A year has gone by as DJ continues his journey

A year has gone by since DJ underwent his surgery September 8th 2010. I remember like it was yesterday, the night before going to bed kissing my kids goodnight knowing that as a family we were going to face the toughest emotional day of our lives. As I held DJ I remember how hard it was to hold back my tears. I let him know that tomorrow Dr. Handler at the Denver Children's Hospital was going to make him all better. I remember after everyone was safe and sound asleep that I walked to the family room to have a moment to myself. In that moment I found myself praying to God. "Lord I know your here and that life has many ups and downs. I wanted to thank you for everything that you have done for our family and I am very grateful for all that you have provided us. Please take care of my son and watch over him as he goes through this surgery. AMEN"
It's now a year later and DJ is doing amazing. The doctors are amazed on what he has accomplished in 1 year. DJ started Kindergarten 6 weeks ago and is so excited to be in school of course gym and recess are his favorite! Kristen has been volunteering at the school which is wonderful to know she is close by if he needs her. She has also become a Board Member on the school PTO, so proud of my wife! DJ has continued to work very hard in therapy and has made great strides! This summer DJ went swimming with his sisters and friends for the first time since  before surgery. I know it was tough for Kristen to let go of DJ to see if he could swim again knowing that his right side of his body still has a long way to go. But then DJ who has always been a little super hero said "Mom, let me go I can do it." The most beautiful, uplifting, inspiring and at the same time heart pounding words a parent could here from their child! She let go but never left his side. That day, that hour, that defining moment DJ gave "Once you choose hope anything is possible" an even stronger meaning.
DJ is very excited to be in school. He recently ran over 1 mile in the Trot-a-Thon for his schools annual fundraiser! Tiana who is in the 4th grade now also ran her little heart out. She tied with two other girls for most laps ran in the 4th grade! So proud of these kids.
Tonight we will be attending a benefit hosted by The Sanger Foundation  www.sangerfoundation.org who helped  our Family and many others during their time of need. We are so thankful for everything they have done for DJ and our family. Please take the time to visit the site and see how this foundation came about and how they have helped many families!
We are all very excited for our first vacation since DJ's surgery.  Next week we are going home to visit family and friends in Arizona! It's been really tough being away from our family and friends for such a long period of time. Everyone's love and prayers have been such a blessing to our family and we hope to see as many people that we can during our visit. Kristen & I could never express just how much we are grateful to have you in our lives, but hope we can try by continuing to love and teach are children to help others in need and to appreciate life which has many ups and downs but will always be a beautiful journey with the love of family and friends.

DJ 's Journey updated -Time Heals

It's been awhile since we have updated the blog and so much has transpired over the holiday's with DJ's progress!! DJ has been working so hard and after 5 months has shown great improvement. He continues to make great strides in his therapy and is getting stronger everyday. His speech is starting to come back as he is starting to put 2 and 3 words together. Everyday when Dino gets home from work, even though I know he is tired, he still works with DJ. They work on his motor skills and speech. I love watching them spend time together and DJ lights up when he sees his Daddy walk through the door. The girls have really helped DJ and have  been motivators for him too. They play everyday working on puzzles, coloring, & anything else that sparks their imagination. 

Yesterday we took the kids to a birthday party next door. It is so nice to see DJ playing with his friends. One of his best friends Riley really has been one of DJ's biggest motivator. The time they spend together playing Army or running around the house has really been good for DJ. Kids are really great aren't they.

The kids are excited because Grandma is coming back up to visit again in a couple of weeks. It will be really nice to see my mom again. The weather is starting to warm up and the snow is starting to melt so hopefully my sister will come back to visit soon too (she doesn't do the cold). 

Overall the reports from DJ's therapist are amazing! Miss Megan, DJ's Speech therapist, is still thrilled at the progress he's making week from week. When DJ first started seeing Megan she really had to try to get him talking and now he is offering up more words all the time. We all think that is fantastic! Miss Yvonne, DJ's Occupational therapist, has seen a huge improvement. DJ use to give her a hard time, (kind of surprising since DJ is my most cooperative child) in the beginning and now he likes to go to therapy and is very willing to work! Yvonne works a lot with his right arm and that has been the hardest thing to come back so far. Before surgery we were pretty much told that he would be very limited in his right arm and most likely have no fine motor skills in his hand anymore. I think not being able to use that arm has been very frustrating but he is working hard trying to get it back. Since sometime in December DJ's physical therapist changed and now he is seeing Miss Jamie. Since Jamie has started working with him he has always enjoyed playing with her and he is accomplishing more & more every visit. 

