July 23rd at 9:53 p.m.

Today is a big day in our area...His Holiness, The Dalai Lama is coming to Hailey on September 11th to give us a message of Compassion and Healing. They are issuing 10,000 free tickets to our community so everyone is in line as we speak to get their tickets. Of course, when I heard he was coming, I knew it was strictly for my Jess....to heal my Jess. No selfishness in that desire! So, for days I have been writing a letter to His Holiness in my mind. How do you write a letter to someone of such importance to ask him if he just might keep a very special young man in his prayers when he is here in this valley and so close physically. I don't know yet...but where there is a will there is a way....I will find the words...a mom never gives up. We won't take Jess to the event with 10,000 people in one venue it could be a bit overwhelming.
Jess is about the same. We have a surgery scheduled for August 11th to fix the scar from the trache and check his teeth before school starts in the Fall. Summer school ends at the end of July. He is still riding two times a week and has PT, OT, Acupuncture and Cranial Sacral (in the pool). I have appealed to Medicaid for more PT which they approved but for some strange reason they want to discontinue OT and I have yet to understand why they won't allow Speech Therapy in the home. Communication is so crucial. I think I will have to go to the Legislature to fight this one.
Jess is still moving his left side quite well when asked. We are confused why he doesn't have neck or trunk control yet but we do see a little better stability. He makes interesting sounds but can't quite come up with a word and he is eating soft foods very well but still has the feeding tube. We are standing him in the standing machine as much as possible. We still take turns sleeping in his room so we can turn him every 2-3 hours. And, we play music, tell him stories of his past, show him pictures of his life, massage his muscles, do range of motion, Chris wrestles with him on the floor, we move him alot, go outside for lunch, walk with him, sing to him, have him listen to tapes, put him in front of the computer, grandma and grandpa talk to him about fishing trips, card games and good times and we all pray several times a day. Most important of all...we give him as much love as we have and we wait.
"The reason why love and compassion bring the greatest happiness is simply that our nature cherishes them above all else. The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence. It results from the profound interdependence we all share with one another. - His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama -Thank you so much to those of you who donated to the Sagebrush Arena. The money will be used for a very wonderful cause.