May 26th - Day 100 (THUMBS UP!!)

Yesterday, on day 99, Brian gave us a thumbs up!!

He had started to spontaneously move his right hand/fingers last week. And then yesterday around 1:30pm, he was alert when his speech therapist came. She was going to work on swallowing & some visual things with him to see if there were improvements there, but then he had started to move his right hand/fingers and arm. So she grabbed his hand and asked him to squeeze and began prompting him for a thumbs up. We watched his tendons twitch and it appeared as if he was really trying to move it! His thumb twitched and slowly lifted but not all the way. But we both watched in awe at his attempts. When she left she asked me to keep working on it with him, and I was able to capture it on video! He did it! Thumb all the way up!

After that I was rubbing his cheeks to help provoke some swallowing and he started to lift his hand & arm up to his face! He didn't quite complete the range up to his face but he was definitely trying to lift his hand in response to me touching his face & beard (which is localizing)...!!!! My heart was racing and I nervously/excitedly ate 3 bags of gushers in record time. 😂

I attached screen grabs from the videos that I was able to capture:

Earlier in the day, I sat in on his OT session and they put an electric razor in his hand and motion shaving to see if he will engage. They noted very mild muscle activation during that, as well as improved visual tracking when holding a mirror up to his face. They also played him his favorite music video ("Rats" by Ghost) and he seemed to look toward it. He still does not have a strong focus or strong tracking, but they noted it as 'emergent,' meaning it has improved but it's not quite where they want it yet. 

Regardless, thanking GOD for all this progress! The little things, the BIG things (thumbs up + arm movement), they're all adding up! Praying for these responses to become more consistent, more prominent, and ever evolving!

He still is only on two neuro stimulants, so we are excited to see how the additional medications might enhance and move these things forward even more!

"Spring up, O well! Sing about it." -Numbers 21:17

"They were at their wits' end. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress." -Psalm 107:27-28

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” -Isaiah 40:31

"He will renew your strength, so WAIT I say! Wait on the Lord" -Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3TYG7Q_fj4

Lord renew Brian's strength! Bring him out of his distress! Let him RUN & not be weary! Let him WALK and not faint! We praise you in the middle of this storm because we know you are good and will supply more than we could ever hope or imagine! Restore Brian completely! Let it be for your glory! Let it prove the studies about Omega-3s to be true, so that this science can help save lives. Let Brian's participation in this study dignify the doctor that has worked hard to conduct this research and take a chance on Brian with it! Thank you Lord for your new mercies, each morning. Thank you for what you will continue to do in and for Brian's life! Return my best friend, partner, husband - return this great man to his full self, to all that love him. AMEN!