Paul's Update - 01/30/06

Dear Friends:

Paul went back to Fairfax Hospital today. He has been scheduled to have the shunt replaced on Wednesday. A transport came to get him around 5pm tonight. We got to the hospital just before the nurses were ready to do the shift change. They did his vitals and got the paperwork started. Dr. Azzam came by to give us some idea of the plan for the next couple of days. He ordered some tests ... X-ray & CT scan. He wants the infectious disease group to look at him (because of the staff mostly). He ordered the respiratory therapy & feeding tube to be resumed. They are discontinuing the blood thinner until after the surgery. Needless to say, we are not thrilled that Paul will have to endure another surgery .... but it is comforting that he is getting such a good look over and will have excellent nursing care. He will stay at the hospital for three days after surgery for observation. The nursing home said they can't hold the room for Paul but we are hopeful that they will have a bed for him when he needs to leave the hospital. The administrative staff and the therapists would really like to see him be able to come back. Dad said today was a really good day for Paul. The new brace on his right leg seems to make him move the leg and foot more. When I came into the nursing home this afternoon he had both legs hanging off the right side of the bed. Dad said that he had done that himself and that he was hanging them off then pulling them back onto the bed. He really seems to look around and AT us more and more. It seems like there is more "warmth" in his look. Dad also said he is holding up his left hand and turning it at the wrist like he is "checking it out". He is relaxing both arms more since Dad has been working with him on it. He also gets frustrated with Dad doing personal hygiene stuff. It seems like he is getting very close to moving to stage 4. We've been told that many patients take a long time to get to 4 but usually progress more quickly to 8. This gives us much hope!! If you want to come to the hospital the visiting is from 10am-8pm. He is in room 354. Have a good day!

Love, Lynne & Carl