Ok folks, we are back! Praises, and progress reports to share and as always, prayer requests! I deeply apologize for making you all wait so long between blog posts. Thank you for sticking with us on this journey, we love that you all check in on here to see what Jared is up to. Like a whirlwind, the year has come to an end, and although we had some trials and always some triumphs, we are excited to ring in the new year with new blessings ahead! So, let me catch ya'll up!
We had a nice laid back Christmas and New Year, where Jared was able to rest and recover from his therapy week. This involves pajamas all day, sleeping in late, and thankfully, Suzy's delicious Caribbean cooking!
To recap from the last couple of blog posts. My sister updated you all on Jared’s ongoing eye surgeries. After the last one in September, with the attempt to keep It closed, it too failed after a couple weeks, his eye wants to be open, those muscles are too strong to keep it shut. And truthfully doesn't surprise me, because Jared wants to be in the know, ALL THE TIME!
The cotton bolsters, got very yucky, and began pulling on what little is left of his eyelid. We removed the bolsters, and we are for the moment doing lots of warm compresses and lubrication to that eye. Last check up with Dr. Gilliland he said it hadn’t gotten any worse and was actually looking less angry, so we are taking that for a win. In the meantime, we are taking extra care to keep it lubricated to ensure it doesn’t get any worse.
We still ask for continued prayers for his unhappy cornea, as I explore some other options with one of the surgeons I work with to see if he has a new approach for his eye.
We welcomed back our caregiver in September, Victoria and her sweet baby girl as they both come in the mornings a few days a week to help with Jared in getting him up and ready for his therapy day. And we are so grateful to have had Tristan help out in her absence. These two lovely ladies are part of Jared’s hype squad, they love seeing him take steps forward (some back) and always wanting the best for Jared. They are part of our family!
Also, in the last couple posts we mentioned that Jared had been more lethargic, or Mr. Bump-on-a-log as Krissy had said. While in his last couple months at Pate, his therapists had suggested changing up Jared’s schedule. He went to a couple half days where he attended Pate for the second part of the day to get in one session of PT, OT and speech, where as on the other 3 days of the week, he was doing 2 sessions of each. We noticed that Jared definitely did better with more rest and had more productive sessions in the afternoon.
We changed up his and our routines at home, with his half days. Since Jared was going to therapy later in the morning, it not only allowed him to sleep in a little later, but it also allowed us more time to spend with him on working on his activities of daily living, those tasks that normally we would rush through in the morning, and Jared hates doing to be honest. Brushing his teeth, getting dressed with minimal assistance, and the thing that we have mentioned that has made a huge difference in his alertness, is the standing frame that was donated to us by an amazing organization ABLE Faith. CHECK THEM OUT!!!!
I was put in touch with this organization through a friend, and if only we had known about it sooner. Without even meeting us or wanting to know anything about Jared and his accident, they wanted to know how they could help. The founder and some of its community members got in touch with me, and donated the standing frame to us, along with some other supplies that Jared needs and uses daily. Some of the women that have reached out to me to offer support and shared experiences and just helpful information with our journey with Jared. (The 'J' ladies, Joy, Julie and Jennifer and founder Jose).
We attended a fall festival at Able Faith where we got to meet some of these wonderful people in person.
Jared celebrated a birthday in November, just a couple weeks after the 2 year mark since his accident, and normally I would find myself wallowing about those very important days, and this year I focused on the good. Jared’s accident was on 10/31/2021, so lets just reflect a bit...
His 42nd birthday was spent in the LTAC (long term acute center) facility when we had just been discharged from the trauma ICU, where he was on a ventilator and in a coma, post craniotomy. 2022, birthday and 1 year mark he was inpatient at Pate Neuro rehab. Here we are in 2023, where Jared is home! We got to spend his birthday with him here at home, something that I was unsure if we would get to do again.
Praise report:
Jared's last week at Pate was the week of Thanksgiving. His discharge date was set, and at first we were scared about the next steps. We were very grateful for his time at Pate, between in-patient and the day Neuro program, Jared was there for about a year and a half. He had some amazing firsts there! It was there that he first got to eat and drink, it was there that he really built up his strength and was able to walk up a huge hill everyday with his physical therapists, it was here that we first got to really hear his voice again. On a funnier note, it was also here that Jared had to have a chair and bed alarm because he was DOING TOO MUCH! Praise the Lord for that. I think back to the days in the LTAC and the nursing home when I was praying, begging and even bargaining that he would do the smallest thing. I think about the day we got a toe wiggle, or some eye tracking. We have met some amazing people, who have been a huge part in Jared’s recovery and we will forever be grateful for those relationships that were made and the progress that Jared had there!
Now, here we are starting at a new rehab facility where Jared is continuing on with PT, OT and Speech, but he is also getting some cognitive therapy and counseling; which as he progresses and becomes more aware of everything is very important for him to understand what he has been through, and allow him to express anything he may want or need to. As I am adjusting to a new environment, new routine, and new therapists, we as a family are so excited for a change up for Jared. A fresh set of eyes and skills are always a blessing. I have also noted that change for Jared is definitely more difficult for me than for Jared, surprise surprise!
(I promise, he's not a hostage, though it looks like it below)
Jared has been at CNS (Center for Neuro Skills) for 4 weeks now. Our first couple weeks were definitely an adjustment, as Jared has been busy adapting to new team members, a brand new schedule and environment.
We have already seen some big changes in Jared, he is more rested, and alert and participating in things much more than before. We had been in a valley for the past 5 months, where we had taken some steps back and now we are headed up the mountain again. Jared has started talking again, where it is quiet but it is more consistent and clear. I ask for prayers in patience on Jared’s end and ours as I know he may get frustrated when we don’t hear him clearly the first time, or we end up talking to fast or over him. Patience for us to figure out to ways to better and consistently keep communicating with him, so he doesn’t give up.
