Hopefully everyone is having a great summer, as it flew by and we’re already coming up on the Third Annual Team Borsheim Golf Tournament. It's been filling up, but there's still room for teams, individuals, sponsors and donations. Contact me or Benson at the Eagle’s office. It's a best ball format, including auction items, a wonderful dinner and free drinks to improve your golf swing! Hopefully the sun makes an appearance and it’s a beautiful day! Everybody’s participation is greatly appreciated, as every dollar raised allows me to get the physical therapy I need at SCI in Denver. I can never thank you all enough.
I just got off the phone with the one and only Mr. Tyler fleck discussing new shirt designs. When they are ready I will post a picture of it along with footage of my therapy.
The young girl in Oklahoma that took my hand and told me "small steps big prayers Mr. Borsheim small steps big prayers" echoes in my head and continues to push me. It's been my slogan, motto, motivator, and center of balance and it rang through more than ever Friday at therapy. I was lying flat on my back, legs from my knee down hanging over the edge of the table. I had not done this exercise in quite some time. The goal is to flex my legs out straight like a quadricep extension. When I did this exercise for the first time I could only get my toes pointing up and lift my leg maybe 1/16 of the way. On Friday I flexed my quad and moved my leg pretty much full range of motion! No spasm, all under control, all me! So everyone was excited, pumped, stoked, my trainers, Ed my driver for the day, and me of course. So then on the drive home I started reminiscing about the past. Earlier on in my recovery I would be lying in my hospital bed starring at my right big toe trying to wiggle it. I swore it was moving, I would grab the nurse and ask her if it was moving and she would have to tell me "no". But one day it started to move and the other toes curled with it, and then I slowly started to move my big toe on my left foot. Now my right leg is coming alive, the quad muscle flexes and I can bring my right knee to left knee when I'm sitting. My right calf muscle twitches and tries to flex when I'm doing squats. All great things, all small steps like that little girl said in Oklahoma. So I continue on one small step at a time. And if that young girl who I met at the Blazers Ice Center with her dad and brother is reading this, would you please send me your name and contact information?
Also on Friday I got in a manual chair with power assist wheels and pushed myself around my parking lot. A good workout and will take a little practice to get used to, but another small step. Switching to a manual chair from my power chair is definitely a goal, a step I've been trying to achieve in my recovery.
With that there has been much more progress with stem cell and other research towards spinal cord injuries. That though we have to wait on and be patient and hope for that big prayer.
2 Years!
I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! Since my accident my appreciation for the armed forces has grown immensely.
Take time this day to remember and respect the courage and contribution of soldiers and their families’ sacrifice, past and present, for all our freedoms they have fought for. The reference of hero and courage is over used in sports. Who is the real hero? The quarterback of an NFL team or a general or sergeant of a squad or team of soldiers in Iraq? More courage, the d-man who loses 7 teeth and plays the rest of a game, or the soldier who wakes up every day in the middle of a war ready to fight and die for their country?
I'm excited to announce that there will be the 3rd Annual Team Borsheim Golf Tournament, Friday September 3rd at Pelican Lakes Golf Course. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone getting out to an early start to their long weekend. Best ball format, free drinks,lunch, supper, auction items, celebrities and hopefully some beautiful weather.All proceeds go toward my physical therapy in Denver, at SCI Recovery Project. It has has been unbelievable, but not cheap or covered at all by insurance. So without your past, present and future help all of this wouldn’t be possible.
We are coming up on the anniversary of my accident, 2 years goneby so fast and then yet so slow. It's a day met by mixed emotions byme, obvious sadness my life took a negative turn having suffered a broken neckand being paralyzed. Then the positive, surviving the accident and the great amount of compassion and generosity of people. Starting with the one the only Tyler Fleck, starting this website and selling shirts tohelp emotionally and financially. All of you, who have left a message, said a prayer, bought a shirt, made a donation, anything tohelp in a positive way. The experts say that after 2 years of a spinal cord injury you stop getting improved mobility, stop healing and stop getting better. These same experts said I would be in a sip and puff chair(you blow and suck into a straw to drive chair) the rest of my life, but then last week I demoed a set of power assist wheels (battery powered axle that assistswheels on manual chair) and got around under control, worked great! Until they told me the price $9000 big ones and insurance won't cover any of it! I’m hoping to find some used and cheaper ones. It was agreat workout and sense of independence.
Therapy has been going great, going through some transition with trainers, but the new guys have been highly motivated and enthusiastic. That whole 2 year theory on SCI also keeps me motivated to continue to prove the experts wrong!
God Bless and thankyou for your continued support.
Les Supports the Ryan Christian Love Fund
As many of you may know Jeff Christian's young daughter, Ryan, was
recently diagnosed with adrenocortical cancer. Ryan was diagnosed with
pediatric adrenocortical carcinoma after being
found unresponsive by her mother, Dorie. She suffered seizures due to
extremely high blood pressure for nearly a week before doctors
discovered the tumor on her adrenal gland. She underwent a 5 hour
surgery to remove the tumor, which proved to be malignant. After nearly
a month in the hospital in Kansas City, MO, Ryan started treatment at
St. Jude in Memphis, TN.
The family is currently staying in
long-term family housing at St. Jude, the Target House, while Ryan
undergoes chemotherapy.
Ryan's father, Jeff, is a
player/assistant coach for the Missouri Mavericks of the Central Hockey
League. The Mavericks established the Ryan Christian Love Fund to help
offset the costs of the treatment, travel and reduced income for the
family.
The Ryan Christian Love Fund was established to raise funds for
the
Christian family as their daughter, Ryan receives treatment for
adrenocortical cancer.
I hope everyone enjoyed Easter with their friends and
family. Unfortunately the Eagles season came to a disappointing end,
but I’d like to thank the boys for the season. As well as giving me the
opportunity to do some color on the radio in Borsh’s breakdown
between the second and third period. I really enjoyed it and it was a
great way to stay involved with the Eagles, fans and hockey.
My hockey team I was coaching unfortunately didn't make playoffs in my
first year as head coach! But it was a great experience and I met a lot
of great kids and parents this year! Next year, if I'm not fired, haha,
I'm going to be more pro-active and more
involved from top to bottom. So be ready boys were going to state!!!
Therapy the last 6 weeks has been unbelievable!!! They expanded which
means more room, more equipment, more exercises, and improved
results. I have been getting there consistently due to the generosity
of my drivers. Thank you again. I am hoping to put up
some footage or a link to so you all can see my improvements and hard
work at SCI Recovery Project. It's thanks to all of you that
participated in the team Borsheim Golf Tournament and donated that I can
afford to attend therapy and continued improvements. Speaking
of the golf tournament, we are planning for a third annual, date to be
announced later.
Please continue to support Ryan Christian and Lucy Simoes and their
families. I was so blessed with the generosity of so many people from
all over. The generosity is so overwhelming and you do not know how to
repay and thank everyone for that. I know both
families have expressed the same feelings and all we can do is feel so
lucky to belong to such a generous extended hockey family.
I would also like to congratulate my friend Tyler Fleck on his first
professional head coaching win with the Tulsa Oilers!
I would
just like to thank everyone again for all of your contributions and
support with my recovery.
