September 7, 2009

We are having many requests to update the blog. So sorry if we have offended anyone. We lead a fairly monotous life right now and don't honestly have a lot to say. We continue to go to therapy each day and Josh along with his brothers mow their lawns each week. Josh is making continual progress in many ways. He is strengthening the muscles the he has and gaining new muscles continually. It is fun to see his progress from week to week, and month to month. His statement to those who ask what his prognosis is "If you are a nonbeliever, step aside". His motivation and courage is truly what sees us through day to day.
We are continually grateful each day for you thoughts, love and prayers in our behalf. You have touched our lives and help us more than you could ever imagine. We love you all.

Move those legs, brother!

Back to Work

Jake, Josh, Justin, & Colton are back doing what they love the most - Working Pack Attack Lawn Care together!
Wow what a tender mercy of the Lord to see this happen. Thank you for your prayers, please keep them coming they are working and we need them each day.






An intense conversation, trying to hear each other over the noise of the mowers.

"Hell yah" this is the life!! Good times

The Sweet and Simple things of life!

Continually recovering

Doing pushups on a ball, Josh you are starting look like the "old" Josh physically!




















Getting those back extenser strong, because we can't stand without them.

Steve had the great idea of being very innovative with an old schwinn airdyne bike. He took the seat off and sat Josh in a chair, taped Josh's feet on the pedals, and looked at him and said "okay buddy it is up to you to get those legs around. Well the first tijme on he did 5 times around. Wow we were so excited. The next time that we went he went 12 times around. Well this week he went 32 revolutionaries around with no help and then another 36 times around, so amazing!









After 36 times around Steve gave Josh a big hug

Another innovative idea the "health rider" normall hated by all therepists, but working for Steve and Josh. Josh is pushing with his legs and strengthening his arms

Therapy Buddies, Jake and Gage

What would we ever do without family?

Therapy a full time job

We arrived home on Thursday February 26th and started therapy at Neuroworx the next Monday. We go to Neuroworx M,W, F in Draper. Neuroworx is an amazing spinal cord rehab and therapy facility. The people are incredibly knowledgable, upbeat, encouraging, and super fun to work with. We are enjoying every minute there. Josh has participated in so many sessions including, hydroworx pool, lite gait machine, FES bike, Nustep, to name a few. It is so fun to go there and work with the wonderful staff there. You might want to check out there website www.neuroworx.org.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays we are so privileged to be seeing Steve Spencer who is a famous P.T. here in Ogden. It is so great to be able to go to his office right here in Eden! The hours spent with Steve, Ann, & Steff are treasured each week. We love you guys and are so grateful to be able to come there. We have been blessed also to go to one of our dear friends pools, the Wheelers. We swim with Steve on Thursday evenings, and try to get over during the week another day if we are not too tired.
Joshua is seeing a lot of quad return in both his right and left legs. He has been working on a total gym machine at Steve's and we see marked improvement each week. Remember when you are dealing with spinal cord injury it is slow return, but the great blessing is we continue to see change in Josh's muscles.
Coming home has definately brought a new bag of challenges to our family. With challenges comes also many blessings. We have the greatest families on earth, and also the greatest friends. Please continue to come and see us, and please keep praying for us. We feel of your strength and are seeing great blessings because of all of your faithfulness.
We will continue to update the blog and your emails.
Much love and gratitude,
The Packs

Arriving Home

We were met clear from Mountain Green with signs (provided by Dr. Smith, you silly guy) and the signs continued and continued and continued clear down our driveway. All of our families were there, which was so great! Of course with pizza, drinks, and brownies. We could have never made it without all of our families help. Our sisters have cleaned and cleaned, the guys have built and built, and they continue to help and bless our lives each day. We would never make it through this journey without them, families really are forever!
Welcome to Utah!












Welcome to Eden!


















Incredible friends!

















Oh Yeah Josh is home, thumbs up!!!



















Family, Pizza, and ahhhhhh our couch!












Luke seems excited!

Leaving Denver

The only hard thing about leaving Denver was the great friends we have made there.

We love all of you guys!

Hmmm is the Canoe really coming??

"Wyoming never looked so good"!

The suburban was packed from floor to ceiling-amazing what you collect in 6 months!

Are you staying awake, Cord?

Oh so sorry we are slow an updates

Oh my I hope that we have not created any enemies! Please accept our apologies for not updating. Yes, we did come home and it has been crazy! First of all our home was not ready. So we imposed on the lovely Radmall family to house us for the first week. Then we have been trying to get settled in our own home, go to therapy 5 days a week, return to all soccer and basketball schedules, fix dinner, etc etc. Need we say more. Please forgive us and know that pictures will come in a few days and a full report on Josh. Just to a quick report on Josh though. He is doing great and seeing wonderful improvements in so many muscles. We are thrilled with Neuroworx and Steve Spencer. We could not ask for better therapy!
We also think that everyone thinks that we are so bombarded with people that you are not coming to visit Josh. Well everyone thinks that so not many are coming. We would love to have the chance to give you a big hug and thank you personally for all of your prayers and love. Please continue to pray for us because we are being blessed. We love all of you and I promise this weekend, pictures!!

February 24, update

We are continuing to work super hard. Josh is really healthy, what a blessing, and the days are filled with therapy. We are continuing to see great changes in Joshuas muscle return in many areas. It is the slowest recovery known to man but it is happening. I always hesitate to tell you that he is moving this or moving that because unless you are familar with spinal cord injury you just don't understand how little or slow it is. We hope by the pictures on the blog you can see the improvements that we are making. It is steady and gradual.

We had some dear friends give us a picture with a wonderful saying on it and we wanted to share it with you. "life is not about waiting for the storm to pass........It is about learning to dance in the rain. We have thought about this so much and are applying it to our lives. Heavenly Father wants us to be grateful for everything we have. He has blessed us to grow and to become like Him especially in trials. Think about dancing in the rain this week, we love you all and are so excited to see you soon!

Marvelous Monavie

A Big Thanks to Don & Nancy Wilson and Tina Comer we are enjoying great health. You would think being here at the hospital we would have contracted some colds and flu, but not with our favorite new friend-Monavie! We think that it is the miracle healer; we sleep better, have energy, no more migraines for Lisa, and Josh is looking great! We do enjoy our 3 oz every morning and night. Thanks Don & Nancy and Tina we are healing and feeling wonderful!