What a difference a week makes!

Hello Friends and Family!

One week ago today, Brett was placed in his first motorized wheelchair.  He was told to take it easy, spend a couple of hours trying it out and then back to bed to rest.  Brett loved the mobility, the glimmers of Independence this or some other motorized chair would offer, and looking people in the eyes.  His smile lit up the hallways for hours and hours.  Finally his Occupational Therapist stopped in at the end of the day and insisted he get out of the chair and back to bed.  After a FULL weekend of visitors and folks filling the family lounge during lunch breaks and after work, Brett was wiped out.  Wednesday he actually passed out while talking with a visitor!!  He quickly came back around with six nurses surrounding him, all sorts of machines were whizzed into the family lounge. 

However, the message was received loud and clear, slow down, rest and limit the visitors for a bit. I saw Brett take a nap/rest for the first time since we left Salt Lake City.  

Fast forward through days of preparation, planning, video watching, test taking and Brett was given the ok for an "off campus pass".  The Seattle Mariners were in town for a series with the red hot Colorado Rockies.  A huge thank you to many, many people behind the scenes making calls trying to arrange some sort of handshake, tip of the hat, shout out, something, anything with the Mariners for/to/with Brett.  As it turns out, we experienced the VIP treatment by the Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners that I doubt will be matched in our lifetimes.  

We were escorted "under" the stadium, and out through a tunnel that lead directly onto the field.  Brett in his motor wheels, myself, Caroline, Cole, Favorite Aunt Jeannie, and great friend/backup wheelchair driver and photographer David walked onto the batter's circle area to be introduced to the Seattle Mariners.   Brett and the whole family shook hands, chatted, laughed and were in awe of the Mariners that made time for Brett during batting practice.  A few of them included Coach Don Wakamatsu, Bullpen Coach John Wetteland, Russell Branyen, Mike Sweeney, Jose Lopez, and Ken Griffey Jr.  Our kids are very familiar with the players they know and follow on tv and the radio broadcasts.  Caroline was screaming, "There's Ichiro, there's Ichiro right there (walking past her to get to the field for a turn taking swings in the cage.) 

After the gracious visits by the Mariners team and club staff, the Rockies offered a tour of the stadium. We were outside the Broadcast Booth and shook hands and chatted with Dave Neihaus and Rick Rizzs.  Brett reminded Dave we had met in Detroit six years ago and Dave offered a shout out during the next day's game on tv and the radio to Brett's Parents Wayne and Biz.

Finally time to hit our sweet seats between home plate and the Mariners dug out!!!

As the game started and wore on, I was asking Brett about his pain level, and he said "0", wait, he said, "Euphoric." No need for drugs on Sunday afternoon.  As everyone knows, we have experienced an emotional 2009.   Full of twists, turns, tragedy and more love poured on our family than we could have ever imagined.  And as par for the course, we stayed through the rain delay, funnel cloud over the stadium, and the Mariners taking a beating from the Rockies, but the day was amazing!  Experience of a lifetime.  Healing like no surgery, pill or therapy could every offer.

Thank you seems empty compared to how appreciative we are for this experience.  

There will be new pictures from the game posted on the blog shortly.  

All my love~Kelly