By Lisa Ansay —
Taylor has been home from the hospital for over three weeks, and his days are filled with many different things from cooking, to music, to family-time to piles of dogs and lots of laughter.
It’s time for some of Taylor’s thoughts on the matter, so we are doing this entry in an interview-style format.
I would like to preface this interview by saying that this was a slow process – we sat for about an hour to pull this together, but they are all Taylor’s words.
L: “What kinds of stuff do you do in the day?”
T: “Watch Big Bang Theory, House, Colbert, hang out with family, talk to my dad on the phone a lot.”
L: “You have therapists coming to the house to work with you right now. Do you like them coming to the home, or do you prefer to go to them?”
T: “I like them to come to me.”
L: “Why?”
T: “Less stress, and it’s more convenient.”
L: Tell me about the kinds of activities and equipment you have at the “Briles Therapy House.” (The house we live in right now.)
T: “The big ball for balance, weights, games, guitar, piano…lots of stuff.” “We came up with a climbing rope with knots about four feet apart – tied one end to a rack in the bathroom, and the other end is tied to my bed, so I can get back and forth with less help, until I can see better.”
L: “What else do you do independently?”
T: “Bathroom, shower, brushing my teeth, washing hands and face, etc.”
L: “Why can’t you do everything independently right now?”
T: “I can’t see very well.”
L: “What do you know about your upcoming surgery?”
T: “They are going to fix my face. My eyes, my jaw, my mouth.”
L: “Are you nervous about it?”
T: “uh-uh. No.”
L: “Nothing to be nervous about?”
T: “No.”
L: “Some folks might be nervous if they had a surgery like that coming. Why are you not afraid?”
T: “Knowing my surgeons well. God. He hasn’t let me down yet. God loves me. And he has awesome angels that can keep me on track.”
L: “Do you feel angels around you?”
T: “Yes.”
L: “Do you feel God around you?”
T: “Yes.”
L: “How?”
T: “I just know.”
L: “Do you feel blessed?”
T: “Yes.”
L: “In what way?”
T: “Every way.” Then after much thought he added: “I’m alive. Friends and family. A kick-ass team of doctors.”
L: “Anything that you would like everyone to know?”
T: Without hesitation “I’m gonna be fine.”
“Thanks for being there for me.”
“It means a lot.”
