Wounds continue to be an issue

Slow and frustrating with very little progress forward. Will is still continuing to battle his pressure wounds. There was deep tissue damage to the left side that the surgeon saw during the operation which we could not explain. We went ahead with the surgery since the right side was so bad. The operation went very well and we thought the worse was behind us....NOT! 

Wills surgeon said with the Hillrom bed we have this should not be happening. That immediately prompted a call to Hillrom to come out and check the bed. We found that the bed indeed had a defect and the main pump wasn't working. They replaced the pump but the damage was done unfortunately. This was probably one of the reasons we got the wounds originally. Wish to God we had known the bed was defective earlier. 

The right side post op was doing great but since we had to keep Will off his right side for three weeks the left side which had deep tissue damage from the bed re opened. We were back at square one. Not good.

We started Will on hyperbaric treatments (high pressure oxygen) daily in hopes it will help the pressure ulcers to heal. The right side is making good progress slowly but the left side got infected and went very deep to the bone. We cant transfer him by hoyer and wheel chair because of further risk of shearing to both wounds so he goes by ambulance stretcher daily. There is now some new surface damage to the skin over his tail bone since the stretchers aren't well padded. We have been experimenting with memory foam pads under his backside with limited success. Rough times and Will is completely bed ridden again. Hoping and praying things will turn around soon.

Prayers are greatly appreciated as we really need Gods help! 

Second surgery done!

Will finally had the surgery to close the wound on the right side on 3/9/15. He was high risk from a pulmonary perspective but thanks to lots of prayers and God's help Will made it through! The wound had some bruising tissue damage under the good skin/tissue which was one reason it just wouldn't heal. There was no infection in the tissue or bone (another miracle)! Unfortunately his left wound that had previously healed, reopened with some new surface damage.....bang head on wall here....since he has to stay in bed off his right side for three weeks not a lot we can do for left other than dressings and keeping it clean. We are hoping we can get the left side to heal up again. 

The surgeon said these sores not be happening on the type of bed Will is in. He had been staying in bed with the wound vac on for many months trying to get it to heal. He only got out of bed in his chair to go to doctor appointments which pretty much sucked. We had ad the bed company technician come out to run some diagnostics and low and behold the bed was defective! The part that circulates air to prevent bed sores was shot! That explains a lot of frustrating months of wondering why the wound wouldn't close and why he got pressure sores to begin with. The part is ordered and the bed should be fixed tomorrow. We hope and pray that this will help both sides heal and mean an end to this nightmare! 

Wills surgery area looks like a shark bit him in the butt and the staples are painful but Will is hopeful the worse is behind us! Prayers are greatly appreciated and we are hoping for better days ahead.

Love,

Marcia

Let it snow?

Snow came late to CT but seems lately  just one storm after another! It is pretty out but very hard to get Will around. Other than a few movies and out to lunch or dinner when we can he has been pretty much home bound. Will has been stuck in bed a lot with the wound vac on and only getting out for doctor appointments so that can be tough sometimes. 

One trip to the hospital in Dec where we almost lost him and a pressure wound that just won't heal, tough winter on all fronts. Will has a very risky operation coming up 3/9 followed by about 3 weeks of complete bed confinement afterwards. We will need lots of prayers to get through all that. Once he heals we should be able to get him back o Gaylord OT/PT and out daily which will be a real blessing. Stay warm everyone! 

Still keeping the faith

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile but it has been crazy. Will was in the hospital for a few days in early September and my Dad passed away 9/27 which was so hard for us all. 

Will continues to have some health issues. We have one wound healed but the right side still is a pain in the a$&..... literally. The wound vac is on aggressively and that means Will has to stay in bed but we have the infection cleared out again and the depth went from 5.5 cm to 4 cm in a week which is very encouraging! We go back to the Wound Center tomorrow and are meeting with a surgeon this week to see if we can close the blasted thing up surgically. Crossing fingers and praying the surgeon can do something. Once we get the wound healed, we can get Will back to PT and OT and in his standing frame which will help his overall health immensely. Keep the prayers coming!

