Pray for Heath – Updates

UMAP Update Week 4 (his last day was April 25) 

The final test confirmed that his comprehension improved, as did other communication areas (especially through gestures). We have a good foundation for practicing using various means of communication available to him. He even spontaneously said a couple words during the testing. All this might not seem that great of a ‘progress’ to many, but I was very encouraged by everything I saw, and I know that UMAP was right where Heath needed to be. 

Some key points for now (as I continue to process, I will share more): 

“In the embrace of understanding hearts, aphasia loses its power to isolate.” How grateful I am that our community, family, and friends, continues to support and encourage us when so much is broken. You all are the BEST! 

It’s TWO years today (April 23) since Heath experienced a massive hemorrhagic stroke. 

Heath continued to work hard with all the therapists during week 3. I join him in most sessions so I can observe and learn. They are continually working on everything language-related with Heath—comprehension, sound-syllable-small word speech production, spelling, reading, reasoning, gestures, communication techniques etc.  

We enjoyed a lovely Easter weekend with family and have more friends and family to look forward to seeing this week before we head back to Texas on Saturday. 

Please continue to pray for Heath—for the language (and motor) areas of his brain to ‘light up’ and connect with understanding and ability…. And for continued endurance and motivation to work hard this last week.

Pray for his therapists as they plan and work with Heath in his last week of intensive therapy!

Thank you all for your many acts of kindness and many prayers for us throughout this journey. We love you all 

The GOOD:

Heath had a better week this week—not nearly as much distraction about “Texas” (although it still comes up at times), so I thank you all so much for praying for this! 

I love that all the SLPs here use multiple techniques and diverse tasks for all the language areas—comprehension, reading (a ‘strength’), writing, gestures, and speaking.

I love that each of them has taken the time to know Heath and that they continually use his interests and experiences as the basis for communication. They are working on so many different things with Heath so it’s a little much to describe in a post, but I will say that I am learning a lot as well and anticipate good things (however ‘small’) in the next 2 weeks.

The HARD:

 I have known from the beginning that this post-stroke journey is LOOOONG, especially because of the nature and severity of Heath’s stroke (it’s a miracle that he is where he is!)…but it really hasn’t gotten much easier to continually face the reality of just how much Heath has lost and how extremely difficult it is to make small gains even with consistent effort. It’s like a giant mountain is always in front of us…and we’re on a closed-in path that offers no views of a broader horizon.

Pray for insight—this is a word I keep thinking about for Heath—and that the ‘eyes of his heart will be enlightened’. Along those lines, join me in praying for his overall language comprehension to improve as well as his understanding of the multiple ways available to him to communicate with others in deeper and more meaningful ways (besides his go-to of ‘gestures’).  

(If you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ve enjoyed the recent snapshots of Heath & I—each of them have been taken & posted at Heath’s request—also know that all the ‘hearts’ and ‘likes’ or other emojis you see on your comments are all Heath’s.  So, thanks to all who’ve sent a comment, reply, photo, or message our way. Keep ‘em coming!)

HEATH UPDATE – APRIL 6, 2025

The GOOD  

Heath made it! Nearly 25 hours of Speech Therapy testing/activities in the first week 

We had a wonderful visit with Heath’s family back home before settling in at the Ann Arbor Mennonite Guest House—our ‘home away from home’—for Heath’s first week at UMAP.  

The SLP team is fantastic and Heath gives a  to all of them. Everyone is very invested and personal, getting to know him &  trying all kinds of things with him.  

This week I will meet with his primary clinician to go over the testing and his Aphasia plan (so maybe I’ll be share more on that later this week). Also, I’ll learn from a Neuropsychologist  during the care partner session this week— I’m looking forward to it as I have a lot of questions regarding the cognitive aspect of Heath’s stroke and how it impacts his language/aphasia plan. 

The HARD 

Just as Heath repeatedly pointed to “MI” all the time when we were at home in Texas and counted down the days until we left, now he keeps pointing to “TX” and sometimes doesn’t seem particularly thrilled that we’ll be here another three weeks.  He is engaging & participating in the therapy and he gives me  when I ask him how it’s going, but he frequently gets distracted with “Texas.”  He started asking before we even began therapy, so I don’t think it’s wholly related to the speech intensive. 

