HOME!!!!

Yep we got to come home! And have had a great welcome home from friends, neighbours and the family (and the dog). The house was done out with 'Welcome Home' banners, balloons and lollies... thanks heaps to those who did it. Then our family all got together...then Joel's friends started to arrive! We didn't break up the 'party' till nine, and by then Joel was starting to wilt. He got to bed by ten then slept right through till ten...and had a two and a half hour sleep in the afternoon. When there are heaps of people at one time he tires quickly but he has had a great 'welcome home' and is rapt that the next step in recovery is here. Saturday evening we had a family celebration... and in our family that means FOOD! So we ate. It was real neat to have all the kids... Logan, Amie Sienna, Hannah and Joel around the table as we gave thanks to God that we are still all together. 

Today (Sunday) he has had a couple of friends and neighbours to visit and this afternoon he walked around the park once with Dan and the dog. I think both were happy to be with him! A sleep in the afternoon before another close friend arrived for the late afternoon and evening.

Through some kind offers we have both a treadmill and exercycle for him to start on so thanks very, very much.

This week is shaping up to be busy for him. Appointments at the doctors and the hospital... and then on Tuesday with the new physio and OT team etc. It is so much more relaxed for all of us now that he out of the 'institution' but we are ever so grateful for the team that has worked with him up in Ranui. And yes I'm calming down my driving habits.

Last night in Ranui

Here we go on the next stage of the journey! Back home tomorrow... so this is our last blog posting as Westies. I will have to go through a reformation of sorts...not driving through orange lights...not speeding up to get through the lights before they turn red...not using the horn so much as a warning device...getting a hair cut that is not dated in the seventies etc. Also have to trade in my old falcon 500 for something more appropriate. Good bye West Auckland.

Just about had to tie Joel down tonight, he is so excited. People are asking him how he feels about going home... the answer is always the same, "words cannot describe how I'm feeling inside." He has a final physio session tomorrow at 10:00 and then we are outa there.

We will continue the blog for awhile when we get home to keep everyone up to date but it will only be about once a week. I might miss it...even been thinking of starting another one just writing stuff for the heck of it...but then I realised I would be the only one reading it.

Well the next time you read this it will be from Tauranga... where the only people with mullets are crazy young teens who are trying to worry their parents.

2 to go

Yep thought it was time to up date all you lovely blog followers. It is 2 sleeps to go till home time and we have one very excited boy! He can't wait and to be honest neither can we.

Yesterday Cheryll brought Joel over to Carey Baptist College for chapel and lunch. One of the reasons was to stick him in an unknown 'social' environment to see how he handled it...which he did. And we also wanted to thank the Carey community for their prayers, encouragement, friendship and giving. He even wondered if he will end up there doing study at some stage. Today was the normal physio and stuff and this avo we went down to the pool for his hydrotherapy. I went along and coughed up my money for a swim...so ignoring the encouragement from a certain person yelling, "wow, a beached whale," and "who's got a harpoon" I slipped gracefully into the pool and did a few lengths. Then tonight I went back and spent the early evening with him. Joel commented that his workout in the pool was far less tiring and reckons that his stamina is building.

We are making plans for our return and we are aware that there will be new challenges as we try to return to a more normal routine. Joel is so looking forward to seeing all of you 'Taurangaites' again!  Just give us a phone call if you're popping over for a visit as we have to schedule in rest/sleep periods for him during the day. One of the things he is looking forward to is walking Sam, his dog. He should be able to do one circuit of the park every day as a start and build up from there. One little thing that would help him in his fitness...has anyone got an exercycle that they aren't using that we could borrow for a few months? or a treadmill? These two exercises are very good for him as they provide a very even and constant pattern which helps strengthen his weak left side.  Logan, Amie and Sienna are coming up from Gisborne to see us this weekend so that will be neat to have the whole family back together in one piece.

4 sleeps to go

It really is count down time now ... Joel is ready to come home!  He is allowed to walk around the house as well as outside now by himself, he is independent with all his showering etc, he doesn't get so tired after every activity and he's up to speed with his 'one liners'! Today he walked down to the diary and back up the hill again with Stefanie the physio.  He managed it fine ... although he did have a little rest outside the dairy while he ate his ice cream.  He's doing well during his physio sessions ... he's able to do his arm exercises with 3kg weights now (including his left arm), he does 15 minutes on the bike no sweat, and is doing all his balancing and strengthening exercises with much more ease. That left foot continues to improve and he has even more movement in it this week ... not enough to give up the splint yet but it's definitely getting there.

This afternoon he had his 'Wii' session with the caregiver, Leo.  Well, it started off just him and Leo ... but he attracted quite a crowd and by the end there were a heap of people having turns versing him in bowling and boxing.  It was great fun with lots of laughter. Poor Leo ... the session that was supposed to be around 1/2 an hour, turned out to take 1 1/2 hours.

Kevin was at college today so he went up to visit him tonight and has just walked back in the door now ... so I'm going to go make him a cuppa and catch up with his day.  Good night :-)

Challenge???

Joel and Steven, that's them together in the bottom photo, are cuzzies and they want to challenge any MEN to a mullet growing competition. Mum ain't happy but boys will be boys. Any takers?

The weekend...a time for pics!

Back to the olds...

Yep I took the computer into Joel this afternoon thinking that he could take over the duties of blogging but the response was, "Dang just coz I'm a little bit better I'm not doing all the work, remember I have had a brain injury!" I'll let him off this time but he won't be using that excuse for too much longer. After his big hike around yesterday Joel is a bit more subdued today. He is counting down the days like a kid waiting for Christmas! Still had to set goals for the coming week and still doing his physio etc. All still slowly improving but we are still waiting for his left foot to kick in (no pun intended).

Ages back I mentioned that we as a family have been praying for another client here. Well we have been taking things slowly but have continued to pray. I have had some good talks with the mum and she has asked if we could get others to pray for her daughter! So if you want you could add Jody to your list. Jody was in Waikato Hospital at the same time as Joel...in fact she was wheeled outa ICU as Joel was wheeled into her bed. Her accident was at the beginning of December and she suffered a similar injury to Joel, but recovery has been very slow. She is just now approaching where Joel was when he left hospital. Eating a little and saying a few words, and the odd smile. I teased her today that she won't be able to make eyes at Joel during physio after next week and she smiled!  Mum wanted us to first of all pray that she would be at peace...and she was...then she wanted us to pray that she would communicate and say those precious words, 'I love you'... and she has just done that. Mum is calling it a miracle and says she now believes in miracles! Let's keep praying for this young lady and her family.