Safe Landing + Going "Loko"

We can hardly believe a month has passed since we wrote an update: March has been busy indeed! We've been getting a lot of questions about the status of the Lokomat and Chicago travels, which is great, because we have good news to share on both fronts!

The Chicago trip went very well! We were well prepared and knew what to expect, thanks to receiving some expert advice from fellow SCI patients and mentors. One of the benefits of traveling in a wheelchair is getting to skip the security line, but one of the drawbacks is how many transfers you have to do to get to your seat and back again. For instance, when we landed in Chicago, Thom had to transfer from his seat on the plane to a rickety chair (that fits down the plane aisle), to an airport wheelchair, to his power chair.  Fortunately, his transfers have become so much stronger that this wasn't a problem.

The conference was in the airport hotel, so we didn't have to brave Chicago winter. (We even managed to fit in a short visit with some dear friends after the welcome dinner.) The conference was informative, but re-confirmed our decision to wait on the baclofen pump. The other SCI patients were all further out from their injury and had a better idea of what they needed in terms of spasticity treatment. Overall, it was an excellent practice for our up-coming trip to France! We did take away a lot from the conference. It was an incredible experience meeting other SCIs and inspiring to hear their stories. 

Back home in DC, Thom had his first training session in the Lokomat last week!!!

The circumstances worked out perfectly. A snowstorm had prevented some of the other patients from coming in. Thom is never one to let bad weather to keep him from therapy: since Metro Access wasn't running, Thom called a handicap accessible cab instead to bring him in. When he arrived, his physical therapist told him the Lokomat was finally up and running and they had just gotten off the phone with the Lokomat's designers in Switzerland where they approved the Lokomat open for business! It took about two hours to customize the machine to Thom's dimensions and create his user profile in the system. Now customized to his profile, future sessions can pick up where he left off each time and will track the minutiae of progress. He has already noticed that the Lokomat is good for "gait training" (making strides of the proper length and coordinating the timing of the legs with each other). It is also excellent for warming his legs up and getting the muscles firing. After about 30 minutes in the Lokomat, Thom's therapist had him exit the machine and practice walking with a platform walker suspended from the ceiling in the ZeroG. Thom's left leg can now consistently take steps without assistance, the right leg is close behind.

Thom continues to make progress in other areas of PT and OT, but we will save those for the next post and hope to update these pages more frequently! Thank you for continuing on this long journey with us!

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See what others are saying about #IStandWithThomasPeters Day.

Video: Thomas Peters on Fox5 Talking About the Lokomat

For two months, Thomas Peters couldn't talk, but today he's using his voice to make a difference for all SCI patients in Washington, DC. Last night Thomas was featured in a segment on DC's local Fox5 nightly news report.

They did this segment to draw attention to the problem of the broken Lokomat -- a machine that helps SCI patients learn to walk again. As Will Thomas (the reporter) says in the segment, Thomas and Natalie are "not only impressed, but grateful" for the care of the doctors and therapists at NRH, which is, indeed, a state-of-the-art facility, nationally known for their care of SCI patients. But to get the Lokomat working would be a boon for all SCI patients. They are optimistic that they can find a solution.

View the segment here: Fighting to Walk Again

Please keep this in your prayers! Thank you for your support!

PRAY + SUPPORT + SHARE

 

From Natalie: The First Week of Outpatient Rehab!

Once more we would like to express our gratitude for the incredible support and prayers we received!  The media-thon exceeded all of our expectations!  We had a great time seeing many of you at the #IStandWithThomasPeters reception here in DC.

So what's the latest?  Thomas' first full week of out-patient therapy went very well! He attends three days a week for three to four hours each day. Prior to beginning this program, he was evaluated extensively by a physical and occupational therapist; they established a baseline so that progress can be tracked and we discussed goals. Thomas now works with these therapists one-on-one each day. Thomas really likes them both, they are very creative, demanding, and passionate about what they do. They have high expectations for him and believe a lot can be accomplished with hard work and continued focus. Thomas was relieved to find out he had not lost momentum over the two weeks in between discharge and starting back to rehab -- thanks to our in-home workouts! -- he returned back to therapy even stronger! On days when he is home we continue to prioritize these exercises to keep him strong and limber. With the generous financial assistance we have received we may be adding more therapy to Thomas' rehab days.  

I had to laugh when Thomas said his physical therapist told him that he had completed the initial goals she set for him and is already exceeding her expectations! Rest assured, she is preparing new goals and challenges.