Will's cat Vader is a hoot and keeps Will laughing at his antics. He loves to sleep with Will and keeps him company during the night which is good. I don't think Vader knows he is a cat. Vader went from a small, little guy to a giant 'puma'! I should have known he would be big when he was full grown since his paws were enormous when we got him. Will loves Vader and we are thankful he is part of our family.

Slow going

Will had a set back as the one wound on his right side got infected again. Will saw an infectious disease doctor after an MRI and he is now on 2 different antibiotics. We go back to ID doctor in 2 weeks and continue to go to the wound center every week. We have the wound vac back on so unfortunately Will is spending more time in bed again....not fun! We are hoping we will see more improvement on the wound on the right side. The left side is almost there. It's been a rough summer since Will has been limited in his ability to be in his chair and outside enjoying the Sumer weather. Hoping better times ahead! Keep the prayers coming!

Love,

Marcia

Making some progress

Long road but we are starting to make some headway! Will had to be completely bed ridden for weeks which was rough but we can now get him up in the chair more often. We had to do a pressure mapping of his chair and make adjustments. Followed by weekly trips to the wound center, using a wound vac and intense wound dressing changes but it was worth it! The left wound is almost completely healed.  The right one is finally infection free and going slowly in the correct direction and beginning to heal. I am learning more than I ever wanted to about wound care! Thank you so much to the Doctor and nurses at Mid State Wound Center in Meriden!

Keep prayers coming! 

Love,

Marcia

Life's bumps in the road

Update: Will has been fighting bed sores/breakdown since Feb. Despite in home nursing care, wound nurse care, trying different positions in his chair and trying to find a Hoyer pad that won't rub we have been facing an up hill battle. Now dealing with infection so we really need prayers so we can get this under control. 

Hopefully we can get some in home IV antibiotics which can be done at home rather than in a hospital. Will has had quite enough of hospital rooms. I am thankful every day Will is here with us and amazed at how strong he remains no matter how many times life kicks him in the butt. We will keep everyone posted and hope the next post will be that we've turned a corner on this one and everything is healed up!

Love,

Marcia

2 year Anniversary of Will's accident

It has been 2 years today since Will was hit by a car and left paralyzed. It has been a very long and hard road for us all but we thank God each day that Will is still with us. Thinking back on that terrible day and all the bad prognosis we were told then I am amazed at how far Will has come and how strong and hopeful he remains. He has such a wonderful sense of humor and amazing strength and faith about him that never ceases to amaze me.

Today we finally got a picture of the bike Will was on that terrible day. The back end was mangled and interestingly enough, as it was pointed out to me, the twisted metal is in the shape of a heart....thanks Barb....just goes to show Will is very loved.

Will true to form had a joke when he got the picture....he posted it on Facebook....he said oh here's a picture of the bike I selflessly threw myself in front of a car to protect and thereby saved its life.

We continue to hope and pray God returns movement to Will someday and that he continues to hold him close and give him strength. Please continue to pray for Will.

Love,

Marcia

Super Bowl Time!

Will and friends got together for a Super a Bowl Party! Lots of good friends, food and football....what's not to love? Routing for Broncos and so far they are behind....we're hoping they will rally! Fingers crossed! 

 

Winter frost bite

Winter is always so hard...it's dark, cold, bad weather and most folks are stuck inside. Plus the day light is so short. But when you are safe inside and it is snowing out, it is also beautiful....plus no insects!

Will is thankfully doing well and other than wanting to get out more he is doing great. He got fitted for his standing frame and we are just waiting for them to deliver it. We can't wait to start working with Will to build up his tolerance/strength with the goal of slowly getting him in it and standing upright for an hour a day! I told him I will wheel him around the house in it so he can be 'standing' instead of sitting in his wheel chair for a change. I am sure he will push himself hard like he always does and make the hour daily goal in no time!

Will has such a great outlook and his sense of humor is still strong. On the way back from OT at Gaylord  he said out of the blue..."hey I am not crippled I am 'motionally' challenged". We got a good laugh out of that 'Will-ism'! Wishing everyone a safe winter hibernation. Stay warm!

