Free Man

It's been a minute, and i have officially ran out of excuses as to why i am a terrible blogger.

But i am about to fill you in, and give you all the deets. 

So, the past couple of weeks a lot has happened. A lot of GOOD stuff. 

Britt had the honors of being this years Utah Summer Games torch carrier. He received the Spirit of the Games Award, and got to carry the torch in the open ceremonies. Unfortunately i was out of town, and didn't get to be there for it, but my parent said that it was an unforgettable night! Britton felt so much love from everyone there, and it was so cool for him to see how many people are running alongside him through this uphill battle he is facing. It means so much to our family that he was chosen for this special award and high honor. I think it is safe to say it was a night that he will never forget. 

He had a little operation on his left eye, the day after his birthday. They sewed 3/4 of it shut, so he has a little slit that he can see perfectly through. They decided to do this because his tear ducts aren't producing enough tears to lubricate it, thats why he got the ulcer and abrasions on the outer eye…which was scary. But this is supposed to help it heal, so that more moisture will stay in the eye. They said it just depends on how fast the outer layer of his eye heals, but it could be like that for up to 6 months! He went to the eye doctor at the beginning of this week and he saw 20/40..which is the best he has ever seen!!! We were so excited about that! We are hoping that it continues to heal the way it is supposed to, so that the kid can see again!!

He has been loving the new pool! He would spend all day in there if he could! It has been so good for him, because he can walk around and swim underwater, and all sorts of stuff!

Britt just finally got his feeding tube out on tuesday! WOOOHOOO HE IS A FREE MAN! He was so so excited to get rid of that thing. Thankfully he is now able to drink enough water through his mouth, so the tube was no longer needed. It is so weird to not see it hanging out from underneath his shirt!haha They just popped it right out and stuck some gauze over it, so the hole is just supposed to heal right up in a few days! 

I took him shopping the other day with his friend Ally. We went to a few stores in the mall and tried on a bunch of clothes! I was a little bit nervous about taking him out and doing all of that by myself, but it went perfect!! It was so much fun, and he still knows exactly what he likes and what he doesn't. The only thing that has changed is what size he wears…hahahah, he's not so skinny anymore. We got some really cute outfits for him to wear on all of his future hot dates;)

Last night he went on a ride with my dad in the razor. He has been asking him for over a month if he can try driving, so my dad took him out and let him try! He did it!! Just down the street, but it was such a huge accomplishment for him! He was so nervous he wouldn't be able to or that he wouldn't remember how to, so for him to be able to do that, even just for a second, really helped his confidence and was just what he needed. My dad couldn't believe how well he did either. 

He ran into Kycie yesterday at therapy! It was the first time the two had met, even though it feels like they have known each other this whole time. I wasn't there, but my mom said it was such a great experience. He just held her and gave her the biggest hugs! He said he wanted to take her home with him. I think they are each others biggest fans. 

He has just been doing so well lately. It blows me away, each day the progress we see. I really think the Rhea's coming over and working with him every morning has helped him so so much. His balance and strength is coming along, but definitely has a long way to go! He is coming up on the end of his 20 physical therapy visits next week. He is nowhere near being well off enough to end therapy, so we are in the process of appealing for more visits! The first year after the brain is injured is very crucial in the healing process. The brain is most susceptible to relearning things during that time frame, so we really really need him to be able to continue in his therapy! If the appeal doesn't go through, it is 1000 dollars per week for his visits, which is a crazy amount, but we have to do what we have to do, for him! So we are crossing our fingers and praying that the insurance will grant him more time! They have been so good to us so far, so we are hopeful! But if you could please include that in your prayers we would be so grateful! 

It is incredible to see how far he has come since day 1. We are so thankful everyday to watch him progress and become more of himself a little bit at a time. It is like watching a big huge miracle unfold in front of your eyes, and in your own home. We know that it is thanks to a loving heavenly father and a loving community who had rallied and believed in him every step of the way. The prayers continue to bring to pass so many needed blessings. Thank you for continuing to think of him, he still has a long road ahead!