Saturday January 29, 2006

Saturday January 29, 2006 Zack has gotten into the habit of doing homework prescribed by his therapist. He is conscientious of what he has to accomplish each night but I have to be keep an eye on him or I will find him taking breaks to play cards with Kyle. He says Jose (occupational therapy student) tells him to take a break after he has been reading for awhile (which I confirmed with Jose). When I drill him on what he is studying, which happens to be the driving manual so there is an added incentive, he amazes me with his recall of the questions involving numbers (ie…what is the safe following distance on wet roads?). On Wednesday night he goes with me to Hurstbourne Baptist Church where I am scheduled to speak to the youth group and their parents. I had discussed with Zack how he might be able to help me by answering questions from the audience when my speech was through. There was an excellent turn out of both teenagers and adults and only a few moments when I became visibly emotional. Zack came up on stage as I continued making my point that he could have been the poster boy for “this could never happen to me”. I asked him to share with the audience what problems the accident had left him with and he quickly blurted out “aphasia”. He had practiced in the car, trying to remember three deficits and aphasia was the one he kept forgetting. He wanted to hurry and get that one out before he forgot. Several people asked questions which he would answer and I would elaborate. He seemed very comfortable and not nervous at all. When we were through and walking out to the car he told me that it was very good. He said that he wanted to do it again. I asked him if he was scared to be on stage and he said not at all. I asked him why he thought it was good and he explained that because everyone listened, believed how bad he was hurt and that he was trying hard to get better. I asked him what his favorite part was and he said “when you cried”. I was surprised and asked him why and he said, “because it made it seem really important, like you really cared”. We agreed that maybe we should come up with a simple script that he could practice so he would be more prepared next time. He is anxious to speak again and says he thinks it is important that people know what happened and that God was with him. His ministry begins. Earlier in the week I spoke at Fern Creek High School through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to a group of about 25 or 30 students. I was surprised that there were kids at Fern creek who had heard of Zack’s accident and I wish he had been able to come and answer questions there as well.
On Thursday I discussed with Dr Perri (psychologist) the change in medication he would like to try. I called Dr Mook (physiatrist) and explained the results of Zack’s Neuro Psych Evaluation and why Dr Perri though we should discontinue the Amantadine. This is a brain stimulant and used to help him focus and pay attention, but his test reveals he is above average in that area. Since memory was his area of biggest concern, Dr Perri wanted to try ACH-E inhibitors. These are drugs that affect the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain (neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit impulses from one nerve to another) and facilitate memory. Dr Perri had discussed this with Zack and Zack had said maybe they should try taking him off the Amantadine and see if his attention level changes before they stop it altogether. This is excellent insight on his part because he doesn’t suddenly want to have problems focusing (his reasoning and problem solving skills are very much in tact). Dr Mook told me he would read the evaluation and then call Dr Perri with his recommendation. When I pick Zack up at the end of the day at Frazier we talk about his progress. He has been given homework tonight but he also needs to go to his first practice for the Southeast Easter Pageant. He and Scott join other Roman soldiers for prayer and fellowship and when they get home Zack takes over the office to study. Later he comes to me with his papers to show me how much work he has done and asks me to drill him to see what he remembers. He does well.
Friday morning I decide that we will skip the Amantadine today. I make his lunch and put a note in it reminding him to tell his therapist that he didn’t take his medication and ask them if they notice any difference. After lunch I receive a phone call at work from Zack. He told me that I was suppose to wait until Dr Mook said it was OK to stop taking the Amantadine…but…he was doing great. When I pick him up I wait to see Dr. Perri and have opportunities to speak with both Jose and Leslie (speech). Jose said he saw no difference in Zack’s ability to focus and Leslie praised how well he had done. She told me he had read more today than previously and felt if anything his attention was better (praise the Lord). I met with Dr Perri and got several other questions answered in regards to the evaluation. He states that Zack’s injury is very unique. Most people struggle with attention, concentration and their working memory. Zack has no problems in these areas. He is a challenge for his therapy team. We discussed the IEP (individual education plan) which needs to be addressed before Zack returns to school. They are not used to working with private schools and don’t quite no how to approach the IEP with Christian Academy (CAL). I tell him that I think Carol Britton (Christian Academy Discover tutor) could help us develop a reasonable program and assure him that we have the full support of the staff at Christian Academy. We are all treading on new ground…Frazier with CAL, CAL with a student returning in a much different academic state than when he left and me with a son with a brain injury. It seems that Zack is the only one not apprehensive about his return to school. This is the next step in his recovery…his return to school (even if it is on a limited basis right now). Friday night Zack goes bowling with Ashley, Maddy and several other girls. They come back to the house later and then Scott sends Maddy and Zack next store to the Getz’s where I am at a birthday party with Logan. They only visit for a short time but it is enough to make Kim Getz emotional at his progress. Kim saw him a University Hospital and Frazier Rehab many times, through many stages. She is amazed at how far he has come and how sweet he seems now. She told me that when we had pizza with their family last weekend, Zack told Michael (her son) that he wanted to spend more time with him this summer at the pool. They use to be fairly close but they went to difference schools and Zack was a grade ahead of Michael and soon Zack was too cool to hang with him. Things are different now. Zack has changed. He is much more sensitive to other people’s feelings and more open about his own. This morning he went running and came back to fall exhausted on my bed. He told me he wanted to talk to me and said he got closer to God while he was running. He said he remembered how he used to cuss before the accident (something I never knew and certainly never witnessed) and he talked to God about that. He says when he runs he talks to God. I am reminded of the time during therapy in the early days at Frazier Rehab. He was having skateboard races on his belly with Amy (physical therapist) to strengthen his arms. They were racing around the gym and laughing when suddenly Zack stopped and just started crying. Amy asked him if he was hurt and he shook his head. She asked him what was wrong and he simply said “God showed me the world”. Amy relayed that to me and later that night as he lay in bed I asked him about it. Again he said “God showed me the world” and “It wasn’t good”. I asked him what that meant and he said he didn’t know. Scott was anxious to talk to him about it also and came by early the next day before. He said, “Zack you told your Mom that you talked to God yesterday. You mean you prayed to him.” Zack replied, “No, I met him”. Scott didn’t know what to say and said they would talk about it again. Zack doesn’t remember any of that now but I think it was his continuing conversation with God, started when he was in a coma at University Hospital. You can be skeptical, it doesn’t matter. All I know for sure is that Zack has been changed. I truly understand now what Dr. Kraft told me would be his deeper appreciation of life. He called Scott today just to tell him what a beautiful day it was. He always points out the clouds and sunsets to me, tells me to listen to a particular song that he says is really good and praises meals that he finds delicious. He has changed. He has the same friends and new friends and a new best friend, one that has become much closer. He was with him through his fight in the hospital and his struggles through therapy. He will continue to walk with him through his recovery. Most of us have to wait until we reach heaven to realize that God was with us through our tears and rejoiced in our triumphs. Zack is blessed to understand that now and he is embracing how this experience is making him a better person. The great physician healed him and now the potter molds a new creation. Pray that those watching will see the power and mercy of God. Continue to pray for complete recovery so God may be glorified.