Celebrating 1 Week @ Home!

It's hard to believe that dad has been home a week today! It's flown by really, with all that we have been learning in caring for dad. We are all getting pretty comfortable with his care, some things are easier than others to do, but overall - dad's thinks we are "certified" to care for him. He only met one therapist today - his speech therapist came for an evaluation to determine what her schedule will be with dad. We are to meet his Physical therapist Wednesday and Occupational therapist Thursday or Friday.  Pam & I got him up this morning for breakfast and he ate really good - he is really eating so much better than he did at rehab- it's still not a lot, but much better.  I think he is getting stronger because of mom's good cookin!

Today dad got to sit in his recliner - my sister Pam, who has been with him since Sunday evening, says he is very happy about that. We are also researching about either renting or leasing (or purchasing) a wheelchair accessible van for us to use until dad is able to transfer from chair to a vehicle without so much assistance. We do have someone who is allowing us to borrow their van right now, but we don't want to inconvenience anyone or run into conflicts with their schedule. If anyone has any information regarding this or knows of someone with a van like this that they are not using, we would love to have that contact information. Please call me on my cell (283-4438) if you have some info regarding this.

Hope you all have a safe and happy new years eve! My brother Timmy is coming in this evening to relieve Pam at 7 and will spend New Years Eve with dad and mom. Then tomorrow my other 2 brothers have back to back shifts, Dave in the morning and Tommy at night. Our brother Tommy is preparing to leave for China on Friday for his job. Please keep him in your prayers - he will be there a month and it is going to be very hard for him to be gone from dad and his own family.

Thanks to everyone who is volunteering to help us with meals, errands, visits, etc. It means so much - we always knew we had a big family - but lately it seems a whole lot bigger!!!

Quiet Sunday

Hey folks - not much to report today. . . dad had a pretty quiet day. He did have some visitors from church that he enjoyed seeing and then the rest of the day was spent with family. Mom said dad was bit of a chatter box today - a bit confusing at times.

Tomorrow is a big day - we expect the three therapists to visit to evaluate him for his therapy plans. We are really praying for great people who can make a difference in dad's recovery - he certainly is "itching" to be able to get out of that bed without our help. With dad's determination and your prayers - I know he will accomplish that some day. I was inspired by this scripture today. . .“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”- John 16:33

I know that beccause Jesus lives in my dad's heart - he too will overcome this obstacle that he now faces - thanks for believing that with us!

Another Good Day at Home

Hey everyone - just getting around to posting after a full day here at mom & dads. We have had a great day with dad. He has been in pretty good spirits all day. He ate well at every meal. We did a little bit of therapy together - we worked on leg lifts & pushes. He was pushing well with that left leg - I was really pleased. He enjoyed some company, one of mom's sister's - Aunt Patty- came from Baltimore to see him with her daughter Shelly and that was good for him. My gang was here most of the day too - so of course, there is never a dull moment! Dad's vitals are doing good - his blood levels came back good from the doctors office - so there will be no change in his coumadin for now. After dinner tonight - he sat up in his wheel chair and watched the WVU basketball game with us for a good while - they are all still out there cheering them on thru the overttime. I think he is pretty worn out because he really didn't nap much today. So we are hoping for a peaceful night for him. Thanks for checking in - keep Dad in your prayers. He said today - "I hate to wish time away, but I sure am looking forward to warmer weather and seeing if my body might work better when its not so cold out." We keep encouraging dad that this is only a temporary season for him as his body and mind heal - and that he will get better. He said - "if I could just do a couple of things for my grandkids or kids, that would make me feel better." So we are going to try to find some tasks for him to do to make him feel productive around here. We love you all!

Busy Day at the Kisners

Dad had a busy day today.  He had 2 visits from home health - one nurse to draw blood for his weekly blood levels test and one who assisted mom with bathing & grooming dad and checking vitals.  He also had about 7 visitors this morning & afternoon.  He enjoyed everyone of them!  He enjoyed a great meal that mom cooked of one of his favorites and even enjoyed some cognitive therapy at the kitchen table practicing writing his name and his childrens and grandchildren.  He stayed up til about 10pm and now he and mama are sleeping soundly while me and Lexy are watching the Disney channel in their room.  He seems to be pretty good medically speaking - no pain lately - but then again, he hasn't had a really good work out since Monday before he left.  We are really looking forward to physical therapy starting next week because I think he misses it!  Thanks for checking in - we love you all!  

The Miracle Men of 2007

Dad was having a very "sad" day today and then his "buddy" Donald Greenwalt and his family (our friends from The Living Room) came to visit him and it really cheered him up. We call Donald and Dad our miracle men of 2007 - first dad survived this awful stroke on Oct. 16th, then Nov. 6th Donald went to the ER with blood pressure that was over 240 - and would be told by doctors that the masses that had literally grown from his abdomen to his heart would probably take his life - well, it ended up Donald did not have cancer afterall - he has a rare disease that is treatable - he survived and beat all the slim odds the doctors had given him for survival! These 2 guys are truly God's miracles! Dad really likes Donald (he calls him Donnie) and his wife Patty and their 5 children. He loves to give them a hard time every Sunday in the Cafe. God does answer our prayers and just like Donald has received the wonderful news that his sickness can be cured - we are believing that dad will be healed too.

Thanks to all of you who have stopped in to visit. You are really encouraging to dad. He is very anxious to start therapy again - I think he actually misses it. I think he is worried that if he doesn't get started soon - he will not get better. His therapists should begin coming Monday. He will have a home health nurse tomorrow come to draw blood for his "coumadin" check - (they have to check his blood - to make sure it is not thinning too much - it has to be just right in order to prevent a clot and yet not bleed out again).

Other than the emotional aspect of today, Dad's vitals remain good and he is resting well. He does still have a good bit of confusion about various things. But that is to be expected. Thanks for your daily support and prayers - we need all we can get!

Settling In

There has been so much excitement with bringing dad home Christmas eve, then celebrating Christmas with him yesterday. . . today was our first real settling in day. We are trying to get dad on a routine - and get our schedules figured out for assisting mom around the clock - and today, Panhandle Home Health arrived to do the initial assessment to get everything started. Dad was a little emotional today - he is just looking around seeing so many memories on the walls and realizing he is home and I think it is hard for him to be home and not be the way he used to be. So I guess as good as it is for him to be home with us - it is also a time of sadness for him too as he realizes his limitations. This whole journey is very emotional and we just try to take things one day at a time. We are still praying and believing for dad to be able to regain mobility and some independence with his daily activities, please pray with us that dad will continue to get better and improve in his physical strength and cognitive abilities to return to the life he once knew. He does have a lot of work ahead. . . but we are asking God to just take control of this whole situation and work in dad's life!

The Most Amazing Christmas!

We had the most amazing Christmas with dad! He rested so well last night and woke up around 4:30am. We were able to get him into his wheelchair in the morning and evening for mealtimes and the rest of the day he sat in the upright position in his bed just enjoying his big family! We tried to take shifts visiting because each one of us packs a powerful punch with our children and in 3 siblings case, grandchildren. He did very well, even at some high traffic times. He smilled and even laughed more today than I have seen him since his stroke. Being home for Christmas definitely agreed with dad - and us! His blood pressure is very good and he seems to be tolerating the move well. We are expecting home health to call tomorrow to set up a home evaluation to assess his needs. Today he said to us "I need you guys to find a specialist to help fix my back and my legs. . ." We told him he would be having 3 specialists coming to the house to help him and he was very happy about that. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Happy Birthday Jesus - we love you!

Merry Christmas - Dad's Home!

Well folks - sorry I couldn't post sooner, but I have had the honor and privilege of spending Christmas eve with my parents at their home! Praise God! They don't have wireless internet there so I could not log on to the site. Dad had a very busy day starting with therapy, then discharge, then the ride home and then settling in. He was so happy to be home - he almost couldn't believe it. In fact, at one point, he told me he had to get ready to go back home. When I told him he was here to stay - he was thrilled. He saw his recliner when we wheeled him into the living room where his hospital bed is and he kind of laughed a little and said - "I'd like to just jump out of this chair and into that right now." We are right with ya dad!

The day was pretty hectic and he didn't get to nap, so by evening, he was exhausted and a bit confused. Probably for a while, we will have to be very cautious of overstimulating him with too many people in the room - the doctor warned us of that. It causes him to "shutdown" because he can not follow all of the conversations and activity-especially when he hasn't had a nap! We'll have to keep the party in the kitchen and hallway I guess! He finally fell asleep around 7:30pm and only woke up for meds at 9:45pm. . . he was sawing logs when I left at midnight when my big brother dave arrived to take the next shift. His blood pressure was excellent and we managed to figure out his 20 pill regimen per day! We told him he had a new set of nurses - his family!

I can not explain how wonderful it felt to sit in our parents home tonight with dad lying there comfortably in his bed - and mama lying asleep on the couch (not to mention the smell of our Christmas turkey in the oven beginning to fill the house with that mouth-watering smell!). It's just too good for words. Thanks to you all for your prayers that got us to this point - we are believing that dad will continue to improve and get better with the help of Home Health therapists which should begin working with him later this week.

Merry Christmas! Remember, the reason for the season is. . . . JESUS!

Tomorrow's the big day!

Well folks the time has come to bring dad home.  We are hoping to leave Winchester between 1 and 2. . . depending on the doctor's schedule.  This is a big step for all of us, especially dad.  It will certainly be a day of thanksgiving for us all.   Dad has had a peaceful weekend at Rehab, so the trip should go well coming home.  Everything is in place - the ramp is built, the bed is ready, his lift is good to go and all the other medication helps we need are nearby - now we just need dad.  I promise to post tomorrow after his arrival home. . .  Merry Christmas everyone - hope yours will be as special as ours!  

