February 2016

Christopher was honored by the "Helping One Guy" organization at a HOG Dinner Feb. 9th for Matthew Hart. The wife of Gary Deforest was presented an award for courage named for Christopher which stated:

"Courage - Quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face a tough challenge head on".

      









  On February 24th Christopher had the second surgery on his left arm and wrist, with Drs'. John Seiler and Houston Payne with Georgia Hand, Elbow and Shoulder. This procedure involved bicep tendon lengthening, brachialis fractional lengthening, elbow capsulectomy and brachioradialis muscle flap. Several of the upcoming pictures are pretty intense so be forewarned.




Recovery after

Waiting area prior to surgery

Preop before

Surgical site from armpit to the top of his wrist

Superman having a little dessert two and a half hours
after surgery no worse for wear.
.

His recovery has gone extremely well thanks to Erica his therapist at the GA Hand Therapy Group in Marietta.

Erica putting on the pressure. Bottom line, Christopher loves it!

Pretty straight, don't you think?

January 2016

January has been a pretty slow month for us, Christopher started it out with a bang, setting off the home alarm New Years morning going out to get the paper. This has been a task he seems to love doing.

Of course Debbie, Davis and I were still asleep until the alarm went off. Didn't deter Christopher, nor did his attire or lack of. Notice in the picture below, he has his slippers on but no pants, no matter the paper is in the driveway. I'm on a mission. I must bring it inside the house.

New Years attire

On the 6th of January Christopher had Botox injections on his left biceps, brachialis & brachioradialis muscles. This was the first procedure in addressing the ongoing spasticity he's had since the brain injury.

December 2015

As we close out November and enter into December Davis is closing out his senior year football season. There have been many ups and downs,

 

but a great team effort from a group of young men many whom have played together since the fourth grade.

Touchdown!

The end of a season.

We thought Christopher was going to have surgery on his left arm before the end of the year unfortunately we were unable to get the insurance approval. as it stands now he will have the first of the three procedures in January.

Christmas has come and we are spending it in Niagara Falls and Toronto with our friend Robert Meiklejohn, Luis Diaz and his family.

Christmas watching fireworks over Niagara Falls

Rainy day at the falls



Fireworks over the falls



Deb and Christopher in our room in Niagara





Desert after Christmas dinner with Luis and his family.

Christmas in Toronto

November 2015

We are up and running again sorry for the lack of post of the past several months a lot going on I'll try to recap as much as possible.

November brings us Thanksgiving and we have much to be thankful for, we have been blessed by so many with their continued support, love and prayers. Christopher has been such an inspiration to us, his strength and determination continues to amaze us.

We have been very fortunate to have Ray Zingler start working with Christopher on strength and conditioning. The Zingler family seems to have adopted Christopher as one of their own.

They have been a tremendous positive influence on both Christopher and Davis, we are so thankful to them.

This Thanksgiving we were fortunate enough to spend some time at the farm in Opelika with our friends Jan and Joel Lawerence and their family and Mama Faye Parkman.

 

Thanksgiving at the Parkman farm "Rocky Top" in Opelika.

Debbie and Christopher enjoying the swing and the fall weather.

Christopher and I in one of the deer stand.

New barn being built, see the Rocky Top Farm site on Facebook it is beautiful.

 

October 2015

We have had a lot going on recently, some changes around the house. Still trying new things with Christopher. Cathy, Gary and Ann are all still working with him on a regular basis.

He loves greeting them at the door. If your standing anywhere close by you'd better watch out because he will run over you. It is difficult for us to see many changes at this point, but we hear often how much progress he is making.

He loves seeing everyone at the football games, he is so excited for Friday night.

Coach Kelly and the boys

Brotherly love

Sept. 2015

All is well, Christopher continues to participate in the neuro feedback therapy and is still working with Cathy and Gary Zingler and Ann White. Christopher is so excited about football season, the college games are getting started and we are going to see Auburn play Mississippi State.

We were able to get two tickets through the Lutzie Foundation as part of a basket we purchased at the Trojan Football Touchdown Tailgate Auction. We ended up receiving four tickets and sideline passes with Amy and Ann Lutzenkirchen and former QB Neil Caudle and his wife Emily 
as escorts.

Auburn sideline waiting for the eagle to fly.

 

Before the game with Amy, Ann, Nosa Eguae and Andrew McCain, Nosa and Andrew both played with Philip on the
2010 National Championship team. WAR EAGLE!

Auburn QBs during warmup

Coming into the stadium thru the players entrance following "Tiger Walk", we were enjoying the full experience.

Awesome experience

We had just spent all day Thursday, prior to the game, on campus with Davis doing the campus tour. Thank you Cindy Singley and Tim Gore for the your time and hospitality. The tour was great, the Wellness Center is amazing Tim, Cindy we appreciate you getting Davis connected with the Building Science administrator, she was very informative. Hopefully Davis can get everything squared away and be accepted for the fall of 2016. 



August 2015

 Well school has started and so has football season. This is such a great time for our family. Davis is entering his senior year, it is so hard to believe we are entering our final year of high school. The new improvement to the stadium and field are complete and it is time for some football. Friday night saw the dedication of the field for Philip Lutzenkirchen, one of Christopher's team mates when we first came to Lassiter. Philip was a senior and Christopher a freshman, because of the positions they played, they spent a lot of time together.

 



Friday night with Coach Kelly the new Lassiter AD



 

Saturday morning Christopher and I participated in the Lutzie Foundation 5k Run. Yes we made it all the way through the race with Christopher running across the finish line, yes I said running, to a cheering crowd. We were dead last, so everyone was there to cheer him across the finish line.

 

What a great achievement for Christopher, being out of the wheelchair not even a year yet. He was so determined to make it. Everyone was awesome cheering him on, we are so grateful. In the photo below he has just been awarded the Lutzie Legacy Award by Amy, Ann and Abby. What a great day, if I remember right I think we went back to the house and he fell asleep on the couch.

 



Lutzie Legacy Award



Another Friday night at the football game, halftime activities on the baseball field. Christopher and Coach Kelly's boys running the bases.



A little touch football with the boys and Coach Galvin

Another fun filled work day with Cathy