October 28th, 2008

Tonight was a very special moment for me. I was visiting with matt and as I was sitting on his bed talking closely to him. I was telling him that today was seven months since his accident and he was doing amazing! I was telling him about all his progress and what he needs to continue working on. He just starred at me intently. You could really tell he was listen to what I was saying. I continued talking to him telling him our two year anniversary was coming up and he slowly put his arm around my back and have me a squeeze. I told him I loved him and he started to rub my back. :) it was a good feeling. Have me butterflies in my stomach. I just laid my head down on his chest and fell asleep for a few minutes. In that few minutes everything felt normal. He has ways to letting me know he loves me! I feel so lucky to have him in my life!
Please help me and his family with praying for matt to start talking! I know all I want for Christmas is to hear matts laugh and for him to be able to sit around at the dinner table and have a conversation with us all for the holidays! It would be such a great way to end a very intense and crazy year.

October 26th, 2008

Everyday I am more and more amazed by the things that Matt does. The last few days I've noticed something different about him. He looks different, I can't put my figure on it but somethings changed. I feel like he's more here ith me now than he has been since this happened. I walk in and I just see him, I can feel him, he's more alert. I got this flutter in my heart and stomach the other night while Matt was looking at me. It was such a good feeling. Sometimes I close my eyes and I lay my head on his chest and I just listen to his heart beat. It reminds me he's still there, still fighting to get back to me. Everyone said that the first few months would be the hardest, but no one told me how hard it would be now. Its been 7 months! Going 7 months without talking with him, laughing with him, sharing my day with him, and watching our love grow has been such a difficult time for me. Everything reminds me of him. When you find your soul mate you never want to spend a minute without them.

October 21st, 2008

Since my last entry Matt has continued to make amazing progress. He's moving his left side so much more. Its truely amazing! Everyday he works harder and harder at getting back everything he once had. He's able to do things with his left side now that he wasn't able to do before. He's also making a lot more noise. I swear one of these days he's just going to blurt it out! And I can't wait to hear that voice!! He knows its in there he just has to keep working at it.
To see Matt stick his tongue out past his lip now, and to see him moving is left arm on command, and to see him being more relaxed and not so stressed is such a good feeling. It helps so much! Its Matt reminding us that he is still here and to not give up yet! So we aren't! He amazes me each day and makes me fall in love all over again! Please keep the prayers coming. He feels them I know he does!

October 13th, 2008

Today Matt had another therapy session and he did great things! Matt is really starting to use his left hand, arm, and leg. I was unable to attend his session due to work but to hear this put a huge smile on my face. Its so comforting to see him still making progress. He hasn't had any movement with the left side like he has his right side. Spencer says its because most of his damage is on the right side of his brain. But now with him starting to move his left side...this is huge! I pray every night for Gods hand to be placed on Matts brain. For healing and recovery. I know that's what he's doing. He's healing my baby.
Matt has also been making a lot of noises. We are hoping this means he is working on speaking! Wouldn't that be great! That would be an answer in itself.his dad has been putting matts hand up to his throat and humming. He has matt feel his voice and then asks him to try and do the same thing. If you put your fingers over his throat you will feel a small vibration. Its very exciting! So keep your fingers crossed! Its coming!

October 12, 2008

Matt continues to make progress everyday. He had three days in a row with Spencer his physical therapist this week so he's a little tuckered out. But he continues to do proposeful movements which is a great sign. For example: Spencer will take a foam board and drop it toward Matt's face and head, he'll tell Matt to put his hand out and stop it. As the board omes down Matt puts his hand up and pushes it away so it doesn't hit him. Another example would be if you pull his chest hair he'll bring his hand up and push your hand away. I have noticed that he's doing these things alot more. If you do something that Matt doesn't like he'll push you away. This is really good that he has been able to gain that back. It's very important in Matt's recovery process that he regains control of these things. Proposeful movement shows that Matt's brain is able to recall some things and be able to send the message from the brain to his hand.
Matt seems to be more comfortable in his wheelchair now too. He's able to stay in it for long hours at a time. He seems a lot more comfortable in this chair than his other one he had. His parents also found a van now too. They should be getting it this week sometime. The shower chair is so much easier to use and it is way more comfortable for Matt. He just relaxes so much more in the chair.
All I can ask from everyone is to continue to pray for more healing. This is a very slow process but baby steps are still huge for all of us. He's getting there but he still needs all the good thoughts, prayers and love.

