Great Start To The Week

Dad had a great Sunday - got out to church and greeted at the door! Then mom said he slept most of the day. He has been enjoying so many wonderful visitors lately... so many, I can't name them all - but i assure you that it's not been too much - it's all been great therapy for him to see each and every one of you - it really boosts his morale and keeps him focussed on getting better and getting out of there!

I dropped mom off this morning and she has been with him most of the day. She said he had another great dad in therapy - mainly they are working on getting dad stronger in his standing and just overall strengthening his muscles through exercise. Tomorrow we'll take him to an appointment in Winchester to see his Neurologist. Next week - April 9th is mom's appointment with the heart surgeon to learn when they will do her surgery. She is feeling pretty good these days so I think she will be prepared for it all.

Thanks for checking in! Keep lifting those prayers to heaven!

You'll Never Know How Much It Means

Dad asked me to post on the blog how very much it has meant to him this week to see some people that he has not seen in awhile. I already mentioned how much it meant to him to see his nephew Nate Sowers, then Nate's older brothers Jeff & Josh came by the very next day and spent over an hour with him - he just loved that! Then today his niece Mitzi Hoke came by for about an hour. . .he was so overjoyed he was in tears, mom said. These are just a few of the many people dad mentioned to me- because believe me - all of you mean a lot to him. . . even you Mark Rogers! ha ha - Seriously though, I will tell you that there is absolutely no way we could have ever gotten thru all of this, especially dad, without the support and love and visits from all of you!

Dad had a great day in therapy this morning. He was happy to be working again on his standing, balance and stability and even taking a few steps. He is feeling good about his progress, even though it is slow, he says. We so hope he will continue to make progress like this every day.

Another Good Day!

So far today, dad has had another good one! He had therapy real early today - and he was standing stronger again. He is feeling really good about that progress. He told my brother David this morning - that he is going to walk again and when he does no one will stop him! Me and David took dad to the dentist late this morning to have his one cap put back on that had come off earlier in the week. He enjoyed getting out for just a quick trip. Mom went in to spend the afternoon with him - i just talked to her and she said dad was in speech therapy and she was in the recliner with her feet propped up and playing her free-cell game. She sounded great.

Praying for another good day in therapy again tomorrow and then we'll get dad to church on Sunday again. Next week, he will see his neurologist again in Winchester on Tuesday. Keep praying with us - we are really believing for big things in the next 33 days. His original stay of 100 days is quickly coming to an end. He really wants to be further along with his therapy before leaving and able to be more independent. We are definitely going to investigate the possibility of extending his stay there - especially with mom's surgery most likely happening at the same time he would be released. If the therapist team feels he can still make progress there and the insurance company will allow for it, we might keep him there just a while longer. But of course, we still are not ruling out that a full miracle may happen this month and with dad's strength getting so much better, he could just walk right out of there on that 100th day! Let's believe for that together!

Another Good Day!

Standing Strong!

Dad had a great day today in therapy! He was happy to be standing strong today. Mom had a doctors appointment this morning in town and afterward spent the day with dad. She took him to therapy after lunch and she said he really did well. She said that his therapist explained to her that the first 2 times dad stood up - dad didn't help out a whole lot, but the 3rd & 4th time he stood dad up, dad was helping 75% on his own! Wow - mom said that dad had a great big ole' smile on his face!

Then to top that off - his nephew Nate Sowers (who plays for WVU Football team) paid him a visit this afternoon. My brother Tim said dad cried he was so happy and thrilled to see him. Nate is on his Spring Break this week. He told Nate that this was one of the best days ever - getting to see him and having a good day in therapy!

Keep praying with us that dad will make this month a big one in therapy!

This is Hard Work

Dad has had a good week so far. He definitely was worn out on Monday - the weekend had really tired him out. But he did work thru it - and today he did the same. He says Rehab is "hard work". He wants to do so good - but it's harder than we think, he says. He thought he would get better faster, everyone tells him it takes time - but he says it's just hard to be patient. We keep trying to encourage him and keep him up and positive - he just needs all of our love, support and prayers to get him thru this time in his life. He has been such a giver all his life and this is a tough thing for him to be on the receiving end of so much help. He feels like a burden and if he only knew how honored we all feel to have the opportunity to give back a small portion of what he has given to us so freely all his life.

