Tuesday Jason and Debbie went to the Memphis Zoo. It was a beautiful afternoon. Jason was able to walk for an hour and a half -- and then he was exhausted!
Monday at physical therapy, Jason was interviewed for the ABC TV station in Jackson. Three students, Cheryl, Matt and Jason, will be featured this coming Sunday, Monday and Tuesday everning.
Jason therapists said that his quads and hamstrings appeared to be about back to the same strength as his right leg. He's also gained two more degrees of movement in the ankle (five more to go). The strength of his calf is now the focus. Jason stood on his left leg and tossed a weighted ball into a trampoline and then caught it. His therapist had to stabilize him at his waist. Jason's almost able to stand on his left leg without holding on to anything. In order to run you also need to be able to push up to the ball and toes of your foot, that's yet to come.
Our insurance declined our request to extend Jason's number of physical therapy treatments, so we'll go just once a week for the next three weeks to stretch out our time there.
Now that Jason is getting stronger, we'll be going to the gym so he can use the machines there to get his workout
Thank you so much for all your prayers. Please continue to pray for complete healing. Jason is really looking forward to being able to run and play tennis.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Great week!
Jason has had a great week! He's walking slowly without using the brace or crutches and walking more normally and smoothly each day.
This past weekend we went to Arkansas for Steven's basketball tournament. Jason went with us and did well walking around and being able to sit with his foot in a dependant position for extended lengths of time. Saturday afternoon we left Jason in the hotel room to take his customary afternoon nap.
At physical therapy on Monday, Jason worked out on an eliptical machine for five minutes. He still needs to get 5 more degrees of movement with his left ankle (pulling up his toes towards his knee). He also needs to concentrate on increasing the strength of his foot when turning the toes inward and outward.
Tuesday we had an appointment with Jason's seizure doctor. It's been a month since he has seen Jason and was so pleased with his progress. Last month he couldn't even touch Jason's foot, now he can move his foot all around, test his foot strength and test it with different touches and stimulation. The skin on his big toe is very dry. This is due to the nerves not completely functioning as they used to. He also doesn't have feeling on the side of this toe. We will have another MRI in the summer to see if the brain bruise is healed.
Please pray that Jason will know God's will for him for this coming fall school semester. For his healing, please continue to pray for the strength and flexibilty to increase in his left ankle, the nerves to completely heal and the bruise in his brain to completely heal.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Bye, Bye Crutches!
Today we stowed away the crutches. Jason's physical therapist told him to concentrate on walking normally; heel, ball, then push off with his toes. She told him to put away the crutches and just walk slowly. Wow! Does he look good!
Yesterday Jason and Debbie went to the hospital and visited with Matt Kelley and his parents. Matt was about to go to surgery to have his last two incisions taken care of. It was so nice to meet them and share stories of what we've been through during the past 10 weeks. They are hoping Matt gets to go home on Friday.
Since Mike had today off to celebrate the end of tax season, he was able to go to therapy with Jason.
Jason now talks about his foot as having discomfort. He no longer describes it as pain!
Thank you so much for praying for Jason and our family. Please continue to pray for the nerves to completely heal, for the pain syndrome to burn itself out, the brain bruise to heal and his strength and agility to return.
Yesterday Jason and Debbie went to the hospital and visited with Matt Kelley and his parents. Matt was about to go to surgery to have his last two incisions taken care of. It was so nice to meet them and share stories of what we've been through during the past 10 weeks. They are hoping Matt gets to go home on Friday.
Since Mike had today off to celebrate the end of tax season, he was able to go to therapy with Jason.
Jason now talks about his foot as having discomfort. He no longer describes it as pain!
Thank you so much for praying for Jason and our family. Please continue to pray for the nerves to completely heal, for the pain syndrome to burn itself out, the brain bruise to heal and his strength and agility to return.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Evening Stroll
Sunday night Mike, Debbie and Jason went outside for a walk. Once Jason got down the driveway to the street, Mike took his one crutch. Jason walked past two houses to the north of our house and back to our house. Then to the left around the corner and past a couple of houses and back again. That was about 1200' of walking for the first time without crutches!
Today Jason went to the gym and walked two laps around the track. That's 1/4 of a mile!
He only uses the crutches around the house when he's not wearing shoes for support.
We are so excited to see this progress!
Thank you for praying and please keep on!
Today Jason went to the gym and walked two laps around the track. That's 1/4 of a mile!
He only uses the crutches around the house when he's not wearing shoes for support.
We are so excited to see this progress!
Thank you for praying and please keep on!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Two Doctor Appointments
Yesterday we went to see two of Jason's doctors for follow-up visits.
First we was the doctor who did the sympathetic nerve blocks. He told Jason that he felt the nerve blocks were 50-60% successful. Since it's been two weeks since he's seen Jason, he was pleased to see the progress he's making with less pain, foot movement and being able to touch it.
He told Jason that treating RSDS/CRPS is very difficult, but much more effective if treatment begins early -- which it has for Jason. He wants Jason to do therapy in lukewarm and cool water baths for his foot, exercising while in the water.
