We took Rick to Lubbock on Tuesday and the first thing we did was have his admit meeting. During this meeting the first time around, which would be right at a year ago, I had to do all the talking, but not this time. He held his own and I didn't have to talk for him not one single time during the admission process. He talked to his case manager and the nurse and I said nothing. I got to sit back and watch the expressions on everyones faces as they listened to him in disbelief! He will have an all new therapy team this time around, so we won't work with the same people as last time...that's both good and bad. He mainly had evaluations in each therapy and did awesome. When he did his PT eval, the first test he did was the 6 minute walk test...I forgot to ask how far he walked in 6 minutes, but I'm guessing it was between 350 & 400 feet with his walker...again, I just sat back and enjoyed the show. His speech eval was awesome, too. The tests were testing not only speech, but memory as well. And she didn't stump him not one time. He, however, stumped us once. She asked, "Who discovered America?" and Rick said, "Americo Vespucci" and we were like, "Who?!!" And he looked at us like we were idiots and said, very plainly, "Americo Vespucci" and then even spelt it for us. Well, I googled Americo Vespucci and sure enough he is credited for where the name "America" came from, and at one point even gave Christopher Columbus a run for his money on getting credit for who found the "New World" first. There is only one problem that I can see, and that's sleep. He didn't sleep either night he was there and that is so frustrating for him. He wasn't sleeping that great at home either, but he always had a chance to knock out a nap during the day and he won't have that chance at TLC. So, please pray for him to get some rest while he is there, it is so important for his attitude and we have seen first hand how much getting rest has helped in the healing.

He talked to his brother on the phone tonight and made Bryan's day. It's been a rough day for Bryan as it was two years ago today that he lost his son. Hearing Rick's voice definetly brightened his day.

There is only one patient still left from when Rick was there the first time around. And, so many more that need your prayers. I'm so thrilled to report that Colby's brother is doing fabulous...you know 6 months ago his family was told there was no hope and this guy is now walking, talking, playing with my kids...doing so great and it is such a great feeling to see someone you've prayed for doing so well.

If your in Lubbock during the next few months and have some time, please go by and see Rick, and then you can call me and tell me how he's doing! Even though I'll see him every weekend, it's going to be really hard not to be there during the week. His official visiting hours are still pretty limited, 12-1 and after 5, but if your in town, stop by because you never know when he'll be on break and you can just say hello...it will make his day.

Well, as usual, Rick will be looking at the back of his eyelids when the New Year rolls in. We are praying for a prosperous new year and are trusting in the Lord that it will happen.

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Love,
Crystal

We had a great Christmas...so much better than last years that was spent in a hospital with a cardboard tree taped to the wall. Of course, we will never forget the hospitality that Blane Chapman showed us last year when he let the kids and I stay with him during Christmas break. We went to the Smajstrla Christmas on Christmas Eve. The chinese Christmas exchange has always been one of Rick's favorite things and he ususally harasses as many people as he can. Everyone was really happy to see him and I think it was great for him to participate...he ended up with Whiskey and Coke, so it was a good night for him.

Tomorrow is the big day...the day we take him back to TLC. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time...he's a kind of indifferent about it. We will stay until Thursday and since it's New Years holiday, he will get to come back home for the weekend. Then on Sunday we'll take him back, and we'll come home...this is the part that I'm not liking...the leaving him part, but it'll be okay. Hopefully, moving into the new house will provide enough of a distraction for me...we are supposed to close on Jan 3rd.

Be strong in the Lord,
And Never give up hope,
You're gonna do great things,
I already know
God's got his hand on you
So, don't live life in fear,
forgive and forget and
don't forget while you here
take you time and pray,
these are the words I would say.

God Bless you all,
Crystal

We are counting down the days until Christmas, and counting down the days until Rick goes back to TLC...5 & 8. I really can't believe that both are so close. We've decided he'll go back on the 28th since TLC is closed on the 31st. That way we can get him there and settled and stay a few days, then he can come home for the New Years weekend and has to be back on Sunday afternoon. After that he can only come home every other weekend, which I'm not happy about, but that's just how it is. So, that means the kids and I will be back at L&L's Bed and Breakfast and Supper and Entertainment every other weekend to visit. We had to say goodbye to all the therapists at NT Rehab last week. They have been absolutely great and a blessing in this long journey. We will miss them, but know we will see them again. I've asked about a link to view the Lift a Life program, but haven't gotten an answer yet. Last week Tim felt like Rick's balance was so good that he walked with him outside of the parallel bars and without his walker. Just Rick and Tim. Rick was using one hand on Tim's forearm, but that was it. Rick did so good, kept his balance really good and Tim was pretty impressed. We'll see Tim twice this week and then back to TLC.

Hoping to close on the house this week. There were some repairs that the appraiser wanted done, and then he'll come back to reinspect. If everything is up to par then we should be able to close...it would be so great to have it done by Christmas. We'll have to pull the carpet up, refinish the floors, and paint before we can move in, but I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks for the Christmas cards, and all the support that continues to pour out for us 18 months after his accident. We so appreciate it.

Love,
Crystal

I guess I made everyone who watched the story on Rick last night cry...should've warned y'all to get your Kleenex box. I cried doing the interview and watching the interview...oh well. I was so interested to see the other clients stories because we see alot of them while we're in rehab, too and you always wonder what their story is. And, honestly, I never realized what a diverse group of injuries the rehab center could handle. Or just how well equipped they are to handle them. They have truly been a blessing to us and we will miss them when Rick goes back to TLC. Speaking of which, we have decided that he will go back on Dec 29th. He's not so excited about it, but it's got to be done. This weeks therapy has been kind of a hit and miss. Monday in the pool was great. He walked 3 seperate times with no assistance. Each time walking the width of the pool which is probably 15 feet. He also got his Dynovox in which is a speech device. It's really neat...just like a little touchscreen computer. He finds the button that says what he wants to say, or uses a keyboard to type out what he wants to say and it speaks for him. The really neat thing is that he can customize buttons, too. So, if there's a phrase or a smart alec comment that he likes to say often, then we can program a button to say it. And, his speech therapist made the mistake of telling him that theres no right or wrong...to use it in a way that suits him best. So, he's got some customized buttons already that he thinks are pretty funny...like "oh sh*$!" He also wants to make buttons for, "quick, fast and in a hurry", "i'm gonna come from together!" , "if it hairlips the govenor" and several others. He can make a recording of voices that he likes and download them onto it as well. I'm looking for as many Sam Elliott phrases to load as I can!!! Today he wasn't feeling very well. I think its just a cold or allergies, but he didn't feel like going to therapy today and didn't have a whole lot of gumption about him.

House closing has been put off a few days, but nothing terrible...should still close by Christmas.

Thanks for all your prayers.

Love,
Crystal

Very glad to report that Rick's DARS money was released on Friday. I was totally shocked to find out. I wasn't expecting to hear anything until January. The program director called me Friday morning and said, "Whose been saying their prayers?" And I just couldn't even believe it. Now to decide when he'll go back. His DARS counselor said that they understand not wanting to go back before Christmas, but we need to get there as soon after Christmas as we can. I'm very excited for him to go back, but it will be very hard to let them have him back. We have really enjoyed having him home.

Thanksgiving was great, and Rick continues to make gains every week. Last week he was working with Tim (PT) and had some of the best steps I have seen him take. Very controlled and smooth...looked very good. One day we were at home and I had Rick get down on all fours. This excercise is called quadripeg and it is a great one for him to do...especially for his joints in his arms and his shoulders. Cade came in while Rick was in quadripeg, and promptly jumped right on his back. He said, "yee haw, Daddy, just like old times, I'm the cowboy and your my buckin' horse!" And Rick never even wavered...he didn't buck, but he didn't waver either.

He is enjoying the 4th round of the NFR right now. We have a full week of therapy on the agenda for this week. We haven't closed on the house yet, but still looking like we'll get it bought.

Prayers continue to be answered for us, and God's timing has proven once again to be perfect.

Love,
Crystal

Glad to report of even more progress this week. On Monday he was in the pool, and he took 8 steps all by himself with no assistance whatsoever...he didn't even realize he did it, he just took off walking. It was unbelievable. I was watching, but was actually thinking that one of the therapists must have be helping him because he walked so fast and so good, but they weren't. When we told him what he did, he didn't believe it either! We were practicing standing over the weekend and he set another record...he was able to stand without losing his balance for 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

Things continue to move forward on the house purchase, too. So, still praying that we don't hit a snag. They've asked for everything except my first born child!

We'll head to WF this morning and have the rest of the week off. If you get a chance, come by and see us over the holidays. We had visits from Tommy Burnett, Devin and Sandra and Aunt Chyral who brought her boy over some banana nut muffins! Everyone says that Rick is looking and sounding better and better all the time.

We have so much to be thankful for. And thank God every day for all he's done for us. I read the following in my daily devotional:

Thank me frequently as you journey through today. When your mind is occupied with thanking Me, you have no time for worrying or complaining. If you practice thankfulness consistenly, negative thought patterns will gradually grow weaker and weaker. Draw near to me with a grateful heart and My presence will fill you with joy and peace.

Love,
Crystal

Well, after a week of break, Rick went back to therapy and blew everybody's socks off! Every single session he had last week was an awesome one. Every therapist said it was the best he had ever done...some were even asking me if we had changed meds or if we were doing something different. My only explanation is that something else has healed, something else has reconnected up there in that noggin'. This weekend we went to the movies. I'm always a little hesitant to get Rick out and about because you never know what places are going to be wheelchair accessible and also going to have family restrooms. Like a couple of weeks ago we needed to buy a new dress and shoes for Riley for a school dance. Rick insisted that he wanted to go with us, so I didn't argue. I tried to avoid the mall, but ended up having to go there. While we were there he had to go to the bathroom twice (yes, we were there that long) and both times I had to take him into the ladies restroom and just apologize to all the ladies as we came trucking through because the mall doesn't have a family restroom. But the movies were perfect...great seats, great movie...and Rick' favorite...popcorn! We saw Secretariate and it was really good..."you gotta run your race." This week started off in the pool on Monday. Marcie says his balance in the pool is really good, so they're going to try to go in the deeper water next week. We'll go back to WF tomorrow and then on Thursday and Friday we will be in Lubbock for doctors appointments.