Since coming home we have been practicing daily tasks and coming up with solutions to help Thomas be as independent as possible. One of our personal goals was for him to commute to and attend rehab on his own. With lots of work, we are achieving this goal! I help him get ready for the day and packed up, but then he is off on his own! It's exciting to meet back up for dinner to discuss the day!

We have begun the process of selecting and ordering his manual wheelchair. They took his measurements and the paperwork is rolling ahead. Once our selection is made, it can take up to 3 months to build, so we're getting on it now!  

Despite the cold, we are striving to do more outings together. We had a great time attending a friend's wedding in Georgetown this past weekend (photo above) and Thomas now joins me on errands which is a lot of fun.  

We do not have much of a break for Thanksgiving week (and we don't want one!) but we are looking forward to a cozy Thanksgiving for two with a lovely duck and treats that we brought back from our honeymoon in France. We wish you and your families a very blessed and joyful Thanksgiving! We certainly feel we have much to be grateful for this year!

PRAY + SUPPORT + SHARE

See what others are saying about #IStandWithThomasPeters Day.

From Natalie: First Update from Home!

Thomas and Natalie spent their first week in their new apartment together - Natalie sent along this update yesterday:

• I am adjusting to the demands of caring for Thomas full-time and this week returned to working part-time from home.

• The discharge process at rehab was chaotic and disorganized; we spent most of Thomas' first days home sorting out prescriptions, medical supplies, and insurance.

• With rigorous practice, we are encouraged that transfers [movement from bed to chair, etc.] are getting better, as Thomas gets stronger. We are beginning to get a sense of Thomas' routine, medication management, and prioritize his daily exercise program.

• In the rush of the past week, we even fit in time to do some cooking: a pork roast, gourmet burgers, and a homemade pasta sauce.

• We try to fit in a small outing each day and explore our new neighborhood together - and enjoy the fall colors that are finally showing up in DC

• Thomas receives one in-home OT or PT session each day of the week to keep him in shape and I have learned how to do these exercises with him.

• Next week Thomas has an evaluation at rehab for the out-patient program and we continue to look into other options to boost therapy. These months are the most critical for his recovery, and Thomas is eager not to lose momentum from his intense therapy in rehab.

• This weekend we're going on an adventure! We're going on a pilgrimage via train to the cathedral in Philadelphia to venerate the relics of Blessed Louis & Zélie Martin, and their daughter St. Therese of Lisieux. We prayed to this holy couple in the days leading up to our wedding and had already made plans to do this trip before the accident. Our pilgrimage is one of thanksgiving for the gift of marriage and blessings received.

Join us in prayer!

It's Moving Week

The following update is from Natalie!

It's moving week for the Peters! -- which explains a lull in our blogging.  Here are some updates!

Natalie and a team of friends are moving the Peters into their new apt this Saturday.  The following day, Thomas has a day pass from rehab to visit the new apartment.  He is very excited to see their new home for the first time and the couple will be able to ensure the set-up is workable for Thomas.

They have been very busy with preparations for his transition home!  He is scheduled for discharge on the 29th of this month, if all goes according to plan!  As we have mentioned before, he will then be in out-patient rehab 3 days per week.  Those specifics are still being organized.  His therapists have been helping them determine what medical supplies and equipment will be needed, including a hospital bed and power lift to help get him in and out of bed.  Thomas' therapy sessions continue as usual, and day by day they see improvement, but there is an even greater focus right now on his occupational therapy sessions focusing on home-skills.  Natalie continues spending sessions at rehab for home-care training and practice with Thomas.  They will take a short break from out-patient rehab during his first week home, so they can settle into their own routine for his care.  During his first week home, they hope to have a home health aide to assist during this transition.  During this week, Natalie will begin a transition back to work and plans to work primarily from home. 

Last week Thomas had an outing to the Metro Access Headquarters here in DC to apply for his disability membership.  He will be using Metro Access to commute to rehab.    

Thomas' episodes of AD have been under control since the last update and for several days now he has had no trouble with his blood pressure.  AD is something that will always be a factor, but becoming familiar with the triggers has been a great help! 

Reminder, it is Day 3 for the Novena to St. Jude!  Keep praying along with us!

Join us in prayer!

Update: AD, Leg Muscles, Fingers + the St. Francis Novena!

