Day 5210 - Part 2 - Grayson's Blog

He's home!

This is just a short post to give you some good news. This evening Grayson was discharged and he has now had dinner (the first meal of his day) and is enjoying some TV. This was a short story with a happy ending!

He'll be in a bit of pain for a few days, and he needs to take it easy for a week or so. Assuming that he has a successful checkup next week, he should be skiing again by early March!

Thank you all for your prayers and love. Thanks to the medical staff and physicians for their care during our short stay. Thanks to God for continuing to keep Grayson in the palm of His hand.

Pax!

Brant

Day 5210 - Grayson's Journey

Well, here we are again!

It’s been almost 10 years since Grayson’s implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was replaced, so here we are again having ICD #4 implanted. The good news is that technology continues to improve, so that the devices last longer. The bad news is that they don’t last forever. In Grayson's case, the battery crossed the threshold for replacement in late December, and replacement was scheduled for today.

We are at Keck Medical Center of USC and Grayson was just wheeled into surgery for the replacement procedure. Regina was with him while he was being prepared, and reported that as soon as he was in his gown and laid down on the gurney, he became scared and started to cry. She was able to calm him down before they took him away, but she said it about broke her heart.

We are hoping that this time it will be an outpatient procedure, and that he will come home with us this evening. However, there is a chance that he may have to spend the night. We will know more later today.

We are hopeful that all will go well, and that life will be back to normal quickly. I will update as we know more.

Bless you all for your continued love and prayers.

Pax!

Brant

Day 4834 - Grayson's Journey

Greetings after almost 7 years! Clearly this blog was originally created to communicate day-to-day information on our injured boy, and daily change is no longer on the level it was a decade ago. For those that still tune in, thank you!

Today was a milestone day for Grayson. Today marked the 800th ski day since his injury, and that first day on snow with Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra back in early 2011. I can't describe that day without breaking down in tears, even after 12 years. 

Today, Grayson loves his skiing, even if he has to get up early! He flies down the mountain at a pace he decides, and he is always in control. He is adept at avoiding rocks, trees, and other bipeds. If things are unfamiliar or unusual, he slows way down. His skis are an extension of his body, and, while not perfect, he knows how to maneuver in almost any terrain. Given a choice of going in or skiing, he always chooses skiing. 

While this is not the life we expected for Grayson, it is a good life. He is happy, enjoys the outdoors sliding on the snow, and he enjoys the company he has all over town, but especially those on the hill. The lift operators (lifties), food service friends, regular (non-adaptive) mountain instructors, and mountain Hosts, all greet him by name and with high-fives. Other instructors that ski with us comment that they didn't know that they would be skiing with a celebrity! This affection shown my adult child by the people that he sees on the mountain is truly touching. 

So thank you DSES, Mammoth Mountain employees, the food services employees of Levy, and all of my friends in Mammoth Lakes for the love and affection that you show us every day. 

800 days of skiing after fearing that Grayson would never walk again. If you don't believe in a higher power, think again.

We love you all.

Pax!

Brant

Day 2333 – Grayson’s Journey

Today is a milestone day. Today marks the 200^th day that Grayson has skied since his injury in 2009.

In November of 2009, we had no idea if Grayson would ever walk again – he was a writhing mass in ICU in the aftermath of a brain injury so severe that life itself was a question mark. Yes, he is still severely cognitively handicapped. He still requires round-the-clock attention. That will not go away. But he doesn’t simply exist – he is enjoying life! He laughs, he listens, and he skis. Oh, how he skis! When he skis, he is like a bird on wings, freed from the bonds of his injury. He is so fun to watch. His form isn’t perfect, but he can go just about anywhere on the mountain – and go he does! 58 days last year, and 43 days so far this season and it isn’t over yet!