Other exciting news is that we put a contract on a house. Please say a prayer that everything comes through, everyone is really excited about having our on place again.

Hope everyone has a blessed week.

Love,
Crystal

A week of break was exactly what Rick needed. We did a few things at home each day, and went to see Tim twice, but other than that, he was able to enjoy his break. He even made some progress this week, and I really think that sometimes he's so tired after therapy that he can't do much for himself at home. This week he shaved himself 3 times...took him about 15 minutes each time and he was able to get 95% by himself. The first few times he tried to shave himself, it took 45 minutes and he was only able to get about 60%. One morning I took the kids to school and came back to check on him. He was sleeping soundly, so I got in the shower. Checked on him after the shower and he was awake. So, I said, "let me get my shoes on and I'll help you get up." So I came in the livingroom, put my shoes on and when I got back to the bedroom, there he was, standing up beside the bed all my himself. I said, "OMG, Rick what are you doing?' And he smiled really big and said, "waitin' on you." He's just been able to sit up on the edge of the bed by himself in the last few weeks because it is so soft, so to actually be able to stand up from there and then stand there keeping his balance...wow! And last but not least his best accomplishment happened in the bathroom. He usually stands pretty good from his wheelchair, but then needs help keeping his balance to turn and to sit down. But, now, he seems to have this down, too. The more his balance improves the more his walking improves. I'm so proud of him!

Love,
Crystal

Oh my...I keep telling myself I'll post more often, and now look how long it's been! And we hit a milestone last weekend and I didn't even have the time to blog about it! Rick got his boots on for the first time since his accident! My uncle TJ stretched them just a little bit and Rick got them on. And the bonus is that he walks better and stands better in them. His PT at NT rehab loved it and said have him wear them every time he comes. He was really diggin' his boots, too...made him smile. Even with such a great thing happening for him, he was a bit down at the beginning of the week. I think he's tired, and a little frustrated. He wants to see BIG progress instead of little progress. He got out for a little bit this morning to watch Cade's soccer game, and made it to Riley's pep rally on Thursday. Also on Thursday, we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary and Riley's 12th birthday. Poor Rick has had to put up with me for 15 years straight...no breaks, no time outs. I remember last year at this time...Rick had just had his baclofen pump in and had some adverse reactions...I was so scared and worried it was all I could do to call Riley and tell her happy b-day. So, this year was WAY better than last!

Still waiting on DARS money...they did finally release some money in October, but it wasn't until the end of the month which his counselor said is unusual. I've been waiting to hear where he is at on the waiting list now, but their computers went down on Friday & I wasn't able to find out. In the past DARS has only released money in Sep, Oct, Nov, and Dec and ususally only about 50 clients each release. So, please pray that Rick is high enough on the list that we'll make it in the next 2 rounds.

Next week we are taking a break from therapy in Wichita Falls. We will see Tim here in town twice, but other than that we'll just be working on some things at home. I'm hoping the break and the rest will put him in a better mood.

God Bless,
Crystal

Thanks everyone for the comments...we enjoyed reading them. Rick especially because he doesn't realize exactly how many people have prayed, cried, and rejoiced right along with us during the last 16 months. And he always seems surprised when I tell him who's commented or asked about him...like, "really, they asked about me?" While at therapy on Thursday, NT Rehab filmed Rick's therapy and interviewed me for a special program called Lift a Life. It's a program that will air on tv sometime in Nov or Dec...I'll let you know as soon as I know. Susan Knowles-Martin (y'all may remember her from the sports cast on KFDX several years ago) is the PR director for NTR and she did the interview...I cried a little, but I warned her that I would, and she said that was fine she would just cry right along with me! They also came back and filmed Rick in the pool yesterday. I really like what they are doing with Rick, but he's not getting enough walking time. He's always in the pool on Monday, and on Wednesday OT and PT co treat, so he doesn't walk then either. It's only on Thursdays and what little he does around the house that he gets any walking time. So, I decided to take him back to Tim Nix at the Seymour Hospital on Tuesdays and Fridays for walking. We went at 8 this morning, and Tim was so impressed with how far Rick has come since he's seen him last. I just really feel like Rick needs this...the more you use it, the quicker it comes back.

Also, I wanted everyone to know there will be a TBI survivor speaking in Wichita Falls and in Vernon next week. His name is Sean Carter and he was injured in a car wreck in Wichita Falls 5 years ago. His website is www.whenseanspeaks.com Very inspirational, and I hope to take Rick and the kids to listen to him. We think Rick has come a long way, but not nearly as far as this kid has had to come...it was 4 years before he could even attempt to walk. If you go to his website, get the kleenex box out.

We had several visitors last week, and sure do appreciate the folks who stop by to visit. Aunt Chyral, Grandma and Lauri Colbert came on Friday and brought goodies for everyone...thanks for the banana nut muffins they are delicious as always. Freddie and Pam Wilhelm stopped on their way to Vernon on Friday as well. Then, on Sunday afternoon, Buck Kerns and Jr Daniel stopped by for a quick visit.

Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You do I wait all the day long.

Love,
Crystal

So sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I have a couple of pretty good excuses....excuse #1 we were very busy last week, and excuse #2 the internet was out for a couple of days. I called in a trouble ticket to Santa Rosa today on the internet problem, and when I got my call back, it was a blog follower on the other end and she was just as concerned about us getting our internet back up and running as we were! She was in need of a blog post! So here it is Melissa and it was great talking to you today. Last Monday and Tuesday were absolutely fabulous days for Rick. But after the trip to Lubbock on Tuesday, he was pretty wiped out. We got the baclofen pump refilled and stopped by TLC to see our old friends. Everyone was really impressed with how good Rick looks. And, I got the greatest news ever...Blake Brazil is doing so well, that he will be moving to TLC. Thank you Lord! We were on the road all 5 days last week, so on Saturday morning Rick slept until 10! That is soooo late for him. The kids were out of school Monday so they went to therapy with us and gave Rick someone else to shoot his water gun at during pool therapy! Our DARS counselor called just to let me know there hasn't been any funds released in October yet, so we still don't know how much longer Rick will be on break.

Today we got to stay home...woo hoo! And I got out my journal that I've written in pretty much every night since this started. And guess what happened a year ago today. We were at Pate (nightmare) and Sid Dickson and I got into our little "discussion" about me backing off...I'm so glad I didn't listen to him and listened to my heart instead. And look how far we've come from there. I read my journal entry to Rick because he has no memory of Pate...the first sentence is, "I'm so mad right now, I could kick Sid Dickson's butt!" Rick got a good chuckle out of that. God is good and He got us out of there.

Thanks for your continued support. Just when I think noone is reading my blog anymore something funny like the phone call with Melissa happens...and btw, I don't believe that is a random thing. Thanks for the encouragement. We will finish what we've started and give God the glory!

Love,
Crystal

Good Monday morning! Here we go again. Our week will be a little bit different than normal. We go to Lubbock tomorrow for a baclofen pump refill, and will go to WF every day (except Tues) for therapy. Rick will be pooped after this week! We had a great weekend. A friend from North Carolina stopped by on his way to Knox City to see Jr Daniel. Buck Kerns usually goes to the remuda sale every year and has been a long time friend of Jr.'s. He is one of those people that we didn't know before Rick's accident, but have gotten to know since. It was great to actually get to meet him. He brought me flowers, the kids candy, and Rick some horse magazines. He also made a DQ run to get Rick a blizzard. On Saturday Cade had his first soccer game. Rick enjoyed it...got a little warm, but really enjoyed getting out and about. The kids and I went to Goree for the Jam for Jesus and I got to see some friends I haven't seen in a long time, and meet a lot of people who have been praying for Rick.

Rick is definitely getting back to his old self. One night he was in the shower and he hollered for me, so I pulled the curtain back to see what he needed, and he sprayed me down with the shower nozzle and the started laughing. I was so mad, but then, how could I really be mad? It was really great to see him acting like himself again!

Hope everyone has a great week.

Love,
Crystal

Wow! Where did September go? Can't believe time is flying by so fast! Rick has had a great week so far. At his pool therapy on Monday, they gave him the super soaker water gun again. I was sitting behind him, so I assumed I was safe, but oh no. He put the water gun over his shoulder and shot it backwards...and got me! He was so proud of himself! They like to put him on a floating mat in the pool and he was able to get up on it without much help this time. It's a good stretch for him and also good for his balance. On Wednesday he had OT and PT double teaming him, but he handled it really good. He also had a couple of therapists that don't work with him comment on how much better his posture is. And I totally agree...his posture is way better and I find that I don't have to correct him so much to turn his head to the right. Yesterday he used the Walk Aid again and again, I'm very impressed.

The kids had a good week as well. Cade has guitar lessons and soccer keeping him busy and Riley has twirling and jr high drama keeping her busy! Can't believe the first 6 weeks of school ends today...only took my kids 5 weeks to get back into the swing of things! I got to do something fun this week, too. John and Carolyn Moorhouse asked me to take pictures of some fillies and colts they are going to sell online. These babies aren't weaned yet, so I knew it would take some time to get the pics, but also knew if we were patient we'd get them. I haven't been around horses in 15 months, so this was a really great afternoon for me...I thoroughly enjoyed myself and think I got a few good pics that will help them sell their horses.

