Evening

Mark's stamina has really improved dramatically. He practiced stair climbing today and walked with very little assistance. His therapy isn't tiring him out as much and he’s more awake in the evenings than before. He even watched some TV tonight. He’s receiving a regular diet and completely off his tube feedings. He has even been initiating conversation rather than just answering questions. Here are some recent pictures.

Evening

We took a whole roll of film today so we should have more pictures to post tomorrow night.

Mark's therapy sessions start at 8 and usually end between 2-3. He's usually wiped out by then, although he doesn't fall asleep till later in the evening.

His progress is beyond what the staff could have hoped for at this time and he received an A+++ at his first team meeting. It takes him a while to process questions and respond with his well thought out answers, but this also seems to be getting easier for him.

He was able to drink some iced tea, and eat saltines and chocolate pudding today. I think he'd really rather have a steak!

Morning

Latest Picture- Mark standing with some assistance. I will post more tonight.

Evening

Mark continues to make a lot of progress. We think he'll be able to eat a simple meal on Wednesday! His speech is improving without covering his trach and I think that will get capped very soon too.

He's scheduled for multiple PT and OT sessions per day now and he's doing great.

Mark send his thanks for the cards, letters and flowers and especially the visits.

Morning

Mark continues to recover at a tremendous speed. He spends more and more time in his wheelchair, and assists his care givers in his transfer from bed to chair.

When we were down in the gym one day, I knew he had been looking around at the other patients, most in much worse condition. I asked him if he felt lucky, he said yes.

He’s having less trouble focusing his eyes, and even started some exercises for his eye muscles yesterday. I saw him practicing the rest of the day. His occupational therapist asked Mark questions about his vision and they determined that his double vision was vertical (one head on top of the other vs. side by side, due to the fact that one eye tends to look down more than the other) and they overlap about 50 %. His lung secretions are lessening and I think the trach will be capped very soon. I’m preparing some of his favorite foods so they’re on hand as soon as he can ask for them.

His cognitive skills are rapidly improving as is his strength; even his motions are more fluid. He can completely follow an object by moving his eyes from side to side and down, but up is still a problem.

For those of you coming from California, Texas and Mass., there are apartments on site at no charge so try give me as much notice as possible and I’ll try to get one for you. It’ll be so much easier to stay there and just walk across the parking lot for a visit. That way you can go multiple times a day. Bryn Mawr Rehab is about 20 miles (and a 40 minute ride) from my apartment.

For all the rest of you, Mark would love a visit anytime!!