It would be inappropriate of me not to give credit to Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra, its founder Kathy Copeland, Mark Spieler, the wizard of all things that slide on snow, Cara Leonard who asked all of the right questions when I first called, and Laurel Martin who always knows the appropriate answer. For all of your work, counsel, education, and flexibility in dealing with us these past 6 seasons, Regina and I are eternally grateful. To all of the other staff, interns and volunteers that give their time to ski with us, you all hold a special place in our hearts. Thank you seems inadequate. I will just say the we love you all – because we do!

For all who have kept Grayson in their prayers, and who have not forgotten him, thank you! This is a long road, and we have only traveled the first leg. It is a journey, not a destination!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1686 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear Family and Friends

Grayson is home!

He was discharged at 2:00 PM this afternoon and, after a stop at the pharmacy for some antibiotics, we arrived home around 3:00. Most of our morning day was spent waiting to be discharged, then the last two hours were spent waiting for the antibiotic prescription we needed before we could leave. It is always frustrating to see how long the simplest of things seem to take in the medical world! The good news is that we made it home and all is well.

We were home in time for me to make it to the 3^rd anniversary of my 40^th high school reunion. I went to such a small school that all of the classes around us knew each other very well. So this year, as last, the classes of 1972, 1973 and 1974 all gathered for a reunion filled with much merriment! It was great to see all of these friends again. It has been even more wonderful to reconnect with these folks and see what wonderful things have happened in their lives. While most of us had been out of touch before the start of these reunion weekends, many of us are now communicating again. Ah the wonders of Facebook! We gather for brunch tomorrow before heading back to our various corners of the globe.

As I head off to bed, Grayson is sleeping peacefully – all snuggled in his own bed. Blessings abound!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1685 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear Family and Friends

Good news and bad news today. Fortunately, the bad news is not terrible and the good news is plentiful!

First the bad news – Grayson has to spend another night in the ICU. That isn't so bad for Grayson as he gets to watch WAY more TV then we would allow! Regina, on the other hand, will be spending her night sleeping in a chair with one eye open, next to Grayson. The reason for another night is simply the slow adjustment to the removal of all of the "stuff" and general caution – ventilator weaning, catheter removal, wound care, gradual adjustment to non-sedation, starting to sit, stand and walk again, eating, passing fluids – you get the drill.

The list of good news is far longer! He was weaned off of his sedation mid-morning but kept on a drug to limit anxiety. His vent was removed at half-past noon and that changed his mood from agitated to happy. This afternoon he stood and was moved from his bed to a chair. All IVs were stopped at that point. He had his first meal (clear liquids) since a light breakfast Thursday, and his catheter was removed this evening. All in all, he is almost ready to come home!

The plan for the morning is to have him walk around, as he is only tethered to the EKG and BP machine. After that, it is time to be discharged – something that always seems to take way longer than it should! As unusual as it is, it appears that he will be going from the ICU to home. Youth is a wonderful thing when it comes to rapid recovery!

We visit his cardiologist next week for a follow-up, and this device (his third since 2004) should be good for another 5 to 7 years. For the next 2 weeks we will need to keep his left arm from moving over his head (not a small task) but we are now in recovery mode!

Regina and I thank you for your prayers, thoughts and kind words. This was a scary reminder of those days in 2009 where we lived in the ICU for 3 weeks. Fortunately, this was a much easier trip.

Pax!

Brant

Day 1684 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear Family and Friends

The news from the hospital is GOOD!

At 2:30 PM yesterday, Grayson underwent a 4 hour procedure to replace his implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and both of the leads. (The ICD monitors the heart through a lead that is placed in the heart, and should therapy be needed, it can be administered through another lead.) Both leads had become compromised since their original placement in 2004 and needed to be removed. The battery in his ICD was also at end of life, therefore the device needed replacement. The ICD is surgically implanted in his left breast about 2 inches above his nipple and the leads run from the device, through a blood vessel into his heart. As you might imagine, this procedure is delicate and fraught with some risk. The procedure was done under general anesthesia.