Please add Chad Lowdermilk to your prayer list. Chad is a friend of Laura Brattons and suffered a TBI last week. His is very different from Rick's in that his injury was localized and not all over. He can walk and talk, but is very confused and agitated right now. On top of this, they buried their 17 year old son just 3 weeks before Chad's injury. Please pray for Chad to get the help he needs and for the Lord to show his grace and mercy on this family.

Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. he who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more. John 6:35

Hoping to go to the Jam for Jesus in the big town of Goree this Saturday and maybe to the church picnic at Zion in Lockett on Sunday.

God Bless,
Crystal

We found out last week that it will probably be November or December before Rick goes back to TLC. I'm a little torn about it. In a way I would like for him to get back up there and get it over with, but at the same time, I'm not ready for him to go. We are waiting for his DARS money to be released. For those of you who don't know, DARS (Department of Rehabilitative Services) is who we have been waiting on funding from. Back in July, our insurance decided they didn't want to pay for any more inpatient rehab. But, Rick still needs inpatient rehab and DARS will pay for it. DARS is a state of Texas program that is funded by fees and fines. This money is then used to pay for rehab for brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. I filled out the paperwork back in January to Rick on the waiting list...it's a long list. I still really like rehab at NT Rehab in WF, they just don't get to see him enough...maybe 6 hours a week. Last Monday he was in the pool and was giving the therapist a hard time...and he giggled. And she just stopped dead in her tracks and looked at me and said, "Is that a laugh?" And we're hearing it more and more...it's a wonderful sound. He walked one day with the Walk Aide and worked on balance and stretching. He was able to balance on a yoga ball for 2 minutes!!! That is really good for Rick.

Rick's brother, Guy Wilhelm, and his wife Tammy came for a visit last week, too. They brought their new baby girl, Trinity Anne. It was great to catch up with them. We haven't seen them since March and they were really impressed with Rick's progress. Wish they didn't live so far away!

Our town had a big scare on Friday. A home was broken into and robbed. It was very scary. But, thanks to divine intervention, the man wrecked his stolen car about 10 miles West of town. He tried to steal another vehicle from the feedlot, but one of the employees out there caught him and drew a gun on him until the cops arrived. Come to find out, this may be the same man who attempted to kidnap a couple of children not only here, but in other surrounding small towns in the last month. This has got everyone shook up. We're so thankful he was caught and pray that our kids can grow up in a safe place.

Rick is finishing up breakfast and watching the Golden Girls. We are about to head to Wichita to start another week. So thankful for how far we have come.

Love,
Crystal

So, I noticed I didn't even post once during the week...sorry, it gets hectic with the kids having homework and after school activities. Therapy went really good this week. He got in the pool on Monday and had a great session. While I was watching him, a lady came over and asked, "Is that your husband in the pool." And I said, "yes". She said, "what happened to him?" So, I told her and she said, "Well, the lady in the pool with him is the lady I take care of, and she had a TBI, too." She went on to reassure me that Rick would get better and better and told me that lady she takes care of is still making progress even 9 years after her TBI and she looked to be about 15 years older than Rick. That was so encouraging and she didn't have to say anything to me, but she wanted to and just like all the people who have randomly approached me, I believe it's the Lord's way of saying..."I'm still here." Still working a lot on balance and also on getting on the floor an his hands and knees. Bearing weight is so good for his joints and we continue to see improvement in his left arm. And his speech has gotten better...he has improved on 2 words in particular..."peach" and "oreos". He eats about 6 peaches and about 8-12 oreos a day! And thanks to Berline Glaze we are stocked up on the peaches and will even be able to supply his needs this winter, as I have frozen about 16 dozen peaches! We got him out on Thursday morning and took him to Riley's pep rally. Our first "big" outing in Seymour. It was a little overwhelming for him, but he enjoyed seeing everyone. Reno assured him that they had missed the books at Henrietta's Pioneer Reunion and Rodeo this weekend. Rick told him that was a good thing! We went to therapy Thursday afternoon and Rick was just too tired to make it to the football game that night, so he stayed home with my mom and took a nap. Our therapy days are pretty well set as Monday, Wed, Thursdays and we are usually at home if we're not in WF.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support. People continue to amaze me with their generousity and kindness.

God Bless,
Crystal

Well, I don't know whose going to make Rick laugh first...Sophia on the Golden Girls, or my dad doing twirling routines with Riley! They are both pretty funny, and we have heard a few small giggles from Rick and yes, he still giggles like a girl! Can't wait to hear him bust out with a really good one. He only had therapy one day last week. Monday was a holliday and then Cade was sick with the stomach bug on Thursday, so we stayed home with him. The one day he went was great. They put the Walk Aide on him again and he walked 114 feet in just a few minutes. He took a break then went 64 more feet, rested again and then went 64 feet again. That is farthest he has walked in a long time. And his speed was pretty impressive. With the Walk Aide picking his toe up, it frees his brain up to think about other things like balance and speed.

Blake Brazil has been making great progress. He has already transferred from the LTAC into Trust Point Rehab Hospital and is getting 3 hours of therapy a day. He's talking a little bit and eating, too. This is so great, and I thank the Lord for all the healing he has done in Blake and in Rick. We have all come so far and we won't back down now! Just keep PUSHING!!!

He (God) Himself said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake , nor let you down. Hebrews 13:5.

Love,
Crystal

Lot's of good things to report for the last few days for Rick. He had a couple of really good therapy sessions last week, and has had a great weekend. He got in the pool last week and they made the mistake of giving him a water gun. He promptly filled it up and started spraying everyone with it. They were really impressed with what he could do in the water and are excited about getting him back in the water. It's funny, every therapist that first works with him treats him with kid gloves, and then they figure out how strong and how ornery he is and they start the plans for cranking it to him! On Thursday Kimberly and Debbie (PT's) started fitting him with a device called a Walk Aide. It is a device that attaches to the lower leg and sends electrical signals to the peroneal nerve that in turn works the muscle that lifts the toes. It worked unbelievably well...I mean I was amazed. I have watched Rick's left foot for the last 14 months and I haven't seen it move that well, ever! The PT's were very pleased and said it was as if they had woke up the nerve. What was even more amazing was that even after the device was removed, there was some carryover. Rick continued to get his toes up and not drag even 30 minutes after it was removed. We will use it for a few weeks and see how it works for him and then possibly order his own. If you want to look at the device or find out more, the website is www.walkaide.com

Saturday was such a pretty day we got Rick out of the house. After stopping at DQ we headed out to my aunt & uncle's, Tricia and TJ and visited with them for a while. My dad took him out for some more guy time yesterday. He was really tired today and we haven't done much of anything. We'll be in Wichita on Wednesday and Thursday for more rehab.

We continue to pray for God's complete healing in Rick. Healing from a brain injury is a long process and some days are more frustrating than others. The doctors say it takes at least 2 years to recover and I know God will give us the strength and the courage to face each day.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power & of love & of a sound mind. II Tim 1:7

Love,
Crystal

We've been on our break for a month now and it's hard to believe a month has already gone by. I will not be ready when it's time for him to go back to TLC. Rick had a really good weekend. His brother stopped by on Friday as well as Reed Slaggle. He had really good visits with both of them. On Sunday my Dad took him riding around. He got to see Ron Lawrence and Reno Livingston and then spent some time out at Big John's. He really enjoyed his "man time". On Monday he had rehab in WF. The PT worked on his neck for quite a while and he said it felt really good. He also worked on floor to wheelchair transfers which is his least favorite thing in the world. We go back tomorrow for more and he'll actually get in the pool for the first time.

Last night we were in the kitchen cooking supper and Rick was sitting in the recliner watching TV. The next thing I know, Cade has got Rick in the floor and they are "doing therapy". Poor Rick, he can't catch a break. But, I was so impressed with Cade. He got Rick out of the recliner and in the floor, stretched his arms and legs and made him do sit ups! It was so funny and then, of course, he had to do another floor to chair transfer when it was over with.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk though the fire, you will not be bunred or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you. Isaiah 43:2.

Good night and God Bless,
Crystal

School started on Monday, and we've almost made it through the first week. Watching the kids get on the school bus on Monday was so much better than getting pictures e-mailed from my sister like I did last year. Cade has Mrs. Livingston and Riley, of course, being in jr. high has a different teacher for every class. Rick went to rehab at NT Rehab 3 days this week. We only got in about 2 hours of therapy each day, but I'm really, really pleased with what they've done with him. Yesterday they had 3 therapists working on him at the same time. One was stretching his neck, one his arm, and the other his legs. I said, "Good Lord, Rick, you're never going to get better if you keep having all these pretty girls working on you...I mean there's no incentive. Put a couple of big hairy guys on the job and I bet you'd get better really quick!" He just smiled. He likes the therapists, too and has already shown them how ornery he can be. Just as we got home today, Terri O'Neal pulled in the driveway. It was so great to see her, and she was amazed as he watched Rick get out of the car and into his wheelchair without any help from me whatsoever. I stand there and guard him, but most of the time he doesn't need me at all. She was even able to understand everything Rick said, and when Chance called he talked on the phone with Rick, too. They of course were plotting against their wives, and how they're going to "line us out." Oh please...that will never happen! Pastor Bersche stopped by, too. He came to Wichita Falls every single day that Rick was in the hospital and we've missed seeing him.

We've been on our break for a month now and I just can't believe how much progress Rick continues to make. He is so strong and I am so proud of him. Being home has been wonderful.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23

Good night and God Bless,
Crystal

HAPPY B-DAY, RICK!