Me, mom and Lexy enjoyed our evening with him - we took him some chicken and we watched game shows together. It was a fun and relaxing evening with him. Still hoping, praying and believing that he will just rise up and walk out of there!

A Weekend To Remember!

Dad has had 2 fantastic days! Saturday he was so happy- after morning therapy he spent the entire day in his recliner! He loves having that chair in his room - it makes him feel right at home. We watched WVU beat Duke and he was so happy!

Today he got all dressed up and came to Easter Service at church - he did his greeting job before services and afterward we took him to Pam's for an awesome dinner with all the family. He relaxed in the recliner at Pam's and enjoyed all his grandkids and great grandkids. We really enjoyed the day with him. He got back to his room around 5:30pm and I imagine that he was pooped.

Hoping for a great week - his granddaughter Emily is going to be working in the speech therapy department this week on her spring break from WVU - she is doing 15 hours of community service in her major, which is speech therapy. Dad is really excited about her being there this week! I am sure he will work hard to impress her!

What a Day

Whew- what a day. Dad had a pretty normal morning - he went to therapy early - and was in bed resting when I got there at 12:30 to help him with is lunch. All seemed well and we had hoped to take dad to church this evening but it didn't work out because we were unable to get the van. It probably wouldn't have panned out any way because dad had a little accident early this evening. I got a call from the facility that dad had fallen face first out of bed on the floor. He did not break anything as far as they could tell upon examining him, but he fell on his face and his cheekbone is swollen and bruised and his center forehead has a red bump. It mostly shook him up and upset him - he felt "stupid" for reaching up to his dresser to get his phone. He was very relieved when we arrived - and especially because mom came. They had dinner together and because my brother had gotten mom's recliner from their house and took it to dad's room earlier today - with his accident this evening, it was good that she was able to spend the evening there with him and be very comfortable and relaxed. Dad enjoyed it so much - just the two of them being able to spend time together like old times before she got sick. They ended up putting these side wall pillows on his bed - basically the snap together under the mattress and he lays in the middle of them - they provide some security on his sides to hopefully prevent this from happening again.

We sure hope he feels up to Easter service at church and then dinner at my sister Pams with the family on Sunday. Praying for him to feel better in the morning!

Filling Some Eggs

That's right - dad got to fill some eggs today - Easter eggs that is. Part of his therapy today included opening plastic eggs and filling them... which is preparation for an egg hunt being held at the facility Saturday. He really enjoyed that. He had a great day in therapy again - he worked hard from 8am til 12:30. He rested and watched NCAA basketball the rest of the day. He had a lot of guests today and loved it - especially his surprise visit from mom! It was the first time she had been to the facility since her episode last week with her heart. They had a short visit before my sister Pam took her home. Thanks for praying and supporting us - we love you!

One Day At A Time- update

We are taking things one day at a time. Mom came home from the hospital yesterday. She is staying at my sister Pam's now. She needs to be keep at home for a few days so she doesn't catch anything and while they bring her blood levels back up to the safe range with her coumadin. She will see the heart surgeon April 9th to schedule her open heart surgery. She looks really good and is feeling much better, though. Dad is doing pretty good. His ankle is getting better. He is having a little trouble getting motivated - but we are keeping him focussed on working hard to get better for mom. That seems to keep him straight! He is looking forward to Easter weekend. We are hoping to take him to church Friday evening and Sunday, as well as take him to my sisters after church Sunday for dinner with the family. He is looking forward to that. Please stop by and see dad if you can this week - encourage him - make him laugh. . . we'd appreciate it and also your continued prayers!

