Tuesday, September 5, 2006 Update

Tuesday 9/6/06
I got my Netscape email working again. There is something I
need to clear up. When our boys are asked how their dad is
doing, they usually reply " about the same" because they don't
know what to say. That's not true, he's not the same. He is
responding alittle more. Even the nurses are noticing it and
have told me. He hasn't been storming for 21 days now,
which in itself is wonderful. He was sitting listening to me read
to him on Friday from a book about a pilot that died in the 9/11
bombing because he was one of the pilots in a plane that dove into
the ground. The passengers had taken over instead of letting
the hijackers have the plane. I also read to him from a Reader's
Digest which he used to read sometimes before. He would shut
his eyes once in awhile and then a couple of minutes later open
them again. He was paying attention to what was being read.
Every so often he would frown. When I told him to relax his
fingers on his right hand so I could put his brace on, he would
do it slowly, which he also does some for the CNA's. He also
opened his mouth when I told him to. I fed him some water
and yogurt and he swallowed this fine. He seemed to be in
the present a good share of the time I was there. When they
laid him down in the afternoon, he slept a lot of the time. I took
him outside which he seemed to enjoy. Thursday afternoon he
was taken across the street to see Dr. Ward and to have his
pump dosage raised alittle. I encourage people to go visit him.
He needs the stimulation for his brain. Take a portable CD
player with headphones and play music for him, or take
something to read to him and sign his book in his window.
Sometimes he acts as though he might be sleeping but he isn't.
He comprehends more than we can know. He just can't tell you.
Watch for little signs that he knows what you are saying. On Sunday
afternoon when Russell and Esther visited him with me he wanted
to sleep most of the time. He had some muscle twitching more
than I've seen which concerned us but the nurse assured us this
is normal. On Monday, Labor Day, it was Kenn's 53 birthday.
Shawn, his family, Jeremy and I went to visit him. Some of the
ones working there wished him a Happy Birthday too. He wanted
to sleep through most of the visit. That night he vommited and
early Tuesday morning, which he hasn't done since the middle of
August. Things are coming along on the house. Dancing lessons
are going great. I'm really out of my comfort zone at the lessons
but still enjoy them. I also added a 5 month old daycare boy to
my already busy schedule. I thought this long after his accident
things would be alittle easier to handle but it seems to be harder
if that's possible. Your prayers are still welcomed and needed.
Carol