Friday, January 21, 2011

Sunday Jan. 24, 2011

Sunday,Jan. 24, 2011

This week has been full of emotion for all of us.

Josh's frustration and willpower grows daily leading to lots of exhaustive efforts to do the small things he so desperately seems to want to do. Many of his actions seem to focus on his right arm and hand that so far have shown very little independent movement. He reaches across with his active left hand to pinch and pull on his right fingers, he laboriously transferred a small foam ball from hand to hand several times. He often holds his right arm up in front of him and stares at it, willing it to respond. These actions take immense focus and energy. He will often close his eyes and rest for a few moments before resuming this effort before he has even re-opened his eyes.

Josh is vocalizing more and more, with a wider range of sounds and volume every day.
His efforts to speak are thrilling and agonizing. We feel that first word will bring many aspects of his struggle together into a coherent cascade of recovery.

He is still suffering from stress related tone, a rigidity that at times keeps him from being able to respond in therapy the way he must want to. But the efforts to follow his therapists requests often challenge his abilities so profoundly that he ends up rigid. Everyone here is gentle and loving to him, trying to help him relax and calm down in these moments. Sometimes he can relax and try again, sometimes he cannot. Some shifting in his medication may help with some of this spasticity and will be started this weekend.

The new clearer awareness in his eyes, the possible efforts to say MOM in the last few days, the extreme sense that he wants to communicate at all costs, gives us tremendous hope. But watching him struggle is at times heartbreaking.

Please pray for relaxation and peace, as well as the blessing of effective communication from both sides of the hospital bed.

With all our love,

The Bonjos

8 comments:

  1. So glad to hear he is making progress. I know it is tough, stay strong, we love you! Please let me know if I can help with anything, errands, rides etc.

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  2. Poor Josh! He must be so frustrated. And yet I'm happy that he can be frustrated, at the same time. My thoughts are with you all. Having a relative in this state is extremely draining. But hang in there. Let us know if there's anything those of us more distant can do. This is a long process and I know everybody wants to keep helping however we can, even if it's something small.

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  3. I feel Josh's struggle in my own muscles and in my voice. We continue to pray and have prayers going on for him and for all of you to sustain your strength for Josh. We send all of our love!
    Aunt Denise, Maya and Hilary

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  4. Hi Darling, Mike, Josh and Rose:
    Andy, Abby and Anna of Allentown here. Thank you for this blog. We check it frequently and send you our love and strength. I wanted to share a website from another rehab center (our friends brother in California is recovering from a car accident, as well) that explains how that rehab classifies stages of recovery or injury and gives guidance to family and visitors about what to expect and how to interact with a person with brain injury.
    http://www.rancho.org/patient_education/bi_cognition.pdf
    I found this PDF very helpful to get a beginning sense of the range of effects of brain injury. Feel free to add the link to a future post if you think others would benefit from it.

    XXXX Andy

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  5. I continue to keep Josh and all of you in my thoughts and prayers every day. I can't imagine how hard it must be to see him struggling so, but at the same time what a gift to see his progress. Through your love keep helping him access that infinite source. Here are some thoughts from Deepak Chopra on healing...

    "Physics informs us that the basic fabric of nature lies at the quantum level, far beyond atoms and molecules. The quantum mechanical body is the underlying basis for everything we are: thoughts, emotions, proteins, cells, organs – any visible or invisible parts of ourselves. Getting back in touch with the quantum mechanical body is…what we call “quantum healing”. As understood by modern medicine, the body’s healing abilities are nearly infinite, but quantum healing is infinite. The flow of intelligence bubbling up from the quantum mechanical body can be channeled in countless ways to achieve any result in the human body, including the cure of serious, life-threatening diseases, and the reversal of the aging process.”

    Use your love and awareness to help Josh channel and access that flow of intelligence...to help his system calm and reorganize itself in alignment with Divine order and wholeness...i will do the same from afar...

    with compassion, sally c

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  6. does he have his music?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBL4Ofh-NVo

    love you guys!!!!
    (susan)

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  7. Dearest Bonjos- dreamt of Josh last night saying his first words- keep the faith- he is making great progress. if there is anything you need -just call. Keep seeing Josh's brain and nervous system in a complete healed state, working perfectly. Praying daily for a full and fluid recovery. much Love Nan Elias- Josh Heake's mom.

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  8. I'm watching the snow fall today and imagining a soft blanket of peace gently placed on Josh. Watching a child struggle is always hard, but it is that struggle that will strengthen him.
    We have you all in our thoughts and prayers each day, and look forward to each post. Thank you so much for sharing this journey with us.
    With love and peaceful thoughts,
    Susan, John and Toshi

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