Blisters on My Toes

I am continually amazed at Jordan's tenacity. Most adults do not display the bravery that I have seen little Jordan display. As we mentioned in an earlier update, Jordan has a Bronco Walker which he is using to take his first steps toward walking. He is also been able to tolerate being outside with his friends and twin brother for up to an hour at a time, so we moved his Bronco outside last weekend. He and Brandon, his twin, were going to play outside with Mommie(Jeannie) and Ashton and Kayleigh(Jordan's other brother and sister). It was a beautiful, warm day so Jeannie took Jordan's socks and shoes off to enjoy the cool concrete against his little feet as he stood in his Bronco. She thought he would be able to feel the movements of his feet better against the smooth surface. Jordan was able to take about six or seven steps across the patio, the most that he has ever done. He did seem to feel the movement of his feet much easier without the shoes and socks. He actually was able to use the walker to get from one end of the porch to the other. He seemed very pleased with himself. Jeannie was also very excited about his steps until she picked him up and noticed that he had rubbed three little blisters on his feet. He never revealed that anything was amiss during the walking session - no tears, no facial expression of pain, no noises, nothing. There was no indication of pain at all. Jeannie felt so bad that she had not known. Jordan wanted to walk so very much that it didn't seem to matter to him whether it was painful or not. He was determined to just do it anyway. What an amazing child! I believe that he will be able to walk again. With God's blessing and that much determination, the sky is the limit!!!

Lots of New Things

Just see how strong I am! Aunt Erin and I can lift a whole car!!!

Jordan seems to do new things almost daily, but I was so thrilled when he decided to really "show off" at therapy during my Dad's visit during the second week of July. My Dad lives in Texas so he doesn't often get to see Jordan at therapy. It was a thrill to see Jordan work so hard to impress his "Daddy Rip" as the grandchildren and great-grandchildren call my Dad. Jordan was determined to double his record from the previous week. He had just recently developed enough head control to hold his head in an upright position for up to five minutes at a time while in the "ring sitting" position. He managed to hold his head upright in this position for about 10 1/2 minutes for Daddy Rip. Jordan has developed enough head and upper body control to accomplish this with only someone's hand against his spine for support. Just two weeks ago he needed the support of someone's hands on his shoulders to accomplish any head control in this sitting position. Prior to that he needed his arms to be in a position to provide balance, such as on the tray of his wheel chair or stander. Now he is able to exhibit enough trunk and head control to accomplish this with only a little back support. Now that is progress! The therapist says that Jordan is now ready for a new level of accomplishment. He needs to work on muscle strength, now that he is finally gaining more muscle control and more ability to act on verbal commands. We are all so pleased that Jordan is continually making new strides toward a more normal life.

Blessings!!!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
This one certainly is: Jordan playing doctor at the Science Museum -- one year AFTER his near-drowning experience.

As we review all that has happened, we have to count our many blessings. And there are so many, despite all that we have been through during the past year. The first and most important is that Jordan is HERE with us today to share a great big hug. Jordan has not had to be hospitalized since the accident. He has no contractures , no scoliosis, and no obvious progressive health issues. His ankles are the only really stuborn area that has even required botox. Now they are also doing much better. Yes, he does still have a trach and a feeding tube, as well as many physical limitations. But he also takes new steps toward his goals every day. We thank God continually for that. This year has been filled with recovery and victory. He continually makes progress toward restoration and healing. Even his pediatrician remarks on his being amazingly healthy. He has not even had so much as a cold or virus. Praise God!!!
We attribute Jordan's health first to God, the Great Physician. Secondly, we have been blessed to have wonderful doctors, nurses and therapists who have been blessed by Him with the knowledge of how to help Jordan and us. As Jordan's grandmother, I would like to say how blessed Jordan is to have a mother who is so loving and diligent in his care. She exemplifies Christ-like behavior in her unselfish care not only for Jordan, but for all her children. I am so proud of her. Only someone who has witnessed how much self-sacrifice is involved in the care of a "special child" can imagine all that is required of their cargivers. How blessed Jordan is to be surrounded by so much love and how blessed we are to still have our precious Jordan!!!

