Day 531 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was a big day! We had a lot of "firsts" today.

The first "first" was arriving at Disabled Sports Easter Sierra (DSES) at 8:45 AM! This was the earliest we arrived all week. We put on boots and Grayson was ready to go before 9:00. Unfortunately Dad forgot that the REGULAR lesson times start at 9:30, not 9:00. After 4 days of trying to get there by 9:00 I was in the groove. I could have let Grayson (and I) sleep another 30 minutes. Oh well, at least Grayson was wide awake and alert for his lesson! He was also there and alert when his instructor "judge" presented him with a 100 year anniversary pin of the California Appellate Court. He is now wearing it proudly on his parka!

The reason we didn't want to be late this morning was that we had Zachary as an instructor. Zachary is one of the few professional instructors on staff and he is excellent. Our time with him today was no disappointment. After 1 run on Chair 11 (the Discovery Chair) Zachary determined that Grayson could use a bit more challenge and we headed up Chair 1 (the Broadway Express). Here is a picture of two more "firsts" today. One is actually finding the Burrito Snowcat, the second is being with Grayson at the top of Chair 1 for the first time in over 2 years. The picture shows Grayson and Zachary skiing past the Burrito Snowcat.

Shortly after Grayson got on St Anton he had speed control problems on the ice. At one point he lost confidence and couldn't move forward. Here is a series of photos showing Zachary leading Grayson down the steep part until Grayson regained his confidence. (Photo 1, photo 2, Photo 3, Photo4, Photo5.) After that we headed back to Chair 11 and stayed there for the rest of the day working on turns that have an edge!

Since Springtacular is over we had to go to the cafeteria for lunch. When we returned our afternoon instructors Kate and Mark were ready for us. I went two runs with them and determined that they had Grayson well covered and I took off on my own for a full hour – another "first"! For those of you have been to Mammoth, I managed a run down the Powder Bowl, Stump Alley, Solitude and St Anton before heading back to catch up with Grayson and his instructors just before the end of the day.

At the end of the day we changed out of our boots and headed back to the hotel. On our way through the lobby one of the DSES instructors that we have seen but not worked with all week came running after us and asked us if we had dropped a ski glove. Sure enough Grayson had dropped it. After thanks and hugs all around we went up to our room.

After being closed all week, the Yodeler Pub and Restaurant reopened for its final weekend of the season yesterday. Our last "first" of the day was to go to the Yodeler for dinner. The food was good and we enjoyed the experience – and the short walk from the hotel.

Tomorrow we pack up to leave this place after a great week and an even greater season. One more day of skiing!

Pax!

Brant

Day 530 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was the last day of Springtacular and it was a fun day. It was very cold this morning – low 20s – before getting into some range where I just kept peeling off clothes! I finished the day skiing in my shirt and ski pants while Grayson had on that plus a parka, and a vest.

During one of the morning runs we ran into one of the ski patrol members and his dog, Chief. Here is a picture of them just before Grayson throws a ball for Chief to retrieve.

This afternoon Grayson took a lesson from a cool instructor. He was full of energy and Grayson worked hard. At one point in the day, someone joined with us in the lift line to add a 4^th to our group. Our instructor said that he looked familiar and had he had ridden a lift with him earlier. The response was classic – the gentleman said, "No your Honor. I argued an appellate case in front of you!" Our instructor is an Associate Justice for the Court of Appeal! Here is a picture of Grayson following the orders of our Judge!

At 4:30 it was time for the closing Awards Banquet. Here are Grayson and I in our Springtacular shirts! All of the participants received an award, but Grayson did not know that. There are lots of schools and groups that participate in the program, but the "independents" were called out first. When Grayson heard his name he looked at me in surprise! They called him forward and announced that he had earned the "Amazing Grayson Award" for being the "Comeback Kid". Yes he has come back to Mammoth and is skiing again. Here is a picture of him receiving his award. I'm surprised that it is any good at all as I couldn't see much through my tears. Many, many people came up to us afterward and congratulated and hugged him. Here is a picture of the medal given to all of the participants.

What a day!

Pax!

Brant

Day 529 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today Grayson moved a bit faster and we made it to the Springtacular before 10:00 AM. Grayson went until the end at 3:30 today – a first! This was a full day of activity and, for the third day in a row, was asleep in minutes after he went to bed.