I went to have lunch with dad and he was still in therapy! They said he had a great day and was doing excellent with his sitting balance and even sitting alone for periods of time better than before. Here is a picture i captured of him showing off for me! He ate a great lunch and was feeling really good about himself and how well all of his therapies went this morning. He couldn't wait to call mom and tell her too!

Rough Start to the Week

I got to rehab this morning and dad was already in the therapy. He had the saddest look on his face. He broke down, he is just so worried about mom. He also was in a lot of pain, his right ankle was swollen and sensitive to the touch. They thought maybe he had twisted it and maybe even fractured it because he said he was trying to get out of bed and his foot got all twisted up in the "boot" he wears at night to protect his heals from damage. So I got the wheelchair van and took him to the hospital for an xray - no fracture thank goodness. While we were there, we got to stop by and see mom, she was waiting to have her esophageul ultrasound ECO that allowed them to get a very close look at her heart valve. Because of this second episode which was similar to the last one, the cardiologist has decided it is time for the open heart surgery to replace the aortic valve that is damaged. So they think it will happen in about 4 to 5 weeks. I know this is going to be hardest on dad. He is struggling with not being able to take care of her. So God we need that miracle for our dad now! We need you to stand him to his feet before all this takes place with mom because we know that you want our dad right there beside of his lifelong love as she goes thru this. We know nothing is too difficult for you Lord and today we join together to believe for something only YOU can do - heal our father and protect our mother as she begins her journey to health.

If you can stop in to see dad and encourage him - he would love it!

Super Sunday

Today was a super day for dad. . . and emotional too. He arrived early enough at church to greet people leaving first service and was able to attend second service. He really enjoyed it. Then my brothers took him up to see mom at the hospital and took her flowers. They both cried when they saw each other. I think it was really good for him to be able to go see her like that. He even was able to visit mom's oldest brother Paul who is in the hospital there too. Dad enjoyed being out from 10am to 2pm. . . it's great therapy for him! He was even there when one of mom's cardiologists made rounds and he was able to hear what the doctor was planning on doing with mom. Tomorrow they will do an esophageal ultrasound to get a more accurate view of whether there is any vegetation causing this fever and infection. . . they are still wanting to rule out the heart in these recent episodes. It's important to determine what is bringing on these dizzy spells that are causing weakness, fatigue and confusion. We are not sure how long they will keep her... I guess until they figure things out!

We are believing for a BIG week for dad. He is very encouraged on the heals of an encouraging message from our pastor about persistence in our requests to God. . . so I expect that dad will be asking God non-stop to be able to walk again. And we are going to believe with him that big things will happen with this kind of faith and persistence. It's going to happen - we are just waiting for God's timing.

An eventful day

Well folks, mom's "yucky" day turned into more than we expected. As you know I wrote earlier that she has been sick since thursday. She's been running a fever, experiencing weakness and having dizzy spells, and last night at my house she had another episode similar to the car episode a few weeks ago - I found her in the living room on the floor this morning unable to get herself up. . . and she does not remember how she got there. She had been sleeping on the big couch in our front room and at some point got up in the middle of the night or morning. . . around 7am I could hear her calling to me. So we took her to ER this morning on orders from her family doctor - and I just got home at 3:30 and she is resting comfortably in her room at City Hospital. They are doing some extensive tests and cultures to determine what kind of infection might be causing it - and she has already had a round of iv antibiotics, so she already feels somewhat better. They will monitor her and a cardiologist will see her in the morning and we'll go from there.

As you can imagine, dad was torn up about it - he was very worried until he spoke with her on his cell phone and now he feels much better. Dad had a great day at therapy according to my son Robby who spent the morning with him. Robby said he was standing up at the parallel bars so straight and with just a one PT helping him. He really liked his new weekend therapist - he did some more intense E-Stim on dad's leg and it really felt good to dad. Plus, he felt very strong standing and I think that encouraged him.

He is going to go to church second service tomorrow and then surprise mom with a visit to the hospital. SSSHHHHH! (don't tell mom!) Keep mom and dad in your prayers - this sure has been one hilly roller coaster we've been on. . . but we still remain confident that God is in control of it all and we will be victorious in the end!