One Year Today

June 17, 2007, was the one year anniversary of Jordan's near-drowning accident. This year has been an extremely emotional year for our family. We have had many unanswered questions to which we have endlessly searched for answers. Why? is the question that consumed us in the beginning. I guess every family that has a traumatic event like this is plagued by that question. It is so difficult to find an answer. We second-guessed ourselves first and ask "What could we have done differently?" Maybe if we had had stronger locks or higher gates and fences, this would not have happened. Maybe if we had had no pool, that would have prevented it. After you have exhausted the "What if's?" and realize that sometimes accidents just happen no matter how many precautions have been taken. (That is not to say that we should not take every single safety measure possible, just realize that we cannot live in a bubble and things just happen sometimes no matter what.) Next we turned to God with our pain and questions, and sometimes even our anger. We were shaken to the very core and it was difficult to find peace anywhere. We wanted to ask God "How could You have let this happen to my precious little one?"
Even when we humans fail, we assume that God will be there as our infinite safety net. We felt betrayed, as wrong as that may seem. After much prayer and soul-searching, we have come to the conclusion that we just don't live in a perfect world. We live in a fallen world where "bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people", as well as the other way around. God is still God even when things happen that we don't understand and yes ultimately God still is in control even when we don't see the big picture. Sometimes it boils down to a matter of simple trust.
The next questions and the next can all be answered in the same way..."Trust God". That is the only answer that we have found.

THANK YOU

Thank you to all of the wonderful friends and family members who continue to pray for our family and Jordan daily. We are still reading all the comments, cards, and prayers to Jordan. I am sure it gives him comfort to know so many people reach out to him with their love. Even people that we have never met personally write the most beautiful words of encouragement to us. Often if one of us is discouraged we will go to Jordan's petition and read the comments. I can not read them without shedding a few tears. I have seen firshand the incredible power of prayer. Foolishly I once told someone that all I could do to help them was...to pray. Silly girl!!! What a huge blessing it is to have others pray for you. We can quite literally see the results of prayer in Jordan's healing almost daily. When there are lots of prayer warriors doing battle for Jordan, the increase in Jordan's healing becomes hugely apparent. I used to scoff when someone would tell me that, but now I have seen it for myself. As a family, we are continually blessed by your prayers. Please don't ever stop praying for Jordan and us. God hears your prayers and answers them. We also pray that you all are greatly blessed for your part in Jordan's miraculous story.
Love and Blessings,
Pam, Bobby, Erin, Jeannie, Ashton, Kayleigh, Brandon, and Jordan

More Steps toward Recovery

Lots of things have been happening in our lives lately. Jordan got his first report card from pre-school. He qualifies for summer school and in his case that is good. That means that he has made enough progress in the short time that he attended school, that his teachers feel that summer school would be beneficial to Jordan's recovery, not only physically but also educationally. He will be using an adapted computer to help him better communicate until he can talk more understandably. That is such a wonderful thing.
Also Jordan got a walker!!! And he can make it move as much as six inches with a single push. He only has the strength to do a few pushes at one time, but he will build up his strength. He is also able to hold his head up most of the time that he is in the walker. He also has begun to make larger movements with his head, arms and legs. I was holding him in my lap a few days a go. I looked down and noticed that Jordan was swinging his legs. He loved to do that before the accident. I was thrilled. His recovery is not always consistent. He has days that he does not seem to be able to do much at all. Then sometimes the very next day, he does a whole bunch of new things all at once. However unpredictable, I am thankful that he is continuing to make progress. It is easy to forget just how far we have already come. I praise God for the gift of every day that we have together as a family. None of us are promised tomorrow.

Jordan's Mom at ER

Recently Jordan's mom, Jeannie had been feeling overtired and noticing that her heart seemed to be beating erratically. On Friday, May 25, she was taken to ER at the same hospital where Jordan was resusitated following his near-drowning accident last June. There was concern that Jeannie might be having a heart attack triggered by PVC's. They kept her for observation for several hours and then released her. While she was there, she talked with one of the men who helped with Jordan's care. He remembered the prayers said over Jordan and the miracle of Jordan's heartbeat returning. What a comfort that was to her to be able to speak with him.
We are all thankful to the ER team for their efforts in helping Jordan.
Jeannie unfortunately had a repeat heart incident on Saturday and was subsequently hospitalized for her heart condition. She is now on medication for her heart and has been given strict instructions to try to rest more and follow a more cardiac-friendly lifestyle. We have asked for more nursing hours to allow Jeannie recovery time, but so far have not gotten the additional hours. Due to a lack of weekend nursing hours for Jordan, I could only leave Jordan one time to visit Jeannie in the hospital or to take her other three children to visit her. I was unable to even go to ER with her either time. This has been a very difficult time for our family, but the help and prayers of our family and friends have sustained us. Without them, I do not know what we would have done. God's hugs do have human arms. Thankfully Jeannie was released from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon and is recovering at home. Please pray for not only Jordan's recovery, but also his mother, Jeannie's recovery as well.