Today the instructors were primarily focused on improving Grayson's turns – moving him from a more sliding turn to using an edge. When he actually made a proper turn he appeared surprised because of the ease and speed of the turn. This is good!

At lunch it was music therapy day. Unfortunately for Grayson, it was really rhythm or drum therapy. During the entire lunch period there was a lot of drum pounding. Since noise is not one of Grayson's favorite things, I was worried. Fortunately he was good today and managed to not let it get him too edgy.

One of my favorite memories from today was when a fellow student, Joey, came up to Grayson and said, "See you tomorrow buddy!" then gave Grayson a high 5 and a hug. Grayson may or may not have been affected, but I certainly was. Through my tears I said thanks to Joey, a nice kid of what appears to be high school age.

This is a cool place to be this week!

Pax!

Brant

Day 528 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson had a slow start this morning – slow even for Grayson! I got him up at 7:15 AM. He was stiff and he looked at me in shock when he took his first step because his legs were sore and not doing what he expected. It took me a long time to get him down stairs from his sleeping loft and when he arrived he sat in a chair! It took us until 10:45 to get to the Disabled Sports center (a walk across the parking lot). Most of that time was spent having him walk and stretch. When he was able to motor along sufficiently we went to meet up with his instructor.

His instructor today was an old friend – Kathy – who was with Grayson on his very first lesson at DSES in January. Knowing the situation, her plan for the day was "easy and fun". We arrived at the center and she took him on the Scenic Gondola up to the top for some lounge chair sightseeing while I got to get in a few runs in on my own. I arrived back to meet up with them for the group picture in front of Wooly (here we are assembling for it) and lunch. During lunch three therapy dogs came to visit and these calm, friendly and furry animals visited with us as we waited in line for the lunch buffet.

After lunch Grayson wanted to hit the slopes, so Kathy took him to Chair 11 (the Discovery Chair) for some easy runs. He managed to get in 7 runs and was moving much better by the end of the day. Here is a video of one of those runs.

After our day ended on the slopes, Grayson and I decided to go into town to see what trouble we could get into. We went to Footloose Sports because of their big sale sign, but there was nothing we wanted. Then we went to explore the Village, something I had never done. Well, after Canyon and Eagle lodges have closed I don't recommend it. It was dead! Most of the places closed at 6:00 PM, and we arrived at 6:15. It is lovely, and I can imagine that it is quite a hopping place mid season!

We had a superb dinner at Petra's Bistro and Wine Bar before heading back up the hill to the Mammoth Mountain Inn. When we left town the temperature was 51°. A few minutes later at the Main Lodge where Mammoth Mountain Inn is located the temperature was 40°. I understand why Main Lodge remains open when all else closes!

Today is the second day in a row that I have put Grayson to bed at 9:15 and he was sound asleep before 9:30. That boy was tired – again!

Pax!

Brant

Day 527 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was the opening of the Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra annual Springtacular – a four day ski and snowboard event for the cognitively challenged. We arrived at the Mammoth Mountain Conference Center at 9:00 this morning to a room full of participants, parents and volunteers determined to make this a great week. We were treated to a Sweet Adeline group performing the National Anthem and a few other favorites, before we hit the slopes.

Grayson had a (mostly) great day. He started out at the Discovery Chair to get his "ski legs" under him and to break in a new instructor. Before lunch we took a run up the gondola to McCoy Station and skied some more challenging runs.

Lunch was back in the conference center and we dined on Mexican food. After lunch we went up chair 6 and Grayson skied down some even more challenging terrain. Grayson was doing really well! He was in control, going where he intended, able to stop when he needed to and moving at a pretty good clip! We wound up at the Stump Alley Express and rode it up before starting back down to the main lodge. Grayson was starting to run out of gas, or so we thought. As we came down, he was suddenly falling a lot, and we determined that he was tired. I discovered later that the more challenging terrain was too much for his muscle tone and he was just shot. We knew something was amiss when he wouldn't get up. In just a few minutes we had 5 members of the DSES staff there. After a bit a ski patrol member came by and offered a ride down the hill – that was a no brainer! Grayson took a ride to the bottom. The staff stayed with him until I collected all of his gear from the conference center then we went back to the hotel (viewed here from where we were stopped with Grayson). It was then I discovered that he was sore and not tired or dehydrated or adjusting to the elevation – he had difficulty walking! We ate at the hotel tonight to minimize movement!