The procedure was successful. Both of the old leads were successfully removed with no damage, new leads were placed, and a new ICD was successfully implanted and tested. Grayson is young relative to the general population that receive ICDs. As a result of his youthful, tight skin (ah don't some of us wish!), it is a bit more difficult to squeeze this additional stuff inside his breast and have the skin stretch over easily. It was accomplished, but we expect that Grayson will be more than a little sore when he wakes up.

Which brings up the next point. His team of physicians felt that recovery would be significantly enhanced should Grayson be kept out under mild sedation and comfortable with pain meds for 12 hours following the procedure. We concurred with their judgment. We saw Grayson after he arrived in the ICU for his overnight stay. He was sedated and sleeping, and looking angelic. He was on a ventilator as is protocol for the sedation. He showed some signs of discomfort, and pain medication was administered. Given that he was going to be kept in a sedated state overnight, Regina and I thought it best to get rest. We headed home to eat and get to bed. We'll be back at the hospital at 7:00 AM to be there to wean him off the sedation and to extubate him. Regina's presence is a great calming force for Grayson. She will manage his transition from sedation to awareness with great skill – as always!

So tonight Regina and I are both home, and I am minutes from going to bed. Tomorrow we expect to be a long day at the hospital, but we hope we will all be home tomorrow night. Stay tuned!

And while seemingly not a great birthday present, the gift of life is the best present of all. Happy Birthday, Grayson. We'll celebrate your birthday over the weekend!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1683 – Grayson’s Journey

Today is Grayson's 29^th birthday! It is incomprehensible that 29 years have passed since his birth. So many memories. So many gifts of love from Grayson and all of our children.

It has been 7 months since I have last posted. I have put in a lot of Facebook chatter about our ski adventures, but the blog has gotten too much to maintain on a daily basis. Or weekly or monthly for that matter!!

Today Grayson is off to the hospital for a necessary replacement of his implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). These devices have a battery life of between 5 and 7 years, and Grayson tends to chew up the batteries on the early side. This will be his third since the first was implanted in 2004 during his freshman year at USC. The last replacement was three weeks prior to the incident that became the subject of this blog 1683 days ago.

We are hoping for good care as he will be at the Keck Hospital of USC – don't alumni get extra special treatment? We can hope! He will be in the hospital overnight and if all goes well, we will all be home on Friday. When Grayson is in the hospital, so is Mom. Regina will be by his side to make sure he doesn't pull out his IVs, PICC lines and monitoring devices. Sleep is something that she will get after he gets home. If ever any of you wonder why we celebrate Mother's Day, now is a good time for some introspection. A Mom is there for you until she can no longer carry the burden. That is a lot of hefting for a lot of years. Perhaps we ought to appreciate our Mothers monthly or weekly, rather than annually on Mother's Day. Just a thought.

Today, we ask for prayers – that God will guide the skilled hands of the doctors, nurses and technicians to care for this sweet and very challenged young man. May His will be done, and may Grayson return safely to his cozy bed at home as swiftly as possible. Amen.

Pax!

Brant

Day 1461 – Grayson’s Journey

Hello again old and loyal friends!

It has been a LONG time since I last posted.

Today is the fourth anniversary of Grayson’s injury. Grayson continues is his existing state – not much change from month to month. Each day is different depending on whatever magic invades his brain that day. He is happy and comfortable and every morning is a gift! We are looking forward to snow in Mammoth and hope for a prolific ski season this year!

Life has been full, busy and eventful. While things are calm and stable with Grayson and our new life with him, life by its very nature presents new and exciting opportunities at every turn. As we entered 2013, I expected “more of the same” and not much change in 2013. God has a way of adjusting our expectations!

After 36 years and 8 days of working for the Boeing Company, the successor of the space business of Hughes Aircraft, I have retired effective October 25^th. Now 3 weeks later, it still seems a bit unreal – especially considering the crazy and exciting special assignment I was working up until the last. That special assignment gave me the opportunity to visit and speak with friends and colleagues from all over the country – St Louis, Philadelphia, Houston, Huntsville, Phoenix, Seattle and Southern California. What a wonderful capstone to a career!