 Pray for him to really invest himself in this training season and be more easily able to ‘forget’ about Texas for the time being! 

As always, thank you for checking in on us, praying for Heath, and cheering him on.  He sees all your comments and I read him your messages.  Feel free to reach out via message or send a video message anytime! 

Heath Update March 25, 2025

Next week at this time, March 31, Heath will have completed his first day of Intensive Speech Therapy with UMAP!  Thank you all again for the huge ways you have supported and encouraged us along this road. 

For the past 5-6 weeks, we’ve been on a break from formal therapies. I think the change of pace has been good for all of us (and our gas tank!) I’ve taken Heath to the gym 3-5 times a week to work with an exercise specialist on stretches and strengthening exercises, and to get moving on the Nustep or walk around in the pool. Spring is in full swing in Texas, so we’ve also spent a bit more time at the park, and driving around town, or playing a few rounds of ping-pong together at random (our table is upstairs where Heath can’t access it, but thankfully there’s one at our church we can use at any time).  

Heath is looking forward to seeing his family and old friends while in Michigan and understands that he will be in ‘school’ every weekday.   I’m looking forward to this trip, connecting with family, and learning new ways to help Heath navigate language together…but I will miss my people back in Texas.

I’m not sure what the daily schedule will look like for me—if I will join sessions with Heath most of the time or have ‘downtime’ to myself, but either way, pray for growth in BOTH of us.   

I’ll update everyone a couple times while we’re there with any specific things to celebrate and/or pray for.

LOVE

~Heath & Alisa

Neither are words describing Heath before the stroke. He was one of the MOST competitive, achievement-driven guys out there–always planning and working until a goal was reached—and then eager to make a new one. But unfortunately, the location of Heath’s hemorrhagic stroke didn’t just affect language, it also affected cognitive processes between important functions like motivation, initiative, focus, attention, & goal setting. Damage to those pathways can lead to an apathy towards achieving more independence through recovery—aka ‘goal-directed apathy.’ And so it’s been up to me or therapists to initiate almost everything for Heath, to give him a task, and to try to get him to do more than he wants to do. It’s compounded by the exhaustingly SLOW pace of change seen from all the work he puts in, and the helplessness and fatigue he feels because of physical limitations.

New update on therapy: Heath has always engaged best at the individual sessions with therapists, but we’ve all noticed more fatigue and less participation at appointments recently. In other words, Heath’s telling us he’s ‘burned out’ with the routine. So, for now, we’ve decided to take about a 6-week break from formal therapy sessions until we leave for MI. In the meantime, we’ll continue to visit the gym & exercise at home.

That Heath’s ‘break’ over the next 6 weeks will be beneficial and refresh him in every way. 

That he will be ready for the long hours and effort necessary to get the most out of our time at the UMAP (University of Michigan Aphasia Program) in April.

That he will want to be more independent.

Also keep me in your prayers—and his team of Drs and therapists— that we find new and creative ways to help Heath progress and even to regain some of that ‘goal-focus’ that was once familiar territory for him. 

THANK YOU all again for caring, following our journey, and believing with us that our story isn’t over! 

Update on Heath Feb. 15, 2025 Part 1: The Progress

It will be 2 years this April since Heath’s stroke. So any talk of Heath’s ‘progress’ must be prefaced by recognizing the mercy of God. I must remember every day that this life is 100% a gift. Heath is HERE. He is HOME. The fact that there remains a hope for any PROGRESS at all is a gift. There was a time when no doctors spoke to me of ‘progress’ or ‘therapy’—their version of hope was the word ‘survivable,’ and their talk of the future road was ‘nursing home.’  I won’t lie–where we are right now on February 15, 2025 is like standing in the middle of gaping hole, a blast-radius of loss that at times still feels overwhelming, but there is also an undeniable light and life and love in the center of it—growing–another version of life that we are learning to navigate together. And that’s Progress.

That’s all for now, folks, I’ll share our biggest barriers & ways you can pray for us in the Part 2 update soon…

Heath Update: 2/2/2025

 

 Update on funds for UMAP (Aphasia Intensive) in April. 

 THANK YOU! 

 As you think of us in the next few months, please continue to pray for Heath for wakefulness & energy, hope, purpose, and health. I will post an update with more details on his stroke therapy journey (the barriers and the progress) within the next couple weeks.

