Tom posted updates this morning...Seems Heatherjane now has the bug that is going around, as does Reagan...
December 28, 2006 at 09:26 AM CST
Sorry for no update yesterday. I wasn't able to visit Ian yesterday, as whatever Ian had, I now am suffering from the same thing. I can tell you, if Ian felt like I did yesterday, I feel really bad that we were asking him to try to eat and do rehab! Once again, Ian proves that he's tougher than the average bear.
Here's what HJ told me about yesterday. Ian continues to make progress. Using a walker probably isn't in the cards, though maybe now that he's feeling a lot better his strength will be better. His short-term memory is showing improvement as well. He was able to remember where the penny was hidden, though it took a bit of cajoling to get him to cough up the information. Joel, his therapist, believes Ian knew where it was, but was just being playful about telling him. In fact, Joel believes Ian knows a lot more than he's willing to show.
When I talked to Ian this AM, he was chatty, and he sounded great. He knew the date and he knew that next year is going to be 2007, so we think he's getting better. We do want to keep praying, though. Oh, and HJ told me this morning that Ian was able to write his first and last names and remember our phone number yesterday! These are all good things.
The folks at the hospital are optimistic that Ian may be able to come home as early as tomorrow. Much of this will depend on our ability to get the house ready. We've ordered ramps (for the wheelchair) and are trying to figure out the logistics, as we would love to get him home as soon as we possibly can.
Unfortunately, we don't have only good news to report. Whatever bug Ian had seems to be running through our family right now. It started with me yesterday, and HJ got sick at the hospital last night. This morning, Reagan got sick. Please pray that that's the extent of our experience with this bug--We'd hate to see it work its way through all eight of us!
Tom and HJ
December 28, 2006 at 09:32 AM CST
One more item for prayer. Our insurer, DeanCare, does pretty much all of its pediatric rehab at their clinic on the far east side of Madison. This is a 50-mile round trip for us, and we think that it would be tough for both us and Ian if we had to do 3 hours/week of rehab all the way over there.
UW has a clinic right in Middleton, where they could do all the rehab, using mostly the same therapists that are currently working with him. We are trying to get a referral from Dean to go to this clinic. The paperwork is in process, but we need your prayer for a positive outcome.
Thanks.
Tom and HJ
BTTT
GI virus is the pits.
Prayers of thanksgiving for Ians progress so far.
Prayers for complete healing continue.
BTTT and prayers!
Just called Heatherjane's cell phone #, and her daughter Meredith told me she couldn't talk right now because she's getting Ian into the car. He's going home! :-) :-) :-) :-) (That's all I know for now.)