I’m writing this at 39,000 feet above mean sea level, and we are just passing over New Orleans. Regina and I are on our way to Miami where we will be embarking on a 7-day cruise to celebrate our 30^th anniversary. I can hardly believe that 30 years have passed since that joyful day in 1983 when we were married. Wasn’t it only yesterday that we had our honeymoon? And that trip to Europe? And brought Grayson home from the hospital? And Austin? And Lauren? Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts? Confirmation? High School graduations? Wow! What happened to the time? One thing is certain as I watch my beautiful wife lay sleeping peacefully here beside me on the plane – our love endures and continues to grow. I’m not sure that I ever could have expected to have been so fortunate to have experienced the gifts of joy that come from a life of faithfulness to a woman that I love so dearly.

I sign off now over the Gulf of Mexico leaving you with a special public thanks to Lauren, our primary back-up, as well as Zack, Rita, Austin and Xixi, for all of their help in enabling our anniversary voyage – a gift beyond belief!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1319 – Grayson’s Journey

Our dear family and friends,

Today was Grayson's 28^th birthday. When I went in to check on him about 6:30 this morning I found him sound asleep on the sofa in his room. He had gotten out of bed sometime after midnight, grabbed a book off the shelf and sat in the dark until he fell asleep. While this has only happened once before, I am thankful that we have a perimeter alarm on his bedroom door to alert us if he leaves his room.

He had a delightful day with his caregiver Maria. She has been with us for seven months and takes him on three walks up the canyon every day. She brought him a personal sized birthday cake and they shared it together while they perused her National Geographic coffee table book. I am so grateful that she has stayed with us so long and provides a familiar face for him each weekday.

This evening Grayson and I did things that he loves. I gave him his choice of dinner selections and he chose cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake. We spent time reading birthday wishes from friends on Facebook. He struggled but was able to tell me where he knew most of his friends from. One close high school friend noticed he was online and sent a message suggesting that they get together soon and "maybe... put some citrus fruit in the road for old times' sake". I can only imagine what that meant but it sure made Grayson smile. Thank God for old friends. Grayson's long term memory can still bring him joy.

For the last hour or so before I put him to bed Grayson was cracking up watching reruns of The Big Bang Theory.

Life for the three of us is settled into a familiar routine. Grayson is never left unattended. We take him everywhere with us. He still needs cueing to accomplish the simplest tasks of daily living. He still can't manage even washing his hands without direction. His speech if anything is worse than in the months immediately following his injury 3 ½ years ago in spite of working with him daily. Today when I asked him to tell me how old he is he answered 21. I told him that he is 28 then asked him again and his answer remained 21 each time. Yet last night before bed, I asked him what the next day was and he said "my birthday". As we have said before, his memory is like Swiss cheese. Sometimes you get cheese and sometimes you get a hole.

Those of you who knew Grayson well know he always had a book in his pocket (one of the reasons he always wore cargo pants). He was a voracious reader – anything from constitutional law, to black holes to anime. Today is no different. If he walks past any printed material he picks it up - novel, dictionary, comic book, or junk mail catalogue. I know some of that is just habit memory. Sometimes he just flips the pages – frequently with the book upside down or one in each hand. It's tempting to think that he isn't really reading anything but even with the book upside down he laughs appropriately. That's easy to understand when it's a comic book. Last week we were waiting for someone at a restaurant and I gave him my Kindle to occupy him (no pictures). I opened a book that was pre-loaded called "Bossy Pants" by Tina Fey. He started laughing on the first page. Since I have never read it, I checked to see what he was laughing at. Sure enough, the first page was hilarious. HE STILL CAN READ! He just doesn't remember what he reads.

