Aron's 30th Birthday

Photos from Arons 30th birthday.

One of the best days ever...!

20 Months Later

Today, Aron greeted me with a big smile.  We sat outside enjoying the sunshine, as I told him stories, and we played thumb war (he always manages to beat me).  Aron responds to funny anecdotes and jokes, and I think he even gives me a pity laugh for jokes that are only mildly funny.  It is such an amazing blessing that God has given him the ability to laugh and to communicate to a greater degree. 

Aron has continued to progress, especially in terms of his ability to interact.  Through this painfully slow recovery, the Aron who we all know and love is still there.  His personality, humor, and wit shines through.  Visiting, even for just a bit, brightens his day and blesses him and his family.  But even more so, Aron is a blessing to his visitors.  Aron understands what’s going on, he recognizes his friends, and he communicates the best he can.

Thank you to everyone who has continued to visit Aron and support his family.  For those of you who have been unable to visit, I want to encourage you to drop by when you have time.  This isn’t meant to make anybody feel guilty.  I understand that sometimes it’s a hassle to make the trip, and other times it’s just plain difficult.  It hurts to see Aron different than the way we all remember him.  But even though it might be painful at first, it’s worth it.  If you haven’t visited for a while, you’ll be surprised by Aron’s progress.

Here are a few practicalities regarding visiting:

•  Please sign the calendar in Aron’s room – that way Aron’s parents don’t have to play a guessing game with the nurses to find out who visited.
• Aron is able to signal “yes” or “no” by placing his tongue in his cheek.  The left side means “yes,” the right side means “no,” and if he wags his tongue back and forth that means “I don’t know” (this was his communication creation).  You can remind him to respond with these signals when you ask a question.
• For those of you who haven’t been able to visit before, Aron is in Room 102 at the Little Company of Mary Sub Acute Facility in San Pedro.  The address is: 1322 W. 6^th Street, San Pedro, CA 90732.

Thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement.  You’re a blessing.

In His grip, 

Amy

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with God’s people who are in need.  – Romans 12:12-3.

500 Days of Faithfulness

Aron at Hume Lake with King's Harbor Church

I had an app on my computer counting down the days until I returned from Oxford to see Aron. Now it counts the days since his accident. Today, it’s been 500 days.

Though the past 500 days have been filled with pain and uncertainty, they’ve also been filled with God’s faithfulness, mercy, and grace.

When I visited Aron on Sunday, he smiled as soon as we entered the room. He follows the conversation and laughs at all of our stories and antics (or at least the funny ones). Whether it’s a goofy lizard face or a car joke, Aron laughs. It’s such a blessing that God has given him the ability to express himself in this way. I am so thankful for that. Aron still beats me at thumb war and smiles when I tell him about a good wave that I caught or a story about law school.

Today, I especially want to remember God’s faithfulness and acknowledge His hand throughout the last 500 days. More and more I am coming to recognize how great and how BIG God is… and how small I really am. Instead of asking “why,” I choose to trust. I know that God has a plan and He promises that “in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). I have to keep reminding myself of this truth, as I so easily forget His promises. I keep praying the prayer of the father in Mark, "Lord, I believe; Help my unbelief!" And He is faithful.

Thank you for your support for the last 500 days, for the encouragement, the visits, and the prayers.

-Amy

Support

Aron after surfing with his prebreakfast purchase of Cary's syrup and his favorite hot sauce, Cholula. 

I want to thank everyone for the ongoing support they have offered to Aron, his family and friends.  Its easy to see how Aron was loved by the people around him.  Thank you all for visits and checking in here to see how he is progressing.

You guys have been here 83 thousand times.  With support like this its obvious Aron means so much to us.







Last time I got to see Aron he was in a good mood, He is laughing alot at jokes and stories.  If you have some time to head down and see him tell him a story or two and watch his face light up.

Laughter

This past weekend, my parents went out of town, and I spent Saturday and Sunday afternoon with Aron. It was nice to spend some alone time with him. We hung out on the patio and mostly I told him stories and read him the autobiography of Johnny Cash.

