Sunday, June 26, 2011

It's a bird, it's a plane, NO...

...it's Superman!!! 
Flying in an airplane to Dallas
to his new rehab center!
Travis was transferred to CNS in Irving...
the Centre for Neuro Skills
on February 14, 2011.
Texas Neuro had been an acute care
facility and this is more of a sub-acute care...
less like a hospital setting.  YAY!
And LOTS more therapy!!!
First week there...letting everyone
know who the REAL superman is;)))
Travis has therapy at the clinic from
9:00 until 4:00 Mondays through Friday.
He has speech, physical, occupational,
education, counseling and various other
sessions from time to time (like group stuff, etc).
At lunch he goes into a conference
room, just he and his assistant for that day.
A nurse comes in and sets up his feeding.
This way he doesn't have to be
around all of the other patients
eating their lunch. 
Travis really needs the most help
in speech therapy...that is to help
him TALK and EAT on his own again.
All of us desperately wanted him to
be able to talk those first months
(still do), but now we would truly
give anything for him to be able to eat
and swallow.  It's absolutely HORRIBLE
not being able to eat.  It's torture.
You don't realize how much of your life
revolves around eating until
you are around someone who wants
to eat, but can't.  It's just awful.  :(
We usually don't come in on his speech
therapy...it is SO important and is SO
hard and takes such concentration.
His speech therapist tells us he
works SO VERY VERY HARD. 
During education that first week,
Travis typed these names on
the computer...
He better have added Michelle & Mindy;)
It's a miracle he was able to find
 the letters, come up with names
to write and spell them correctly.
The therapists are awesome at CNS...
they really know their stuff and we
are SO thankful for that. 
Plus the entire place has taken
such a HUGE interest in Travis.
They all fight over who gets to work
with him!!!!!!!
These boots have always been his baby;).
He insisted on wearing them and
the therapists began to think that
they were actually helping to support his legs!
Every single thing he does is a miracle
and a step forward...but you can't even
imagine what it's like EACH and EVERY step
of this journey.  It is SO HARD...
on Travis and his mom and all of us.
I just can't believe it sometimes
and wish I could turn back time.
He mostly does great in education and
occupational.  He works his booty
off in physical therapy. At first they told
us he would definitely walk, then they
took that back and said they can't
guarantee it.  I feel VERY confident he
will walk again...we are told it might
be with assistance...but that's okay.
(I still think he will get there on his own!)
He LOVES when his mama is there
at therapy with him.  CNS loves
having family around.  Thank Goodness!
CNS has a clinic for the therapy and then
apartments or duplexes where all the patients
live as they are trying to get readjusted
to life.  And for some like Travis who still
need 24 hour medical care. 
Handsome boy in his new pad!  :)
He has had to be rushed to the real hospital
a few times...they tried allowing him to
have sips of water and someone brushing his
 teeth at first, but he almost choked to death.
He's also had a few scary falls. 
At the apartments ready to leave for therapy.
Lynna's dear, long time friend from
Hillsboro.  She sat with us many hours
at Hillcrest praying. 
This is Linda...Trav's main Residential Assistant.
She is amazing and we love her and trust
her with all of our hearts. 
We thank God for Linda!!!!!!
Travis was moved to CNS on February 14th...
almost seven months since the accident.
We came for a first visit a few
days later.  My kids are known
as the "Storm" to Travis!;)))
I can't imagine why my kids would
be called a storm!  Kidding!!!
Back at Texas Neuro, I would
always say "there's a storm
brewing" or a "storm is on its way"...
meaning we were almost there. 
We tried to behave this first time and sit
in the lobby some rather than invade
all of the therapy rooms like we do now;)
Look at the UNO Queen in action...
Huds just played on his iPhone;)
It was AMAZING being in this nice,
new place with these incredible
therapists.  We were SO pumped!!!
Especially seeing the progress for TRAVIS!:)
Jen, his main physical therapist...
All part of the storm;)
This PT was awesome, too. 
She was doing an internship and has since
moved on.  We were sad to see her go.
She and Trav were funny together!
Nobody provokes the storm of course;)))
My kids are actually UNBELIEVABLY good
and patient and kind at these places.
They have been since day one...
I think they really do understand that this
is what family does...especially when
you love someone like we love Travis. 
I am incredibly proud of them.
This was one of those "sucker punched" moments
I speak so often of unfortunately.
We were on such a high and then I had to
sit back and watch Travis be loaded up
onto a van with all of these other
patients to be transported back to his apt.
It was almost more than I could take.
It just hurt my heart so deeply.
It just isn't right...
I hate this life for him.  :(((
We made it to the apartment and started
trying to get Travis settled in and us. 
We met Trav's first roommate, John, who
was very nice and talked NON-STOP!:) 
We all crammed into Trav's bedroom
and the fiasco of our night grew and grew!!!;)
Of course Sweet Michelle kept her positive,
caring attitude the entire time while
Lynna and I were falling apart.
My mother didn't know what to do!  ;)
Travis was sweet and patient as everything
when it came to us being there and loving on him...
We were all tired and cranky and not familiar
with the new surroundings or people.
Travis was having the hardest time
because he didn't want to be fed through
his feeding tube anymore.  It was so sad.  :(
This crazy thing made us smile!!!:)
And of course the kindred spirits
had lots of love for each other...
 Travis finally settled in more
and getting loved on by his family...
The room also came along quite nicely...
all Superman and/or UT!!!
Can't imagine who made all
these posters?!?  ;)))
It was at CNS where Travis
started learning how to text again.
It has been SUCH a huge answer
to prayer to have this form of
communication with him...
at the same time, you can't imagine
how long it takes him to write
one text and what a feat that is.
God bless his heart!!!!!!!
Sweet, beautiful visitors...
Garrett and Alyssa have been TRUE
friends throughout...the truest!
This is the recliner in the living area
of Trav's apartment.  We were so glad
when he started to like to sit in it so
we could all hang out in the living room. 
Father & Son
More friends visiting...
And more of our family...
Aunt Kitty & Uncle Ron
and our cousins couldn't wait to
see the new place!
These dear cousins live in the
metroplex.  We are thankful to have
Patric nearby and ready to help if needed.
Grandmother & PaPa also had
to check out CNS on their own...
isn't this a GREAT pic?!?
It's so deceiving how good he looks! 
We quickly realized what a great move
it was to CNS.  We are so thankful for this
place and all the people working there.
It's cool to see another step in
 God's miracle that we know of as
Travis.

We also continue to be amazed at the
support we have been receiving.
Like this sweet student of mine
who couldn't wait to buy a
Support Travis shirt!
Thanks, Nick:)))
We are also amazed at Logan
(my third nephew who is 16) and
his incredible talent on the computer!!!
He designed this in honor of Travis...
and Lynna chose it for our
benefit shirts!!!
"The steadfast love of the Lord never
ceases;  his mercies never come to an
end;  they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-24

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