Brant (in Texas and Alabama last week, Seattle this week) and I are grateful that we have been able to share 28 years with Grayson. It is a blessing and a challenge daily and nothing that we ever imagined. We are firmly united in our mission to make sure he is not only well taken care of but that he feels loved and cherished – because he is.

Peace,

Regina

Day 1191 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

After a month of silence, I thought I had better get back with some updates. A few hours on a flight this morning seemed to be a good time to relieve my guilt and hit the keyboard.

2013 has started off with a busy bang and things have not let up! My work has been busy with extra responsibilities. It appears that several special assignments may be coming to an end, but one is never sure. As much as the long hours are not my favorite thing, these special assignments are alays interesting and challenging – something I always enjoy. Now I need to get back to my “regular job” which has not had my full attention lately. Thank goodness I have a wonderful team of managers to keep things running smoothly while I’m otherwise distracted!

Grayson has been doing well. He continues to have his ups and downs in terms of cognition, but he has been healthy – except for the runny nose that has been bugging him for weeks. He and Maria (his care giver) are doing a lot of walking these days as the sun has been out a lot and it isn’t too hot. These walks are good for him and Maria has been exploring areas in the canyon that they can go to see new things. I’m happy to see him using his legs as that bodes well for his skiing – and it looks like we’ll have the opportunity to have two more long trips this season. Grayson and I are looking forward to that!

I know that you all heard about Austin and Xixi’s engagement. They are starting to plan, but a date is not yet been picked – and they are not in a big hurry. Enjoying the planning process and doing it right is much more important to them. That is a good thing!

Having Lauren back in town is certainly a blessing. Regina and Lauren have spent a lot of time together lately and they talk all the time. Having an adult daughter is sure a treat – and having her close by is wonderful.

Regina’s father has had some health issues and was recently placed in a skilled nursing facility for some rehabilitation. He appears to be getting stronger and may be released back to home in a few weeks. We are praying for his strength and are hoping that he can get back in his own home as soon as he is able. It is a challenge when your loved ones in need are so far away.

To catch you up on the bathroom reconstruction – things are almost complete. Wall color and the shower enclosure are all we are waiting for. The bathroom (other than the shower) is functional and we have moved back in. Most of the construction dust is done, and with new pipes, the leaks are gone for another 30 years or so!

I’ll be touching down in Seattle in an hour – and I was just here last week! I think I will be able to stay away for a few weeks. Phoenix in the summer and Seattle in the winter – I sure know how to plan travel!

Enough news from the Reed Haus for now!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1163 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Things haven’t slowed down much at work (for both Regina and I) and it appears that this pace will continue for another month or so. To top it all off, on Sunday I came down with a touch of food poisoning or the worlds quickest passing stomach flu. I wound up out of action for 24 hours – missed dinner with Austin and Xixi (they were here for dinner) and a day of work. It will all be there when I return tomorrow!

Sadly this past weekend we put Christmas away – or most of it anyway. The tree ornaments remain and there are several boxes of these treasures that we have collected since before we were married. Each year we add one or two ornaments to the collection based on something special during the year. We need to get a larger tree every year to hold them all! With all of the decorations packed away, the house always looks so drab. However in 10 months, we’ll be pulling the boxes back down again!

We are back into the regular routine here at home. Maria arrives at 9:30 to get Grayson up and through his day. She keeps him busy until 4:30 when one of us arrives to take over. Grayson has been quite alert – I suspect a byproduct of the exercise and skiing that he was doing. The challenge for us is to keep up that level of activity. We hope to get back to Mammoth one more time this winter which will help, but we really need to find something that will interest him in being active off the snow. Meanwhile he is happy and smiling!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1154 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

OK – I’ll try to get back to the blog. This week has been crazy with both Regina and I working very late each night. Friday was an early evening as we both quit work a little after 6:00. Practically a half day!

Let me start by saying that our Mammoth vacation was a blast – for all of us. Here is a little review of the second half of the week!