He's been laughing a lot lately when things are funny. The interaction is nice, and really affirms that he hears us. On Sunday, we brought Augie, and Aron really enjoyed seeing him eat, crawl around, and make noise. Augie puts a smile on everyone's face, including Aron's!

Loved and Missed Everyday

As we approach the anniversary of Aron’s accident, I wanted to again thank everybody for their support. This has not been an easy year for any of us, but over and over again I have been overwhelmed both by God’s grace and by the support and prayers of Aron’s friends, family, classmates, co-workers, and students.

Throughout the past year, I’ve experienced God’s faithfulness in so many ways. He has been my comfort and shelter in the midst of this storm. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about and pray for Aron and his loved ones. I miss him everyday. Everything I do reminds me of him … especially the things we enjoyed together: church, Bible study, surfing, cruising his Novas or my Camaro... I know we all miss him in different ways. Aron is so loved and means so much to so many people.

As my heart aches, I am continually reminded of my need for Christ and constantly cry out to Him for comfort, and He is faithful. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about this C.S Lewis quote, “I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time- waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God- it changes me.” I have definitely experienced this during the past year, and I have been amazed at the way that God has softened my broken and hardened heart to finally be able to pray for His will and not my own. It’s a hard prayer to pray in earnest, one that for me has only been possible by His grace and mercy. I’ve realized that I do not need to be able to understand God’s will to be able to trust Him. I am thankful that He has not abandoned us in our heartache and that He is strong in my weakness.

Thank you for your encouraging notes and especially for continuing to visit Aron. Thank you for continuing to follow Aron’s progress and praying for his continued recovery.

As of this post, this blog has been viewed 74,627 times from every continent, and the Steve’s Nova Site posting about Aron’s progress has been viewed 24,088 times. I’m blessed by this reminder that Aron is not forgotten, not by God and not by those that love him.

-Amy

sense of humor in tact

A few weekends ago, I brought Augie to see Aron. My mom, Augie, and I were outside, talking. It was a nice breezy day, and my mom was holding Augie over Aron. At one point, Augie drooled, and the drool was caught by the wind, and went all over the place. Aron smiled, then chuckled. It was a nice interaction. A bit later, my mom said something that in the past, both my brother and I would have been like, "moooooommmm!", and before I could say "moooommmm" at her mom-ism, Aron laughed!

Since then, my dad has been telling Aron stories, and he will laugh or show emotion at the correct time. My parents are very uplifted by this. He also plays xbox, and will "shoot" when you tell him to.


We continue to pray and hope for Aron to recover.

smile

The photo above was taken May 4. From time to time, Aron will smile - if my parents are doing something amusing, or if he finishes a good therapy session. When these moments happen, it's nice for us because we get a glimpse of the old Aron. This is a nice picture of him but should come with a disclaimer - sometimes his facial expressions are disturbing, and it's clear that he is uncomfortable or unhappy. In case anyone is wondering - the red thing at his neck is the plug for his trach.

Just yesterday my dad was working with him to try and get some intentional sounds to come out. My dad was in Aron's face asking him to say "HA". My dad kept doing it, and about three quarters of the time, Aron did it back. This must have looked pretty funny to Aron, because he laughed at my dad. He's been making noise, and sometimes my parents can get him to say "ah" or something like that.

At therapy last week, he was being asked to do something, and instead reached up and scratched his nose. Maybe not a big deal for the rest of us, but a big deal for Aron. He also is still playing xbox and working with the iPad. His anti siezure meds have been further reduced and my parents report that he is more clear.

On May 7, a group of Nova buddies came to the hospital and visited with Aron. My parents want to express their gratitude for everyone who came out to spend some time with my brother.

Aron's B-Day 2010

iPad, Xbox, and A

It's been ten months today since Aron's accident. My parents continue to see him each day, often being present for therapy which ranges from working at the bedside to being supported by a walking machine. He continues to receive therapy four days a week and he is in good physical health.

A few recent highlights of the past month:

The Dunn Family bought Aron an iPad, which can be loaded with various apps to help him communicate with us. Right now he seems to be interested in the iPad and will touch the screen. He seems very interested in photos and videos.

