Back to Dan

Dan really had a good week. For his dining pleasure, he's had Big Mac's, Chinese food, Popeye's chicken and mashed potatoes, and Jamba Juice! He eats some RIC food, but he doesn't usually have a taste for it. When he consistently eats 600 calories by mouth, one of his 4 tube feedings can be eliminated, hopefully making him more hungry and gain weight.

He completed all of his goals for speech therapy by eating and speaking, so he will no longer have speech. He is able to speak and read on the exhale but also some on the inhale by somehow controlling his vocal cords. That is great for a vent patient. The therapist wants to know how Dan does that so she could instruct other patients! Most vent patients have to pause when they're reading or speaking continuously, waiting for the exhale.

Dan drove his wheelchair himself this week with the "puff & sip" air tube [same as the one over his bed for calling the nurse]. One hard puff is forward, a soft puff to turn right. a hard sip for backward and soft sip to turn left. We walk, Dan rides around our floor and other [17 floors here] rectangle shaped floors multiple times a day. -- 10 times around is one mile. (Mom enjoys the exercise!)

Today the original 6 members of this family, Bill, Deb, Matt, Jen, Mike, & Dan were finally together for lunch at the RIC for a family time. Em joined some of it via phone. We discussed our "new life" since the accident, Dan's rehabilitation and progress, his and our future, selling and buying another home, the wedding, ... "family stuff".

A big concern to Dan is how to communicate when people ask him, "How are you doing?" We know that you all care, and he's aware that sometimes people just don't know what to say, but it's too general of a question. Dan needs so much positive reinforcement about his future, and that he can still enjoy life despite his physical condition.

You may need to view him from a distance to get over the initial shock of his condition, [we've all had to do this from time to time], then approach and give him your greetings. Maybe read up on Quadriplegia and the latest technology, and a sincere smile with the same love you've always given him always works. Something like, "It's good to see you", and tell him what's going on with you, and ask him specific questions about his rehab or current sports events [Go Cubs Go]. Look past his disabilities to see him.

Please pray:
Dan has a headache every day, not migraine, but severe.
His pressure sore is much better, but has a long way to heal.
Nights are still rough, like 3-1.

I read II Chronicles 20 again a few times this week. Read verses 3 - 12, 17. What a focus!