Just 3 More Days of Rehab

Wow - it's hard to believe in just three days, we will bring dad home! He's had his ups and downs this week. One good day, one bad day. This morning when I arrived, he had been throwing up blood like before (his gall bladder), but overall he felt good. His speech was clear and his thought process was much better than yesterday. Mentally, he is doing okay, but he still gets his thoughts mixed up or starts talking about one thing and then goes into something else before finishing that thought - (come to think of it - I have that problem sometimes too! ha ha)

Anyway, we're all just about finished our training on caring for dad. The hospital bed, hoyer lift and other equipment arrived today at their house and mom was able to get it placed where she wanted it. I think we have all the supplies we need and we'll get his medication scripts tonight to get filled in the morning. Uncle Tommy and our cousins are building the ramp in the morning, as well.

I was able to spend a few hours with him today and when we talk about coming home, his emotions just overwhelm him. He said he just wants to get back to his normal way of life. He wants to get better so bad. We have to believe with him and encourage him that it takes time, but he will get better and learn to do things for himself again one day.

Let's pray that his gall bladder doesn't flair up too bad before we can get it removed. And pray for a safe trip home on Monday. When we get home, he will surely enjoy seeing you all at some point. Feel free to call the house at 304-263-5843 and just check in with mom and us to make sure the timing is good for his schedule and that he is up to visitors!

Because we have to have a special vehicle to haul him in his wheelchair, he won't be able to do much leaving the house early on except for doctors appointments. His therapy should begin late next week in home as well. That's all I can think of for now. . .

Love you all and hope to see you at mom & dad's soon. . . thanks for all your support. I will continue this blog until dad is able to write on it himself !

Dad's Coming Home Christmas Eve!

We have received the official discharge news, dad will be coming home Christmas eve. We have been busy this week learning everything we can to take care of him at home. Sorry I have been behind on posting. There is so much to learn!!! Dad seems happy. He uses the calendar we took him and marks off each day like a child anticipating Christmas day. Of course, we are very happy to have such an awesome gift this Christmas of dad back. We are also very nervous about the huge responsibility of his care, but are leaning on God and our family and friends to help us thru this special season in our lives. Our uncle Tommy Sowers is building the wheelchair ramp Saturday and the medical equipment will be arriving this week. We are planning on leaving Winchester Monday at 1pm. . . it almost seems surreal. I can't imagine the emotions we are all gonna feel bringing him home for the first time. Please continue to pray for dad's healing - he still has a very long road ahead. He continues to get stronger on the left side, but the damage to his brain causes the inability to know how to use it - we still have to assist him with everything from bathing, dressing, bathroom, and of course he has not even taken a step yet. Remember, I just said "yet" - because I believe with all of my heart that dad will walk again one day. Believe that with us!!! Our feeling is that when he returns to his familiar setting of home, that it will help with his mental healing too and that we will continue to see improvement and progress. We will be staying with mom everyday - taking turns among siblings - until he gets well enough. His therapy will continue at home several days a week as well.

This will definitely be a Christmas we will forever remember and be forever thankful for the simple gift of life - thank you God!

Busy Week Ahead

Dad had a restful Sunday. He enjoyed visits from family and friends. I didn't get to post Saturday after we took mom up, but it was a great day. We got to participate in his morning and afternoon therapy and my kids were really proud of their pappy. He was really working hard. He was very good mentally too. He actually said one of his famous phrases to the doctors which I had not heard him say in a long time. . . she asked how he was that day and he replied, "Never had a bad day in my life." He was really trying hard to be positive and after lunch we wheeled him over to the computer in the dining hall and looked at his blog and then looked at The Living Room website - he likes looking at the pictures on there.

This week, my sister and brothers and I will be sitting in on and participating in dad's therapy, in order to prepare us for the anticipated homecoming of dad the following week. We still have not received the 100% confirmation - but that should come tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest because they will need to prepare his meds, equipment and transportation, etc. and that is a lot to do the week before Christmas.

Please be in prayer for us this week - we have a lot to prepare for, a lot to learn and of course, pray that dad will continue to get stronger and stronger everyday which will help us tremendously in bringing him home. This is a BIG week for the Kisner family for sure!

The Weekend

Yesterday we dropped mom off early on our way to a photo shoot in Moorefield, then returned afterward to spend lunch with dad. He was very tired - he had worked so hard with his therapist kevin. Mom said he worked hard in the afternoon too and last night was just "pooped". I am getting ready this morning to take her up before the storm comes (whatever it ends up being!). She is going to spend the night there tonight just in case its a bad one. We are working on all the details of bringing dad home Christmas eve. We are still learning all the ropes and have much to take in over this next week. . . we are excited, yet nervous. It's a lot of work to care for dad right now and we just want to be sure we can provide him the best care - we wouldn't want our desire to bring him home to override what is safest for him. But God is continuing to work thru him and us and we have faith we can do this. The therapists say he is much better cognitively this week. He is concentrating and learning better. Please be in prayer for dads' continued progress and strength and for our family to be able to get everything done to bring dad home. The boys are meeting Sunday to build the ramps to the house - if we don't have bad weather. They may just have to concentrate on moving furniture inside the house - we need to make room for dad's equipment.

I'll give a quick post after I visit dad this morning. Be careful out there!

Learning the ropes

Hey everyone! Took mom to Rehab this morning and we went to dad's therapy and I was able to begin "learning the ropes" a little. I assisted his physical therapist with his basic exercises and sitting balance and then when he was ready to go to lunch, I helped transfer him from the exercise table to his wheelchair. I actually did the main supporting and lifting part with the therapist spotting me in the back - after three lift and moves - we got him right into his chair! Dad seemed happy that this stage of us learning to care for him has begun. Dad's overall mental and cognitive thinking seemed better today. He was still a little quiet and soft spoken, but for the most part he was rational with his logic of things. His therapist said he had stood dad up several times to his feet and that his balance was much better today than yesterday. He had a pretty swell morning in therapy.

Over the next week and half, me and my siblings will be spending time with dad during rehab hours to practice these transfers and learn basic care of him for his tentative discharge plan of December 24th. We have a lot to learn between now and then and a lot of work to do to our house to get it ready for dad - whew - pray for us to get it all done with the holidays right in the middle of everything too! If we are unable to handle dad's transfers from chair to bed and bathroom hygiene maneuvering, we would be forced to place him in the local skilled nursing/rehab facility on the 24th and we really really really want to try to bring him home - pray for our strength and quick learning of how to be dad's new 24 hour care team!

Ups & downs

Remember this journey is filled with ups and downs. Even though yesterday was a great blessing of a day - today we had to be patient because dad was very tired, agitated and confused. Really it began last evening when he was convinced he was supposed to come home. He called me at 10:30 pm and was very upset that "they would not let him leave". I had to explain to him that we still needed to get everything ready at home, get the equipment in place he needs there, have training to provide his 24hour care (bathing, dressing, transferring him), arrange his in-home therapy/nurses and that we didn't have any of his medicines (not to mention that we are a week & half before Christmas - yikes!) He told me and the nurses he'd give me 3 days - that's it. I sure hope I can convince him that the week & half we have left there is only 3 days! I'll be going up tonight to spend some time with him and mom and bring her home. I will let you know if I learn anything new. Keep praying for him!

Whatever You're Doing - KEEP IT UP!!!

I don't know what you all are doing out there - but whatever it is. . . please don't stop. Dad has had an amazing day!!! Mom just called and said he did great in therapy today - he even told her he could have stayed down there an hour more! (He usually says they're killing him) She said that one of his therapists had dad at the parallel bars and was standing him up and really working with him good. My mom's excitement could just be felt thru the phone as she reported this to me just now. She said she's been talking to him about coming home today a lot and he has a twinkle in his eye about it. Yes, there were still times of confusion with his thinking today - but nothing like what they were reporting yesterday. I will get another update after the doctor visits tonight and I am going to try to slip up and see him too for a first hand view of this awesome work of God!!! People - God is listening to our prayers - please please please keep them coming! As our pastor says to us all the time, "we have to speak it into life." Yesterday and today we have spoken dad's destiny into life - let's not stop now - let's pray this whole miracle into completion!!!!!!

The doctors report

I know you all have been waiting patiently to hear about our meeting with dad's medical care team today. It was quite extensive and involved 8 different people working with dad from speech to occupational to physical therapy and also his nurses and doctor. It was an information-packed meeting. First and foremost before we share any of the feedback - let's give glory to God for allowing dad to survive this terrible illness. We are blessed to have this precious man still in our lives - according to his doctor with all dad's been thru - it is just amazing that he's here with us today (stroke, pulmonary embolism, gall bladder - now this weeks issues!) Dr. Parker said to us - this man has survived a major intracranial bleed - it has done a lot of damage to his brain - so don't expect us to get him back to the way he was. . . . hmmmm - he doesn't know our God does he????

