Love And Friendship, The Brother Bond

Greg and Alex finally returned on Tuesday night.  Needless to say, I was glad to see them after my six day stretch.  But more importantly than my eagerness for them to be here, was the unequivocal difference it made in Kyle to see his brother and hear his voice.

From the moment Greg and Alex walked through the door to Kyle's room at Shepard, these two days have been filled with smiles and cheers, claps and "yays", and those things which only the bond between two brothers can explain.   

When no one could get Kyle to turn his head to the right on Wednesday morning,  Alex stepped up to bat, softly speaking,

"Kyle, it's me, Alex.  I'm over here on your right.  Can you turn your head over here?"

The response from Kyle was more than anyone could have anticipated.  The immediate response from Kyle to lift and turn his head to look at Alex was overwhelming.  And so went the next two days.

In PT on Wednesday morning, Kyle was introduced to a new device that allows him to work his legs indivdually, to bend, and pull and push each leg on it's own.

I encouraged Alex to continue being involved.  I felt in my heart that the bond between these two young men was the key to awakening Kyle.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                        And sure enough, with Alex's input, with knowing Kyle and how they push each other in the gym, Kyle gave him that extra "push" when it looked as though we might not get much out of him.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   One very difficult thing for Kyle to do is move his head.  His neck muscles are extremely weak and stretched out.  So continuing along the course of Alex making Kyle work,  with Kyle flat on his back, his exercise was to lift his head up off the mat  After about two or three tries under Jasmine's directions, Kyle became obviously fatigued and not willing to repeat another repetition.  Alex then stepped in, and just like in the gym,  gave him that push.  

 "Come on Kyle, you can do it.  Lift your head one more time.  Do it for me.  I know you got this".   

And then came the cheers as we watched Kyle with that strong determination we all know he has, raise his head and hold it high!

The icing on the cake was, when back in our room, and Kyle was just looking at Alex, Alex asked him in a silly voice   "What you lookin' at?"  and Kyle gave him the most wonderful smile!  To finally have a facial expression other than distress, and for his brother, melted our hearts.
                                     
               

And lastly, to finish off these days of days, Cheryl had Kyle drinking from a straw and eating peaches, and Jasmine had  Kyle bringing his head to the spoon for some pudding.

We are also all signed off to give him ice chips, and Greg is thoroughly enjoying participating in the never ending task of quenching Kyle's thirst.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                         " Blessed is the servant who loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and can be of service to him. And blessed is he who loves his brother as well when he is afar off as when he is by his side, and who would say nothing behind his back he might not, in love, say before his face." ~St Francis of Assisi