PS- Vader is Will's wheel chair buddy and loves to sit/sleep on Will's lap while he is in his chair. Great place to stay cosy and warm! Attaching picture from today of one of Vader's nap!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Update: Will is doing well and continues to have a great outlook. We got through a major worry with the sentencing in December of the person that hit Will and left him by the side of the road to die. It was very hard for everyone concerned and Will showed his strength and willingness to forgive which was amazing. We are thankful that is now past us and we can all move forward. We will continue to pray for John and his family as their pain and suffering is no less hard to endure. As Will said when he spoke in the court room, there are no winners in this terrible tragedy. We hope that during this holiday season people think before they drink and get behind the wheel of a car (adults and kids alike). 

The lift was finally completed so that Will can now access the unfinished basement of his apartment, the outside patio and he can now access the family room of our house. We hope one day to finish the basement off into another room Will can use. 

We continue to focus on Will's pain management and over all health. He is making good progress and continues to work hard on trying to get some movement in his arms. Will still goes to Gaylord outpatient and he has made good strides in getting some weak lower arm movement. We are also working to get a standing frame for Will which we can use to get him into an upright position which will help with his overall health. Getting him standing will help his circulation, breathing, digestion and get weight on his legs and get his skeleton in a normal position all which will help us keep Will healthy.

We want to thank our PCA's Sabrina, Phil, Kevin and Keith and those who continue to stop by to visit Will and help keep his spirits up. We also want to thank Darlene of Brownstone Barbers in Portland who comes out to the house to give Will a hair cut/shave when needed. We can't thank Darlene enough! We hope everyone has a happy, healthy New Year!

Love,

Marcia

Picture of the lift with a cardboard cut out of Daryle from the Walking Dead series which we all love! Daryle stands guard! 

Surprise Visitor

Will had a surprise visitor today that was a wonderful surprise. Really lifted all our spirits! Phil's new 5 week old puppy Miss Frankie spent the day with us. Will loved her and we all had such fun playing with Phil's new baby. I forgot how much fun a puppy is.

Marcia

Happy Halloween

Check out Will's cool pumpkin for Halloween. Of course it is a Star Wars theme. Thanks Barb!

Attaching picture of Bailey and Vader resting after a long day of causing trouble (Vader) and guarding the house (Bailey). At least they are getting along.

Best birthday present ever!

We want to send a thank you out to Gayle, Barb, Marlene, Sam, Jackie, Mimi, Aunt Laura, Bill, Megan and Phil for making Will's 26th birthday an awesome birthday! Blew our diets right out if the water but so worth it.

Jackie also reached out to Karnivool one of Will's favorite bands and they sent Will a signed copy of their latest CD all the way from Australia! What  a cool birthday!

Happy Birthday Will!

Hard to believe Will is 26 today! We hope good things await him and someday he will get movement back! Barb and Marlene took him out for a wonderful birthday dinner, complete with birthday cheesecake which is Will's favorite. Thank you Barb and Marlene!

Gayle stopped by with cupcakes and other goodies and Dan's friends Jessica and Autumn brought him donuts and chocolates......lots of goodies!

Will will be getting Chili's and a Dairy Queen blizzard cake for later today. We will think about diets tomorrow!

Fall is in the air

Weather has been gorgeous and Fall is definitely in the air. Will is hanging in and trying to keep up his spirits. He has been working hard at Gaylord and at night when he is in bed to try to keep working on his arms. He has been able to flip his hands over slightly and getting stronger pulling his fore arms in and pushing them out from the elbow. Both sides are starting to respond. It was a vast improvement since we started at Gaylord outpatient but he still has a long way to go.

We took Will out to the Big E last weekend. Will, Brian, Dan and I and had a wonderful time together as a family. It was great to get out even if we did unfortunately eat our way thru the Big E.  We will think about diets later.