As you have been reading the past few days on the blog, dad's had a difficult week. His care team reported seeing this in each of their areas as well. They all were concerned about the sudden cognitive decline they've been witnessing. This decline has really become a roadblock to his overall therapy - since he's experiencing confusion and the inability to keep focussed on specific instructions from his therapists, it has resulted in a definite decline of his progress. However, they did acknowledge his continued strength increasing on the left side, but without the cognitive ability to use it, they can not help him progress. As a precaution, the doctor ordered some tests, including a ct scan of his brain at the hospital, urinalysis and thyroid level check. The ct scan done at the hospital was clear, at first they thought they might have seen a little fluid, but it was nothing of any concern and they would re-scan him before discharge to be sure. The doctor really believes his thyroid condition has been overlooked and his medications were not strong enough - so they've increased them already. It may take a week or so for the impact of this med change, but dr. parker is leaning toward this for why he may be experiencing this decline.

Where do we go from here? Well, the case worker explained that with dad's insurance plan, he only has 2 more weeks left in acute rehab there. So unless they find some medical reason that would hospitalize him, he very well could be discharged by Christmas. Where will he go? That we can not answer today. We want more than anything in the world for him to come home - but in order to do that right now, it will require 2 adults to assist him in and out of his chair to bed (with mom's recent shoulder surgery she is not strong enough to be one of those adults). Prior to this decline cognitively, he was only requiring the assist of 1 adult. He is still not strong enough in his "trunk" to even sit up without assistance on both sides. (If this med change helps, it's possible to see the return to his previous level of assist - that would help.)

If he would get to come home, we would be able to have 3 days of in-home therapy and weekly nurse visits, and they would get us all the medical equipment for the home. The other alternative at discharge is a skilled nursing/rehab facility like the one in Martinsburg. However, it is very expensive and insurance only covers a few days there and afterward they want a pretty hefty co-pay. So what are we going to do? The first thing we did was gather around dad at the lunch table today and asked God to help him get better - to heal him. Next, we are going to watch him this week and see how things go and then meet on the weekend to determine the best, safest, most productive place for dad to go at discharge.

There's also the issue with the gall bladder that needs removed and although the doctor has his nausea under control right now, he is considering that surgery for dad shortly after or before his discharge. Dr. Parker asked dad tonight if he would like to go home for a few days at Christmas before his surgery and he said, "I want to go home forever."

I appeal to you all - near and far - we need your faith, we need your prayers and we need you to believe together with us that dad's miracle is not yet complete - that God not only saved his life, but he is preparing to give dad the healing he needs to beat this horrible illness. Together, we believe that we can help make dad's desire to "go home forever" come true.

Looking 4 Prayers of Encouragement & Healing

Hey family and friends, I am sending out a special request tonight that you flood heaven with lots and lots of prayers for dad tonight and tomorrow.  He is going thru a very frustrating, sad and confusing stage of his illness and he really needs our encouragement and strength.  Our family also wants to partner with all of you this week to concentrate on praying specifically for dad's healing and strength.  He is feeling like he can't do anything and that he has done something to 'get himself into this mess'.  He is so worried about his future and just doesn't understand why he can't get better. Most everyone of you at some time or another has been encouraged by our dad - he always has a positive word to say or a way of looking for the glass that's half full - now he needs your encouragement and strength to believe for something significant in his rehab this week to give him the motivation and belief that he can and will conquer this giant in front of him.   We have a "family consult" at 11am tomorrow with dad's doctor and therapists.  We are praying to hear some good news on dad's future and we are believing for even greater things to come out of his rehab this week.  If you have time, slip up to see dad this week or give him a phone call or send him a card - these are all powerful ways to encourage dad and remind him of how special is to all of us!

Lots of Memories

Hello everyone. . . just got home from seeing dad and picking up mom. Dad had a quiet day in rehab - he slept a good part of the day mom said after his therapy. He just had speech and some bedside physical therapy today. He is still having a good bit of confusion and trouble piecing things together - tonight he was asking me to let the county commission know about him and that he wouldn't make it to the meeting and he also wanted me to contact our legislators whom he is close with to let them know. He just has so many memories floating around his mind and I just don't think he knows what is current and what is past, but he does remember it all. He even was thinking about his own grandmother tonight.

He is also thinking about his progress a lot. At one point he said to me - "when we have this meeting with my doctors on Monday - please ask them how I got to be like this - because if it is something I am doing - I want to know so I can stop." I explained to him again what happened to him and that we just have to be patient as God works his miracle throughout his body. He said he just wants to get home and see all of his kids. . . his grandkids. He misses everyone so much.

Thanks to those of you who are making the hike up to see him - it means so much to all of us and especially to him. Please be praying for our meeting Monday - we so hope to pass along some encouraging news about dad and his future.

Stronger every day

Dad gets stronger every day is what the doctor said last night during his evening exam. Dad was still a little on the quiet side, but he looked really good. Rehab is full of ups and downs and it certainly does not happen on dad's or my preferred pace - fast! (ha ha) We are learning so much about patience and celebrating little things. Mom worries that he is not eating enough - she says he eats like a bird, but I told her - at least he is eating. She just wants him to regain his strength - and I know that even though she is strong - she just wants dad to get better sooner than later. We all want that - but we all have to be reminded - each of us that it is a blessing that dad is even with us - that he among only 25% of hemorrhagic stroke victims that survive. . . the fact that he survived this severe of a stroke and then the pulmonary embolism scare and then a bad gall bladder - well, he looks pretty good at this point!

Please feel free to visit him this weekend - that would really encourage him and lift his spirits. With the weather this week, its been a very scarce group of friends and family who have made it up - you know dad - he's a people person and I think he's needing his "peeps". Saturdays he only does a half day of therapy usually from 2 to 3:30 and Sundays he is off. Friday (today) he is done at 3:30.

We love you all and appreciate all your love and support and prayers!

7 Weeks into Our Journey

It's hard to believe that 7 Weeks ago, we were just one day into this journey with our dad. It's like a roller coaster ride with no foreseeable ending. Some days we crest a hill and feel the excitement when we see some improvement - then we feel the let down as we come down the hill on days like this week - when Dad has been experiencing so much confusion and difficulty with his speech. Even his therapists have noticed it this week. We are not sure why, and it may be normal, but we are going to ask his doctor about it. On a positive note, Pam said he was sitting up so straight and holding himself so well at lunch time. It's hard to explain, but just sitting in his wheel chair is hard work for dad - it wears him out. He did seem to enjoy watching Rudolf with Lexy last night, but was very tired and quiet while we were there visiting.

Pam was able to safely get mom up to rehab this morning before most of the snow arrived, but mom may end up staying tonight if the roads get too bad for Rob & I to travel to get her. Mom got word yesterday that our family meeting with dad's medical team is Monday at 11am. We are excited about the opportunity to learn first hand how dad is doing and what the plan is for him.

Thanks for checking in and thanks for keeping our family, especially dad and mom, in your prayers.

There's Good & Bad in Rehab

What we have come to discover is that there is good and bad in rehab. And that even the bad doesn't mean it's bad - did I loose you? Well what we mean is - every day we see something good happening, albeit some days its in very small doses, others in bigger doses. While some days, it just feels lousy. Yesterday dad said rehab was just plain lousy. He even told mom after the morning therapy that he was done with that stuff - they work him too hard and he just wanted to go home. Well, by the time the afternoon therapy rolled around - he was like butter in their hands. He really likes the team of professionals working with him downstairs and he will try to do everything they ask him to. He got sick when he took nighttime meds last night and then woke up again at 1am and was sick again - that's when he made his 1:03 am call to me. He was sooo confused and upset. But like always, we talked and he calmed down and his nurse said she would help him thru it. His room mate went home yesterday - so maybe he was thinking he needed out of there too! I told him today at lunch time that even though therapy is hard - every time he works at it - he is one step closer to coming home with us. We have been told they will meet with us early next week for an evaluation of dad's progress - just waiting on a date/time. So for now, we are just learning to take the good with the bad and that overall - no matter how each day develops - we are blessed beyond measure to have this amazing father who has survived something that could have been so much worse and we know that with prayer, patience and love - our dad will conquer the most difficult challenge of his life!

Quiet Weekend

Hey everyone - just a short post to catch up from missing Sunday - sorry bout that. It was a busy day. Dad had a quiet Sunday to cap off his weekend. He spent the day resting as some family and friends did stop by to visit him - my oldest son Robby went up after our 9am service at church to spend the day with him and when I arrived at 4pm to pick him up and visit - I could tell he and pappy had been dishin' about football all day. Dad didn't want to let go of Robby 's hand when we took him to the dining room to eat. Dad was having a little trouble communicating yesterday - his voice was just barely audible when I was there and he was a little frustrated as he was getting his thoughts and words mixed up. But it was a rainy dreary day yesterday and maybe it just was one of those days. We all have them. After his therapy this morning and afternoon - I will check in with him and let you all know how his day goes. Hope you will continue to believe with our family that Dad will be strong enough and well enough to come home at Christmas and continue therapy from there. It would be the best gift we could receive!

Another Hard Day at Work

Dad had a good day - just minimal nausea. He did a half day of therapy and mom said he did very well. They put him in the wheel-chair at the parallel bars and they stood him up several times. He can only bear weight on the right side so he does have to have the aide of the therapists quite a bit during this exercise. Mom said he also was working on the leg machine to strengthen those muscles. He was really tired and soft spoken when Lexy and I arrived after the Christmas parade. He liked seeing Lexy in her parade costume - he really lit up. He watched the first half of the WVU game with us, but was so tired and upset about the game that he decided he would just go to bed. And with the way that game turned out - I am glad we left when we did - he will be so disappointed when he hears about it. Oh well, as much as we wanted WVU to win. . .seeing dad home at Christmas time will still be the best gift our family could ever receive - even better than a National Championship!

Lots of Hard Work Today!