Great Day at the Dentist

Dad and I had a great visit to Dr. Queen's this morning. (In the picture at left you can see how happy dad was to get out - and Dr. Queen and his assistant Terri Miller (who is also one of our family's close friends) were equally happy to see dad!) The weather was so beautiful and he really enjoyed the little outing. He had his teeth cleaned and some dental work done. We were even able to get him into the dental chair from his wheelchair - so that made him very comfortable for him! God sent a little angle my way this morning in the way of my nephew Matt (Pam's son). I was going to have to make the trip alone - putting dad in and out of the wheelchair van by myself. And then Matt showed up at therapy while dad was still working. So he was able to help me load dad in the van and unload him at therapy - and he was the one who actually put dad in the dental chair and back into his wheelchair again, with the help of Dr. Queen. Matt was coming to visit because his baseball team at Shepherd University is leaving for a week-long trip and he wanted to see his pappy before he left. After his dentist appointment we drove over to mom & dad's house which was nearby so he could see it. He had been worried that he didn't remember which house he lived in before the stroke. But heck, as soon as I crested the hilltop after crossing the railroad tracks, he immediately said "well there's my old red car." Then we drove into their garage so he could see the ramp we had built in the garage for him (he told Dr. Queen he had never gotten to see it before - we've come to realize that he doesn't remember being there that month after Christmas). So it was good to be able to show him the house and give him something to look forward to.

Dad had a great morning in therapy - and is getting stronger and more stable every day. He couldn't stop talking about the Mountaineers today. He loved the game yesterday and is looking forward to watching tonight when they play again against Georgetown. Mom hasn't be able to see dad since yesterday at lunch. She is really feeling yucky and is staying at my house trying to recover. So if anyone has some extra time to stop in to see dad tonight - that would be so great because it keeps his mind off mom not being there!

Thanks for your continued prayers - we love you all!

Thank Goodness for Friends

Dad is really getting itchy feet. He feels sort of trapped in there and that his progress is not moving along quick enough. Sounds like Shug huh! Impatient as the day is long! He was too tired to go to the boys games last night - and I think that discouraged him a bit. Thank Goodness for friends. . . tonight he had plenty visit him. Mom is not feeling well - she has a touch of what dad had last week. She went to see him this morning but then came home to my house and stayed the rest of the day and didn't go back into rehab because she felt so bad. Dad was really missing her - so when his boss Mark Rogers stopped in to visit with one of dad's special friends from his old route near Franklin, WV - that made dad's day! He was so glad to see Roy Bowers - and they had such a nice visit. Then his old friend and colleague Max Parkinson stopped in to encourage dad, along with dad's brother Calvin and Kelly. I got a call when I was out at the ballfield at baseball practice from dad - he was wondering where his dinner was! My sister Pam was filling in for mom and just hadn't gotten there yet. But I know he had a great visit with her and her husband Kelly and their granddaughter Brynna as well.

I am going to go pick him up in the morning and take him to a dentist appointment. He is really looking forward to getting out for that. We will also be able to get him to church this weekend since he is feeling better. . . so that should help him to get out of there for a little bit. I think he has a serious case of cabin fever - and who wouldn't??? He sounded really sad when I told him we were at the little league field tonight - he loves being out there. But we just have to believe that he will be out there and that this month he will make some major progress in his strength and stability!

Keep him in your prayers - we would love to take him home sooner than later!

Feeling Like a Party!

Dad was feeling so much better yesterday that he was up for the party! My oldest son Robby had a birthday and turned 12 Tuesday March 11th - so he wanted his Pappy to be a part of his celebration. After we took the family to Buffalo Wild Wings, we got some wings "to go" for mom and dad then headed to Rehab to continue the party with them. He got in his wheelchair and went to the dining area where we had the party! He ate some wings, then we sang happy birthday to Robby - and we had cake, ice cream and strawberries. It was great! Then afterward Brady and Dad watched some special on tv about bears in Yellowstone National Park. In the picture above you can see the kids with granny & pappy, plus 2 of Robby's best friends Adam & Alex Church (they are the twins in the center back). Dad is laughing in this picture because his has sauce on his face and Brady has a candle and is going to light it - these kids really had fun with him.

