I just returned from visiting my parents.  What an amazing visit!  Dad is moving is right leg.  Yes, you read that correct!  He has moved it side to side, lifted it off the bed and lifted his butt as well.  These are amazing accomplishments.  What a Christmas present!

The family and I celebrated Christmas in Dad's new room.  We had our dinner, where dad had a glass of wine.  The next night he had a beer.  This has been truly amazing!

Thank you for your love and support!  From my family to yours, may you have a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.

I will be posting photos soon!

Dad passed his swallow test!!!!!  He can now eat and drink freely.  This is truly amazing, as we were told he would never regain this.  God is good!

Thereapy has restarted for physical and occupational.  They are really working Dad.  They have him standing daily.  They feel some movement potential in his right side.  This is very exciting news.  Therapy lasts for 7 weeks right now.  We are hoping they see enough progress to extend and get more and more back.

Thank you so very much for all your thoughts and prayers.  We have come so far with your help!  Please know we keep each of you in our thoughts and prayers.

Dad has been settling in to his new place.  He is loving the food and space.  The smiles are wonderful. 

Unfortunately his food peg dislodged this week.  This is not as serious as it was last time.  He went to the ER Monday night and was there into the wee hours getting it replaced (Thank you Joyce Dawson for sitting with Mom during this!).  Sadly this wasn't placed quite right, and a second one was put in Tuesday. We are watching this closely and will see our Dr. soon to get an idea of where to go next.

Dad started physical therapy again.  They had him standing today.  Even mentioned that they can feel movement in his right side.  This is wonderful news! 

11/29 is the date for the next swallow test.  Please keep Dad in your prayers.  He would love to have a sip of beer!

Thank you again for your love and support!

Dad has moved!!!!  There was a bit of problem getting a bed, but it arrived after dad today.

There are a lot of changes to get used to, but this is a move in a great way.

Thank you for your love and support, as always we couldn't do this without you.

Dad was fitted for an electric wheelchair today.  We have debated electric vs not for awhile.  With his past shoulder and knee issues, we believe the electric to be the best option.  It will take 6 weeks for it to arrive.  We will have a loaner until then.

The move is still scheduled for Nov 15th.  The pieces have been falling into place.  The website for the new facility is
http://www.seniorlivinginstyle.com/assisted_living/Pickerington_OH/zip_43147-0189/hawthorn_retirement_group/1468

The address is

Amber Park

401 Hill Rd

Pickerington, OH 43147-0189

 

room 238

 

This is such a great change for both my parents.  The independence that comes with this facility will be huge for Dad.  The ability to visit with friends and family in his own space, instead of hoping the weather is good enough outside.  

 

We are still scheduled for a swallow test at the end of the month.  Please keep Dad in your prayers.  He is so close to an official all clear on all foods and liquids.  

 

Thank you so much for your love, prayers, help, and support.  We are truly blessed! 

Dad is moving!!!!!  He will be moving November 15th.  Mom will be moving little things in, but could use help with the bigger items.  I will post the room number as soon as I have it. 

He will be on the second floor.  The above will be on his door, so you will know for sure it is his.  His name will be beside it as well. 

This will be a studio, with no roommate.  We are working out the details on visiting.  He will not necessarily be able to answer the door, so how do you walk in and know he is there or ready for visitors?  I will have an answer shortly.

Not only is this a great facility with more men.  Therapy will happen here too, speech and physical. 

Thank you for your love and support! 

Sorry for the lack of updates.  We have exciting news.  Dad will be moving to a new facility shortly.  This is an assisted living facility.  We are very excited!  Amber Park is in Pickerington for one, so less travel for Mom.  This is really great with snow season coming.  More importantly, there are more active residents there.  He will have his own studio apartment, with his own furniture.  No roommate!!! 

We do not have a date for the move as of yet but are planning on soon.

He has a swallow test scheduled for 11/29, and Michelle will hopefully be able to work with him at the new facility.

He was fitted for a new wheelchair.  This is exciting, as he stood up with a little assistance and sat by himself on the bed.  He stood during his last visit with the rehab doctor.  This is great, as he isn't getting physical therapy anymore. 

Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers!!!

Unfortunately, Dad's swallow test didn't go as well as we hoped.  He is still progressing, which is important, but not ready for full go on foods and drinks.  We haven't had time to talk to the therapist as of yet, so I don't know where we go or when we test again.  I will let you know.  We really need him to pass, so he can move to an assisted living facility.

