Sunday, June 28

Guest Blogger brother Jim signing in -

What a difference since the last time I saw Deano at Kindred. He is in a new space (still with a window view, overlooking a small garden) both phyically and emotionally. My daughter, Miya, and I went to see Dean directly from the airport and met a man with a big smile on his face and one who giggled as he was being tickled by his wife. Just seeing him in a t-shirt made a change in his appearance and I can't help to think that Dean feels much less like a patient by being able to wear civilian clothing again. He showed me how he could flex his right toes and move his leg. His attention span is much improved from a few weeks ago and the level of communication has increased.

They do things a bit differently at Long Beach...Dean was given 2 sessions of therapy today, rather than waiting while the therapists take the weekend off. When we went to visit him this afternoon, it was obvious that he was tired from the physical & occupational therapy sessions, as well as the visitors that were kind enough to make the effort to see Dean. The crew here intends to work him, whether he wants to or not...everything is geared to his becoming self-sufficient as soon as possible while he is on this long journey back. I am looking forward to observing (and helping out as needed) when he undergoes the therapy sessions this week.

As I always told the kids on the soccer team during the summer training sessions as I sent them off on yet another lap, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single strp". I would cite Chairman Mao and his Little Red Book, but I think he stole it.

Tomorrow promises to bring more work and with that effort comes progress.

Jim