Day Thirty Three Part Two

7:56 PM
When I arrived back in Don’s room after updating the blog, the pastor and another church member had come in to visit. PT & OT was there waiting on the nurse to bring in some pain meds so they could get him up. It took three folks from PT and half an hour to get him into a wheel chair. The BP did go up but not to the point it kept him from getting to stay in the chair. He said he wanted to stay in the chair long enough to take a spin around the hall. They told him he could stay in as long as he was able. He told me "You know you are going to have to comb my hair." I did comb his hair and told him I was going to have to take a picture. He agreed to let me. About that time our son came in and asked him to go find him a hat. We found one in my car. There he was with a ball cap on, hospital gown, support stockings and a sheet to cover him. We snapped a few more pictures. After getting him "ready" to go out in public, Donnie Lee pushed him up the hall and we showed him the front door where we come in every day. We had lots of people following him at that time. His parents, my mom, Taylor, Donnie Lee and me. We took him to the day room where they have several tables, computer, phone TV and stereo set up for the residents. By this time it was getting close to lunch and he was able to sit in that room at a table and have his lunch. His mom fed him as he is still unable to feed himself using utensils. If it is a sandwich or something like that he can manage. My aunt came by on her lunch hour and was so excited to see him up in the chair. It was her birthday and Don made another milestone on a significant day. He was moved out of ICU on his mother's birthday and he made a big turn around right after Christmas. Don stayed up about an hour and a half and then went back to bed. It took them another half an hour to get him back in the bed. The OT came back to check on him and placed a ting unit on both arms to help stimulate those muscles. The Haldol really wiped out his muscles. He is experiencing a lot of numbness in his right arm and his left knee is giving him a fit. The PT said she would check on it, but she remembers reading something in his file about a possible knee fracture. Don's mom went a bought a very soft football for him to squeeze to help build up his right hand and arm - this was suggested by the PT. Don is unable to squeeze the ball at all at this time but at least he's trying. I tried it myself, just to see how hard the ball was - it is very soft. It is a much smaller version just big enough to fit in the palm of your hand but it much like the Nerf type footballs. Don keeps it lying on his lap so he can get it when he thinks about it. He is so concerned about regaining the use of that arm/hand. After his visitors left, he napped until about 4:15 and Donnie Lee came back on his lunch break. Taylor came by too. They stayed until about 5:00 and Donnie Lee headed back to work. A long time friend from Asbury School came by to see Don. Don really appreciated him coming by. Supper was brought about 5:30 and although Don planned not to eat it (he didn't like what they were serving), he decided to eat the sandwiches. Kristi came by after work and went and picked him up a caramel and banana milkshake. He said it tasted just like a banana split. He dozed off about 7:30 and Kristi is sitting with him now so that I can update the blog. The 2nd shift nurse said that she would be taking a culture of his belly incision so they could see what is going on there. Oh, I almost forgot, they allowed me to take of his support stockings until bed time tonight. I don't remember how long they have been on but this is the first time they have been taken off for any reason since they were put on. His knees and feet still are very swollen. Please pray that the infection or whatever it is in his incision is minor and that the swelling will continue to go down.