Music 101

Last night, Jon used a dry erase board to see if Paul remembered any of his music theory. He drew a treble clef on a staff and then drew notes on the staff. He then did multiple choice type questions to see if Paul knew his notes. Paul gave him a look like 'are you kidding me?' because it was so easy, so Jon drew in chords to see if Paul could name the chords. He was able to name only a few, and did not know the more technical ones at all. We also gave him some math questions, he knew the difference between adding and multiplying, but when adding 220 and 415 he answered 615. I gave him a sequencing problem and he did that correctly. I tried to see if he would be able to figure out a pattern type problem, and drew a set of patterns, then asked which would come next. He did not get it right the first time, but did when he looked at it again. He circled that Ronald Reagan was the president, but when asked who he voted for in 2004, he circled the correct answer. We will not state his answer publically to avoid a political debate.......smile. You can add that to your prayer request that he will always have the cognitvie ability to vote for the best person for the job!

He did not eat his dinner very well. His problem is completing the full task. He can feed himself quite well, and will continue to put food in his mouth until it is full. He chews just fine, but he has not mastered being able to swallow his food once it is chewed. He needs to be reminded with each mouthful. He chewed the last bite of food on and off for over an hour last night. He tends to 'pocket' the food into his cheeks and then has to work hard to get it back out. This is not an unheard of problem, and will need extra therapy to help him finish the task. He drinks well and can swallow liquids very well, can use a straw well as long as he doesn't have any food in his mouth. His facial muscles are still weak. I am not sure if it is because he had a very large neck brace on for so long or if it is all a neurological issue. Time will be his answer for mastering deficiencies.

The cast on his left foot was removed and he has weakness in that leg now. He stands with assistance and seemed a bit wobbly last night. It could also be due to the fact that by day's end he is really tired. Physical therapy will serve that weakness well, as we have seen by his quick ability to walk by holding 2 people's hands.

We are waiting to get the appointment for the opthamologist. We need to make sure the health of his cornea is protected, whether he will see or not in the future. It is something that I have the most concern about at this time. He can't open his lid and his eye needs to have constant monitoring for enough moisture. They also have an antibiotic they put in to keep it from becoming infected. Keep lifting Paul's sight up in your prayers. We are so thankful you are all keeping this prayer vigil for Paul. We know it has been a long path so far and remain so hopeful about the future walk Paul has. Your prayers will sustain him in all things.

We finally got to decorate the Christmas tree Michael went out and purchased on his own a couple weeks ago. It reminded me of the actual thing I was doing when Michael called me to say they had had an accident and Paul was seriously injured. I was at Hobby Lobby trying to find an ornament for Paul. I was getting an ornament for each son to remind them of something significant in this past year. I found a large fish for James to remind him of his catching a baby shark in Florida while surf fishing. I got a cell phone ornament for Michael since he had started his own landscape company with logo golf shirts and hats and his own business cell phone. I got an angel for Jon because he had asked an 'angel' to marry him and she said yes (yahoo)!
I could not find a guitar for Paul and was on the lookout for one since October. I had to leave Hobby Lobby quickly and still had not found an ornament for Paul. I had remembered this not too long ago and even commented sadly that I didn't have something special to put on the tree for him. Of course, God had taken care of this tiny, tiny issue. This past week, Jim, who is my oldest brother, mailed a beautiful monarch butterfly ornament to me. He had remembered how I had said I saw so many monarch butterflies right after my father died and how I had taken it as a sign from God that He had my father in His care. I drew such comfort from those few months where I literally saw so many monarch butterflies and where one had even landed on my shoulder. (This occured I was sitting out on the deck at at my parents house, telling my younger sister that butterflies seemed to be all around me right after dad died. Then the butterfly came to rest on my shoulder!! She looked at me with wide eyes and we both cried with joy as we knew God most definitively was confirming the connection I had made about the butterflies and my dad.) So when I received the butterfly ornament, I was filled once again with joy, because that is exactly the ornament that should represent Paul's year. He will be made new in the eyes of God and his family! I also remembered that I had put a silk monarch butterfly in Paul's room and had attached it to the picture of the Blessed Mother holding Jon Paul II in her arms as he prayed. So, this truly is the perfect ornament for my son Paul. Thanks so much Uncle Jim (UJ to the boys).

Peace in Jesus Christ,
Jon and Rebecca Fidero