We are in Austin, Texas

Hi everyone,

We are on another adventure to Austin, TX. We had a nice drive down here and we are doing well here so far. It did take us some time to figure out where we were going and how to beat the traffic. We sure forget about traffic. It blows me away how many cars there are in a city. We did go for a two hour walk around Lady Bird Lake, found a Costco and a Whole Foods grocery store. I do like it here. It seems like an artsy city with lots to do. They have festivals every weekend of some sort. The weather is unbelievable. It has been cloudy a lot but warm and a little humid which is great for the dry skin. It was in the high 70's yesterday.

We came here so Jess could try some biofeedback therapy. We met with a neurologist and we both really liked him and the therapists are wonderful. The neurologist, Dr. Heinze went to a seminar with Dr. Brucker (the guru of biofeedback) 20 years ago and about 6 years ago called him to see ask him about his successes with neuromuscular biofeedback. He was impressed with the results so he decided to send two physical therapists to Florida to train with him. It is unusual to meet a neurologist who actually dares to venture off of the strict medical protocol and try alternative therapies.

There are only 3 or 4 Neuromuscular Biofeedback centers in the US. The Brucker Method uses a learning procedure known as operant conditioning, which teaches an individual to access and use existing neural cells in the brain and/or spinal cord for restoration of function. The EMG biofeedback process is used to train alternative undamaged cells of the brain to take over the
tasks of the damaged cells. Candidates it can help are people with physical disabilites resulting from spinal cord injury, head trauma, stroke, cerebral palsy, orthopedic injuries or non-progressive central nervous system disorders.

Unfortunately, Dr. Brucker died two years ago but our two therapists, Bob and Amy trained with him extensively and are continuing his work. I guess his wife is continuing with the Brucker Institute in Miami and there are also therapists doing it in Chicago.

The good news is Jess' muscles are responding. The electrodes pick up very fine measurements of motor signals to several muscle groups and Jess has muscles firing that we can't detect with the naked eye. I guess the brain needs to be reminded they can function. They have tested both of his arms and hands, his neck and shoulders and his trunk so far. Their goal is to get some neck and trunk stability and arm functioning by creating pathways to his brain. Once the pathways are established supposedly the brain never forgets. But it is a "use it or lose it" scenario. So, we will continue to work on the exercises and come back in 6 months to retrain.

The neurologist told us a story of a man who sat motionless in his wheelchair for years and after the biofeedback treatments (not sure how long) he now communicates on a computer and can play video games. We try not to get our hopes too high but this neurologist was the first one we have seen that hasn't been "so honest that it hurt". He actually had ideas to help give Jess a better quality of life and us some hope. I always felt the way to get Jess back is either through a computer, art or music. Wouldn't it be unbelievable if he could communicate on a computer some way. Dr. Heinze also seemed hopeful that Jess could use some sort of laser system to activate a computer with his head or maybe we can get a finger to poke keys on a keyboard. There are so many new ideas being researched in assistive technology. It drives me crazy not knowing there are possibilities out there that I don't know exist. I hope this place will be a good resource for me now.

Sorry for rambling but I thought you might be interested or can spread the word to someone you know that may get good results. Other than our day to day chores and therapies we are busy like always. We hope to check out some music festivals, museurms, parks or maybe drive to the coast this weekend. We sure love this motorhome. It has really changed our lives. We're really glad we pulled the Honda here. Driving in this traffic is a breeze compared to maneuvering around the city in the motorhome.

The RV park is nice. It is surrounded with Oak trees and the birds make it sound like we are on a tropical island. We have all the windows open, I actually get to wear flip flops and Jess' feet are finally warm. Chris is out exploring as we speak. He is trying to find a running route. So, he just got back and said he wants to talk to the manager to see if he can borrow a riding lawnmower and make a "trail" through the nearby Oak Forest! Go figure...he is the trail guy!

Hope you are enjoying your day. It looks like rain here tomorrow. We have two appointments everyday and by the time we get home we are wiped out. Thanks for checking in.
Love,
Pam, Chris & Jess