Happy July

Hello all,

guest blogger Jim back on duty.

First, I apologize for not posting yesterday. I got back from the hospital after Teri and Riley had gone to bed and I didn't know how to access the blog. I had gone to see how the evening went for Dean and when I got there he was in bed and seemed very comfortable. We had a pleasant conversation without the kids present so it seemed more adult and personal. Earlier, the kids and I had visited when the speech therapist was working on non-verbal communication signals with Dean (and forming an assessment on how to proceed with his therapy. One tip, if you are visiting and Dean makes any type of sound...a cough or a laugh or an 'ahh', please ask him to repeat it and get those vocal cords back in action.) When we left to attend a birthday celebration for a very cute 3 year old niece of Dean, Lauren., Dean was tired and somewhat irritable after his 3 sessions - so it was pleasant to see him in better spitits at the end of the day.

Today, we arrived between his sessions with the therapists and spent the time playing cards. First we played blackjack and rotated dealing between Riley, Miya and Dean. Then we added betting, using push tacks for chips. Dean played his cards and kept an eye on Riley's also, giving him advice on whether to take cards or stay, as well as helping Riley manage the tacks in the middle when Riley was the dealer. Next came 5 card stud. Dean drew and filled small straights on 2 different occaisions. and was the overall pin leader when the game ended.

We were interupted by his nurse, who needed to do some maintenence on his feeding tube/port and set up an IV port. Dean has contracted another infection, this time from his urinary tract and will begin receiving antibiotics again tonight. All visitors to his room need to were gowns and gloves to keep the infection from spreading to the visitors or others at the hospital.

When we got back from lunch, Dean was ready to go to physical therapy. He practiced sitting, standing and taking a single step with his left leg, the key being holding his right knee locked so it can support. Dean is in a kind of catch 22...he needs to use his right side more to gain strength and rebuild his atrophied muscles but he doesn't have the strength to do more work and improve his dexterity. But he is working...the therapist asked Dean to perform certain manuvers and he shook his head no, but on repeated urging, went ahead and did the exercises as originally requested. He is stronger than he thinks he is....and he is getting stronger with each passing day.

that's all the news from Long Beach,

Jim