Saturday, April 12, 2014

Spring 2014


It's been a while since our last post. We have had the garden made accessible. Andy designed it so that there is a path going from the top to the bottom with a bridge linking the two parts; there is also a ramp up to the decked area. We are both really pleased with the results and it adds another accessible 'room' to the house in the summer months.

We mentioned in our last post about a course of further rehab being provided by the NHS. We were disappointed with what was actually offered as it wasn't the intensive therapy, we had expected. Instead it was a series of assessments which concluded no NHS therapy would be provided anymore. So from hereon any therapy Andy receives must be funded privately.
We have various breaks booked for the year ahead, which we are very much looking forward to. We are going to Jersey in May with Paul and Katie (Andy's brother and sister-in-law). We also plan to have a break in October with the extended family in an accessible holiday cottage on a working farm in Wales. Andy will also be getting back to his climbing roots in June when he will be going to the O2 arena to abseil down the side of the dome!!! Photos to follow!!! We try to get away for  a night somewhere each month just the two of us and we normally pay for a carer to just come in for a couple of hours in the morning to assist Emma in getting Andy up.

We have had some challenges once again with our carers as all of our regular carers have left over the past few weeks for various reasons. We do have one new carer who we feel comfortable with, who is willing to become one of our regulars but we still need at least one other. Andy has been quite anxious about the situation as he feels vulnerable with new carers. Please pray.

Andy has been to university multiple times this year. Since we last wrote he has also had some more grades and is doing really well on his assignments. Now he is facing two exams and two research papers, which all need to be completed in the next few weeks so he needs to remain focused. He is really enjoying his studies.

We asked for prayer in the last post for Andy's right ankle position. We now hope to be able to improve the position of Andy right foot through serial casting using a different technique to what has already been tried. If this works, he shouldn't need to have an operation to lengthen his tendons. Please pray that this is successful.

In therapy, Andy is still making improvements. There has been a noted improvement in Andy's torso control, which had diminshed following the fitting of the baclofen pump. We were especially encouraged in today's physio session, when Andy was able to isolate movement in his left knee and did forty or so reps of bending and straightening the knee with his full weight going through his leg. We would hope that this would also be possible with the right leg, however his foot position is preventing him from trying this at present.

We thank you for your continued love, support and prayers.