Dad has had a very hard day at "work" - therapy - but has done well. Very little nausea issues today. He told me at lunch time - "Lordy be - they are trying to kill me again." Of course he meant that rehab was so hard that it felt like they were killing him! Mom said he was sitting up so straight in his wheelchair today and looked very good and was in good spirits. I was so glad to hear this because I had received a call from him at 3:19 am - he said "I am thirsty and starving - and I am trapped in this place. Can you get me out of here?" Oh how tough it is to get that kind of call. Basically what is happening is, he wakes up in the middle of the night and is confused and scared - they called it "Sundowners Syndrome". . . and most neuroligical patients have it happen. So I just calmed him down and assured him he was not trapped and where he was. . . the nurses got him a drink and found him a snack. By morning when I spoke on the phone to him he sounded calm and good. Please pray for him in that area though - I worry that when he wakes up like that - it will cause his heart rate to go up and blood pressure to elevate.

If you are able to stop up and see him over the weekend - he would love it I am sure - he only has rehab a portion of the day Saturday and none on Sunday. Keep those prayers coming- every day we see a little progress - Shug is coming back to us!!!!

Rehab Continues

Hey everyone - here's the daily scoop. The nausea is still causing dad some problems - he got sick during morning therapy a little bit and some at lunch time. But his afternoon therapy was uneventful. Actually according to dad, they "worked him to death" in the afternoon session. He was worn out - he said it was really hard. . . but he said "I guess that's good." He was in good spirits tonight. We had to laugh at him - Tommy had given him some gum to chew and when he had chewed all the flavor out- he took it out of his mouth and threw it into his bathroom - and almost made it into the toilet where he was aiming for! Overall, he had a good day - the doctor said they will continue to help him work thru this nausea until he can have the gall bladder surgery after his time at the rehab center. We continue to believe he will make great strides in therapy - I know mom is ready for him to get better and come home - she says during the day time all dad talks about is "let's get out of here and go home." Amen dad.

Back at Rehab Again

Well dad made it back safe to Rehab today.  He is in Room 313 again.  He did well in therapy - only minor nausea after lunch.  He is happy to be back at "work".  Mom stayed the night with dad at the hospital last night and then rode in the van with him to Rehab this morning - she is his personal nurse and she is just amazing.  Her health is very good - in fact many of us think she has been looking better than ever (minus the days we spent in the ER- those days took a toll on all of us.)  I really feel like we are turning a corner this time - let's all believe that dad is going to do some amazing things this week and the coming weeks in rehab and make it home for Christmas! Oh yeah - dad says - "tell them they can come see me now."  

Back to Rehab on Wednesday

Well - dad didn't make it back to Rehab on Cork Street today afterall. Evidently there were 3 other new patients headed over there for his doctor and therefore they decided to take dad in the morning around 10am. So dad gets to spend another night at the hospital - which isn't all that bad because they have been doing therapy with him there and his room is nicer and bigger and mom has a couch to relax on next to him. He has had a good day - and evidently dad's internal medicine doctor who came by this afternoon said that dad does need to have his Gall Bladder removed because it is inactive and is one of the causes of his stomach pain and nausea episodes, but they feel it will be best to wait until after he completes rehab and gets back home. Evidently - if you have gall bladder disease, it can flare up and cause symptoms like dads been having, but it doesn't usually last more than a week. In addition, the doctors feel sure he has the Benign Positional Vertigo/or crystals in his inner ear causing the motion sickness/nausea. . . the therapists will try therapy to dislodge that as well. If you are thinking of visiting dad - tonight's a good night at the hospital Rm. 316. We'll keep you posted on the move tomorrow and how he does. Thanks for praying our family thru this minor setback. God is in control.

Good Test Results!

We received some good news - the endoscope and the gall bladder tests were negative for bleeding! His catscan of his brain looks great - his original bleed in his brain has resolved and there is no more signs of any more bleeding. If his vitals are good - blood pressure, heart rate and blood levels - they could send him back to rehab as soon as this afternoon. We are waiting on the internal medicine doc to give him the ok to be transported back to Cork Street. He looks great today - and funny! His voice is great and he is being pampered right now by mom who is feeding him a biscuit! He is laughing this morning and was cutting jokes with his neuro doc- he told her that they should make a movie about him - "Miracle on 34th Street". . . because she was saying how great he looked. He said - "I know how you doctors are - you didn't think I was going to turn out this good." God we are praising you and thanking you this morning for great news- we feel so good about the future. We believe you are going to do great things with him when he gets back to rehab and that he will be home with us for Christmas. Let's pray for no more interruptions in our rehabilitation so we can get our Shug back in the business of shaking hands!

Just Waiting

Not much to report. . . we have been waiting all day for them to do the tests on dad. Looks like he will be heading downstairs for the gall bladder test now. Not sure when they might do the endoscope to check for stomach ulcers. Anyway, he had a great day yesterday - looked so good! Today he is a little groggy, little hard to understand - then again, they have not allowed him to drink any liquids due to testing so he is very dry mouthed, which makes it hard to communicate. If we get any results from the testing today, we will give you another post - but if nothing new happens, we'll give an update in the morning. The way we understand, if the tests do not indicate any internal bleeding of any kind or problems, then he would get to go back to rehab Tuesday or Wednesday. His neuro doc wants one more CT scan of his head before he leaves. The doctor's collective thinking on him throwing up the blood & nausea issues is that- if his gall bladder and stomach are clear - they believe this is just a symptom of the stroke and some inner ear issues (benign positional vertigo). . . and this will be something we will just need to work thru in therapy to control it better. So let's pray that dad's tests are negative, and his CT scan shows nothing but improvement and that his heart rate and blood levels will be stable enough to get him back to "work" as he calls rehab now. Thanks for being along with us on this journey - we couldn't do it without all the love and support everyone is sending our way.

Testing Continues at Hospital

Around 5:30am, they got us into Room 316 (they 1st sent us to rm. 547 - only to be sent back down to the third floor where he needed to be - another 1/2 hour detour). So about 6am, dad and I fell asleep and snoozed comfortably (me on couch) for about 2 hours. Now they are getting ready to check his blood. They took him off the blood thinner last night because his INR was a little too high. Now they will need to monitor him closely and readjust the coumadin to get it back in the 2 to 3 range. The GI doc came in and said he doesn't think that the nausea is related to anything with the stomach or gall bladder, but will do an endoscope tomorrow to rule out any kind of ulcer in the stomach, as well as a nutrition panel thru his blood work. They are not as concerned about the gall bladder now. They also are having a neurologist consult with him to check if they have any other ways of treating the nausea if it is neuro related. His heart rate seems good now. Please pray for the doctors to figure this out - and be able to help him.

We Are Back at the ER

Please say a quick prayer for dad - they called us at about 10pm from Rehab and said they were transporting him to the ER. He is has been throwing up blood today and his heart rate from his Afib condition is over 125. . . they are testing him and treating him for both. We rushed up here to be with him and will let you know as soon as we hear something else.

Friday Eve Update

Dad had a good day at therapy.  He worked so hard.  But he is still having nausea issues. . . not at therapy but at lunch and dinner.  He got sick at lunch and at dinner had bad stomach pains. Doctor is going to work on that.  We took birthday cake up today to celebrate my daughter Lexy's 8th birthday with him today - dad never misses one of our birthdays - he is always there to call and sing to us and celebrate. . . so just like last week we celebrated Brady's birthday with him at the hospital, today we went and celebrated Lexy's at Rehab.  He loved it- he ate the cake and ice cream and sang happy birthday to Lexy by himself!  He was squeezing the boys hands with his left hand before we left and his therapist said he kicked up his left leg today!  So movement is continuing in small bursts - and his strength is coming back a little at a time.  He will only have therapy a half day tomorrow, so he can have visitors tomorrow afternoon and Sunday all day from noon on.  Thanks for your continued support, love and prayers for dad - he is fighting back I can tell you that. . . he is trying so hard.  He was still very soft with his voice today- but the doctors say that happens.  So we look forward to each day - to see his progress and get closer to the day we can bring him home with us.  

Quiet Thanksgiving

We had a quiet Thanksgiving day with dad. We brought dinner up to him in the afternoon and he enjoyed eating it with some of his family. It's hard for him to sit long in the wheel chair though, so he was ready to get back in bed after eating. It takes a lot of work to sit up in that chair with his left side not yet strong enough. He was experiencing a little more pain in his leg and also in his right shoulder - the doctor thinks its spasms in the leg and just muscle aches in the shoulder. He had such a strenuous workout the day before. He rested most of the day. . . with just a few visitors. He had a very quiet day - he was frustrated he couldn't get his voice to work very well. Overall though, we had a great day together - we got him to laugh a time or two and he of course loved his time with family. We hope he has another great day at therapy - we will report later.

Good Day @ Rehab Center

Dad had a good day today. He did suffer a little nausea at therapy, but his blood pressure is back to normal and he was able to participate in all of his therapy sessions. They had him on a machine today where he was using his legs to push back and forth and mom said he really did well with both legs. Dad actually was laughing tonight. He had a lot of visits from his family throughout the day and that is probably what put the sparkle in his smile tonight. He will not have therapy tomorrow, and we are planning to take up some home cooked food to him to celebrate Thanksgiving with him up there. After all, the Kisner family Thanksgiving dinner would not be complete without dad - so we are taking a little bit to him. This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for all of you out there praying dad back to good health - our friends, family, and the many adoring fans that dad has made throughout his 71 years. While we would never have imagined that this Thanksgiving we'd be spending in a Rehab facility, we are thankful that we have our father and that he is getting better every day. God is good - and we thank Him for working so mightily in our father's life..