One of the best things is that my sister is always having conversations with Jared, even when he was not talking, we do so in hopes that he will answer us always, but not necessarily expecting it. She likes to ask Jared “what’s up?” With her wanting the response of “chicken butt.” Well let me tell you, she is persistent, she never gives up with Jared…he finally got on board, and responded with “CHICKEN BUTT!” And if he thought she would let up by him answering, he was wrong, she keeps on with their inside jokes and adds new stuff in for them. On that note, one of Jared’s favorite commercials is an old Geico commercial with the camel walking through the office saying “Mike, Mike, Mike…what day is it, HUMP DAY!” Well, you already know, when Wednesdays roll around, that is their thing!
It is just an awesome thing getting to hear Jared’s voice again, we have all missed it greatly. So keep those prayers coming for that strength in his voice and swallows.
Jared enjoying some chocolate glazed covered donut holes.
This leads me to update you all on his diet. Back in August Jared’s speech therapist wanted to get a swallow study done since he had drastically slowed down with his eating, and she had noticed in their sessions trialing with other foods that he was having some trouble. The results of that last swallow study determined that tube feedings would be the most consistent and safest way for Jared to get his nutrition. Well, we have carefully continued working with Jared at home on his eating, and these last couple months he has done amazingly well, getting stronger with his chewing and swallowing, quicker swallows and minimal coughing. We had been headed in the right direction on the scale also. If you remember back over the summer, in June we saw a dip in Jared’s weight, the lowest at 126 pounds, we were struggling to get weight on him and even more so to keep it on him. His most recent weight since starting at CNS he is up to 136 pounds, so we are excited about that!
This video below was actually the other morning, when we got home from the emergency room, due to Jared pulling out his feeding tube...once again.
Thanksgiving day we had perfect weather for a Cowboys win! Thanks to my sister and her awesome job with Dallas Cowboys HQ, we were ready for “dem boys” and DOLLY!
Some of our outings have been the Fall festival at Able Faith, a day trip to Fort Worth to hang out with my grandma Seeta while she was visiting in Texas from Florida.
On thanksgiving, the family attended the Dallas Cowboys game! We took Jared to pick out a Christmas tree; we went to the Harry Potter Experience which although it was cold, we all enjoyed it! Jared has always been quite the HP fan! Christmas special at Hope Fellowship church, we got some great pictures and during the praise and worship Jared wanted to get up from his wheelchair and stand up with everyone, so we did!
As this year wraps up, I am here to reflect on this journey this year. I am forever grateful for my family, my mom and sister who have literally been by my side since day one. I know I have said it before but these two have loved Jared endlessly (tolerate me mostly). My sister literally dropped everything in Houston and came to Dallas with a suitcase, left her home, her friends, her church, and eventually her job. I’m grateful to have her permanently living here in Frisco, and she is at her dream job where I can’t wait to see the things God has in store for her here. My mom is soon to join us up here…permanently. Jared has been nagging my mom for the last 5 years or so to move up here. She has been back and forth between here and Houston since Jared’s accident, and we are excited about the next moves for her as well, as she prepares her house in Houston to put on the market and make the move up to Frisco! There are some mornings where my sister is fortunate she can work from home, and her and my mom will get Jared up and ready for the day, weekends, they wake up early in the morning as well when it is their chance to sleep in to help with meds and tube feedings for Jared. Our mom is a miracle worker with food and helping Jared with his dinner time routine! We truly are a team here, “Jared’s brownies,” the way everyone has sacrificed and steps up with Jared is a feeling I will never be able to describe to you all. It has taken some time but we are finally getting settled with everyones routines since Jared has been home, almost a year now! A schedle that works for us, an exciting new rehab facilty, and a new church for all of us to attend together!
I think bedtime is one of my favorite times, and not just because I love sleep; but our nighttime routine with Jared can be extensive, but usually my sister and I team up and get Jared settled together. Every night when Jared gets to bed, my sister lays in bed with him and they listen to music together or watch a little bit of tv (usually where music is involved), and this is a very special time between them, there may be some karaoke involved, recapping the day, discussing the next day, and bedtime prayers.
So, I don't have any bedtime pictures, but below is the two of them jamming out to a little praise and worship session with some Maverick City, Brandon Lake, and Elevation Worship, singing "Thank God," and my sister's all the time jam, "Praise You Anywhere"
And let's not forget these two besties at bedtime...Margot loves her Jared! She is usually the first one in the bed, and snuggles up with him when I leave for work in the mornings.
Prayer Requests:
Jared's right eye continues to heal
Jared get his footing at his new therapy center, and makes gains in this new year!
The Lord continues to strengthen Jareds voice so he can ROAR!
Continued strength and consistency with his swallow
Our mom, gets her house on the market and sold so she can offically make the move up here to Dallas. Also, her therapy for her knee progresses and she gets stronger and has less pain.
My sister, Kristel, that her cup is refilled as she pours so much into myself and Jared. She is finally getting a little break next month as she travels to South Africa to do great things.
Foy myself, to forgive those that gave up on Jared and myself, to focus on the positive and not let the past distract me from the amazing work that God is doing still!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For anyone who might be new here, or wanting to know how they can help, here are a couple options:
-- I'm going to drop the link to Jared's Amazon gift registry here:
-- And his GoFundMe is still alive and always useful.
--And of course, share Jared's story! Share this blog with others.
Great update Kabrina, we will continue to pray for strength, continued healing and peace for you all. We love you.
Kelly & Susan.