If you get the chance to send Happy Birthday's to my Mom, I know it would mean the world to her.  Her birthday is Saturday!

Thank your for your love and support!

Dad's swallow test is next Tuesday.  Please send some extra prayers his way.  This will hopefully allow him to eat and drink as he pleases.  No more thickened, gross drinks! 

Dad has been a little on the emotional side lately.  With the lack of verbalization, we are still guessing at the source.  When you visit, please ask him questions that he will need to verbalize the answer.  I know this is hard and difficult for all.  He truly needs to push those connections through. Thank you in advance for what will feel a little uncomfortable in the beginning.  I promise you aren't being cruel, you are helping!

Mom's birthday is coming up on the 17th.  I know she would appreciate the love you send her way this upcoming week!  I will be flying in on the 14th for a week. 

Thank you for your love and support!  We cannot express how much this has meant to us on the long road of recovery!

We took Dad out on a car ride through Gahanna today.  He does great at helping get in and out of a car.  He needs assistance from the trained staff.  He enjoyed himself and knew where we were going.  He pointed where he wanted to go. 

His words are there.  So please continue to prompt him to use them.  When he gets a word stuck, prompt him with the first sound of the correct word.  Or you can use an example of the situation.  IE: the word wash, when I want to clean my hands I ....

Thank you for your love and support! 

Dad is doing great.  If you are visiting, please try to get him to talk.  He is capable but avoiding.  As hard as it is not to help fill in his blank, push him a little to find the word on his own.   You will know when to jump in with the correction.  That helps tremendously too.  Cementing those connections has been huge. 

He will be going in for another swallow test.  We are hoping he will pass with flying colors.  This will clear him for all foods and beverages.  He has been enjoying the homegrown tomatoes that have been so thoughtfully brought in for him.  Mom is trying out a peach today.  Please pray for a successful test.  I am not sure of the day, but I will keep you informed.

Thank you for all your love and support!

Dad is doing great.  Words are still coming, but there are more of them!  He has had Cane's chicken fingers, Wendy's hamburgers, smoothies (if they are made with bananas), and some homemade chicken salad.  You can only imagine how happy this makes him. 

We cannot thank everyone enough for the outpouring of love.  It has carried us through a very rough year.  We have a long way to go, but it gets easier with your support!  

A couple of notes:

Mom's Aunt Jean passed away today.  She died peacefully in her sleep.  She was an Aunt, sister, and great friend to each of us.  Please send prayers and thoughts to my mom and my Aunt's family. 

Dad's birthday is Saturday and their anniversary is Friday.  Please send them congratulations and love!

Thank you so much!

I would like to ask a favor.  Tomorrow the kids and I head home.  We will be visiting in the morning, but will leave dads around 11.  If you have free time tomorrow or Friday, I know it would lift his spirits to see a friendly face after saying goodbye to us.

Our visit has been amazing.  The kids have put a light in him.  He put a sentence together today.  It was a heartbreaking one, but a sentence with purpose and originality.  These are huge steps forward, and only show how far we can go.

He said, "I want to be with you".    We talked about how much work he needs to be able to come home, and it is only possible there.  When you see him, remind him how far he can go with the therapy.  He has been approved for a talk assist device.  Tobii dyvanox, http://www.tobiidynavox.com/t-series/ .  So this will help with those thoughts as well.

Thank you so much for your continued love and support.  It means the world to all of us!

BTW we celebrated Dad's birthday a week early.  He was able to eat the Cane's chicken and Gigi's cupcake!

Sorry for the lack of posts. The therapy is back in action. Dad will get 4 days of physical therapy and 4 days of speech. This is incredible! They haven't put an end date on this yet, so we will just keep trucking along! We are trialing a speech program. One of those handy tablets that you press words, or pictures to speak for you. This will help the connections for Dad, as well as allow him to speak for himself (hopefully) We put the order in today, so hopefully it will arrive shortly. My kids have been here for a visit. He has just been glowing every day, even in the heat outside. We have been doing some block puzzles. I'm not sure who has been having more fun, us or dad.

Dad's therapy is on hold for a bit. We are trying to traverse the insurance maze. He is still working hard and improving! Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts!

WooHoo!!! Dad's swallow test went great. He has been cleared to eat and drink, just not thin drinks. This means no water, juice, or more importantly wine or beer. He is starting out slow, with mechanical soft foods. This means either pureed or already soft food. He is allowed to drink thickened water....must be an acquired taste. Thank you so much for all your prayers and thoughts! God is good!