We are so blessed. Rick had a fabulous b-day and as a matter of fact has had a really good past few days. We went to Lubbock on Thursday for a baclofen pump refill. It takes 2 1/2 hours to drive there, and about 15 minutes to fill 'em up. Justin and Colby had lunch with us at El Chico's. Colby's brother, Blake is doing fabulous! Colby had taken a video of him that morning sitting on the side of his bed, moving around and following commands. It was amazing. Three weeks ago, the doctors were telling the family to unplug him, it was hopeless, but apparently God decided that the doctors weren't calling the shots and proved them wrong. We also stopped by TLC to visit everybody and got home at 5:00. Rick handled the trip very well, but on Friday he was smoked...slept in a little bit and took a long nap.

Rick shares a b-day with a few special people and it has always been a competition to see who can call who the earliest on their b-days. So, I asked Rick who his b-day buddies are this morning and he said, "Curtis Graf and Ty Watkins." I had Ty's #, so we called him first, and Rick talked so good on the phone. I didn't have Curtis' #, but it didn't matter, because Rick remembered it...can you believe that? I was pretty amazed that he would remember that # after all this time. His Aunt Linda and brother, Bryan called this morning, too and again, Rick's speech was so clear and loud...it was great. Kim, Phillip and Kelsey Graf stopped by, and then this afternoon we went to his cousin Darrell's in Vernon for a b-day party. Aunt Chyral, Granny B, Devin and Sandra and Darrell and Lauri threw the absolute best party for him. Darrell even cooked a steak for him.

Thanks to everyone who called, sent cards or messages to Rick for his b-day. We feel so blessed to have such great people around us.

Love,
Crystal

We had a good weekend. Got to see Pollye Moore and her niece Mardi Wisdom on Saturday. Chris Mooney also stopped by Saturday afternoon. On Sunday we went with my dad to check cows. That was a 3 hour trip and Rick was pretty tired afterwards. This morning after breakfast he asked me, "Is today Monday?" And I said, "yes, it's Monday August 16th...somebody's got a b-day coming up." Rick's b-day is Aug 21st, so I was thinking he would say that. But instead he said, "Ya, today is Phillip's b-day." I said, "Are you sure? " And he said, "yes". So, I called Phillip and asked him and sure enough today is Phillip's birthday. Rick even got on the phone and talked to him for a little while. I think that was probably the best b-day present Phillip got today. Today we got a visit from Johnny and Susie Miller. It was so good to see them. After they left, we went to town to support the local DQ. Rick loves a blizzard and I think that's probably one of the best perks to being home. We had a little rodeo action after his shower tonight. Rick was sitting on the shower bench trying to finish drying off, when Cade comes in and starts pestering and picking on him. So, Rick is trying to get him back and he loses his balance and falls right off the shower bench into the tub. It didn't hurt him, but it was pretty uncomfortable. I had to get my dad to help me get him out! Mom said no more bronc riding on the shower bench! He's in bed sound asleep right now and last night slept from 9:30 to 5:30 this morning...pretty impressive.

Most of y'all know by now that Ryan Rankin, north camp cowboy at Tongue River, was hurt on Saturday. He bucked off a two-year old and broke the tranverse process bones on the lower left side of his back. He is going to be okay, but is in a lot of pain. Dr. said he'll be out of commission for 8 weeks...I'm sure Ryan will say something different, and Lacey may have to rope him and tie him to a chair.

Still haven't heard back from NT Rehab so we don't know what Rick's schedule for therapy will be. We will be in Lubbock on Thursday for a baclofen pump refill.

If you want to send Rick a b-day card, send it to 18762 FM 1919 Seymour, TX 76380.

Love,
Crystal

We went to WF yesterday for Rick's outpatient rehab. We met with ST, PT, and OT. During the speech eval, Rick had his voice going the whole time...answered all her questions and did really good on his evaluation. Of course as soon as he was out of speech, he quit talking. His OT and PT evals both went well, too and I really liked all the therapists. They are going to set his schedule and try to see us 3 times a week. They haven't got the schedule set yet, so I don't know when we'll go back yet. Rick has slept through the night the last 2 nights and I'm so grateful for that. He was getting up at least once a night and sometimes twice a night to go to the bathroom. He's also napping some during the day, and I can tell a huge difference in his attitude. Today he was really hamming it up. That's my reward for all we've gone through...seeing him being himself!

The kids went to Vernon today. My sister is working at Hillcrest Pharmacy and took the kids over this morning. Aunt Chyral picked them up and they spent the day with her. They are now at Devin and Sandra's looking forward to cruise weekend. But, no peace and quiet for us...my brothers kids are here. Jace and Baby Ava...they are sweet as can be and make me wish my kids were little again.

Love,
Crystal

We had a good weekend. Made it to Tongue River early on Saturday. My Uncle John, Chris Mooney and his son Caleb, and me, Rick and Cade made the trip. We had everything loaded down by 11 o'clock...I mean everything. We are absolutely, completely packed up and out of there. It's great to get that off my mind. We got to see Stoney and Sammie, and Mary Lou and Jennifer Brady before we left. Rick was very happy to see everyone and actually managed the trip quite well. We had a visit from Tricia and TJ on Sunday morning and then PT Monday morning and this morning at Seymour. We worked with a new PT yesterday and today named Brooke. After she worked with Rick today she was was amazed at this strength...and not just his physical strength. She visited with me a little bit after therapy and said, "He will walk again...he has the ability, everything just hasn't clicked yet". It was so good to hear her say that, especially after Rick had just asked me this morning, "Am I ever gonna walk again?". Of course there has never been a doubt in my mind that he would walk again, but to hear someone whose only worked with him twice say that, well, it was very convicting for me.

I also talked to Colby on Sunday. Blake is doing better. He has been opening his eyes and squeezing their hands. They are making plans to move him to an LTAC in 2 weeks. There is still ALOT of swelling on the brain, and it will take a lot of time for it to go down. A year ago today, we moved Rick to Baylor. The Seymour Ambulance took us and my mom and dad and Aunt Sherry followed. Baylor was such a huge blessing, and I still keep in touch with Rick's therapists from there. Colby's family is looking at Baylor as the next step after the LTAC.

But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, delcares the Lord. Jeremiah 30:17

Good night and God Bless,
Crystal

The week has been a good one. Rick continues to make improvements. He's talking more and getting stronger. The PT staff at the Seymour Hospital has been great to work with. He will go Monday and Tuesday, and then on Thursday we will got to Wichita Falls. We had a visit today from Stacia (Muffin) and Gary Antilley. Rick smiled so big when she walked in. Rick and Stacia worked at the 6666's together and gave each other so much heck it was sometimes hard to tell when they were mad and when they were kidding! It was great to see them.

In the morning, Big John, Chris Mooney and Rick and I are going to Dumont to get the rest of our stuff. We have outside stuff to get to Seymour and then I'll have that off my mind. It's not that it's in anyone's way, but we need to get it out of there.

This summer is turning out to be way better than last...we're not where we want to be, but we've come a long way and we'll get there. We just take it day to day and are so thankful to make it through each one. It has been great to be back in Seymour with family and great to see old friends that are still rooting us on.

Love,
Crystal

Finally some internet going on at the Smajstrla's...Mama even sprung for wireless...way to go Julie! Rick did not sleep good last night, so today wasn't exactly the best day. He did pull a good one today. He laid down for a nap right after lunch. The room is a ways from the living room, so I checked on him about every 30 minutes. All of a sudden we heard a big thud...Cade and I looked at each other and we were like, "what in the world was that?" It sounded like something on the back porch. We looked, but didn't see anything, so I decided to check on Rick, and where was he at? In the floor, crawling for the door. I was like, "Holy cow, Rick...what are you doing?!!!" And he said, just as calm as ever, "coming to get you." I laughed out loud and said, "ok, what do you need?" He said, "I gotta go to the bathroom." I said, "okay, lets get in your wheelchair...did you fall out of the bed?" He nods yes, and I said, "well is everything okay?" And he shakes his head no...I get a little queasy feeling and said, "oh no, what's wrong?" And he said, really loud, "I gotta PEE!!!" Okay, okay...let's get to the bathroom. He went to PT this afternoon and worked hard. This evening he got to have his first beer...well, sort of. It was a non alcoholic beer, but he didn't know the difference. And, you know that sound you make when you crack open a cold one on a hot day and get your first really good swig...you know that, "aaahhhhh"....well he did that 3 times! It was really funny.

No PT tomorrow, but I think he's gonna go check cows with my Dad...that will be good therapy, too!

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of rightousness for His names sake. Psalm 23:3

Love,
Crystal

Day 3 at home has been a good one. I miss Laura and Lyssa and all my friends at TLC, but we are so happy to be here. Rick had visitors first thing this morning. Chris Mooney and all his boys and then Brad Stewart and Terry Haynes. Rick loves seeing everyone. Real life has proven to be a good dose of therapy for him. He talks more and probably walks as much with his walker as he did at TLC. We'll be back at PT in Seymour 3 times next week.

Colby called today to say that he misses Rick and things around TLC are really boring without him and the kids there. Blake had surgery yesterday to repair the broken bones in his arm and leg and handled it very well. Doctors still aren't optimistic, but Colby and his family aren't giving up.

I may not post as often as before...tonight I'm at my brother's house updating because Mom's internet is still down.

Love,
Crystal

Sorry I haven't been able to post in a couple of days...the internet at my mom's house is down. Rick's last day at TLC was a good one...a long one, but a good one. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone, even though I know we will see them all again soon. Everybody in the room was crying except Rick! It was 9 o'clock before we got to Seymour, but Rick was so happy to get here. His Aunt Chyral had already brought over his favorite banana nut muffins and mom had a snack ready for him, too. He got in the recliner and looked right at home. He has slept pretty good both nights, waking up early in the morning to go to the bathroom, but he is already getting more rest than he did at TLC. Yesterday he spent most of the day in the recliner relaxing and watching tv. He used his walker to get everywhere he needed to go. We just finished his first PT session with Tim at the Seymour Hospital. Tim actually came to Wichita Falls last year to work with Rick a couple of times and was the first person to actually stand him up. He did really good with Tim this morning and I think he surprised him at how well he could do everything.

