2 months!!

 Yesterday was 2 months since the accident and tomorrow it will be 9 weeks. 

When I think of the progress Brig has made in such a short time I am astounded.  Sometimes you lose sight of the change and improvement when you are living it everyday. Does that make sense?  It's when I take a step back and really see the bigger picture that the reality + emotions come quick and strong. 

When you are living in the day to day you can find yourself in survival mode just like the day of the accident.  You remove yourself from the emotions because you have a list of things to get done.  Especially since Jeremy and I have tried to go back to a regular routines + jobs as much as possible. 

We have a family calendar that hangs in our kitchen. This picture was displayed during the month of September (it was taken 9/2019 when he played for Weber).  One day Brigham walked (or crutched) by and said....my leg will never look like that again.  He continued with...if I can move + play soccer like this again at least one of my scars would be visible in the picture.  So true!  He thinks the scars are cool and of course they tell a story of what he has survived. 

Physical Therapy Assessment

On Monday Brigham saw the outpatient therapist at Utah Physical therapy to get an assessment and make a plan. They are estimating about 3 months of therapy should get him back to normal movement.  When I say this remember no one is sure where Brigham's physical limit will be....there could be no limit there is no way to know except to work through it. 

He is going 3 times a week and they are working on strength + endurance and connecting the brain back to the movement in this leg.  Brig is concentrating on doing the exercises without compensating with his left leg or body.  He is stretching out his groin and calves carefully. There is still healing taking place in those areas.  I'm sure I mentioned but as a reminder - he has no sensation feeling in his inner leg from thigh to foot and also around his knee cap.  This may or may not come back.  It does not affect his muscle mobility which is connected to different nerves. He says it feels super weird.  Like kneeling he can feel his left knee but his right knee feels only pressure. 

Driving 

Brigham has been telling me he is ready to drive.  The therapist said his movement in his ankle is ready however he just needs to makes sure his reaction time moving side to side from the gas to the brake. So he drove by himself last night. Oh man.... I was worried all night and I had to talk myself out of texting him every hour. I'm only worried he is not ready and we do not need another accident. Brigham says it is easier in a car where the motion is more in your ankle to push the gas.  He drove Jeremy's truck today and that hurts his leg more because it is more of a pushing down leg motion. Hmmm....just thinking how this is the first time he has driven the truck since the day he drove it to work on August 7th.

Mentally 

Brigham is still handling all of this well.  He understands that his leg will never be how it was.  He is just grateful to be alive with his leg, he is willing to put forth the effort to recover to his best (or his leg's best). He does have a scheduled mental health visit in February and is on the waiting list hoping to get in earlier. His best friend Leo who is like a brother to him returned home yesterday from his LDS mission and seeing Brig so happy is awesome! 

For the countless games and years these 2 played together this is the only picture I have of them this close together on the field.  Leo and Brigham taken January 2018. 

And us saying goodbye to Leo in October 2018. 

Today we say - Welcome home Elder and Happy Birthday!

Mom Emotions 

I don't cry over this experience as often as I did and usually can talk about it just fine.  However, I find emotion filling my voice and tears falling down my face at unexpected times. These are times when I can feel Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so near and I am gently reminded of the miracles I have and continue to witness.  Here are a few of those sweet moments.

Last week I ran into a lady who lives in the neighborhood of where the accident happened. We know each other through the Stake and Jeremy had done remodeling on their house years ago.  Of course, she asked how Brigham was doing.  We both got teary eyed as we talked about that day.  She shared something that just touched my heart + brought so much gratitude for those earthly angels on that street. She said when I was gone at the Stake church building where Brigham was being transferred to life flight that the neighbors gathered at the Francis' home. Jeremy was sitting on the curb (or lying down on the grass) with tears falling down his face and these kind neighbors formed a circle around him and said a prayer together in faith and love. 

Another 2 times happened this week while I was cutting + coloring friends hair.  As we talked we wept in gratitude of how you could see God's hand throughout that day.  I'm telling you...multiple tissues. I find these moments extra special, therapeutic and recognize the deeper connections with my friends. This is what life is about helping others, lifting others, carrying another's burden and connecting deeper with God and people. 

Hug your family + never hold back love or a generous thought! Have a great weekend and stay safe.