Dad is gearing up for a swallow test Thursday. Good results = more real food less pureed food. Please keep him in you thoughts and prayers! We have this!

Happy Father's Day! I know this is a little early, but this year is a little more sentimental. Dad is continuing to fight. Which is amazing! His voice is getting stronger and stronger. Unfortunately, we are having to fight insurance. If you are well versed in this world, we could use your advice and help! Happy Father's Day to the many dads who pray, check in on, and support my family. We truly appreciate it!

Family has always been so important to my dad! This weekend he was blessed with a visit from his sister, who turned 80 recently. With her came many of his nieces and nephews. How I wish I could have made it. This was a blessing he will feel for quite some time! Thank you for your love and support!

So today was the Frosty day! He LOVED it! So exciting that the swallowing has come so far as to allow him some treats. He will go through another swallow test soon to see how far he has come and what is possible to add to his diet.

Sorry for the silence! Dad is still doing great! Today he gets to have a frosty!!!! He has continued to improve his speech. The speech pathologist tried the O-H.....Dad said I-O back, no prompting. He is working on Buckeye and is pretty close. He has told Mom to "be quiet". You know he has been dying to say that to one of us, since this started. The road is still long, but at least it is bright! Thank you for your love, support and prayers!

Dad has a new room at National Churches 206b (by the window). This is a more extended care situation.

Dad had a great weekend. He said I love you to Mom for the first time since the stroke. You can only imagine what a moment that was for both! He also sang Happy Birthday to both of his granddaughters. They were both so happy! What an incredible birthday gift for both. His rehab is going well. He has asked mom for a coke and a coffee, neither he can have yet. He tried to steal mom's crackers, which again sadly he cannot have. We get closer to both every day. Thank you for your wonderful thoughts and prayers they mean the world to us.

Dad ate pureed au gratin potatoes and pureed bbq chicken today. He loved every bite! We are still seeing great things and huge improvements. Thank you for your love and support! God is good!

Dad is doing great. He had is first Dr.'s visit outside of the facility yesterday. He rode in a wheelchair, which had to be a great change. His speech is continuing to strengthen. He will get to eat mashed potatoes today! His right side is getting stronger, but we are not seeing voluntary movement quite yet. Thank you for your love and support!

Dad is doing really well at the new facility. He is truly happy and motivated. We are seeing continuous improvements. Thank you for your love and support, it truly has been amazing!

Dad has settled in nicely to his new place. The therapy is great. He has said without prompting "my name is". When he doesn't overthink, his brain will say all kinds of stuff. Thank you for checking in!

Dad moved to National Churches Residences. He is in the main building (see above for more direct information). He continued to attempt words today. When you least, and he least, expects it, words have a way of popping out. If you are lucky enough for him to attempt around you, just try to slow down. Let him try, repeat back a word if you heard one. He will let you know if you are right. This is just our next step. We are still waiting for a room at Mother Angeline. He will continue his therapy, but we hope the change of scenery and ability to leave a room helps him move forward. I have to say the amazing change in one month's time has bolstered our resolve to push forward. Thank you for the prayers, God has blessed us truly!

Dad graduated today. He moves to a new facility today, so pray a bed becomes available at National Church Residences. Otherwise, we will be at Echo Manor. He took 6 assisted steps. He moved his left leg, the therapists braced him and moved his right. He said multi sounds today, as if they were easy as pie. He said his name, Judy, Andy and few more words. The connections are starting to connect. If you see him attempting to speak, please be patient let him form the thought and try. It truly is hard to not try and fill in the blank, but his brain is working really hard on telling many muscles how to say the word he wishes to say. The words are coming! He played a beginning game of soduko. Thank you for your prayers! They are working!

Dad is still rocking rehab. Yesterday he looked at newspaper. We don't know if he was reading it or just looking at the sports scores. These little steps are amazing. I am coming in for a visit today for the week. I can hardly wait to see how far we have come. There is still a long way to go, but we so appreciate your support and love!

The swallow test results are in. Although they are not as good as we hoped, they are hopeful. He still has some aspiration of high viscosity liquids (watery liquids get into his lungs). He was able to swallow the honey like liquids without this though. With more work, we will have him eating full meals in no time! Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts!

