A Best Friend for Gabriel

I really don't want anyone to misunderstand what I am about to write.

There are many adults in our lives that love Gabriel a great deal.  Most of these friends pray for us on a regular basis.  Many of them have visited us at one time or another when Gabriel is in the hospital.  One couple keeps Gabriel over night every three months or so while Emily and I go away to our little "retreat."  So Gabriel and our entire family are surrounded by a myriad of  adults who love him, shower him with gifts, pray for him, and wish him well.

But it has long been a prayer of ours, especially Emily that God will bring Gabriel a friend.  That someone will come into Gabriel's life, overlook that Gabriel doesn't communicate in the same way as other boys and girls, and accept him exactly as he is.  A few weeks ago our prayers were answered.

A new family started attending Calvary recently.  AJ, started attending Gabriel's class.  As the story goes, on one particular Sunday the class was getting to be a bit rambunctious.  Because Gabriel is unable to physically get out of the way of any foot traffic, the class's teacher asked AJ to "protect" Gabriel.

Well, that was all the invitation AJ needed to befriend Gabriel.  Since that time, AJ has been Gabriel's most ardent supporter.  Recently, Gabriel has his second visible seizure while at church.  One of the pictures with this post is actually from an performance their class did in the sanctuary a mere minutes before the seizure.  To say that AJ was worried about Gabriel is an understatement.  His mother relayed to me that AJ was walking around the house asking his family to pray, pray, pray “that Gabriel’s brain would behave.”

AJ is Gabriel's greatest cheerleader.  I have been posting videos of Gabriel's first steps online.  This past Sunday AJ was very excited to personally congratulate Gabriel on his walking success.

We've experienced a great deal of blessings this year!  God has been truly gracious to us.  But, no blessing of the past year is as cherished as a best friend for Gabriel.

Thank you, AJ!  And thank You, Lord!

 Glen

God's Unexpected Blessings

Hi All!
Just when our lives seems the darkest, God arrives is a powerful way.  Please, let me explain.  Most readers will remember that our five year old son, Gabriel, has Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome.  This genetic neurological condition has left him with severe cognitive and physical disabilities.  For at least the past 2 1/2 years we have been working on teaching him to walk in a supportive device called a gait trainer.


Well, Gabriel has not been able to do much therapy or school for the past ten days due to a respiratory infection.  The infection and the medicines to combat it have turned Gabriel's gentle disposition into that of a wolverine.  He has not be willing to sit without being held or sleep for more that 30 minutes at a time at night.  This has taken its toll on me (Glen).


I contemplated cancelling all of his appointments for another day.  As Wednesday turned into evening, Gabriel began to show signs that he was feeling better.  As a result, I decided to at least attempt all three of his appointment.  If I had to cut them short, I would have tried.  Unfortunately, Gabriel did not sleep well again last night.  So, I woke this morning discouraged, tired, and a bit angry.


I took him the first two appointments.  He tolerated the range of motion exercises without much complaint.  This encouraged me to take him to our community elementary school where he gets some physical therapy services when the weather does not allow us to take him out.  As wheeled him out of his van, I began to see a change in Gabriel's countenance. In the main hallway, I took him out of his stroller and put him in his gait trainer and attached all of the supports.


Well, almost before I could unpack my DSLR to start taking pictures, Gabriel began to take his first step.  Why is this remarkable?  Gabriel almost never initiates his first step without a cue.  But that would not be the most remarkable thing.  My mouth opened with astonishment as I watched Gabriel begin to push with his leading leg and move the gait trainer and himself forward two or three inches.  (I am beginning to cry as I remember this.)  Until today, Gabriel has never propelled the device forward.  His steps have always been in response to some moving the gait trainer forward.


Soon after Gabriel started walking, his school physical therapist came up.  I quickly motioned for her to remain silent and watch.  I watched as her mouth opened in astonishment.  For a total of forty-five minutes, we watched as Gabriel inched his way down the hall for a total of twenty feet!  Every few steps he would pause as if seeking our reassurance that he was doing exactly what we wanted of him.


Suddenly and quite unexpectedly, my gloomy week was transformed into a joyous occasion as I rushed home after the appointment to begin sending out the good news that Gabriel had taken his first self-initiated, propelling steps!


So, this is what it feels like to see one's child take his or her first steps!  Thank you Jesus!


Thanks for your prayers, kind words, and warm thoughts!

Glen Stephens

New Blog for the Stephens Family

Hi Everyone! When our son, Gabriel, was 2 1/2 years old; he went into the hospital for failure to thrive. He was in the hospital for twenty-four out of twenty-nine days. At that time, I (Glen) started to journal our experiences with Gabriel's needs in a blog. That former blog format worked very well for the past three years. As Gabriel grew, his condition improved, he started school, and we were afforded new opportunities; it became clear the former format would no longer meet our needs. So for all of you following us from the former blog, "Welcome!" For new followers, we hope in the posts to come you will learn about our wonderful family; and especially our terrific young son, Gabriel.