Travis being at home is
WONDERFUL! Of course it has
its' challenges though;( mostly
for Lynna. As is often the case,
the main caretaker gets all
of the patient's frustration taken out
on him or her. This is true
with Lynna and Travis, too!
They are both pretty stubborn
people, plus mother & son,
and many other aspects all
rolled into this ONE situation!
They make the most of it though.
God bless, BLESS and please
bless their hearts more!!!
Most people haven't a clue
what all of this is like for
Travis or Lynna or any of us
for that matter. And on the very
same note, most people don't
know what it's like to feel
as BLESSED as we do......
and when I say blessed, I mean
BLESSED!!!!!!!!!! Nothing
material......all people, all love,
all miracle...all straight from God.
Travis has never lost that million
dollar smile!:) Talk about a blessing!!!
The STORM is always popping
in to see their favorite Superman!
This little dude is most often with me.
I try to get over to Trav's
every day to do "speech"
with him. He repeats the alphabet after
me and we work on sounds together.
Sometimes the sound comes and
sometimes it doesn't.
It's QUITE amazing to say the least!!!
Of course it doesn't sound like he would
like it to sound YET...but boy
the progress he is making!!!
And his DRIVE...
his DETERMINIATION...
his DETERMINIATION...
it puts me to shame!!!
If I miss a day of "speech", he is so
quick to call me out on it...usually
around 5 in the morning.
(Poor guy can't sleep long even
with sleep aids...another TBI result).
with sleep aids...another TBI result).
I also use a tongue depressor like his
real speech therapists use to help work
his tongue muscles. I try to pay close
attention to everything he does in
therapy so I can mimic it as best as
I can on his non-speech days.
I've asked him to call me, "Dr. Pierce"
but he won't! Just shakes his head
and laughs. ha ha!;)
I think it's Hudson that takes
away my professionalism! ;)))
away my professionalism! ;)))
Thank Goodness there's
never a dull moment at Trav's.....
Between Travis, Hunter, the dogs
AND the Storm.....it's always WILD;)
Last Friday night we were over there
and Walker had Reese and Kierra
sitting with him. He told me
to text Hunter at the movies and tell him,
"There's a new dog whisperer in town!"
Oddly enough pushing a grocery cart is
an EXCELLENT way for Travis to
exercise and practice walking.
They have had carts at all of the brain
rehabilitation facilities he's been in.
So this day a trip to
Wal-Mart was in order!!!!!!!!!!
Trav's day consists of getting up VERY
early. His first aid comes at 7. The aids
do not have to do much for him other
than administer his feedings
and medications throughout
the day and make sure he doesn't fall
(which he does A LOT because he
won't use the walker around the house).
It's unbelievable to see him move about
the house. To think he was in diapers
for months during and even after his coma.
This boy has had to re-learn EVERYTHING.
I still cringe thinking about what all his
body and then he went through
AND continues to go through:(
He does sit ups throughout the day
and walks on the treadmill in the evenings.
He has been bound and determined
since the very beginning. He's never
just given up...oh maybe a day here
or there, but he ALWAYS gets back
up. STronger, too. He spends most of
his time on his phone texting or on
Facebook. We wish this weren't the
case but it's really all he has. I think
Facebook is as much of a curse
as it is a blessing for him.
Sure it's his way to communicate
with others and to keep up, but
it's also a daily reminder of how
all of his friends have moved on
or are moving on...graduating college,
getting married, working, etc:(
He loves for any and all of us to
drop in...we are guaranteed a smile
most anytime:) and usually a thumbs-up,
too! He struggles with his "filter"...
knowing appropriate things
to write on Facebook and in texts.
This is part of his TBI and it's so
sad. Travis was and IS the most
gentlemanly guy. My mother would
always have chosen Travis as her
most mannerly and kindest grandchild.
Travis is very lonely much of the time.