Dad is continuing to thrive in rehab. Yesterday he ate toast and drank water. These are huge steps. He will do a formal swallow test this afternoon. This will allow us to know how much more we can add to his diet. He is practicing his pronunciation skills. He hasn't been able to communicate his own thoughts, but we need to strengthen his vocal cords for when those connections happen. His stay at Mt. Carmel West has been extended to next Thursday. We are still looking at options for our next move. He is in a new room (as of last Friday). Be sure to check the board by the nurses station or ask. Thank you for your support and love!

Dad is doing great in rehab. He is doing puzzles, and may have even asked "where" the rest of the pieces are. His voice is gravelly at this time, but those around him swear they heard the word where. At this time, he will be leaving rehab on the 21st. This is more of an insurance issue, than anything to do with progress or lack of. When we know where we move next, I will post it. Thank you so much for your love and support! We truly appreciate and send it back to you!

Dad sang Happy Birthday today. As with most of us, singing this isn't much of a thought process. We do it by rote memory, much like counting or the abc's. So Dad, may not be communicating necessarily, but the strengthening of those vocal cords is so very important. This way when the communication starts to connect, he will have a great voice to use! Thank you so much for your support and love!

What a difference a week makes. Dad has been doing puzzles all week, most with a grin saying these aren't hard enough. He stood with assistance today. He has been eating ice chips and applesauce. Best of all.....he said hi and bye!!!! I'm still crying and dancing! Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! God has truly blessed us!

Rehab is doing wonders for Dad. We are seeing such progress. Dad isn't quite feeling it though. If you could send positive thoughts his way, that would be so very helpful!

Bright new day. Dad had 4 hours of therapy today. He participated and did wonderful! We heard some grumbles and growls, but I don't know that they were anything other tired noises. We have this!

Today was a very grumpy day for Dad. Either he is extremely tired from the move, he didn't leave east until 930 last night with a 1030 arrival to west, or he is mad we are making him work again. More than likely it is both. He is in room 79, on the 7th floor, of Mt. Carmel WEST! There are multiple towers, so make sure you are in WEST! If he isn't in the room, you can check the board to see if he is therapy. He really needs some cheering on during this part of the journey. It will be hard work, and has to be scary. I know we can do this, but he has the hardest part. Reminders of his old life and what can still be are needed! Thank you so much for you love and support! We have this!

Dad is moving to Mt. Carmel West this evening. This is stroke boot camp, and we are so excited for this opportunity! This is where we were when the gastric peg dislodged, so we are back on track!javascript:void(0); Thank your for all the prayers and good thoughts!

Happy Easter! Thank you so much for your love and support! We feel them and send them back to you. He has Risen! Love the Augsburgers!

Dad is still at Mt. Carmel East. He should be moving to West on Monday. He is recovering well, with slight bladder issues. Happy Easter! He has Risen! Thank you for your love, thoughts, and prayers! We love each of you and send love and light back! We have this!

Dad is continuing to recover well from the gastric tube placement. Not only has this allowed for better nutrition, but some medicines that could only be taken in pill form. The best news of all though...he was evaluated today for stroke boot camp at Mt. Carmel West. This is huge, as the recovery from stroke comes through rehab. The damage is truly bad to the left side of his brain. It is truly hard to tell what the end picture is, but we need every chance for rehab is a bigger piece back than yesterday! Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! We truly need them tonight, as the decision is still being made on this move. We have this!

Hallelujah! Dad has a new gastric tube placed! All went well. Hopefully this will will stay placed. He is recovering from the surgery now.

Dad was taken to the ER today. The Dr. at Echo Manor didn't like his potassium level, too high, this week. As he was going to the ER tomorrow, they took advantage of the timing and admitted him a day early. He had therapy over the weekend and seems to be doing well with that. Tomorrow they will evaluate him for the gastric tube, and hopefully it will be placed tomorrow afternoon. Thank you for your support, love, and prayers! We have this!

Sorry for the long lag in news. Dad has been doing well this week. He has been standing with much help. They are feeling the muscles activate in his right leg, which is absolutely fantastic. He has been working small parts of a puzzle and showing interest in the communication board. On Monday or Tuesday, Dad will be taken to Mt. Carmel East for a gastric feeding tube placement. As you know this is a huge step in Dad's recovery! He hasn't had proper nutrition for quite some time and is often meds that he needs but cannot be administered through a picc line. We are hoping the next step is rehab at West - Stroke bootcamp. With better nutrition and a clearer head, I think that stroke bootcamp is perfectly timed for Dad! Thank you so much for your thoughts, visits, and prayers! We have this!

