NO VISITORS PLEASE!

To all our dear loved ones who are so faithfully keeping Dad in your thoughts and prayers:

We have made a family decision to ask for absolutely no visitors.  Dad is in a phase of his recovery where privacy is deeply important to us. 

Please know that we cannot wait to open the doors to everyone - there will come a different phase of his recovery when your visits will be THE most important thing. 

Please stand by ...

With love,

Lisa, Diane, Heather, Amy and Alan 

More Progress and Daddy Steps

Belated update from Heather describing Sunday:

Good things again today!  Dad's appetite continues to be good, he ate an entire egg salad sandwich for lunch.  We are working on staying awake when the sun is shining, circadian rhythm gets messed up when you are in surgery for as long as he was. 
Physical therapy was late today and went extremely well.  Dad was able to sit on the side of the bed, stand up, take a few steps and transfer to a chair where he will sit for a couple of hours.  The therapists were blown away at his progress in just a few days.  He also did several sets of exercises like a champ!  He says his pain level is low.  

Alan visited and volunteered to give Dad an amazing shave!  Mom is taking a picture of the two of them right now and Dad said "here let me stand up" - that's not allowed right now but we are thrilled that he wants to! 

Everyday is a New Day

Everyday is a new day and thank goodness because yesterday was a tough one for many, many reasons.  The progress today has been outstanding, some of the key accomplishments so far and it's only 3:00:

• All IV's, Drains, Tubes etc. are out!
• Fantastic Physical Therapy Session culminated in Dad getting to and sitting in a chair for 40 minutes.
• He ate a nice lunch, meatloaf and rice which he enjoyed.  This is his first true meal since surgery on Wednesday.
• He asked if he could do some of his physical therapy exercises in bed and then did them on his own.

 Dad has an amazing spirit and is determined to do everything that he is supposed to do, we really couldn't ask for a better patient!

Don't Worry......

Heather Here: Today has been a big day, two therapy sessions one physical and one occupational.  During the physical therapy Dad was able to sit on the side of the bed for about 5 minutes one minute of which was unassisted.  The goal for tomorrow is to have him sit in a chair and take some steps.  The morphine pump was removed this morning and replaced with an oral pain medication.  This has resulted in Dad being awake more and eating a few bites of food.  Earlier I was reassuring Dad that everything is going just as it should, I told him not to worry and he said "be happy".  I asked him if he would like to hear the song and he said yes.  I quickly put on Bobby McFerrin's fabulous song and as soon as it began to play he puckered his lips a bit as if to whistle and sang a few notes. 

Wall Art

This card from Olivia is on the wall in Dad's hospital room. 

Across the top it says: bubble gum rainy day
Under that on the left it says: Grandaddy's card from Olivia
Figures on left are: Sebastian & his age (8) & Kangaroo & Little Roo
Figures in the middle: "you" (Grandaddy ), "me" (Olivia & her age 6 3/4) & Nanny
Figures on the right: Piglet & Winnie the Pooh
In the middle is a bee labeled "bee" :-)

Resting

Dad has been mostly sleeping since his big physical therapy adventure yesterday morning. Sometime today he'll have some medication changes that should help him to be more alert. He continues to be strong and as sweet as ever. Because he has been continuously so stable, he's moved now to different ward in the hospital that seems to be the right place for him - lots of very gentle attentive care. After spending some time with him, his first new nurse last night told Amy and me how sweet he is and how young he looks :-)

Fly Southwest Airlines Everybody!

We three sisters decided that Dad could benefit from around-the-clock advocacy right up until he moves to rehab if possible. So Amy started making arrangements with her office, her childcare, her pet sitter, etc., to stay here longer.  Once all of those arrangements were made, she went online to change her flight.  The cost to change her itinerary was $600.  She called Southwest and the cost to change her itinerary came down to $400.  When she explained our situation to Joe the Southwest Customer Service Agent, the change fee plummeted to $30. Reminds me of the time Alan and I flew infant baby Olivia home from Texas on Southwest. The gentleman behind the checkin counter took one look at our brand new family of three and silently hustled our grossly overweight suitcases and large boxes stuffed with baby things from Austin and from Olivia's birth family onto the conveyor belt without a single fee. Go Southwest!