progress slow but sure

we had a progress meeting during the week, this is to meet with andrews physio's , speech thearapist, occuptional thearapist, physcolgist and head nurse to determine how he has done during the last 8 weeks. the past 8 weeks has seen andrews progress complete 19 of the 20 goals set for him to reach, his goals are set every 8 weeks and he must achieve these to be kept in this rehab hos. these goals are simple for the likes of you and me but for andrew they are huge steps forward and 1 step closer to recovery. for example 1 goal for him is to sit in the wheel chair with his head held up for 5mins with no head rest which he can now do for 1 HOUR!! another is to wash his upper half of his body him self with no assistance which he has just managed to do. these goals are set every 8 weeks as long as he reaches them he will get more to try and achieve as long as we get funding!! this has been 1 of the most frustating things as that andrew only gets funded for 8 wks at a time! we are currently trying to abtain funding from the NHS but as one of there so called rehab doctors has already said he will never walk or talk again we dont no where we stand with the NHS! this doctor said he will never talk again so he has been proved wrong there so who no's what will happen in the months to come! andrews speech started on his 19th bithday when he said 3 words yes,mum,dad. since then he has now been able to speak in sentances although its a little bit mumbled we can still clearly understand him , after 14 months with no speach who cares what it sounds like as long as he can communicate!! for him this is another huge step forward not being able to tell anyone that you need the toilet must have been unbearable who no's what he was going thourgh then and still is! We are currantly waiting for andrew going into another hos for 3 days for an operation on his right ankle as this has dropped into a postion where he cant stand up! this is what is holding him back as the phyiso's are restricted in what they can do! his date for the op is the 1st of octber still to long away but thats the NHS for you dont you think he has been waiting long enough!! olso at the meeting was a social worker as they have to be seen to be getting in place andrews own home in tarbert if he doesnt walk again he will have to have 24 hr care and as you will no there is no where in tarbert for that!! we are not even thinking of that as when andrew comes home we want him to be walking and we will not give up on that, thats for sure!! for andrew there is months and years of rehab left thers no dont of that his injurys where so severe that we where told he would be in a persistant vegitive state. we now have to look forward and help him back to a life that any 19 year old should have this will take time but hey we have a life time to do it!