We made it home!

So we made it home safe and sound. It feels great to be home and now it's back to reality. We are trying to get back into our routine which will probably take us awhile. We just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who has followed us through this journey. Thank you for all your support, prayers, and love. We are truly blessed and we are so thankful to all of you. We will never be able to say thank you enough, or show how appreciative we are for everything that has been done for us. This past month has been incredible and it was all made possible because of all of YOU! Thank you again and now that we love you all. We will continue to keep you posted with Marks progress. Sorry to say it won't be an everyday thing but I will be sure to keep it updated so you will know what's going on with Mark. Thanks for making this all possible!

Our last day

For our last day we all went to the rainforst on the atlantic side. We took the tram ride up and we were going to do the zip line but they do it different. Here you ride the tram up and down, then you do the zip line so Mark would of had to wait for us for 2 hours. We figured we would be nice and not make him wait for us. The tram ride was nice and relaxing and then we took a little walk around the forest with our guide. After we went to lunch at a nice place which was really good. Then our driver who was great took us to a souvenir shop to get all the last minute things. Of course I took forever just looking around at everything. Before dinner I started getting everything packed up. It was hard to believe we had already been here a month and it was time to go home. It was definitely bittersweet having to say bye to all the great people and to Costa Rica, but we were excited to be going home. There's nothing like getting home and getting to sleep in your own bed! We had dinner at Chancay which we had gone to before and had really liked. It was good the second time around to. We got home and of course started playing some games which of course lasted longer than everyone had hoped. We had a early flight so we were being picked up at 4:30 but thanks to playing games we didn't get to bed until about midnight. Oh well it's only sleep and we had a fun time and us girls killed the boys and that's all that matters!! We had a fun day and we were so excited to have Brad and Carena with us and we were so glad that they got to experience part of our journey with us. Thanks Brad and Carena for coming to see and play with us. We had such a great time and we love getting to see you guys. Thanks for making our last days so fun and memorable!!!

These plants were so weird, they produce a gel that just hangs there

A little frog

Everyone helping Mark get up the hills

Going in for lunch

Nice Mark

Mark and his lunch. He's so CUTE!

Out at lunch

On our way home from the rain forest, we were all tired!!

We were waiting for our taxi to go to dinner and we were tring some cheerleading moves. As Mark says I would have been a terrible cheerleader, and it's the truth!! That's probably why I was never a cheerleader.

Yes we are sword fighting with the swords that came with our fruit drinks, as I'm trying to eat my pineapple

Eating at Chancay

Our last ride in a taxi

Last PT and Injection

So I know that I am really behind. It's amazing how things get so crazy when it's time to get back to reality. I just wanted to finish and let you all know how the end of our trip went. Friday was Marks last day for therapy and his final injection. His therapy went great as usual and they worked him really hard. Me and Carena weren't there for the beginning because we had to go back to the hotel so Brad stayed to help and took some good videos. They re-evaluated him again comparing how he did according to his first visit. His strength and balance has improved so much and they were so impressed with how he was doing. Right now he doesn't have any additional feeling or sensation but they told us that you usually don't notice any changes until the first or second month after treatment and anywhere up to six months. Right now it is just a waiting game but they just encourage you to continue to work hard and keep up the exercises to help retrain your body. I took so many videos and pictures during therapy we will keep up on everything they did and continue to make him work hard. He will also start up with physical therapy as soon as we can get him in. After PT we went over for Mark to get his last injection. Only one person can go back so we let Brad go back with him. Me and Carena were laughing because we were waiting for Mark to come out and one of the nurses wheeling Brad out. We really thought he would pass out because he does not like medical stuff very much but he survived. Mark said he stood in the corner and he kept telling him he could come closer but he was pretty content just standing in the corner. We took Mark home to lay flat and we went to the mall to get Mark some cinnabon because he was really craving it. We walked around the mall for awhile just looking around and passing time. Of course we didn't do any shopping but we left with enough sweets to feed the entire hotel! Once we got back we ate dinner and all got together with all the stemies outside to say goodbye to those who were leaving. Robert and Julie were leaving in the morning and it was really sad to say bye to them. We had been with them everyday for a month and it has been really weird not seeing them. We have been grateful for this experience for the people we have met. We have made some incredible friends that will always share a part of our life. We have made friendships for life. We will have to get a second home in Texas since about 80% of the people we met were from Texas! Thanks to all the stemies for being such great friends and sharing such a great experience with us. We will miss you and look forward to keeping up with your progress!!

Mark finishing his final therapy session and he made them push him extra hard.

Mark and his nurses on his last day. They were so good to him and never hurt him.

Brad went back to watch Mark get his last injection. He survived and we were proud that he didn't pass out. I told him to take some pictures and this is what he took. Thanks Brad!!

Mark and Rafa one of the drivers who took us to and from our appointments. He was so nice and it was his uncle Rodolfo who took us around on all our tours.


Mark and Javier the other driver, he was AWESOME!

Brad and Harry Potter. Brad wasn't very excited about us taking his picture but he was a good sport about it and smiled. Good Job Brad!!

Hanging out at the mall

Me and Carena thought it was funny that we went to the mall and all we came home with was carmel popcorn and cinnabon so of course we had to take a picture of us pigging out. It was so good but we have definitely had our fill of cinnabons for awhile!

Talking and saying goodbye to all the stemies. That's the nickname that was given to everyone. It was sad having to say goodbye!

They made it!!

Brad and Carena made it and we were so excited to see them. They showed up around 6:00 am and since they had been flying all night we decided to let them get a little rest. After we went and ate breakfast out by the pool and decided to go to the hospital early to show them around. We ate lunch there which was really good! Brad and Carena got to watch Mark do his physical therapy, and it was really fun to have them there. They helped push him through his excercises and of course they all kept the therapists laughing. Mark's really good at doing that on his own and with all of them it was really bad. After therapy we went to the ICM clinic so Mark could do his exit interview. Everyone was going to dinner at a Churrascaria which you didnt have to ask the boys twice to eat at a place that serves a ton of meat! It was fun to go with everyone to dinner and the place was really nice. We have a really great group of people that are here and they are all so nice and so much fun. We are sad that we are leaving but we excited for everyone and for what is to come.

Eating lunch at the hospital

No he's not sleeping he was supposed to keep his eyes closed while she ran a pen along his feet and legs, and he was supposed to tell her where she was doing it and if he could feel it.

She didn't want him cheating

Marks battle wounds. She was rubbing a pen up and down to see if he could feel it.

Just waiting for the next exercise

This was the first time they got him up with a walker and he did great!

Brad wanted to make sure that he was still taller than Mark

With our favorive therapists. Of course they are all our favorites and we especially love them!

Mark and I with Marcela. She was in charge of scheduling and everything and she was AWESOME!!

Outside of the ICM clinic

Walking back from ICM

Where we ate dinner

All the stemies out to eat

They served chicken hearts- We did try one just to try them.... tastes like chicken

The desserts were amazing

This guy was great, everytime I would take a picture he would stop and pose for me :)

Walking back from dinner. We had to walk off all that meat we ate!