Sunday, July 19

First of all Riley is home and May is back in town. I was surprised because my boy looks the same; just a little taller and I must say a lot cuter or a lot more cute (which ever you prefer).

Thanks Uncle Dave and I do know you come with good intentions and a loving heart.

I certainly was not aware of what you saw when you looked in my eyes or at the moment you noticed.

What was there was exactly what you said along with fear, panic, doubt and any other adjective which falls into this same category.

Not only is Deano getting ready to come home; my boy is now home.

On Friday I spent the day at the hospital and met with the physical, occupational and speech therapist and there was actually one more which cancelled. Along with them I also met with the case worker. It appears our stay at LBM is quickly coming to an end. So I need to learn in as little time as possible how to care for Dean under these new unexpected circumstances. How to get him out of the wheelchair without hurting either one of us; the proper way to walk with him using the walker, how to get him in and out of a car or up and down stairs. Though Dean is certainly getting stronger he still requires care 24/7. Oh, did I mention hygiene; bathing, etc. Overwhelmed; I say scared shit less.

I must say again the staff and therapists at LBM are so accommodating and helpful.

I picked up Riley and May from the airport and then we went to the hospital and Dean and I got into a little scuttle but - wow try doing that with charades. Not so easy especially when you have never played charades.

The device that Uncle Dave is speaking of would give Deano a voice, either via pressing pictures on a computer or typing in phrases with a lot more functions once it is utilized in the home. However this device is apprx. $10,000.00, which is covered by insurance (amount of coverage unknown) and must be approved and at this stage it is not approved for Deano. The protocol goes something like this: the devise is set up in his room and the various speech therapist both observe and assist Deano in the use of this device to determine whether or not it is a viable means of communication for Dean. Provided they determine that it would in fact be beneficial for him a report is written by the head speech therapist and submitted to Dean's case worker and then the case worker will submit and correspond with the insurance company for approval.

This coming week the hospital will be ordering Dean's wheelchair, walker and various other items which we will need for his homecoming. It still has not been determined whether or not he will require a hospital bed. If so, Deano's room will be our old living room and we will then have that 3 bedroom house we always wanted.

Deano has become very emotional and rightly so. He is becoming more aware of his circumstances and I imagine feeling like he is not getting the results which all his hard work has warranted. Especially with the apraxia - the harder you try to talk; the harder it is to talk. Words or no words I could certainly tell he was yelling at me today and very loudly. What I can gather from Deano's sadness is that right now he is feeling very alone. So maybe if you happen to stop by and see him if you could just remind him he is definitely not alone.

A lot to do so I guess we will catch up later.