On New Year’s Day we slept in until 8:00. It was a leisurely morning compared to most. Generally on these trips we (the skiers) are up at around 6:30 and out as soon as we can. This day we relaxed in our pajamas and sipped our coffee by the fire and watched the Rose Parade. Later in the morning we got Grayson ready to go and headed up to the main lodge for his lesson at Disabled Sports Easter Sierra (DSES). After the lifts closed we headed back to the condo to get ready for dinner at our favorite restaurant for Regina’s last night with us. The five of us had a wonderful meal and a wonderful time together.

The next day Austin and I were up and out as fast as we could to catch our last opportunity to ski some more challenging terrain together. We got in about two hard hours of skiing before heading back to the condo to get Grayson ready for his last half day of lessons. After the lesson, we beat feet back to the condo to pick-up Regina and take her off to the airport for her flight home. I came back to the condo and Austin, Xixi and I chopped and cut the fixin’s for my Dutch Oven Beef Stew. Here is a picture – some assembly required. (The wine is for the chef!)

The balance of the week we were without adult supervision, but we managed to stay out of too much trouble. On Thursday we started Grayson on full day lessons. My intent was to take the first few days of our trip to build up his strength and become adjusted to the mountain again before going all day. Thursday, Friday and Saturday he skied from 9:30 to noon and 1:00 to 3:30. To get him there by 9:30, Grayson had to get up at 7:00. It takes about 2 hours to get him up, fed, showered, and dressed in many layers before we can get out the door. Interestingly enough, it is the ski socks that I find most difficult to get on him. Putting knee socks on another adult is a challenge that I have yet to master, but I manage to get it done – unless I can talk Austin into doing it for me! Austin and Xixi were great help every day and helped make it a great vacation for me by shouldering some of the load.

As my father used to say, Friday night was “musgo” night. That is when you look in the refrigerator and say, “This mus go, that mus go…” because there was no way that we could take it all home. We had quite a combination of dishes and managed to polish off most of the leftovers. Saturday night we celebrated by going out to dinner before starting to pack up. We finished packing and loading the car on Sunday, then drove to the Main Lodge for one last afternoon of skiing before heading home. The skiing was great fun and it was in a snowstorm – more snow on the ground for our next trip!

Just for fun, here are a few pictures of Grayson – this one in his favorite evening position watching a movie, this one just before his first run of the season with his DSES instructor on the 29^th of December and finally an early run down Sesame Street on that first day in a snowstorm.

Over the course of the week, Grayson improved tremendously. While he had moments that you would expect for someone so cognitively challenged, he also had flashes of brilliance. Here is a clip of him on the day before we came home, on a run down Solitude back to Chair 10. I was amazed! He really has a knack and an aptitude for this – and the good news is that the chair lift does the hard work for him!

We are still basking in the glow of the trip in spite of returning to a madhouse at both of our places of employment. It was a great vacation!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1151 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

This is the second blog post in a row where I apologize! We returned home from Mammoth late Sunday night and it has been a whirlwind ever since. Regina and I have suddenly found ourselves way behind at work and in our volunteer activities. The demands after a great vacation can be nutty!

I’ll try to find some time over the next few days to share some stories and some pictures, but three late nights of work have me a bit pooped! Sufice it to say that Grayson once again returned from a long stay at Mammoth strong, bright-eyed and full of energy.

What a thrill to watch!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1142 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

I apologize that it has been 5 days since our last blog post. Here at this particular condo in Mammoth we have very limited internet connectivity. Here is a short synopsis of our last few days!

After Christmas we were extremely busy getting ready for our Mammoth ski trip while simultaneously closing out many yearend “must-do” tasks. We managed to get everything done and hit the road for Mammoth around 4:30 on Friday afternoon. We arrived safe and sound late Friday night.