During these last 6 months our lives have been a roller coaster and we  apologize for not updating the blog as much as we'd like to. We will try to sit down and update at least once a month on how Dj is doing and appreciate the love and prayers.

Thank you all for your love and support!

The Rivera's

Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.
       - John Heywood, sixteenth-century English poet

"Once you chose hope, anything's possible." -Christopher Reeve

Happy Thanksgiving!

Waking up very early this morning I stared out the window watching how beautiful the sun slowly brought light on to the Colorado mountains. The glimpse of beautiful snow top mountains and pillow soft clouds gave me a feeling of peace and happiness. Just then I remembered seeing the sign "God's Country" which really put everything  into perspective. Though every year we have celebrated the Holidays with Family and Friends this year is starting off very different. Different in that as parents we truly understand  and appreciate the meaning of being Thankful.

As I walked around the house waiting anxiously and knowing everyone was still sound asleep, I came to see that I could not take my eyes of my kids cuddled up next to their mommy. DJ had his Super DJ Blanket and his sisters Tiana & Kiara on each side of him. At that moment I was thankful knowing that our children were always going to be there for each other. I started to remember when I was younger and my 5 brothers would stay up all night watching movies and wake up to the smell of Turkey, Ham and Fresh Pumpkin Pie as  our mom cooked a Feast for all of us! Those were some of the Greatest memories I want my children to have someday when they look back on there childhood. I then looked over to Kristen and found myself thanking God for bringing her into my life. This beautiful woman, wife, mother and best friend has helped me be a better man and I hope she knows how much I truly love her.

DJ is doing better everyday. At his last therapy his therapist said this was the best session he has had yet. His right side is really coming along. We have been working with him on stairs and he is walking up without assistance now. His speech is improving and is starting to put words together. How hard it must be for him knowing what he wants to say, but can't quite put all the words together yet. We keep hugging him and let him know that he is getting stronger and stronger every day. We have a lot of videos that are to help him regain his speech and practice with him every day. It's wonderful to hear him getting his words back. The other day the girls and him were coming down the stairs and he clearly said "Wait for me". We know it's going to take time and with a lot of love and support he will get every thing back. He has come along way in 11 weeks and the Doctors at his last visit were very excited and hopeful about his progress.

Kristen has recently been in contact with the parents of Jessie Hall who is a beautiful little girl that had a hemispherectomy and touched the heart of many as she continues on her journey. Her parents Cris and Kristi started The Hemispherectomy Foundation to help other kids and family's all around the world. Jessie's Grandparents who live in Wyoming, only a few hours from us, have dedicated acres of their land with Christmas trees that they are lighting for all the children that have had hemispherectomy's. Jessie and her parent's will be visiting during holidays and we are hoping to drive to Wyoming to meet this wonderful family that has done so much for so many.

Our family has a lot to be thankful for this year and are blessed to have all the Love & Support from Great Family & Friends. We will never be able to express just how much you helped us through our tough times and are Grateful for everything. You will always be in our prayers.

  We have many chapters of life that we go through, some good, some bad. Some families stay very close and some seem to slowly drift apart. It doesn't mean we stopped loving each other, it just means we are all growing and adapting to our lives that may take us down different roads. In the end the most important thing to remember is that we are all still family and that is something very special. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!! Have a safe and wonderful day with your families.

-From the Rivera Family.

