7 lives - let's end with more than 1 left, shall we?

This is a break from our normal blogs as I need to share a lesson Alex & I got first hand last night, or really early this morning if you want to be OCD about it.

Public Service Announcement:  DFW folks - please be careful out there.  I say DFW specifically as this is our home and the floodgates are open for a few more days.

Last night, we were coming home from Austin and saw standing water.  We saw little Miatas think they could make it through with big ole' trucks right on their tail.  We saw the Trinity rushing like a bullet train.  We saw standing water from overflowing storm drains that couldn't handle the rain coming down.  What really drives the need for me to write this is what happened to Alex & I driving home from Jesuit.

We were on 190 driving home and a little car decided it could speed past us.  After all, there was no standing water right so why not?  Ignore the sheets of rain, the overly saturated and slick roads.  Ignore that the rest of us (and there weren't many) were only going 40, hazards on and praying with hands at 10 and 2.  We are only supposed to worry about standing water, right? (If you don't catch that sarcasm, please channel my voice and try again.)  That little red car then spun out right in front of us, almost flipping and hitting the barrier before spinning around again.  We got lucky as I was able to tap our brakes and watch it unfold so I could move safely out of it's way.  NOTHING IS WORTH LOSING YOUR LIFE TO GET SOMEWHERE QUICKER.  The roads are slick, there is standing water and the rain can be as hard to see through as a brick wall.  The driver was able to get out of the car, and all things considered, there didn't seem to be much damage (although I highly doubt it was drive-able ever again as it did take a small time airborne before hitting the wall).  Mom & Daddy called for help.

As I told Alex, if you have to drive, drive slow, use your hazards and be smart.  Place your hands at 10 and 2.  Use every tool as your disposal.  Don't be afraid to call for help if you need it.  Your life is worth more than getting anywhere (especially at 3am).

Back to why I had to write this entry - this is  a good lesson for life.  Take it slow, use your hazards when you need to or take a pause, use tools to make life safe (tool depends on the situation of course), ask for help, take a minute to render help if someone else needs it, and remember, nothing is worth losing your life.  Nothing.

The kid has had a very interesting few months and it is no secret that I think we are very very blessed.  Last night was just another example of that fact.  We have learned to ask for help, to help others, to take a break and use our hazards, use whatever tools we had to in order to get back to normal - is it all a part of the grand plan and last night is one more scene?  I have to believe it is and I do believe it is with all my heart.

I am good with sliding into my grave with a martini (or glass of red) in one hand and sparkler in the other, but I am certainly not going to expedite the situation.  So we will learn from all our lessons, we will take is slow - smell the roses, keep using our tools and keep asking and giving help.  After all, we only have 7 lives and I think we have used more than one this past 6 weeks.

Sometimes you need a dancing elephant - so here is one.
Because I'm happy!

Why walk on the field when you can ride onto the field in style?

Time has been flying by - it has been weeks since we left BIR Dallas and moved back home.  Weeks since we had a structured inpatient schedule.  Weeks since we blogged.  It's funny, in the hospitals, we didn't have much to do other than PT/OT/ST/TR for Alex and the blog was a way for us both to connect to the outside world. So let's get caught up starting with Senior Night.  PS:  Lots of pollen in the air, just a warning.

Best Doctor Ever
As (I think) we said in the last entry, Dr. D is amazing and when she found out that the last home game, and Senior Night, was Friday night she immediately moved Alex's check out to Friday morning instead of Saturday so he wouldn't miss the big event.  This was some of the best therapy I have ever seen - he worked HARD the rest of the week, he was going home.

And now, coming through the left field fence...Your Alex Reilly!
Senior night is always charged with extra emotion - this year?  I think a lot of us will agree that this year, senior night wasn't just emotional for the senior families but for my family too.  We got to the game, not sure what quite to expect other than Alex knowing he would be back in the dugout, on the sidelines of a field where he is most comfortable and always has been.

According to Tom Hanks, and many others, there is no crying in baseball.  However, on Senior Night, there is A LOT of pollen in the air.  Yes, I know this blog entry is weeks late, but one of the things about writing is you simply cannot do it until you are ready to embrace the content and until now?  Well, let's just leave it to pollen - shall we?

Picture this (day dream a little, it is shown to increase productivity):

Alex rides up in a gator (glorified golf cart), helmet on his head and smile on his face.  The AD drives him through the back fence as music plays and the team stops their outfield stretching to welcome Alex back, clapping, yelling, laughing, the whole nine.   They got up and ran to the gator just to welcome him personally.  Hugs, hand slaps, smiles, trash talking.  All boy and all great. The announcer played music and welcomed him back and the fans were on their feet.  There is even a 'Welcome Back Alex' sign.  Fans were cheering for Alex, I hope his strength motivated others and showed the visiting team just how much a family Jesuit is!

His Pop Pop and coaches help him down into the dugout (women aren't allowed in the dugout but I was there making sure he didn't fall), I say help as it was hilarious.  He had his rehab belt on as he went down the stairs and his coach decided he wasn't falling so he was lifted by his belt.  HA!  It made me laugh, I am not sure Alex didn't laugh either - I mean, he was flying pretty much.  That game he had a smile as big as the sun as he sat in the back of the dugout, doing his job. Oh and did I mention the Rangers kicked ass and Alex was there with his team to be apart of it?  And it was Senior Night so the Senior parade (players and parents) were introduced to the fans tonight, we got to thank them for the great baseball and wish them luck as they moved forward.