Tomorrow will be a very easy day to let Grayson's legs recover. The best news of all – this was without a doubt the most physical work Grayson has done since his incident. Sore muscles are really, really good!

Pax!

Brant

Day 526 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was travel day! Grayson and I left home at 10:00 AM and drove to Mammoth Mountain – arriving at the Main Lodge in record time for us – 5 ½ hours! It was an easy and uneventful drive and we arrived in time to fit rental skis to his boots before the big shindig starts tomorrow morning.

After dropping the skis off at the conference center where all of the activities will originate (Grayson is part of the "Meteorites group") we drove across the parking lot to the Mammoth Mountain Inn to check in. The rest of the afternoon was spent getting settled and then we were off to dinner. We ate in the hotel as I was trying to get Grayson to bed early. It will be an early morning for Grayson, and I hope that I can get him awake enough to enjoy the morning skiing!

The view out our window is amazing and we spent time watching the snow cats grooming the slopes this evening. We are looking forward to our day tomorrow!

Pax!

Brant

Day 525 – Grayson’s Journey

Happy Easter, dear family and friends

Grayson was more alert than he has been in weeks – great news after a hospital stay! There was of course a LOT of activity this weekend, and today we were still flying around. But after services this morning, we had a bit more relaxed day. We prepared Easter dinner for the four of us then we set about packing for Grayson's and my adventure to Mammoth tomorrow. The hospital on Saturday and a vacation to Mammoth on Monday – quite an answer to prayers!

Easter always fills me with the joy of rebirth, and today was no exception. A wonderful morning at church followed with a day with family. What could be better?

He is risen. Alleluia!

Brant

Day 524 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson is home! He was discharged from USC University Hospital at noon today and he is now sleeping snugly in his own bed without being disturbed by any beeping machines or people poking him with needles!

When Grayson came home today he took a two hour nap (he did not sleep well in the hospital) and I have never seen anyone so happy to climb in his own bed. He actually giggled as he snuggled into his covers and smelled those familiar home fresh-sheet smells. He was asleep in about 5 minutes – a new record for Grayson!

This evening Grayson and Regina attended the Easter Vigil service at church. I was there also, but Lauren and I had to get there much earlier as we were part of the music worship. Lauren performed with a hand bell quartet that did an awesome job this evening. I was part of the vocal quartet that provided musical responses to the readings this evening. This is my favorite church service of the year, and tonight was no exception! Today was particularly special because Grayson was home again.

Our longtime friends Gabe (the best man at our wedding) and Kate joined us this evening – a wonderful surprise! It was great to celebrate with and catch up with such dear friends.

Alleluia. Christ is risen!

Brant

Day 523 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

The Doctors of USC performed a procedure on Grayson this morning to correct his atrial flutter. The procedure (actually a series of procedures) took about 2 hours and Grayson was in recovery by 12:30. All went well and he will be discharged tomorrow if all continues to go well.

This evening we watched movies and generally kept Grayson busy so he wouldn't fiddle with his IVs. At 10:00 PM he had the last of the lines removed so tonight he should be able to sleep without having Regina worry that he'll get tangled and pull them out.

Regina continues to be the champ staying by Grayson's side at all times. She is a tower of strength through all of Grayson's medical issues.

It looks like we'll have a few more meds to add to Grayson's daily collection. But it also looks that the ski trip is back on, after looking in doubt yesterday. So our adventure this week is coming to a happy end!

God is good on this very Good Friday!

Pax!

Brant

Day 522 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today started with us taking Grayson for a routine visit to the cardiologist. It ended with him in the hospital – a surprising, scary and fortuitous turn of events.

We arrived and met our new cardiologist and other members of Grayson's new cardiac team. During the course of the exam and device interrogation they discovered that Grayson was having an incident of atrial flutter. He was admitted for treatment at 1:00 PM today. They will treat medically overnight then perform a procedure in the morning. If all goes well he will home on Saturday.

The turn of events is fortuitous because it was caught very early in the event and at a place where treatment could begin immediately. God is still looking out for us.

