February 5, 2015 Day 7 My box from home!

Faked bravery and a box from home- what do they have in common?? Not sure, but let's see if we can make a connection!

Payton came to this program with something that many of the other participants didn't have- FRIENDS!! They have proven their loyalty to her time and time again- spending time with her when she was feeling great and when she didn't feel so great! She never had to hide her true feelings with them and they still care for her- homemade pictures, makeup and candy prove that!!

Something they have not required of her, but we have seen her do from time to time is what the program refers to as "faked bravery." Faked bravery is when a child or truly anyone puts in a happy face when they are not feeling well and they continue to function with their daily lives. You do not talk about any pain you are having and you go and have fun!

Amazingly enough, they have found that this helps the brain. If you ignore the pain sensors that it is sending, it will stop sending those sensors. This is why Payton's "friend therapy" when she was in the wheelchair helped her to get out of the chair and start walking again! She was able to push those sensors back and eliminate just enough so she could walk in her toes and then slowly put weight on her entire foot.

Now with the tools she is learning, she is able to use faked bravery, breathing, self talk, visualization to re program her brain and stop these pain sensors from firing to the various parts of her body. If it was only one sensor, we might be able to head back to Texas tomorrow, but unfortunately every time you think of the pain, these sensors mutiple so we have to keep working and learn how to make these tools second nature!

Please keep praying! And thank you to our friends who support us- with a box from home, a text, a prayer. We need you all!!