Fresh Air, A New Chair

Wow...five good days in a row...a new record! Yahoo! It's been a great week for dad. Where do I begin??

It started with good news about the heart thing. No surgery needed...they're just going to keep an eye on his blood pressure. An answer to prayers.

His brand new, custom wheelchair arrived a few days ago...and it is one sweet ride. Mom did a great job ordering it...it looks awesome and has features that are perfect for Pops. The first being, of course, that it goes 8 miles an hour. Enough said. They had to add a safety strap around his chest so he doesn't fly out. Sounds dangerous, but dad cried when he was telling mom about the speed...the man does enjoy going fast, so dang it, let him have his fun. It also has a lift that can put him at eye level when he talks to people. We didn't realize how cool that was until we saw it...it makes a big difference when he doesn't have to look up at everyone. This will give him more opportunities...like sitting at high tables or taking walks with mom while holding hands... and having a conversation. The amazing thing is that he can still go 8 miles an hour while elevated...picture that. Yikes. So he's been up in his new chair a lot. An answer to prayers.

Today he moved from the acute side of the hall to the rehab side. This means tomorrow he starts a rigorous therapy schedule...and he's very ready for it. His spirits have remained high for a while now and he seems ready to do some hard work. The therapists are already seeing a tiny improvement in his left hand grip. He still does not lift his left arm as there seems to have been more nerve damage there then on his right side. He is really doing well using his right arm...he is always itching his face or adjusting his oxygen tubes. But he has minimal finger grip on the right hand so he can't hold anything or push buttons. We pray that we'll see some progress with therapy, but it's hard to tell what will come back, if anything. We still have never seen movement in his legs.

He has been doing a little more talking lately, using the Passy-Muir valve. He can only do it for short periods, but each time he seems to sound a little more like himself and his voice is getting stronger. It's awesome. How easy it is to take your ability to speak for granted...I can't explain the joy of getting to talk to him on the phone. Amazing. There's a rumor flying around that he may take a second swallow test Thursday or Monday. A passed swallow test means talking and eating and drinking...so big prayers that his throat is healing and he is no longer aspirating. Although he said today that he really doesn't miss eating. He said getting his 'oatmeal' though his stomach tube is really pretty convenient...he's never hungry and he never has to floss. Very true, I suppose. Too funny.

Another biggie was that he went outside today for the first time in almost four months. He was able to sit out in the sunshine for close to an hour and finally breathe some fresh air. Pretty huge. It was good for him, but he described it as bittersweet. I asked him why and he said, "All I wanted to do was play catch." We hadn't thought of how tough it would be on him...being outside made him think of all the things he loves to do...sailing, rollerblading, playing catch. It was harder on him than any of us expected, but we were warned that leaving "hospital-world" is emotionally the hardest part. He mentioned today that it's a blessing he's been in the hospital so long since it gives him a chance to slowly get used to reality. And since Mike and Becky's house remodeling still isn't finished...it really is a blessing he's not coming home quite yet.

God knows what He's doing.

This is an enormous blog but there's more I don't want to ever forget. Mom and I took a little trip to Arizona last week...it forced mom away from her rigorous hospital routine, and gave Pops a breather as well, I suppose. It was good for everyone. But the sweetest part was the reunion after mom and dad had not seen each other for a whole week. Mom and I drove their car home from Arizona, and somewhere around Iowa she started getting very fidgety...like a 16 year old going on her first date. She was so excited to see Pops, she was all girly and worried about looking cute. Little did we know dad was in Wisconsin doing the same thing. He asked for a shampoo and a shave, wanting to wear a nice shirt and look hot when mom got there. I didn't see the reunion but I guess there were lots of hugs and tears, and they even did some "making out". Ew, sick. As gross as it is, it's pretty much the most precious thing ever. This ordeal has made them realize how much they love each other, which is impressive after 35 years of marriage. Pretty darn cute. Makes you want to barf when it's your parents, but pretty darn cute nonetheless.

Praise God that there's so much good stuff to share. What a great feeling. And even when the feelings change...and they probably will...we rest on the fact that God is in control. We give Him praise for all the progress that dad has made this week. We pray that it continues and that I'll have to write more incredibly long blogs to fit it all in.

God is so good. Thank you so much for your prayers. It means more to our family than you will ever know.