My parents brought Aron's Xbox and at first he didn't do much of anything with it, but he's started to hold the control and manipulate the buttons and trigger.

The anti-seizure medication has been reduced and will continue to be reduced further if Aron doesn't show signs of being at risk for a seizure. This is a big step as my parents feel the meds make Aron apathetic and tired.

A recent EEG showed slow brain waves on the left side, but no seizures.

My mom has been working to get Aron to write, and he made a very rough "A".


My dad and mom work tirelessly with Aron and remain hopeful for his eventual recovery. Through all this, we are thankful he is still with us and making steps in the right direction.

cruise and update

This past Saturday, my dad and I drove Aron's 1967 Nova wagon in a car cruise with over 100 other Novas. Aron would have loved this event: at one point on the freeway, there was a traffic break and four lanes across and as far back as I could see, there were Novas. My dad and I were one of the lead cars, along with Amy and her dad in Amy's Nova wagon. Once we arrived at our destination, there was a banner on Aron's car for people to sign - you can see us holding it in the above photo. My dad and I held up better than I expected - but it was such an Aron event I kept expecting to see him walk by or hear a "Hey Dad" or "Hey Sister" at any moment.

He continues to receive therapy, and a few recent highlights: He can hold himself in a seated position on the edge of the bed, and the other day, he reached across his body and picked up an object (his cell phone) and transferred it to the other side of his body. This was done with help, but was a pretty big step. He hasn't spoken yet of consequence - every now and again a word comes out, but rarely. His vision was examined yesterday, and he could follow an object in front of his face when it went back and forth, however there is some limited movement in his left eye. He can identify things correctly, at times: my mom brought his graphing calculator, and told him to press certain keys, and he pressed the correct keys. I should also say there are times when he does nothing at all, even when prompted, and that is just the nature of the recovery process.

We continue to hope and pray for his eventual return.

the plan

For some time now, my parents have been working to meet with the doctors and formulate a recovery plan for Aron.

They met with doctors today, and in a nutshell, this is the plan:

For the next two to three weeks, Aron will get range of motion every two hours. He will be in and out of the wheelchair more frequently. He will receive physical therapy daily. The ultimate goal is to get Aron ready for acute rehab, where the doctors estimate he will spend several months before the ultimate goal: to get him home. The doctors do feel that Aron is responsive, and that he is more alert. They said that family support right now is more important than ever.

Some things Aron has been doing lately: holding up his head better, looking at the appropriate person (look at dad, mom, etc.), punching the correct key on a calculator when told, and doing different things with his hands.

I visited him yesterday. It was very emotional because I haven't been in a while. It was nice to see his progress, but still sad to sit with him and have a one sided conversation. He is in good health, and overall looks great. Right when we got there my mom told him to look at me, and he did, right straight at me. It was hard not to cry as I looked in my brother's eyes.

These next weeks and months are Aron's chance to become a person again. We pray and hope for the best - we want him home again.

a long process

I realize it's been a while since the blog has been updated, and I'm sorry about that.

I try to make the posts as realistic as possible and still share how hopeful we are. The reality of this post is that, while no major changes have happened, things are just very difficult.

As we pass the seven month mark, we are thankful that Aron is still alive and that he is awake. It is impossible to know how aware he is of his surroundings and his situation. My parents continue to visit him each day and encourage him, take him outside, and advocate on his behalf.

Advocating for him is exhausting for both my parents - dealing with Aron's healthcare has been difficult - getting answers, calls back, or face time with the appropriate people has been challenging.

This is a daily struggle that hasn't gotten any easier since that terrible day in June. While the shock of everything has worn off to some degree, it is as a friend of mine puts it, the "new normal". Please continue to keep Aron and my family in your prayers.

2011

In the past two weeks, we've seen some improvement! With help, Aron has been able to transfer objects from one hand to the other, interlace his fingers, remove his glasses, identify body parts, point his finger at our mom (he certainly knows who we are!), and remain in an unsupported sitting up position in bed (this was after being put in a sitting up position). Aron also seems more alert and focused. We are encouraged by these small victories. He still has yet to speak, and has trouble holding up his head - but is improving with the head control and continues to make unintelligable noises.

