with Tim and turn around. That was a nice alternate to her usual bus ride and saved almost two hours of travel time.

But that also means that my info comes in spurts. Tim had a bit of a rough night, getting sweats and then chills. that kept him a bit down today. Amy observed that he can move his left leg while lying down, so that's a sign of increased strength and control. He worked out on the Locomat and did some arm work. During OT, however he showed movement in his right thumb! Amy was doing her little jig thing, but Tim was just not himself, so it was not as jubilant a moment as some of the other significant events.

We checked in with Tim tonight after a delicious meal at Peter & Sarah's and he was in a much better mood. The Sox lost in an afternoon game, but so did the Yanks, and the lead is still 5. Someone's helping us put together "Recreational Therapy Session" at Fenway, and Tim is very pumped up about that. Will he let me join him? Not sure if Yankee fans are allowed on that road trip. We talked about some random things like the development of the Fox River Paper mill, and his car (is it ready to pick him up this weekend?). He reported a nice card and letter from former BCD teacher Mrs. Baer, and seemed pleased to hear that old friend Silvia had stopped by my office to let me know that she had heard about Tim and wanted to say goodbye to him before she moves to Chicago. He also had an interesting visit from Uncle John, who figured out that he could walk up the stairs with Noir and no one would give him a hard time. So, another session of NT tonight, on the 9th floor landing! Tim's looking forward to his weekly visit from Grandma and Grandpa tomorrow. He sounded good, but was definitely tired, so we said good night.

West meets East

Tim,
It was so great to see you yesterday at Spaulding. First of all it is a fabulous facility, right on the Charles, and secondly to see you navigate it and interact with the various people there was inspiring. In fact just seeing you was inspiring. Hearing you explain the high tech equipment (the Nimbus 2000 has nothing over the wheelchairs that you are testdriving), and also hearing you talk about the present and the future with such confidence and ease was incredibly uplifting. It is no wonder that you have such an immense fan club. Speaking of which, it was also nice to be able to spend some time with some of the headliners of your fan club. Bridgette in particular is such a lovely friend, as are Nadia and Maddie, and casts of others who I don't even know. It was fun to see you with them as we chowed down on Upper crust pizza (I highly reccomend the pesto) on the huge deck over looking the water and the Tobin bridge. You couldn't ask for a better address (and if you did it would be where your parents are staying).

Lou and I came away with such a positive, optimistic view of what and how you are doing. Thank you for sharing it with us. Can't wait to see you on Sunday!

Much love, Molly

PS. Sorry about hitting the joy stick and sending us careening down the hall.

Love from the Southwestern Cousins

Hey, Tim. Just wanted to give you a shout out and a little love from the blazing hot state of Arizona. We've been encouraged by your progress and are pulling for you everyday. You seem to be rocking your OT (we were especially fond of the post describing the progress and focus on your opposable left thumb :) We're also awed and humbled by the fantastic community of friends and family you have around you. Though we've only met a few times since you were old enough to even know what a second cousin was, we have to say it's pretty cool to get this window into your life. We have always been impressed by you and Jancy in the brief visits we've had with you (I think most recently at your aunt Carolann's wedding) and through reading your friends, family, and colleagues' encouragement, updates, joking, support, and general all around love (especially as they are in everyone's own words), it is clear that you have made quite an impression on the world already. One of our favorite posts was your dad's "One Month Ago." He ends it by saying that he and your Mom have learned a lot about you and are looking forward to learning more. We feel a bit the same though we have a lot more learning to do. Thanks to you and your family for opening yourselves up to us and others. It has been a real gift. Keep up the hard work - you are amazing.

Danny and Heather

Kickin' some tires

Just got off the phone with Tim. A busy day - again. Another day on the FES Bike. The results show that his muscles are strengthening and working more efficiently, but he cautions me that this does not mean that his legs are actually doing any work. It's more of a conditioning thing. Later, he took a group Cooking Class, where they made tacos. It was a "little discouraging, but it will come." I think he was referring to his technique, not the meal itself. He also had his first session with the Bioness for his hand. I didn't get too many details on that. The big event, though was a meeting with his Assistive Technologies Supplier, who began the work of choosing a mechanical wheelchair for Tim. As you might imagine, Tim had most of the specs for each option memorized and was evaluating the pros and cons. At this time, he has narrowed his selection to a Quantum http://www.quantumrehab.com/ or an InvaCare http://www.invacare.com/cgi-bin/imhqprd/inv_catalog/prod_cat.jsp?s=0&catOID=-536885238 Vrrroooom. Tomorrow he starts to think about a manual chair as well.

Pizza Party on the patio, courtesy of Lou and Molly and supplied by the Upper Crust. Guest list included Brigette, Nadia, Maddie, Charlie and Uncle John, who was able to see Tim styling in the Hawaiian shirt he gave him. No junk food for me tonight. Phoebe brought over a meal almost totally from her garden, and not a piece o' meat in sight. Loved it. The tastes of summer.

Mail Bag: I never mention the cards that come to our house, and I don't want to neglect that. Amy and I are so appreciative of the short simple notes that come addressed to us. They truly help to keep us going.

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.

Just a note of thanks

Hi Tim,

Just writing to let your folks know how much I appreciate their time updating the blog...I read the blog upon awaking every morning and before sleeping at night. It helps so much to "hear" how you are doing everyday...the TGIFridays "family" of your parents' cares so much for them and "their boy". It broke our hearts to hear the news of your injury and the blog helps us all to know that you, and therefore they, are in good hands. Your progress is remarkable and reading of the outpouring of love and support around you is a true reflection of the lives you Butterworth's have lived out there in the Bershires...good people get goodness back when it's needed. Keep up the good work...being a PT, I know just how hard you are working!!! Glad your outing to the MOS went well!
pattyo

Your ever-expanding fan club!

Hey Tim! Just wanted to drop a line. Not sure if you received our card yet, but we've been thinking about you a lot and have been keeping up with you via this VERY COOl blog. Though we haven't met you yet, we have a very clear idea of just how special a man you are. Your folks have spoken so proudly of you (of course) these past few years while we've come to know them, and my goodness YOU HAVE A LOT OF FANS! We are only in W.S. on the weekends, working on our house there that we're renovating, and during our short visits of late, your presence has really been felt all over town.

Also, we have a handful of family & friends who have spent some time with your folks and we've been keeping them up to speed on your progress too. So like most celebrity superstars, you have a fan base that goes well beyond the people you know personally!

We look forward to meeting you soon (maybe even this weekend when you come home for a bit, if we're in the area)! Until then, keep the faith and know that there's a tremendous amount of positive energy being sent your way by people you don't even know yet!

Oh and we'll be picking up our T.B. bracelets this weekend too, as we were unable to make the Zuch festival on Saturday (don't suppose they're selling T.B. collars for the Chewie & Otis)???

Love & Laughs,

Chris & Lisa Paul (and our canine "kids" Oatie & Chewie)

Best Part of My Day

Hi Tim!

I have to say that I have been keeping up with your every "move" on this blog and cannot even begin to describe how incredibly impressed I am with everything that you have accomplished, although I have to say, I am not surprised. You are an amazing person and such a hard worker and I know that with every passing month, you will be closer and closer to your goal. My favorite part of the day is the moment I open this blog and read all about your progress! There are no words to describe how proud I am to have had the chance to meet you and your family. Even though I am no longer at RLI being able to give your dad a hard time every day, please know that you all are always in my thoughts and I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Oh and I didnt have a chance to make it to the Zucchini Festival(stupid new job) but I made my mother go down and get me my I love Tim Butterworth bracelet. Keep up the amazing work!!!

Sounds of Science

We got off to an early start today. After reading a bit with Tim, early Berkshire risers Tyler and Matt showed up to spend some time alone with Tim. A little while later Phoebe and Chris arrived from West Stockbridge. We talked for awhile to give Tim some time with his buds down on the patio. When we went down to join them, Chris looked the view over and exclaimed - "that's a lot of concrete out there (looking a the Big Dig)."