Day 2 - Back at Rehab

Well - we have some good and some frustrating news to report. The patch for motion sickness worked - dad did not get nauseous at therapy today! However, his blood pressure dropped very low and it caused them to stopped therapy and check his vitals - and do an ekg - to make sure everything was okay. He ended up coming back up from therapy at 11:30 on a bed and was under doctors orders to rest the remainder of the day. He did do a little bedside therapy in the afternoon, but he was pretty exhausted when I saw him this evening. He was having difficulty getting any volume in his voice tonight - he was a little frustrated that we couldn't understand much of what he was trying to share with us when he was awake. Otherwise, good news in the eating skills area - he is back to whole foods and doing well with them. He is still getting feeling and having movement on left side - minor, but progress. Just hoping he can gain enough strength to soon be able to at least readjust himself in bed - he gets so sore laying in one position and doesn't have the ability or strength to move to his side alone. The doctor felt like his low BP was just a medication issue - so he has ordered a new dosage to help with that- let's pray that we get that at the right level in order to pickup with therapy again tomorrow. This will be dad's first night alone - we have been taking turns staying with him since he had been back at the hospital because he was waking up at night and having so much confusion and anxiety - but tonight we felt like he was ready to try to get thru the night without one of us at his side. Pray for a peaceful and safe night for him and good day back at therapy. Thanks for being an army of prayer warriors lifting Dad's needs to heaven. . . one day he will be able to thank you himself, but until then, our family thanks you!

Back at Rehab

We made it back to Rehab today! Praise God! His catscan looked good and his blood levels (INR) were at 2.2 when he left the hospital and that is right where they want them. Dad got to the Cork Street Rehab facility early in the afternoon. He went down for afternoon therapy and all the therapists were happy to see him again. They were impressed with his progress since he was last here. He is still having some problems with nausea when moved around a lot and got sick several times while there - so they may try to use a patch tomorrow to help with motion-sickness. His rehab doctor came to see him this evening and was very impressed with the improvement on how he is moving his left side - he made him do it twice just because he was so thrilled. I am here visiting him now - he got lucky - so to speak because he was supposed to have a room mate but that person had to be taken back to the hospital - so we have a room to ourselves afterall. Dad is laying here in his blue PJs watching tv and he looks so comfy and so much like himself. I can just see so much improvement of his overall demeanor. He is definitely up for visitors again - he's missing his company of friends! We are looking forward to seeing dad's progress - if he can get this motion sickness contained - he will really be ready to work hard downstairs. Thanks so much for praying us thru that "scary week" at the hospital with the pulmonary embolisms and bladder infection - it was just like I told dad in the ER that day he arrived back there - "we were just there because God had to show those doctors what else was wrong with him". God did that and they fixed it and now- we are back where we were 11 days ago. . . only this time we are in a better mental state, stronger physically and ready to start getting down to business.

Good Weekend

Dad has had a very good weekend. His blood levels are just about where they want them, and if his catscan of his head is cleared by the neurologist in the morning - then they anticipate by morning he will be ready to be transported back to rehab after 10 days here at Winchester Medical. If all looks good after doctors rounds tomorrow morning, dad will probably get to rehab and hopefully get a partial day of therapy in over there on Cork Street. We don't know what his room number will be yet - apparently the private room he had before being rushed to the ER, is now occupied and we have to share a room until another private room becomes available - we are crossing our fingers on this because it was not an ideal situation for us the first time when we went to rehab and had to share a room. Dad looks the best he has looked since October 16th when this journey began. He is feeling good, eating well, understanding pretty much everything and he has a stronger will to get better than he has ever had! He wants to work hard at rehab and see what this new movement on his left side can accomplish when the therapists see it and can really put it to use. He actually said to the doctor on Saturday that "I know I am getting better, I just get frustrated when sometimes the doctors ask me to move something and I can't for them, yet I sit here all the time and can feel movement in my left side."

Our prayers are for a good report from the catscan in the morning, safe transport to rehab, manageable living arrangements on Cork Street and great success in rehab. And of course, we pray that Dad will not have any reoccuring blood issues or bladder issues. We will update you tomorrow after we see what's in store for us!

Staying for the Weekend

The doctor came to see dad this morning and she told him he would be staying at the hospital for the weekend. His blood levels are still not therapeutic in order to leave and go to rehab yet, so they will continue to work on that and monitor his levels throughout the weekend with the goal of getting him to rehab on Monday. They need to rescan his brain before leaving to make sure the blood thinners are not affecting anything there, as well. He is feeling good though and his bladder infection is now gone and his gout was caught early enough and now gone, he is having a little problem with nausea but mostly when they are moving him around. Since its the weekend, I am sure he would enjoy some short visits from family & friends - he will only have limited therapy on Saturday and Sunday. So we are praying for the continued safe administering of the blood thinners as they increase the levels some- we need it just right. . . and then we can pick up where we left off at Rehab and hopefully get our Shug home for Christmas!

Morning Report from Dad

Well I know dad is having a good day because he had mom call me to tell me the latest news on him so I could post it on the blog! I spoke with him also and his voice sounded better as well. Mom said he looked so handsome - he had just shaved himself and did a very nice job. They gave him a pill for the gout in his foot last night and already his foot is feeling better. He is in the middle of therapy now - mom said he almost got sick during it but probably just from all the moving around they were doing with him. The doctors have decided to keep dad in the hospital thru the weekend to monitor his blood levels before sending him back to rehab - the levels are almost where they want them - but they will not take any chances on discharging him to rehab until they are sure. So actually - I think dad is relieved. He is still a little worried about all that happened to him this week (no wonder!) and the few extra days in the hospital will boost his confidence and prepare him better to begin the hard work next week back on Cork Street. Last night he was pretty fixated on the move and who was taking him and all the hard work ahead and was he really ready - and what about the gout - and so on. Now mom said he just wants to know who is coming to see him tonight! I'll post later if there is more news...thanks for checking in today!

Keeping Watch

It's kinda like a watchpost around dad's room. Between mom during the day, and the siblings at night and the 3 different types of doctors and a handful of nurses . . . we are all just keeping watch over dad to make sure he stays in a positive frame of mind and that he remains stable. Tonight he seemed to be very quiet, yet full of thoughts. Mom said his therapy went well today and he continues to have 2 IVs going for his meds. He was having some tender pain in his left foot tonight and it appears more swollen- we are having it checked out because dad is concerned about it because he has a tendency to get gout bad. Anyway, the doctors feel he may be ready by the week's end to return to Rehab if his blood tests show a therapuetic level of blood thinner present. We'll let you know as soon as we get word that he will return. But for now, it's just a matter of keeping dad company and making him comfortable as he weathers this extra storm that came in our path last Friday. Thanks for praying - the power of prayer can not be underestimated - it really is the answer.

Day 5 At The Hospital

Another day at Winchester Medical, day 5 since dad was brought here from Rehab on Friday morning to the ER. He is still under close watch by doctors and nurses on the Critical Care floor. . . trying to get his medications to a point where they feel his blood is safely, thinned to help against any future clotting and aide in the breaking down of those already in his lungs. He did well in therapy today - it's not easy he says, but he continues to make progress - some days he moves his leg, other days therapists or doctors may only feel the contraction of the muscles which are trying to make the movement. But either way, he is definitely continuing to show a bit of progress daily on the left side. One thing I can promise you that dad has not lost is his sense of humor - those nurses and doctors are amazed at how witty he is. . . he never misses a chance to make someone smile up there.

He is still on antibiotics for a bladder infection and at times has had to have BP meds thru his IV to keep that in a safe range. But overall - he is stable. His voice is very soft right now. I just spoke on the phone to him and he was whispering to me. Still no word on when he might return to rehab- they keep saying a couple more days - until they get his blood thinning medicine at the right dosage. So for now, we are just trying to stay at dad's bedside and keep him encouraged. Based on what the doctors are saying, we think that it would be best if visits be kept to a minimum while he is on the critical care unit at the hospital- because his doctors have really been stressing how much he needs rest. When he returns to rehab - that will probably be the best time to come see him. Or just give us a call ahead of time in his room at 540-536-1354 before coming and we'll let you know if he is up for visitors. Between mom and all five of us siblings, we are keeping watch and company with him around the clock until he is out of the woods with this latest scare. Thank you so much for keeping your prayers for dad going. There is not a quick fix - so we thank you for your faithfulness to pray us thru until dad comes home. And thank you for such encouraging posts on this site - we enjoy reading them so much!!!

One Day at a Time

Well as hard as it is for Dad and many of us - we just have to be patient and take things one day at a time. The doctors say he is doing well with the blood thinners, but needs to stay under the close watch of the neurosurgeon & neurologist and internal medicine specialist until they can safely regulate his blood thinner. He won't be able to leave here until that happens. His vitals have been good until this morning when his blood pressure jumped up a little but - we think that may have been due to how emotional he was this morning. Mom and I arrived at 8am and he was so upset. It was the first night that one of us did not stay here on the couch with him in case he needed something or just needed to see our face. . . and I really think that worried him. He is such a people person - and when his "circle of love" as he calls it- is not there - it can worry him so much. But since we have arrived, mom has pampered him and we have been able to encouarge him again. We are looking forward to the therapist coming again today to see what he can do today - he has continued to move his left fingers and toes. . . he even lifted his left leg up a little bit for his sister yesterday. If we have any more news to report after therapy - I'll post again. Thanks for your prayers and support - we love you guys!

In the midst of a storm-comes a ray of sunshine!

