I am sorry I did not find time to write sooner. We are obviously very busy, and I try to keep the french site up to date, which is already a challenge. I am afraid the english site has been suffering from our lack of time. If you can find a site that translates, the best way to get all the news is by following the french site, really.
A lot has happened since I last wrote. It seems that Vincent has decided to challenge all the doctors' predictions. He has decided to challenge all the laws that govern his disease. He has actually started to get better. The palliative care doctor cannot explain it, but he has told us that there is definitively something happening that is not according to what was expected.
Since July, Vincent has regained a lot of his strength, tonus and energy. He now spends the days with us, pain free, without medication, except for the decadron. He can walk around the house with assistance from us, since his balance has not returned, and uses a wheelchair for longer rides. He comes with the family on outings (at the train museum on the picture), he plays board games, watches tv, listens to music, and has recently started to read again and go on the computer a bit. Some of the feeling in his face has come back, and some of the neurological symptoms that he had are gone. Vincent has started, 2 weeks ago, a readaptation program with physiotherapy and organisational therapy. He has gone horseback ridding, with assistance of course, once a week for the past 2 months. Of course, to know exactly what is happening with his disease, we would have to go back to the hospital for MRI's and other tests, which we are not willing to do at this point.
Vincent is still very sick, with a lot of disabilities. However, his state is no longer declining, but on the contrary, he is getting better. He is a very strong, and brave young man who has earned our admiration. He has, as you can imagine, days where he is down and depressed. Other days, he is full of energy, optimism and projects. To keep his spirits up, we have asked people to send him a little something through the mail. It can be a postcard, a card, children's drawing, anything really that will make it to our mailbox and bring pleasure to Vincent when he opens it. A lot of people have responded to our request, some people we don't even know. All the mail that we receive, we hang on Vincent's bedroom walls. It is absolutely wonderful to see and brings energy to anyone entering the room. Every second that he lies in bed, Vincent can see how many people are praying for him, and sending positive energy to him... Mailtime is something to look foreward to. It is something that does exactly what it was intended to do: bring joy and sunshine into Vincent's heart.
I will leave you with our home address and Vincent's personnal e-mail. Please keep praying for him, sending the wonderful positive energy towards him. It all makes a difference, as Vincent is showing us. Thank you.
Vincent Aumais
51 rue des Tilleuls
St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec, Canada
J2W 1B4
e-mail: Vincentaumais@yahoo.ca (don't forget the capital "V")