Over Friday and Saturday, they were able to get Dad out of bed and into a wheel chair. This is a great change of pace. Dad was mobile and able to take advantage of the nice weather on Saturday. He has been cleared of cdiff!!! No more gowns, gloves, or worry! He still is trying to remove the picc line. This is the line we are giving him nutrition through. If you see him fiddling with this, please remind him to stop and get a nurse. We are still looking for a Dr. to do a stomach tube. The last one flaked out on us without seeing Dad. Extremely frustrating to say the least!!! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! We have this!

Dad is doing well. Yesterday, he followed conversations better, as well as made leaps and bounds in rehab. We have found that making statements about this being a trend are dangerous. Each step is tenuous and hard. We will get there, but the journey won't be easy. Your thoughts, visits, and most important prayers are so important to him. We truly appreciate them. I am going to hijack this page for a second, I know my dad won't mind. His grandson, my son Quinn, is raising money for research in childhood cancer. He will be shaving his head this Sunday. If you are interested in donating, here is the link. https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/833324/2016. We truly appreciate it!

We are still using the picc line for nutrition. There hasn't been any issues, so those positive thoughts are helping! When visiting, please remind him how far rehab can take him. All things are possible with opportunities God has put in front of us. He is refusing to participate in the vita stim (electronic stimulation of the swallow muscles). I know this uncomfortable, but will be such a big help in being able to eat and even possibly speak again. He has learned how to work the remote and shave himself with an electric razor. It seems he can follow conversations easier. We are in the process of setting up a communication board. Hopefully this will help with the frustration and anxiety he is surely feeling. Thank you for your continued prayers and good thoughts! They help each of us and we are truly appreciative of them. We have this!

Dad has been pulling his NG tube out all week. We have had quite the saga of getting a new one placed and keeping it in. Right now he has a picc line for nutrition. Unfortunately, he has been trying to stop the food from entering his system. We are not sure what the intention is here, but would appreciate any positive thoughts that could be sent his way. When you visit, please tell him how far he has come and how far he can go. Remind him that he rehabbing well and making huge steps. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. They are truly appreciated!

Dad is continuing to rebound well. He pulled out his NG feeding tube again. The nurse practitioner is hopeful that we will be able to move the installation of a new gastric tube. He has healed well from the removal of the prior tube. This would be a huge step forward for Dad. He had a swallow study done before leaving the hospital in February. The test didn't show that he could swallow with control or strength, so eating isn't a viable option for nutrition at this time. However, it did show that he wasn't silently aspirating or absorbing. this means that we can strengthen and reteach the swallow muscles (27 muscles are used to swallow). Today, the speech pathologist is going to try some yogurt. Dad isn't a big fan of speech pathology. She has been using the vital stimulation therapy. (https://bismarck.sanfordhealth.org/vitalstim/VitalStimFactSheet.pdf) This isn't a comfortable therapy (not painful, but not comfortable either). It has been a really good two weeks. We are seeing improvements. Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers! They are working! We have this!

We are moving forward. Dad's eye for how things works is definitely still active. He attempted to tie the back of my gown for me. Spent quite a bit of time trying to work it out. Friday he was able to refuse therapy. We aren't happy about the refusal, but the ability to communicate his desire is very important. It was a clear communication and understood by the therapist. The weekend is therapy rest time. We attempted to get him outside in the warm weather Sunday, but with the wind that didn't last too long. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers they are working! We have this!

Dad a productive day. He sat in a wheelchair for 3 hours today. He was alert and interactive during this time. After a big nap, he had speech pathology. They did the vita stim again. He isn't as big of a fan of this as we are, and tried to use me as protection from the therapist. He swallowed two small sips of water. The first one went down easy. They second triggered a small cough. This is a good sign as well. This means that there is feeling in is throat and silent aspiration isn't as likely. We are scheduling a swallow test. This will tell us where he is and if foods can be introduced. These are all small steps when looked at individually, but together make a big difference. He is LOVING visitors. He will react if he can. He looks at pictures on phones and enjoys the stories that go with them. Thank you so much for the love and prayers! It means the world to us and they are working for each of us! We have this!

Dad is well enough that therapies have started on a regular basis. Today the speech pathologist started the vita stim. This is an electro stimulation to the nerves and muscles used in swallowing. She has seen some good swallows, so we are very hopeful. Strawberry ice cream here we come! He did get irritated at all her poking. He kept moving his face away from her and pushed her hand away. This is great! We know that when he is done with something or just plain doesn't want to do something, that he can communicate this desire. We are still trying to interpret some meanings behind faces he makes, but we will get there! Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers! We have this!

