Outside Reading

Caringbridge: Brett Hansen-Begg
By: Greta & Alan Hansen-Begg

Brett has been working very hard in therapies in the past week! Greta, his mom, loves to encourage him and help him in any way possible. She was helping him with his reaction time the other day by throwing a beach ball with him. His oral speech had been used a lot more lately too, he is able to say a few things and that really helps when he is in the car with his mom and she can't read what Brett is typing on his key board. Even though he says very few words he is well on his way to full sentences! For the last 3 weekends Brett has been making either day trips or one overnight trip home. This helps with getting their house ready for when Brett is home for good on January 2nd. Brett constantly tells everyone how much he likes going home to see his brother and sister and dad and just how he likes being home and that he can not wait until he can be home for good. What a great thing to look forward to. Last weekend when Brett was home he wanted to go out side and make a snow angel, and he did, and he was good practice for his mom and dad working and learning how lift Brett.

Outside Reading

Caringbridge: Brett Hansen-Begg
By: Greta & Alan Hansen-Begg

Just in the past day the nurses think that Brett is coming down with a little flu bug or something so they decided to lay off of therapies a bit to let Brett rest and get better as soon as possible. He is still working toward more Independence, but he still loves having his mom, Greta around. She will tell him that she needs to go get an ice pack or talk to a nurse and he will ask her when she will be back and what she is doing and make sure she is coming back. Greta knows that this is something she needs to work on with Brett so everyday she tries to help Brett be independent and do things on his own and have time to himself. A few nights ago Brett almost fell out of his bed. The nursing staff and Greta realized that a device called a Posey bed is needed. Because Brett is more mobile, by being able to move his arms and legs a Posey bed will keep him all zipped up in his bed at night to keep him safe and not able to fall out. This a good thing because Brett is able to move around and do more things on his own.

Outside Reading

Caring Bridge: Brett Hansen-Begg

By: Greta & Alan Hansen-Begg

Brett's latest improvements include moving his right arm and fingers more, doing things on his own and having a quicker reaction time. In the picture it shows Brett petting a dog. The first time Brett saw a dog, about a month or more ago he was not interested. Greta had to move his hand on the dog and try to keep him interested, but this time Brett was so excited. He was petting the dog and holding it. That was a huge improvement from the previous time Brett interacted with a dog. Another improvement Brett has mad is being more independent, when he was at the dog show they asked for a volunteer and all on his own, Brett raised his hand immediately was all ready to do what ever they asked of him. Greta said that he was so excited and proud of himself. The feeding tube that was in Brett's stomach was recently removed, even though it has not been used in the past month and a half, the doctors had to wait until a certain date to safely take it out. Brett is so excited about his g-tube removal. During therapies he will lift up his shirt and show the nurses his tube free stomach! He is making another night trip home this weekend to spend with his dad and brother and sister. These trips help his parents know what challenges they will face when Brett is home for good on January 2nd!!

Outside Reading

Brett's First Time in the Walker

Caring Bridge : Brett Hansen-Begg

By: Greta & Alan Hansen-Begg

As the video shows Brett is making improvements to being able to walk. Although is it assisted with a walker or other people he is still getting closer to walking on his own. But he is in his wheelchair the majority of the time, he practices walking in therapies. He is scheduled to get it feed tube (which is no longer used) out Thursday. Brett is looking forward to this day very much, his g-tube has been bugging him a lot in the past few weeks, but he understands that the doctors have reasoning's to taking it out when they have to. Last Sunday Brett took a day trip home. He tolerated the hour car ride back to Watertown fine. This was his first time being home in 3 months and 9 days. The Hansen-Begg Family thoroughly enjoyed Brett's visit and the family time they got to have. Today brought more adventures for Brett! Greta , Brett and one of the therapists from the hospital went to Rosedale Mall to do some Christmas shopping and Brett wanted to get some new clothes. The nursing staff at Gillette's and Greta think that getting Brett more used to being out side of the hospital will get him ready for leaving the hospital on January 2nd and going back to school on the 5th. I think that they are doing the right things to prepare Brett for school and being around more people at a time.

Outside Reading

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
By: Jonathan Safran (Pages. 1-85)

This book is about a little boy, Oskar, who is going through some tough times since he lost his dad in 9/11. His mother has been seeing another man and Oskar feels as though his mom is forgetting his dad and replacing him. Oskar tends to think a lot, and will imagine things that could happen. He has a lot of free time on his hands and he looks at things in a very different way. He also has a last memory of his father that his grandmother and mom do not know about. On September 11th his dad was making calls to the house saying that he was okay and Oskar heard them but never told his mom about them, and he kept the answering machine and bought a new one for their apartment so he still has the answering machine in his closet with his dads messages on them. He listens to them when he is missing his father. One day when Oskar was going through his dads things he found a envelope with a key inside it. Oskar is determined to find out where the key goes to.