A Reading Accomplishment

Proud moment.  A trophy and two certificates

In early November of 2011, our family met Jeff Kinney.  He is the author of the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.  He had a book signing in Decatur GA as part of the launch of Cabin Fever.  We bought the book and Brian read the entire thing on the drive from Atlanta to Illinois for Thanksgiving.  He was proud of his reading accomplishment. I recall him bragging about the completion to pretty much everyone that he saw.

One of the first post accident videos we posted was of Brian reading and doing simple math.  It was a huge deal.   We knew that if he was able to talk, read and do math that he still could have further cognitive recovery.   It was just a few weeks prior to this that we were preparing for Brian to never even be conscious again.   Reading a simple word like "wow" was gigantic.  It was a reading accomplishment that meant so much.  

Fast forward to today (May 22,2014).  Evansdale Elementary School had Honors Day.  Brian took home 2 certificates and a trophy.  The trophy was for the Literary Guild.  In order to get it, Brian had to read and pass an AR test on 27 total book from 17 categories.  Some examples:

• From Adventure, Brian read Turtle in Paradise  (Dad helped pick that one out - it is about Key West)
• From Classic Literature:  Brian read Five Chinese Brothers
• From Family/ Friends Theme he read The Mouse and the Motorcycle
• From a Georgia Awards Category Brian read Stinky Cheese Man - He loved that title
• A Classic Animal book was The Tale of Peter Rabbit
• From Folk and Ferry, he read St. George and the Dragon.  (This had additional meaning since St. George is the Patron Saint of Scouting.  Brian is now a Webalo Scout.  )  

He read 21 more 3rd grade books from 11 more LG categories. He also got a head start for next year by reading two books that qualify for 4th grade LG.  These are not the only books he read this year.  He successfully read and passed tests for 62 Accelerated Reader books. One of his certificates was a 100% AR Goal completion.  If it were not for ice days and the CRCT, I am sure he would have had more books. His other certificate was a Citizenship Award. 

When his name was called to come forward for the LG  trophy he raised it in the air and celebrated.  I am very proud of him getting this.  We had to give him a lot of nudging along the way.  It was worth it. He did it. He was very proud of his new reading accomplishment.  He pretty much told everyone he saw.  Just like when he finished the Jeff Kinney book.

With Special Ed Teacher Ms Wilt and Para Pro Ms Middlebrook  

With his teacher MsMcCullum

Proud Mom

Training + Determination = Inspiration + PT and OT

Running a Race

Start of Evansdale Run for Fun

In 2011, Brian completed three 5K races. The final one was a Turkey trot 8 days before the accident. This weekend, he finished the 2014 Evansdale 5K Run for Fun.  He completed a few shorter races since the accident.  This hilly 5K was inspirational for Ellen and I to see.  In 2012 Brian participated in the 1K portion of the race.  He was in the wheelchair and finished the race on foot with help from his mom.   In 2013 - he walked the 1K in a rainstorm and finished it with his Grandma and Grandpa Laffey.

At 3 Mile Mark with Grandma Murkison

Brian at Finish of Evansdale Run for Fun

A number of people that were present at the 2012 and 2013 race were at the finish line of 2014.  I know it was inspiring to others.  How can it not be?  I have a video clip from 2014 here.

Preparing for any race takes training and determination.  I knew that Brian could do it physically. He barely broke a sweat.  Him wanting to do it was the challenge.  The reward for training is doing well in the race.  That has not always been an easy motivational tool.  It is not easy, that is why you do it.  At the finish, he got plenty of congrats from teachers, family, and parents of other children. His brother gave him a water bottle shower on his head at the finish line in celebration.

Brian had many other kids come and congratulate him at the finish.  That was the highlight for me.  Hopefully recognition from his peers will motivate him to train more in the future.


Baseball

In the Outfield

Scoring a run

Brian has participated with a baseball league at Briarlake Baptist Church again this year. He played in one game and one practice so far.  He did get some hits in the game, and scored a run.  That is what he remembers and what is fun for him. By participating gets free OT (Occupational Therapy) that comes from playing baseball helps him.  The process of holding a bat with both hands and swinging it helps many of the hand and arm muscles that he has worked for hours with his specialists.  Just putting on a baseball glove on his left hand has stretched his hand out in ways that his Therapists, his Electric Stimulus, and his at home Therapists (aka Ellen) do all the time.

With Coach Rusty

The practice also helps him learn how to be a part of a team.   If his team (The Cubs) scores a run, that is good even if he is out. He has learned to encourage his team mates.  In the game he played he started smash talking the other team after he scored.  Deservedly so, coach Rusty fussed at him for that.  I liked to see his ambition, but the "you are going down" to the Briarlake "Braves" was a bit much.  He took the coaches comments well. Life lessons.  



Turner Field

Watching the Atlanta Braves

In 2012, we got some tickets to an Atlanta Braves game.  They were actually a gift from the Briarlake Baseball team that year.  We went on to a hot Fathers Day day game.   Brian was barely walking by that time. We had to get a transport from the gate to our seat.  The noise, the crowd, the temperature, and all the lights from the scoreboard made for a not so fun time for Brian. At the time we tried almost anything to see how it would go. Lookingback, we tried bringing rian to the Turner field to soon.   In September of 2012 we went back to another Sunday afternoon game. It went much better.  Ben and Brian had a great run the bases at Turner Field that day.    This year Brian won some tickets with Superior Plumbing.  Thanks to all that voted. Walking from the parking lot to the gate up many stairs to the seats were no problem at all.   We were at the game from start to finish. The lights and the large crowd were part of the fun.   It was a night game so we were out later than usual that night.  The Braves beat the Reds 4-1. This link will show you that Brian made it to the end.  The post game celebration was fun.

Soccer

I blogged about soccer before.  Running and kicking and learning new skills in the name of fun has been great.  Running, stretching, and bending are important Physical Therapy activities.  Learning to get up when you get knocked down is even more important.