Dad's recovery is going well. He grimaced when they moved is right leg today. We are hopeful that this is a sign of feeling returning. He is loving the visits. Please know that even if he isn't awake, he enjoys and knows. Thank you so much for you sweet thoughts and prayers! We have this!

Dad moved yesterday. He is now at Echo Manor. We think the change from a hospital room to a living situation will be great for him. He would LOVE visitors. The stimulation is great for him and will motivate him to move forward in the therapy. We are hoping that in two weeks, we will replace the gastric tube. This will be a key move to get us back into intensive therapy. The real healing for stroke victims is therapy and reestablishing the connections in the brain. So we are excited that Dad is healthy enough to start this phase.

Dad is holding steady. His last CAT scan showed healing, which is incredible news. He will most likely be moved to a new facility tomorrow. This will be a skilled nursing facility center. He will heal more, get a gastric feeding tube, and receive therapy there. When he is able to move back to boot camp, we will get him there. Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers! We have this!

The good news today is I guess there isn't really any news. Dad is continuing to improve with health issues. He was alert and heard both Andy and I speak on the phone today.

It looks like Dad will remain where he is until next week. He is continuing to improve. His lungs are clear. The cdif is clearing up. It looks like the next move will be to a skilled nursing facility. This will allow Dad to heal and have a gastric tube placed. With a little more time, we could move to intense rehab when it would be more effective. We are hoping there is a bed opens in Echo Manor. It is in Pickerington, so the location alone would be a great change. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers! We have this!

Quiet snow day for Dad. It looks like he might be moving tomorrow. Where is the question. More to come. Thanks for your love and support! We have this!

Today was a good day for Dad. He was moved out of ICU yesterday. We were all pretty nervous about this move, as he had an afib three hours after he left ICU Friday. PT and OT were in today. They had him sitting up on his own and exercising his left leg. He is still apraxic on his right side. This means the connection from his brain to the muscles haven't been quite figured out. We are very hopeful from the few signs we have seen from his involuntary movements on the right side, that he will regain some control there. If you visit, you will notice he is wearing a mitt on his left hand. He hates the NG (nasal feeding) tube. He has pulled it out several times now. We are trying the mitt, in hopes that we won't have to restrain him. Once his stomach has healed more, we will have another gastric tube placed. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! They are working for each of us and we truly appreciate them. We have this!

Yesterday, they were able to remove the oxygen. They placed a NG tube for nutrition. He was aware, but not overly active. PT get him in a standing position, which is awesome. Today, he pulled the NG tube out. He has developed c-dif. They caught this early, so hopefully there won't be complications. They are planning on moving him out of ICU yet today. Dad needs to catch a break. For every step forward we take, we feel like there is some backward slide. Please keep your helpful thoughts and prayers coming. He truly needs some positive energy and thoughts right now!

We had a set back today. They moved Dad out of ICU last night, only to bring him back with an Afib attack. When they brought him back to ICU, the felt uncomfortable with amount of fluid in his lungs. He is on a bipap machine to help him breath. They have reduced the oxygen flowing from it throughout the day, so this is a good sign. This is frustrating to say the least. We will have a few more days in the ICU for sure. Thank you for your love, prayers and support! We have this!

Today they removed a few of the arterial lines from Dad. His nutrition is being given through and IV for now. The sepsis is gone, but the stomach still needs to heal, before we look into other nutrition delivery methods. He started PT again. When Mom left today, she heard him make some sound. We are hopeful that this is a sign of what may come back in time. He is being moved this evening. He isn't leaving West or the floor, just out of ICU. This is a blessing and hopefully a step back to rehab. Thank you for all your love and support! We have this!

Dad is healing well after the removal of the gastric tube was removed. The ventilator tube was removed today and he is breathing on his own. He is recognizing visitors and reacting. It is hoped that he will be moved out of ICU to the next level down in the next 24-48 hours. We are still watching the septic infection, and healing of the stomach. This will guide us on our next moves to get dad the nutrition he needs. He is currently receiving it through an IV, which is not sustainable. Thank you for your love and support! We can't do this without it! We have this!

