An early Spring this year!

Since we are having a relatively nice weather,
Charb has enjoyed the outdoors quite a bit so far!

He went to watch rugby games 5 times already!

The first was at Avon View, playing against KES!
The other 4 at KES, where sister Chantal is playing in the Girls unbeatable(!) team!


Because he loved the game and "thrilled" to play it, he wants to watch all the games, waiting

anxiously to see Godfry and James playing the big ... "bang", so he can wear the new jersey!

(Refer to photo album).






With Jordan & Brett!





Giving Dad an explanation on how to score....





The most beautiful Apple tree on blossom....







By the house and the Lilac...







Relaxing in the shade, surrounded by colorful tulips...

Charbel "springs"... into spring!

Sorry!We did not update for a while!

But we got something to show you: Improvements in sitting and positioning!

The next 2 videos show Charb working out to sit without help!

Except Ellen's encouragement!

Click and see for yourself!

It is not of any exaggeration: We can not skip a day! One single day with no exercise seems

to set us back for a week! Charb "despises" the routine, but it has to be done!

Once a week, lately, Ellen takes him out for lunch!

Enough incentive to keep Charb trying harder!

On May the 18th Norma and Chantal took Charb to watch "Iron Man".

He did enjoy it, and he had lunch at SuissChalet! It was "fan-tas-tic!", he commented!

Charb and the Wood Clan...

"Anthony is my best friend!" says Charb!

In fact Anthony does not miss an occasion to stop by and

tease , or challenge ... or invite Charb to listen

to him playing music and singing!

"Anthony! You make me jealous", he calls!




Charb sipping his juice before coming to the store!

Discussing "good movies" to watch with the Woods!

Note:
Check the Photo album for a video with Charb exercising his feet!
Also photos when James and Godfrey brought him a rugby jersey!

In a sequence of little steps...

If only my left foot would listen!!!
Well, the left side still weak, arm and leg, hand and foot, but no one is giving up!
Charb is always trying very hard, it leaves him exhausted!
Small price for getting back walking!

In a continous effort to bring Charb walking, Ellen keeps pushing him to do more! by himself!

The easy steps when he is assisted become a real struggle if he is not! The more challenging tasks are bringing new improvements, not a whole lot yet, but it is a start!

Check more videos in the Photo Gallery!

Charb, the store... and Customer Service!

(With M. Zimmer in the store).

When Charb was transferred to Windsor Hospital in Feb/06, and once we started bringing him home for few hours every day, I rolled him to the store and zizaged around the movies section, the chips racks, the pop coolers, the meat showcase, the scoop icecream unit and talked to him about the time he was working in the store and the regular customers he use to serve...

He was not resposive at all as yet, and while remembering the time he was working or just going through the store built "like a tank" (as some regulars teased about him), needless to write about heart broken and tears shed!!!

Dec 06 was a good month! Charb not only showed signs ( thumb up & down), he started "talking"!

And kept improving! Meeting our regular customers, hearing their voices and names, must have brought more of the past to him... Over time, he not only wants to come to the store, he doesn't want to leave!He is excited about meeting people and socializing!

(M. Brown & R. Cottenden)

(With L. Blue)

He likes to ask about names, professions, what they are buying... He "may suggest something" or give advice! He gets a good laugh with them and asks them to stay longer ( especially the ladies!)

Sometimes he even asks personal questions about their life... their love affairs, their marriage... and so on!

( Hilarious session wit G. Redden)

(Charb is sweating around T Richard!)

If someone is in a hurry and does not respond to his call, he gets desappointed: "I was going to talk to him/ her!"

(Serious discussion wit uncle Bill!)

" Harold, you are a great man!...

I need a drink. Can you buy me

five chocolate milk?"

Harold always teases him about his physical performance!

Out to Halifax! Happy Easter!

It was a wish!

It became reality!

Charb wanted to go visit his cousins and aunty Leyla!
The last time he stoped there was on Tuesday, September 27/ 2005! He spent an hour with Guy, than headed to Dartmouth, and from there to Windsor. The accident happened on the way home, that night!

Since he "woke up" over a year ago, Charb asked million times to go to aunt Leyla's house! We all wished he could! But there was not lift to handle him, no ramp to push his wheelchair in, no accomodations for him....

Lately, he was getting more insistant in going there. "I wish you could walk", I would say. And Charb never failed to say " Yes, I can walk! Help me get off my chair!"

Well, as I mentioned before, we attempted to help him walk. He still weak and needs more time. But the will is present, so it is a matter of time and hard work!

Charb spent all morning asking what time are we going, " I can not wait anylonger, lets go now!"

We left around 1 o'clock... They were waiting for us! as excited as Charb was! Guy and Joe, Ellen and Gerald took care of lifting his chair up the stairs and fitting him into the narrow doors! For sure under the watchfull eyes of Norma and the incontations of Aunty Leyla!

Once inside the Hallellua and laughs cascaded! For the next few hours, Charb was so excited, so agitated and hyper, he was remembering the olden days, staying at Leyla's and playing games all night long with Joe and friends! " Joe, tell Ellen about that!" he was saying!

We all enjoyed Leyla's turkey and Norma's ham. Charb had plenty in his plate! ( Remember, he can chew! He can eat real food now!) But he refused to have a beer or aglass of wine! (We weren't serious about it!!!)

When it came time to leave, Charb, the old Charb, the one who does not listen anymore once his mind is set, "refused" to leave! " I am staying here! Mom and Dad, you can go, I am not coming with you!" For more than an hour, we all tryed to explain why he can not stay; are you kidding? "I am not leaving!" That was his answer!

He refused to put on his jacket and hat, he pushed away his blankets, he wouldn't let anyone fasten his seatbelt.... On and on and on...

After very generous promises of plenty of chocolate milk and all exotic fruits, he calmed a bit .... and sadly for all, especially Aunty Leyla, we drove back home!

... "When I walk, can I go there and stay with Joe and Guy?" That was the topic of the whole drive from Halifax to Windsor!

You sure can, sonny!

(Click on a picture to enlarge it).

Outing...

Charb has been going out few times the last couple monhts! He enjoys it greatly!

And he can EAT real food now!