Straight from Natalie:

Since arriving at rehab, we have been learning a lot about a syndrome, common to all SCI (spinal cord injury) patients, called autonomic dysrefelxia (known as AD).  AD is very dangerous and can be life-threatening if not treated immediately.  AD can be triggered by any persistent irritant, such as full bowel or bladder, being too hot or too cold, restrictive clothing, stress, or pain. 

Around 3am Monday morning Thomas experienced his first episode of AD.  The irritant  was successfully identified, and eventually they were able to get his blood pressure down, but his headache persisted and he was taken to the emergency room for a CTscan, as a precautionary measure, to ensure that no brain damage occurred.  By the time everything was resolved, Thomas had lost the night's sleep and was too fatigued to participate in therapy that day. The following day Thomas had a normal day of rehab, but later, Thomas and Natalie were enjoying a quiet evening when he had another episode of AD.  After a painful and concerning 2 hours, the trigger was once again identified. 

AD is very serious, but it is common among SCI patients.  The doctors and nurses at rehab are very familiar with it and are educating Thomas and Natalie about what to do when it occurs.  These episodes are unsettling, but they are a blessing in disguise: the couple is glad they are experiencing this before being discharged.  Every person's system has different triggers and their body reacts differently.  They are learning what triggers AD for Thomas and what his symptoms are.  This will be life-saving in future episodes.

Some exciting news to share -- Thomas has some new muscle groups waking up!  His adductors (inner thigh muscle) and his left calf muscle.  Muscle strength is tested on a scale from 1-5; Thomas' are at a 1 on the scale, but it's one more group of muscles his therapists can begin working on! 

A special thank you to all of you who have joined us in our novena to St. Francis for the recovery of Thomas' fingers (which is still on-going).  This week he has seen some return!  He now has slight independent movement of his left thumb, pointer finger, ring finger, and pinky!  Again, he is a 1 on the scale of strength, but this is incredibly exciting to see!  Today his therapists started stimming his left hand to encourage these new muscles!

Thomas and Natalie continue to have days of training together, focusing on different types of transfers, bed mobility, bathing, and weight lifting.  They have also been busy making preparations for Thomas' discharge home.  There are numerous details to sort out between his therapists and the insurance company to make sure their new apartment is prepared to meet the needs of his care. 

Join us in prayer!

St. Francis Novena, Wheelchairs + an Adventure Outdoors

Hi All! Sorry for the silence: it's been a busy busy week for Thomas and Natalie!

Many of you may not know that Natalie will be assuming the role of care giver, rather than having home assistance. This week Natalie spent her first full day at rehab working with Thomas and learning the techniques for his home care. They specifically worked on practicing transfers (from chair to bed, bed to chair, etc.). "It's fun to be working side by side together!"  Through October she will be spending a lot of time at rehab with him, learning and practicing everything to ensure his transition home is successful.

His team is in agreement that he will most likely be discharged the beginning of November, just in time to come home to the new apartment. He will then begin their day program, which is the same number of hours of therapy per day, but they get to live at home! And to that end, after a long search, they have found a new apartment that is wheelchair accessible. Natalie wrote: "Thank you for all of your prayers and tips to help us with our search!"

They also had a meeting this week with the rehab's wheelchair representative. Insurance will cover the one chair per seven years and there has been a lot of discussion about whether to get Thomas a power chair or a manual chair to go home in. For the longer-term a manual chair is ideal, for many reasons, but Thomas is not quite strong enough to be using a manual exclusively. But, because his status is changing (meaning, he continues to gain function), the wheelchair rep is giving Thomas a free loaner power chair until he is ready to purchase a manual chair! Great news!

Thomas and fellow patients were taken on an outing a few miles from rehab to give them real-world practice in their wheelchairs. They were given free time to wander and told to identify "barriers" in the community. Thomas said it went really well, but that barriers were certainly opening doors in the manual wheelchair, sidewalk ramps when crossing the street, and uneven sidewalks. He said people were friendly and helpful. He bought a coffee and, since we're having an Indian Summer in DC, he bought a volleyball to practice throwing! A successful excursion!

Lastly, yesterday Thomas began moving his entire left foot at the hinge! It's incredibly exciting!

NOVENA TO ST. FRANCIS

A Dominica Friar shared this story of St. Francis of Assisi (who's feast we celebrate today):

At Gubbio, there was a woman with both hands so crippled that she was unable to handle anything with them. When she heard that Saint Francis had entered the city, she immediately ran to him. With a sad and mournful face she showed him her crippled hands and begged him to touch them. He was moved with great pity. He touched her hands and healed them. The woman immediately returned home full of joy, made a cheesecake with her own hands, and offered it to the holy man. He kindly took a little of that cake and told her to eat the rest of it with her family.