Will got injections Friday to help with  the pressure point areas of pain in his chest. The shots are very painful but usually provide some relief after a few days. He has been running a low grade temp sporadically which we hope is from the injections and not a sign of another infection.  We have kept him out of the hospital since Feb and are hoping to keep it that way!

Will had a couple friends Sam and Jackie stop by which was a wonderful pick me up. We thank them for coming by and helping to keep Will's spirits up. Visitors are always welcome and appreciated. Keep Will in your prayers. And another great big thank you to his PCAs Sabrina, Kevin, Phil, Keith and Barb, I would be totally lost without them!

P.S - I finally got back in the saddle again after over 2 years of not riding. My horse Dolce is back from training and we are both working together whenever I get a free minute. So far so good, I haven't fallen off yet, though I am hurting in places I didn't know I had. Thank goodness for Ben Gay ointment.

Love,
Marcia

Summer winding down

It's been a busy (and hot) summer. Can't believe it is winding down and Fall is fast approaching. Will has been working hard in PT and OT and had lots of Dr. appointments most of them for pain management. He has a great outlook in spite of his severe neck pain and we have made great strides trying to manage it. 

At Gaylord he has been doing real well in the E-stim bike and standing chair and working hard on his arms. He has not given up and we keep praying for him daily. There are mostly good and some bad days and we are very thankful for our PCA's Phil, Kevin, Keith, Sabrina and Barb for all their help and all their  emotional support and care. Willl's Grammy has been sick and in the hospital and slowly getting  better which is a great relief and we hope and pray she continues to get stronger. We are hoping when she is better she can come back for another visit.

My horse Dolce is in training and I hope to be riding her for the first time in 2 &1/2 years tomorrow! She is in East Hampton just down the road from where Will was hit which was very strange and emotional when I drove past the accident site. I think about that night each time I head up to see Dolce so I hope better memories will be ahead. I am going to bring Will up this week to see Dolce and all the other animals on the farm including real Mustangs! 

Posting a picture of Will rocking out on the E-stim bike at Gaylord. Keep him in your prayers.

Love,

Marcia

Happy Summer!

Hope everyone had a nice July 4th! Will is doing well and still going to Gaylord once a week and working hard no matter how much pain he is in. He has been rocking the E-stim bike, standing chair and continuing to work hard in OT.

Willl's Grandma Shirley came out for a week and it was so nice to get to spend time with her and also Auntie Ettie and Linda. Daniel went back to Florida with her for a week and some much needed R&R. We found out it was actually cooler in Florida than here too!

Sarah took Will out to lunch today with her son Cameron and Phil. It was wonderful and Will loved getting out of the house and I got some free time to run errands! The "guys" got to chill and watch Finding Nemo in 3D when they got back.  Attaching a picture of them in their slamming 3D glasses too.

 Danny the drummer in Will's band stopped by for a surprise visit. Will hasn't seen Danny in a long time since he moved out of state and it was wonderful to catch up. Barb and Marlene also stopped by for a nice visit. First time Marlene has been out since her surgery and it was terrific to see them too. We are planning a movie night soon!

Hope everyone is staying cool in the hot/humid weather!

Love,
Marcia (stay cool)

The force is with us

Will had 2 special visitors today that really brightened his day. The first visitor was Bev who was one of the lovely people who took care of him at Chelsea Place who stopped in for a surprise visit. She was one of the people who really helped Will thru some dark days and we will be forever grateful to her. Will was so happy to see her and catch up. It was a real pick me up for such a rainy, dreary day.

The second visitor was Barb who just got back from vacation with several presents. One of Will's favorite movies is Star Wars and Barb brought him a huge Darth Vader figure and a tricked out lighted movie poster. She also brought 2 other Star Wars movie posters for Will to frame and hang on his wall. He was thrilled to say the least. Brian got one poster up right away. Will's cat Vader was very interested in his name sake so now we have to figure out a way to keep him from going over to the 'dark side' and doing bad things.

Thank you Bev and Barb for a wonderful Sunday!

Marcia

Standing tall

William has been working hard in his weekly OT/PT and getting stronger. He was on the E stim bike a couple weeks ago which was great for his legs and circulation. He loved the work out. He continues to remain strong with a very positive outlook on things.

