March 2020 vs March 2021… there have been HUGE changes in the Born household in the past twelve months, but I came across these photos today and noticed that it has been EXACTLY 12 months since these photos were taken. I remember this day so clearly. We were all having coffee (yes, even the kids! jk) and Hailey and I were admiring Brady’s hair. I asked if he had ever straightened it, and it immediately sparked the idea to get the straightener and give er a go!
Fast forward to 2021, Brady got his hair cut in January, and Rowan got his cut in February. This month was Brady’s visit from the hospital, exactly one year after this straightening happenstance.. you can hardly recognize Rowan.
It’s so bittersweet to see these pictures and remember when times were a lot more laid back and lazy. We had no idea how good we all had it during COVID last year. Just thinking about having the time to straighten Brady’s hair because we feel like it, sounds like a dream. Also having him live not in a hospital sounds like a dream. Make our dreams come true, Brady! Ready, Set, GOAL!
But for real, take all the time healing. We want you well. Love, your favourite unbiological sister.
We’ve been anticipating Brady’s home visit for a while now, and yesterday was the day! He had a very busy morning at the hospital, and at Sask Abilities, and then after ALL the rushing, the taxi was late picking him up. But lo and behold, he was finally on his way!!
Brady was about 45 minutes behind schedule, so the community occupational therapist and the two guys with the wheelchair lift were there long before he was. I have to say, though, those guys were all amazing men! They felt comfortable and safe, and like they truly cared about Brady. The OT took some quiet moments with me to offer his feelings and care about what we’re going through. Meanwhile, the lift guys put a seat attachment on the lift and offered the kids RIDES up and down the stairs!!! It was UNREAL!!!
Everyone had so much fun, and joy was in the air as we eagerly awaited Brady’s arrival. Which FINALLY happened!!!
The celebrations were pretty raw. Everyone was SO happy to see him. As soon as Brady was up the stairs, the OT and accessibility guys went outside so we could all take some time to get reacquainted.
We took our time, got in LOTS of hugs and kisses, and then let everyone back in for the rest of the… appointment? Session? Visit? Visit. Sure.
The occupational therapist discussed what he figured we’d need, and the accessibility guys had some input on our options and what was most feasible in our home. It was expressed, though, that all the measurements and pictures that had been taken would go to Brady’s OT at the hospital, and she would really lay out the possibilities for us. The OT did want to see how Brady could transfer from his chair, and the main concern is that the main bathroom is small. However, because Brady’s transfers are SO strong, they were able to formulate a plan that will work in the future when Brady is able to come home 🙂
It happened pretty quickly, but the OT was done his work and was ready to leave. Then the lift guys super lovingly told us they would happily come back absolutely any time Brady was ready, but that there was no rush. All three men walked out of the house.
Except the taxi was gone…
We had NO next move. I joked that we could just clip Brady’s hospital bracelet off and maybe they wouldn’t find him, but then we decided we had to be adults. My mom ran out and asked the OT what to do. He was quick to help, and called to leave a message with the right people at the hospital. It appeared there had been a miscommunication, and instead of waiting like usual, the medi-taxi had just taken off and gone back to Saskatoon.
There could be worse fates 😉
It wasn’t long after the mix up that Brady reached his OT, and she told him, if he wanted, they could arrange for his ride home for 6:00pm. That would make our hypothetical one hour visit into a FOUR hour visit!! With SUPPER!! Yes please! Thank you Lord!
So, Brady hung around.
Just like old times.
It was SO amazing to have him back in the house, my goodness. The kids loved the wheelchair, as you’d expect. Brady was comfy on our couch. He was so happy to have home coffee and creamer again. And to be back amidst the hubbub was just SO good for everyone.
Dekker is a natural in Brady’s wheelchair! He knew exactly how to manoeuvre it!
He even made some popcorn (because his is the best) while fielding doctor calls. Because the man is non-stop.
We still have a meal train going (thank you, EVERYONE, for participating!) so Brady got to surprise someone by being in the house when they arrived 🙂 It was a pleasant surprise, obviously, and the meal was SO good!!!
The taxi and the accessibility guy arrived around the same time, about 15 minutes early. We were a little discouraged, but no one came to the door, so we continued to soak up the last few minutes of time together. I saw the lift guy through the window coming to the door, but rather than knocking, he started laying down plywood. He had brought a makeshift path, as it had been kind of rough getting Brady from the taxi to the house the first time around.
When the time finally came, we were all saying goodbye, and the lift guy came into the house, took off his hat, and very careful asked if he could pray for us. We were thrilled, and accepted, of course. He was SO excited, and asked if the kids would come put their hands on daddy. They did, as did he. And he prayed a powerful prayer for healing for Brady. It was incredible. Its possible my mom and I bawled the entire time.
