BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - May 19 can’t come fast enough for Caleb Olson.
“That day, I hope to see as many of my friends and family as I can,” he said. “I miss them so much.”
While Caleb, who was injured in a skiing accident in Montana, continues working to regain his physical independence over the next few weeks, members of his family have their work cut out, too.
Their house in northeast Bismarck is hardly wheelchair friendly. Just to get past the entryway requires climbing two steps.
Caleb’s mother, Kim, says the living room carpet will definitely go. Rolls of padding to go underneath the new hardwood floor are already waiting in Caleb’s bedroom alongside stacks of tile for the bathroom next door.
The washer and dryer that sit in the bathroom need to move downstairs. The family will also replace the sink with one lower to the ground, and they may tear out the tub to allow for a barrier-free shower.
Many of the home’s doorways also need to be widened.
“That’s enough to make your head spin,” Kim Olson told the Bismarck Tribune (https://bit.ly/1QFQmNp ). “It’s overwhelming. Where do we start?”
She and her husband have limited time to devote to the home as they alternate weeks between Bismarck and the hospital where Caleb is staying in Denver. Friends and family are stepping up to get the house ready for Caleb’s return and to organize fundraisers to help with expenses his family has accrued.
“The community has just been absolutely amazing, and that is something a ’thank you’ doesn’t even begin to cover,” Kim Olson said.
Caleb himself has a room to plan. He and younger brother Tanner are switching bedrooms, with Tanner moving downstairs.
It was hard to open the Snapchat messages his brother sent him with images of his old, empty room, though Caleb says he’ll get over it.
“I don’t really do the same thing two times,” he said. “I’m going to take this opportunity to do something new with it, but I haven’t decided what yet.”
At the rehabilitation hospital in Colorado, his room is covered with cards from loved ones and posters of one of his own loves: cars.
Even if he cannot walk, he will still get to drive, though he needs something more reliable than his 2002 Hyundai Sonata.
Caleb says he hopes to start a driver’s education course this week. Instead of using his feet to press the brake and gas, he’ll trigger those pedals with his hands using adaptive equipment.
“I’ve been trying to be as independent as I possibly can,” he said.
Caleb can already sit up and get dressed by himself, which wasn’t possible a few weeks ago after he underwent surgery on his spine.
“Do you want me to push you up the hill?” Kim Olson recalled asking him during a recent visit in Colorado.
Caleb remained adamant he make the climb himself.
“I’ve got it, Mom,” he responded.
His determination is something his mother is certain the young black belt gained from his years at Alliance Taekwondo.
Younger brother Logan showed off a silicone bracelet designed by their instructor on a recent afternoon, explaining that the Korean letters translate to “perseverance.” They’re printed next to the words “Never Give Up” with “#TeamCaleb” written on the other side.
“There’s a lot of things he learned in taekwondo I never realized he’d need to use,” Kim Olson said.
She says she is proud of her other two sons as well. After the accident, 13-year-old Tanner stood up in front of his class at school to talk about his brother. Logan, 15, is determined to get his brother on his feet. Doctors have told Caleb he has a 10 percent chance of walking again.
Caleb knows that with each bit of progress he makes, he’s closer to that day in May when he can see everyone who has been cheering him on 700 miles away.
“What has been keeping me positive is the insane amount of support I have been receiving from back home,” he said. “I never expected such a following.”
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, https://www.bismarcktribune.com
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