Travis rarely, RARELY complains
about his situation. This amazes
me. Sure, he gets angry and he'll
write a horrible text or lash out
at his mom...pretty much the same
things that I do over petty, stupid
things that I have absolutely NO
reason in the world to throw a fit
over!!! He gets down, too. He
gets very down and it breaks our
hearts. He just bounces
back though and is always
quick to realize "it is what it is"
and move on. I often try to encourage
him to wake up the next day
new and refreshed and ya know,
he does. He really, really does.
As I've said over and over,
I can handle the not talking, the
not eating and the not walking...
but him suffering and being sad
is a killer to my heart and to
the rest of my family. It is
truly painful:( I wish I didn't know
what a true broken heart felt like.
And my sister...
it's all just about killing her.
For Travis To have been so vibrant
and full of life and personality
and now this:(
Thank God we have
HOPE though!
I fully believe there IS a reason and
a purpose for all of this
and I can't wait to continue to
watch it unfold for Travis.
Please continue to pray for him!
"Suffering has been stronger than all
other teaching, and has taught me to
understand what your heart used
to be. I have been bent and broken,
but I - hope - into a better shape."
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Isn't he SO handsome?!?
Many brain injury patients lose
their looks...it's the truth.
Obviously Travis did NOT though!!!
He always could pull off pink, too!;)
One aspect of him coming home
that we prayed and fretted over was the
aids and how they would be with Trav.
We have been SO blessed in this area.
Holly, his first one, was AWESOME...
unfortunately she had to move back
home to another state. We were
so sad to see her go, but she served
her purpose. God knew we would
need someone like her to ease into
this. Another who has been an
absolute BLESSING is Brenda.
She has actually just been filling
in through the absence of Holly
and then his other aid having to
have emergency surgery. Brenda
is an angel on earth!!!!!!!!!!!
She and Trav have hit it off...
she's cool and so interested in Travis.
She helps him practice his
speech, works with him on his
writing, talks to him, encourages
him, and hangs with him!
We LOVE Brenda!!!
Hudson and I look forward
to hanging with her, too, when we go! ;)
God love his heart...
thank Goodness Travis didn't lose
his sense of humor or his LAUGH!!!
I love to hear him laugh...
still sounds like Chewbacca
and it is AWESOME:)))))
Trav's drive is something you just
don't see too often. He doesn't quit
AND won't quit!!!!!!! A few nights
ago he came over to hang out. He
spelled out for Troy that he wanted to
go and walk in the grass in the backyard.
Why?!? So he could walk unassisted
and if he fell, it wouldn't hurt!!!
So smart! So handsome! So buff!
Doesn't he look AMAZING?
Travis comes up with ideas all the time.
Things that HE can do to help himself...
like recently he asked me to get him
some books so he could try to learn to
write in cursive again. He has totally
taught himself to write in print again.
The first time we handed him a
pen in hopes that he could write us
something, all he could do was scribble:(
Now his printing is legible.
Speaking of his handwriting,
Travis is back going to Baylor for
Speech. He goes on Mondays
and Wednesdays. Grandmother, PaPa
and I take him. His new therapist
is AWESOME!!! She's such a cool
chick and she gets Trav;)
He has individual therapy with her
and then group therapy.
Last week we played a
game during group, and Travis
got the question: "What would
you do if you had a million dollars?"
Well, I never know what answer
he is going to write or plug into
his iPad to say! ha;))) He is quite
the cut-up at speech and everyone
loves him!!! I was so amazed
and proud of his answer for this
question though............
Weeks before he shared that answer (which
made me cry right then and there!!!),
he had written this post on his Facebook:
What a GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it...
Man of Steel Center of Hope
Speaking of his handwriting,
Travis is back going to Baylor for
Speech. He goes on Mondays
and Wednesdays. Grandmother, PaPa
and I take him. His new therapist
is AWESOME!!! She's such a cool
chick and she gets Trav;)
He has individual therapy with her
and then group therapy.