Today for the first time since the accident he was able to stand completely upright! He was on a special chair that slowly raises you up till you are completely upright a full 90 degrees. Will had no issues with standing supported and held his head up for a long time with no problem. The therapist said "wow your tall!"! He said it felt wonderful to be upright and not just sitting or lying down. It was also nice to stand next to him and look up at him for a change. When he was on the tilt table last year and they tried to get him completely upright he had blood pressure issues and dizzy spells but not this time! We are hoping to get him in the pool next if possible.

We appreciate all the support and prayers and are very grateful to Will's PCAs (Phil, Keith, Barb, Kevin and Sarah) who help me with all his daily care. Will loves visitors so come for a visit anytime!

Keeping the faith!
Marcia

Family is the best!

William, Rigby, and Gayle enjoying the sunshine!

Got to love Will's RockStar games hypercolor shirt!

(left to right)

Back: Steve, Arya, Laura, Brad, Luke, Carol, Gayle. Brian, William, Marcia, Todd, Kiyomi, Arnold, Neil

Middle: Jackie, Etty

Front: Dan

Warm weather finally here!

We are so happy warm weather seems to be on tap for the next several days. Will going out in his wheel chair more on walks and is finally able to enjoy the nice weather on his deck. He was going a bit stir crazy not being able to get out with all the snow and ice we had this winter, boy are we all glad that is behind us.

Will is still going to PT and OT once a week at Gaylord working hard on his arm muscles. He finally was able to start doing the E stim bike as well. He has gotten some feeling back in his upper thighs which had nothing before so we are very encouraged. Will is also going to be starting water therapy once a week. We had some wheel chair issues which meant we all had some sore fingers and toes on occasion, Will included when he got bumped into something because of the "possessed" chair. The thing seemed to have a mind of its own sometimes which gave Phil and Keith fits when loading Will into the van. We went to the wheel chair clinic at Gaylord and fortunately they were able to get it to behave for us which is a huge relief.. So there have been lots of trips to Wallingford each week but well worth it.

Will would love visitors now that the spring is finally here so all visitors welcome. Please stop by if you have some free time.

Marcia

Happy Spring

Long over due update..Spring is finally here! It has been a busy winter for us. Sadly we lost Will's grandfather Alan Sigman unexpectedly in Feb which was a terrible blow to us all. It just reinforces the importance of spending time with those we love and cherishing every day.

We have had lots of Dr. appointments, couple trips to the ER but Will is doing well. He is back at Gaylord outpatient for OT and PT once a week and it was nice to be back there and see a lot of familiar faces. Will continues to be upbeat and have faith things will get better and he is still working hard despite his terrible neck and shoulder pain.

Will's grandma Mimi, Aunt Laura and cousin Meghan came up for a visit from Indiana. It was great to see them. Last time Mimi saw Will he was unconscious in ICU on a ventilator. She was so happy to be able to talk to him and spend time with him. Laura and Meghan had not seen him since before the accident so it was great to be able to spend some quality time together. We took Meg to see the horses and she rode Dancer. One day we hope to get Will up to the barn too. Keep praying for Will and we continue to hope for a good year!

Marcia

Latest Addition to the household

Over the weekend, William became the proud father of a new cat. His name was Leo upon arrival but he has since taken on the name of Vader. Quite the playful guy but still time for a nap in between play time. Here is a picture of him on his bed, resting on top of William.

Warmest Wishes for a Happy New Year

From our family to yours, we wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe new year. 2012 has been a difficult year for many and so very sad for those who have lost loved ones. We are so blessed to have our son still with us to share the joy of the holidays. We thank all of you for your support, kindness and wisdom during these past months. They have indeed been challenging. But now our son is back home and we are settling in to a new routine. New challenges to overcome, new things to learn. But we are meeting all of those challenges head on, as a family does. And we are all looking forward to a brighter 2013!

William is HOME!!!!