"Once you choose hope any thing is possible" -Christoper Reeve

Family & Friends are always the best medicine

   It has been close to 4 weeks that we all have been home now and it is very nice to have a sense of normality back in our lives. DJ has come a long way since his surgery 8 1/2 weeks ago and we know still has a long journey ahead of him. We really have to thank God for all the continued support from family & friends we have been receiving. These prayers & love have really been the strength which has motivated DJ and kept him smiling as he reaches new milestones in his recovery.
   This past weekend was Halloween and DJ along with family and neighborhood friends had a wonderful time. DJ wore his Superman outfit, Kiara went as Supergirl, and Tiana went as a Pirate. It was very nice to see DJ  back with all his wonderful neighborhood friends. House by house DJ seemed to be getting more and more excited as he visited some of the neighbors who had not seen him since he has been home. All the interaction with everyone was such a great medicine for DJ. He stopped and took pictures with his best pals and gave hugs to show them how much he was glad to see them. Our friends Tara and Theo (who live right next door) had a Halloween party with games and prizes for the kids.We all really had a great time enjoying each others company.
   DJ also made a visit to school to attend his class Halloween party. All the kids were dressed up and even his teacher had dressed up as Where's Waldo. We are very thankful that DJ is part of such a great school as Turnberry Elementary. The students and staff have been absolutely wonderful. Dino and I took all the kids to family night where the kids played games, trick or treated, and had lots of fun! DJ's energy is definitely  coming back because even though we were ready to go he still wanted to stay and play.
   One of DJ's highlights was receiving a special gift from our cousin Ramiro in AZ. Ramiro made him a Superman pajama outfit with a cape and all! He was very excited to see it and even though it was 2 o'clock in the afternoon wanted to put it on for the remaining of the day & night. Thank you very much cousin for the outfit and the beautiful heart felt words you sent in your letter.
DJ is walking without assistants but is working hard on his strength & balance. We are taking him to outpatient therapy during the week. He has started walking up the stairs all by himself! His therapist have really seen a difference from session to session. Though sometimes getting him to therapy has its challenges. I think he would prefer watching the Disney channel and lounging on the couch. Wait...I guess I see his point. He is now able to slowly raise his right arm and just a few days ago started to squeeze with his right hand. Dino and I are working everyday with him doing different activities to help wake up his muscles and help his brain to start making more connections with the right side of his body. Sometimes it's very hard as a parent seeing your child struggle with things that use to be so easy for him, but that feeling quickly vanishes when we see his beautiful eyes light up from accomplishing another goal. Letting us know to stay strong because he has not and never will give up on his journey.  He has made our family bond closer and continues to every day. We seem to appreciate each other much more and he helps to remind us that love can move mountains.  

"Once you choose hope, anything is possible" -Christopher Reeve

Home is where the heart is.

    DJ is very happy to be home with his family and friends. All his neighborhood pals have been coming to visit and spend time with him. It's amazing how children build these beautiful bonds. Being around his friends has definitely been a major motivating factor for him to continue with his progress. He has been taking walks with his dad enjoying the beautiful Colorado weather which will be turning in the next couple of weeks. DJ is very determined and continues to show daily improvement as he faces these challenges. The strength in the right side of his body is starting to improve more so in his right leg as the doctors predicted. His right arm has started to get what they call tone. Which is the beginning of movement and is a very good sign.

     There has been a lot going on since we have been home. On Saturday Oct.16th our friends from the neighborhood planned a Spaghetti Dinner Benefit at the Fire Station for DJ here in Colorado. Everyone had a great time as some of his friends were seeing him for the first time since his surgery! The kids had so much fun doing the cake walk, getting their face painted, dancing, and of course getting to check out the fire engine. The kids had a great time sitting in the truck and imagining that they were brave junior firefighters. Mullberries Cake Shop made an awesome cake with the Super DJ logo on it. He had the honor of cutting the cake and having the first slice! He was absolutely thrilled! Mullberries also provided cupcakes with DJ's initials on them that were very tasty! He was so excited that he walked and played with his friends during most of the event! By the end of the fun filled night he was ready to go home and relax! To all of our wonderful family and friends that helped with not only this event but have given us all the love and support through out, thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We are so blessed to have you in our lives! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

      DJ has started his outpatient therapy. It's good for us too because they work with Dino and I on what we can do to help him at home. The physical therapist thinks DJ is doing a great job and probably can go down to one physical therapy sessions a week after about a month or so. We are so proud that he is fighting to get his strength & mobility back. Our little man seems to amaze us each day!

    We appreciate every one sending us love and prayers and will try to update the blog. at least every couple of weeks so that family & friends can follow along with Dj's Journey.Thank you and God Bless.

"Once you choose hope, anything's possible" -Christopher Reeve

Love and prayers will find the way.

