16 Treatments Down - 14 To Go!

Mike continues to do well while receiving his radiation and chemotherapy treatments. He had a doctor appointment yesterday and they marveled how well he is tolerating things. They seemed especially impressed with his appetite, and noted that he had gained 1 1/2 pounds since last Friday.

Following his treatment this morning, we had the shuttle take us to Mike's physical therapy evaluation. We told the shuttle driver the address we had been given, but he took us where he thought it was. So after dropping us off and the shuttle driving away, we got inside and learned we were at the wrong location. So we had to call the hotel, to get the shuttle to come back for us. We eventually got to where we needed to be.

My heart was broken once we arrived at the physical therapy clinic. All around us were patients in such difficult situations; many in wheel chairs, some barely able to walk. And so many of them were children or young adults. I felt extremely blessed, and was incredibly impressed with how well staffed this treatment center was, and the individual care these patients were receiving.

Mike's technician was named Kristine and she was remarkable with Mike. She did all of these different tests on Mike to determine if he qualified for therapy. Some were joint and range of motion assessments, and then she did an equilibrium-balance assessment on Mike. This study had Mike standing in a balance machine, harnessed in by the shoulders. Then the sides or front of the enclosure would move in and out, or the floor would tilt, and Mike was expected to adjust himself to stay upright as much as possible. I was sitting in a chair behind Mike and the technician, and was relieved it wasn't me in there, because just watching Mike made me dizzy!

The printout then averaged a bunch of scores and it showed that Mike did have some areas that needed to be addressed and improved on. Because the evaluation paperwork takes a little time to be approved, it may end up that Mike will have only one session of treatment down here in Houston, and the rest may be done back home. But either way, I think Mike will truly benefit by this. It was one of those appointments Mike almost cancelled, but I'm so glad he didn't.

Anyway, we're doing well, and appreciate your prayers.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." John 15:13