At long last, nearly 9 months to the day when William and our lives suddenly changed, he is back at home, living in his new accessible room. Pictures will follow after we get everthing settled in and unpacked, but we did want to get a quick note up so that friends, family and blog followers would know that our son is back at home. Thanks to all for your ongoing prayers and support.

Long Overdue Update

So sorry that we have not posted an update in the past few weeks. We are getting so very close to having William home now. His room addition is about one to two weeks away from completion. We are interviewing people for the Personal Care Attendant positions and working to get all of the equipment and supplies in place for the transition home. Lots of activity and little spare time, but we did want to let everyone know the status. William had day surgery today at Yale that will greatly reduce his risk of infections and it went very well. He remains in good spirits and has a fantastic and inspiring outlook on life and his situation. It really helps to put priorities into their proper perspective when you see him so positive. Stay tuned for news of the big day when William returns to live at home with his family once again. It is so very close now.

Will's 25th Birthday Party!!!!!!!

Thank you all for coming and a HUGE shout out to Barb for taking such great pictures of an amazing day we almost never had!  Many more photos to follow!

 Will & Sean
Sean is our hero that called 911 the night of the accident. We love you Sean!!!

Gayle & Katie

Gayle

One of the birthday cakes!

Neil and the pie

Gayle &Will

Will & Katie

Sam & Jacki

Will & his favorite nurse at Chelsea Place

Happy 25th Birthday

Today, with nearly 30 family and friends, we celebrated Will's 25th birthday in his new soon-to-be finished living area. It was a great day for us all. Things are moving along swiftly for William's return back home and we are looking to the end of October for the transition to occur. Lots of planning, meetings, medical appointments this past week in preparation for his return home and we also fit in a trip to the Big E last Saturday that went smoothly. I am amazed we all fit back into the van after eating our way through the Big E. Here are a couple photos from Will's party today.

Back on the Road Again

William is back on the road again to recovery and moving forward. With an IV tube in his arm, he is back at Chelsea Place with antibiotic treatement for his infection. He wont be able to come home for visits until the medicine is done but at least it is a treatable infection. We have an appointment with a specialist in a week to discuss options to prevent the continual reoccurance of infections. The internet is a great tool for researching and we are becoming very versed in the options that exist.While William was at Hartford Hospital this past week, he got some visitors who recognized his name from the patient list. They remembered him from February when he was in their ICU for two months. Lots of excitement to find that Will had weaned off of a respirator, was eating solid foods and was moving his upper arms. All of these things were never expected in those early days after the accident and it helped us all to refocus on the progress that has been made so far. William is very determined and still in the game, so we should all anticipate more miracles to come. Now on to the progress report for getting him home. Last weekend, before the onset of the infection, William came for a visit on Saturday and for the first time he got to go inside his new living area. Here is a picture of Will with Marcia and Bailey in the area that will be the bedroom/living room (studio apartment style). Much progress has been made and we are looking to the end of October for William to be home for good with his family. Keep the prayers coming. It means alot to us all.

Will's Dad

Hartford Hospital

Friends and Family -
Will had another set back and is fighting another infection.  We will keep you posted of his progress and recovery process.  To those who celebrate, L'shanah Tovah!

<3
Gayle

Progress on Will's new living space

With the heavy rains holding off, the construction has resumed. Here is a picture of the progress made so far. William has recovered from the infection that required a brief hospitalization and we were able to have him home for the day on Saturday for a visit with friends and his family. Looking forward to the day (real soon) when we wont have to bring him back to a nursing home at the end of the day.

Continued thanks to all of you for your support and prayers for Will to heal and for our entire family. Your warm wishes and concern mean alot to us all.

