Friday October 14, 2005

Friday October 14, 2005 Zack was early to Frazier this morning so he would have time to write his schedule into his daily binder. I received a phone call from his primary therapist, Leslie in speech and she said they need to work with him another week before they could make any determination on specific therapies. She did however feel pretty confident that Zack had “visual agnosia” which is a perception problem. It can not be corrected by glasses or surgery but rather through vision therapy. Like aphasia, agnosia also gets better with time, but is greatly improved with proper therapy. They will teach Zack new methods of reading. She explained that they could spell entire sentences for him and he knew exactly what they were saying but if they wrote that same sentence he would have difficulty reading it (visual perception). She said we could work with him at home but it should be fun things that he would want to do, like playing cards. I think we know a few card games he enjoys. Zack’s friends began arriving around 6:00 and we fed them. We were going to the Christian Academy Varsity Football game and Zack was very excited (so was I). Once at the game Zack is ready for me to leave him with “his people”. They sit in the bleachers and I am banished to be with the adults. Everyone was so glad to see him there and amazed at how well he looked. He is surrounded by his friends and the girls watch over him. At one point I looked up and saw him sitting with Matt Rivard (the driver in the accident). I found out that he told Matt “I am in big trouble”. These guys jumped me and I got into a fight”. Then he took off his hat and showed him his head. Just before half time I went to where they were sitting. We walked to the concession stand and Zack got something to drink. I was standing nearby talking with some adults when I saw Zack take off his hat and show the girls his head. Then he motioned for me and asked, “How did I do this again?” I told him he was in a car accident and he shrugged his shoulders, nodded his head and put his hat back on. Since he doesn’t remember it, half the time he doesn’t believe he was in an accident. Shortly before the game is over we decide we will go to BW3’s, a restaurant that our family used to frequent a lot before the accident. His friends agree to meet us there. As we walk out of the game Zack is stopped by many people wishing him well and girls giving him hugs. He is patient (even though he is anxious to get to the restaurant) and talks to everyone. When we walk away I tell him he was very polite and he says, “I have to be”. In the car I review with him who everyone was that was sitting with him at the game. He gets mixed up on a few of the names and I am describing people. When I get to Randi Marshall and ask him if he knows which girl she is and he says, “She’s the one that really loves Christ”. What do you mean? He says, “What are those people called who really love Christ?” Do you mean Christians? “Yeah, she looks like one of those”. I ask him what he means and he says, “She acts like she really loves Christ”. I tell him when we get to the restaurant he has to tell Randi that because it will really make her feel good. Then I remember watching Randi with Zack in the stands, smiling and talking with him. She talked with me as well and told me how sweet Zack was and that she wanted to just squeeze him. She saw his sweetness and he saw Christ in her. I think God was smiling down on both of them. This accident has affected many people besides our family. At the restaurant I see Zack in the midst of “his people”, laughing and watching them. He must be getting a sense of what his life was like prior to his accident. He catches my eye occasionally and one time called me over and said, “Why am I in trouble again?” I tell him you are not in trouble, you were in an accident. “Yeah, I was in an accident” and smiles. That smile that lightens up the room, that I longed for so desperately in the days immediately after his accident, comes easily now. I am deliriously happy. Our life is better than ever because we recognize how blessed we are. One of God’s miracles lives in our house. His hand is evident each time I see Zack smile. We may never know how many people have been changed by this tragedy until we enter the gates of heaven, but I get a glimpse of it in the postings I receive. Please continue to pray for an end to the aphasia and successful vision therapy. Pray for complete healing for the Glory of God.
Psalm 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.