"Well today is Brett's 18th birthday but we did not celebrate today, postponing the celebration for one month in hopes he will actually be able to enjoy the celebration since he is still only in what is called a 'minimally conscious state,'" Lisa Banasiewicz posted to her Facebook page Wednesday. "...[He] still has a lot of lost or foggy moments, but thankfully those moments are getting fewer and fewer.
The teen had been in the hospital for about a month after falling 8 feet on his head while practicing for an event in Virginia. Earlier this month he was airlifted from that hospital in Virginia to a rehab facility in Atlanta.
Here's the rest of Lisa Banasiewicz's Facebook post:
"Today Brett got to take his first real shower since the accident via a specially designed shower chair, and he loved it! He was so ready to go to sleep afterwards that I wasn't sure if he was even going to participate in therapy...but he did and he was a champ! Speech therapy he got to eat ice again today, but because he was acting tired they did not attempt the pudding today for fear of him aspirating it, so pudding will wait for another day. He did utter his first very low sound, an 'aaaaaaaaaa.' The speech therapist is very optimistic that he may actually begin to make purposeful sounds leading to words, fingers crossed that is sooner rather than later! Physical therapy they worked on his balance and putting weight into his legs, and the beginning stages of stepping. It will still be awhile before we see Brett walk again, partly because he is weak from having lost a sizable amount of weight during his month-long hospital stay and partly because the brain is still healing. We got the go ahead to get back to doing our bedside core stabilizing exercises along with the range of motion & resistance training we have been doing. Brett also got to meet his recreational therapist today and he watched several of his competition videos with her so she has a bit of background on who he is for when she begins creating her plans for him. Now Brett is chillin' in bed to his music, we will do some of the bedside work a bit later. As Always please keep Brett & his family in your prayers."
