Update - Finally :-)

Hi ya'll,
Here is the update on Bobb after his stroke on May 16th, 2006. As many of you know it was pretty severe and left him with considerable deficits. In the beginning he was unable to move his left side or to talk and misunderstood some of what was said to him also. The loss of language is called aphasia and his is considerable. Both emotive aphasia and receptive aphasia.

We have spent the last 9 months in therapy. All told Bobb was in the hospital over 2 months after that we drove 80 miles each way for therapy in Walla Walla 3 days a week staying with friends one night each week to keep the driving and stress to a minimum. Then in October we went to one time per week because of insurance difficulties.

Before leaving the hospital Bobb was able to walk though we used the wheelchair most of the time. Since leaving the hospital he is walking very slowly because of a lot of stiffness (spasticity) with a cane. He now walks most of the time and we use the wheelchair when we go somewhere and there is a lot of walking or we'd never get there :-) He has no functional use of his left hand and arm. He has some triceps muscles working and has gained wrist extension in recent weeks and minimum finger movement. But the last 2 was thought it would never come since it had been so long, but God thought otherwise. We will keep working and see where the Lord takes it and accept what we get as a gift from him :-)

Bobb will receive Botox injections in his arm in March and we hope shortly thereafter in his leg to try and minimize some of the spacticity in those extremities. In doing this it is hoped that some of the muscles that are weak yet the brain has connected to will gain strength when they don't have to fight the strong spastic muscles all the time. Please pray for this to be the case and when the botox wears off there will be a minimizing of the spastic tone he suffers from which has hindered much of his recovery.

As to the aphasia. His language is slowly improving. His pronouns are right about 70% of the time :-) At home where there is less stress he can put full sentences together and find a lot of words - out and around its much more difficult.

The neuropsych report says he has moderately severe aphasia, mild short-term memory loss, moderate ADD, an ability to learn and will continue to improve with therapy and work. He reads at the moment at a 3rd grade level and does math at a 6th grade level. There are significant differences between his verbal and nonverbal abilities. Most of the report says "at this time" - meaning when he is retested things will continue to improve. To quote "Mr. Lewis's cerebrovascular accident is relatively recent. He can anticipate further recovery of brain functions...." The neurophysiologist would like him to begin some cognitive rehab to help with that recovery of brain functions. This is a long haul process and the difficulties won't be cured tomorrow - but it will continue to improve for several more years. Please pray for us and with us that Bobb will go to his fullest potential under the circumstances we've been given. As the Lord wills it. We believe it will be great things! Many of you are praying already for that and continue to pray and BELIEVE in his complete recovery whatever that will be.

I am taking a remote assignment from the Papua New Guinea branch in the finance department (isn't fast internet and computers wonderful - who would have thought we could still participate from here in Wallowa County?) and I also am working part-time for the local Educational Service District to try and keep the money ends meeting and some needed away time. :-) We cannot lose our position at Wycliffe or we would lose our insurance. A little known fact is that it takes 2 years on disability to receive Medicare so there is no help with therapy there because that is still a long way off. Our supporters have been so good and patient and we will continue to work hard on seeing the nations of the world have the New Testament in their own language!

We are blessed with friends who have come along side to help with therapies, but we could always use a few more..... the more stimulus the better :-) We are so very grateful!

Thank you all for your prayers during this very difficult time in our lives. I have struggled hugely with the loss of my best friend and trying to find the "new" and as he says "improved" Bobb. :-) The adjustments have been hard and we have suffered with homesickness and doubt, but you have lifted us before the Lord and we Praise HIM for each of you!!! Thank you again! (and for those who know, Heartchange didn't hurt either :-) We Love you)
Love in Christ
Bobb, Kayleen and Lenise