I’m not using his name in here, because I didn’t ask, but I won’t ever forget it, or him, or his bold prayer.
Finally, Brady had to go.
We took some last pictures all together on the front step, and then he was off.
We waved goodbye, as we do, but then lift guy was back at the door.
He was teary. It was clear he was having a hard time leaving without saying what he wanted to say. He was genuinely choked up for Brady. He told us he had a burden for Brady, even without knowing him, and had been brought to tears many times since he had heard about him. He offered us a couple of things, and gave me his card with his personal info on it. Bottom line – he is available for our family. And that was incredible to know. From someone we literally had just met.
We waved at lift guy when he left. He waved back.
The day was such a beautiful one. We never expected Brady’s visit to last as long as it did, and for that, we praise the Lord! It felt normal. Like home. A TOTAL morale boost. It felt like everyone was in our corner, from the OTs to the accessibility guys, to the hospital staff who let him stay longer.
Three weeks away from home. Leaving for surgery. Going back to recovery and rehabilitation. We miss you.
There is currently NO leeway for ANY recreational home visits, thanks to covid. NO wiggle room for Brady to see his kids in person. NO room to move. Please pray for change, opportunities, and sensitivity. We want this man home again! And again and again and again.
What are you doing, Lord?? What is your plan here?!
What a huge relief!! For him, and the guy who took it out. Everyone was pleasantly surprised to find that the 2’ chunk of glaze shoved up his nose was hardly even bloody, meaning it had pretty much stopped bleeding before they packed it. What a huge win!! He was checked on about every ten minutes over the next hour or so, and the bleeding has NOT resumed! Thank you, Lord! Brady can, once again, breathe through his nose!
Not only that, but Brady cooked me lunch that day. Farmer sausage and cheesy potatoes.
The struggle of trying to only cook for two people, though. Hahaha!
It was SO nice to be together, with our OT, hahaha, smelling familiar food and bantering about normal stuff. Brady cooks a lot at home, so its very natural to him. It was easy to see where some challenges may lie ahead, but there is still so much time for healing and change. There will be some funding for modifications and not for others. Lots of bridges to cross in due time. But instead of worrying about that now, we’re just trying to be positive and hopeful and trust in God.
Speaking of modifications, wish us luck with our camper! Hahaha! We have a lot of figuring ahead of us, but we WILL be enjoying our lake spot one way or another!
No need to be concerned about why I am writing another blog post. As her bestie, I lightly offered a little break from worrying about writing every day for a couple days if she needed or wanted. This could be today only, or three days, or a week. It’s entirely up to her. She is so strong and brave, and very deserving of more time to focus on herself, her relationship with God, and of course, her family. Please keep praying for her, and all of them. Not out of worry, but out of love.
I just wanted to share a little bit about what I have been learning about, and what Hailey and I have been discussing: the true nature of God. It is so hard for us to fully understand how dear we are to him. It’s easy to think we know when we don’t TRULY know. I was listening to someone the other day (Andrew Wommack) and he explained it like this: Say you were at Best Buy and you were in line to purchase a new speaker. Then, when you get to the front of the line, Jesus takes out his wallet and says to the cashier “I’ve got this, please put it on my card.” But many of us still feel like we owe. We go home, and we think “I still need to pay”, so we get on the phone and call the store and get them to send us monthly bills so we can purchase it a second time. Doesn’t that seem totally redundant? Jesus was HAPPY to pay for that gift. We never have to pay a second time for what he already paid for. We are totally free of debt (sin) in his eyes. That doesn’t mean He won’t show us where we have gone wrong, but that we are already forgiven. We must accept this payment and TRUST Jesus with our lives. What a beautiful feeling. “Jesus didn’t suffer any sorrow or grief for His own sins or mistakes. All of Jesus’ suffering was substitutionary for us.”
I hope all of you have a really wonderful day, and remember how loved you are.
We are three weeks into this new world of spinal cord injury. We are learning so much information, and so quickly, but I can safely say for both Brady and I that he is in an amazing environment with a spectacular therapy team! We are SO grateful for his people on the rehab ward in City Hospital.
Yesterday, I told you about Brady’s chaotic nosebleed. Its under control at the moment, but the doctors want the packing to stay in for 48 hours :/ And since it needs to be removed when a hematologist is on site, it will be even after 48 hours that its taken out. Tomorrow morning, hopefully before therapies. Its ok, though, he’s still super cute even with it on!
His funny grumpy face is a determined face, if you weren’t sure, haha! He redid the outer part of the dressing by himself!