Saturday morning Austin and Xixi joined us after a short flight from LA. Saturday afternoon Grayson had his first ski lesson of the season at Disabled Sports Easter Sierra (DSES). I was amazed at how well Grayson did, although 8 months of being away from skiing had him pretty tired at the end of the first day.

Sunday morning Austin and I had a brief but fun time on the mountain before heading back to the condo to collect Grayson for his afternoon lesson at DSES. Austin and I accompanied Grayson on his lesson He showed some symptoms of muscle soreness and tiredness which I suspect was a result of the hard work the prior day. Nonetheless he did have fun! We returned back to our condo base camp so Austin could get ready for a special night out with Xixi – a Sno-Cat Dinner at the Paralax Restaurant mid-mountain at the McCoy Station at Mammoth.

Midway through the dinner, we received a text message that Xixi had said “Yes!” Austin had proposed and had bought her a ring that he presented at dinner. What a special way to end 2012!

Today Regina dropped me at the Little Eagle for my annual ski lesson. It was a good morning and a great lesson! Austin and Regina got Grayson up and ready then I met up with them at the Main Lodge in time for Grayson’s afternoon lesson. While Austin, Grayson and I skied, the girls went to the spa. We had a fun dinner at the Yodeler Restaurant back at the Main Lodge when we all finished.

Today as 2012 winds to a close, we wish all of you our love and blessings for a prosperous and joyous new year!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1137 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

It has been a hectic time at the Reed Haus! Getting ready for Christmas, hosting our extended brood for Christmas dinner – we wouldn’t have it any other way, but it does make for a busy time!

Grayson was fascinated by all of the commotion and laughter and activity on Christmas. He enjoyed opening his gifts and kept picking and flipping through the pages of a book he was given. We were all tired today, but all needed to get up and start preparing for the next activity. Lots to do before Friday!

For the next two weeks it is officially Christmas. May you keep the spirit in your heart throughout the coming year!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1134 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

As we were reminded by the kids at church this morning, this is “the day before the day before!”

Grayson was again sharp as a tack today. He is in such a better place than he was just a few weeks ago. And just in time for Christmas!

The blessings of the season are upon us. May they also be with you!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1133 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was a sleep-in day followed by a Christmas menu planning and hunter-gatherer day! After Regina and worried about and decided on the Christmas menu, Grayson and I headed out to gather the ingredients. These outings are great for Grayson. Today was especially good as he had to work his cart around a great many shoppers doing the same thing we were – playing hunter-gatherers for their own feasts! Today was particularly unusual as I had to get a cart and push one myself when Grayson’s became too full. It is handy to have a 6’2” helper, but he needs a fair amount of extra supervision and instruction.

Tomorrow is the 4^th Sunday in advent meaning that the wait is almost over and the Feast of the Nativity is almost at hand!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1132 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson was sharp as a tack today. It is amazing how he can change in a week! While the average Joe might not notice a difference, we certainly do! He was quick to respond, very alert and totally tuned in to any and all activity around him. What a blessing before Christmas and before our annual ski trip!

Today was the last day of work for me for 2012. While I will have a few things to clean up in my “spare time” over the holiday, the next time I check in for work will be Monday the 7^th of January, as I’ll be taking the first few workdays of the year as vacation. Regina is not so lucky and will be working several days next week as she prepares for financial year-end.

Now the pressing concern is focusing on getting everything ready for Christmas. We’ll have a houseful for Christmas Day, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Pax!

Brant

Day 1131 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Wow! The work year is almost over – tomorrow is the last day of our working year. Time for preventative maintenance and mostly a plant shutdown, although there are some facilities that will continue to work in order to maintain schedules committed to our customers. Today was a long day but the end is in sight! One of the nice thing about the year-end shutdown is that almost the entire workforce is off so that you don’t fall behind like you would if you were on vacation. It is the most worry-free time off of the year!

Grayson remained active and alert today. He is looking forward to Christmas, candy and skiing during the next two weeks!

Pax!

Brant