 — The Life of Saint Francis by Thomas of Celano (1229)

This inspired Thomas to begin praying to St. Francis for recovery of mobility in his fingers. Thomas and Natalie are starting a novena to St. Francis today, and we invite you all to join us! 

Click here for the Litany of St. Francis and his prayer to the Immaculate Conception.
(Or click the "Novena" link above.)




Join us in prayer!

Superheroes of the Real World

Thomas and Natalie's follow-up appointment with the University of Maryland Shock Trauma team of neurosurgeons was postponed till tomorrow, so we don't have much to update you on. These days have been ones of steady work for Thomas, and, during the weekend, much needed rest and quiet.

In rehab, Thomas began working on transfers -- from his bed to the wheelchair and his wheelchair to an elevated mat in the gym. This is done using a transfer board and required maximum assistance from his therapist. The long-term goal is for Thomas to be able to do transfers with 25% assist (essentially just being spotted by another individual). It will take a long time to work up to that goal; transfers require an incredible amount of upper body strength and balance. But an exciting start!

He was fitted for a customized manual wheelchair (leather gloves and rubber tubing on the wheels help him grip the wheels)! He began using it and will be alternating between the power wheelchair and manual one as his strength increases. He is really excited about it!

His therapist added a weightlifting class to his routine. It was his first time using the outpatient gym -- a very large room with a wall of windows that let in lots of natural light and a view of the changing leaves outside. Not a bad work-out space! He was able to do 5 pounds, but he is just getting started!

Thomas said, "These three things are a reminder of how much more there is to learn, and how much stronger I will need to be before mastering these tasks, but this is an exciting start!"  

+ + +

We also want to share with you this incredible article about the Shock Trauma Center at UMMC, whom Natalie calls the "superheroes of the real world." From the Baltimore Sun.

Within minutes, the patients are wheeled into the Trauma Resuscitation Unit, rushed from the ambulance bay two floors below or the helipad on the roof six floors above. More than a dozen bodies in those pink scrubs surround each patient until they are stable or no longer have a pulse.

It’s a rush of what staff and veterans call “organized chaos” that was responsible for saving more than 8,000 lives last year. The routine at Shock Trauma, the nation’s oldest — and, they say, busiest — trauma center, meanwhile has informed trauma care around the country and world with its focus on the “Golden Hour” — the idea that rapid treatment of traumatic injuries prevents deaths.

It evokes a pride, if not an arrogance, in the health care workers there that has helped drive both high admissions and survival rates.

“I’m not allowed to say, ‘Oh my God, that’s awful,’ ” says Dr. Thomas Scalea, physician-in-chief. “I absolutely believe I am saving that person’s life, even right up until they die. We believe we can do the impossible, and sometimes we do.”

Read the whole article here.


Join us in prayer!

Update: Exercises, Haircuts, and Bits of Progress

Thomas' therapists definitely do not hold back and have a creative approach. His routine continues to evolve and change and he improves every day. The more he can take on, the more he is given to do. The challenge never decreases. Here are some things they've been working on:

1) On Wednesday, with the help of occupational therapy, Thomas was able to take his first shower since the accident! This is great for building strength and coordination.  

2) Also on Wednesday, his physical therapists introduced an exercise involving a standing frame.  It’s a metal frame that he is strapped into, and with the help of a lever, they stand him up. The exercise is meant to help re-engage his brain with the feeling and concept of standing, in hopes that eventually he will once again be able to manipulate his legs. It also helps build core muscles.  An effect of SCI (spinal cord injury) is difficulty regulating blood pressure, so Thomas'  first try in the standing frame lasted 3 seconds. After three tries he was up to 42 seconds. They will continue working on this.

3) We mentioned previously that electrical stimulation (called stimming) has been used on his legs while he uses a powered bike. This week they began stimming on his wrists and hands. This exercise is also meant to re-engage his brain and awaken the muscles in his hands and wrists to help with the recovery of fine-motor skills and strength-building.

4) One of the goals is transitioning him into a manual wheelchair, however to achieve this goal, and several others, Thomas really needed control of his triceps. Thomas and Natalie had been told that it is not uncommon for C-6 SCI patients to never get their triceps back. Needless to say Thomas  made this his prayer for the week and on Thursday he noticed these muscles engaging once again!  On Friday his therapist confirmed that they were back! 