We're looking forward to seeing everyone while we're in Seymour, and Rick has already asked me, "Is anybody coming to see me today?" So, y'all come see him!

Thanks for everything!

Love,
Crystal

We have lived in Lubbock for 9 MONTHS! Can you believe that? I can't...and I am so ready to get home. Seymour, TX never looked so good! I will dearly miss Laura and Lyssa...it would have been really sad to go home every evening to an empty hotel room or apt. Laura has so many connections in Lubbock...whether I needed a mechanic or a lawyer, she knew who to call. I will miss everyone at TLC. Such a great group of people. Rick just asked me, "can we go home now? right now?" Bless his heart...still not sleeping and his give-a-shitter is just broke. But, we'll fix it with our own brand of TLC.

What will we do while we're in Seymour? Well, I only have about 5,000 thank you cards to write! I wrote a few when Rick was first hurt, but then it just got to be too hard to keep up with. So, that will keep me busy and it will also be great for Rick to know who all did what while he was still too out of it to know anything. We will start out patient rehab at the Seymour Hospital until I can get things set up with NT Rehab and already have our first session scheduled for Friday morning at 11 o'clock.

Our prayers are needed for Blake Brazil now more than ever. He has hit a rough patch. His lungs have collapsed and his temp is spiking. Please pray for God's mercy and healing to be over this family.

Love,
Crystal

The doctor's appointment yesterday went good. The kidneys and bladder both look good. He didn't really have an explantion for the blood and wants to follow up in 3 months. Laura and Kelley watched him walk in his socked feet again, and decided he had more tone than they originally thought. Laura felt like a bump in the baclofen pum was needed. Luckily we got a hold of Dr. Wolcott's nurse to come increase it before she left on vacation. Dr. W took all of his staff and their families to Cancun! Riley said, "when I grow up, I wanna work for Dr. Wolcott!" So, hopefully we'll see some more improvement in his tone. We also found out yesterday that his break will be more like 2 months instead of 1. It has to do with the DARS money and the timing of how it is released. We have plans of doing some outpatient therapy at North Texas Rehab in Wichita Falls. We will be staying with my parents in Seymour during the break and will be looking for a place of our own.

Rick got to ride again this morning at Hold Your Horses. He looked so good. His balance was fabulous and he rode even better than he did last time, but he was tired after 15 minutes. We got back to TLC and he ate lunch and laid down for a nap. The kids and I went to finish up some school shopping. They each picked out a new pair of shoes and was toting them around while we continued to shop in the mall. We went into Icing, and they made the mistake of putting their bags down and before we knew it, they had been stolen. I was so mad. I mean, you know how it is...it's not that I had spent a whole lot of money, but it had taken us 2 hours to find those shoes. And, I had told the kids to keep up with their stuff. I just couldn't believe someone would do that. Well, lucky for us there are more good people than bad. As many of you know, Heather Winn has a shop in the Lubbock mall which we stopped by after reporting the bags missing. Brooke was there and asked if Riley could stay. The next thing I know, Riley is calling telling me that Heather has replaced our shoes! Thank you, Heather you too kind.

It looks like Wednesday will be a full day of therapy with our discharge meeting scheduled for 4 o'clock. Looking forward to getting to Seymour and going nowhere for awhile!

Love,
Crystal

The kids and I got back from Seymour at 3:00 yesterday. Rick told me that Susan Pautsky had come by to see him and she brought trash mix and brownies...I swear, all these gals tryin' to steal my man! The sleep meds aren't working and I guess nothing will until we get him home. He is so tired. This morning we got a visit from Lacey and Brogan Rankin. They got to watch Rick walk with his new walker...which he is getting better and better at maneuvering. Laura and Kelley took Rick's shoes off of him today to see if walking in his socked feet would help him feel his foot placement better. They call that "input" from the floor. I thought it would work, but he didn't seem to have any better feel for it...they even tried taking his socks off.

The doctors are trying to wake Blake Brazil from his coma. They took him off all paralytics and sedatives. He is tolerating it which is an excellent sign, and has even responded to a command.

Praise God for all of his blessings. His timing and His ways are always perfect.

Love,
Crystal

Wow, what a day...I'm sure Rick feels like he was runover with a Mack Truck. He had the urology appointment this morning where we expected to pee in a cup and chat with the doctor. Well, we did way more than that! The doctor wanted to "take a look at Rick's bladder", so you know what that means...little camera going somewhere little cameras are not meant to go. He had some discomfort, but it only took 30 seconds for the doc to look and say everything looks good. So, now he wants a catscan of the kidneys. And the nurse says, "any day, any time?" And I said sure. She comes back with "how about today at noon." It's 11:45, so, why not? It took about 30 minutes to get insurance authorization and the catscan took about 20 minutes, a quick x-ray, and we were out at 1:30. So, basically Rick spent 4 hours at the doctors office. He was starving by the time we got back to TLC. They gave him time to eat and then a session of PT and that's all he did today. We'll get the results of the CT on Friday.

Sleep meds are changed so that he gets half a dose at bed time, and when he wakes up in the middle of the night he'll get the other half. Lack of sleep makes for a pretty cranky Ricky.

The kids and I are in Seymour tonight. We started packing up stuff from TLC and from L&L's Bed and Breakfast and Supper and Entertainment. Some how we've managed to accumulate as much stuff between those 2 places as we had at the house at TRR! We'll head back to Lubbock tomorrow after twirling practice.

Blake had a rough night. Started running a really high temp and had to be put on an ice blanket. Rick was on an ice blanket for 2 weeks straight. His vitals also got a little shakey for a while, but thankfully all is well today. Keep praying for this precious family...this roller coaster is a long one.

God Bless,
Crystal

Back to the boring ole' hum drum day again today. Rick didn't sleep last night and wasn't in the best mood. So, back to the drawing board with the sleep meds. He worked on walking in PT and again did really good with his walker and minimum help from Kelly. He made a PB&J sandwich in OT and beat his last time. They have a speech therapist that just comes in as needed and she came in today. She hasn't seen Rick in a month and said she could tell a huge improvement in his articulation and clearness.

He has a doctors appointment in the morning with a urologist. About a month ago when he was having bad back pains, the only thing we could figure was that he was passing a kidney stone. On Saturday we think he was trying to pass the stone out of his bladder, so the doc wants him to see the urologist to make sure eveything is okay.

Blake had another good day. He is doing better and will get on a different kind of ventilator that is a step down from what he's on. And the doctor that has been such a jerk and full of negativity actually has some positive things to say now.

because you know that the testing of your faith developes perseverance. James 1:3

Love,
Crystal

WOO HOO!!!

Rick rode a horse today! We had been planning this outing, but with the rain and the mud, we didn't know if it would actually happen. So, this morning we went to Hold Your Horses Theraputic Riding Center and Rick got on! It was so good. He hated wearing the helmet, but that was not optional. We were all crying and laughing...all of us except for Rick. He didn't think it was any big deal...he said, "of course I can ride". Like Duh...what did you think, I knew I could do it. Of course, we all knew that he could do it to0, but actually seeing him do it was, to borrow a phrase from Riley, "the bomb diggety"!!! It's such good therapy and one that I pray we can continue. It will help with EVERYTHING! And, another great benefit from riding this morning is that Rick took a nap this afternoon and actually went to sleep.

All and all it was a great weekend. His Aunt Cyndi and Uncle James stopped by on Saturday. They live in California and haven't seen Rick since this time last year, so they were in for a very pleasant surprise. Also, our friend from Dallas, Diana Bullard spent the weekend with us and got to go see Rick ride this morning, too. She brought him breakfast burritos, Sprinkles cupcakes, and a steak for supper last night. I don't know, but she may have stolen his heart away from Laura!

So sorry we missed Steven and Rene Bagley this afternoon. While Rick was napping, I took the kids to see Despicable Me. Very cute movie and I've just been on a high today since seeing Rick ride this morning. He was so funny. He waved to us, gave us the "OK" sign, saluted us, and pretended he was roping. I've posted pictures on my FB page, and will get some on the blog, too.

Blake Brazil is still holding steady which at this point is fabulous. At this point in the injury you pray for boring days...and he's had a few boring days...Praise the Lord! Colby came to work today and handled things a lot better. He is such a good guy and I so wish he didn't have to deal with this.

So, I end this post with a big "YEAH BOY!" and a high five to God! And a big thank you to those who continue to pray for us, encourage us, and support us.

Love,
Crystal

So many great things to report today. I'll start with Rick first. He's been using a new walker since Wednesday and it was a slow go on Wednesday. But today it was a totally different story. First, Kelly had him walking back and forth in the gym and she did not assist him at all. There were a few times she had to correct him when he got off balance, but he was walking with just the walker. Then this afternoon he had another ordering outing. We left the wheelchair at TLC, and he used his walker to get to the elevator and in the suburban. Kelly only had to help him a few times. We went to Smoothie King and he needed a little help maneuvering the walker up the curbs and lost his balance few times once inside. But, when it came to ordering, he only had to say what he wanted twice before the guy understood him. Then when we got back to TLC, Laura called to say she was dropping off a chocolate cake. She got to see Rick for a minute and thought he looked great. She told him how she slaved away at the cake, and Rick said, "Bless your heart."

More walking news. Jared walked today for the first time with no assistance what-so-ever. No walker, no PT, just Jared...all Jared. He looked so good...a little wobbly at times, but I was so proud of him.

