UPDATE 9/22:

Whew, it’s been a while and I’m sorry for that. After the 3rd UTI in 6 weeks I pushed pretty hard for a urology consult. The urologist came up and wanted to do a bladder cystoscopy. He said ultrasound is a great tool for the kidneys but not so great for the bladder. Gabe had the cystoscopy on 9/16 and sure enough his bladder is full of stones. Of course that’s not good, but we’re so thankful to have an explanation for the frequent UTI’s. Unfortunately they were too large to try to remove during the cystoscopy so he has been scheduled to go nextdoor to Piedmont on the morning of 10/5 where they will use a laser to break them up and then flush them out. 

His BP seems to have stabilized quite a bit and we’re so thankful for that! We adjusted a couple of his meds and think his body is finally adjusting to his injury some. Since his BP has been more stable, he has been able to spend a lot more time in his manual wheelchair which is SO wonderful! He still has some soreness and neck pain but he’s mostly powering through that to be able to stay in the manual chair. He’s continued to work on slide board transfers and car transfers! 

New sensation we’ve discovered since the last update!! He can consistently feel light touch on his right butt cheek and down his right hamstring. He can also sometimes feel deep pressure behind his right knee. He’s also been having some burning in his bladder. As uncomfortable as that is, we’re thrilled he’s feeling his bladder. 

The plan is still for us to discharge from inpatient and move over to the outpatient day program on THIS THURSDAY 9/24!! We are nervous but so very excited! This is the next step and gets us 1 step closer to home!! 

Tomorrow and Thursday are big days and we would greatly appreciate lots and lots of prayers. 

Tomorrow they will complete his exit ASIA exam. This is the exam they complete to determine level of injury and whether the injury is complete or incomplete. We knew nothing about any of this before Gabe’s injury and there’s lots that goes into the ASIA exam. We have learned a lot and still don’t know it all. He is currently classified as a C7 complete from the ASIA exam he had completed the day after we arrived at Shepherd Center. We are believing that because of all of this new sensation he’s developed in the 10 weeks we’ve been here, something on that exam will change. Miraculous results that are truly unexplainable by the people here that do this everyday. 

Thursday is graduation and moving day. It will be so exciting but also emotional. The people here have become like family and we will miss them. This place has been home for Gabe and me for the last 10 weeks. We’ve watched other families come and go and each one was bittersweet. As I took all of the cards and pictures off of his walls today in preparation for the move, I thought about each person that has written, texted, called, prayed (so many people praying that don’t even know us). That wall full of cards, drawings, positive words, and scriptures has carried us through many hard days here. Gabe said “mom the wall looks so sad now that it’s empty.” The biggest THANK YOU to all of you for carrying us through these last 10 weeks. The first step is almost complete. On to step #2 where we are believing more great things are going to continue to happen. We love you all so much 

“The Lord is my strength and shield; in Him, my heart trusted, and I have been helped. Therefore, my heart is filled with joy, and I will sing praises to Him.” Psalm 28:7

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sinsand heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” 

Psalm 103: 1-5