We had a great time, sitting around and talking. Phoebe gave me an incredible back rub (yes I know that has nothing to do with Tim) and we got ready to take off on our adventure to The Museum of Science. You can see the museum from Spaulding, but you do need to use public sidewalks and streets to get there. Surprisingly, Tim led the way. During the visit, both Chris and Phoebe shared with us that Tim was very mature and realistic with his vision of his future. He is taking time to learn about and undestand his injury and his options. He has a positive attitude and is not looking back.

We enjoyed ourselves at the museum (passes courtesy of Jim and Patty - thanks), focusing mostly on the mechanical, mathematical, engineering oriented sections. Then we oohed and ahhed at the Dinosaurs movie in the Omni Imax theater. This was Tim's first actual challenge in the "real world" vs. the 9th floor and common areas of Spaulding, where everyone's on the same sheet of music. He handled it well, but at times got a few glimpses of folks not making way for him, little kids staring and poorly designed access. But, as usual he took it in, thought a bit about it and didn't waste a lot of time on it.

Then back to the hospital for some socializing with the Ryders of Milton who arrived in Boston by boat, and Uncle John and Noir. The weather was delicious, but soon we broke up - Amy and I back to the Hill, John and the Ryders back to their homes and Jancy and Tim back upstairs to watch Rescue Me and wait for cousin Lily to arrive and escort her back to her college apartment for a sleepover. It was a good first month, can't wait to see what happens in the second!

Audi Inspirations

Tim and I had some alone time this morning, and I asked him if he'd like to read the Audi book that Max had dropped off yesterday. Of course.

The book is a corporate piece, very nicely done, about 60 pages of text, photos and illustrations. As we started it, it seemed that we would walk through the various technological developments pioneered and implemented by the founder, August Horch and his company. But, it quickly turned out to be more - the philosophies of this man and this company are admirable, and I think they will be inspirational to Tim. I am more pleased than ever that Tim has decided to align himself and his aspirations with Audi. I'll be sharing some quotes with you from time to time. Here is how the book starts.

For the determined visionary, life is never a smooth road. How could it be for those rare souls willing to risk all to fulfill dreams most of us never imagine? August Horch was such a man. When he dreamed, he dreamed big. When he worked, he worked hard. And, when he raced, he raced hard. He did so to win.

One Month Ago

July 12, 2007 - 31 days ago. So much has happened since. I've been fond of saying that "ever since the actual accident, when everything went wrong, everything has been going right." We have been so blessed throughout this time in our lives - we have not run into one roadblock as far as getting care for Tim; the caregivers have been top-notch, compassionate, professional, concerned and connected to him, from the local police and emergency response to BMC emergency room to CCU to recovery to transport to Spaulding; we have had constant, enthusiastic support from our families, community and employers; Tim has felt the support through visits, card, gifts, emails, blog posts, prayers, thoughts, FaceBook posts and phone calls. Amy and I have learned a lot about our son and we're looking forward to learning more.

One More Saturday Night

Well, we are settling in at the apartment, listening to the sounds of the Beach Boys drift up from this evening's concert at the Hatch Shell. Saturdays are kind of frustrating as we all miss Tim a lot and we can only get about 3 - 4 hours with him before it's off to bed. But a good few hours it was. He was amazing tonight, laughing and joking with his sister, planning our big outings tomorrow and next weekend. He is ready to roll!

Part of the reason for his excellent mood may have been the visitors he had today. Max Steiner, his recruiter from UTI came by to visit and brought several gifts for Tim - an official service jacket, two hats, a black hoodie, two tees (including one Audi Technology logo'd), a service manual text book to get started with and a beautiful hardcover Audi History book that was sent up by the head of the Audi School in Phoenix. After that, the hardware Baldwins and Stefan Serkin showed what true friends they are by braving the off-Cape Saturday traffic to visit Tim on their way home from vacation. The note we found from Lisa, Stefan and Corey said it all:

He was truly pumped by the time we had arrived.

This trip was a little different for us - we took Tim's Audi as that is how he'd like to ride home next week, and we must practice. The car - a 1990 A8 still rides smoothly, so we didn't mind.

We briefly reviewed the mail, which included a nice postcard from Rev. Allison who was spending time in Hershey, PA. And then we unveiled IT, the special gift from Regina and the people of our community:

This huge poster/collage came along with an album of hand written notes from each person captured on film. Tim couldn't find the words beyond "awesome" to describe how he felt, but I think you can see it in his eyes.

So, it's off to bed - tomorrow will be a long day. Tyler and Matt are dropping by at 8AM on their way to Maine. We're planning to visit the Museum of Science for most of the afternoon. We heard the Zucchini Festival was a real success. In fact, I could've sworn I saw some fireworks going off over the Citgo Sign. Good night!

My First Zucchini Festival

Hey Tim,

Well I experienced my first Zucchini Festival and was amazed at how the small town pulled off such an event. I did glimpse your mom briefly, but was unable to get over to see her as I was busy making root beer floats for the church. We sold out at least twice and had to summon in more supplies to keep our little church booth going. I saw a lot of people with bracelets. I am continually amazed at how much a small town pulls together and supports one of their own and I am excited to be part of it now.

I am grateful for this blog and the ability to keep posted on your amazing progress and adventures around Boston. I will be out for a visit the week after next on vacation. I will be glad to have a visit to Boston, my old stomping ground, again. Everyone at church continues to pray hard for you and be behind you whatever you may need! I'll update people from church with information from the blog here, especially those older people who are afraid of computers! Have a great week and work hard. Maybe we'll see you on the 19th....

Shawn

Dog Days

Dear Tim:

Think we may have finally cracked the protocols to post you a message from up street at #5 Stockbridge Road… We’ve been eagerly keeping up with your progress and activities thru this Blog – very cool, and Sooooooooooooo wonderful that your family, friends and community can reach out to you this way! You are in all of our hearts and minds each and every day. Invariably, all conversations in town quickly come around to news about you and how you’re doing… and how much we all love you as a friend and neighbor. Keep up the effort and the hard work! Tim, your well-being has a grip on this town, so please use our collective positive willpower to boost your own, and keep believing in the dream and the prize… just like my Mets, and your Red Sox!

You might have heard we have been spending a little extra time with Sammy since you went away… she sure does miss you, and these surely are the ‘Dog Days’ of summer for her:

Bringing her for morning “jogs” (?) is fun, as is knowing some of her favorite places to stop along the way! We took a few pics from a recent outing… hope they bring you some enjoyment!

Stay strong

Love,

Mati, Tina, Eitan and Juri Kiin

From Everyone at UTI

Hey Tim,

I can't walk down a hallway without someone asking about your progress. Everyone at UTI sends their support and best wishes. You're a great young man and this blog is terrific because it offers a real sense for the remarkable progress that you have made. Keep working hard. I can't wait to see you in a just a few hours from now.

Max

Zucchini Festival

Well after many hours of preparing for tomorrow I am finally about to go to bed. However a few things I wanted to let people know. Tomorrow, well more like today is the Zucchini Festival and the “Tim Butterworth” table is going to look AMAZING! With the help of Nora, Nadia, Mom, Dad and even a little Dustin the signs are made, table is up, glasses washed, and bracelets ready to be sold.
First, the table will be across the street from the fireman dunking booth right in the heat of west Stockbridge! “I love Tim Butterworth” Rubber bracelets will be sold at the stand however also may be purchased at Village Variety, West Stockbridge Video, Baldwin Hardware, Liquor Store (sorry I can not remember the name) Village Oven, and Williams river store. (If you own one of the stores and it is not 7 in the morning than I have not asked you yet but I am sure I will be seeing you soon). Back to Tims table a 10 dollar raffle for 2 James Taylor tickets, and a nice yummy dinner is going on. And added tonight a silent auction of a charcoal portrait of Tim done by fellow class mate Nora Toole.
One more thing! Everyone must remember to write in the Zucchini Festival journal/book that I will be taking to Tim next week, and also have you photo taken with your “I love Tim Butterworth” bracelet for the photo album that I am going to make of everyone and give to Tim. (It would be nice to have whole families or groups of friends taken at once)
With all the amazing things, and different options offered I am excited to see everyone tomorrow at the Zucchini Fest! Good night

Hi Tim,

Can't wait to see you on the 19th. It should be quite an occasion. We just keep thinking of you and celebrating your accomplishments and we're all waiting to see you again.