Blake also had a good day. The pressures have been good and they took the drain tubes out of his head. Everything is looking good...Praise the Lord.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. 12 days to go!

Love,
Crystal

Rick's day was kind of back to the blahs. He didn't sleep good again last night...guess we'll fight this battle until we go home. I'm hoping that once we're home, this not sleeping thing will be a thing of the past. I remember about 5 years ago when I spent 11 days in the hospital for a pancreatic attack, I couldn't sleep at all, but once I was home, it was all good. He went to the pool today and used his walker in the water. We only stayed for a little bit...the kids were getting pretty antsy...I can only keep them locked down for so long!

Colby tried to come back to work today, but was only able to stay a few hours. Blake is holding his own, but it's really been hard on Colby and his 3 other brothers. Colby is missing the one person who he would lean on in a time like this...I know the feeling. There is a Facebook page called Prayers For Blake Brazil. I woul d like to ask if all my FB friends would join that page and leave an encouraging scripture for the family. God is the only thing that is going to get them through this. I know y'all have it in you because you've already done it for me, and I remember how great it felt each day to have a little encouragement.

But He said to me, My grace is enough for you; for My strength and power are made perfect in your weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ may rest upon me. II Corinthians 11:9

Love,
Crystal

Praise the Lord! Rick actually slept last night and Blake Brazil is doing better! Thank you God. Rick looked and felt so good today. In PT this morning he walked with his new walker and did a lot better and then got back on his barrel to practice his balance. He was even talking louder! His handwriting in ST was better...it was just all good!

Blake's pressure has come back down, but he has pneunomia. He was a strong, healthy man before the accident, so pneumonia will not get him down. He still has a long road ahead of him which is something we all understand. It's hard, and boy have these last few days brought back all the things we went through with Rick the first few days. Please keep praying for the Brazil's.

Never underestimate the power of prayer!

Love,
Crystal

Yesterday was a good day for Rick...he was a little tired, but managed to get through the day. It helped that his cousins from California stopped by to see him and root him on. Sean, Andrea, and Andrew stayed most of the day and got to see him do a few things. He was walking with a new walker and new shoes yesterday, so his steps were not as good as they have been. Andrew and Cade were recruited to help with Jared's PT. Jared is a 17 year old boy from Slaton that was involved in a car wreck a month before Rick's accident. He absolutely loves baseball, so yesterday his PT had Andrew and Cade play baseball with Jared. They all had fun and Jared had a big ole' smile on his face the whole time.

Today did not start out so hot. Rick was given his PT's heck when I got here. He wouldn't do the tests he needed to do to finish his PT eval. I couldn't even talk him into it. So finally I just told him I was going to leave if he wasn't going to cooperate, so he finally finished his eval, but he wasn't happy about it. He had a good OT session with some great stretching in his left shoulder. He had pool group this afternoon, and threw up on the way to the pool. It was such a mess...I was cleaning him up in the middle of 20th street. Anyway, finally got through that, and he actually had a really good pool session. Kelly had him running as fast as he could (which ain't setting no records), but he was moving so good. Then we finished the day by saddling a barrel and Rick getting on and roping. It was really good. I hardly helped him get the saddle cinched up...he was moving his hands soooo good and did it all by himself. Then he threw his rope at the dummy...I put it around the horns, and he jerked his slack and dallied. So, we saved the day, but this morning I was seriously thinking this day was going to be shot. Joanna Elliott came by after supper and visited for a while. She got engaged on July 4th. So, Rick was shaking her hand and I said, "Do you remember what just happened to Jo?" And he took her hand and looked down at it looking for the ring. So, he rememembered...that is so awesome!

Still needing prayers for Blake Brazil. His intercranial pressure has been up too high today. Please pray for the pressure to come down and for him to stabilize. And for God's grace and peace to surround the family.

Tonight we are doubling the sleeping meds for Rick...this has GOT to work!

To the King that rules forever, who will never die, who cannot be seen, the only God, be honor and glory forever & ever. 1Timothy 1:17

Love,
Crystal

WEEKEND SUMMARY

Rick was in a pretty good mood even though he was tired. The Ambien CR is only holding him over until about 3:30 am. He slept in both days and he took naps, so maybe he has caught up a little bit on his sleep. Shauna and Nored came by to see him today, and they bought him cinnamon rolls from Cinnabon. He absolutely loved them and will certainly love them for breakfast this week.

I have a special prayer request. One of our most favorite TA's at TLC is Colby Brazil. Colby's brother, Blake was hurt in a motorcycle accident early yesterday morning and has a TBI. He has a lot of positive things going for him right now. Although he has had to have part of his skull removed because of the swelling, he has also had some purposeful movement. I went to visit today, and offer my support. I just feel like our experience with TBI's and our walk of faith have to be shared with others, or we have gone through all of this for nothing. I so recognized the look on his mom's face...the confusion and fear are there along with the hope and the faith.
The confusion and the fear will not last, but the faith and the hope will.

Love,
Crystal

Well, the Lunesta only worked for a little while. Rick went to sleep last night, but woke up early. Luckily, the Ambien CR which is an extended release formula was delivered today. He had a reevaluation in PT, but they didn't get finished....should finish up on Monday and get the new results...Kelly said she could already see some improvement. Emilee got him on the cable pulleys to stretch his arms and he was able to get his left arm up higher than ever...said it doesn't hurt, it's just tight. This afternoon he had a special outing. He got to pick where he wanted to go, but it had to be a place where he could order a drink or something. He chose DQ and you should have heard him turn his voice on when he ordered a large, Double Fudge Cookie Dough Blizzard. He had to say it twice, but she understood him the second time. And, he ate the entire thing! Cade and I bought him new shoes today. He's worn the same ones everyday since he first started walking, and the toe on the left one has worn a hole in it...that's a good thing.

Rick has decided not to go to the Kieschnick family reunion. He's just too tired. He would like to see everyone, and I know there are lots of folks that would like to see him, but I don't think it would be worth it...he would be exhausted by the time we got there. Hopefully while we are on break we'll get to catch up with everyone.

Goodnight and God Bless,
Crystal

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. We got up early on Tuesday morning and had the trailer loaded by 8 am! Thanks to all the Tongue River guys and gals that helped, I couldn't have done it without you. We got to Seymour Tuesday afternoon, and once I got still, I was gone...I was so tired. Riley had twirling practice and a swimming party on Wednesday. We didn't make it back to Lubbock until today at noon. I was so ready to see Rick. I don't really worry about him when I'm away. I know he's in good hands and is able to make his wants and needs known. More than anything, I just want to know what he's doing and see his progress and always be here to encourage him. After lunch he had PT and he walked outside with the rolling walker. Kelly and Laura have requested approval for a custom made AFO for Rick's left foot. An AFO is a special brace that will encompass his left ankle and foot, and will help with positioning his foot correctly when he's walking. We were hoping we wouldn't need one, but when Rick tries to walk, the tone really kicks in in his left foot. He can stand and have his heel on the ground with no problem, but when he initiates any kind of movement, the tone kicks in. After walking he had ST. He and Meredith have been working on the computer to help Rick get ready for his communication device. She is trying to get him more familiar with the keyboard. When he got there she told him to go ahead and get on the computer and work on typing a message. He typed, "I love Crystal". Then he turned around and winked at me! That just makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.

The Kieschnick Family Reunion is this weekend. Rick still hasn't decided whether or not he wants to go. Part of the problem is that he's STILL not sleeping at night. Dr. Wolcott changed his sleeping meds to an extended release, but insurance hasn't approved it yet. So, tonight we are trying a new one called Lunesta and hopefully that will work. He's got to get some rest.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. Matthew 11:28

Love,
Crystal

Rick had a pretty decent weekend. There wasn't any therapy today, and he said he actually slept last night for the first time in a long time and was feeling pretty good. Unfortunately, the kids and I had to leave at lunch to get to TRR. My brothers came out this afternoon and got a few things for me. In the morning right after breakfast, (7 ish) we will start packing the big trailer. I have just hit a brick wall this afternoon with this packing mess. So, I went to Dixie Maid to refuel! It was just as good as I remembered, and hopefully it will help me get my act together this evening. I called Rick and he said the had a good day. I made him a gooey butter cake before I left, so I think that helped a little bit.

Counting down the days to the 28th, and still counting on the Lord to get us through this.

Love,
Crystal

Well, Rick was pretty tired today. He walked really good in PT this morning, so I posted a video of it on my Facebook page. It's slow going, but his steps are really good. His gait is smooth and his balance is getting so much better. In the video you'll notice that Kelly is behind him holding on to his gait belt, but she's not having to help a lot. After the walking this morning though, he was pretty well done for the day. He didn't want to go on the outing this afternoon, but it's not optional. We went to tour the wineries of Lubbock, Llano Estacado and Caprock. Rick did walk the entire time through the Llano Estacado tour, but said he just couldn't do it at Caprock. We do have day passes for this weekend, but will probably just hang around Lubbock...maybe go to the movies or something...depends on the weather. It rained all day today, and it's not much fun trying to get Rick in and out of the vehicle in the pouring rain.

I think this week has caught up to all of us...time for bed!

Goodnight and God Bless!

Love,
Crystal

Rick had a very busy day today. He rode the trykes this morning, and walked non-stop for 440 ft with the rolling walker in PT. That is the furthest he's ever walked without needing a break. He worked on building his cinch in theraputic recreation. He also had a really good speech session, but still won't use his voice much outside of speech...he says it takes a lot of effort to keep his voice on and it makes him really tired. We met with Missy, our case manager and Rick's official discharge date is July 28th. She even printed a calendar off for Rick to put in his notebook to cross off each day. We went to get his baclofen pump refilled and Dr. Wolcott's nurse educated Cade on the whole process. Riley had shooting camp this morning at LCU and some girls from Matador that she played b-ball with were there also. She talked me into letting her go back with them.