 Speech therapy intensive update! 1/27/2025

First of all, thank you to those who have already contributed so generously towards Heath in the last couple months!

We have family who have provided a way for us to stay at the Mennonite guest house right next to UMAP , but we are unsure as to how long a room will be available to us there (a month is a long time!) We anticipate needing to find another housing option for at least part of the month. Please pray for all of these details to come together. 

Giving thanks for a beautiful family-filled holiday season. It felt complete with Zach home for two weeks! My parents visited over Christmas and then Heath’s parents the following week. Then Zach took off again for Amsterdam while we embarked on a much-anticipated cruise   with our daughters and Heath’s parents. One special highlight was Heath being able to get in the pool and practice walking unassisted!

Prayer:

For Heath to have increased comprehension and cognitive function/clarity/organization in his brain.

Heath Update: Monday, December 16

I hope you are enjoying the festive season and taking extra time to rest, reflect, and celebrate with family & friends. We’ve had a pared-down therapy schedule since Thanksgiving week which will continue into January 2025.

Heath continues speech therapy 2-3 times/week where the focus lately has been trying to improve overall comprehension (auditory and reading) and also trying to attempt more writing (if he tries, he can sometimes remember words or parts of words). His working memory & attention were greatly affected by the stroke, so he’s also working on some memory tasks, which are difficult for him.

He has PT twice a week where his newest challenges involve navigating small obstacles that he must step over or onto. Endurance and strengthening exercises are also key pieces in his recovery of movement, since his right side is weak and uncoordinated. My hope is that he will eventually be able to navigate regular-size steps with assistance.

Pray we’re able to get a few OT sessions in this month (Insurance authorization hit a snag, so he hasn’t visited OT in the last 3 weeks). His right hand is still not opening/closing voluntarily. His range of motion has improved in his right arm/hand (still not full-range), and the overall strength and coordination in his right arm/shoulder/back is still very weak.

Thanks to our friend Joel Park, we heard about an exercise program Heath may quality for, so we are in process with that. Heath seems to have more endurance & willingness to exercise if he is NOT at home.. so my hope is that exercising in a ‘normal’ gym environment a couple times a week will provide a needed boost to his overall mental & physical health and reinvigorate his mindset. After all, he used to work in a gym & lift weights, so l hope he will rediscover his love for muscle-training and attempt more things. 

Family update/prayers–Zach comes home Saturday for a 2-week break! My parents also fly in that day for Christmas week…And Heath’s parents will visit the following week during New Years. I am so thankful we can celebrate this season with family. Last year, it was good to be home for Christmas instead of Fort Worth, but Heath was not living at home yet, and we weren’t able to celebrate with extended family. So this year is extra-special to have family come stay with us!

Sierra has surgery this Wednesday to remove her wisdom teath– pray the surgery/recovery goes smoothly and no complications.

Soon, I hope to write a more personal post about some things I’ve been reflecting on—we’ll see if I can get to it. If not, then expect the next “Heath” update sometime in mid-January after our holiday adventures! Much love! 

Heath update November 21 (finally!) 

November has been a great month.  Texas is starting to cool down and feel more like . My sister Lindsay Eland came to visit us over the weekend and we LOVED every minute of it!  We’ve also enjoyed talking to family over video call, and I am especially grateful for those who’ve come by to hang out with Heath and give me a few hours away or to help me take care of other things. You’re stars! 

Heath is sticking with his therapies (3x/wk speech, 2x/wk physical therapy and 1x/wk occupational therapy).  His team is GREAT and Heath enjoys going. I have a new saying to myself “Micro-Progress is still progress!”

 

Micro-improvements in speech include using his language device more often to communicate and initiating/responding more with it. Comprehension continues to improve as well.  His speech therapist is confident the next breakthroughs to come will be with writing and reading.  Let’s go!!

 

PT is steady.  We’re trying to build more endurance by walking inside our home and down the ramp to the car more frequently, and not just during ‘exercise time’.  

 

OT has kind of plateaued recently but it doesn’t mean he’s done. We’re sticking with exercises as best we can, and we’re trying to come up with creative ways to initiate movement throughout the day (as it’s all too easy for Heath to neglect his right arm/hand)…and you have to “use it to improve it”.

 

Prayer:

OT sessions end on Monday, so we’d love for insurance to give us more days in December before it resets in the new year.