I sent something with your family this week that may bring a piece of West Stockbridge to you. I hope it's not too big.

I'm glad you're still thinking of photography, you've got a good mind and eye for it. Keep up the hard work Tim, You are just blowing us all away with joy for all you've accomplished in such a short time. We love you, Regina

It is written

Communication today was via two phone calls - Amy spoke with Tim around lunchtime and I caught up with him this evening. He's finishing up the week in good form. 42 minutes on the Locomat left him sore and satisfied. Later in the day, Tim took his first spin in a manual chair, which is what we'll be bringing to West Stockbridge next week, if everything works out. However, I was most interested to hear that in OT, he practiced writing. The results weren't too good, but it's another step in the right direction.

When I caught up with Tim, he was hanging with cousin Lily who is back in Beantown. She's an artist studying at Mass College of Art and brought along some of her artwork, as well as some created by her boyfriend Byron. Tim has them hanging in his room already. He also had a visit from Jake - probably the last time they'll see each other for awhile, as he is heading off to college in Colorado on Wednesday. A nice fruit basket from the Luchi's rounded out the day - Tim's sharing it nicely with the staff.

Back here in West Stockbridge, Tyler returned the Audi, ready to go and we'll be driving it out to Boston to practice transfers from the chair to the car. Tim is pretty pumped for Monday morning. We'll keep you posted!

Meanwhile, we hope that everyone will flock to the Zucchini Festival and support all of the folks and businesses who make this such a great day. There's something for everyone. I know that we'll miss dancing to the great music of Bootleg on Center Street while the fireworks go off overhead.

To Tim: we just wanted to say hello. So glad to hear you are coming home for a bit. We will keep that date in mind. Good to hear of your progress. Any special goodies you want; you know a hundred people would be glad to get them for you, us included. Isn't amazing to find out how many people you never even thought about care about you. Love from Sarah, Mark, Timmy, Adrienne, & Ella Formel

A Picture Paints a Million Words

It will be great to see more photos of you. So glad you are teaching your dad how to do it. Your homecoming sounds amazing and I bet every person there will be wearing I LOVE TIM BUTTERWORTH bracelets!!! I am just about to write to Bridgette to place an order for our family and friends over here because WE LOVE TIM TOO!!! All love Aunt Carolann

I also have to add that they are 5 dollars each.

I love tim butterworth bracelets

Today I got in my shipment of 1000 “I love Tim Butterworth” fundraising rubber bracelets. I will be selling them around town in different stores, and also at the Zucchini Festival on Aug 11th. However I know that some people may want one or a few and do not live in the Berkshires. I am more than happy to ship to any place in the world who may want a “I love Tim Butterworth” bracelet. My E-mail is Redelbr@emmanuel.edu simply send my a message saying how many you would want, and with your address and I will write saying where to send the money. Well I hope to see everyone out supporting Tim.

Also they come in 4 different shades of blue!!!

-Brigitte

Digital Images

Tim served as co-Editor of the MMRHS Yearbook this year, and while he was at it, he developed a keen interest in photography. With his graduation gifts, he bought a professional grade camera and just started using it. Soon after he was hospitalized, he asked us to bring it in to the hospital and document what he has been going through. Tim has since taught me a little bit about how to use it (I am still a point and click, auto focus guy) and how to download the images on to my computer. In the meantime, I started fiddling around with adding images to this blog. A few of my first attempts are readily visible, but I will slowly be adding more over time, starting with some of the older posts. I may also do one post that is all images and tells a story from the beginning of this adventure to the present. The first post I added images to, is The Eagle has Landed, back in week one.

Quick Draw McGraw / Homeward Bound

After a lovely light dinner provided by Kathy K, I gave Tim a call on his cell around 8PM and he answered it quickly and easily. The ban is off, you can call Tim now - he'd love to hear familiar voices. Alas, even with me, he could only manage to hold it up for about 10 minutes, so please be aware of that if you do reach him. Any time of day is fine, he says.

As we were talking, I heard the siren from the drawbridge over the Charles. "Are you outside?" "Yup, I'm out on the Esplanade (actually the Nashua Street Park) with Trevor, a new guy on the floor, and his family." So, he's getting more comfortable moving about, and that fact leads me to this announcement. We are working with the doctors and therapists to prepare for a day trip home to the Berkshires. On Monday, we will learn how to move Tim between his chair and a car seat. Combined with our walk over to the Museum of Science, we hope to develop the skills and comfort level to bring Tim home for the day on Sunday August 19. Our plan is to set up a pot luck picnic / cook out in West Stockbridge and give Tim a chance to re-connect with friends, family and familiar sites. He remains in good spirits, but admits to being a little homesick, and this trip is his brain child and should provide the cure! So, try to keep your calendars open and we will fill you in on the details as we make 'em up!

Earlier today, I had a chance to get reports from Grandpa and Uncle John, so I confirmed some details with Tim this evening. First, his hand coordination is improving. My dad observed that he is eating with an adapted fork very smoothly and efficiently. Also got some more info on the use of the Ergys 2 Bike.
http://www.musclepower.com/product2.htm
http://www.musclepower.com/pdf/ergyscar.pdf
Apparently, the machine sends a shock to Tim's leg muscles and as they contract, they pedal the bike. While this is happening, the muscles are being measured to see how much of the contractions is being caused by the electro-shock and how much is being caused naturally. It is still to early to totally understand this, but it seems (according to Tim) that at first his contractions were 100% caused by shock, but at points, he got below 70%. He is going to clarify what this means with his doctor tomorrow, but he confirmed with me that it indicates improvement. He has also started talking about post-Spaulding plans, including designing and building a custom wheel chair with Tyler and the guys. He is also thinking a Honda Passport would be a good vehicle to modify for several reasons. That's gotta kill him - I wonder if Audi will come out with something similar in the next few months? He also met with his nurse advocate today, and no big news, which is good. My folks came back to the room when therapies were supposed to be over and found him asleep around 3:15. Uncle John discovered the same thing when he called in around 4:30 or so. A tiring day, I guess.

Mail call: Aunt Merrilyn dropped a note and prayer from Asheville and Tim received cards from Rev. Allison in Seneca Falls, the Races (fresh back in West Stockbridge after vacation) and classmate Katherine from WS. "Can you feel the love, Tim?" "Yes dad, yes I can."

David Sedaris

Timmy!
Glad to hear you got the David Sedaris CDs, he's hysterical, we all hope you like them!

You're making great progress, I'm really proud of you, seriously you're a real inspiration. Your picture looks great and your improvement is awesome!!

enjoy the CDs!

Love, Alex

PS. my mom says "no donuts coming until further notice"

Zucchini Fest

For Our Local Friends....Don't forget to go to the Zucchini Fest this Saturday, August 11 and visit Tim's table - ably manned by Bridgette Redel and friends - fun gifts and prizes!
sorry - no time to write more xxk

Walk this Way!

Aerosmith is in the back of my mind as I envision your mother and a team of therapists trying to keep up with you! I shall hold on to that happy image, as well as the one of you having a successful first time walking on the Locomat. Keep it up. All your hard work is really paying off!! Can you take a picture for the blog when you are at the Science Museum this weekend, with the camelback, of course? All our love from across the pond, Aunt Carolann

Hey Tim!!

Steve O'Malley and Mary D here... We apologize for not communicating for so long, we have just now figured this out (or I should say Kiernan figured it out for us) so we should be up and running.

We have been following your progress via Conor; he relays all to us, and he said he talked to you today. Things sound great, you are making great progress and we are very excited for you. We just read some of the posts here as we were negotiating(bulldogging you might say) thru the site and saw a post from Dr. Bob Crowell. He performed back surgery on Mary several years ago, and he is the best, a very good guy to have in your corner, and he sounds very encouraging.

You are working very hard, staying focused and positive and we are all very proud of you. We think about you every day, and just continue to visualize you up and about.

We will be heading to Boston within the next few weeks and will be by. Please let us know if there's something you want or need!!