After the game he flew up the stairs (why walk when you can fly) and enjoyed the closing meeting and cake with the team.  They had secured district and an undefeated season, 300 wins for their coach, they needed cake.

It was awesome and he was back and happy and smiling.  Sitting on his little chair, a coaches chair that they rest on outside of the dugout (watching for fly balls I hope), eating cake.  Of course he was.  It's Alex.  Did I mention the pollen?  I really should see an allergist about this - it is insane.

It is more than the physical healing
We know that all the physical work Alex has done is what is helping him physically.  It is the hours, the doctors, the braces, the treadmills that are propelling him towards walking 'like a normal boy' (his words that always make me thing of Pinocchio).  But it is more than that.  It is his team - all of his teams - rallying around him.  His school mates visiting, texting, Tweeting, SnapChatting (still don't know if that is one word or two but it looks fun as one word so it shall stay that way here).  His teachers and coaches lending a hug and a helping hand.  It is the helmet so he can sit in the dugout and run Game Changer as he has done all year.  The prayers from around the globe.  All of those things are leading Alex towards his 'normal boy' status and for all of those things?  For that I say thank you to everyone.

Games, workouts, intentional falls, Eagle Scout awards and LOOK AT HIM DO A PUSH-UP!

The eve of any holiday or even always brings certain emotions to the forefront.  They can range from anticipation to angst, joy to sadness.  I think we had all of them yesterday.

It's fun and it's a lot of work - but sometimes more fun than work thanks to the people

Charlie - the awesome OT & PT tech who agrees -
you work towards failure, not burn out.  That is too easy.

I think therapists have as much fun the day before patients leave as the patients do, at least that was the case with Alex and his myriad of techs and therapists.  Even in only a week, he has built a bond with the people he has worked with, they have been a huge part of getting Alex so far in only a week.  Charlie worked Alex through OT and PT this week but ended with the killer ab / glute work out (from hell - all three of us agree).

Taylor -
the fun time session

Kirstyn -
the puzzle queen

Taylor taught us a new card game called Kings Corner that I am sure will be found in Hughes Hall as soon as Alex gets back to school to teach it to the upstanding Jesuit men.

Kirstyn proved that Alex should have failed first grade during OT.  He could not successfully complete a small 100 piece clown fish puzzle.  Now, I would love to blame the brain injury for this but let's be honest - Alex couldn't complete puzzles before so I call BS on brain trauma folks.  Oh yes, I shall buy that puzzle - it will be Family Fun Time in the very near future!

Molly taught Alex (okay, and me) how to get up the stairs either in the front or back of the house so he could get into the house today!  She took time to teach us how to get in to the car with no scratches - to his head or the car let's be honest.  Then came the 'this is how you fall and get up' session.  Alex has now learned that despite the fact that his butt has zero fat (like the rest of him) it has more padding than any other part of his body, so if he goes to fall? It is falling on the butt time - rolling all the way.  Of course, she then taught him to get up.  Think drunk turtle and you are half way there.  And yes, it is okay to laugh at that.

Later in the afternoon, two of his coaches came to heckle - I mean cheer - him through his last PT session.  We all almost fell over when ALEX DID NOT ONE BUT MANY PUSH-UPS!  Coach has decided this trend will continue, bum foot or not, boy needs to do more push-ups.  It was also cool to see the reaction of the coaches when Alex walked, almost by himself, with a walker.  Two days ago, when they saw him last, he could not support his own leg without the PT rolling behind him and without relying heavily on the big stick.  We don't cry in rehab, but you know what?  We beam with pride.


Alex the Eagle and the man who taught him to fly
Today very dear friends came to visit Alex - the Sawickis.  In 2014, Alex earned the rank of Eagle Scout and he would not have made it without the guidance, patience and love from Mr. Ed Sawicki.  Today - Ed came to visit Alex and awarded him his Eagle Scout Buck knife.  Now I know we don't cry in the room, so I excused myself for a glass of water to wipe my eyes from the dust flying around this place.  Yes, that was it.  Alex was a big time Boy Scout back in the day and also received his +25 nights of camping award where he hiked, biked, swam, canoed and tented for as much as 7 night at one time. Will he do that with the Scouts again?  Probably not, but he will be able to do it all again - and all of you wonderful people have helped him every step of the way.

It's the fun

• Ed Sawicki "I brought the whip, I suggest you get it together man!"  Ed has an Indiana Jones whip that he always teases the boys with - no, he would never use it on them - but he brought it.  This morning, Alex straightened his leg out and, in his words, "Maybe the whip gave me extra incentive to straighten my leg out." HECK YES!
• Buddies:  We had a future artist, NHL star and Coach all in the room at once and they have known each other as long as I can remember.  What is funny about this?  They all ended up in his bed or chair watching the NFL draft. Why? Because boys have to watch it as a team of course.
• Gambling at rehab - oh yes, we had a 5 person King's Corner game going.  Taylor said it was all about dual therapy and logic and stuff but we all know it was totally about having fun and learning new ways to make money for college:)
• Coach "PUSH MAN!  You know what?  I didn't think you could do that but now I know and oohhhh boy."  I cannot wait for next season, bwhahahahahaah.