July 10th - a historic day for Ilan.

Yesterday, Friday July 10th 2009, was a very important day for Ilan.

Earlier this week we received results from Ilan's recent sleep test informing us that he passed with flying colors. So, yesterday morning Ilan was taken to the ENT specialist for a followup examination.

Well, I arrived home around 2:45pm and asked Estelle what had happened at the ENT meeting. She responded that Ilan would tell me (Ilan was sleeping at the time!).

So around 4:00pm Ilan woke up and I went to his room - I found him with a big triumphant smile on his face and pointing with his index fingers to his throat area. He had a gauze bandage there:

the TRAKE that he had had in place in his throat for the past 22 months was REMOVED!

This is a major achievement for Ilan as this will alllow him to safely swim (with proper protection near his throat) in a pool and will hopefully jump start his ability to speak!!!!

Have great summer.

Ilan-a-go-go

Ilan is working really hard and making tremendous strides in his recovery during the past 30 days. He now requests us to do exercises which include:

- coordinating his arm movements to replicate swimming styles

- shifting his legs to walk with some assistance

- practicing boxing with both hands; jabs, upper cuts, round the world

- hitting and kicking a beach ball, that we throw to him, with perfect timing

- sitting or standing unassisted holding the side of the table with one hand

- happily doing crunches with assistance

- doing the equivalent of bench presses with arms or legs

- wheeling himself around on a wheelchair using his hands on the wheels,

and much more.

He recently took another "sleep" test to check his breathing while asleep - we are waiting for the results. He also took another "swallow" test and passed. He is also receiving electronic stimulation to his right cheek to "awaken" the muscles there to regain his gorgeous smile - see picture

On July 4th, we took him to Back on the Beach restaurant. Jarone took Ilan at high speed in his wheelchair on the new ramp built from the bike path to the ocean. Ilan screamed with excitement on the way to the water and back. He returned to our table and immediately asked for a french fry and began to stuff the whole piece in his mouth (this is a first!). We had to stop him and instead have him bite a small piece. He also ate pancakes, hamburger and later some saltine crackers. He now eats yogurt from the cup all by himself.

Ilan meets a few of his friends now and then when we are out shopping. He truly enjoys meeting them and gives each and every one a hearty handshake and bear hug. He says that he remembers each of them.

Ilan's face constantly shows his exhilaration with the improvements he makes. He loves to watch comedy shows and heartily laughs out loud - it is very exciting for us to watch him confidently venture outside the box he has been limited to for so long. He keeps an unbelievably positive attitude at all times and more recently that attitude has been fortified by his accomplishments. He wants to build Rome as soon as possible and we are trying to keep up with his desire to achieve same.