Much love and light,

Mary, Steve, and Kiernan (we know Conor talked to you today) :)

Don't leave me hangin' on the telephone.

9PM - I just got off the phone with Tim. It was a quick conversation, but very significant. You see, I called him on his cell and he answered it. He is keeping it tucked in to a pocket of the new North Face "Camelbak" hydration system that Amy picked up for him today (more on that later). He was able to take the cell out of the pocket, slide it open to answer and then hold it up to his ear. Again, his arm got tired quickly, but it was great to hear him answer his own phone. PLEASE: don't call him yet, unless he requests a call from you. Thanks.

Fortunately, Amy had brought me up to date this evening, so I didn't have to catch up on too much. Today was the 1st day on the Locomat, and Tim said it was great to stand up. It took about 30 minutes to get set up, and then he "walked" for about 15 minutes. He described the feeling as "being able to feel his legs hurt, sort of and his feet were tingly." According to the therapist, that was good. His blood pressure was fine and on we go to the next steps - FES bike tomorrow and Locomat again on Friday. Just around the corner is Bioness H200, which will use the FES technology on his hands and arms. http://www.bioness.com/products/h200.htm

OT today was a field trip to Half Time Pizza on Causeway Street for lunch, with his three therapists and Amy. She said that they had a tough time keeping up with him on the walk over. After that, it was over to Mass General for a CT scan to be sent back to Dr. Kantrowitz at BMC.

So, the Camelbak - Tim wanted one of these to prepare for his trips off campus. With this device, he can keep plenty of water with him, and it will stay cold and be easily accessible. It will hang off the back of his chair.

Mail bag: a gift pack arrived from our friends Sheila and Dick from Avon, 3 David Saderis books on tapes from the Yarmos (Uncle John will enjoy sharing those with Tim, as will we!), and a nice note from West Stockbridge native Joanne Campbell of Lexington. The room remains colorful and cheery as new flowers arrived from Mrs. Young, new superintendent of schools in Lenox, and Shrewsbury relatives Roberta, Dick and Gladys.

Tim's spirits were lifted today by a visit from our neighbors Mark, Pat and Carolyn who took a late afternoon off from their north shore vacation to hop into town. Uncle John also stopped by a little later. He'd been shut out the past couple of nights due to "too much going on" at Spaulding, so was able to get caught up.

Amy ended her day with a ride home via Peter Pan, and I picked her up in Lee. Thanks to those good folks for providing us with some deeply discounted tickets. We enjoyed a nice home cooked and tasty meal from Jane in Lee (I also need to mention last night's dinner that was dropped off by Brian - homemade sausage for me and Portabello Gratin for vegetarian Jancy) which really did make a difference in settling down after long days for both of us. One last news item about Tim - his has decided to grow out his beard again, but shave his mustache. See you around town!

Stats!

Google is something, I'll tell you. They provide a free tracking tool for websites and I installed it on the blog the other day. Today, it kicked in. Here are the results for August 7:

118 Pageviews

83 Unique Views

00:07:41 Time on Page

69.51% Bounce Rate

66.10% % Exit

I still need to learn a bit more about a few of these stats, as there are some other interesting metrics. So, thanks for sticking with us!

Hi Tim -

We just got back from a roadtrip. Janie and your folks
introduced me to the blogworld - this is my first try.
Your progress is extremely encouraging! The movement
in your Lt thumb and Rt big toe says that signals from your
brain are getting down through some intact, minute nerves
coursing through the cervical spinal cord, and then on down
to the limbs.
When a bit of improvement occurs, it tells us that more
improvement may well be on the way. Little by little, that
gradual, building strength may be very significant.
The treatment you are receiving helps to maximize the
improvement. Your own good health, positive outlook, and
hard work are also very important factors in the quest for
recovery. Keep up the good work!
Mary & I have been in touch with your Aunt Carolann,
and she is also very pleased with your progress.

All best wishes for recovery,
Bob & Mary Crowell

"FES Bike"

I know you've all been chomping at the bit to know, and I hate having tasks, self-imposed or otherwise, hanging over me. So I did a Google search on the above referenced term and it returned about 1200 links. The number one link - http://www.neurologyreviews.com/nov02/nr_nov02_superman.html
- gave me the term "functional electrical stimulation." I haven't read the article yet, but it looks interesting and I'll look it over with lunch today.

Thumbs UP!

Got a call at work today from Tim! During his OT class, while checking different muscle groups, he was able to move his left thumb, which is something new and very important. It is, after all, the thumb that separates us from most of the other vertebrates. Tim wryly noted that he was happy that it was the left thumb, as he could focus on that and take advantage of the many scholarship offers that are available to Southpaws.

So that was cool. Today also included a round on the FES Bike (don't know yet what that means, but will find out next week) and Tim says that when the electrodes are activated he can see his muscles contract. Cool stuff. Why don't they do that when I'm there? Tomorrow is the Locomat, and he prepped some more today by standing vertical. He reports that his blood pressure is pretty good, so he sees no reason that it won't happen. He also worked on his arm strength today.

Visitors today included Grandma and Grandpa for an hour or so while in town for other reasons - they will be back on Thursday for their "official visit." Also stopping by was one of Tim's catering / dish dog pals, Ryan and his friend Chris - they were in town to visit a friend at UTI, where Tim will eventually study to become an Audi technician.

Mail of the Day: Tim's boss from Butternut - Judy - sent a vintage Butternut tee shirt that she had been saving for years - XX large, so easy on, easy off. I tell you, Tim is stylin' out there. He also got two nice letters - one from Mary, a tourism colleague of dad's and one from poet/teacher Liskin. Thanks to everyone for keeping Tim in your thoughts and actions.

Dinner was fun - apparently Tim's roommate has a friend with an ownership stake at the Upper Crust on Beacon Street, and pizza was delivered in. Tim still likes pizza!

It was a long day, and Amy and Tim somehow settled in to a quiet game of Scrabble, which Tim dominated. At first, he was able to place and move his tiles, but eventually tired out. It was an early evening, and Tim drifted off thinking of tomorrow, when he will go out to lunch - off campus with his therapists and mom. Big day!

Embarrassment of Riches

I sure hope that it has been obvious how blown away Amy and I have been with the generosity of Tim's community. That said, we'd like to request that you slow down a bit with gifts of some types. He has received many food items and Dunkin' Donuts cards (as I have suggested), but we now realize that he can't begin to eat everything he gets and the staff isn't all that interested in helping. Also, we're a little concerned with him eating too much without getting any real excercise. We hope that doesn't sound ungrateful. At this point, I think the most important thing that you can do for Tim is to send him a card or letter, maybe with some local news that you think would be of interest to him. The blog postings and emails to his account are also good, but we've noticed his eyes light up when he gets good ol' US Mail.

As always, we are immensely grateful. Tim was always a role player in sports, but now he's the quarterback and he knows he has a team behind him, helping him get to his goal. Thank you!

...You Put Your Right Toe in and Shake it All About...

You do the Hokey Kokey
and you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!
Hey!

Allott and Tony and I danced the Hokey Kokey just for you because we are thrilled to hear the news of your latest achievement. It takes a strong, pure mind to visualise such things for oneself You might not make it to every PT session but you've clearly been doing your homework!!! and we're so proud of you. A+ with Love from Aunt Carolann

Monday's Musings

Blog wise, this is a tough day, as I drive home later and need to create the post before I leave, and I don't always have the full day's events. So, I'm sitting in one of the sun rooms watching the rain come down. Tim is off with, and has been with since around noon, Brigette and Nora. Just enjoying their presence and conversation. Amy and I did fit in a few minutes to go through today's mail - including cards from Aunts Merrilyn and Donna from down in North Carolina, the hardware Baldwins, Aunt Gladys, Steve A. and Meghan B. Uncle Bob called in from Virginia. He also enjoyed a box of Maine taffy from Dee (to share with the staff) and an Eagle article on Dr. Brotman from BMC.

One neat story to tell: when Amy went back to his room shortly after the toe news, she found Tim very animated - laughing and joking with Maggie, one of his PT's and the subject was a picture in Regina's collage - specifically the photo of him skiing in his lifeguard uniform. It was great to hear that.