Dad was able to do therapy some yesterday, but I think he will do much better today after feeling so well last night. We are going to try to take him to Robby & Bradys basketball games up at the Eagle Classic Tournament at Hedgesville Middle School this evening. . . the boys teams both made it to the championships of their grade levels - so dad would get to see them play in back to back games. I think he really wants to get out for bit after being confined to his bed the past week with that stomach thing. I'll let you know how it goes!

A Little Better

Dad is still not feeling himself, but he is getting a little better. He didn't make it to yesterday although he almost came - stomach pains and all, because he so hates to miss that time with family and friends. But he stayed in and rested, so as not to set himself back even further by wearing himself out with that kind of outing. Yesterday his longtime friend Dave Rogers came by for a visit. Last time he visited, he brought dad a nice Bulldog Basketball shirt. This time, he brought dad a basketball signed by his state championship bound team! It is sitting in dad's window ledge on display now. That really brightened up dad's day! This morning he had that shirt on with a pair of black cords and he looked so handsome - I should have taken a picture of him with the ball and his shirt on - he looked so good! He was going to try to get thru some therapy this morning and this afternoon do more therapy after resting at lunch time. We are praying for him to get well quick so he can return to full-therapy and return to progressing and getting stronger. Mom is still doing well - she sees her heart doctor today. Thanks for your support and prayers!

A Little Under the Weather

Sorry for not posting in a few days. Days & nights seem to be running together! Dad has been feeling a little under the weather since Friday. He is having some stomach pains and just feeling a little unlike himself. He does not feel he can go to church in the morning because he is just not feeling up to it. We think he just has a little bug. He did still do therapy today, but the rest of the day he rested and was just feeling uncomfortable. His is still getting stronger everyday and his therapists are happy with his progress. His mind is still very good too. He gained about 7 pounds this month and now he thinks he's going to get "fat". We told him that he needs to gain weight because he is rebuilding all that muscle he lost, but I think he just wants to cut out all the "sweet treats" that he has been enjoying from guests! ha ha

Well keep praying for dad - he really wants to gain back some independence and learn to do things for himself again. Mom is still doing well - she continues to stay with my sister or me at nighttime - I think she feels safer after the episode she had a couple of weeks ago. We'll be praying for dad to get better tomorrow and be ready for a great week in therapy. Thanks for your love and support!

Sitting Stronger

Good Thursday afternoon! Just a quick post to let you know that dad is doing well (and mom too). He just amazes me with his memory. Me and the kids were there for awhile yesterday and he told us this story of when he went to Winchester Avenue Elementary School - how someone pushed him off the sliding board and he fell face first. One of his sisters took him to the medical clinic beside the courthouse downtown and he remembers they poured rubbing alcohol in a bowl and had him apply it to his face. . . and how much it burned. The kids were amazed at his story. This morning when I arrived, he was starting therapy and I got to see him sitting on the therapy table and holding himself in place for about 10 to 15 seconds at a time. . . which is a huge achievement - he has never been able to sit still and hold his balance since the stroke. He was in a real good mood at lunch time when I dropped mom off for the day and ate a good lunch. He seems to be making strong steady progress. Everyday we pray that he will get stronger and stronger - it's a long road and sometimes the progress is slow, but we know we will get better if our faith is in God.

Pappy being pappy!

Tonight Pappy was enjoying just being "pappy." His little great granddaughter Brynna spent an hour & a half playing with him and loving on him, then they watched the Backyardigans together on her DVD player - (that's what they are doing in this picture). . . she laid right beside him in bed and they watched the show together! My niece Sarah said she was so impressed with her pappy tonight - not only the way he played with Brynna, but the way he was telling them stories all evening long. Mom said he had a good day in therapy too. She said his therapists feel he is getting much stronger and stable at standing up.

