prayer update

My aunt just wrote this in an e-mail. Thanks so much for those of you who have been praying for my cousin.

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Last week Thursday we had the Occupational Therapist from Chedoke McMaster come to assess our house for suitability for Jesse to come for visits. Though our house is not completely wheelchair accessible she did not want us to make to many structural changes. She and the Physical Therapist have a very positive outlook for Jesse future. We have 2 ramps and have moved Jesse's room to the main floor and moved a TV & Computer to our main floor also. At this point the bathroom and backyard from our kitchen are the only non accessible areas for him.

The strength in Jesse's left leg is about a 4.5/5 and 2/5 for his right leg. We still do not know how much if any permanent damage was done by the swelling of his spine. We have been given a discharge from Chedoke of December 21/07. What a great Christmas present. At that point he will be going to either Shaver {in St. Catharines} Rehab or to a private Physical Therapist as an out patient.

There hope is that they can have a 1/2 leg brace made for his left leg and a full leg brace for his right made. This will give him sometime out of the wheelchair and sometime in it, when he is tired.

His second round of treatment is scheduled for Dec5th at McMaster. We are still waiting to hear about the MRI. We do have an appointment scheduled with the Neurologist in January.

His first full weekend home was last weekend and he had a full schedule. Friday we had dinner at Maureen and Don Ledwez's house and had our fill of steak {how did they know he loves steak?}. Saturday the family was busy rearranging things in the house. In the evening Jesse's friends picked him up to hangout. Sunday we went to church and went shopping in the States with Tyler and Grace. Came home for pizza and wings a dip in the hot tub before heading back to Chedoke.

Friday we as a family are picking Jesse up and going to Belleville to Cheer on James and the Eden Flyers as they compete in OFSAA Volleyball. We will stay till Saturday night if all goes well.

As quick as we all want the recovery to be this will be a long haul. A month and a half has come and gone. We Praise God that we see improvement and have hope. We know without a doubt that God has an amazing plan for Jesse and still desires to use him to glorify Himself.

Keep praying for healing and that his spirits are uplifted.
Please pray for the family too, as we try to keep it all together. Rudy is now done with his Job up North so he can be working in Niagara and live at home. James and Carly are doing great, however I am sure this is tough on them too. Work has been very busy for me, though they are very understanding, I still feel the need to be actively involved if they are giving me a pay cheque.

We as a family thank you so much for your continued prayers, support, doing our laundry {JUDY!!}, meals {ANNELISA} and all the calls, emails and “what can I do?”.
A special thank you to Ziggy and Harry for becoming us when we had to go to Colorado, it made it that much easier. Marlene for coming with us and Alvin for flying out and driving Jesse's car home with Rudy. Also Rudy's parents for taking so much time and visiting with Jesse when Rudy and I have to work.

As James said, "now I know what FAMILY is all about".

Lenore, Rudy, Jesse, James and Carly