Tuesday, November 20th, 2007

11:30 PM
David was sleepy again today since he didn't fall asleep untill 4:00 AM. He started waking up around 11:00 AM. Just like his old schedule!
It was great to visit and pray with Travis Osbourne this morning. We love seeing friends and family. Speaking of family, Christa, Bella, and Tobey arrived by car around 3 PM. Laura and Brea arrived at 3 PM at the airport. Tonight, Mike flew in around 10 PM. Now all we're missing is Brian, who will arrive tomorrow.
Today David and the therapists worked on transfering him from the bed to the wheelchair, where he stayed for an hour. After I talked to a VA rep, I went back in the room and handed David the magnadoodle. I told him to sign his name while I was busy with someone else, ha ha. Well, when I turned around, I saw that he had written what appeared to be his signature for his first name. It looked pretty good considering that he always had messy handwriting! I was shocked! I erased it and tried again, but didn't get anything the second time. I wished I had taken a picture of it before I erased it. Later, I was playing with the magnetic letters and wrote "shop" and "cart". I asked him to point to each one and he did! Tomorrow, I am going to figure out how much he can read!!!!!
Christa and Laura spent a lot of time with David this afternoon. They were excited that he was tracking them in the room, recognized each of them, and looked so much better in the three weeks since they had seen him last.
Today was the second day of a negative culture for the aci...bactrim bacteria to show up. If it turns up negative for the third culture in a couple days, we won't have to wear the "blue prom dresses" aka gowns, and gloves anymore. The nieces aren't allowed in David's room until he is cleared either. They stood at the door, waved, and said "Hi!" though. Continue praying for the negative culture again please! Also, that we will be able to communicate better with David. He is sooooo frustrated! Us too that we can't help him. Pray for his swallowing reflex to come back so that he can graduate from his trachea and feeding tube. He wants to put everything in his mouth. The dr. said that we could try the Listermint strips that melt in your mouth. Yesterday, I tried to get him to lick a sucker. He grabbed it and put it in his mouth! (He can't have anything by mouth still.) He sucked on it and then took it out when I asked him to. He did that one more time, and then fell asleep. That was a relief, because I didn't think he would give it back, plus if he had bit the sucker....it's possible that he could have aspirated, instead of swallowing....it wouldn't have been good. He is loosing weight and needs to start eating real food: smoothies, In and Out Burgers, ice cream, etc. again! Thanks again for your prayers and support. Hope to see all of you soon! Love, Patty