Paul's Update - 04/03/06

Dear Friends:

I'm a little behind since I went away for a much needed weekend with two of my girlfriends. It was very relaxing but I thought of Paul most of the weekend. Dad was with him all weekend and has kept me up to date on his progress. God has blessed us with lots of great things to report!!
Saturday we have two therapies scheduled. OT was scheduled first. They worked to stretch his arms and legs. They also stretched his back and neck. He seems more flexible each day. He is helping more. Speech therapy was spent mostly on exercising his mouth and tongue. She worked with the buzzer a bit. She had asked him to push the button twice and he did that but he wouldn't let go until she told him to. The therapist said she had consulted with the psychiatrist on staff about Paul's injury and his difficulty with following commands. The doctor said that she had a patient before that was just like Paul except that she could talk. While working with her the doctor finally asked her if she understood what she was being asked and her response was "I can understand everything you are saying but I can't make my body do what you ask". When Paul heard her talking to Dad he started to nod his head "yes". Then he reached up and did the buzzer twice. It's possible he is understanding more than he can respond to!! Sunday is our quiet day. Dad worked to exercise Paul and then later in the day they were able to go outside for fresh air. While they were outside near the emergency room there was an ambulance leaving. Dad said "noisy huh?" and Paul nodded his head. Then another ambulance on the other side of him started up his engine and Paul turned his head to watch them pull out. Then Dad decided to have a change of scenery so they went to the garden in the front of the hospital. Dad saw birds and said "do you see the birds over to the left?" and Paul nodded his head. Then he said "there is a couple of them in the tree" and Paul looked up to see them!! Later they went to the patio outside of the cafeteria. It is on the second floor of the hospital and there is a glass wall with a board trim on the top of it. If you look through the glass there was only a roof to look at and the wood trim was right above that. Dad said "you can't see anything can you?" and Paul shook his head "no". Sounds familiar huh? He was doing these kinds of things before the meds zonked him out. How wonderful it is to see him respond. Later in the evening his nurse came in to say goodbye for the night (and next few days) and he raised his left hand to wave at her!! We also now are seeing Paul move his arms and legs much more. Dad was able to work with Paul's left arm and get his hand all the way up to his chin ... three times!! Monday we get back into the weekday routine. Dad missed ADL today but the therapist said he was doing really good. He was reaching for his clothes and raised his leg to put his pants on before she asked him to. He also reached for the washcloth before she was ready to put it in his hand. PT went really good today. Paul worked with less assistance while used the walker. He didn't go as far but he did better. He held his head up and looked at Dad the whole time he was walking. The Speech therapist mostly worked with swallowing and exercising his tongue and cheeks. She tried to get him to lick a spoon but he wouldn't do it. She tried to reach and grab his tongue to get it to come out. He pulls his tongue back from her. But later she saw him lick his lips ... she knows he CAN do it. The Speech therapist told the doctor that the swallowing action seems to be almost completely absent and she feels that it is drug related but she told the him that Paul is doing so much better in so many other things that she doesn't want him to change any meds. Later in the afternoon Dad took Paul outside. They were sitting under the pavilion (near the emergency room) and Dad asked Paul if he wanted him to move the wheelchair into the sun. He said "if you want me to move you all you have to do it hold your thumb up". He took his hand and showed him how to do it. Then he asked him again and Paul just sat there with his thumb tucked in, but when he asked "do you want to go back to the room?" he turned his hand up and gave him a "thumbs up". Tonight we had a visitor ... Uncle Jimmy came by. Every time Uncle Jimmy talked to Paul he looked up at him and paid attention. Then when Uncle Jimmy was leaving he said "next time I see you it will be at your house" and Paul got a big smile on his face. Later Dad & Paul were watching a funny commercial where the husband was fixing tiles in the bathroom with a deer head. Dad asked Paul if he would put a deer head in the shower and Paul smiled!! I saved the best for last ... when Tabby called the hospital tonight to get an update on how the day went she told Dad to tell Paul she loved him. Dad suggested she talk to Paul and held the phone to his ear. She said "hey babe" and HE made a noise that sounded like "hi". It is the first time he has made noise with his voice that appeared that he was trying to say something. Tuesday the hospital bed will be delivered. We are almost ready for Paul to come home on Thursday. It seems a shame that Paul is finally doing well in therapy just in time to go home! But we are hopeful that he will do even better in his own environment!! It appears that God has orchestrated things that make us more ready for Paul to come home. Our prayers have been answered over and over ... God is so good!!

Blessings, Lynne & Carl