I talked to my dad yesterday…and today was the first time he seemed very downtrodden since the accident. He’s been more cognizant of his pain and injuries, and has been having some insomnia. He was thankful that Taylor brought him a large stash of music and movies to keep him occupied and sane. He talked to me about some of the feelings he went through at the accident site, wondering if this was the end…if this was the way that Heavenly Father wanted to bring him home. He has been trying to process why this is his trial and how he’s going to grow from it. It broke my heart to have this conversation with him.

Thank you to all who have been praying for him. I had a large amount of people tell me that they fasted for him yesterday. I can’t believe that he’s already been in the hospital for over 3 weeks. The surgery on Thursday not only did a number on his spirits, but on his body as well. Three more units of blood products were infused yesterday because his hemoglobin level had dropped dramatically. His overall recovery will be held back while his leg recovers from this recent surgical trauma. And the fact that he still aspirates on the swallowing test, and isn’t able to eat or drink any of his favorite foods is terribly hard on him.

At this time, I think he’d best benefits from cards and letters of encouragement. He is enjoying short (10-15 minute) visits at the hospital from family and close friends. He is going to be at IMC for another week or so, then will be transferred to Aspen Ridge West, the new SNF rehab facility on 5300 S. and 700 W. Please continue to keep him in your prayers, especially for recovery on his right leg. If the nerve doesn’t regenerate, he will likely have very limited mobility for his right leg (in addition to a prosthetic leg on the left.) We have faith that he will be healed and eventually be able to live a “normal” life, but it’s the patience and enduring to the end that will be his test now.

Since I got back into Detroit, there haven’t been a lot of updates to post. I’ve notices a bunch of hits on my blog sitemeter that have only lasted a few seconds…Sorry to disappoint if I don’t post something on him everyday. It’s a good sign if there’s nothing to report…no news is good news! He’s a pic from him in the ICU a few minutes before they took the trach out. He was acting like a space man with the oxygen mask on his eyes.

From what I can tell, the ortho surgery on his knee has been postponed until Friday. He’s still having some difficulty swallowing, but he should be able to have food and drink within the next two days. He’s in good spirits, and happy to have visitors for short visits.

This morning I went to visit David for a few hours. He was in good spirits, but still complaining about being stuck in the hospital and wanting to sneak out. The trauma team was there on their rounds, removed his trach and bandaged the stoma. He’s able to talk a little more easily, but it’s pretty breathy and fragmented. The stoma (the hole from the trach) will heal on it’s own, without sutures, within a few days.

He’ll have the next surgery to revise the amputation tomorrow. Either tonight or tomorrow he’ll be moved out of the ICU and into a step-down unit. His first phone call was to his mom in Oregon. I put my cell phone on speaker phone and they had a short, but emotional talk. He keeps asking for phone books so he can call people when he’s bored. But after about two hours of visiting, he started drifting off for a nap. I’ll be back over this afternoon, and will report any updates as they come.

I could not believe the progress my dad has made since the last time I saw him. His body isn’t swollen and bloated, there are less tubes coming out of him, he is able to force-talk through the trach, and he’s done with the ventilator. Unfortunately, this morning he pulled out the NG feeding tube out of his nose, which is bad because he’s not getting nutrition or a route for medication in pill form. This afternoon they will be doing a swallow test, and if he does okay, he will be able to start eating and drinking. Tomorrow or Friday, he will have another surgery on his leg to make sure that the tissue is healthy and not infected, bloodflow is good, cut down the bone, and sew it up with plastics. After that surgery, he’ll have the trach removed. Next week he’ll have surgery on his other leg to repair the knee.

I met with the rehab case manager, who said the doctors have ordered no weight-bearing activity for 6 weeks. She said that acute rehab could be done through the hospital, where willing caregivers would be trained in proper caring and lift techniques. She said the better option would be up to 6 weeks in a rehab facility. He says he really wants to come home, would not be a viable possibility unless we had many, many willing caregivers to take shifts every two hours for 6 weeks. We’ll have to play it by ear and explain to him why we can’t take him home through the ICU psychosis….and how the tray table is not a wheelbarrow to take him home in.