Monday

Steve had many visitors Saturday and Sunday from a variety of backgrounds, to include: his barber, smokejumpers, musicians, motorcyclists, high school friend, family, and pet owners. Everyone engaged with Steve, checking on his well-being, telling stories, showing pictures, reading to him, and playing AMAZING music in the room that carried down the hallway. Steve always knows when a visitor has arrived, as he will greet them by raising his right arm 90 degrees and wiggle his fingers back-and-forth as to say, “Hello, Cummon’ In”.  

Saturday, Steve had two therapy sessions; speech and physical. His speech therapist focused on exercising his swallowing muscles. For physical therapy, Steve drove himself in his motorized wheelchair, down the hall, into the open elevator, and to the physical therapy room in which he performed inclined, double and single-leg squatting exercises.  From an observer's standpoint, he seemed to accomplish the expectations for the day.  A consistent theme on Saturday, noticed by the speech therapist, physical therapist, and big brother Rob, who see Steve regularly, was that they all noted an improvement with Steve’s speech and ability to hear him speak.

Steve’s barber, Ryan, and his family visited Saturday.  After PT, they propped him back in his motorized chair, and gave him a professional, fresh haircut and shave. He’s looking super sharp!

To remind Steve of the freedom of surfing the Boise river wave, Annie, fellow wave surfer and friend of Steve, sent me to Salt Lake with a small surfboard.  Steve felt every inch of the surf board, particularly interested in feeling the rear-foot traction.  He was able to attach the rear fin and use an allen key to lock the set screws tight and agreed it was good practice for his dexterity.  There is a powerful message on the surf board, "Still I Rise", offering encouragement and inspiration, which Steve can see across the room from his bed.  

Mark Skudlarek