July 20, 2022


The hold on the study that we moved up for has been lifted!!!! We are so excited although he has also been getting awesome PT/OT while we waited. Now we begin a few week of assessments before the actual study will begin. So this is an upper extremity study looking at the effects of transcutaneous spinal stimulation in conjunction with activity based physical training. The study is randomized into 3 groups which we won’t know until the therapy actually begins. In any group he will get 60 sessions of physical therapy and the only difference is the quality of those sessions with the spinal stimulation. Today julian was hooked up to electrodes and the spine was stimulated at different levels to see at which frequency elicited a muscle contraction. (I think I’m explaining all right, I’m learning that the neuro system is amazing. I’ve always thought the human body was incredible with what it’s capable of. I’ve always seen this through an OB set of eyes but the neuro system is so complex and amazing. ). I was told he had a good muscle response from the stimulation so fingers crossed that something good will arise from this. The only given is that doing nothing will get nothing so we are doing everything that we can. Julian has a good attitude and ready to work. An awesome surprise we had this week too was our old friends from Connecticut flew down to see us. So thankful and grateful for their visit and friendship! Julian became friends with Julian in 2nd grade and his mom Ali is an awesome person to come down and spend some time with us. It was a great distraction and breaking up our days catching up. Ali and I had a great time catching up from the years we’ve been gone and Julian got to spend some time with one of his oldest friends! The support system we have had has been great and means so much!!! Braden will start college soon at UT, hopefully we will get to see more of him in the future! Thank you Ali and Braden !!
I’ve also had the calendar from this time last year still on our calendar. I Never could erase it and it was a constant reminder of august last year. With the start of the study, we erased the board. Time for a fresh start. Many of our friends are reaching their 1 year anniversary from the time of their accident. It’s very much on my mind and I’m trying to use their approach as a celebration of their life instead the accident. But it was time to stop staring at our life mad that day. It was time for it to go although it will always be there without that constant reminder.
Praying for good things to come!


Braden and Julian - friends since 2nd grade
Lilly getting "most improved" from Ms. Millie






The calendar since the accident that has been a constant reminder of that day.

Lilly and her 2 best friends from gymnastics. (missing Natalie)

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