Catchin' Up

This blog is a little late, but through the weekend and into the new week time can get away from you.

Patti is doing well. We had several visitors on Saturday and a big finish to the weekend on Sunday. Patti's parents drove in from Lubbock so Sunday night she and I, Patti's sister Theresa and her husband Greg and daughter Maggie, Mike Jr., Morgan and Aidan and her parents brought in food from the Olive Garden and took over the game room on the hospital rehab floor for dinner. By the time she got through with therapy on Monday and a visit with her parents Monday afternoon, she was pretty worn out.

Her right leg is doing great. She can lift and straighten and move side to side with an amazing amount of strength. She is also able to flex her ankle now in both directions. The pushing part with her leg muscles, which will give her better support for standing and walking, hasn't come around yet, but we expect it any day. Speech wise she is really working hard on names. She can now say all of the vowel sounds, although with some effort still, and she is writing more smoothly and quickly as well. We haven't done much singing lately, although she sang happy birthday to Paige's mother-in-law recently. She is a lot more interested in speaking right now.

The therapists are working with her on a walker as they try to stimulate her right leg further. She can also move from the wheelchair to a chair and from the bed to the wheelchair or a chair without assistance now. So she is still making great progress and staying faithful in her therapy.

On Tuesday the Drs. came in for the weekly review. Patti is still slated for discharge on the 21st. I will meet today with a second long-term rehab site as we try to make a decision on continuing care. Her care will continue in the Dallas area, but there are several choices and they are all a little different. I'm working hard to ask good questions and to be discerning about people and environments for Patti. Please pray for wisdom and an obvious, correct choice.

I have had the opportunity over the last few days to pray with two different people and their loved ones who were also stroke victims. One family ministers with Teen Challenge in East Texas and the others don't have much family around. So praise God for opening doors for ministry and encouragement.

I will post another update as soon as we get a better picture on Patti's continuing care location. Please continue to pray for healing and increasing strength for Patti. She misses home, friends and family, but her spirits are good.

In His Grace,

Mike