When Grayson is in the hospital, so is Regina. He needs someone to speak for him and no one does it better than Mom. She stayed with him all day, and will remain with him through the duration if I know my wife! If they get out as planned, they should be home Saturday night – just in time for Easter Vigil!

Pax!

Brant

Day 521 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson was a bit off of his game today. He seemed distracted and unfocused all day – more so than normal. It was almost like there was a lot of noise going on inside and he just never got a good grip on the day.

Let's see if tomorrow brings a brighter and more alert day!

Pax!

Brant

Day 520 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was a wonderful day!

For those of you that are parents of older children, I expect that you will appreciate this. Today was no-big-deal Tuesday then late this afternoon Lauren and her boyfriend Zack decide to stay for dinner. A few hours later, Austin and Xixi invite us out to dinner, but we have them join us also. Suddenly we go from a dinner of three to a dinner of seven – and loving every minute!!

Grayson was having one of his good days today. The company for dinner had him particularly happy. At one point this evening he walked into the room and everyone was laughing about something. He just started laughing also without hearing the item that was so funny. It proves to me that laughter is infectious – catch it!

Pax!

Brant

Day 519 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson stayed with Regina today as it was not one of his clinic days. They left home about noon and were gone running errands for several hours and they visited several stores. Regina said that they both had a good time.

Grayson was quite alert today. An example of this is when Regina asked him to get the applesauce out of the refrigerator. He retrieved the applesauce and removed the lid. That shows that he was thinking beyond the request and took action to complete it. Good follow through without a cue!

Tomorrow is a clinic day so it is back to therapy!

Pax!

Brant

Day 518 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Palm Sunday – Holy Week begins!

Grayson was quite alert and "with it" today. Right at the beginning of the church service this morning, our pastor had everyone raise their palm branches so that they might be blessed prior to the processional. Grayson's arm shot up with his branch before we could even pick ours up! He was alert during the service, sang hymns and even said the Lord's Prayer today for the first time in as long as I can remember.

Grayson remained alert throughout the day as we had lunch then proceeded to work in the garden. Having to walk up two flights of stairs to get to the back garden helps to keep us all in shape! We potted some new plants, sprayed for bugs in the herb garden and worked on the dripper system. Grayson was with me the entire time mostly watching, but helping when he could. And he certainly went up and down a lot of stairs today!

Holy Week is always a busy time for our family. This year we have appointments with new doctors for Grayson to add to the activity level! Then right after Easter Grayson and I will head off to Mammoth to participate in the Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra Annual Springtacular a special four-day event designed for participants of all ages with cognitive disabilities. This may be our last ski trip of the season, but I also said that after our trip in March!

It was a great day!

Pax!

Brant

Day 517 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson slept in a bit this morning while Regina and I decided on some spring "updates" to the landscaping. We probably should have done this at the end of February when spring really starts here in Southern California – it is already starting to feel like summer here because Easter is so late!

When we did get Grayson up we had a wonderful breakfast of omelets – a bit of a change from his normal routine of cereal or frozen waffles. But isn't that what Saturday mornings are for? The omelets were made with grilled chicken, pesto and feta cheese with a hint of sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil. Not a bad way to start the day, and no carbs for the diabetic (me)!

After breakfast we headed to the La Canada Farmers Market for a pile of fresh vegetables for the week. It was packed with more vendors than I have ever seen today, and it was fun to be out and out in the glorious Southern California sunshine.

Later this afternoon I went to church to rehearse with the vocal quartet for Easter Vigil. As always it will be an awesome and fun service. Cheryl Speer does a great job of selecting the music for this service and it is always my favorite of the entire year. Easter Vigil marks the end of Lent, and is the first celebration of the Resurrection in the church year. If you can make it, join us in front of Salem Lutheran Church at 7:30 PM for the blessing of the new fire and lighting of the Paschal Candle. The service follows in the sanctuary.

This evening we gathered to say farewell to Zack, Lauren's boyfriend, who is heading back home to Kentucky after an extended stay here in Southern California. Rita, Richard, Austin, Xixi, Regina, Grayson and I joined Lauren and Zack to celebrate friendship and enjoy great company. He is a great kid, though it seems that the term "kid" seems to encompass a wider age range than it did earlier in my life!