My plans are to be at TRR on Monday afternoon to finish packing. My brothers are coming over on Monday as well to load some things to haul back to Seymour that I don't want on the moving van. Then first thing Tuesday morning, Tom is letting the guys off to help me load the rest of our stuff. I know it's a work day, but if anyone else could help us, it would be greatly appreciated.

A year ago today, Rick was taken off the ventilator. His reaction to being taken off set the tone for the rest of his recovery. I remember the nurse on nights telling me, "we'll take him off, but only for a little at a time as he probably won't be able to handle it." My dad stayed the night that night with him, and when they took him off the venitlator, he never missed a beat...or I guess I should say breath. He surprised the doctors, but he didn't surprise me.

For I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice after their sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13

Love,
Crystal

Riley had twirling practice from 11 - 1 and Cade and I went to visit my brother and nephew. We got back to Lubbock at 5 o'clock and Rick was eating supper. Last night he got an increased amount of sleeping meds and he said he slept all night for the first night in a long time. We also backed off of one of the meds that was increased last week. It was having the opposite affect that we wanted. Instead of helping him move better, it was causing him to freeze a little bit. I could tell a difference already today, especially in his facial expressions. He pulled a good one today on the way to the swimming pool. Usually there are two patients and two techs on the bus. Since Rick was the only patient and he's never been impulsive on the bus, Justin took him by himself. When they got there, Justin told Rick, "sit tight, bud and I'll get your chair unloaded first, then I'll help you get down the stairs." Which is what we always do. So, Justin is getting the chair and the next thing he knows, Rick has taken his seatbelt off, stood up, walked to the door, AND taken one step down all by himself before Justin could get to him! It scared Justin to death. I asked Rick what he was thinking and he said, "I wasn't going to go all the way down."

Tomorrow he has a baclofen pump refill and we plan on going up a little bit on that dose to help his left leg a little more. It doesn't swing in front of the right foot near as bad as it used to, but it still needs a little help.

Thank God for answered prayers!

Love,
Crystal

We had a lot going on today. First of all, this morning Rick tried out a Dynavox communication device. This is a small computer with speakers that will help him with his communication. The rep had to do a quick 5 minute assessment to see if Rick could actually use the device. When he was done testing he said that Rick tested in the top 10% of clients that he sees and he was very excited about getting Rick the Dynavox. Studies have shown that these devices either help improve natural voice/communication or have no affect on it. In other words, it's not meant to replace speech, just make it easier for Rick to communicate, especially with people who aren't as familiar with him. The Dynavox is a $7500 machine, that we can receive free of charge from a grant. The STAP grant is funded by all those annoying fees we pay on our telephone bills, but never quite no for sure why we're being charged them...now we do! The grant process and ordering of the Dynavox takes about 6 weeks. Rick really likes that you can customize the buttons and said that he would definitely need a button that says, "Go get me a beer!" Ha! He did lots of walking in both PT sessions and climbed the stairs. He had 2 additional speech sessions today as well. At the end of the day, Missy, the case manager found me. She said that in morning rounds, everyone agreed that Rick needs a break. So, on July 30th, he gets a MONTH long break! Can you believe it? He was pretty happy when I told him. So, we will spend the month of August in Seymour, and then back to TLC to finish up. While on his break, I plan on having him see a PT, OT, and ST, but just a couple of hours a day...nothing too strenuous.

God continues to answer prayers. I've been so worried about Rick's attitude, and just knowing him like I do, I can see him going down hill. I prayed for a break...and look what we got! What a blessing! Praise the Lord!

Love,
Crystal

Rick had a pretty good weekend...probably the best he's had in a few weeks as far as attitude goes. We didn't go anywhere, just hung out at TLC. I think that helped since he got to sleep in both days and get a nap. Day passes are great, but he doesn't ever get the rest he needs.

And, today was a pretty decent day...not back to his good attitude yet, but getting there. He worked on balance in morning PT and then went to the pool this afternoon. They took the basketball goal and little balls to the pool for the patients to play. Rick actually shot and sent the ball about 15 feet...that is the farthest he has thrown anything since he's been hurt. He was able to throw it that far about 3 times, and the rest of his shots were pretty good, too. We met with our case manager today, and she reminded Rick that even though it has been a year since his injury, that is still considered a pretty new injury in the brain injury world. And she also tried to convince him that he is still making progress, even if he can't always tell.

The kids and I will be heading to Seymour tomorrow evening and stay on Wednesday for twirling practice. We'll be back in Lubbock on Thursday and Friday. And I'm hoping to get back to TRR next week to finish packing and get everything loaded.

Goodnight and God Bless,
Crystal

MORE PACKING

Got going this morning, but took a long break when Barry delivered the trailer...and boy is it a trailer...53 foot long. It should hold everything we have with no problem! Thank you Barry and Craig for doing this for us, we will be forever grateful. I got started on the outside storage today. This is normally Rick's area...so I opened the storage room door and just stood there for a few minutes...hmmmm what to do, what to do. Luckily, that's about the time Barry showed up and I just shut the door back. I'll save that for next week! Inside is pretty well done...packed a few boxes today and marked them "random". That's when you know you're getting to the short rows. Random is different than miscellaneous. Random is the box that has q-tips, green vet wrap, a Christmas ornament and the humidifier in it. I'm staying the night again tonight. I have to pick Riley up from church camp in the morning and then back to Lubbock to see Rick. I only need another 1/2 day here and I'll have it knocked out! I called Rick earlier and he said he had a good day. They went to Main Event for their outing today, so he probably played pool or bowled...he couldn't remember what he did!

May God bless everyone who continues to pray for and support us. Rick loves hearing from everyone. So whether you killed a rattlesnake on the back porch or you planted a garden, he'd love to hear about it.

Love,
Crystal

PACKING

Sorry I didn't post yesterday...I took Cade to see Toy Story 3, cute movie, but you can never beat the original. Rick had a decent day yesterday. Emilee (OT) visited with me a little bit about his initiation or lack there of lately. We're just not sure if it's medication related or if his body just can't take anymore...he made need a little r&r. He is still making improvements, so it's kind of a funny thing. I will trust their judgment on this. Rick told me this morning, "I'm tired of this sh**!" Ooookaaaay...I hear ya loud and clear, Rick. Just not sure if taking a break is an option, but we'll see. Cade and I left this morning to come home. He called Jodi Tarver on the way, and we ended up having lunch at her house and he is staying the night in Guthrie. I've made great progress today packing. I called Rick about 6:30 and he said he had a good day. He sounded really good on the phone and that makes me really happy.

At this time last year, things were minute to minute. I'm so amazed at how good God is...he's bringing us through this, and He will make good on his promises. Please continue to lift Rick up in prayer as we get closer and closer to his complete healing.



Let the praises ring, 'cause HE is everything.

Love,
Crystal

Today was a little better today as far as attitude goes. He walked on the treadmill in PT and was able to walk for a total of 22 minutes split into 3 sessions. In his afternoon PT session he and Cade played a game together. They tied a rope to Cade and he would sit on a rolley stool. Rick would have to give Cade a push on the rolley stool (which he would only roll about a foot) and then Cade would propel himself out to a mat that had Starburst candies on it. Then Rick had to pull him back in. So he had to keep his posture good and concentrate on his balance. Kelly had a good handle on him most of the time, but he did great pulling Cade back in each time. He did "fall" one time and had to get back up...he wasn't happy about that, but he made sure to keep his balance. He and Cade got to split the Starbursts that were collected. At one point today I was helping him in the bathroom. We have some of our best conversations in the bathroom. I told him he was going to be okay...everything is going to be okay. And he said he knew he was going to be okay, but then said, "but why does it have to take so long?" It's like Dr. Mercer told us from the get go...this is a marathon. And Meredith (ST) and I were talking this afternoon and she said this lull that Rick is going through is pretty typical of patients who have been through 6 months of intense therapy...and it will be 6 months for Rick on July 4th. I just hope he can push through it.

For You girded me with strength for the battle; those who rose up against me You subdued under me. II Samuel 22:40

Love,
Crystal

IT'S A MONDAY!

Such a Monday today. Rick has been in a foul humor all day. I've asked him why, and he just shrugs his shoulders, so I'm gonna blame it on Monday. He walked this morning on the treadmill and Kelly did some testing that has to do with him knowing where his foot is being placed while he's walking. He is having some trouble telling where his feet are at when he takes steps. I'm so glad Kelly thought to test for this...now they can work on getting it fixed. In OT he made cookies...and this time and cracked the egg and got it in the bowl perfectly. This afternoon he got to go to the pool. We haven't been there in about 3 weeks because they have been re-lining it. We got a visit from a former patient today. Robyn was in town for a doctors appointment and stopped by to see everyone. She sat down beside Rick, grabbed his hand and said, "I love you." And he said, "I love you, too." It's great to see her doing so well. Bryan (Rick's brother) called tonight and Rick talked on the phone with him, and was happy to hear from him. Rick is kind of hard to understand on the phone, so if you call, be prepared to do most of the talking and "yes", "no" questions are best. Thanks to everyone who sent a card or message wishing Rick a happy Father's Day...he loves hearing from everyone.

My son attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:20-23

Love,
Crystal

1 YEAR

Wow! It's hard to believe a year has gone by. Rick has made so much progress in his recovery and we've all made so much progress in our growth as Christians, and I pray for continued progress in both areas. I know more than I ever wanted to know about Traumatic Brain Injury and hope that I can continue to help people who have been faced with the same circumstances that we have, and help them to understand that there is HOPE!

