February 3, 2012

Mrs. Doug called and said that they got back to Baldwyn this afternoon.  He's doing really well.  They gave him a swallow test and he passed it!  They brought him some apple juice with honey in it that was really thick.  He loved that.  They had to make him drink it slowly.  He was ready to down it!  Then later they brought him a supper tray with pureed potatoes, english peas, and ham.  He did well eating it.  Mrs. Doug fed him the first few bites and then he wanted to try it.  She said with him learning to use his left hand to eat it was kinda like watching a kid learn to use a spoon.  But he was determined and he got about half of all of it eaten.  They brought him salt to season it with too, so she figures it was pretty good.  He sure enjoyed it.  They said that soon he will be able to eat more solid food.  Tonight they brought him some sweet tea with the thickening stuff in it and he did not like being told he had to drink it slow.  But after Mrs. Doug threatened to take it away from him, he agreed to sip it slowly.  He did get strangled a little a few times, but he immediately was able to cough it up and recover.  So the only thing he is taking by the feeding tube is his medicine.  All other nourishment will come through the meals. 

She said that they will not be able to remove the trach before he leaves Baldwyn.  They are not equipped to do it there.  They will be able to do that in Jackson, so she's not worried about it.  They believe that he could easily tolerate the 3 hours of physical therapy at this point.  They will have a meeting on Tuesday and evaluate whether or not he meets all of the criteria necessary to get in at the Methodist Rehab in Jackson.  

He has not been up a lot this week, but Wednesday they had him up on the side of the bed and were trying to get him to support himself with his right hand instead of his left.  He started doing his crunches where he would lean back as far as he could and sit back up.  He hasn't been up much else, but they will get him in the chair tomorrow.    Dr. Bevering said on Monday to get ready for boot camp to start back up!

He has been doing some occupational and speech therapy today.  They would have him open his mouth as wide as he could, smile, count on his fingers.  And after he would do an exercise, he would say, "well good."  He hasn't been able to say anything else yet, but it's there.  He's just got to figure out how to get it out.  She can see the frustration as he tries to say more or communicate, but it will come with time. 

He has come so far and his recovery can be measured in larger steps now for sure than at the beginning!  God is working and answering our prayers.  Thanks be to God! 


"⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."  1 Corinthians 15:57-58