« June 16 Update | Home | June 22 Update »

June 18 Update

By Bud | June 18, 2008

I have always heard that life is a roller coaster. Even though I thought that I have been on a roller coaster with many ups and downs during my life, I now look back and realize that my life has always been on the ups. I reached the top of that roller coaster on May 22 and then on May 23rd the roller coaster ride has had more ups and downs than I have had in my 54 years of life.

Today we started with one of the most down days since the May 23rd occurrence. Peter was mentally and emotionally exhausted. He could not complete one class and broke down crying. I did not know what to do other than hug him and start praying and ask God to give him strength. We cried and prayed for about 30 minutes. We finally made it to physical therapy class, but he was still emotionally drained. It was really tough for him to complete any of the exercises. At the end of P/T he was laying on his stomach on a padded table. I sat down next to him and started rubbing his back. He then said, “Dad are my hips moving?” I looked down and they were moving side to side. I asked him to tell me which way he was moving them and he told me side to side. The P/T therapist confirmed he was moving the hips. He then rolled over to his back and was in the sitting position with his legs straight in front of him with the left leg about 12 inches from the edge of the table. I was getting the wheel chair in position for him and his left leg fell off the table. I looked down at him and he said, “Dad I just moved my leg.” I picked his leg up and put it back in front of him and I said “do it again.” And he did. I had the physical therapist come over to watch and Peter moved the leg again. So imagine having your legs straight out in front of you in a sitting position and moving the left leg in a scissor motion 12 inches to the left. That is what Peter accomplished. This is huge. Your prayers and our prayers are being answered. God keeps giving us signals not to give up, to keep the faith and be a witness for Him. We will have many more ups and downs on this roller coaster ride and we need to remember that all the ups are messages from God that we are progressing forward.

So now it is time for a cheer from the folks back home. A cheer for Peter and the school he has given his dedication. I ask everyone from Jenks, Union, Owasso, Sapulpa and all the surrounding area to join. Put down your school colors and unite. Everyone from Broken Arrow knows how to respond when I say this and I think all the surrounding schools know how to respond. So respond back to me when I say…………..GO BAAAAA…

Bud

P.S Yesterday Peter received an autographed hockey stick signed by the entire Colorado Avalanche hockey team. There was not an actual card from whomever arranged this, just a slip of paper that had the name of Tom Karalis and a Kristy. Thanks TK, you taught him how to skate and now you are helping him walk again.

Many cards arrived today and I did not realize how much a card meant to him. He really enjoys the cards from people he does not even know. It is so comforting to him that there are that many people that care. I want to acknowledge one card from a good friend of Peter’s, Carl Salazar. Sally, Peter will be back there this fall to cheer you on and give you the support to kick your name into the record books. One more time. GO BAAAA…

Topics: Peter |