KKI traveling

We Are Here.
Dan and I drove [Dan is truly a "back chair driver", but that was good] about 13 hours on Sunday, only making stops for gas and food and one 15 min cat nap for me. [Dan's "cat nap" was a bit longer.] LOL. We ate in the car, [Dan's suggestion, it's tight, but it works] as it was raining and windy most of the way across the tops of IL, IN, OH, and into PN.

The winning CUBS game "GO CUBS" on WGN, could be heard all the way into OH, and then it was Seinfeld via a DVD player borrowed from nurse Trish. At 11:30 p.m., we finally crashed at a hotel in Hagarstown, MD, and both enjoyed a good night of sleep. After a very filling hotel breakfast, we completed the 1.5 hour drive to Baltimore and Kennedy Kreiger Institute [KKI].

We were met by a smiling Jody, our point person for getting Dan to KKI, and the nursing staff, who seemed genuinely excited to have Dan there at the center. He was examined, weighed, measured, and retold his spinal cord history a few time to his new doctor, and various therapists. I sense a sincere commitment from each new person we meet, for helping patients in any way possible, and to help "push the bar" to a higher level of living. Jody said KKI likes to be the "2nd rehap facility" in a persons life. Dan is ready for game.

He has a room mate, Eric, a new C5 teen, whom we had met on our March visit. Eric has a few weeks left as in patient, then goes to out patient status.

We got a full tour of the therapy room and equipment, saw a juggling event in the lobby, with most of the centers patients - spinal, neurological, CP and others. We were hungry and Eric's dad suggested Subway that was in John Hopkins Hospital food court, all accessible through a tunnel system that connects various buildings. Speech therapy dropped by and we discussed all of the techno things that Dan needs to access via the control device or "ECU" unit on his chair, ie automatic doors, fans, lights, TV, etc. She did get his room TV set up with a sip n puff control, and is looking forward to helping him when he starts 2 online college courses next week.

Jen and Jeff, who live in the Baltimore burbs, showed up in the evening. Dan enjoyed catching up on family stuff, watched the CUBS "GO CUBS" on ESPN, while Jen gave him a really good manicure. I got in some gym time and also got Jeff's bike to keep up with "my game" while here.

See Dan's KKI address is posted on the side bar, but email greetings are just fine by us. As soon as I get issued a wireless, super secret user id and password, I will post on daily activities.

Thanks for your continues prayers, and good thoughts, AND that you cared to checkinondan.