It was a wonderful day in the sun and beauty of Southern California enhanced with the warmth of family and friends. What a great day!

Pax!

Brant

Day 516 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Since today was not one of Grayson's clinic days, he and Regina worked and played together. They went to lunch and ran errands for several hours today. After returning home they worked on several home chores for the balance of the day. Grayson was not quite as sharp as he has been for the past few days, but he was a bit better than normal.

Tonight for our recreation time we watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 – on demand video on the day it was released to the public – pretty cool!

Pax!

Brant

Day 515 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson had another good day today. At the clinic he was more alert and was able to accomplish more things than he normally is. He was helpful at home again this evening also as he assisted me in getting some chores done.

The kind of things we mean when we say that he is more alert are things like "quicker to react". That means that he might respond to a request to "stand up" after a few seconds rather than having to repeat it several times; finishing the lines of familiar songs instead of remaining silent; doing all of the correct things in the correct sequence after being asked to go to the restroom instead of getting stuck and just standing there. Believe me – alert is way better!

Pax!

Brant

Day 514 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson was quite alert again today. After his day at the clinic, Grayson and Regina sang, danced, walked fast, took turns reading out loud, ate fun snacks and had a generally all-around good time! Grayson did much better on all of his endeavors today then his norm – great news indeed.

Let's hope that this short-term trend continues!

Pax!

Brant

Day 513 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today Grayson was off to the clinic for one of his three days this week. His new caregiver Sarah was here to get him up and ready for his day, then they both went off to the clinic – Grayson for therapy and Sarah for training on working with the brain injured. Her training will enable her to provide a therapeutic environment here at home when his insurance-approved therapy benefit runs out, and that day is coming very soon.

Grayson and I had a nice evening together – shopping for some salad vegetables, making dinner, doing chores and watching a little TV for a reward. He had a pretty good day and was alert and even a bit talkative when prompted!

Pax!

Brant

Day 512 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson was as alert today as he has been in weeks! He was more verbal, he was more active and he was engaged all day.

Regina spent most of the day with him as this was one of his non-clinic days. They ran errands for most of the afternoon before coming home for Regina to accomplish some work. (During that time Grayson read one of his books.) This evening I also noticed that Grayson was more "with it" than he has been lately, and he was helpful as we prepared dinner together.

This was a very good day indeed!

Pax!

Brant

Day 511 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was a delightful day! We went to church this morning and had the opportunity to see Lauren and the bell choir perform two awesome works. Actually this was a combined effort of the young adults (older youths?) and the adult bell choir which gave the group the opportunity to pull out all the bells for a breathtaking sound of so many octaves. Wow!

Lauren, Grayson, Regina and I had lunch after at a local haunt where we spent a leisurely afternoon sitting outside in the Southern California sun and dining. Lauren and Regina then went off to work and Grayson and I busied ourselves at home. Grayson carried a bunch of things up from the garage for me, and then we made our market run for the week. We returned home and decided to take a brisk walk before dinner. This was the best he has ever done with me on our walks. We finished our normally 30 minute walk (one mile) in 25 minutes today. Great job Grayson!

After returning home, we ate dinner, watched a part of a movie then went to bed.

A delightful day!

Pax!

Brant

Day 510 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Saturday – what a nice day! The weather here was sunny and beautiful, although the high 50's was a bit chilly for us Southern Californians.

Grayson stuck by my side all day from breakfast until bedtime. We did chores around the house, exercised (well I did and he watched!), went to get gas ($4.20 a gallon?!?), went to the grocery store, prepared dinner and watched a movie. We had a nice day together!

Pax!

Brant

Day 509 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today Grayson had a day at home – well at least not at the clinic!

After Grayson was ready for his day, he and Regina went to lunch at In-N-Out. Later they got Grayson a (much needed) haircut. Late this afternoon, Grayson and I went to the grocery to prepare for the friends we had coming over this evening. There he was my usual helper – pushing the cart and finding his way to me as we gathered the ingredients for our meal.

This evening Grayson was well behaved and charming as we welcomed friends from Seattle into our home. We had a delightful visit and dinner and it was wonderful to catch up on the changes in our lives these past few years. Later in the evening, Austin and Xixi came by and visited. I hope that we didn't overwhelm our Seattle friends with family!

