Paul's Update - 03/29/06

Dear Friends:

Paul was VERY alert today. It seems like the change in medicines has been a good course! Dad & I missed ADL this morning since it was scheduled for 8:00 am. Dad went to Tabby's house first thing to work sanding the drywall and I had a physical therapy appointment at 9:00 am. Dad got to the hospital at 9:30 am. The pastor came shortly after Dad got there. The speech therapist came at 10:00 because of a change in the schedule (she was suppose to come at 1:00 pm). He did even better than yesterday. She started with ice chips, he took them but wasn't able to swallow. He was holding his head up really good today. She got him to wave to her. He did that twice. He was ABLE to ring the bell today. He picked it up in his hand and used his index finger to ring it. She gave him the buzzer and he squeezed it but didn't want to let go. She finally got him to work it correctly but when she asked him "yes" questions he had some trouble with it. She still thinks it is worthy of more work since he seems to understand what to do but has a hard time getting it transferred to correct actions. She also worked with exercising his tongue. PT was at 11:00 am. The representative from the wheelchair company came and worked to get an order for a custom wheelchair. It will probably take about 6-8 weeks for his chair to be ready but he now has a "loaner" chair to go home with. He stayed awake and alert through most of this. After we got done with that Dad & I got him into a flannel jacket and took him outside for a walk. He was getting pretty tired but we stayed out for about 50 minutes. He was back in the bed around 2:45 pm. Dad put on the History channel and he watched it quite a bit. He also has some "old friends" keeping him company. Yesterday Tabby brought his two of his toys that were at the hospital with him. He use to play with them a lot and we are hoping they will encourage him to move his arms more. The doctor came in tonight and talked to Dad. He is pleased to see Paul be so alert. He is going to try to increase the new muscle relaxer a bit again. He also wants to try a new drug that is used for Parkinson's patients. His hope is it will make Paul even more alert. Dad also asked him if we can start giving Paul feedings three times a day instead of the slow feeding all night. He is going to think about that and maybe we can start that before we take Paul home next week. Thursday Dad & I will meet with a representative from Brain Injury Services. I hope she will be able to give us information about services that will be helpful when we go home. I think we are all starting to be anxious (and as ready as we can be at this point) to bring him home. We look forward the possibility that he will do better in his own environment! Keep praying ... God has been faithful to us and I know he will work out everything for the changes ahead!

God Bless, Lynne & Carl