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.