As we get settled in to bi-coastal living, we've been bringing some groceries and household products with us to Boston. They make the trip in some very stylish & cool shopping bags designed and given to us by Seth at BlueQ. We've never met, but they arrived at our house and are in use! We actually take the long walk to the apartment so that everyone on Beacon Hill can admire them! Thank you.

*
*
*

So, I'm back home now. The day ended pleasantly enough. Tim was ready for his first take out order of General Tso's Chicken and the neighborhood Chineses restaurant is the only one in America that does not carry it! They offer some sort of nonsense called General Gau's Chicken which features ginger and misses the point entirely. Must be some sort of territorial thing. Tim settled for boneless ribs and Sesame Chicken and enjoyed it immensely.

Tim had another visitor, Emily, towards the end of the day and we learned that she will be attending UMASS Boston, which is good news. Tim's starting to make big plans to leave the property and is already talking about a field trip to the Berkshires, hopefully before the school year starts.

Just stopping in

Hello to the Butterworths,
It's good to hear that Timmy is getting better I think it's awesome he has movement in his feet. Im feeling like there will be alot more good things to come. But for now good luck and I hope everyone is doing alright.

~Jillian Culver
PS. Tell Tim i said not to worry about Card Pond, i got it on lockdown

RIGHT on!!

Amy headed down to Spaulding this morning while Jancy slept in and I got caught up on "stuff." When she got to Tim's room, he was behind his curtain, indicating that he was involved in some personal things with the nurses, so Tim asked her to come back in a bit, but not without mentioning that he had "something to tell" her. "What?!?" asked Amy. "Not now, just wait." Well, that was no easy task for Amy, believe you me.

Eventually, of course the curtain was drawn back, and Amy summoned.
"Are you ready?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Look at my right foot."
Picture goose bumps.
Picture the big toe, on his RIGHT foot, moving ever so slightly.
Well, you get the picture.

Great to hear your progress...

Hi Tim,

We got the link to your blog and wanted to let you know that we are thinking of you at Spaulding. It sounds as if you’re putting in a big effort with all the intensive therapy, and we’re glad to hear about greater movement. We wish you lots of strength and courage as you progress.

Tim and Andres

Fund Raising

Please click on the word "comments" below to:

• read the Butterworth's position on fund raising to benefit Tim
• publish your fund raising idea (include an email address so folks can reach out to you, and not to us, as that would be a little weird). :-)
• learn about fund raising ideas

Hello from NYC

Hello Tim and Butterworth family ... finally got onto the blog, and we are completely inspired by your family and elated to hear about your progress. We have already told your mom and dad about some friends of ours -- their son had a severe brain trauma about ten years ago -- and they have always said to us and to others that they never put "limits" on their situation, and on what was possible for their son. P.s. -- their son, daniel, is considered a "miracle" case from even the doctors p.o.v. and he continues to improve and surprise people even now. Anyway, your wonderful family reminds us of that wonderful family.

Sending love, hope, and good jokes when we can think of some!

The Suh family (Ruth, Chan, Kaelin, and Tae/"T-bone")

Summertime, and the livin' is easy as a walk in the park

Where to start today? We brought several items to Tim from home today, one of them being the Eagle's profile of West Stockbridge. I hung it on the wall and Tim read it from beginning to end. He thought it interesting that the location of our humble burg was described as "nestled between Alford and Richmond," as if that would clarify it for anyone from more than 30 minutes away who might be trying to find us! Do you think that helps the folks in Hinsdale or Peru or Sandisfield figure out where West Stockbridge is?!? I've always considered Alford and Richmond to be suburbs of good ol' Queensborough, and we had a little chuckle over this not very important conversation.

Which brings me to Richmond, I suppose. I've been cheering on my town throughout this blog, and I need to remember that the community who has been supporting Tim and our family are from all over the place and some of the supporters who have been mentioned earlier are, in fact, from Richmond. Richmond people are great people, and Richmond has been tied to the hip with West Stockbridge for years with Little League, Community Health Association, St. Patrick's, MMRHS and more. Besides, West Stockbridge is Richmond's downtown - it's where they go for hardware, video, auto repair, packaged goods, a quart of milk and loaf of bread, fine dining, pub fare, pizza, happy pancake and quality used books. Not to mention coffee on the way to work! They have a whole lot more going on for them than donuts, believe me - two fine orchards and a winery, a beautiful pond, a great Ambulance Corp. (trust us on that), a lot of beautiful by-ways and, of course, the home of our Governor. Tim's supporters from this fine town include (but are not limited to) Chief Cheerleader Dr. Conor O'Malley, his folks Steve and Mary, the Yarmosky Family, Jordan Nejaime and her family, the Ringlers, the Serkins, the Massieros, and of course the Boxers and Baldwins. Most important, though is our Good Samaritan Andrea, without whom, who knows? Now, this doesn't get Mary off the hook. I will be happy to deliver your dozen donuts any Saturday, but that doesn't mean all 12 will arrive - I leave by 2:00!

Back to today. Other goodies we delivered included a French Postcard from Aunt Carolann in Provence. Ooh - par Avion! Remember when it was so exciting to get something "Air Mail?" Tim enjoyed hearing from her and challenged himself to read the caption en Francaise. A greeting card was wedged into our door last week, and turned out to be from the staff at Chesterfield Scout Reservation, where Tim spent many enjoyable summer weeks, and worked as a CIT. I'm guessing Matt D was behind that. Thanks for the unexpected! We noticed a balloon boquet that had arrived Friday, and learned that it was from the good folks at MACONY. Finally, a package from MASS MoCA had a nice note from Katherine and two CD's - one a special release from Vampire Weekend, which we listened to twice today. Tim thought it was cool and so did I. Tim recalled attending a concert at MoCA with several pals and that it is a great place for that. Amen, brother.

It was a beautiful day in this neighborhood today. The humdiddy dropped as did the temperature, while the breeze picked up a bit. So, most of the day was spent outdoors watching the draw bridge go up and down and the Duck Tours navigate the Charles. Dara, a colleague from the Berkshire tourism industry came by, while in town visiting family, with a nice note and some healthy snacks for Tim. We also had some guests in from the fabulous town of Holliston, where many ex-TGIFridays employees are known to have settled. Jim & Patty, Cathy & Vinnie all came in with some nourishing snacks, Red Sox gear, Seinfeld vids, and great stories of our times together over the years. Patty is a PT and Cathie is a RN, so they were very interested in hearing some of the technical things that Tim has been experiencing. We enjoyed our time together.

After Tim rested a bit we fed him dinner and he enjoyed most of the rest of the Rescue Me season with Jancy (mom and dad left them alone). We also had another nice visit with Uncle John and Noir and we took a walk! Tim left the property for the first time, making his way with us down the sidewalk through the Nashua Street Park. That was cool, and in fact, Tim will be preparing this week to take a serious trip off property - we hope to go to the Museum of Science next weekend. Hopefully the trip will be uneventful, but he must be prepared to get along for several hours with no staff to assist him. That's called "independence."

I downloaded a lot of images from Tim's camera and will try to get some posted soon. Good night, and continued thanks for the emails to us and to Tim, for the posts on the blog, the cards and letters, the phone calls and the visits.

B, A & J

Hey Tim,
I am so sorry it has taken me a while to get in touch with you, camp = zero free time, but know that I am thinking of you everyday. I was so happy to come home today and hear news of your many improvements, your strength is inspiring. Keep on keeping on, man, I know that someday soon I will see you walking with Darla (the shotput) on your arm. I am sending you positive energy and getting my campers/slaves -what? to do so as well... I hope you can feel it. Miss you a lot kid, I know I will see you soon.
love, alena

ps: let me know if you feel up to any gilmore girls marathons in the future - i have all seasons ready if you want them and don't even try to deny your obsession. jk. but not really.

p

Did someone say donuts???

Hello again Tim. I am crying tears of joy like crazy. The blog writers (especially the parents:)) are amazing. Your progress is wonderful and your spirit an inspiration.

