Brace Yourself!

Finally, we got the long awaited carbon fiber, spring loaded, lock enabled brace!  Like a lot of things, getting to the right place/person/insurance approved company, etc was a challenge but...what a wonderful after Christmas gift.  It is so fancy, you'd think we got a new car with all our excitement!  You'd be expecting to see more than you do, but the fact that it is small is one of the best features!  Brad, Thomas' friend I've mentioned earlier, said today..."It sounds like its bionic or something... like the Six Million Dollar Man!"  Since the price tag was  a little shy of six million, we feel like we got a heck of a deal!  :) Doesn't really matter anyway... so worth it.  Thomas is still figuring out the kinks and it will take some getting used to, but its already proven to be a value...
For the first time in 6 weeks since his release from the hospital, T was going into the Med on crutches (vs wheelchair).  It had been raining here all day and we were late since we spent extra time at the 'brace place' practicing and getting detailed instructions.  We were making time down the hallway to Clinic when one crutch slipped.  If it had been one day earlier, down he would have gone.  Its too early yet for him to walk on the brace unassisted by crutches but, it definitely provides security already.  That's just a wonderful feeling for him.  Me too!

We are exactly TWELVE weeks into this whole journey.  I can't believe it.  Fast and slow...

T gets stronger every day.  He is probably the hardest worker I've ever met... I knew that he was driven in his career but this has brought a whole new side of him to light.  I dont' know if its being the fifth of five kids or just a special God given gift, probably some of both, but he is very determined.  He has set some goals for himself as to when he plans to be entirely prosthetic free (no crutches, no brace)!  If any of you saw Gwynth Paltrow on Glee this past fall, she sang a cleaned up version of the C-Lo Song..( her version) entitled "Forget You".  You can google her appearance on Glee and get it from YouTube.  She was awesome!  But anyway, that's kind of the song I sing in my head (cause you don't want to hear me singing out loud) about that infamous visit to the hand specialist! :) Ugh.

We love you guys for caring for our family, for Thomas and for your faithful friendship and prayers.  Its in my plan to try to update the blog about once a week at minimum.  I hope to start a tribute series next.  I'm rolling it around in my head (I've got LOTS of planing time while relaxing in the clinic waiting room at the Med) the things I want to share about many of you, our family and friends who have helped carry us through this, who have been the hands and feet of Jesus.  I have funny stories and tearful ones.  I want to get them down because just in talking with my sisters over the holiday, its amazing the things I am already forgetting. 

I hope you shared a joyful Christmas with YOUR family and friends.  We certainly did.  We are blessed with precious, fun, funny, kind people in our immediate world.  As we get ready to enter a new year, we are filled with hope and we are certainly looking forward to health and blessings that we can both give and receive. 

HIOTT....
Julie