Heath seems less fatigued overall the past week (i.e. his attempts at napping are not panning out like they had been) …so that’s good!

On the other hand, continue praying that the purpose (and need) for all the ‘therapy’ he’s doing with his body&brain will ‘click’ and compel him to take more initiative himself and respond more consistently to what we do at home.

 

Thank you all for your continued prayers, love, and care . And here’s some pictures from this month (my girls were both in their dear friend’s wedding this weekend! Congrats to Adie & Ian 

Heath Update: 10/23/2024

 

The GOOD: Heath continues to participate in his therapy sessions and is showing small improvements in all areas.

PT: He’s walking straighter and his balance is better, too.

Hand: Last week, Heath moved his hand twice to give me a squeeze at home! I’m tempted to think it was a fluke since he hasn’t done it since, but we’ll keep working toward it. Next week he gets a shot in his shoulder to help with pain & inflammation. ( it will help him improve range of motion so he can practice more functional movements.)

Provision: The Lord has taken care of us every step (financially and in other ways) and it is because of so many of YOU (near and far) and your ongoing generosity & care & presence that has lifted additional weight from our hearts and minds. Our family is in awe of it! 

 

The HARD: Following through with the recommended exercise regimens & independent tasks at home is still the biggest battle for Heath (and my hardest struggle mentally & emotionally).  This is honestly the toughest part—that Heath just doesn’t ’get it’ when it comes to doing the things that will maximize his progress. (If you know Heath, you know he was all about ‘maximizing’ and being ‘intentional’ about everything before the stroke). I know he can’t help it —brains are so intricate and his stroke was massive. So many things were damaged—language, motor, sensory, regulation of dopamine, serotonin & other chemicals, and also memory, attention, and planning…so the disruption to his pre-stroke ‘drivenness’ is not surprising, but it brings another level of challenge to work with every day at home.

 

Keep praying for neuroplasticity and healing and that God would be glorified in and through it all!  How we need him.  Progress is truly by the Lord’s grace and not by stellar efforts

Grace & strength every day.

Heath to somehow experience a breakthrough in understanding, willingness, and ‘drive’

That I make good decisions as to the best time for Heath to participate in a month-long aphasia program (intensive speech therapy)—along with ongoing decisions pertaining to our family/home life in general

 Zach, Sierra, and Savannah

 

Heath update: 10/11/2024

We received a good report (Thursday) in the midst of this long, never-ending (and seeming never-changing) road of stroke therapies. Not much changes in the day-to-day but every once in awhile we get a glimpse of something new on the horizon….today we caught a hopeful look at what I pray is more progress to come.

Heath had his OT re-evaluation yesterday and it was the FIRST time the OT could sense intentional activation of flexion in the fingers of his right hand—slight, but certain. The other OT confirmed it as well. Heath’s plan of care is working and so we are very encouraged by this!  I’m so grateful for the team Heath has around him right now.

Pray for all the sensory and motor neural pathways of his right shoulder, arm, and hand to get stronger and communicate more consistently so that functional movement becomes possible again.

The biggest barrier to Heath’s overall progress is aphasia and some cognitive impairment, which impacts his comprehension of tasks and the planning and initiative/drive that were so key to his personality before the stroke. Please continue to pray over these areas. My prayer is that, “The God of peace…equip Heath with every good thing to do His will, working in him what which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen” Hebrews 13

Please also pray that insurance will continue to approve more visits for all therapies (speech, occupational, and physical) at the end of the month.

As always, we remain encouraged by your prayers, messages, and ongoing support in so many ways!!

We had very full and special vacation in Michigan for the last 2 weeks! I’m so thankful for all the people (family and friends all over MI) who came out to see us and for all the encouraging words, prayers, and support for us as we gathered to praise God for how far Heath has come. 

We also visited many favorite spots in MI (Silver Lake, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Mackinac City/Bridge, LeLand, Traverse city, Holland, and Dow Gardens in Midland) and it was specially fun to share these special day trips with Heath’s parents Bill Marilyn Stoner, sisters Heather and Holli Ann, and neices Alikah Roebuck and Aleigha Nicole.  (And the weather was wonderful, too!)

 

We are home now and getting back to our routine of therapy.

Appreciate continued prayers for Heath to advance in all areas!!