Yesterday was full of rest for Dad. He was sedated and exhausted, so we didn't see much from him. Today they are stopping the sedative and hoping to remove the ventilator. He was over breathing it yesterday, which is a great sign. He is opening his eyes today. There is still light bleeding in the brain. So for the time being they have stopped blood thinners. This, we have assured, is ok. We need to let the brain heal. Without blood thinners, his chance for another stroke are higher. The good news is there isn't new damage or swelling. He is still in the ICU at Mt. Carmel West. We are still assessing to know when the next step can be made. Thank you for all you prayers and support! We have this!

Dad is resting today. The surgery was successful. We are still trying to assess where he is medically and neurologically. I will keep you posted. Please keep him and my Mom in your thoughts and prayers.

Late today, Dad went in to have the gastro feeding tube removed. It seems it pulled out. They cleaned up the infection and put in a nasal tube. Dad is resting comfortably. Long day for Mom and our family friend Tom, who was sweet and stayed with her at the hospital. Please keep Dad in you thoughts and prayers!

Unfortunately, Dad went back to ICU today. When Mom and Andy arrived, they noticed he was clammy and sweaty. He also wasn't waking up. He was holding his stomach and grimacing. We have done UTI tests and x-rays of his abdomen. His levels weren't quite right, but nothing that explains what is happening. A CT has been scheduled to see if there is additional bleeding in his brain. Otherwise he is in a place that can better monitor him. Please add him in your prayers tonight. Thank you!

Saturday Jan 30 Bill took a few marching steps.  He did swallow 4 pieces of ice and did not choke on them and did eat some applesauce.  He still sleeps a lot and they are thinking of giving him medication that will keep him awake.  Stacy went home Saturday and will miss her a lot.  Hard for both Bill and Stacy to say goodbye.
Sunday Jan 31 I stayed home today.  Was told by too many people I needed to "take are of my self"
Andy is coming Monday and then will post more then

Dad had a great start to the day. They stood him up, and he was able to put weight on his right foot, lift his left 6-8 times, and come back to a balanced step. He also ate!!! We tried an ice chip, but water or liquid in general is hard to control with weakened muscles. He had some vanilla pudding, then got to choose between vanilla yogurt or orange yogurt...mmmmm orange yogurt. He fed himself with his left hand, and ate about half. He gets a little frustrated when we celebrate these small miracles, but to us they are just so huge and are happening so fast. He answered some yes no questions, with more than 50% correct. These are very simple and short questions, to help him trigger what the words mean again. In some ways he is relearning a language he vaguely remembers. We are excited, as the was only the second day! The schedule tomorrow will be more therapy. Normally they take the weekends off, but with checking in later in the week, they are taking advantage of all the time they have. I, Stacy, fly back to Colorado. If you are interested in riding with or driving Judy to the hospital, please let me know. I know she would prefer company on the drive (and parking adventure). Thank you so much for your love and support. It is helping Dad! We have this!

1/28 Today was the first day of bootcamp. The OT was in for an hour this morning working on daily activities, IE: shaving, etc. The was a little too sleepy for speech. Physical therapy he was wide awake for. He was able to stand up and made a small baby step with his left foot. I am sure I don't have to tell how truly exciting this is for us! His glutes were firing, which means a cute therapist goosed him to find out. With his right side being inactive, the glute firing on this side is a great sign. We have this!!!!

1/27 Bill was very alert today. Stacy worked on some yes and no questions, with about a 50% correct rate. He has learned some facial ques to use with us. We are super excited that he was moved to Mt. Carmel West (West tower, floor 7, room 81). This has been dubbed stroke boot camp by his physical therapist. He should be here for 3-4 weeks. They will do 3 hours of therapy a day. This isn't consecutive, and will change daily. This is a huge step and we are very hopeful for large recovery. He was pretty tired after physical therapy and moving facilities, but seemed to be checking out is new surroundings. They were going to give him the night off and start working with him tomorrow. We have this!!!!

1/26 Bill was very tired today. Yesterday was jammed packed. He did wake up for PT. They had him sitting up and looking out the window. The session lasted 45 minutes, with 35 of it sitting on the edge of the bed. He is great at repeating a command, IE: lift your leg, but needs to be shown what you mean first. Baby steps are our goals! They attempted to have him stand, but didn't quite make it. With the lack of feeling and use of his right side, he has had an issue with falling that direction when sitting up. Today he was sitting up for 15 minutes untouched. He brought himself to the mid-line(not leaning to one side). He had a harder time maintaining this position when accomplishing another task. This is normal and a great step. It looks like he is a great candidate to move to an intensive rehab hospital. We are waiting to hear from insurance at this time. The move could be as early as tomorrow. We have this!!!!