Phillipians 4: 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

God we are thanking you this morning for a good report. In the midst of our storm that began to fall Friday morning at Rehab, you gave us a ray of sunshine yesterday to let us know that your work with our dad is not done - in fact, it has just begun. Dad did not sleep the first 24hours of his re-entry to the hospital Friday, only a little bit. So yesterday he slept several hours during the day - when he awoke - he was a little disoriented and nervous. I have to admit - after having been here since friday at 11am, I was a bit nervous and tense too. So with the help of a friend, I began speaking the scripture above over and over and over. And then something amazing happened. . . read the next verse.

Phillipians 4:7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And that is what happened - we began to feel some peace come over all of us, including dad. His vitals became stable and he began to speak more confidently saying, "I think they might be able to fix me." Then his physical therapist came in to do some bedside therapy and the most encouraging ray of sunshine came into our day. Dad was able to lift his LEFT LEG up from the bed 4 times! Thank you Lord - because you hear our prayers and answer them in the darkest of hours and give us the encouragement we need to sustain us thru the storm.

We are not sure how many days they will keep dad here - but I am sure they want to keep him until they feel he is out of the woods with the pulmonary embolism condition (clots). Then hopefully we'll get back over to rehab and be able to continue our journey back to health there.

Now we can see that this trip back here was not a "setback" - but a step up. Yes, we did have a life-threatening experience, but our faith was increased as we believed in God to help dad thru this storm - and out of it we received even more evidence that God is right there beside of Dad. We are celebrating today that dad has had signficant movement on his left side. He was just showing off for us. He's been asking for his Jeannie since I arrived at 6am. When mom arrived at 7am, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. She held his left hand and massaged it a little and then said ok shug, let's see you move it. And right away, he wriggle his fingers. THANK YOU GOD. . . I'm so glad you are in control!

(Sorry for the chapter book here today - just so happy - and want to share our good news.)

24 Hours After ER

Well here we sit - back in the 3rd floor waiting room where our journey began 26 days ago on October 16th. They finally got dad in his room here around 11pm. . . and by 1:30am they began the Heparin drip of blood thinners. The 4-hour check of his blood has his blood thinned at where they need it to prevent future clotting issues and to also make the flow of blood thinner in his lungs where the clots exist. The body will need to absorb those clots over time, and until then the doctors are keeping close watch on dad to make sure that his blood does not thin too much and cause another major bleeding episode on his brain OR that one of the current clots does not break off and head to his heart. Now we have to just sit and pray and believe for God's mercy to remove all of the sickness and disease in his body and restore dad for the journey that still lies ahead. Our family made the decision last night to get a room nearby at the Marriott so that mom could sleep, but also be close by if an emergency arose. We all took shifts thru out the night - sleeping and staying with dad so that everyone could get a little rest. Right now dad is sleeping because he stayed up all night - we'll post later tonight and give everyone an update. Thank you for covering dad in prayer - we feel it, even though we are at least 30 minutes away from most of you!

Psalm 118
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say: "His love endures forever."
3 Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever."
4 Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."
5 In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.
6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.

ANOTHER UPDATE • 9PM

Dad has had the procedure done to place the basket in the big vein that carries the blood up to the heart - which will protect against future clots. Thank you God for making that happening so quickly. We had to make a difficult decision tonight and that was whether to wait and let the clots clear on their own which would be a long and dangerous process - because they could break off and go to the heart, or cause distress to his heart because of how hard it will work and that could cause pulmonary hypertension - which is not good. OR we could allow them to begin giving him a low dose of blood thinners to help dissolve the clots. The big concern there is that due to his previous bleed on the brain - they are concerned the bleed could happen again and cause further brain damage, or worse. The neurologists saw him today and felt it was safe to take this approach due to how much his previous bleed had healed and that it had been almost 3 weeks since the stroke. The latter is the quickest way to get dad out of immediate danger, but comes with many risks too. Whew - what a decision. But Dad comfortably lifted his hand to the doctor and said - "doc, I'm in your hands. . . I trust you guys - you are the specialists." So, as I write this, dad is in the process of getting into a room, and having the IV drip of blood thinners begin. They will monitor his blood every 4 hours to make sure the blood is not thinning too much - and be able to react if needed. Friends and family - we just have to let God step in here as we trust these physicians to make the necessary steps to do what Dad needs. Only God knows what the outcome is, but we trust Him and ask Him to carry us thru. We will keep vigil until we can feel Dad is out of the woods. Prayers for mom are appreciated, this has been a very hard day on her.

WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS MORE THAN EVER

Ok - this is our time of deepest need. We have received some difficult news. They have found a large area of clots in dads lungs. Because of his bleed on the brain from the stroke, they can not give him the blood thinning medicine to dissolve them, so we need God to quickly dissolve these things and save our dad. They are going to do a procedure tonight - an interventional radiologist is coming to put a "basket" in to filter the blood and keep from any more that may form. . . and the rest is up to our Lord and Saviour. Right now dad is resting in the ER -- mom is by his side holding his hand. Dad also has a bladder infection which they are treating him for with antibiotics. We are waiting to get a room - we don't know when that will happen - we are waiting to see whether the procedure comes first or the room. God - pour out your mercy on us tonight - keep my mom strong in her time of weakness - we trust you for a new day and a new report and the miracle that we have been believing for. . .

Update from last post

We are actually not at ICU but in the ER at Winchester Medical. We were told by the ER nurse that dad had experience a dizzy spell & threw up at the Rehab center - when they realized his blood pressure was so low, the doctor said he needed to be transported here to have tests run and determine what was going on with him. They have done a catscan of his head, drawn blood, taken a urinalysis and are running tests to see what's up. He was "bone dry" as the nurse said when he arrived - so they have begun IV fluids to help correct the dehydration. I have seen him and he doesn't appear to have any setbacks in speech or mental capacity - he is just sorry for "causing everyone so much trouble." We are waiting on results and will let you know when we receive them. Our progress meeting for this afternoon is now postponed until we determine what is wrong and whether dad will need to be admitted here or be able to return to rehab. Thank you for covering him and us in prayer. I tried to encourage dad by saying that "maybe this is your body's and God's way of telling the doctors that they are overlooking something." And just maybe if we figure that out - then we can make even more progress when they get that all straightened out - we have made way too much progress this week in Rehab to have a setback now - let's all believe that this will turn out for the good.

Psalm 71:18 (New International Version)
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come.

NEED PRAYER FOR DAD

Dad's doctor just called my mom at home and told her that they are transporting dad back to Winchester Medical Center to the ICU - his blood pressure has dropped too low and they feel he needs critical care right away. I have no more details, but mom and I are on the way up there now. PLEASE SEND UP THE PRAYERS FOR DAD - I will post when I get more information!

This is Hard Work

Today we tried a new approach to help dad start his day off on a good note and without so much worry. We called up to his room around 6:30 this morning and his nurse helped him answer his phone. We talked about his night and my son Robby talked to him about the WVU football game tonight - he sounded in good spirits and was ready to eat breakfast. I told him I would be bringing mama up in a couple hours and for him to work hard and not worry about mom - she'd be there when he finished. So when we got there at lunch time, he was one tired puppy. He didn't even go down to the dining hall. The nurses said he had eaten a great breakfast and that he worked so hard in therapy that they felt he needed a nap before lunch. I got to talk with him before he nodded off - he told me how hard of work it was at therapy and then he asked for some "warmed up" blankets so he could take a nap! Mom said when he woke up he was feeling better and he ate a little lunch before going to afternoon therapy. Mom said the therapists are very proud of dad's progress this week. They put Dad's sneakers on him today for the first time and he said it felt so good. Then the therapists stood him to his feet and held him up and began teaching him balance and how to support himself with the good side. Of course for this first time, he was completely supported by the staff, but it was a great feeling for dad to actually stand to his feet for the first time in 23 days- even if he did have a therapist on both sides! We are really looking forward to our meeting with dads rehab team tomorrow afternoon - and we'll let you know how that goes. Thanks for all of your support and continued prayers - it is an unbelievable feeling to know so many people are lifting dad up in prayer. The cards and pictures and visits are really what dad looks forward to - so keep that coming - after all, dad's love language is people. When people are around him, it keeps him encouraged and keeps his mind off where he is.

A Good Report REVISED

Today was a great day. Now I will tell you that even in the midst of a very significant achievement - dad also had a very emotional day too. He is worried about mom- when we arrived around 12:45 and when he awoke for therapy about 1:45, he was upset and thought something had happened to mom - he thought that he had disappointed us because he got sick on Monday. He really thinks he had a setback with this stomach thing - I think he is just afraid of something else happening to him. He wants to get better so badly.

As he was sharing this with us, his therapists who were taking him back down for his afternoon work, encouraged him by telling us that his occupational therapist had notice some movement on his left side today - just a little bit in his wrist, but anything like this is a good sign. This was so exciting - that mom and I decided to sneak down and watch his therapy. And in fact, his occupational therapist was kind enough to let him "show off for us." She held his left arm and asked him if he could lift his wrist up from the dangling position it was in - and sure enough - he did - 2 times. And he even wiggled a few fingers. This was such a joyful moment for us. Hard to describe the feeling. Baby steps, yes - but in some ways - milestones!

Even though dad has not eaten today due to his stomach still feeling queazy, we are going to focus on the good report - no matter how small - and be grateful for that! Thank you to all of his friends, family and co-workers who are visiting him at the Rehab center - it is so encouraging to him . . . and us, especially mom!

Let's believe for more God moments this week!