    We are so proud of the progress DJ has been making and the strength he is showing to regain what he had lost. Every day he seems to be doing something he hasn't been able to do since his operation. This past week after DJ's afternoon therapy Kara (his therapist) had him walk back to his room instead of putting him in his wheelchair. When I opened the door for him I realized Kara wasn't helping support him as much as usual. I sat down so he could walk (with Kara only holding the waist of his shorts) all the way across his room to me! What a special moment for me as a mother!  His balance and strength is improving more and more each day. Just a few days later he gave us a wonderful gift by walking 65 steps unassisted down the hospital hallway, what a beautiful site. Now when the therapist come to get DJ he doesn't have to use his wheel chair anymore, yay!!! He is working so hard! Dino let DJ know that it was Grandma's Birthday on the 5th so they called her to say Happy Birthday.  He then amazed us by singing the entire Happy Birthday song to her. Our little man brought so many happy tears to all of us! God is wonderful!!!

    It has been a month since DJ's operation and the doctors are looking at Oct. 14th being the date we get to go home....I guess you don't really know how much that word truly means to you til you spend a long period of time away. As I walk through the hallway my heart goes out to all the parents and children that have been here for such a long time. Some of them have traveled from different states to give their children the best care here at the Children's Hospital. We are so proud of Tiana because every time she visits she wants to go down to the Chapel to pray for DJ and all the other children here at the hospital. As Tiana prays I find myself thanking God for giving DJ three wonderful sisters who I know will be close to him and watch out for him for the rest of their lives.

    DJ had another special day on Thursday when the Aurora Fire and Police Departments set up a pumpkin patch in the front of the hospital for the children and spent time with the kids. Since the event was outside we had to take DJ down in his wheelchair. That didn't last very long as he tugged at Daddy to let him know he wanted to walk through the pumpkin patch to pick that special pumpkin. After observing many different shapes and sizes he picked the cutest little one that everyone else seem to be passing up! DJ was also made a Junior Police Officer & Fireman with badges to top it off. These men and woman are wonderful for doing that for the children who otherwise might not be able to pick out a pumpkin!!

    On Oct. 1st our family and friends in Arizona came together for a Benefit Dinner/Dance for DJ that was absolutely wonderful. Dino and I wished that we could have been there and are so thankful for having such great family and friends. Toby & Julian (our cousins) thank you from the bottom of our hearts for putting so much effort in doing all this for our family. We can not put into words how much this means to us. We love you guys! Please let every one who took part in it know just how grateful we are!

We have come to realize when times are hard and we don't know how to make it through we just look to God to guide us. God has been looking out for our family along the way and showed us by giving us such wonderful family and friends to be there with us through it all. God is Great!

"Once you choose hope, anything's possible" -Christopher Reeve

    

   

One day at a Time

   Today was a wonderful day! Last week DJ was fitted for a brace on his right leg to help him strengthen it. Today they brought it in to try it on and noticed that the doctors put pictures of superman all over his brace which really had DJ in a good mood. When DJ returned from therapy we usually see him being brought back in his wheel chair, this time he was walking through the door with Char (his therapist) giving him assistance. Our little man is working hard every day to get back to where he was in life before this sickness so unexpectedly disrupted it. After meeting with the nutritionist yesterday she informed us that we no longer had to keep a daily recording of all the calories he was eating due to the fact he was doing great and no longer needed to be monitored. Yay!!! Speech therapy is also going very well DJ is starting to put words together and music has been a key element that has helped tremendously.

    It is really wonderful to see our little man show his playful personality more and more each day. Visits from family and friends, along with cards that have been coming in, have been such a great motivator for DJ as we read to him and show him that he has so many wonderful people supporting him. This past Saturday our amazing family and friends came together to do a benefit car-wash\bake sale. Through Facebook we were able to show DJ pictures of all his hero's wearing Super DJ T-shirts and working hard but having fun washing cars and selling baked goods. Aimee and Tina thank you so much for putting this together we love you! Please thank everyone that was a part of this from all of us, we truly appreciate this so much. Toby and Julian are also having a Dinner/Dance Benefit for DJ that will be this Fri. Oct. 1st. at Custom Farm Services in Stanfield off Highway 84. Food, Dancing & Fun starts at 6pm. Thank you guys so much for putting this all together we are very fortunate to have you all in our lives.  

God thank you for hearing our prayers and giving us hope and strength to go forward in getting our family back home together again soon as we take it one day at a time. God thank you for blessing us with such amazing family and friends that have sent their love, prayers, and support. 

"Once you choose hope anything is possible" -Christopher Reeve