Meanwhile: in anticipation of the weekend, Natalie surprised Thom with a visit from his favorite stylist for his first haircut since their wedding (!!!) -- he is clean-cut once again and looking dapper!

Natalie continues to work with Thomas as he strives to take on more tasks himself. It requires patience and ingenuity as he works to adapt and utilize the limited dexterity he has. His creative problem-solving is definitely working to his advantage; this weekend, on his own, Thomas was able to hold and serve himself coffee, a slice of pizza, and sandwiches.  Exciting steps towards independence!     

Upcoming:

On Wednesday the couple will visit Thomas' neurosurgeon for the first time since moving to rehab, to see how his neck is healing from the fusion surgery. They are hoping for good news! Please keep this in your prayers. 

Join us in prayer!

Thom's Cool Tricks

Thomas is working on regaining his dexterity.  We mentioned earlier that he is now able to use an iPad by typing with the knuckles of his pinky fingers.  We wanted to show you a picture of what the IT guys rigged up to make this possible.  Pretty cool, huh?

Thomas has also been practicing by picking up gummy bears or other small food items and eating them.  He is getting pretty good at it!

OT has also been training Thom on how to use a “helping cuff”.  This device assists Thom to hold things, like a toothbrush or spoon.  He even recently tried a pen! 

Thom’s optimism and creativity is a huge bonus and will be necessary in the coming weeks.

Join us in prayer!

Family Meeting & Outlook

Thomas and Natalie had a meeting last Friday with Thom’s team of doctors, therapists, head nurse, and case manager to talk about the progress he has made thus far, and what the goals are, both upcoming and long-term, for his rehabilitation.  Here's a look at much of what they talked about.

PHYSICAL THERAPY
The current focus of physical therapy is to increase the strength in Thom’s shoulders and upper body.  The long-term goal is to help him become more independent, so he can do more for himself (feed himself, lift things, get dressed, etc.), and eventually transition from his power wheelchair to a manual one.

PT is also focused on helping him regain balance.  He can now sit balanced with his legs crossed at “contact guard level,” meaning he only requires someone spotting him.  Another exercise helps him balance with his legs stretched out in front of him and his arms outstretched behind him.  So far, he can do this exercise at a 50/50 relationship with the therapist, meaning the therapist does 50% of the work.  Achieving good balance is critical for many of PT’s long-term goals, including being able to assist in transferring to a wheelchair or bed, getting dressed, etc.

Late last week physical therapy introduced a stimulation bicycle into his routine. This motorized bicycle operates his legs like he is riding a bike, while electrodes are place on his legs that send shocks in an efforts to “re-train” his brain.  He said that it feels really good.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational Therapy sessions are currently focused on dexterity and upper body coordination.  They are working with him on learning how to roll from side to side and so far this relationship is about 50/50 (again, meaning the therapist does 50% of the work).

Thomas has successfully learned to operate his own power wheelchair and can get around the rehab facility quite well!  Their long-term goals include helping him be able to feed himself post set up (meaning after the meal is prepared and set up for him), dressing himself with limited assistance, and some personal grooming as well (brushing teeth, etc).

NURSING
The nursing team is closely monitoring bowels (including re-training), skin, and pain levels.  SCI (spinal cord injury) patients are especially at risk for skin breakdown and pressure sores which can be incredibly serious and, if incurred, would ultimately halt rehabilitation until healed.  They will be teaching Thomas how to check for signs of breakdown on his own.

OUTLOOK
Looking ahead, the doctors anticipate that Thomas will be living at rehab for the next 6 weeks before being released to come home. (It can be extended to 8 weeks, based on his needs and therapy goals.) While the idea of living at home once again is exciting, rehabilitation certainly doesn’t end. The doctors hope he will be a candidate for the day program at rehab, which would provide the same therapy routine per day, but would allow him evenings and weekends at home.  Following that (for however long it is needed) Thomas would transition to out-patient therapy. More will be know as they go down this path; there is a long journey ahead.

Housing was also discussed, and unfortunately, the newlywed’s current living situation will be impossible for Thom. The quest for a handicap accessible apartment is now underway and will need to be expedited so that medical equipment (wheelchair, etc) can be ordered and arrive in enough time to be ready for his discharge.

Note: if any of our local readers have recommendations of DC apartments that are handicap accessible (elevators, roll-in showers, etc.), please email us at the blog address.