I know West Stockbridge is noted for so many fantastic things, but I will say here in Richmond we applaud and enjoy those tiny (one or two bites at a time) Bartletts cider donuts, by the DOZEN. They will find their way to Spaulding at some point......Just have to figure it out.

The Yarmo girls continue to check in regularly and we are keeping them posted on your progress. -They all send their best-

Look for the donuts---and covet them---okay you can share.

Keep it up...Mary

Saturday, in the Hub, I think it was the 4th of August

So, the family is hanging in the sun room of the west wing, 9th floor. T, A & J are quiety enjoying the second season of Rescue Me, courtesy of Sven and West Stockbridge (say it loud and say it proud) Video. We've just been hangin' for the past few hours, after getting caught up with Tim and re-decorating his room. The Hotchkiss Mobile had to be carefully re-positioned to allow the ceiling mounted hoist it's full range of movement. Amy carefully hung a wonderful collage of photos featuring MMRHS friends that we delivered from Regina. We talked a bit about what's going on at home and reviewed the past few days at Spaulding. Nothing new, but we got a few new terms. Tim's muscles are now categorized as grade 2 (no resistance) and grade 3 (showing resistance to gravity). He is working to improve to grade 4, which is resistance to some weight. Grade 5 is where he was before the accident. So, that's what he's working towards.

Improvement news is that his abs are strengthening and he can pull his body forward when he is sittin in his chair.

We also learned that his new Berkshire neighbor is Dee Agar, of Mt. Everett HS. He was in a car accident shortly after Tim arrived at BMC, and they apparently were in CCU together for a bit. We did not meet them while we were there, I think we were too focused on Tim. We'll look forward to meeting Dee, his family and friends out here.

One of the benefits of being in the West Wing is nice sunsets! Good night.

HI!

Hi Tim!
Well after many attempts I have figured out how to write on your Blog! Well first off I miss you so much I think about you 100 times a day. So I started a list of things that we are going to do once you are home. So far some of the things are explore the cave you found, swimming at the black hole, drive in movies, go to sneaky peaks dance club, just to name a few. I know that you must be very pumped about all this.
My Dad, Mom, Dustin, and Nadia all send love. Last time I talked to Nadia on the phone she said she has to go and see you in Boston, because she thinks you hate her. “I think Tim hates me or he thinks I hate him so I have to go and see him and tell him I love him and I never hated him” haha
Well that is about it. I am going to come on Monday and see you as long as your mom and dad say that is ok. Oh yeah, I just added blueberry picking to our "to do list" because I went with my mom the other day we got 11 pounds and no joke I ate them all!
OK I love you TIM!!!!
Brigitte

A quick hello (from someone who knows the road from Boston to the Berkshires pretty well)

Tim,

Hope this post finds you well and enjoying the (rationed) goodies that have been delivered from the Berkshires. The reports from your Dad have us all smiling back home. We've heard how strong you've been and continue to be. I can't say loudly and strongly enough how much of an example your are to all of us. Your courage and determination remind all of us just how strong the human spirit is and how luck we all are to have what we have.

I won't hold it against you that you moved into the neighborhood without telling me (if I didn't have such a horrible slice, I could probably hit Spaulding from the State House with a solid 3 Iron, but thats a big IF). So, if you are told you have a random, balding, young visitor, you'll know who it is.

Keep up that incredible spirit. I know when my family went through a tough time, it was the ability of all of us to pull together, to smile through the tears, and laugh, every once in a while, in spite of it all. You're a lucky kid to have such great parents, such great friends, and a community thats pulling for you. But more importantly, we're lucky and blessed to have someone like you in our lives. Keep working and we'll keep praying, and save me some of those goodies. James Taylor makes the turnpike from the Berkshires to Boston sound romantic, but there's only so many times you can eat at Burger King or D'Angelos.

Sincerely,

Ben

"Every once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right"

Our bags are packed, we're ready to go

We got a call from Uncle John today around 6PM. He had a nice visit with Tim - was very positive about his future. Seems he has a vision and a plan. Hmmm. He seems to have a good handle on the technologies available to him and he plans to use whatever he needs. John says that the movement in his arms is much more controlled and intentional than earlier.

After a delicious dinner of fried chicken and garlic mashed, courtesy of sister/chef Kate, we spoke with Tim. He sounds good. He had another session on the bike and next week he'll be doing two sessions on the bike and and two sessions on the LOCOMATOR!!!! Some concerns last night - his spasm medication (you might recall he suffered those back at BMC) was reduced, but apparently prematurely as he had another episode. This morning, the medication was put back at the same level and all is OK. Tim got a nice care package today from our neighbors Sheila and Randy today and he enjoyed the treats, but is rationing them carefully!

Amy, Jancy and I are packed and ready to go back to Boston tomorrow, with some treats and greetings for Timmy. Today was a busy day, though. This morning, while I was getting my Cheerios ready I was pleasantly surprised to see Tina come up to the back door with a leash to take ol' Sambone for a walk - no one is forgotten. Mid-morning, Amy met with some representatives of the insurance company (who have all been very helpful and available to us) to review how our 1850's country home might be made accessible for Tim. Interesting, but do-able is the word (more on that after we get a report). Later in the day, Amy was able to solve a mystery. Seems as though someone sent pizza to the 9th floor for the staff on Monday night after Amy went home. The staff couldn't figure it out and we couldn't either. Today, we learned that it was Katie and John from (where else?) the greatest small town around - West Stockbridge! Thanks guys.

Well, next weekend is Zucchini Festival here in West Stockbridge, and the planning and preparations are at a fever pitch! We're so sorry we won't be able to help out and enjoy the day. I'm sure that Tim wishes he could strap on his waders and help catch the "Zucks" as they float downstream. Just wait 'til next year! At any rate, we'll expect someone to post a report on the day's events and highlights.

Hi Tim

Just a note to let you know that you are in my thoughts, and we are all wishing you the best and continued progress. Your determination and positive spirit are outstanding. If I make it home in the next few weeks to visit the family as planned, I will be by to visit and see that “buzz” cut that Paul told me about.
Love,
Joanne

Easy Rider

Another good day for the lad. My report came in via two phone calls. Grandpa drove up from the Cape and enjoyed a nice lunch out on the patio with Tim, who fed himself using the various tools provided to assist him. Fresh fruit salad and a nice smoothie, along with a sweet treat. Over lunch, Tim let him know about his first experience with technology. Not the Locomat yet, but sort of a recumbent bicycle was the new activity of the day. Tim sat on this bike, had his feet strapped in and the machine moved his legs in that motion. At the same time, electrodes were attached at key spots on his legs to stimulate muscle and nerve activity. Disclaimer: this is a third party re-accounting of an actual event, but does not involve any information gleaned from an actual therapist or doctor. Grandpa said that Tim was able to explain and understand the science behind it. Uncle John checked in a bit later, and reported that Tim was relaxing and in a good mood. Tim had told him that there is a new Bershires resident at Spaulding - Dean Agar. Apparently, they were at BMC together. We'll look forward to meeting him. When Amy and I called in later, he had time for just a short conversation, but was looking forward to tell us in more detail about his experience when we return this weekend.


Tim and Brendan were moved to a new wing today - Room 903. The room has a hoist permanently mounted on the ceiling, which will be helpful as both still need assistance getting out of bed. We did learn that he got a nice card from Aunt Merrilyn in NC and apparently, there is a poster from Shurika hanging on his wall to lighten things up.

Also of note - I invited our 100th person to join the blog. It's growing in leaps and bounds and I think there's a lot of connectivity to Tim and support generated through that.

Good night!

HEY TIMMY

Sorry for the blogging goof the other night.....

Very simply, I just wanted to let you know that you and your fabulous progress are on our minds ALL the time...... We are moved by everything you have accomplished already and sort of have this powerful sense that you have only just begun. We are hopefully trying to visit with you on our way back from the Cape next week and can't wait to see you, so keep up the good work. We're biased of course, but those Baldwin Tees are something magical....