1/25 Today was a good day. Bill sat up during physical therapy. He sat up with no assistance for about 15 seconds. He straightened is back on his own. He held is head up and looked outside. This is not something he has done. His speech pathologist worked on yes no questions today. He was answering at a 50% correct ratio. Which is big compared to even two days ago. He had a gastro feeding tube inserted today. It looks like he will stay at Mt. Carmel until Wednesday to make sure the tube takes. We are still unsure whether he will move to Mt. Carmel West for intense rehab, or skilled nursing to continue healing to be ready for the intense rehab.

1/24 Today was a quiet day. Bill was very lethargic and didn't wake up much. The speech pathologist assessed Bill's swallowing reflex today. The determination was that a gastro feeding tube is necessary. He currently has a nasal tube. These are truly meant to be temporary. The gastro tube can be used long term and removed when swallowing is possible. There are 27 muscles needed to swallow, getting them all working and coordinated will take quite a bit of training. This could take as much as 6 months for Bill. The gastro tube will allow for proper nutrition now, as well as flexibility for those days in the future where the reflex isn't quite reliable yet. The tube could be inserted as early as Monday and as late as Wednesday. He will spend a day or two in the hospital afterwards to make sure there are no complications. At that time, we will assess whether or not he is ready for a rehab facility or need further healing before rehab. The rehab facility will be need him to be participate in three hours of therapy a day. At this time, Bill is not ready for this. Tomorrow will bring more changes and updates! We have this!

1/23 There are no changes today. He did seem more alert and followed conversations in the morning. Rest is our main goal right now!

Needs

Bill would love visitors. He is on the most demanding part of his journey. He needs a lot of positive thoughts!

1/22 Bill was moved out of ICU last night. When we arrived this morning, he was awake and reacting. The speech pathologist was working with him. She had him responding to commands. She would have to explain and show him how to touch his nose, but then he would be able to repeat it. The Neuro Dr. reminded us that the damage to his speech center is extensive. He may not be able to comprehend everything we are seeing quite yet. He likened it hearing a new language for the first time. There will be a long road here. The speech pathologist also stimulated the swallow reflex. This too will take some time. The physical therapists had him sitting up and balancing from side to side. He has learned to help himself, which they called cheating as it was taking away from the exercise's purpose. They did love that he was trying to help himself and felt that was in itself a form of progress. As his right side doesn't function, his arm has come out its socket a little. The therapists taped it back in to place. They are hoping this will help build strength and stimulate the nerves. We are looking at Mount Carmel West for rehab. This could happen as early as Tuesday. This will depend on how much healing we see in the next few days. If he isn't ready for 3 hours of rehab a day, we will need to look at a nursing care facility until he has healed enough to handle the rehab. He will be in the rehab facility for 7-8 days. Then we will see where we are and make decisions from there. He is still sleeping. His brain needs all the rest and healing it can get. He isn't quite ready for visitors yet, but would love all your good thoughts and prayers. We've got this!!!!

1/21 Bill is still in the today. We are waiting for the cough he has to lessen. This cough seems to be a simple irritation, and not an actual illness. We have brought his CPAP in for him to use. This has helped with actual resting and easing the cough. He still cannot swallow and nutrition is being administered by a nasal feeding tube. We are looking at new feeding tube processes. The nasal tube can cause ulcers and makes it hard to swallow, should that reflex be coming back. We will continue to monitor this, and make a final call on Monday. Stacy believes she witnessed small leg movements on his right side. He his resting most of the day. The few moments of wake, he is expressing emotion and responding to commands. We have to show or explain what we want done, but then he can follow along.

1/18 Bill is still in the Nuero ICU. Speech, physical, and occupational therapy has been started. He was able to sit up, with large amount of assistance. The therapists are happy about the range of motion he has. A feeding tube has been administered, as Bill cannot swallow. Bill is showing recognition and emotion, but is mostly resting and healing the brain.

1/17 The stroke happened while Bill was getting ready for church. Judy recognized immediately and had EMT here within 20 minutes. Bill was in the hospital within the hour. He was diagnosed at a level 22 stroke. TPA was administered with no success. Angioplasty was attempted, but the clot is large and hard. There has been significant damage to the left side of the brain. This is the speech center, so this will be the hardest hit. There is no current movement on the right side of the body, but the chances are high of its return.