What Faith can Do

Well, SuperGirl has a new favorite song.  More about this later, but first the skinny.  (or maybe the chunky in our case).  Afterwork SuperPat and SuperGirl headed off for some superhero training a.k.a the gym.  We will both be very sore tomorrow.

SuperGirl's workout -
a 30 minute walk with Bonnie at lunch.  Tomorrow, socks so that I can wear sneakers.  :)
a 10 minute cycling session
5 minutes on the elliptical - and that was only because SuperPat was threatening me if I got off. 
1 hour of swimming
various lifting and pulling SuperPat around on and off equipment and in the pool (for the record, we almost fell back in today because SuperPat misunderstood that he was supposed to keep a hand on the rail).
10 minutes in the hot tub

SuperPat's workout
10 minutes on the upperbody cardio machine - looks like bike pedals but you use your arms
5 minutes on a machine with lots of elastic bands to pull different ways with your arms.
about 30 minutes of walking in the pool, more on this below.
1 minute on the treadmill!!!

Yes, SuperPat got on the treadmill and managed to walk for a minute.  We had it on the lowest level, actual a half a level and we only had to stop it twice because it got away from him.  The hardest part was getting him back off again.  This is the first time that I am aware of that he has been on one since his accident.  If it isn't the first time, for sure it is the first time with only a spotter on the side.  He wanted to try the elliptical (and couldn't understand why I was laughing so hard about it) but I think we will need another person to help get him on for that one.  Once he finally is able to get on and tries to use it, he will know why I was laughing.  Much harder than it looks isn't it.  :)

So in the pool, Pat walked in a pretty straight line from the 3 foot line to the 4 foot line.  I am terrible at judging distances like that, but I think it was about 200 yards or so?  Then we practised floating more and also the grapevine back and forth.  I finally hit on the trick of having him put his feet on top of mine while I did it so that he could feel what it feels like and what muscles would need to be used.  Then I made him do it a few times with my feet on top of his so that I tell if he was doing it right.  Amazingly, he did really well with going left which has almost always been his problem and not as well with the right, but much, much better than he has ever done before.  All in all, it was a pretty amazing workout.  I think that the treadmill is going to really help him get an idea of what stride is like. 

So now, about the song.  My boss has been telling me about this really amazing song from a Christian group called Kutlass that have a song called "What Faith Can Do'.  She even lent me a copy of her CD with the song on it, but I kept forgetting to take it home and listen to it.  Once I did, I understood why she wanted Pat to listen to it so much.  Since Mom's computer can't do music very well, I will post the words here and let you look up the song yourself to hear what it sounds like.  I just think it epitomizes so well the struggles that SuperPat is going through. 

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes
And make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it's more than you can take
But you're stronger
Stronger than you know

Don't you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do
It doesn't matter what you've heard
Impossible is not a word
It's just a reason
For someone not to try
Everybody's scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It'll be alright

Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing
I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That's what faith can do)
When the world says you can't
It'll tell you that you can

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do
That's what faith can do



Even if you fall sometimes

You will have the strength to rise