Addesa Family Update, March 2008

Simply Amazing... I barely get two letters typed on this update, and I hear the volcanic eruption of Addesa zaniness downstairs. Apparently Noah just did something deserving cheers and laughter. (I’d better stay on task with this update and check the details later. I don’t want a repeat of last week because of my tardiness.)

By the way, I think it would be very appropriate to formally mention Noah’s two rehab therapists, since they have been on local news coverage with him this year. The Physical Therapist’s name is Emily, and the Occupational Therapist is Lisa B. I put her last initial there for reference, so readers don’t mistake her for my bride.

   

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(The first picture you see of Noah in his stander is about six weeks old. It will help me illustrate their comments)

Emily and Lisa B's notes:"Noah is doing something he has never done before. We allow him to hold his head up on his own and blow soapy bubbles near his face and ask him to dodge them. He has begun to do this successfully. Emily had exclamation points in her notes saying, “I am very excited that Noah is tucking in his chin and avoiding the bubbles!" One more reminder from last week as it relates to this picture of Noah in the stander. He no longer requires the chest strap you see on him. He leans forward on his forearms to support himself.

 

"Noah continues to improve his rolling movements while on the floor. He has a delayed response but is beginning to do it without our initiating the motion.”

“Noah is sitting up straighter (on his floor exercises). He is not leaning to his left side like he used to anymore.”

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Now the last pictureture is from two weeks ago, when we had a fifty-degree day (that’s considered cold around these parts) and we took him for a walk around the lake. Note his headrest as I explain this next observation from Lisa and Emma. They told me during one of their walks with him this week that on three separate occasions Noah preformed the following movements: he lifted his head off the headrest and allowed his head to slowly fall backward and end up almost behind the side of the headrest. In the past, his neck strength was not sufficient enough for him to roll his head back in place on the headrest. Therefore, we had to assist him.  This week, however, on those three instances he lifted his head from underneath the side pads and placed his head back in position on his own! Go Noah! (I wish I was a little bird in the tree above…..I’m sure there was an Addesa hoot happening somewhere along the neighborhood walking path!)

 Finally, on a subtler note, Lisa is noticing that Noah is able to voluntarily relax his hands when she asks him. This is a wonderful progression from a time when his hands stayed in a “claw” position. Psalm 18:29-34 "For by You I can run through a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall; He makes my feet like hinds' feet [able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble]; He sets me securely upon my high places. He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze." God was able to do these amazing things for a king named David almost three thousand years ago. He can do the same for a prince named Noah in 2008.

Love…david   

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Last Updated: March 14, 2008 at 3:46pm

Next update will be posted March 21, 2008 by 4:00pm

 

It’s Good Friday and we have blessed our great staff with an early holiday break for the weekend. Because of that, there will not an update this week. (What you read here each week requires IT skills that I greatly lack!) Until next week I leave you with this thought… Acts 4:33 “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” As you celebrate His Resurrection, may you give witness of it (to others) because of His “great power” manifesting in your life. Love…david

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Last Updated: March 21, 2008 at 11:28am
Next update will be posted March 28, 2008 by 4:00pm

 

I hope you all had a great Easter. The weather here has been bouncing between the 60’s & 70’s for some time now so we are enjoying a great spring. Today it’s supposed to be 81 degrees. That means a lot of walks with Noah around town.  

Let me start with a couple of pictures to help illustrate some new things Lisa and I have introduced (with the blessing of the therapists). We bought a special bicycle device advertised in Airline Mall magazines. It allows a busy executive to actually pedal  like a bike... as opposed to a product :) while doing work at a desk.

When we first tried it with Noah it was difficult because of the dystonia in his leg muscles. The condition causes his muscles to become rock hard and difficult to stretch or use in normal range of motions exercises. It used to require Lisa to work with one leg and me the other to get them to freely cycle with our arms being the locomotion. Now either one of us can use it with Noah. Although he is not exerting his own muscle strength yet, one of us can pedal with our hands at a high rate of speed. His legs have loosened up significantly. It’s quite an improvement. 

Some overall patterns of gradual and continued progress in the area of laughing, attempted vocalization, and eating more frequently.  

Here are some notes from therapists Lisa & Emily:  

“Noah continues to work hard at rolling over and is also working on tight abs (4 to 6 pack). Noah continues stabilizing in his standing position in the hydraulic stander.  

“We continue to observe his ability to sit in his chair with his shoulders back like a solider standing at attention which indicates that his upper back is getting stronger”  

1 Corinthians 9:24-26 "Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step." Noah’s recovery has taught us many great life lessons. As we run with him the race at hand, we know that one day the prize will make all the labor worthwhile. Thanks for running with us.

Love…david

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Last Updated: March 28, 2008 at 4:00pm
Next update will be posted April 4, 2008 by 4:00pm

 

For eleven months now Noah has been under some type of professional medical care or therapy. Thankfully these needs have diminished to the place of home therapy. Though very professional in their practice with Noah, his therapists have integrated into the Addesa family “spirit”. As I read their notes today, it made me smile. Especially the second note:

“Noah is learning to fire up his triceps muscles. In addition,  he is able to do the same with his biceps with the help of gravity.”

“Noah likes to get attention by dropping his head to the right and back. We have adjusted his headrest to prevent him from doing this (prank). We are waiting to see what he will do next to get our attention. Noah has a good sense of humor . ”

"Noah is beginning to lift his right shoulder to help the motion of rolling over (on the floor).”

Concerning the second notation from his therapist (above); earlier this week he actually was initiating that motion of allowing his head to droop forward. Lisa and I were coaxing him to lift his head back into his headrest and I had a whimsical thought. I pulled a dollar bill out of my pocket and held it in front of Noah and said,  “Noah… I’ll give this dollar if you put your head back in the headrest.” He looked at me with an impish smile and then proceeded to lift his head immediately back into his headrest! Lisa and I laughed our loud. Oh yeah… I put the dollar between his fingers. I think he must get that from his mother’s side of the family. :)

One final anecdotal from Noah’s room... this was a scene that took place because of Noah’s increasing vocalizations. He is trying to talk more and more. I was in the kitchen with Hannah (which is only about eight feet away from Noah’s bed) and mentioned that it was cooler out side and that maybe she ought to wear a jacket. Out of nowhere Noah spoke out, “Hannnnah.” (It was slightly protracted but nevertheless distinctly her name). Hannah ran into the room and with astonishment said, “Noah you said my name!” It was marvelous to hear from where I was located. Something connected in that moment and he “went for it.” Though he is trying to sort out how to do that on a regular basis, moments like that usually come unexpectedly. Nevertheless, when they do come… it brings more joy to our home. I pray it does to your heart as well. Until next time may He surprise you with blessings you did not expect.

Love… david

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Last Updated: March 28, 2008 at 4:00pm
Next update will be posted April 4, 2008 by 4:30pm