Will's Dad

Rest in Peace Christopher Cook

Yesterday morning I found out one of my good friends, Christopher Cook, committed suicide. It's taken all day and all night for that to sink in. I still can't believe it, he was always so positive and full of life. He would show up to work excited to face the day no matter how crappy it was going to be. Whenever my band played a show, even if he was the only person there, he still acted like it was the best show we had ever played. He excelled at turning a negative into a positive. Which is why I'm having so much trouble accepting that he's gone. Even as I write this I find myself asking am I dreaming? It has to be dream there is no way he's gone. But then it sets in and I feel as if the wind has been knocked out of me. It's a tragedy that he was suffering so badly and felt like he couldn't tell anybody. I am truly sorry for his family and friends and I will keep them in my prayers. Chris was a genuinely good person. He would give you the shirt off his back if it would help and never ask (or accept) anything in return. He will be sorely missed.

Will

Back at Chelsea

Will was strong enough to return back to Chelsea Place today.  He is still not over the infection so he's hooked up to IVs, but the fact he was able to return is a great sign.  It will be some time before he's back to his old self, but he's getting there slowly.  Once he's all better he can continue to go home and on day trips with friends and family.

Thank you for all your thoughts, love, and prayers!

Gayle


As my best friend Katie and I keep saying to each other:

FYI

Will has been at Hartford Hospital due to an pretty big UTI.  Since his time at HH he has been put on an antibiotic to cure him of any ailments and will be switched from an IV to oral antibiotics.  He should be back to Chelsea Place in a day or so.  One of the X-ray techs from the ICU saw Will's name on the list and ran to visit.  Even through such hard times he's still inspiring people and impacting lives!

On a happy note, Will's suite has made big progress over the past few days!  We hope to have him for a visit soon as well as update construction pictures.

Hope all our family and friends are having a good week and staying positive.

Cousin Gayle

Will's Third Visit Home

8/11/12

Hi everyone! Will came home for the third time today, and his friends Phil and Keith came over, along with his cousin Gayle and his aunt and uncle. He had a good time with us, and we stuffed our faces with pizza! He went for a walk with Phil and Keith around the block using the chair by himself! Here is a picture!

Danny

The long and winding road

On February 19th, as Marcia and I tried to comprehend the news presented to us by the trauma doctors, we prayed that we just wanted our son home for Thanksgiving to enjoy his mother's vegi caserole. During those early, bleak hours after the accident, we were being told that his life would be lived on a feeding tube and a respirator. Well, it has indeed been a long and winding road, but on Saturday, William came home for a visit after we went to an antique show and he enjoyed Marcia's home made beef stew. Then on Sunday, after going out for a haircut in Glastonbury, he came home for dinner that included Marcia's vegi caserole. Nearly 4 months before Thanksgiving, William was again home, in the kitchen having dinner with his family. We are looking forward to the day when he will not need to go back to the nursing home to sleep. But for now, with a temporary ramp leading into our home, we can get him into the house on the weekends for visits and that is surely a prayer answered for us all.

Aunt Lisa's Surprise Visit!

"When there's a Will, there's bloody a Way"  - Karnivool

What a RockStar Smile : )

William and his family!

Progression on Will's sick addition to the house with Danny keeping watch!!



Will can move his fingers!!!!!!!

Will cotinues to stay positive. He told me has been having alot of daily/nightly discussions with God and spends his nights focusing on his hands and trying to visualize them moving. Yesterday he had more Electrical Stimulation and was able to feel his hands and fingers better than he has in the past. He also was able to move his thumb, pinky and ring finger a little bit on command. The movement is very weak since his hands and fingers have not moved in a very long time but also very encouraging!

The footings were poured today on Will's addition so we are also still moving forward on the home front and our long term goal of having William back home with us. Keep the prayers coming!

Love,
Marcia

First Day Out

Marcia and I are thrilled to report that William had his first day out since the accident. We all went to see a movie, then stopped for some take out for dinner. Everything went smoothly and it felt so good to get back into family activities outside of a hospital setting. Special thanks to the wonderful manager at the Berlin Cinema and also to the staff of Chelsea Place for making it possible to get William out for the day. And a very special thanks to Jimmy, William's close friend who came along with us and helped out in many ways. Perhaps next weekend William will be coming by his home to see the progress on his new living area.

Will's New Living Area Started Today

It is now an official reality. The goal of bringing our son home is no longer a dream. Work on the addition has begun. Stay tuned for progress updates.