REHAB Continues - week 2

When mom and I arrived today around 11:30am, dad was in therapy. He was learning to sit up on the side of the therapy table and balance his weight. He was also doing some range of motion exercises. While we have yet to see any indication of movement on the left side, the therapist did say his posture is improving when he sits up and he was much more receptive to the therapy today than last week. He is still a bit queezy - he ate just a small breakfast and lunch. The highlight of my day was when we were sitting at the lunch table talking and he reached over and put his right arm around me - I just leaned over and enjoyed that moment - definitely an unforgettable moment right there. After lunch, we went to his room where he rested for an hour before afternoon therapy. After dinner he got a bunch of vistors and mom said he did really well with everyone - he spoke with each visitor and truly enjoyed their company. Today the case worker scheduled a family meeting for us for Friday afternoon where the doctor and therapists will give us a progress report and also begin helping us put together a plan for his eventual discharge - there are a lot of things that we will need to do in order to prepare mom & dad's house (ramps, moving furniture, railings, possibly new hospital style furniture and redoing the bathroom as well) But for now, we will focus on the fact that today was a good day - and we PRAISE GOD from whom all good things come!

Rehab Week 2

Today has been a little bit of a difficult day for dad. He became sick to his stomach this morning and threw up. This scared him and also embarrassed him. He was afraid that he had another stroke or a seizure - I think because he got sick like this at work the day of his stroke. But it was nothing like that - he was looking pretty good by 1pm when Mom and I arrived. He said they are making him eat too much and he just got too full. So maybe that's it. He had a lot of vistors yesterday and everyone brought him something sweet - he couldn't resist tasting it all! Plus, mom said he ate all of his dinner last night - so maybe it was just too much. So, since it took them a while to get him all cleaned up again - he missed morning therapy. He wanted to skip afternoon therapy but mom and I convinced him to do the therapy in his room. He is resting now. He really wants to come home. That's all he talked to me about today was - he wanted to meet with the administrator of this place and get his transfer to home processed. I explained to him how important the therapy was to help him get stronger so that we can take care of him at home without being in danger of him falling and hurting himself even more. The therapists thought he did well with therapy in the room today compared to last week - so that is good.

Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Dad told me today he is praying everyday that God will help him get out of that bed - and that is our prayer as well.

A DAY OF REST

Hey everyone - first of all, thank you for all of the cards that you are flooding dad and mom with - she loves reading them to him in his room each day. He loves pictures too - so feel free to send him those too. On Sundays, dad does not have therapy-so today he got to enjoy all sorts of visitors. . . some as far away as Franklin, WV. Dad has touched so many peoples lives near and far, and in times like this, it touches his heart to hear from so many of you. He was somewhat tired and quiet today. He doesn't like to sit up in his wheelchair very long because he says it just hurts and it makes him cold. He still wants to be wrapped up in warm blankets. He ate a little at every meal and hopefully that will help his strength. Today he kept talking about going home - he wants to leave so bad and he just misses mom terribly when she is not there, which isn't much - just at night time. He called her at 5:30 this morning and needed her - she is holding up pretty well - the nurses are keeping an eye on mom too! We are trying to protect her from over extending herself. Would you guys join me now in a prayer for dad as you read this?

Heavenly Father, today I held your son Shug's hand as he told me how hard this stroke has been for him. He told me that he is praying to you every night to heal him and make him strong so he can come home to us soon. Father we join with Shug and ask also that you would answer His cry to you for healing and strength. God we believe our dad has so much more to do for you- but he is afraid he won't get the chance to unless he can pull thru this diffiicult season. Give us all the strength to continue our fight and the comfort of feeling you close - rise up our Shug - in your precious and holy name we pray - Jesus Christ - AMEN!

REHAB Day 6 PM Report

Good evening... we just got home from visiting dad. He is talking well still and seems to really understand where he is now and why he is there. . . I really believe next week we might get a real feel for if he can or will respond to therapy - he still has no movement on the left side. But his vitals are great, he is beginning to eat a little more at every meal and he thinks and talks about things coherently. The doctor really feels we will have better results with physical therapy now that he is medically more sound. This new room is the best. It is warmer, cozier and has a couch for our mom to rest on while caring for dad. Dad sad some really sweet things tonight - like "i hate to be selfish, but do you think you could warm those blankets up in the dryer one more time for me?" He has been so cold with his stroke. Also, he was happy that our brother Tommy's granddaughter was born today. She is precious - and she picked a great day to be born - it's Tommy's birthday! The proud grandfather took pictures of her and went and developed them and had them up to show dad within an hour of her birth! After tucking him in with his toasty warm blankets, we read him a couple of Psalms from the Bible and he was ready for bed, then he told mom he would be waiting for her in the morning. Let's all believe together that next week will be our week to see some movement or feeling on the left side. God is still in the miracle business. . . amen.

REHAB DAY 6 • Saturday, Nov. 3rd

Mom went up early today and helped dad with breakfast. She was happy that he actually ate a little bit this morning for her. She said he seemed much better this morning compared to last night when his blood pressure had dropped and he became so tired. She was watching him in physical therapy when I spoke with her. They are actually going to be moving him to another room again today. It looks like room number 3309 is a warmer private room which became available today. So if you are trying to reach dad thru mail, phone or visit - it's now 3309 - or just ask the nurses when you get off the elevator. I will be heading up there later today and when I get back I will give everyone another update.

REHAB DAY 5 • Friday, Nov. 2nd

Well today there is not a whole lot to report. Dad slept most of the day. His blood pressure ended up ironically being really low due to BP medicine they have him on, so the doctor recommended he "sleep it off". He needed that rest anyway. And they are adjusting his meds to correct the situation. Mom and Pam spent most of the day with him, and said he woke up for about an hour before they left this evening and he was alert and coherent. Thanks for your support and prayers. . . we couldn't do this without you guys!

REHAB DAY 4 • Thursday, Nov. 1st

Just got home from seeing dad and I have to say that his private room seems so much more conducive to his healing process. Today, mom got a phone call from dad about 1pm - he had the nurses call her because he was so cold and because he wanted her to come see him. So you know mom, she got some of his favorite blankets and clothes and a few other goodies and headed up the road to take care of him. He was actually in physical therapy when she and my brother Tommy arrived and they were able to observe that. He slept until dinner time and then enjoyed some visitors thruout the evening. He seemed to be clearer with his thoughts, and calmer and more at peace. He talked again about how he never knew that a stroke could be so hard on a person. Dad really piped up when the doctor was visiting and explained to us that when dad gets tired - how important it is for us to let him sleep and not keep him awake. Sleep is so important to his healing, as is therapy - dad responded "that's the best thing I've heard all day." The doctor is not ready to assess his progress - too early, but he did ease my fears. I was concerned about the fact that he was in critical condition for so long that we may have missed an important opportunity to regain things on the left side. The doctor said not to worry - that dad was in very critical condition in the hospital and his brain could not have withstood any of that. His doctor said that we hadn't lost any time yet and that their goal was to get dad home as soon as possible so that we could continue his care from home and that we should be patient and realize that it may take six months to a year before we really see dad's full potential. Dad and I laughed because he and I are the worse when it comes to patience - I told him we'd work on that togehter - one day at a time. We just have to remind ourselves and him daily - baby steps - we have to be patient and let God be in control. One of the last things he said to me before we left tonight was - call the pastor and tell him for me to keep the prayer line going - I told him not only would I do that, but that I would let everyone on the blog know too. Thanks again to all of you who are following dad's journey - you give us strength and encouragement and we appreciate all the support we have received. Mom is saving every single card to let dad read when he comes home and I will eventually print this blog and your posts so that he can read it, as well as the many emails that I have received. Thanks again everyone - good night!

REHAB DAY 3 • Wednesday, Oct. 31st

Dad has been moved to a private room - his new room number is 3305. This is going to be much better for him. Yesterday he got a room mate and it was too confusing and disruptive for him. So now that he has been moved to a private room, we feel he will rest better. He also is experiencing what is called "nueropathic pain" in his left shoulder which is due to the left side paralysis - which occurs when a joint becomes immobilized due to the lack of movement and the tendons and ligaments around the joint become fixed in one position. Patients who have a paralyzed arm like dad experience severe pain that radiates outward from his shoulder. Anyway, they are giving him a low dose of pain medicine to help with that. We won't get a real indication of how he is doing overall from the therapists and doctor until his one week evaluation on Tuesday. The nurses said he had been asking for his family a lot today. . . he really looks forward to his evening visits now. Even though he is tired, his face lights up when he sees someone he knows. Of course at this early stage we are not seeing any dramatic changes in anything, he does seem to be clearer with his speech, but there is still no movement on the left side and he still is somewhat confused about being there. Thanks for checking in - we'll give you an update tomorrow!

Rehab Day 2 - Tues. Oct. 30 PM

Just got home from winchester. It's really hard to explain how hard this phase is. . .but it is emotionally more difficult than being in ICU. Dad was so glad to see us. I think he really missed us not being there during the day like we had been the last 2 weeks. He was worn out from therapy. He had a full day of speech, occupational and physical therapy. First thing he asked was how long the drive was to get home. He wanted to get on the road and head home and we could bring him back for his work tomorrow, he said. Oh how we wish we could do that. His speech was clearer early in the evening. And he really enjoyed spending some time with his Pastor, Kevin Green. Not really sure about any of his vitals thru out the day - unfortunately the floor was too busy while we were there to get that information. I have a feeling that this part of our journey is going to feel like an eternity. One day at a time is easy for us to say - but as dad told us all night - this is the hardest thing I have ever faced in my life. Pray for dad to be encouraged and filled with the strength that only his Creator can provide. . .and please pray for his speedy recovery so we can bring him home.

