It’s Pray Day for Danny + 1.

A great day indeed.

Veterans Day; honoring those who have fought for our great country.

We honor them with Facebook status posts and we applaud them from our church pew. However, though they may be off the battlefield, out of active service; I would imagine they still carry the scars from their journeys.

Let’s not forget that often the wounds that warriors carry are not seen.

I cannot imagine the visions that are trapped in their heads, difficult to shake or even sleep through.

Pray for our veterans today. Hug a soldier.

Danny, though he’s never worn a soldier’s uniform, is battling.

For the last four Mondays, he’s walked on a standard treadmill.

What does this mean?

Walking with the walker over ground, Danny can go at his own pace. He can take the time to think about each movement.

On the treadmill, his brain and body have to keep up with it.

According to Katie, his therapist, “It’s more mentally challenging than a strength issue,” and that “focusing on keeping up with the treadmill and getting a good step are hard for him to maintain and any distraction has a negative effect on his mechanics.”

However, she feels it’s beneficial to keep at it so he can get to the point where we can do it safely at home.

Today, Danny walked three ten minute sessions at .5, .6 and .7 mph!

Hand placement on the treadmill is also important. Danny tends to want to hold onto the front of the machine, while Katie wants him to hold onto the side rails. His posture improves, as does his gait, and the hand position is similar to walking with forearm crutches instead of a walker.

All that good news being said, I have a little something new I’d like to ask you to pray for.

Danny is beginning to experience some tone and spasticity in his right leg. I’m actually surprised we haven’t seen this before, but I have a small hunch that it’s due to coming off one of his medications. I need to do more research on that though.

“Spasticity is,” according to WebMD, “a muscle control disorder that is characterized by tight or stiff muscles and an inability to control those muscles.”

“….and is caused by an imbalance of signals from the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) to the muscles.”

Danny’s right leg tends to have a mind of its’ own. It is difficult to bend and will extend uncontrollably at times.

But, most concerning for me, is that when Danny takes a step with his right leg, the foot tends to land up against the left foot or even sometimes in front of it, as if he’s walking on a balance beam.

This causes great instability and Danny has fallen twice in the last five weeks.

I’m trying to remember to stretch out these muscles in hopes we don’t have to look into other treatment options.

Please pray that these muscles loosen up and that whatever was harmed in the central nervous system is restored.

We know the God who heals and restores; will you join me?

Also, if you don’t follow us on Facebook, you all have helped us pay down our account balance from $8400 to $3600! Praise the Lord!

Our goal is to pay off the balance and then be able to add some more Beyond Therapy time back into Danny’s routine. 

Go to Oneneed.org and join the 10 on 10 fundraising campaign!

Lastly, I’d like to thank you all who prayed for me specifically last month. Many times, the Lord revealed himself to me and I am forever grateful.