The EEG from December didn't indicate anything unexpected, and the same goes for the MRI. The medical professional who read the EEG did say that it is within the realm of possibility for someone with Aron's injuries to recover, it would just be VERY slow - which is what seems like is happening. We continue to remain hopeful.

On another note: my dad and I will be cruising Aron's Nova Wagon on March 5 at the CPP cruise.

Christmas

We want to take this time as we honor our Savior's birth, to thank everyone who has supported our family in thought and prayer over these past months. We are thankful that Aron is still with us, and still recovering. The road ahead will be long and difficult, but we see progress each day. Please continue to hold Aron in your prayers - that he continues to progress in therapy and that his speech will return. We have hope.

Merry Christmas!

The Shubin Family
Tom and Jill
Candace, Tony, and Augie Johnson

meeting outcome

My parents and Aron met with the neurologist this morning. The meeting went well, and Aron will be getting an EEG and an MRI to determine if it is safe to lower the anti-seizure meds. The EEG is scheduled for this Friday, and the MRI will be scheduled soon. The doctor also ok'd stimulants, and my parents will be working today to see what can be introduced.

Therapy continues, noises continue - and he continues to slowly improve. Thank you for your ongoing thoughts and prayers.

slow progress and meeting with a neurologist

Aron is still slowly progressing in therapy. Through the use of heavy equipment, Aron is held in a standing or walking position in attempt to stimulate his central nervous system and get him to hold up his own body. His neck stability continues to improve, and he is regaining some of the strength in his arms. He is also able, with assistance, to do things with his hands and arms. Things he can do with help: touch the top of his head, nose, mouth, and point to the ceiling. His therapist continues to be positive, and recognizes his tiny improvements.

My parents and Aron are meeting with a neurologist on December 14 to discuss possible treatment options. One thing my parents are campaigning for is a reduction in the anti-seizure medication, which can make him apathatic and drowsy. They are also hoping to get a stimulant perscribed, to see if that will aid in his progress during therapy.

We all continue to remain hopeful - each day Aron fights through the fog and participates in therapy, even if his responses are minimal - shows he can understand and he's trying, and that is really all we can ask for right now.

therapy and noise continues

We're all dealing with Aron's situation in our own way - mine has been to stay away and focus on my family - while I'm not at the hospital with Aron, I call my parents each day for the update. My dad is with Aron every day now during therapy and spends time with him in his room and out on the patio.

The progress is slow, but things are still happening - very small things like looking the correct direction when told or doing simple things with his hands. Aron is still making noise, but clear words have yet to form. It is also important that he consistently follows commands - during each session and from day to day.

Aron continues to be physically healthy, and my dad keeps emphasizing how normal he looks.

Please continue to hold Aron up in your prayers, and with him my family, his friends, and Amy.

Thankful

“I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus.”— I Corinthians 1:4. In the spirit of this season of thanksgiving, I wanted to write a quick post to thank all of you for your continued prayers and support.

I also wanted to share a verse that Aron had just sent me in June. It was something both of us were meditating on:
“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 2:1-4.

For me it has been an absolute blessing and an honor to experience the body of Christ at work. The way that fellow believers have come around us, lifted us up, prayed with us, cried with us, and just been there for us has been overwhelming. For me it’s been a beautiful picture of the body of Christ at work, and I know it’s been the same for the Shubins and for Aron’s friends.

I was finally able to get away from school to visit Aron today. He is still tolerating the tilt table and physical therapy really well and has continued to make progress and noise. We played thumb war. He won. I told him how proud we are of him and that he can’t get frustrated but just needs to keep working hard. He gave me a thumbs up and later smiled and squeezed my hand.

Please continue to pray that Aron regains his ability to speak. Once Aron can communicate more clearly, we will better be able to understand his wants and needs.

The Shubins and myself have been so blessed by the kind words of encouragement, the overwhelming outpourings of support, and the continuous prayers and visits from all of you. So thank you.