Pray For Heath – Updates

Quick Update & Prayer:

So thankful to have my parents in town this week! We had a wonderful time at Sierra’s Student Dance Project watching her perform the piece she choreographed and named “Finding the Joy”–it was so moving–just amazing! We have more to look forward to this week including Sierra’s graduating with her AA in Dance, another dance Showcase, and Mother’s day, too.

I realized I haven’t updated specific prayer requests since Heath has been home, as I’ve been processing all that’s happened this past year–the deep valleys and long roads and difficult transitions. And we’ve stepped into a new season of “home” and outpatient therapy 3 days a week. It’s been a huge adjustment and difficult in many ways, but overall, the joy of being home together is outweighing the difficulties. Still, I have so many prayer requests I haven’t even known where to start, so here goes…

Sleep–especially for me, as I seem to only get a couple nights a week of semi-normal amount of sleep/rest.

Therapy–Heath’s recovery has seemed (to me) to plateau in the recent months, with any progress being so tiny that it’s virtually unnoticed in the bigger picture. Please pray for:

1. Therapists that are working with Heath to know how to bring out the best in him and for him. He has 25-30 more days of outpatient and then I don’t know what it will look like or if insurance can extend them…

2. Heath to have an inner ‘fire’ of purpose and intention and energy to put into continued exercises and therapies (with his therapists during outpatient sessions and with me at home). I don’t know if it’s the effects of brain injury that have caused ‘apathy’ or a dulling of motivation–or if it’s the weariness of this long road and the imbalance between what he puts in compared to what he gets out that’s discouraging to him–or the fact that he needs so much help from others for everything (or maybe it’s all of it)…but ‘typical Heath’ always leaned into challenges and sought to achieve goals and always outperformed whatever was handed to him—yet since his stroke, this part of him has not seemed the same. Please pray for a ‘connect’ of inner drive & understanding of what he needs to do to progress– and also for this–that just as Jesus multiplied the fish & loaves, that God would

multiple every ounce of effort and intention Heath puts into his therapy.

3. Future road–What do we do when outpatient therapy is ‘over’? What other avenues and treatments or options have we not explored that we should? There is SO MUCH out there for stroke recovery, and so many voices and opinions. I truly need wisdom and ‘light’ for the LONG ROAD.

Thank you all for your continued messages, hugs, letters, and support in every way.

Love, Heath & Alisa Stoner

Heath is Home!

We discharged from inpatient at NeuroRestorative and now we’ll take at least a week break to reset and get used to “home” before starting back with outpatient therapy.

Prayers:

Sleep for both of us
Grace as we establish and figure out new routines
Wisdom & the best plan for continued therapy for Heath

We’ll be taking this week to have some fun, enjoy being home together, and planning a vacation (or two) for the summer!

Update on Sierra:

Peter Pan production week is starting and Sierra will be able to dance as her foot is healing well. She may have to make some minor adjustment, but she has a lot of roles in the production and is very excited for the show! Thank you all for praying for her and tickets are still available: https://tjc.universitytickets.com