Also yesterday, I mentioned that Brady had an important meeting. I was able to join, thankfully, so he and I met with the overseeing doctor, a resident, both PTs, the OT, the director, and our social worker. So everyone basically presented their findings on Brady’s progress in the rehabilitation program. What he had accomplished already, goals he had made, plans that were in place, etc. We talked about his upcoming home visit with the community OT. We talked about his blood clot scare on the weekend. They opened the floor up for us to ask questions, which I wish I had known would happen ahead of time. We both stammered and couldn’t think of anything, but of course I have questions now! In the moment, though, our social worker commented that I was at the hospital often enough that I could ask questions anytime. I sheepishly apologized, and everyone in the room reassured me that it was SO GOOD that I was there as often as I was. That felt really, really good. Its very clear that Brady’s team wants him to be happy and healthy, and they recognize that its necessary for him that his family is well, too.
The meeting boiled down talking about hypothetical timelines for Brady coming home. I’m not going to broadcast them, because there are just FAR too many unknowns, but we got our “moving target” dates from the team, and then a really nice honest conversation with some of our therapists afterwards that was just SO encouraging on the subject. Homelife might look really different in the future but I eagerly anticipate it!
I have a date tomorrow 💜 Brady is cooking us lunch. I am SO looking forward to it!
Since Brady’s (ready?) pulmonary embolism (gag me) the other day, he’s started on a strong dose of an anticoagulant to help him hopefully NOT make any more clots. Which makes total sense.
But its also a total bummer when you live where you live, and winter dryness gets ya and you get a nosebleed.
So. This sucker bled for about 45 minutes. Brady figures he has about 2′ of cotton ribbon, soaked in lidocaine stuffed up his nose. Finally a hematologist had to come to his rescue. We are grateful and frustrated, both, equally.
Brady had the pleasure of sleeping with this packing on his face, waking up every hour with dry mouth. We talked at 7:00 and he told me he was very eager to get it all undone. The nurses asked him to wait for the doctors and residents to do their rounds so they’d be more prepared if it started bleeding again, but then the doctor on the ward decided Brady should keep the packing for 24 hours. Which is HARD, because Brady has a really full day today, and he has this whole mess plugging up his nose.
I feel for him. I know this is small potatoes in a lot of ways, but goodness, its just a frustrating thing to add to Brady’s growing list of things he doesn’t want to have to fuss with.
Yet, if you ask Brady, he’ll say the hardest part was not getting peanut butter on his bandages at breakfast.
This afternoon holds an important meeting for Brady, myself, and his entire rehab team. We will discuss progress, goals, and hypothetical future discharge dates.
Please keep him in your prayers. This is not easy, and it is not over. Not even close.
Its important to update some improvement. I can’t state anything in a big concrete way, but it feels important to note some changes. Positive changes!
Rowan has been on Melatonin for a few months now. Not quite three, I guess. It was SO good for a bit, and then it wasn’t anymore. We added magnesium, which takes some time to build, but we didn’t see anything negative come from it, anyway. A couple of weeks ago, we added a couple of things. We added omega 3s, probiotics, and vitamin D. And guys, slowly but surely, Rowan is changing.
The best, shortest way I can say it is that Rowan still grumps a lot, but he is talk-down-able. He hasn’t screamed or had a good, big meltdown in a while, and for that I am SO grateful!!! He is more rational, and of all times for him to get MORE rational, I am truly thankful it it now!
Rowan is doing surprisingly well for the amount of stress going on in our family. He’s growing and changing 🙂 He got a haircut, as you may know, and he sat beautifully through the whole thing. He was SO happy with the outcome. He’s also losing teeth, and even had me pull one (barf) that took more than one swift yank, and he didn’t yell or back out. It was so impressive! Meanwhile, I’m getting positive reports from his teacher at school, and he’s doing better at home.
All around, I am SO grateful to God that Rowan’s seeming to have his feet a bit more under him these days.
So much progress. Such an amazing boy. Goodness, I’m proud of you, Rowan!
So. Brady had some excitement yesterday. It was pretty rattling, but he’s ok now, and everything is back to being under control.
Brady informed me at 7:00am that he had been up since 3:00am. He had woken up with some cramping in his back and shoulders. That hasn’t been uncommon with the amount of work he’s putting his muscles through, so he buzzed for a nurse and asked for ice and Tylenol. Same as usual. As his back pain started to lift, there was increasing pain in the left side of his ribs, and it was starting to take his breath away. He could not take a full breath. So he rang for help.
He spent all of the next few hours speaking to nurses, the resident, getting blood drawn and having an EKG. He wasn’t allowed to get out of bed anymore, but they sat him up, and that helped him breathe a little easier.