REHAB • Tuesday, Oct. 30th

Well this is going to be a short post until after I see dad tonight. I spoke with his nurse this morning and she said he had an "uneventful night". It was very hard to leave him yesterday - but he really needed to rest up for today. He will have his first full day today... so we are anxious to see how he does and feels. He was a bit sad yesterday- but they said that was to be expected. You have no idea how hard it is to leave him there. . . but we know that he is in the right place with the right people and that God is control. I will blog when we get home tonight from visiting him. I am taking mom up around 4:30pm. Thanks for your continued support and prayers!

REHAB BEGINS • Monday, Oct. 29th

Sorry for the delay in a post today. . . we have been busy. Dad left Winchester Medical Center around 11am by ambulance and was transported to Winchester Rehabilitation Center (old winchester hospital on cork street). His room is 3308. He has had a very busy day already. He was being assessed by all of the teams that will be working with him - physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and his doctors and nurses. By noon, they had him in a wheelchair and in the dining room for lunch, when we arrived back from a tour of the facility. He is exhausted and they were letting him catch a little nap when I left. Pam and mom were going to meet with his doctor at 3:30pm. His daily schedule will be pretty intense. Up a 7am, breakfast @ 7:30, then occupational therapy, then physical therapy, then lunch, then more physical therapy and then dinner. They expect him to be quite tired this week as he adjusts to his new schedule. His nurse recommended that we hold off on visitors outside of his immediate family until the weekend. He really needs that time to adjust. He only has a half day of working with therapists on Saturdays and is off on Sundays. So we think by the weekend he may be up for some visitors, but we will let you know for sure on our daily post. Visiting hours during the week are not recommended until after dinner, between 6 & 9pm, but let's give him a week to adjust and get his blood pressure back down before coming to see him. He can however receive cards to his room. His address will be Winchester Rehab Center, 333 West Cork Street, Room 3308, Winchester, VA 22601. One other thing I need to correct from a previous post is this. . . I was under the impression that he was being admitted to a "3week intense program" - not exactly. What they meant is that dad's insurance covers 3 weeks of acute rehab. So where I was thinking at the end of the 3 weeks he would be maybe able to come home - that isn't a given. . .it's just when he will be re-evaluated to determine if they need to request to insurance for a longer stay for him there. All that being said - we are still believing for a miracle and to have him home by Thanksgiving - thanks for your continued prayer. We'll keep you posted on his therapy.

DAY 13 • Sunday, Oct. 28th

Today was dad's first day to sit in a chair. He sat there for about an hour or two. . . and then they got him back in bed. It wore him out. He is so tired. He is very nervous about moving to the rehab facility tomorrow - but wants to get better. He is just afraid that he will be too tired. I think it was such a big ordeal when they put him in the chair that he might be beginning to realize how much work is ahead. (I think being in the bed for so long has masked the paralysis on his left - getting up in a chair today was a realization to him of what the stroke has done to him.) Dad asked to call his brother Calvin this afternoon - and he did well talking to him. He told his brother that this stroke was really hard on him. He said that his "butt was dragging the ground, but that he was gonna make it." His blood pressure is still a little high - but they are keeping tabs on it and giving him extra meds when needed.

He talked about church - and asked who was doing "his job" for him. He was glad to know that his son David and grandson Robby are keeping his place for him. He said he wants to come back to church next week, he said, "i might need a chair and maybe a cane, but I got to get back there." Of course we'd love for him to be at his post greeting everyone next Sunday - but as you all know he begins his intense 3 week rehab tomorrow. Again, our family asks everyone to be praying specifically for dad's rehab journey - we are believing for miraculous things to happen there. It is our heart's desire to see our father able to come home at Thanksgiving and be able to live there as he continues therapy. It's amazing to see how even in the midst of very difficult times, that this amazing man is having such a positive impact on us all- his stroke has brought us all so close as we band together to pray him back to health. All these years dad has been such an incredible support to each of us - now we get to give back a portion to him.

DAY 12 • Saturday, Oct. 27th

We are sitting here watching the WVU Mountaineers football game with dad. He slept during the first half, but mom woke him up to help him eat lunch and he is watching it now. We did receive some very encouraging news last night - dad has been accepted into the 3-week inpatient therapy program at Winchester Rehabilitation Center. This is an answer to prayer- we so wanted him to be able to get into this intense program. We've heard some miraculous recovery stories from the nurse case worker there. He'll be transferred there Monday. Due to his rigorous 3 to 4 hour therapy during the day, he will only be allowed visitors in the evenings after 4pm. Also, the gastrointestinal doc came to see him today about his stomach swelling - he thinks its just due to inactivity and feels therapy will help. His blood pressure is hanging in the 150s over 90s & low 100s. . . not bad they say. As far as any movement on his left side, we are not seeing anything right now, but our hope is in the Lord. I like what our friend at church shared with us today in an email - let it encourage you as it has encouraged us. . .

"Sure, we understand that there will be some storms in life, so we prepare ourselves as best we can, but still some storms surprise us. They come faster than we expected, stay longer than we want, and leave us with a bigger mess to clean up than we could have imagined. The question then becomes, “What now?” Who do we lean on when the storms of life roll in? Who is our Rock in times of trouble? Psalm 18:2 reads, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” "

Thank you for your prayers. . . we ask you to believe with us for a miracle over these next 3 weeks - so that when dad leaves rehab the week of Thanksgiving, that we will be able to bring him home with an even greater testimony than he already has.

DAY 11 • Friday, Oct. 26 AM

It's good to be out of ICU, but still trying to get dad to settled on 2nd floor Neuro Unit. He has been pretty disoriented- not making a whole lot of sense. But that could be because he was up from noon yesterday until 9pm and then only slept about 3 hours. We spoke with his neurologist this morning and she is having him evaluated today or as soon as possible to see if he can be a candidate for the Winchester Rehab intense 3 week program. . .that is so important that he gets in there. Today is probably not a good visiting day for dad because they did a catscan of his stomach because it appears so swollen and they believe it is bowel related. Today they will be trying to help him with that - so he may be a little uncomfortable. Here's the honest truth friends - dad is stable, he's not in a critical medical situation anymore. . . but we need your prayers more than ever to get him thru this phase of therapy. The doctor says the damage is pretty significant and in her clinical view - it's likely he will not have much meaningful movement on the left side again. But that's where our faith in God has to kick in. . . we need to believe for a miracle - we know that God is not done with Dad yet. He has way too many more people that he needs to be a positive influence on and I believe that thru aggressive therapy - that dad can do amazing things! Phillipians 4:13 - I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me.

Thurs. Oct 25 Afternoon UPDATE

Great news - dad is out of ICU! We arrived in his Neuro Unit room around 3:30pm. He is trying to adjust to a new setting and new team of nurses. Thanks to all of you for praying this step into action. What a good feeling to get out of the ICU. He is pretty confused today - a lot of different things happening to him with the move. I know so many people are anxious to see him, and I think after 24 hours on this floor to get him settled, by the weekend, he will probably be more up to a few visitors beyond the family. There has been no new progress in his clinical status - blood pressure is better, no real movement on his left side today, just a lot of confusion. This new room is very quiet - and I think once he adjusts to being here - he will sleep and be more comfortable - we are glad mom now has a couch in the room to rest on during her stay with him in the day - she can be with him all day now - she is doing so well thru all this - and she is such a wonderful nurse to him!

DAY 10 • Thurs. Oct. 25 • AM Update

Good Morning! Just spoke with dad's night nurse Josh and he informed me that dad's blood pressure shot back up in the wee-mornin' hours to 170s over 100s - so even though they tried to bring it down with the IV push meds, it wasn't enough so they did put him back on the drip meds for his Blood Pressure. We are not sure how this will affect him, or whether they will have to keep him in ICU again because of this. Mom and I are on our way up for the day and when we get a report from the doctor, I will post the plan for today. On the good side, Nurse Josh said he saw dad's left foot toes twitch some last night - so we'll take anything!!! Keep us in your prayers for safe travel to Winchester in this rainy weather and for Dad's blood pressure to get under control and get him onto that 2nd floor Neuro unit!!!!

Wednesday Oct. 24 • PM Update

Shug is still in the ICU - no bed opened up for him on the 2nd floor yet where the Neuro Unit is located. Some progress today - he began slightly shrugging his left shoulder today. . .which he hasn't done since his first day here. No temperature today and his blood pressure has been pretty good, only requiring a push of iv meds here & there, but nothing that would keep them from moving him when a bed opens up on the floor. He is listening to music from church that he loves and it seems to have really brightened him up. And he even said, "That (music) will help me get better and get me thru this better than anything." He slept better this morning with the music playing in his room, too. He still is very anxious about leaving - can't stop moving his right hand, I guess that's his only outlet for getting out that Shug energy. He even ate a good lunch today. He also spoke for the first time today about the fact that he understands he will be in the hospital several weeks to help him get better. We have been told that after he is stabilized on the 2nd floor and ready for re-hab (which could take anywhere from 2 days to a week). . . his next step would be to transfer to Winchester's Rehab Center for an intense 3 week inpatient program. For those who have requested to send a card to him - please just send to the Winchester Medical Center with his name at the top and patient after it. . . we don't know what room he will be in yet so - they will find him whereever he goes we've been told. (Winchester Medical Center- 1840 Amherst Street, Winchester, VA 22604.)