Love Mrs. B

Thinking of you

Hey Tim, just writing to let you know that I am thinking of you. I'm at camp but I just wrote you a letter and had all my campers sign it, so you'll be getting that soon. All of these positive words that I'm reading about your progress make me so incredibly happy and proud of you, and I know that you will continue to do so well. I will be around till late September so I want to come visit you, if that's okay. Anyway, keep up the great work and remember: B-20, ONLY LOVE.

-Elyse

Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and feed him for life

Well, Amy returned today to the Beautiful Berkshires via bus into Lee, where I picked her up. We're tired. How wonderful to arrive home to a delicious meal delivered by friends Janie & Steve, some nice conversation and a review of the day.

I had already heard, via email from Uncle John, that Tim was asleep at 4:00! Amy confirmed that the new schedule did him in, and he was out like a light by 2:00 actually. Tim was outfitted with some new tools for eating today, and his abililities were increased to the point that he was actually able to eat a grape with a fork. I think I'm gonna git me one of those! He is now feeding himself more easily, and enjoyed a nice lunch with Mom on the patio.

Back to the early bed-time, Tim had his butt kicked by a full day of therapy, pretty much the same stuff, but now 4 hours of it, so he was ready to conk out.

He had a nice visit today from an Angel - Angie Snow and husband Fred, son Ryan stopped by with a nice gift bag including Red Sox attire. It was a nice opportunity for Amy to spend some time with long time friends and Tim is very excited to support the Hose while watching the games on TV.

Steady communication from the community keep Tim's spirits up, and support Amy and me, too! Today's mail included a handwritten two page letter from Uncle Chris that left Tim deeply moved; a care package from the (hardware) Baldwins that had too many goofy gifts to mention made Tim smile - and included a Baldwin Hardware West Stockbridge (rocks), MA tee and a Beatles poster which is now brightening the room; a package from cousin Melanie included gifts chosen by her young children Cameron and Sophie - a disco ball (how did they know?) and a Magic 8 ball (more smiles). Brian's cousin Paul stopped by again and we learned that Grandma's cousin Bob and his son Mark cruised in from Swellesley on Tuesday night. The emails, Facebook posts and phone calls are too numerous to mention. We are very grateful for all of it.

We called Tim tonight at around 8:00 and found him awake and in a good mood. The good news is that the nurses had him hold the phone himself (first time) but the bad news was that the nurses had him hold the phone himself. Tim learned a new limit as that simple action tired out his arm quickly, he was able to switch hands but we had to have a quick conversation. He did confirm that he got a haircut today, but not the Mohawk that he had originally indicated. Just a buzz. I look forward to that, because there's less hair hiding his handsome face!

At the edge

Hi, Tim. It has been amazing to read your father's wonderful posts about you and your family and Spaulding and especially about how you are doing. I can't wait to read tonight's post. I gather the work is going to get more demanding as you begin to be more upright and begin relearning to walk. I looked up on the web about the new contraption that will help you walk. It seems totally awesome. I look forward to seeing you on it! I am sure you are totally psyched to give it your all and then some. I know you will do amazingly well.

I was working out myself yesterday at just at the edge where I was most challenged and really had to dig to make the next move, I thought of you and sent you all my love and all my effort and all my intensity.

I love you, Tim.
Phoebe

Greetings from #3 Stockbridge Road.....Tim, we think about you every day! It's hard not to when I look at your bedroom window every night as I shut my drapes and every morning when I open them. So it is safe to say you are the last person on my mind every night as I try to get to sleep. We have been keeping up with you through the West Stockbridge grape vine and when we heard the news of how amazingly well you are doing, I had to write and tell you how proud of you we all are and to let you know that we are sending you lots of love everyday! I must also let you know that your lawn has been mowed more in the last three weeks than it has in the past three months... We miss you and can't wait to see you back in the Berkshires.

Hello Tim! We are thinking of you!

Thinking of you Tim!!!

Hello Tim! You've been on my mind a lot lately and I am so grateful for this blog to keep posted on everything without having to bother your mom and dad too much! I am so encouraged to hear about all the progress you are making at Spaulding. I am grateful that you were able to go to such a wonderful place. I am also glad that I will be able to come see you in Boston soon when I am on vacation. I lived in the Boston area for 7 years before moving out to Albany and I miss it a lot sometimes.

I was over at the church today and on the altar table there was a picture of you standing in a tux in front of a car. Someone has been praying for you. Lots of people have been praying for you. I don't know what that means to you, but take all that spiritual energy and somehow let it in. We're all pulling for you and we are all confident that you will find wholeness and happiness whatever may be. We admire your strength, courage and ability to keep upbeat and hope you will call upon all the prayers and hopes for you on days when it is hard to keep it up. More and more blessings to you Tim and to your family.

Shawn

On the Outside, Looking In

So today is the first day that I'm home with Amy remaining in Boston, and it's a little weird. However, I am so swamped with work that the day just flew by. Have I mentioned that Murphy's Law is in effect, and that I am trying to fill two positions on my staff at the same time? Life comes at you, eh?

I had an earlier conversation with Tim, and he sounded great. Sure he missed me, but today was a great day for visitors - two sets from the Berkshires kept him in good spirits all day. In fact he was having so much fun, he forgot to attend a group PT session for arm strength. Today's cast of characters included Bridget, Jacob and Maddie followed later by Tyler, Matt, Nathan and Samantha. Tim is already scheming with Tyler about what he'll do when he finishes up at Spaulding, and I'm pleased to report that he wants to purchase a motorcycle and take a road trip out to the west coast. Tyler's on board, so I guess it's a go! Alrighty, then.

A few minor things today. He wheeled himself to the Dunkin' Donuts in the lobby and used a gift card to purchase a refreshing beverage (hint: Dunkin' Donuts Gift Cards might be a good thing to send or bring him) and take it with him. He is evaluating different beverage containers as to their portability. When I talked with him, he was watching the Sox, and he is becoming a knowledgeable fan - Fred, when you visit, test him a bit.

Later when I checked in with Amy, I learned that in OT, he got a neck massage and learned that he should spend a little more time reclined so that his neck won't get so sore. Also worked some more on moving objects around. PT was a lot of arm work and holding himself up in a sitting position and leaning forward. Tim was put on a blood pressure medication to begin to prepare for the Locomat.

Amy spent some good quality time with Dr. O'Connor and continues to be impressed with his manner and level of caring. She also started to learn a little more about benefits that might be available for Tim as we start to plan ahead for the time when he comes home.

Tomorrow is an incredibly full day for Tim - I guess the first week or so was just a warm up. He'll now get started at 8AM, with stretching at 9 and then 4 therapy sessions and a group lunch social session. I think that now, more than ever, it makes sense to call before visiting.

Thoughts from Tanglewood

Hi Tim-
My name is Eva and I used to work with your Dad at The Red Lion Inn. He used to share some pretty funny stories about you and Jancy...anyway, I was at Tanglewood this week for probably my only visit this year when I heard you had moved some toes!!! As I sat their on the lawn, listening to an all Mozart program, watching my daughters run around the lawn, I thought of you and the incredible love and strength that I know (and I read on the Blog) you are feeling every moment from your family and friends. WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT!!! You should be so psyched for yourself for such an awesome achievement. I know there is more work to do, but it all builds from the foundation of the little things. Remember that the only way to influence your outcome(whatever your goal is) is by focussing on the things you have the power to control, and you have the power to make your choices when you respond to life's events. Stay well, stay strong, and thanks for the Blog.

C'Mon Baby Do the LOCOMATION

More excellent news!!! Good luck this week. You are making such amazing progress. Everyone here in England says: You're brilliant. Well-done! Horrahhh. Keep it up, Tim!!! Has Gabby's cd for you arrived yet? She made you a cd with new tunes from all the English bands you love to watch in person in Hyde Park. Now, there's something to help you do the LOCOMATION!!!

Love, Aunt Carolann

TIM!

