Hard Work and Giggles

Good Morning All! As I am writing this, Raymond is still sleeping.  He had a long day yesterday hanging out with mom, running errands and going to PT (Physical Therapy).  PT is vital to keeping Raymond healthy. Mitochondrial Disease (Mito) affects the way the body creates energy, and for Raymond it is in all areas, his muscular system and his major organ systems.  Raymond has hypotonia, or low muscle tone, and it is hard for him to even sit up, which he can’t do on his own.  Raymond has been receiving PT for almost his whole life. And I can’t express enough how grateful we are to the amazing therapists we have had through the years at TerrioKids.  It is not easy for them to work with a kid of Raymond’s size and condition since it is all moderate to maximum assist.  Maya and Christine continue to be creative in working with Raymond.  In the pictures below, they are working with him on upper body strength and head control.  He is putting weight through his arms and trying his best to hold his head up.  Yesterday he worked almost the entire time in this position, which is probably why he is still sleeping this morning, it whipped him out.

On some days, Maya and Christine will give him a break from work and let him have a little fun, but still while working on skills he needs.  They let him knock down bricks.  Even this simple task is not easy for Raymond as his body does not always do what he wants and needs it to do.   But boy does he try!  I just had to add this quick video of him knocking down the blocks, he gets to giggling and it is so contagious. It might be hard to see a kid struggling to do something that is so simple for most of us, like knock down a stack of blocks, but watching Raymond giggle as the blocks come tumbling down, his hard work is evident and his joy is beautiful.   

This makes me think about each spiritual gift that the Lord gives to his children.  Romans 12:4-8 “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”  I believe Raymond has been given the spiritual gift of teaching.  He teaches me so much each day, not to give up, to keep working towards your goal taking one day at a time, how to love and to give.  Raymond blesses us with his determination, his smile and his infectious giggle. Life is to be cherished and love is to be shared.

 

Raymond and Maya

Raymond and Christine