(Click on the Youtube title from the black menu bar on the right if the video does not playback in full preview for you).[...]

Happy March Everyone,

Jake has made some great health gains with the healing of his ankle surgery from January. This month he now has the opportunity to stand and apply pressure, but no walking quite yet, according to doctor's orders. The surgery was a success, but in the coming months he will put it to the test of beginning to walk again. He is thrilled just with standing and knowing that he will get a part of his life back to walk once again- even if it is with only a walker or a cane. Jake has also been working on his upper body strength with lifting hand weights and just recently getting a good cardio workout with his wheelchair in the neighborhood with propelling himself without our assistance. [...]

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. It has been one month since posting an update on Jake's progress and we would like to fill you in on the latest updates. Jake has been making the best of it since his last ankle surgery  and has been following the doctor's orders to a "T" and being extremely careful. We are counting down the days to his next appointment where Dr. Rukus and at this next appointment he will take an extensive set of x-rays to see if everything has healed and set, for Jake to start the walking process all over again. This should take place in 10 days- we are getting sooooo excited! He will continue his walking therapy at the Onalaska physical therapy department where he will have extensive PT/OT and pool therapy to aid in balance and hydro comfort to learn to walk again. One never realizes how long but how quickly an 8 week recovery timeframe can pass, but Jake is more than ready and so are we as parents.[...]

As many of you know, Jake underwent another round of surgeries on January 5th, his 9 month calandar date of when the accident initially happened. The surgery lasted about 6 hours and the doctor team was very pleased with the completed surgery. As a family we spent the next 4 days in the hospital with Jake. After the block of pain medication wore off from the surgery, the pain sent it. It took over a day for him to find a comfort level with the combinations of pain medications, as Jake ended up with a reaction to some of the pain meds they were using and he broke out in a bright red rash and intense itching. As if the pain was not enough- the allergic reaction caused more agony. By day 4 they found the right combination, and Jake found a better pain relief with new pain meds overall and Benadryl.  Upon Jake's departure from the hospital, the doctor gave him early on in the day, a ziplock bag of the pins, bolts and bracing tools that came out of his ankle and foot during his surgery. It was amazing to see- yes a keep sake for the ole scrapebook for sure, and stories down the road. [...]

Season Greetings,

Here is an update on Jake's progress over the last 8 months. A very special thank you to all of you for supporting Jake through hand written letters and cards of encouragement, electronic reflections on his Post Hope site, monetary donations to purchase the adjustable Serta bed to accommodate to his physical needs, and positive words of hope to believe in our son and our family to help us stay strong to support Jake through this life changing event. We wish each of you a happy and healthy New Year![...]

WOW.... the time seems to be flying by, as the seventh month mark of Jake’s motorcycle accident from the US Army has just passed us by. Reflecting back to 7 months ago of where this all started in in the El Paso, TX seems like an eternity ago. Jeff and I are so very grateful we have surpassed that agonizing time in our lives. GRATITUDE- is the word of the century for our family. We are forever grateful to all of our friends, family and online social communities that have been supporting us all this time. This gratitude connection- deeply rooted neuroscience research- is our family's intrinsic motivator to stay positive and motivated to impact Jake's healing journey. There is not a day that goes by that a friend, neighbor, colleague, family member or online Twitter/Facebook teacher friend that inquires about Jake, our family and how are WE doing. Many of you emphasize the importance that Jeff and I need to make time for ourselves, but it is extremely difficult when we are the sole and primary caregivers to Jacob. We are forever protecting, guarding and keeping our youngest safe as it is so hard to let our guard down by the past experience of the mistreatments, lies, and major disappoints of a few individuals that were suppose to be keeping our Jacob safe. Many entities fall into this “mistrust “ category now and it will take a very long time before Jeff and I can ever forgive these certain individuals. In time this feeling of resentment will pass towards these individuals, and eventually we will forgive them, but it will take many many years. Gratitude will get us through these postive and negative trying times.[...]

Jacob has been totally amazing us these past few weeks since returning to our home. You can tell he is so comfortable and thankful to be home with us, and wants to do many of the things he use to do when he lived with us throughout his childhood. Well, today was the day. Since we did not have a scheduled PT/OT/Speech session at Gundersen, we take it upon ourselves to recreate this physical learning moments and activities with Jake in and outside of our home.[...]

Jake sporting his new glasses and American Flags bordering our Brownsville, MN home.[...]

Saturday Greetings,

It has been almost three weeks now that our Jake has returned home for the rehabilitation hospital of Gundersen Heathcare in Lacrosse, WI. He was welcomed home by a border of American Flags to signify that he finally made it to his place he calls home once again. We can not thank you enough for your words of kindness, and the many cards of health and wellness greetings for Jacob and our family- we greatly appreciate your efforts![...]