Isaiah's Days

  He has come so far - just over a year and a half since he survived a stroke and open heart surgery. Praising God for every day with our son.  Isaiah has been living with a church friend for a year now. This man is a true blessing to us as he goes over and above the calling of landlord every week.  Isaiah is still receiving daily homecare but it is only to get him to do his daily exercises.  He does his own laundry, gets dressed and gets his own shoes on, does all his own personal care, plays Wii, does his own errands, takes the bus, hangs shirts up, opens a pop bottle and can cook and prepare some simple things.  He enjoys walking to town, visiting with people, riding in a side by side, riding on the back of a motorcycle, playing baseball with his church, etc. He needs help with zipping his coat, clipping his nails, putting his fitted sheet on, putting gloves on and probably a few other things but those are the main ones.  All in all he has surpassed our ...

Today was Isaiah's one year post stroke anniversary. What a year it's been. Thanking our heavenly Father for sparing our son's life.  He now walks full time without his cane. He can also take his right fist (stroke side) and fist bump people. (With the help of his shoulder muscles) When I realized this I challenged him to try to touch my hand higher than his waist. He did it. So I put my hand as high as I am tall and after several attempts - he touched it!!  He goes for botox every three months and physio once a month. This must be helping! He still can't use or open his right hand but we're hopeful based on how far he's come.

  It's been a peaceful couple of months here in Smithers. Isaiah has been enjoying going to church, visiting with friends and family, shopping, going for walks and sleeping in. 😉 We still appreciate prayers for Isaiah and his recovery. He can slowly bend his arm at the elbow  now without the help of his shoulder muscles. The shoulder is stronger too. When sitting for a meal, he can use his shoulder to put his arm on the table!  He hopes to go on the mountain sit n ski soon. His connections from being a lift operator there for three years help with these types of fun. He is still friends with a lot of the local ski hill crew and enjoys a beer with them now and then at the brewery.  He is a special guy with a purpose in life that is bigger than we can understand. He is the epitome of happiness and joy. He is positive, friendly and upbeat 24/7. It may be a result of his stroke but I consider it a blessing beyong measure. To be honest, Isaiah's stroke has been a blessin...

Hello friends, family and followers. This blog went over 100,000 views this month! Thanks for continuing to check in and view his progress! Isaiah is doing really well. He had several Christmas dinners with friends and family and his New Year's eve is booked and he's ready to celebrate . We are all looking forward to see what God has in store for Isaiah in the coming year. This year went by so fast but we definitely felt the guidance of our Lord and Saviour. Happy new year!

I was sitting in McDonald's today and Isaiah walked in unexpectedly! He walked here from about six blocks away. I didn't stop laughing in shock for almost five minutes.  Isaiah has moved to a different rental and it is working out well. It is in the middle of town and he has been out walking despite some snow and ice. We got him some really good boots and some ice cleats. He can walk about 20 minutes without needing to sit down. 

Isaiah is coming home tomorrow at 6pm! He's using his last few minutes at GF on the recumbent bike. What a guy.  Congratulations Isaiah! You have come so far and we love you. 

We are very aware that Isaiah has come so far in the past seven months.  Although this is so obvious it doesn't take away from our sense of loss.  We sometimes feel like we have lost our son. In so many ways Isaiah is different than before his stroke. That being said we are truly grateful that he is still here on earth with us. As hard as it has been for us to come to grips with our new reality it would be much more difficult to be without him.  Some amazing things have changed for the good. Perhaps I should have mentioned them first. Since his stroke and open heart surgery Isaiah has become almost entirely reliant on Christ as his Saviour!  He listens to Christian music as his top choice. He lives so positively and owes his entire recovery journey to His God. He encourages US that everything is going to be okay.  He doesn't look back aside from some Facebook memories that have him doing so. Even so, he doesn't wish this didn't happen and isn't angry with God in...

I think Isaiah has toured the entire Lower Mainland with his Oma. They have him on the weekends and we all appreciate that so much.  I wanted to let people know that although you may see Isaiah in a wheelchair in pictures or in a store, he definitely doesn't need one all the time. He's getting faster with his cane and doesn't even use it in his home. He is completely independent but if he needs help with something he would let you know. (Small things, not bathroom things for example. 🙂) This weekend and next weekend Doug's parents are not available to have him there. He will be housesitting in Langley the first weekend and staying with a couple from our Langley church next weekend. If you can see him he is available Friday evening (tonight) and Saturday sometime. Contact me and I'll pass you his number.  He could also use a ride back to GF Strong on Sunday after church and a quick dinner.  It is less than an hour drive to GF. 

Isaiah is really enjoying GF and Easter Seals House. He has his own little bachelor room and after three days of Mom being there training amd encouraging his independence he is thriving! He made his own hotdogs and KD so far.  For now, Home support will visit him every Wednesday to do his shower, make the bed, etc. Hopefully this will continue.  We have secured an emergency on-call helper if the need arises which really settles my Mama heart.  Isaiah takes a taxi to and from rehab and is up and ready every time he needs to get picked up. We are so proud of him. He isn't complaining and seems to be quite happy.  On the weekends he gets to go to Doug's parent's place so he's really looking forward to that.  My Dad would had loved to stay with Isaiah the whole time but he already sees him doing so well amd can really hear the confidence on Isaiah's voice when he calls. He will go the first weekend in November for a visit.  We were able to raise about $830 for ...