When I dropped mom off this morning and visited with him for a little bit, he seemed very good. They have moved him back down the hall to the room he was in orginally (149)- but now he has the bed by the window. We like this room better because it is a little bigger, less chaotic and the room temperature is much more manageable. . . his last roommate liked to keep the heat at 80+. Now if we can just get this new room mate interested in sports - we'll be set!

It is our daily prayer that dad will continue to make great strides in his strength - his ability to walk and increase his stamina. We are believing with each of you that this month will be the month that we are blown away by God's amazing touch of health and healing - and giving dad the greatest witness in his life! Pray with us!!!! We love u!

Great Sunday!

Just a brief post - dad made it out to church this morning and was right back as his post shaking hands and greeting people coming and going. He loves that! He really enjoyed himself and I am so glad that the headache he woke up with was resolved with a Tylenol. He ended having a great time at church. He slept most of the afternoon and we spent some time this evening with him after mom made him some home-cooked dinner. Then he slept most of the evening. We are hoping and believing for "huge advancements" this week - God we ask you to give dad an amazing week. Strengthen him, stretch him and place within him the confidence that he can do all things thru "you" who gives him strength.

Have a great week - and come by to see dad if you get time! He would love to see all of you! He is always free from 6pm until 8pm daily and from noon on saturday and sunday. We look forward to reporting good news this week - believe and pray with us on that. By the way, mom is feeling very good. . . her cough is almost gone. Thanks for checking in !

All Charged Up!

All charged up and ready to roll! Here is dad this morning at therapy - hooked up to his "E-Stim" therapy. Electrical Stimulation Therapy uses an electrical current to cause a single muscle or a group of muscles to contract. By placing electrodes on the skin in various locations the physical therapist can recruit the appropriate muscle fibers. Contracting the muscle via electrical stimulation helps strengthen the affected muscle. Along with increasing muscle strength, the contraction of the muscle also promotes blood supply to the area that assists in healing.
We feel this therapy has been very good for dad's shoulder which when he arrived at Heartland, was very sore and was separated - he really could not do much with his should area at all. Now he is over that soreness and sensitiveness in that area and beginning to be able to use it again. (I mean he used to gasp everytime someone touched his shoulder - now that is gone) The worse part for dad during this therapy is that - you guessed it - he gets so "bored." ha ha! Dad was really trying hard this morning during his left arm therapy because his grand son Luke was watching him and cheering for him. Then my brother Tim helped dad back into bed from his chair and he was content to rest and eat some bacon that mom and I had brought him.

When I was at the facility today- I was waiting in the hallway at one point while the staff were using the lift to get him out of bed and in his chair for therapy and I just began praying and believing strongly that March was going to be a very significant month for my father. I prayed and believed for dad to continue getting stronger, continue learning to walk, and for them to be able to get him in and out of bed without that mechanical lift! We definitely feel dad getting stronger all over - his trunk mucles are getting stronger - he lifts himself forward and can assist in putting his own shirt on. He gets stronger everyday with his left side. It's absolutely amazing how much impact a stroke can have on a person's body- the involuntary, learned tasks that you have done all of your life that after a stroke become the hugest challenge to do.

It just reminds us that we can never take anything for granted. One day our life can be completely normal - like dad, he was at my nephew J.T.'s football game that Monday October 15th and my mom was at my son Brady's football game. I can remember dad calling her in the middle of the game to tell her how good J.T. was playing and mom proceeded to tell dad how well Brady was playing. They never miss their grandkids activities - even if it means splitting up to cover events that overlap. Then the next morning our lives changed forever when dad suffered his stroke. Cherish every second of your "normal" life. You never know when it will be turned upside down. However, saying all that - I want you all to know that as difficult as the past 4 months have been. . . there have been so many, many blessings along the way. And those are what God would have us to focus on. . .and since my dad is such a positive thinker too - he would feel the same way! He is very excited about attending church tomorrow now that he feels better. We hope to see many of you there!