The Tournament

Today's blog is all about thanking everyone who came out and supported Matt and his family yesterday. I can't extend my thanks enough to everyone who participated, helped out, and sponsored. I was so pleased to see everyone come out and support this cause. It made me realize how special I am to be in his life. He is truly a loved guy. We were able to raise alot of money for Matt and now will be able to give him more Physical Therapy.
It was such an amazing feeling to watch everyone take off in their carts and go out to the greens. Everyone was so pumped up, excited and happy to be there. Everyone kept telling me how much fun they were having! That just put a smile on my face. I am so glad that everyone had such a great time!
So thank you to everyone from the bottom of my heart!!! Yesterday was an amazing day! And it's all because of you guys coming out to support him.

6 Months

Sorry it's been awhile. I have been extremely busy getting everything together for the golf tournament this weekend. I'm very excited about the turn out and can't wait to see everyone there. SO thank you to everyone who is participating in one way or another. This is truly been a blessing seeing everyone come together for him.
As for Matt's progress, he's been doing so great. Learning new things, moving his left side more, his attention span. It's just been amazing. They have the hoist set up in the back yard. I haven't been lucky enough to see this yet but I hear it's absolutely amazing! Matt was standing the other day for quite a while. He's able to hold his head up and feel his whole body's weight by doing this. He's done this I believe 3 times now. Matt's memory seems to be getting better with time too. Like he did what we call knuckles (kinda like a high five only with your fist), he does the hang ten sign, sometimes I'll see him lift his hand up to almost waive goodbye when I leave. He's been taking the white board pen and holding it up to the board and scribbling on it. He'll do that for a while and then he'll get frustrated and push the pen up against the white board and wait for you to take the pen. When you grab the pen he lets go and returns his hand back to the bed. He's so focused when he does this too! He recently has been getting this look on his face as if he is really trying hard to say something but the words just don't come out. You can really see Matt is putting all of his concentration and energy into his therapy sessions.
Yesterday Matt finally got his custom wheel chair and his shower chair. This will make Matt alot more comfortable when we have him out of his bed and out in the front rooms with us. The wheelchair is more open, where as the cardiac chair was more closed in. And the shower chair! Well that will make it so much easier on Mario and Lisa. They wont have to carry him from one chair to the next. We now can just roll the shower chair right into the shower. This will be ten times more safe for everyone. It's kind of hard for me to see Matt in the wheelchair just because it's so custom to Matt's needs. It has a high neck to support his head and well it just doesn't look like a regular wheelchair. I know Matt will only need this chair for a while and its nothing that he'll need forever. The reality of all of this is something I never thought I would ever have to endure.
With it being six months in now, I have seen such great improvement in Matt's brain and the healing that is taking place. It's truly amazing how the brain can heal itself over time, but we all know that Matt has the hand of God on him and has this whole time. I just pray and hope that in the next six months Matt will continue to heal, recover, and keep moving forward to being 100%. I know we all feel this way. It's hard to not get excited at the possibilities of a bright future when you see Matt do the things he does. I get so excited and hope he just snaps out of it and tells me he loves me, and gives me a big kiss!! I hope for that everyday. We all have to keep thinking positive thoughts and keep cheering him on. He needs us to support him everyday, through every obstacle. We are what keeps Matt going. We are his future. He fights to live not just for his family, or me, or himself, but he fights for everyone one in his life. My favorite part of the day or really night is when I get home from work and he sees me for the first time. I'll crawl into bed with him and just lay next to him and cuddle up to him. He'll just put his head on my shoulder and cuddle right back. =) That reminds me that he's in there, he's just healing and it might be awhile.
Someone asked me the other day if I was happy, if I was happy with the way I was living my life by holding on to something I might never get back. You know I didn't really have to think about it before I answered. I am happy. I wouldn't change anything. I feel as though this happened for a reason, no one will ever know why it happened, but this has helped me become who I am today. It's helped me love, learn, grow, and most importantly forgive. We don't know why things happen, but instead of letting it tear our whole lives apart, let the things that happen in your life teach you something. The most important thing this has taught me is to never take what you have for granted, always say whats on your heart, never walk away, and most importantly always tell the person you love, that you love them with all your heart, because you never know when something or someone will take them away from you. Don't sweat the small stuff, because tomorrow is another day.