TIM! Dude, my parents came to camp the other day and told me about the major improvements you've been making. It was seriously the best news I've heard in a long time. I am so excited and happy for you and know that even though the road ahead may be long and bumpy at times there is no one more primed for this fight. annnnyway, all the camp kids anxiously await updates and we are all thinking of you often. i have a bunch more things to send you (did you get the first couple of letters? i sent them to BMC..my b) but now I have your address so that's word. Tim when you come home I promise you can come to dinner with my family at the village oven anytime you want without intruding. I promise. I hope Boston is cool, and now that you have your sick ride I'm sure you're seeing alot of it. Maybe this wheelchair doesn't have a built in carphone but that's okay.
I hope you see you soon if you'll take me barging into your room? Till then keep improving dude, I can't wait to hear how well you're doing.

-Jess

I Don't Like Mondays - NOT!!

We arrived pretty early today, eager to talk to Drs. O'Connor and LeRoy. We met with them right after their morning visit with Tim, and we heard encouraging things. Tim is now actually able to wiggle several other toes on the left foot, and his triceps are "coming along." I asked what he meant last week when he said "this (leg movement) changes everything," and heard exactly what I had hoped to hear. Now, instead of focusing on rehab to prepare Tim to be independent with the use of a chair and other adaptive technologies, they will concurrently work on developing his walking. Wow.

First thing he has to do, is regain the ability to stand without getting dizzy - another result of low blood pressure. The exercise for that is the Tilt Table, which "stands him up" and puts some pressure on his legs. He's used that before, but the dizzyness was a bit of an issue. If he can't overcome that naturally, they are considering a blood pressure medication. Once he can handle that, Tim will make use of the "Locomat" - for those of you following closely (pre-blog), this is the machine featured in the NYTimes Science section on July 10, and pointed out to us by Drs. Kantrowitz and Crowell back at BMC. The article really got Tim pumped up in Pittsfield, and had the same effect today.

"Locomotion therapy supported by an automated gait orthosis on a treadmill has established itself as an effective intervention for improving over-ground walking function caused by neurological diseases and injuries." More on this including pictures at http://www.hocoma.ch/web/en/products/introduction_lokomat.html We went down to the 7th floor immediately and got a demo from a technician. We're looking forward to a mid-week start.

Tim had an exhausting PT session this morning, is resting now, and will start OT at 2:00. G&G are arriving this afternoon for a visit, because Grandma just couldn't wait til Thursday. Brian heads home this evening.

Completing this entry now from home at One Stockbridge Road. Discovered that while I was driving home, Tim, Jancy and Amy had a Dennis Leary marathon courtesy of West Stockbridge Video (thanks Sven!) and watched the second season (or something) of Rescue Me. Amy says that Tim was in high spirits, and that's a good thing.

Back to work in the morning for me!

to Tim & family

Tim-
I just want you to know that your old ( and I mean dinosaur old) teachers at BCD are sending much love and positive energy. I know how hard you're working, how much effort you're putting forth, and also how many wonderful loving people are behind your every effort.
Your blog is terrific, a wonderful way to let you and your family know how many people are out there for you, without being a pest.
I'm thinking of you all today and everyday.

Katharine Bambery

family matters

Tim, oh powerful one, in your motorized throne at spaulding. You have already accomplished so much, both within and without the hospital walls. There is an entire community of FOT's (friends of Tim), some of whom you may not even know! Your Berkshire family, I guess I need to be more specific, because everyone here is now part of your Berkshire family, so the Kapteyn family is more united than ever, thinking about you, your Mom and Dad, and Jancy (that vegetarian sister of yours), and doing whatever we can think of to send positive thoughts your way. I do want to clarify that I had nothing to do with the cleaning episode, let's be real here. In fact I very happily got dirty on your account. I just want you to know that you are very much here in our thoughts and conversations. And it's all good. Hope to see you soon.
much love, (dirty) Aunt Molly

Oh, Such a perfect Day

Very happy to hear that you are carving out some down time and treating yourselves to some well-deserved creature comforts - pinot grigio, MickyDees, sundowners and views! All that AND! a spic and span house behind you. All of you deserve every deep breath you managed to cram in!!! This is definitely a Sabbath-habit to continue. Lots of love, ca

Sabbath Reflections

In my religion and at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Sunday is a day of rest. So, we got a relaxed start to the day, and walked down via Charles Street and sort of along the Storrow Drive with the River and Esplanade on our left (along with 4 - 6 lanes of asphalt and a couple of construction zones, but we'll forget about that for now). We basically just hung out with Tim today. He was pretty whupped. Later in the morning, I escorted Jancy Bean to South Station, where she caught a train home. I walked back through the financial district and along Quincy Market, which took just about 25 minutes. Not a bad temperature out, so it was OK. Along the way, per Tim's request I picked up some to-go from renowned restauranter Ronald McDonald and the three of us enjoyed some fine cuisine and conversation on the patio.

The afternoon ambled along - I actually went down to the cafeteria, found a quiet spot and paid my bills - about a week and half late. Good to get that out of the way. When I got upstairs, I was greeted by former West Stockbridge resident Janie Goldenberg and Steve Albert (he's the fellow who got this blog thing up and running, you may recall), currently of Egremont. They were ostensibly in town to visit the Edward Hopper exhibit at MFA, but I think that was a smokescreen put up by Janie, who really wanted to spend some time with Tim. We were having a nice visit and were soon joined by Bershire Bob and Marge Powell along with Jacquay Moffatt, who were definitely in town to attend the Police concert at Fenway. West Stocbridge Rocks!! Tim, as always, was a great visitee and we all had a swell time. He started fading at around 5:00 and we began to get him ready for bed. He wanted to get a good night sleep, after eating three full meals so he could get back into the rehab thing full-tilt in the morning.

By 6:30 or so, Amy and I were out of there and Tim was on his way to Dreamland. We walked back the same way and stopped in a Charles Street packy (it had a nice name, I'm sure) and picked up a couple of bottles or Pinot - Grigio and Noir. At the apartment, we threw open the bay windows, poured a glass of wine, put together a lite dinner, turned on blues night on WBOS and sat in front of that bay window and proceeded to watch the sun go down and the lights come on over Beacon Hill, Back Bay, the Charles River, Kenmore Square and Cambridge (our fair city), MA. This was our first real down time, alone, since July 12.

I'm only telling you this because we spent a decent amount of time reflecting on all the generosity that has been extended to Tim and to his family. If you can't tell by the description above, this apartment is much more than a place to lay our heads, and will be a huge part of keeping our health and focus over the next weeks and months. The visitors keep coming in, as do the posts, emails, cards and letters to keep all of us energized and looking ahead. Back at home, the dog is getting fed, the lawn is getting mowed, Jancy is being watched over, our employers are understanding and the folks in the sales offices at The Red Lion Inn & Porches and in the assessors office in West Stockbridge are making sure that things keep moving forward. We are also reminded that Amy is from a very tight and loving family. Next time you drive by One Stockbridge Road, you might notice some new and beautiful landscaping out in front of the house. Not so noticeable, but equally awesome, you'd find - newly installed ground cover and woody plants along our embankment that Amy had bought just a few days before July 12; a spic and span house, including sparkling clean windows and the notable absence of one old aluminum row boat that Tim pulled out of the Housatonic a while ago to "fix up." While we were briefly home, we had some nice quiet moments and good food together with the same folks who did all that. Thanks (doesn't really convey it) to Peter, Sarah, Molly, Lou, Chris, Phoebe, Katie and Art (special thanks to John, Brenda and Roselle, and if I am missing anyone, I'm sorry).

Well, that's it for now. Jancy is at home cooking up plans to bring some more VIP country folk down the pike for a nice visit tomorrow. Our old Boston friends from the day returned home from vacation and we expect to be seeing a few of them this week.

WOW!

Hey Tim,
I just read about your toe and thigh moving, that's incredible! Spaulding seems like a great place! I'm really proud of you, keep up the great work, you can do it!

Love, Alex

Piggy's Ready for Market

Hey Tim

Having my morning coffee and checking in on you. It's soooooo great to hear the latest. Wiggly toe and two pound weights, WOW!!! They don't "weight" around at Spaulding, eh?! Straight on to the next level. I await further news and remain thankful and ecstatic that you are doing so well. You are working very hard, and doing amazing things. Keep it up!!! We love you lots and lots from the top of your just-washed hair to the tip of that amazing toe of yours, Aunt Carolann