After our friends departed, Grayson and Xixi alternated reading a book out loud. When Austin and Xixi went home, Grayson danced with Regina until it was time for bed.

It was a great evening!

Pax!

Brant

Day 508 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today Sarah was back to train with Grayson. Regina let her take the lead this morning and observed the morning routine. Sarah did just fine and we are excited still to have her work with Grayson. They all headed off to the clinic to continue her training this afternoon.

Grayson helped me prepare dinner this evening. We had a (rare) meal of steak and grilled veggies with sautéed mushrooms. The "rare" part is in reference to the red meat part of our diet – not that often anymore!

Pax!

Brant

Day 507 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

When Grayson arrived home from the clinic tonight he helped me do some spring planting. We potted some color pots and potted some flowers for about 90 minutes this evening – oh how I love daylight savings time! He was most helpful taking the leftover trash to the trash cans. I was particularly impressed that he would wait to do something, and if I handed him an old plastic pot, he would take it to the trash which was at the curb (trash day is tomorrow). We finished by hanging the color pots outside the windows in back and testing and adjusting the drippers.

We washed up and made dinner, watched a little TV then headed to bed. It was a busy day!

Pax!

Brant

Day 506 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today Sarah started her training as Grayson's new helper. She spent the morning learning the routine from Regina then spent the afternoon at the clinic learning about brain injury and cognitive therapy. We are excited to have her on board and Grayson responds to her well also.

Grayson had an active and exhausting day at the clinic today and had a tough time working up enthusiasm for anything after we left there. We did have some fun and did a few chores before we watched a movie tonight!

Pax!

Brant

Day 505 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today Grayson was visited again by four of his angels from Flintridge Prep. Erica, Siobhan, Jamie and Christine came by for a visit this evening and Grayson was thrilled. He was squirming and laughing the entire time there were here. He loves these visits.

Grayson was still a bit off of his game today, but a bit better than the past few days. Let's hope that we are moving in to a new trend and that things will be improving for a bit! In spite of his being a bit off today, I had the occasion to ask him the weight of water. Without hesitation he answered, "8 pounds to the gallon". Some old memories just stick! (For the true geek, water is actually 8.345404 pounds to the gallon, but for rough calculations, 8 is close enough!)

To our Prep angels, as well as those from Bovard and other walks of life who continue to visit Grayson, we thank you. Your acts of love touch us deeply. We do remember our younger days, where lives move on to new and exciting adventures as we grow beyond high school and college. The efforts you make to remain connected are appreciated beyond measure. God bless you all for your gifts of love.

Pax!

Brant

Day 504 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Church this morning, errands this afternoon, an afternoon walk, dinner and a movie at home – should have been a good day for Grayson. He has still been really slow lately. Not sure what is happening, but it could be another one of the phases he goes through.

Tomorrow he has some high school friends visiting and he is excited. Why not – they are all girls!

Pax!

Brant

Day 503 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today Grayson was extremely slow and not particularly with it. Nonetheless, he sure had a full day of activity and stimulation!

After breakfast the three of us headed out to buy some plants for the hanging pots in our back. We spent some enjoyable time at the nursery soaking up springtime before heading to lunch.

Our next errand after unloading the plants was to the grocery to gather supplies for dinner to celebrate Rita's (Regina's sister) birthday. Austin and Xixi joined us along with Rita's husband Richard. A fun night was had by all, and the dinner of lobster tail in garlic-lime-cilantro butter, grilled asparagus, stir fried vegetables with salsa verde and three color new potatoes was fantastic! The house was alive with music and conversation and Grayson enjoyed observing all of the fun and chaos.

Pax!

Brant

Day 502 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

This was one of Grayson's days home now that his clinic days are down to three a week. He really didn't stay home much. He was up and out with Regina to run errands and be outside today. It was a great day to be out and about because it was another 90 degree day here today with blue skies. Our plants are not quite sure what to make of it!

Grayson was ultra slow all day today. He had a difficult time accomplishing anything without the use of maximum cues. He was very non-verbal today also. He went to bed a bit early so I hope the additional sleep will do him some good.

I did capture a picture of one of his high activity moments today. Let's pray for a more alert day tomorrow!

Pax!

Brant