HBO Cafe

This morning Aunt Sheree, cousin Taylor and I visited Cole in LA. It was Cole's day off and the only thing on the agenda was rest.

When we arrived we met Tom, Rhonda and Cole in the HBO cafe (fancy hospital cafeteria). We were pleasantly surprised to see Rhonda who had just returned from her 2 night rest in Apple Valley. Cole was sitting in his wheelchair nestled between Tom and Rhonda at a table that looked out onto the street through some huge windows. Cole was between bites of his chicken sandwich and McDonald's Shamrock Shake.

Cole sat up straight in his wheelchair wearing a black, blue and gray FLY RACING hoody with his interlaced fingers resting in front of him on the table. As the sun shinned through the windows illuminating his naturally tan face and blonde hair, which was combed left to right over the stitches on the right side of his head where the bolt had previously been, I looked at him and was amazed at how much better he looked than when I had seen him just a couple of days ago.

We sat down at the table across from Tom, Rhonda and Cole and Sheree could hardly contain herself. Day's earlier she promised Cole she would bring him some frozen vanilla yogurt with Reese's Peanut Butter Cup candies in it from Hogy Yogi and today she was going to deliver. She proudly put the grossly over filled container of frozen concoction on the table and with the accuracy of a bartender from the old west slid the yogurt across the table to Cole's waiting hands. A big grin appeared on his face as he anticipated taking that first bit.

In addition to the yogurt, Cole also received 2 Josh Grant T-Shirts and a pair of Dragon goggles, all of which were autographed by Josh Grant with a special inscription to Cole. Cole will add these items to the autographed Ryan Abbatoye jersey, Will Hahn autographed Oakley goggles and Nico Izzi autographed Rock Star MSR gloves that he received earlier.

Tom reports that Cole did really well with his PT yesterday. The therapist and Cole bounced a large ball back and forth to each other during the 30 minute workout. During the exercise, Cole was required to catch the ball with both hands and then bounce the ball back using both hands and arms as he incrementally lifted them higher and higher until they were over his head. Cole did really well at the exercise.

Rhonda said that she asked Cole what was the first thing he wanted to do after leaving the hospital? Cole replied "Ride my motorcycle." I'm sure that's not the answer Rhonda wanted to hear.

After lunch, Cole and family returned to his room where he promptly climbed into bed for a few hours of rest. Later Cole had mac and cheese with green beans and diced fruit for dinner in the open indoor quad area outside his room.

Cole will be getting a lot of rest tonight in preparation for tomorrow's grueling day of therapy sessions. Something he says he is not looking forward to.

At the HBO Cafe.

Waiting for that yogurt.

Yogurt. Yum yum

Eating dinner in the quad

Dinner in the Qaud.