Mom and I scooped him up at HRNS after lunch and brought him back to the house for a while. He had some ice cream and watched "Rango" with us, an absolutely hilarious movie. Sonny always did like Disney/cartoon flics! We hadn't taken him out since his move to HRNS in early April, so we wanted to "pace his day" a little bit and not make him too tired. He seemed pretty energetic, so we decided to go ahead and go...
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| Sonny at Coldstone Creamery |
...to the mall! Alderwood here we come! Sonny is so patient being loaded/unloaded in the van, and he didn't seem to mind the jostling about. We were the rolling brigade with Sonny in his wheelchair and Mom on her scooter as we browsed the mall and learned where a number of the newer stores were located. With Mom's new scooter we were all able to really enjoy running around and seeing lots of things without making anyone too tired. I remembered the first time I took Sonny to the mall shortly before Christmas 2010, and it was a little overwhelming for him. He shied away from some of the bright lights and louder noises, but yesterday he appeared attentive and not intimidated by comparison. Once again, it gave us a measuring stick of sorts in his recovery. He patiently waited while we looked at shoes (or at least put on a good show of patience!), and seemed to enjoy being outdoors while we strolled the newer side of the mall outside. I have to remember his sunglasses next time so he doesn't have to borrow mine!
For those who knew Sonny previously, it is no surprise that his all-time favorite dessert has always been ice cream. Well, no one does it like Coldstone Creamery, so he indulged in a scoop of yummy chocolate frozen wonderfulness and watched the people amble by. Ice cream twice in one day! We can't resist spoiling him a little now and then. He seemed comfortable and even smiled a couple of times, so I think we avoided brain freeze! As we made our way back toward the indoors of the mall, we passed two beautiful fountains with water splashing. He lifted his head toward the sound, so I wheeled him up close enough for him to see them and splashed the cool water on his hand...he smiled. He used to love the water, and it seems he still does!
We all enjoyed a Chinese food dinner (Sonny LOVES orange chicken!) outside in the fresh air before we loaded up to take him back. It was so sweet to see him trying to stay awake during the drive to Seattle...he was obviously tired from the day, but in typical Sonny fashion, didn't want to fall asleep and miss anything!
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| Mom and Sonny as we enjoyed an outdoor dinner |
All in all, it was a lovely day. An interesting point is that I have been reading quite a bit lately about the balance between rest and stimulation for brain-injured patients. Fatigue can set their progress back, but without adequate stimulation there is less forward momentum in their recovery. So, with Sonny it is a tightrope walk between wanting to expose him to things he likes, pressing him just enough to engage in his surroundings without stressing him and causing excessive fatigue. If he sleeps for three days after an outing, it is obviously more detrimental than helpful to him. However, the general consensus seems to be that many TBI recoverers (I may have coined a new phrase) actually do BETTER with a little push now and then to "step outside their heads" so to speak. Sonny needs to see the world around him, people moving in and out of his surroundings, laughter, tears, children growing up, water splashing, dogs barking...the whole world continuing on. Only then can he see that HIS world is also going on! His entire existence is NOT the inside of a nursing care facility, but still encompasses his neighborhood, his friends, the moon, stars, and universe. Sonny's world has not diminished...who knows, one day we may all realize that his world has embraced even more than all of ours.
I hold on to the belief that one day Sonny will speak to us again. With his voice? Perhaps...perhaps not. Maybe he will need a letter board to spell out what he wants to say, or an Ipad keyboard (THANK YOU, MOM!!!) to type his thoughts. But one day, he will tell us his thoughts the way HE sees everything. I believe that. When he does, oh the stories he will tell us! So many long days and endless thoughts...and I think we will all have so much to learn from what he says!
Meanwhile, July marches on and we look forward to more days like yesterday for Sonny...and better! It was sort of odd in a way, knowing that in years past there were not many recent memories of Sonny, Mom, and me all together doing something random like a trip to the mall. But nowadays, it is one of our most special experiences and will be a treasured memory. So you see? Sonny gives us these gifts so often. He brings people together, makes us see the value of those we love, shows us the strength of the human spirit as he overcomes obstacles most of us have never dreamed of. He is a catalyst for helping us all to see reality, whether or not he would ever take credit for it. Holding onto every precious moment takes us back to our simple motto: Don't ever give up. Sonny continues to be one of our most powerful teachers.
Extra thanks to my Mom, who has made so many things possible through her generosity and her endless commitment to seeing Sonny regain all that he possible can. In the face of so many hurdles, this amazing woman has proven herself to be a tireless runner. Sonny would not have had the opportunities that he has were it not for her aggressive advocacy for her son...I am honored to come alongside and walk beside her in this journey. Very seldom do the "backstage supporters" receive any accolades...this Lady deserves a medal for all that she does on a regular basis. She is the Hero behind our Superman. :)
Here's to one more victorious day.
Thanks for reading.
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