Update – May 4, 2020

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Our priority during the coronavirus pandemic has been to do everything we could to keep Josh healthy. Since the start of the stay-at-home order, we’ve limited our trips to just groceries and doctor appointments. Josh’s outpatient therapy has been placed on hold out of caution. In the meanwhile, he has been continuing his classes virtually. During the week, Josh and Elijah spend a couple of hours per day working on school assignments from the kitchen table, with assistance from myself or Theresa.

Josh has been taking more walks outside as the weather has gotten better. Last week, I took Josh around the walking trail in his wheelchair, only because it would be a lot more walking than what he might have been able to handle. He has made a lot of progress since a year ago, when he was still a month into his rehabilitation. If you look at him now, it might be hard to see that he once was not able to speak, then later could only speak in whispers. Or, that there was a time that he couldn’t leave his bed without assistance from nurses or a lifting device.

During the last few days, Josh has been getting up in the morning, picking out his clothes, and putting on his leg brace all on his own. I had spoken with his occupational therapist at MacLaren about finding ways to make this possible, and in the end he has gone ahead and figured it out on his own.

Today is May 4th, also known to Star Wars fans as “Star Wars Day.” In recognition of today, we have been watching Star Wars movies as a family, starting with Episode I on Thursday. Last night, we watched Episode IV, and later today Josh and I are planning on watching the season 7 finale of the Clone Wars.

In Star Wars lore, Jedi students would graduate to the rank of Jedi knight by passing a final test. I want to believe that Josh’s surgery, rehabilitation, cancer treatment, and continued therapy all serve as some kind of test for him. Where it all leads, I can’t begin to guess. But, I also believe that Josh will continue to make progress.

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