Day 787 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

We are now in full non-vacation form! Busy days – year end filings for Regina, establishing goals and objectives for Brant as we look forward into 2012. The busy beginning of the year – always a welcome time of start up and renewal and new opportunities!

Grayson has been more alert and active than ever since returning from Mammoth. Skiing is good for Grayson, and the extended opportunity afforded by our stay in Mammoth has done him some good I believe. The cognitive challenges presented while determining where to ski and avoiding obstacles, all the while dealing with uneven snow conditions is a good workout for Grayson's brain. All together he participated in 11 half-day sessions over the course of our trip and the repetition showed in his improved skill while on the trip and the effects seem to be crossing over into non-ski activity since we have returned. He is a bit more verbal, he is much more alert and he is more tuned for longer periods than we have seen in a very long while. In fact, tonight I said to Grayson that, "Ogres are like onions." He completed the line from Shrek – "They have layers!" The particularly funny part for me is that he said "layers" with a bit of a Scottish accent – something I have not heard since his incident. We witnessed a rare little window into the old Grayson.

Recovery from brain injury is a game of microns, but it still moves forward. We recognized a wee bit o movement tonight!

Pax!

Brant