Their case manager is currently compiling additional documents for Natalie to help them with all of these next steps. Much of this depends on what insurance will pay for/allow in terms of length of continued stay, how many days covered for the day program, out-patient rehab etc. Please keep this in your prayers, as well.


Join us in prayer!

An Introduction to Rehab!

We know. We know! You're all wondering what rehab is like!!! We were too -- it's been a very full couple of days for Thomas and Natalie as they settle into a whole new routine. Natalie sent us an update yesterday, and it's just chock full of awesome information.  Rehab is good. But it's hard too.

Here's what she reports:

• Thomas has an extensive team of specialists, therapists, and doctors who are committed to him and his case. Other than a rotation of nurses, the rest of his team, at large, will be consistent.  They will get to know each other and can best evaluate progress and his needs.
  
• His days start at 6:30 am with breakfast. Every day he is given a printed hourly schedule and from this they move him through his day, one type of therapy session to another, until about 4:00pm! There are no sessions on weekends, though Thomas is hoping he'll be able to do some "work" on Saturdays as well. Some sessions are in his room and others are in the main gym.
  
• Unlike at the hospital, he has his own of everything, meaning, his own wheelchair fitted to him, etc. It saves a lot of time that they aren't constantly starting over every day.   

Thom's progress thus far:

• During his first evaluation with his primary doctor, we learned that, while Thomas' fracture is C-5, his injury is actually considered / classified as a C-6.  This score has to do with a whole lot of factors, but basically Thomas has sensation and function below the C-5 level and consistent with C-6. So that's cool!

• His first morning in rehab he was taken off trach collar completely, which means he is receiving no oxygen from an outside source. He is no longer attached to anything whatsoever!  Perhaps this should have been the first bullet, because it's downright amazing to see! 

• Equally amazing, Thomas wears his speaking valve all day long and only takes it off to sleep! Awesome! With ease he is able to communicate all of his needs, ask questions, and be very involved in his therapy sessions.

• His secretions are almost completely gone! He said it's totally unreal. All the pain, and struggle, and work he had to do weeks ago to just be able to breath, and now it's nearly all gone. (Natalie writes: "I count this among our miracles :)  He is so happy!")

• Upcoming, they will downsize his trach and will start putting a "block" on it for short periods of time.  Once the "block" can be tolerated for a full day, the trach can come out. The "block" forces Thom's airflow to only be through his mouth and nose, like we all breathe, weaning him off the trach. (A fun side note, the doctor who will be working on this has a 100% success rate in getting patients off trach support. Thomas is in good hands!)

• He passed his swallow evaluation in 5 minutes flat! He no longer has any restrictions whatsoever! The first thing he asked for was a Dr. Pepper :)  His appetite is finally back and he is eating great! He said the food is actually really good. They get the week's menus in advance and Natalie helps him pick all his meals. (Your RB is thrilled to report that they use some local and organic ingredients - a big improvement from the hospital's offerings.)

• His pain is still under control, in fact, they were able to wean him off a little bit.  He gets a little neck pain from time to time, but it's really more sore muscles from working hard - and that's a good kind of pain!  

• And speaking of his neck, he can move it a lot more to look around.  It's still stiff from the surgery, but some movement / flexibility coming back - and they expect much more as the weeks go on.

• He has a cool strap for his hand to help him feed himself - he's getting pretty good at it, with a little assistance. It's a lot of work though, so his meals mostly have to be fed to him still. But he's practicing. He can also hold his own cup, or small bottle, and bring it up to his mouth for a sip. His arms are considerably stronger even in the last 3 days...he can even make the sign of the cross once again - something he's been working hard at! 

 

We'll be updating every other day, now -- giving some insight into the different exercises Thomas is doing, etc. Let us know if you have any questions! And thanks, as always, for your support!

PLEASE NOTE: Thomas does have a roommate, and his room is very small, so please do not send gifts, flowers, balloons, etc. There simply isn't room for it all. Cards are welcome, as always, and can be sent to the National Organization for Marriage at the address listed at the bottom of this page.

Join us in prayer!

Thank You UMMC + Off to Rehab

Thomas was released to rehab yesterday afternoon. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank the medical staff at the University of Maryland Medical Center, especially in the Shock Trauma Unit.

We'll be quiet on the blog for a few days as Thomas settles into rehab. In the meantime, please join us in prayers of thanksgiving for all those who took care of Thomas these last 42 days.