I don't even know you talking about

Handlebar set too high for her.

🫣

Way cool! Congo rats, Sam!

So that's how it works! Cool. Thanks for sharing! And Sam, you're doing great! Try to visualize those pieces parts working as you work on swallowing and speech. At least, that is what would help me but I'm very visual based.

Maybe it's the vibrating movement from the yolks that shows sign of crying for help.

Love you two

Hey, we'll get y'all the membership. Don't fret that part. If you use it, good. If not, meh, don't matter.

The weights: fun vs pt. We all want the fun and not the PT. I have a Flynn membership. Have for almost a year now. Never gone because of reasons. But I want to go so I can use the recumbent bike. Do you think he could use those since it is done sitting?

I have a 2009 Toyota Sienna van. I have a power chair that weighs a lot because of the options I have to have. The cost for a chair lift to get the chair (without me in it) up and into the van is going to cost just over 4000 bucks. The place we were going to get the lift from also sells already made vans, used. They had a perfect one for me, everything I would love to have, but at 32,000. So, yeah, if he has to keep using a manual chair, it will be overall cheaper. Even if you get an awesome lightweight chair he can push himself in, it will be cheaper.

There is a fine line between good and not so good stimulation for those with brain injury. Some can't handle but a small amount, others thrive on it. Seems as though Sam is liking it!

CBD oil's initial purpose, before it became a "fad", was to treat seizure disorders. Works wonderfully for those. And you told us about the cream for my heel and dang, it works!

He has come a long way! So proud of both of you guys! #LoveNeverDies

Wow! I'm so impressed by Sam's progress, you are so strong, you've got this!! My heart really goes out to you.

Love you guys!

Y'all do the weirdest yoga. Hey, anything else on that Amazon list you need?

Sammi, I am so proud of you. For seeking help. And for sharing that help. Passing it on to someone else. Caregivers are often not taken care of. Either because everyone thinks they are brave and strong and up on a pedestal for their commitment - and therefore do not need help; or the caregiver's behavior doesn't seem to be...needy? Probably not the word but there it is. Caregivers ARE needy. Of course they are. My god, your life has been turned upside down. Some (especially there) may even feel survivor's guilt. And the paperwork! The effing paperwork never effing stops! L's reaction to my slow decline has been interesting. We used to go through a lot of manual wheelchairs in the beginning because she got so mad at them trying to load or unload and would throw them, hit them, try to run them over with the car, whatever. She could get mad at the equipment but felt she could not get mad at me. Eventually, she worked through her grief (?) and did get mad at me. Once that tea kettle went off, things got better. As you know, I am a night owl (it is 5:30am and still up). And I sleep with my phone under my pillow (no, I'm not (*that* attached to it, I use it to play music to help me fall asleep). If you EVER need to talk, cry, scream, whatever, feel free to text or call. Seriously. New Normal is as flexible as a rubber hose. Or traffic going over the Smoky Park Bridge at 5:05pm on a weekday. Sure, you know it's gonna be a pain, you just don't know where it will hurt the most.

Hey, does he need clothing? Clothes you can rip for the feeding tube or whatever? Or is he set? Sometimes a tshirt is too tight here or there when the muscles are tight. So I usually take an older one and just rip it. We had several cut down the collar to make room for a brace. Another I had to cut the sleeve cuffs as they dug into my bicep.

Look at that grin!

Awesome! Must've been good for him to lick it off!

Mom went through PT and OT and stuff after her brain tumor thing. She HATED OT. They had her FOLDING CLOTHES. She HATED that. She couldn't see anything productive in that. I tried to explain the various physics involved in such a simple act but she wouldn't hear any of it. Luckily she was also unable to speak so she couldn't cuss at me! LOL So if they have Sam doing what he thinks is far too simple a thing, tell him it is part of the whole. With Mom's aphasia, she couldn't tell you what she needed but she could look at a picture and tell you what it was. Speech therapist would show her pictures of animals and mom could say what each was but she couldn't say she was thirsty. She could read, which helped. We made her two pages of the alphabet and she would point out letters until we guessed. The sheets also had YES and NO and MAYBE and a few other phrases. Once she just could not communicate her needs so she ripped letters out of the sheet and spelled it out. OT and speech thought that was great! Anyway, so glad to listen to this. I'm glad Shepherd is doing a good job. And I'm glad there's things for you, too. Because YOU are part of Sam's whole, too.

