Christmas Day

For those still keeping count, Christmas Day marks 151 days since the surgery. I honestly stopped keeping count, but I added it up today being a landmark holiday.

First of all, Merry Christmas to all of you from my family to yours. We spent the last 24 hours much like we do every year, obviously with some exception. The winter blast that the NW has seen the last week, has put our street virtually impossible to get up and down. I discovered this personally, when arriving with presents yesterday after work. I found my Mom, and my Dad's nurse (Fred) out shoveling a path in the street for our cars to get in. This was a valiant effort, but nothing in comparison to all the neighbors pulling together to shovel tracks for cars to get through. I was out there as well, digging in the cold, thinking the whole time we were trying to get all the neighbors up the hill to their families. After about an hour, I learned that this was not the case. We were digging a path for my Mom to get in and out, should my Dad need to leave in a hurry. I was floored by the generosity of the neighbors....young and old, out digging...for my Dad.

Earlier in the week, he had a "brief" hiccup in which the nurse thought it best to take him to the ER. Turns out, it may just be a mild case of bronchitis...but it cost an entire afternoon sitting and waiting for my Mom, and my bro. But, once again, when they needed a path, the neighbors came to his aide...digging, so that he could get to the hospital. The sand trucks made special trips up his street, that normally does not get touched, because my Mom called and requested service, explaining the situation. We were put "on a waiting list", but received almost immediate attention. Even the neighbors were surprised, until I explained why, that their street was sanded.

The last week has seen the Christmas spirit alive and well. The strength in numbers coming together for one small cause, is astounding. This has been relavent the last 151 days to me. Family, friends, strangers, coming together to follow their hearts and do what is right.

My digging was interrupted yesterday by my fathers request for me to come inside. He wanted to give me his present while Fred was still there. This present, could not have been better timed. All the struggles, all the negative feedback from the doctors, all the shutting down of "keeping false hope", all leading to this moment...on Christmas eve. My Dad's present to his family was taking steps. Both feet, limited assistance, the length of the kitchen.

I hope his doctors may somehow be reading this. You can try to scientifically predict how my father will end up, but he will prove you wrong. You can tell us we have to make a decision after three months, he will prove you wrong. You can tell us that his most significant signs of improvement will be within those first three months, and well....he DID prove you wrong. You can tell us all these things till your faces turn blue, but what you cannot do is account for a man's love and devotion for what matters most in his world, his family.

Merry Christmas to all of you and our sincere love and appreciation.

~The Petrovich family.

Week 5 at home

Very exciting week so far! It's amazing when I take a few days off, and come back to him. It really helps to see the little differences. Well this week, those little differences are huge improvements.

My mom told me he was taking steps, and I have observed these little steps assisting him around the house, but yesterday was different. These were considerable steps, as well as considerable movement in the "bad leg". All of this is still assisted by one of us, or his Physical therapist....but I still was in shock at the difference a week made. His pull ups in bed are not even a struggle anymore. It's as if he's bored with them now, and wants a new challenge. His brother sent some work out bands for him to use, and I am consistently finding new ways for him to work with these to add more of a challenge. His speech is also improving, last night he was able to say "My name is John, my kids are Brad, Matt, and Chris. My wife is Claudia, and she is the best wife in the world". For the most part, this was much more clear than what we are used to.

In my opinion, he is seeing these improvements and getting more and more excited about them. I think we were in a lull there for a bit, where he did not see the improvements, as they were spread out over time.

I installed the new hinges on his bathroom door. "Offset hinges", in case any of you are wondering, will add an incredible amount of space to your existing door ways. They completely take the door out of the opening, and around the casing.

I also ordered some of those "Get a Grip" things off a tv promo I saw late one night. This was my first time ordering anything off the television's "Paid Programming", but they were super cheap, so I got a pair of them...and because I "acted so fast", they threw in a third one. haha.

So, I tested these bad boys out last night, and couldn't believe the strength of each one. The idea is two suction cup ends with a handle between them. I mounted it to the wall in my bedroom, locked it down, and I am pretty sure I could have ripped the wall right off the studs if I wanted to. Incredible little suckers!! So, we will have these in various spots around the house where he can access them to move about.

Overall, a very optimisitic week of what is coming. I can't wait to get back down there tonight.

Week 4 (extended)

A little more info,

He has developed quite the cough in the mornings mostly....but it seems to have progressively gotten worse. We can't quite figure it out, since his temps are good, and there is nothing that shouldn't be in his lungs.

I think it might be a cold cough, but he doesn't agree.

He has gone from a patient that would love for anything to be in his mouth, to one that is getting a little picky of WHAT we put in there. Comical. Last night he asked me for clam chowder WITH pasta. hahaha.

He has been taking little baby steps when he has the support of one of his boys, is pivoting his feet when we need him to, in general...we are seeing much improvement in the legs...which is very exciting. I may have to build him some parallel bars to play on.

Last night he laughed soooo hard about something, that on more than one occasion, I heard his old laugh. His laugh since the surgery has been hard to distinct between his cries and his laughs...so it was nice to hear a familiar sound. We never did get what was so damn funny, but if it makes him laugh, who really cares. Him laughing histerically is enough to make us all laugh.

Laughs are a good switch.

Week 4

Ok, so I know my last post was rushed....and this one is late in getting out, but it's 10 minutes past his beadtime, so I need to cut this short again. I will try to post more tomorrow at work.

All is well...his speech is improving, he is loving his new diet. All the sisters came up and took my Mom out on the town for the day. Just what the doctor ordered. Love you guys....err...girls.

He does pull ups each night and each morning with his one good arm, and I must say...he is doing very well with one arm. You try lifting your body up off the bed with one arm, and let me know how well you do!! lol.

I will try to post more in the morning.

Week 3 at home

So yesterday brought some exciting news. My Dad's number one request since coming home has been food. Four months without any solid food, or liquid other than formula...anyone could relate. But our concerns of his swallowing these substances properly has been our reasoning. Well, the speech therapist gave the thumbs up for "blendarized" foods. I'm not even sure that is a word, but they used it....and it sounds funny, so I'll go ahead and use it. :)

We're starting slow, and most of the food that was on this list, he is not interested in anyway...haha....but his all time favorite, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy WAS on the list, so you can imagine his delight when I walked in yesterday. I almost wonder if he stalls on swallowing just to savour the taste in his mouth for as long as possible.

He has been taking small steps with Brad, which is exciting. These are very slow movements and only when his weight is supported by other means. Speaking of which, the aquatic therapy has been put on hold, since he still has the tube in his stomach.

We spent Thanksgiving putting up Christmas lights and decorating the house...everyone chipped in, and Dad asked for the first of the Christmas music to be played. My brother is putting on a fundraiser X-mas party this weekend, if any of you readers are local and would like to attend. For more info, contact Brad @ b2kbiz@hotmail.com

The event is this Sunday (Dec 7th) starting at 11am and is an all day event. There is an evite posted and he can send you the information upon request.

More later, had to rush this post...sorry.