We had a pretty good Father's Day. I was able to brink Rick over to Laura and Lyssa's for a few hours. I cooked him lunch and he got to sit in the recliner and watch Bononza on the big screen tv. We couldn't hang out all day because I had to get Riley to church camp and pick up Cade from my dad. Riley is at White River Youth Camp (Training Center for Christ). This is her 3rd year to go and she always has a blast. I went from there to Dickens and picked up Cade and we came back to Lubbock in the storms. He had a great time with his Vernon cousins...thanks to Devin and Sandra for having the courage to add one more boy to their household this week!

So, what's next for us? More of the same ole' thing! Rick will continue to stay at TLC as long as he is making progress. Our insurance is still paying (praise God!), and when it stops, then we qualify for DARS and that will provide Rick the funds to pay for 6 more months of therapy. The kids are trying to have a "normal" summer. We are trying to get packed up at TRR and put everything in storage until we find a place. We will be "here, there, and yonder" this summer!

Thank you for all your prayers and support. We could have never made it through this without you.

Be strong, courageous & firm; fear not nor be in terror before them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

God Bless,
Crystal

DAY 362, 362, & 363

I have start this post off on a sad note...my friend Brad Bolton from Vernon passed away yesterday. Bless his heart...he has fought cancer for the better part of the last 9 years. He and Raji and their boys have been so brave and courageous through all of this. I always thought it was unbelievable how they could live months at a time in Houston for Brad's treatments, but here we are coming up on the one year anniversary of Rick's accident and haven't really been home in a year. May God ease this family's pain and give them peace.

Rick has had 3 good days in a row. From the reports I got from the therapists, TA's, and Rick himself, Wednesday was one of the best days he's had as far as his voice goes. He was really talking well, and even went to Bahama Bucks on a special outing to order a strawberry/peach smoothie. It took him 3 tries, but they finally understood his order. Laura (PT) has been on vacation in Africa this week, so Rick is working with Kelly the PT student with the supervision of the another PT. He works really good for Kelly and I really like her, too. Today we went to Lake Alan Henry for the outing. This lake is south of Post, so it took an hour to get there. We left this morning and were there most of the day. Dr. Wolcott brought his boat out to the lake for all the patients to ride on. His boat was built to be wheelchair accessible and was no problem for anyone to get on. It's a double decker so there was plenty of shade and plenty of room...we really enjoyed it. Especially Riley, she got to slide down the slide off the back of the boat! Dr. Wolcott is such a great person. I don't know too many doctors who would take a day off to spend it at the lake with his patients.

I still need to spend about 3 more days at TRR before I have everything packed up. Hopefully that will happen next week. It will be a relief to have that done, but it will be very hard to say goodbye. The folks at TRR aren't just co-workers, they are our friends, too.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Other than taking Riley to church camp on Sunday, we will be here all weekend. Please inlcude the Bolton family in your prayers.

Love,
Crystal

DAY 360

Rick's attitude was way better today, and that makes it a better day for all of us. He started off the day in PT walking with the "big walker". It has wheels on all four corners and causes him to have to concentrate more on keeping his balance. He is now able to compensate when he falls off balance...used to he would just fall until someone caught him. He took some fabulous steps...his left leg doesn't cross over in front of his right at all any more. It totally amazes me. I just know that nothing will stop him now...nothing. Once his balance is better he'll take off. He worked on handwriting today in OT and he wrote everything perfectly legible. We are changing some of his meds to help him get over this flatness he's experiencing. We are also starting him on some sleep meds so he can rest at night...nobody has a good attitude when they don't get enough rest. We had a great lunch today...Ronda and Trey Thompson took Riley and I to Abuelos and it was fabulous!

Tomorrow morning, Riley and I are heading to Seymour for twirling practice. Then to Tongue River for more packing. Hoping to be done with that by the end of the month.

Jesus answered,"Go and tell John what you have heard and seen. The blind are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People with leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can hear. The dead are raised to life and the poor are hearing the good news. God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do." Matthew 11:4-6

Love,
Crystal

Rick's attitude went a little south today. He gets really frustrated when he has to peddle himself everywhere and noone will push him. Even though we tell him it's the best thing for him and it will help him get stronger, he doesn't care...he wants a push. I told him today that he had to peddle himself, "it's the rules." And he looked at me and said, "the rules suck!" He had a fairly easy schedule today and even got to take a nap this afternoon. He still complains of being tired and says he's not sleeping at all at night. So, I've asked that the TA's check to make sure he is really asleep when they do bed checks and not just poke their head in the door.

The folks from Pate got here at 11 and we met for about 2 hours. They expressed their deepest apologies for our experience at Pate, and did not try to make any excuses. They have supposedly already implemented policies and changed practices so that the things that happened while Rick was there do not happen again. I truly hope they have. I also got to tell Sid Dickson exactly how I feel about him. I got upset talking to him, but it was the only time I raised my voice and for the most part I was just factual and matter of fact about things. They didn't even try to argue with me...they knew I was right.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Love,
Crystal

THE WEEKEND

The trip to Seymour on Saturday was great! Lauri Colbert called to tell me they planned on coming to Lubbock to see us, and I'm glad she did...instead of coming all the way to Lubbock, they just came to Seymour. Rick was really happy to see Darrell and Lauri, Aunt Chyral and Granny B. The Graf's stopped by, too. Mom cooked a great lunch and Rick ate and ate and ate. We once again left the wheelchair in the car and he walked with assistance. A month ago we wouldn't have been able to do that. A month ago his balance and his left leg wouldn't have allowed it. Everybody commented on how good he looked and how big his biceps are, and my sister challenged him to an arm wrestling match. He would not take a nap...afraid he would miss something I guess. He held baby Ava, but said he has forgotten how to burp a baby and how to change a diaper! Cade went back to Vernon and is spending the week with Devin and Sandra. We got back to Lubbock at 8 pm. This morning he didn't get up until 11 o'clock and didn't do much of anything.

Tomorrow the people from Pate should be here around 11 o'clock. I'm ready for them. And I will be nice, but everyone has to be held accountable for their actions. Someday everything we've ever done will be laid open for all the world to see. And, it won't matter if you sat on the front row of church every Sunday morning if you have also allowed the kind of things that went on at Pate to happen.

For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. And so each of us shall give an account of himself to God. Romans 14: 11 & 12

Love,
Crystal

When I got here this morning, the first thing Rick asked me was, "Are we going to Seymour tomorrow?" And I said, "yes...you looking forward to it?" and he nodded yes. He had a good day. The outting this afternoon was to the Ranching Heritage Museum. It was a little hot, but nothing we couldn't handle. He walked with his walker and the assistance of Kelly half the time and was in his wheelchair half the time. His steps look so good...no more scissoring!

I got a phone call from the social security office today. I filed Rick's disablity a few months ago and have been told by several people what a hassle it is to get disablity and that you always get denied the first time. So, I figured this phone call was more of questions, etc., but I was wrong. It was the phone call to let me know that his claim has been approved! I couldn't believe it! There was no hassle, there was no denial...praise the Lord. Once again He has answered prayers.

Pate is coming to visit with me on Monday. I pray that I can get through to them and not get mad and not get crazy. There are a lot of people who need their services. My heart tells me they are coming to visit because they truly care about their patients, but my head tells me it's probably only because I copied Baylor on the letter. That's okay, I just hope I can get through to them. TLC has also read the letter and are using it as a training tool with techs and therapists...kind of a "what not to do". I am once again thankful to God for using me to help those who can't help themselves. These patients need and deserve the best care they can get.

Good night and God Bless,
Crystal

Finally got back to Lubbock today. This is the longest I've been away from Rick since December. My grandmothers funeral service was very nice, and boy can those Catholic ladies cook! Wow, what a great meal. I spent some time at Tongue River and got some more packing done. Great news came today. Barry Eddleman is going to be able to get us a storage van to put our stuff in for as long as we need it, free of charge. That is an answered prayer! And, I'd say I have about 70% of the house packed up, and got to see everybody which is the best part. When I got back to TLC I asked Rick if everything was going okay, and he said, "no, I'm tired of this place." So, I told him it was either stick with rehab or sit in that wheelchair for the rest of his life and he said maybe rehab wasn't so bad afterall. He was happy to see us and said he missed us a lot.

He got another day pass for Saturday and we will be taking him to Seymour for the day. He is really looking forward to it. My mom is cooking him chicken fried steak and fried okra!

For we are God's own handiwork, recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do those good works which God predestined for us, that we should walk in them (living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live.)

God Bless,
Crystal

SUNDAY AND MONDAY

Rick got a day pass yesterday, and we thought we would just run over to Roaring Springs and pick up Riley, but once we were that close (40 miles) to home, we thought we might as well just run over there, too. When we got there I asked Rick if he needed his wheelchair or if he thought he could just walk into the house, and he said he could walk. So with me on one side and Riley on the other, that's exactly what he did. We got a little off balance on the steps and had to sit down, but he popped right back up and climbed them. Once we were in, he mainly relaxed in his recliner, but anytime he needed something, he would walk with me. It was awesome and I told him, "Rick, you just really impress the heck out of me." And he said, "Ya, but you're not that hard to impress!" Ha! Anyway, we just stayed a couple of hours and then headed back to Lubbock. This morning at 10 am he had an outting to the park. The same park where he slid down the slide a couple of months ago. Again, we left the wheelchair, and he walked with the help of Kelly and Laura. We were there for an hour and a half; he was so tired when it was over with. He also got to work on his cinch again this afternoon.

The kids and I came to Seymour tonight...my grandma's funeral is in the morning. We will be here a couple of days, so I may not have any updates while we're here. We will stop back by TRR on the way back to Lubbock and pack some more...boy, that's a never ending chore, and apparenlty there is no moving fairy!

Thanks for all your prayers for our family.

Love,
Crystal