Last week we played a
game during group, and Travis
got the question: "What would
you do if you had a million dollars?"
Well, I never know what answer
he is going to write or plug into
his iPad to say! ha;))) He is quite
the cut-up at speech and everyone
loves him!!! I was so amazed
and proud of his answer for this
question though............
Weeks before he shared that answer (which
made me cry right then and there!!!),
he had written this post on his Facebook:
What a GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it...
Man of Steel Center of Hope
I suppose our BIGGEST prayer
over all of this isn't for Travis to
talk, eat or walk again. Of course
those are HUGE prayers...but
moreso that he CAN and WILL
embrace God fully and truly
realize the purpose that God
has for him in this life. We see
glimpses of Travis letting go
and letting God.......
He's a mess, there's no doubt about that!;)
I just know though with all my heart
that God can and will use Travis
in a mighty way!!!!!!!!!!!
But Travis has to fully open up
and give God his heart.
There's a lot there...
and whether Travis admits it or not,
there has to be some unresolved
hurt and pain over all of this happening.
I know I deal with it and yell
out at God at times.
It's NOT fair and it HURTS.
"I pray that out of his glorious riches
he may strengthen you with power
through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith. And I pray that you,
being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all
the saints, to grasp how wide
and long and high and deep is
the love of Christ, and to know
this love that surpasses knowledge --
that you may be filled to the measure
of all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:16-19
This little Superboy loves him
some Travis. He's so sensitive
and cute to the needs of Travis.
My children will always have this
whole entire ordeal in their hearts.
I pray that it helps them in ways
I can't even fathom or plan...
"Therefore, whenever we have the
opportunity, we should do
good to everyone."
Galations 6:10
On Walker's birthday as he blew out
his candles, he gave us a hint
that he has been wishing the same
thing for the last two years and it
has to do with Superman! Troy
and I both about melted.
I don't doubt that my entire family
has been making the same exact
wish as well, but for my little
man ~ my little ten year old son ~
to have the depth and complexity
and compassion to be wishing this.
It blew me away and made me
so proud. I guess this is one way
I'm seeing this ordeal play out
in my children's lives.
I told Travis about this the other
day and later that night
he wrote this on Troy's wall...
("sick" in Travis Terms means "cool")
"Big T will be back nevertheless"...
That is soooooooooooooo Travis.
So very, VERY Travis.
I'll never get over this. Never, EVER.
And when I say that, I don't mean
it in an entirely negative way.
I miss the Travis who had so much
going for him...so much life ahead
of him...the guy who could talk
me into anything...the one who
would jump over the counter
when we walked into Zeb's
and yell "Livin' the Dream",
and just so much more!!!!!!!!!!!!!:(
I took this picture of the kids with
Travis a few weeks before his accident.
If only I had known then.
But.I.didn't:(
I look at this picture every day
and I thank God that I don't have
to long to hug Travis or laugh
with Travis. That was almost the case.
Thank God it wasn't!
And for that reason, I'm NOT
going to lose hope...
never give up...
try to not miss a day of supporting
and helping Travis...
and ALWAYS give God
all the credit especially
as Travis accepts and fully
gives in to the what must
be an AMAZING purpose
on this earth!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Character cannot be developed
in ease and quiet. Only through
experiences of trial and suffering can the
soul be strengthened, vision
cleared, ambition inspired,
and success achieved."
- Helen Keller
"We wait in hope for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
In Him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in His holy name.
May your unfailing love be
with us, Lord, even as we put
our hope in you."
Psalm 33:20-22
This is beautiful, Mindy...so full of love, support, hope, perseverance, and faith.
ReplyDeleteAs I have said many times, God is not finished with Travis. I have no doubt that there will be even more miracles in his life! I pray for him - and your family - every day.
You are one of the most loving, giving people I have ever known...a blessing to your family and friends!
Love you!