Then we went to see his primary care doctor. She had Jason walk a few feet without his crutch. At first he was keeping most of his weight on his right foot, but after she pointed that out to him he walked much more balanced. She too was very pleased at the progress of his movement of the ankle, toes, being able to put pressure on his foot and having relief from some of the pain. She said that when we meet with another doctor in two more weeks that he could increase the nerve pain medication at that time.
She's consulted with another doctor (who examined Jason and identified the RSDS/CRPS last time and commented that this may never go away) who said that RSDS/CRPS could stick around with a young man like Jason for 6-9 months and then burn itself out. I'm sure the time frame didn't please Jason, but the thought that the pain syndrome could go away was music to my ears!
Jason did get plenty of bad news. Mike asked the doctor about next school year. The doctor said we shouldn't even be considering letting him be far from home, she wouldn't even recommend Union University -- just one hour from home. She also said he should plan on not taking an ambitious schedule.
We did get another medication for Jason's sad eyes.
Please continue to pray for the nerves and brain bruise to completely heal, for his ankle to regain strength and flexibility, for Jason's muscles to rebuild and for the pain syndrome to completely go away.
First we was the doctor who did the sympathetic nerve blocks. He told Jason that he felt the nerve blocks were 50-60% successful. Since it's been two weeks since he's seen Jason, he was pleased to see the progress he's making with less pain, foot movement and being able to touch it.
He told Jason that treating RSDS/CRPS is very difficult, but much more effective if treatment begins early -- which it has for Jason. He wants Jason to do therapy in lukewarm and cool water baths for his foot, exercising while in the water.
Then we went to see his primary care doctor. She had Jason walk a few feet without his crutch. At first he was keeping most of his weight on his right foot, but after she pointed that out to him he walked much more balanced. She too was very pleased at the progress of his movement of the ankle, toes, being able to put pressure on his foot and having relief from some of the pain. She said that when we meet with another doctor in two more weeks that he could increase the nerve pain medication at that time.
She's consulted with another doctor (who examined Jason and identified the RSDS/CRPS last time and commented that this may never go away) who said that RSDS/CRPS could stick around with a young man like Jason for 6-9 months and then burn itself out. I'm sure the time frame didn't please Jason, but the thought that the pain syndrome could go away was music to my ears!
Jason did get plenty of bad news. Mike asked the doctor about next school year. The doctor said we shouldn't even be considering letting him be far from home, she wouldn't even recommend Union University -- just one hour from home. She also said he should plan on not taking an ambitious schedule.
We did get another medication for Jason's sad eyes.
Please continue to pray for the nerves and brain bruise to completely heal, for his ankle to regain strength and flexibility, for Jason's muscles to rebuild and for the pain syndrome to completely go away.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
SLEEP!
Jason has begun to get a lot more sleep. We are now making him go upstairs and sleep in his bed. This is better for him because he's not waking up when Mike leaves and again when Steven leaves.
Jason has been working on straightening his leg and putting a sock on his left foot. He can put some pressure on his left foot and at times can get around with just one crutch (when the pain lets up).
After exercising a lot, Jason irritated tendons around the ankle area. He has to give them a rest so that they can heal, but he can still do most of his muscle strengthening exercises.
Please pray that his left ankle regains the strength and flexibility it once had. Also continue to pray for the nerves to completely heal and for Jason to focus more on the answers to prayer, how well he's doing and the progress he's made, rather than the remaining healing and unknown time frames for having everything back to normal.
Jason has been working on straightening his leg and putting a sock on his left foot. He can put some pressure on his left foot and at times can get around with just one crutch (when the pain lets up).
After exercising a lot, Jason irritated tendons around the ankle area. He has to give them a rest so that they can heal, but he can still do most of his muscle strengthening exercises.
Please pray that his left ankle regains the strength and flexibility it once had. Also continue to pray for the nerves to completely heal and for Jason to focus more on the answers to prayer, how well he's doing and the progress he's made, rather than the remaining healing and unknown time frames for having everything back to normal.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Diminishing Pain!
Finally the pain is much more tolerable! Jason still has pain, but it's not excruciating 24/7. He was up four times during the night last night, getting one three-hour chunk of sleep and another 2-hour period.
Yesterday at therapy he worked for 1 3/4 hours and now has a whole repertoire of exercises to do. Every muscle on his left side form his waist on down needs to be strengthened for him to be able to walk correctly again.
Jason is also focusing on putting his left leg in a dependent (down) position much more.
This morning Jason made the decision to withdraw from school for this semester. He's just missed way too much to realistically think he could catch up in the next few weeks.
God has been working on our hearts and growing all of us through this time. Thank you prayer warriors. Please continue to pray for complete healing of Jason's nerves and restored ability to fully use his left leg so that he can once again be able to play tennis.
Yesterday at therapy he worked for 1 3/4 hours and now has a whole repertoire of exercises to do. Every muscle on his left side form his waist on down needs to be strengthened for him to be able to walk correctly again.
Jason is also focusing on putting his left leg in a dependent (down) position much more.
This morning Jason made the decision to withdraw from school for this semester. He's just missed way too much to realistically think he could catch up in the next few weeks.
God has been working on our hearts and growing all of us through this time. Thank you prayer warriors. Please continue to pray for complete healing of Jason's nerves and restored ability to fully use his left leg so that he can once again be able to play tennis.
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