12-28-05 Josh and I (Sue) went to Detroit for his evaluation at RIM. Check out our other site for details. There are pictures too! Josh Holt Will Walk Again!

12-11-05 Josh's evaluation at RIM in Detroit will be on Thursday, Dec. 22nd, at 11:30 am. We'll keep you updated as we go along. EXCITING!!!

12-1-05 Good news! Josh's Physiatrist (rehab Dr.) gave the okay for Josh to try the therapy through the Rehab Institute of MI. This therapy retrains nerve pathways in paralyzed people so they can move their legs again. This institute is located in Detroit, but they have just opened a branch in Rockford (just 30 mins. north of Grand Rapids). Josh will have to go to Detroit for the evaluation, but can do his therapy in Rockford. We are pretty excited!!! Others that are going through the program have already showed progress and we expect the same for Josh. We will keep you posted on Josh's progress.

11-22-05 Nothing new happening with Josh right now. He just got a new "everyday" wheelchair since he had grown (or shrunk in certain areas). He just got fitted in it today. Had to miss a little school to do it, but he made the sacrifice. We are waiting to see his rehab doctor to see if she will write a prescription for Josh to participate in a new type of therapy. This therapy trains paralyzed people to walk again. They work on the leg muscles to make new nerve connections to the brain. This is the kind of therapy we have been begging for since the beginning. We see the doctor Dec. 1st.

10-24-05 Please check out the two new links above - Sam Wassink and Rehabilitation Institute of MI. Right now we are in hot pursuit of getting our doctor's permission to do this new therapy at the Rehab Institute of MI. This therapy is what we were asking for from the beginning with no success of our doctor approving it. It is in the Detroit area, but it will soon be opening a branch in the Grand Rapids area.

Sam Wassink (the young man I mentioned below on 8-19-05) has been doing this therapy and also had stem cell surgery this past summer and he is already crawling!!! Josh needs this therapy and hopefully he won't need to have surgery to make it work. Check out Sam's link above to see his progress. We are very excited about his progress.

8-24-05 To see the results of the bio-feedback session today visit the "Josh Will Walk Again!" site. Click on the link above or below. :)

8-19-05 CHECK OUT THE "JOSH WILL WALK AGAIN!" Site. It's at the top of this page and here. It is a site where we have more room to post updates and pictures than this site. Josh Holt Will Walk Again!

We have some good news and hopefully it will be good news after we try it. When we went for Josh's semi-annual meeting with his physiatrist (rehab doctor), she has agreed to let Josh try a bio-feedback program to see if he has any muscle control in his legs and hips to work with. Josh has been able to move his legs while in the pool, but not out of the pool and we are hoping and praying that that little bit of movement will be enough to work with to get him walking again. It is out of Miami and has just started here in Grand Rapids. We go next Wednesday afternoon. We will let you know how that goes.

We have also been in contact with someone (here in G.R.) who has gone to Portugal for stem cell surgery (using his own stem cells from in his nose) and is starting a new therapy program in Detroit, MI. He just got back from Portugal a couple weeks ago and will start therapy next week. They are going to let us know how it goes and whether or not the surgery really helped him. His mom said that she heard that the therapy will be coming to Grand Rapids soon. It is very expensive and most insurances will not cover it because it is so new. It is the kind of therapy we have been looking for - not therapy that just gets you efficient in a wheelchair, but therapy that will get you walking again!!!!! This is just what we have been looking for. This family has shared a lot of other helpful information that will help us research better and get in contact with key doctors and other people with success stories. One person they told us about had the same stem cell surgery this past February and is now able to crawl 3/4 of the way around a track. He was paralyzed from the chest down and now is able to crawl! Things are looking up!!! Maybe this time next year (or sooner) we can tell you that Josh is walking again!

8-6-05 Josh just finished Sports Camp out at Grand Valley State University. Grand Rapids Wheelchair Sports Association put it on and Josh enjoyed a week of learning new sports and enjoying those he has already tested out previously. He had a good time since most of his basketball team members were present. After the last session he went out with a few friends and rode go-carts. He had to use a golf club to push the gas pedal, but I guess you have to do what you have to do in order to do what you want! Nothing will stop him from doing what he wants. He will figure out a way! That's a good thing. He took the classroom work of drivers training this summer and will soon go to Mary Free Bed to learn to drive with hand controls. He is on his way to independence!!!

6-30-05 Josh went water skiing tonight with his recreation therapist. He said he enjoyed it. I wasn't able to go with him, but maybe next week I can see him ski. He will go to an adaptive sports camp in August and will try lots of other sports. The idea is to keep him busy!

6-3-05 Josh had out-patient surgery today to remove a wire from his right leg. It was causing trouble at his ankle. The ankle kept bleeding and had developed a bursa (sack of fluid). So the wire was removed, but all the rest of his hard-ware will remain unless it causes a problem. He did so well that he was able to travel the next day up to Traverse City for a family reunion picnic. He kept his leg elevated and iced and even played a little basketball with the cousins! What a trooper!