AN INCREDIBLE WEEKEND

So many incredible moments this weekend!  So many emotions! 

Early Friday night we arrived to find Jason looking even better than he had the week before.  We were excited to see him nod his head yes and no to some of our questions. He seemed to doze off and I began to chat with Carolin about our newest granddaughter.  All of a sudden he opened his eyes wide looked right at me and asked, "Who are you talking about?"  His Dad and I just about fell off our seats!  Not only was he speaking clearly but we got a whole sentence!  He seemed to really follow our conversation but eventually he did drift off.  We went to bed feeling so excited!

Yesterday morning Carolin went to her long planned for baby shower given by good friends and family in Lancaster.  (And well deserved as she's been at Jason's side non stop for almost a month now!) We found Jason outside in his wheelchair with Carolin's Dad and we continued his walk while Fred went to get some breakfast.  We were so thrilled when we sat down with him near the pond and asked him a few questions which he answered pretty much with yes and no answers.  I just couldn't wait anymore and asked him if he knew who we were.  He looked right at us and said, "of course".  We couldn't help smiling at his answer - as though how could we even question that!
I told him how much I loved him and had missed him and as I wrapped my arms around him he said the words I'd been longing to hear, "I love you and missed you too."  Both David and I teared up big time! 
We talked a bit more and he suddenly looked at David and said, "What happened?  I don't understand."He put his hands on his head and was clearly trying to figure out what was going on with him.  It was really tough as David explained he had been in a bad accident and hit his head which was why he was feeling mixed up but we reassured him that he was doing remarkably well and would be okay.   A bit later David told him how Aaron and Lindsay and the kids had come last week and he asked, "Is Aaron coming?", very expectantly.   He then asked about Brian coming.  When I asked, "What about Allison", his answer was, "she isn't a brother", but he wanted to see her too.  We thought that was great that he clearly knew family relationships.
Soon Fred wandered down to where we were and said Carolin was on the phone.  We watched in amazement as Jason reached his hand out and put the phone right up to his ear and said hello!  We heard him answer a few yes or no questions from her and then in answer to her he said, "I love you too", before handing the phone back to Fred.  We were beaming! 
As we approached the door thinking he should go back inside to rest he apparently had other ideas as he moved his foot from the footrest onto the sidewalk so there was no way to push forward.  David asked him if he wanted to stay outside and he gave us a very strong nod so we all sat down with him again.  As David told Fred who the Redskins were playing Jason lifted his fist in the air in his best Go Skins move - so cool to see!  He nodded when David went on to talk about RG3.  (Oh and Carolin also had put a Redskin T shirt on him and he has a comfy fleece Redskin blanket on his bed Carolin's parents brought from home.)   David also told him about his uncle's getting good Redskin tickets for this season and Jason responded with, "That's amazing."
With all of this going on I just had to call Aaron and while I was talking to him David asked Jason if he wanted to talk to Aaron and he held his hand out for the phone.  What a heart grabbing moment to watch him talking to his brother!  We listened as he told Aaron he missed him too and then David took the phone back and Aaron was crying with joy and disbelief that only a week ago Jason barely responded to him at all and now he was talking to him on the phone!  It just lent even more magic to the day.  He wanted to talk to Brian and Allie as well but Brian was working and Allison was in a wedding so Carolin is going to make that happen sometime today.
After a bit more conversation we again tried to bring him inside but this time he grabbed hold of a pole just before the door and held on.  Okay Jason so you don't want to go in yet!  We started telling him about all of the many people reading the blog and praying and asking for him and he said, "That's unbelievable", and then, "it's crazy".
When we mentioned a friend David had run into from high school theater who was asking about him he said, "I was on the stage with him."  Wow we have been worrying about what he would remember from his past but clearly he remembers alot!
We asked if he wanted to go for another walk and he said, "sure", so David took off around the path again and later told me that Jason told him to "walk faster".  That brought another smile to my face.  Fred and I watched as the two of them stopped again by the water and later David told me he talked to Jason about his feeling like the angels and God had been watching out for him both during the accident and since and all of the many prayers from so many people were helping him to heal.  Jason looked at him and said, "I really believe that." 
Back in his room he really wanted to get into bed himself but with his collar bone still healing and his muscles still very weak we had to wait for the nurse.  He was not happy having to wait!  He finally got situated and his meds and you could see that all of the talking had really worn him out.  We put his IPod on which he loves to listen to and watched as he mouthed the words along to some O.A.R. songs - another very impressive thing. He dozed on and off for a bit until Carolin came back in and then he perked right up.  When Carolin leaned down to give him a kiss we watched as he gave her a kiss - as in he wasn't just being kissed - but an active participant!  Each thing he does just brings such a feeling of excited joy to our hearts!
The hardest part of the day was having to leave - he said good bye to us and when I told him I loved him he again said, "I love you too". 

So we feel better than we have in almost a month.  Looking back at how far we've come, when officially the Dr's never thought we would be at this stage right now, we have so much to be grateful for.  And as Jason said, we all believe as well that it is all of the many prayers and good thoughts that have given him the strength to continue fighting so hard, his wounds to continue healing so well, and his memory to apparently be coming back intact.  There is still so far to go but the constant pleading on my end to just let me hear him tell me he loves me again has been answered.  We haven't lost our son, brother, or cousin.   Carolin's family haven't lost an in-law, and Carolin hasn't lost a husband, and most of all their child hasn't lost her father.

Jason will be working extremely hard for months to come to regain the ability to walk and eat and many other parts of a normal life we all take for granted.  He will most probably have the PEG tube for months as his body learns to eat and digest again.
(He may get to try some pudding this week as a start.  Not sure Jason likes pudding but I bet he will after this!)  Most of all he will be working very hard to re order the synapses in his brain bringing back who he is to himself and the rest of us. Though he is talking we are still waiting for that beautiful smile and the inflections in his voice when speaking.  In answer to people asking how long this will take there is just no possible answer - he is already beating the odds and predictions we were given and as Carolin's Dad says each day continues to bring amazing changes - changes we were told would be much farther down the road.

Thank you so much for the continuing donations coming in. We want to let you all know how grateful we all are for your generousness in helping Carolin and Jason get through such a tragic time in their lives.  There is no doubt that without Carolin by his side Jason would not be as far along as he is and we need him to be able to stay at rehab as long as it takes despite his insurance only paying for three months of care.
It's unthinkable for him to get so far and then suddenly have to go home and stop the process.  The State can help but not until he is out of insurance and then they have to go thru the process of having to prove to the State he has no money, and does need continuing care, thus losing precious time he could be working hard.  We can't let that happen!  (The donation button is on Jason's Fan Club Page on Facebook as well as on this blog under one of the August posts.)

In that vein please also remember to go to Jason's fund raising event page:

www.thejasonshepardbenefit.com

and get your tickets for this awesome event his siblings and their spouses have been working so hard on.  Also if you have anything you can donate for the silent auction you can contact any of them at:

thejasonshepardfund@gmail.com

From what I've seen and heard it's going to be an awesome evening of fun and excitment!

Please keep your prayers going up and we'll continue to watch Jason's miraculous journey together!  I can't wait to blog again with more inspiring news!