Isaiah heads to GF Strong on October 2nd to begin a intense and structured, daily rehabilitation program. We are all quite excited and nervous!  So grateful that God has lead him to this point. It's been six weeks living out of the hospital and Isaiah is doing quite well. He's well taken care of by some amazing families and individuals here. No, I'm not talking about us, lol. 

After three months of waiting for a decision they said yes! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Isaiah will be going to GF Strong Rehab Centre in the beginning of October. He will be an out-patient and we are still looking for a place for him to stay for six weeks. (Or eight? Not sure yet.) A tremendous thank you to Dr. Anton, medical director and Clinical Research Coordinator at GF Strong.  Another big thank you to Dr. Dance, Medical Site Lead and Brain Injury Physiatrist. I expect because he had met Isaiah and I personally, several times, that he had a lot of influence in the Director's decision.  Many, many thanks to the many doctors (family, ER, thoracic surgeon, cardiologist, neurologists, etc.), occupational therapists and physio therapists who, at my request, sent in their recommendations, referrals and opinions for Isaiah's rehab at GF Strong.  It was a fight worth fighting! Thank you to all of you who encouraged me to keep it up! You were right and I'm grate...

IF Isaiah gets admitted to GF Strong it would be as an out-patient. It would also only be for a SIX week intense rehab program.  Do you have room in your home for Isaiah during these six weeks? He would be at GF Strong or commuting via Handi-dart five days a week.  He would hopefully continue having Home Support come in and help him shower, give meds, prepare breakfast and lunch, make his bed and anything else he might need.  Please prayerfully consider this.

In Vancouver, before any rehab Isaiah worked with his Occupational Therapist on retraining/rewiring the brain to help get movement back in his hand/arm.  Three months or so later and voila! He can lift his hand up off his lap about 8" high! Cheering for him!!

IF Isaiah gets admitted to GF Strong it would be as an out-patient. It would also only be for a SIX week intense rehab program.  Do you have room in your home for Isaiah during these six weeks? He would be at GF Strong or commuting via Handi-dart five days a week.  He would hopefully continue having Home Support come in and help him shower, give meds, prepare breakfast and lunch, make his bed and anything else he might need.  Please prayerfully consider this.

Isaiah has officially moved into a shared home in Smithers. We still await a call from GF and to see if anyone from Aldergrove-Vancouver can room and board Isaiah. I know it's a lot to ask but we're still praying that someone from the nine churches we contacted will come forward.  Here he has learned to manipulate his lifeless arm into a folding position. He's quite proud of himself. 

Isaiah has been in a hotel for almost a week. The hospital needed his room. GF Strong assures us that he does not need to be a patient in the hospital for them to accept his application. No, we haven't had an answer from them. I've been like a teenaged girl waiting by the phone for weeks. I'm tired and feel quite a bit haggered. 🥴 Thankfully our deacons have noticed and have me delegating a lot of things to them so they can find the help.  On Friday Isaiah is moving to a place with a male acquaintance from his church. My thought is that they will be much more than acquaintances by the end of next week. 😉  Isaiah receives Home Care visits four times per day. When he gets a dinner invite out, he only needs three visits. If you're local, please let me know if  you can have him for a supper. He appreciates it so much and really thrives because of them.  We are still seeking a place for Isaiah to live anywhere from Aldergrove to Vancouver. To remind you, this is because...

Today, August 4th, Isaiah is being moved to a local hotel paid for by Northern Health.  We are praying that from the churches we have contacted in the Lower Mainland will come that one special person who has appropriate living accommodations for Isaiah.  Our hope is that GF Strong will accommodate our son as an out-patient albeit our prayer is that he may be admitted there.  To everyone who has had Isaiah for visits and meals at their homes - we thank you. You are making this process doable for him. Everyone needs contact with like-minded people - Isaiah does too.

Feeling deflated and so busy with trying to get Isaiah more rehab.  Hoping and praying for a phone call from GF Strong soon saying that Isaiah can join their program. Their decision has not been made yet. They did call today but it was to let me know again that they are still thinking about his case. They say that usually people who have gone through rehab already don't get admitted to GF. However, Isaiah's case is different.  Isaiah's OT phoned GF today with a new assessment of his abilities and disabilities.  Both of Isaiah's doctors from PG phoned GF on Friday to see if they could assist in his application at all. These doctors actually called me to ask how they could help. They were not the decision makers as to Isaiah being sent home from PG rehab.  The only decision makers are GF. Today his case/file went to the Director of GF Strong. This is good!

Hoping you had a good first day back, Isaiah. Visits with Dad, Gramma and Grampa, someone from church and a movie night out! Bet your thankful for your wheel chair today! 

Road trip = PG and back in a day. Done.  No wheelchair provided by PG hospital so his bathroom breaks kinda slowed us down! Sometimes I recruited help. Who wouldn't ask Fire Fighters for assistance?  We stopped for a bathroom break at Gramma and Grampa's in Telkwa on our way home from the hospital. He was exhausted and breathing hard afterwards. Walking is hard work! Now it's 12:34 am and we are waiting in emergency to get him admitted to his bed upstairs. This is tiring stuff!