Maybe the reason Sam‘s frustrated is because you directly ignored his wishes and now he’s stuck, js

You are so cute in your rambliness!! As you were talking @ "all, in their skill and mindfullness, working together for good" and how that seemed to come together, you reminded me beautifully of experiencing midwives (collectively) and the homebirthing experience. Assurance, understanding and validating are so very important. These are the people who deeply can answer the 'why' of why they do what they do. Bless them all! Sending our very best wishes for a great week..... the Reids

We love hearing all the details of all the progress! Keep them coming!

Put him on a blanket and scoot him into the back of my van. Back seats fold flat. Middle seats flip forward. He'll fit! LOL My friend's son Sam sleeps (or seems to be sleeping) whenever he is overloaded with sensory stuff. Love to you both. And remember, if you need anything that I am capable of doing, let me know! We're thrilled Sam is going. Sad you both will be away. But happy, too.

Two things:1 - you got a place to stay in Atlanta? 1b- is it within walking distance or Uber distance? (the idea of you driving in Atlanta...) 2 - find someone to take over the insurance crap for you once Sam is in Shepherd. someone who knows and likes filing and keeping track of crap. Unless you NEED to deal with it in order to have some sense of control or whatever, delegate it.2b - delegate all you can so you can focus on you and Sam.2c - unless, like I said, you NEED it for control, distraction, whatever. M'kay? (nod and say yes paula) (feel free to chuck any or all advice above)

🤞❤️👍

Sending WOO!

Occupational therapy! That's what I do! Yay!!! Sam is rebuilding those neural pathways doing these activities! I am SO pleased to see him sitting upright, moving and using both hands! Does he seem to prefer any of the tasks over others?!

Great news👍

Looks like Sam may not need the Ironman suit after all!!!!! He's super all on his own already!

Go Sam! You exhausted now?

And they didn't have to strap your hands on! Cool again! Does it have a counter so you can see your progress? Focus on that. Boo if it only has mph.

Looking good! Even if your hat is backwards

Go you! Now you can chase the nurses on days Sammi ain't there. Or run over your physical therapists. Which ever, really.

So cool! Go Sam! Hey, it may be frustrating or seem belittling. But you can do this. Frustration is fine. Belittling, it isn't. It is taking steps. Just as you learned how to take care of chickens, it is steps. You couldn't go from never knowing birds to having a huge flock. So, steps.

The audio makes this video. Just makes it. Oh, and seeing him working his hands.

Very happy to see this video!

Thanks for making a video.

Go Sam go!!

Dude! IronSam!!! I am SO excited to hear all this amazing news!!! Thank you for the updates. Please ask the docs about a magnesium supplement to help relax his muscle spasms. Thinking of you all the time ❤️

Love ya, lady.

<3

This is great..I learned a lot too.

That's fabulous. Would love to.see.in person.

The unicorn is my favorite!

I'm seriously considering a soil blocker this year. New friend to your channel!

Earthtoolsky has tons of great videos on BCS care and use. He is the importer for all distributors oin the US, and he knows a ton about them. In particular, he has a video on PTO engagement, and gear engagement. if gears are not engaging, or pto is not engaging, you can ease and slip the clutch just a bit, and the gears will move just enough to engage, but not enough to make a full rotation or damage anything. He has great how to videos. This is the same setup I just picked up a month ago. I got a used older model power harrow (the heavy one) and tiller, and potato plow, and furrower too. I have a large 4 X4 tractor, but its heavy when spring soils are very very soft. the BCS will let me work the garden earlier, and also let me work all the other parts of my 5 acres, like ditch lines I can't do anything with my large machine. they compliment each other well. good luck!

Erin Kinard.and Mark.Bumgarner make.a.great.duo