May 19, 2010 - Ramp for Erik and more . . .

Hello. It has been a while since our last post and during that time good things have been happening! Erik is doing well and continues to improve. He is back in school and we are observing positive improvements since his last HBOT treatment. Erik appears to be making and maintaining eye contact better than before. He also continues to improve on showing appropriate responses to things going on around him. For example, when leaving the house if you tell him goodbye it is likely that he will now turn in your direction. Before he may have responded like this 1 out of 5 times. This may seem like a small thing but this is a BIG change in him! We are also seeing improvement in the interactions between those who work with and are around Erik on a regular basis. For example, the kids are talking with him more. They have always been good at including Erik and interacting with him but lately (perhaps due to his more appropriate response) the time interacting has been extended. Hope this makes sense. Improvements we are seeing are somewhat hard to describe. You just have to experience it! We are so often amazed at how God can reach down and intervene . . . no matter how large the task may be! Our other news is that the wheelchair ramp being built by Apex Baptist Church for Erik is almost complete! This will be such a blessing for us and will make caring for Erik MUCH easier. Thank you so much for the team that has assembled on multiple occasions to volunteer time to see this happen. We could never adequately express our thanks! We also are pleased that Erik's new school schedule is working out. He is home on Tuesday and Friday to allow for additional therapy. We have also taken advantage of these "non-school" days to plan the multiple medical appointments Erik needs. We are still in need of a therapist for speech/feeding for Friday afternoons. Please lift a prayer that this need will soon be met. We hope you enjoy the photos of the ramp and thanks for all of the prayers and support you each continue to amaze us with. Love in Christ, Erik's Family