Big News!

SO much has happened in the past week. Like Sarah said, Dad's legs are getting stronger and stronger, as was evidenced today when HE WALKED!!!! Dad said that the physical therapist, Julia, normally comes in around 11, so I made sure to be there this morning (Spring break started yesterday for me). She has been getting him up on a walker the past several days--just holding himself up and getting used to standing. The first few times he held onto him, but he's been supporting most, if not all, his own weight. So today he stood up, and with Julia holding his elbow, and dragging his chair behind him (with her foot, no less!), Dad took several steps-about five feet across the room. Then...he did it again!! I was only there for the second time, which I think is best, because Julia said that the first time he was a bit nervous, and an audience would only have made it worse. Mom was able to make it in time, too. It was such a rush to see him standing and moving. Tomorrow, Julia wants to disconnect all his lines (the TPN, saline, etc.) and take him out into the hallway, so he has more room to move--fewer walls to run into. :) She estimates that he should be able to go about 20 feet!! She said he might even surprise her and be able to go further. I'm going to be SURE to be there for this. We checked with the nurses today to make sure that he can be disconnected, and they said that as long as it's not for too long, he'll be fine. His blood pressure and heart rate have been responding appropriately, Julia said, so we seem to have the balance right. I don't know if it was said before, but he's getting everything through his G tube, with the exception, we think, of the Vancomycin (anti-biotic). The nutritionist (Nick) was supposed to come in today and file the order to have his TPN recycled (which isn't as gross as it sounds--it just means that they're going to switch it from going in over 24 hours to going in over 12 hours). That's pretty much the last hurdle that we have to face before getting him into rehab. It seems like now it's just going to be a matter of getting a bed.

The speech/swallowing therapist has been coming in regularly. His neck is getting stronger, and she has taught him a bunch of exercises to do. He's even been allowed ice chips and spoonfuls of water, which he has been swallowing like a pro!! Honestly, he has come SO far this last week or two. I would have NEVER thought a week ago that he woud be here now.

Tomorrow I'm going to bring in a deck of cards and Mom's going to bring his cribbage board. I gave him a new one for Christmas a few years ago (since the Angerer branch always complained about his old one), and learned the basics of cribbage. It's HARD!! But Amy and I are both working on learning, and he seems fairly enthused about being able to play.

I hesitate to say it, because I don't want to jinx us, but I think we're on a good path here!