Then his bloodwork came back. His D-dimer level came back in the thousands, which tipped everyone off that he very likely had a blood clot issue. He’s been on anticoagulants since his surgery, but upon changing hospitals, was informed that he was being grossly underdosed at RUH. Regardless of when or why, he very likely had a clot that needed attention.
Brady was referred for an emergency contrast CT scan the moment they opened, and they were on their way up to retrieve him within ten minutes.
He’s about to be hauled away in this picture. And yes, that is Brady’s bed urinal on his lap. Which is vulnerable and maybe a little awkward, but simply a necessity when you’re not allowed to leave your bed. It was just there, and its our only picture. Too bad! 🤷♀️ I was going to blur it or put an emoji over it or something, but something tells me that would’ve made it SO much worse! Hahaha!
Luckily, the CT was a quick test, and he was back in time to eat his breakfast and get ready for the day.
The results didn’t take long to come back. Just as expected, Brady had a clot in his right foot rattle loose, pump THROUGH HIS HEART, and settle in his left lung. 🤮 HORRIFYING. They noted a large number of smaller “speck” clots in the lining of his lungs, also. This is obviously concerning, while being treatable. Brady has been given a big fat dose of an anticoagulant and will carry it forward twice a day for about a week, and then carry forward with a lower dose of the same medication for a longer term. Three months ish. I’m assuming they’ll follow this up with at least more bloodwork, but his pain should subside and he should be good to go with regular activity.
Its hard to have a setback. I know, that sounds completely naive, because of COURSE we’ll have setbacks. This is the FIRST one, and its been SUCH a successful recovery! I won’t lie and say it wasn’t a completely frightening whirlwind of a morning, and of course it happened on the day I wasn’t there, but things are under control for the moment, and Brady will be watched pretty closely for at least the next week or so.
Today already was better.
The ward was so quiet. We played cards, listened to music, chatted, got his IV port out, and even did his leg stim.
Have I even talked about that yet?? Yikes. SO many things to keep track of. 🙃 Its an electric stimulator that he puts in specific spots on his legs that works the muscles he can’t seem to work himself. Its really cool to watch it work, actually! LOTS of hope still that he’ll regain even just some of that strength!
Cher here with a little gallery of the past couple days. I just wanted to take a little time to write about Hailey since she writes about everyone else. Of course I am going to keep it light because there are a million things I could say, but I will just say this: As rough as she has it, I have no idea how I would ever have the strength this amazing woman possesses. She is completely trusting God through this journey. Her and her family’s prayers have only gotten deeper and more honest.
Her and Brady still do devotions with the kids every night.
Even though it isn’t ideal…
Family is the more important thing, no matter how it looks.
The influence a mother has on her children is life long.
Things are really scary, and sometimes it’s hard to do the mundane things..
Some days she has no idea how she is going to do it…
but she still gets it done…
while still being someone to look up to.
Someone who raises independent, intelligent littles..
As of yesterday, the plan was for an occupational therapist to come by today and measure the house up a bit to see what Brady’s future needs might be. This morning, however, I received a call cancelling the visit for today. He had spoken to Brady’s OT at the hospital, and she had insisted that Brady attend the home visit, one way or another. Therefore, the visit has been rescheduled to next week, and a whole lift is coming along so Brady can be inside his own house!! Praise the Lord for technology and professionals that advocate for what is actually truly best!
It was a successful morning for Brady. In PT, they played with electrodes and found some hope in that right shin of his! With enough tweaking and repositioning of the electrodes, the toes on Brady’s right foot DO lift! His foot CAN move independent from his thigh! These are hopeful things that suggest some nerves are still firing in there, so Brady was able to borrow/sign out the machine they used, and he will use it 2-3 times per day in hopes to wake those muscles and nerves as much as possible. His PT did say that brought on some promise. (I hope I understood that all correctly, so take it with a grain of salt if I’m a bit off base.)
After that particular test, Brady moved over to the sit/stand machine and practiced controlled stands and squats. He swayed with his therapist, like middle schoolers dancing, putting weight on each leg individually, trying to trust his legs a bit more. Unlocking his knees is the most wobbly part of it all, but his PT today reminded him to push more with his feet and less with his arms, and it was incredible to see how much smoother it got from there. Brady did these things while occasionally trying to close his eyes, and even managed to stand while only holding on with one hand. AMAAAZING progress!
Two different professionals told Brady today that he will not be in the program long. I hope they’re right. No one wants to rush him, and we deeply desire him to stay for as long as he needs rather than having to bring him back after pushing him too early. But my goodness, everyone is SO proud of him!!
