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