June 11 - the final update

Well, this will probably be the final update from me. I am going to try to get Dick to put a final note out here but if you know Dick that will probably be impossible. Although, he does appreciate all those who followed the blog he is not much for writing. I just wanted to let you know that he has had his G-tube removed as of Tuesday June 9th. It was a little painful and for a little while he thought he was going to have to make a trip back to Florida to have it removed since no one here had ever seen the type that had been inserted in him. But in the end they were able to remove it successfully and he is now free of all medical apparatus and free of all memory of the accident. He is back to riding and walking up to three miles a day. He has had a long journey, as have we, but we are all thankful for such a wonderful outcome and a terrible lesson learned. Thank you for all your prayers, cards, calls, well wishes and everything else that brought him through and back home. He is that same ole Dick that we started out with on the ride in Florida on that sunny day in February.....no worse for the wear.

May 28 - Another stone unturned

Yep - it's not like he hasn't been through enough. He had to go back to the hospital on Sunday (May 24) . He had another kidney stone episode. He had pain on Saturday and woke with quite a bit of pain on Sunday, so much so that he had Mike take him to the emergence room. He was sent home on Monday late afternoon on pain medication. He is waiting to find out what the will do for this stone. He has a 6mm stone about the same place he had the last one and he has another stone in his kidney that they saw on the ct scan. He is still hoping to go on the Relay for Life ride this Saturday but the pain medication may keep him from riding. Keep your fingers crossed that he is able to pass this stone before Saturday and he continues on his road to riding and recuperation.

May 23 - Back on two wheels

Dick got his bike back from being repaired and is back on the road. He has never ever thought of quit riding. But he has decided that it will be a safer ride with a helmet from now on. Jer and I can't wait to get back on the road with him. Our first ride together will be on May 30 when we will do a Relay for Life ride starting and ending in Morton.

He still has that G-tube and it makes him uncomfortable because it stays sore but he is dealing with it but he only has a little over 2 weeks before it comes out.

Smooth roads ahead, Uncle Dick. And remember...Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt sleeve doing 70 mph can double your vocabulary.

May 19 - 64 - what a sweet number

On May 16 Dick turned 64. Most people wouldn't think this is such a big deal but in this family it is a great big deal. Not only did Dick beat the odds when he made such an amazing recovery but he has also beat the odds of turning 64. You see Dick is the first one in his immediate family to make it past 63. His dad (Harley), his mom (Doris), his brother (Denny) and even his wife (Marianne) all passed away before their 63rd birthday. He is the first and it was a very big deal. He talked about it long before the accident how he would be the first.He came close to joining the others but he beat the odds and we are all so greatful to have him home and doing so well. Happy Birthday Uncle Dick and many more!

May 10 - Update

Just a quick note to let you know that Dick's lithotripsy was a success. He went through is with out a hitch. He was a little nauseous that day but other than that everything is fine.

May 6 - He Has Wheels

Hi everyone. I just wanted to let you know that Dick went to the doctor on Tuesday and they have given him the ok to drive. He is a free man of the open road again and is taking advantage of it. He has gone to a couple of B's ball games which I know he has missed and Braden is glad he is back in the stands. The doctor also has taken him off of all but 2 of his many medications. He still has to take one pill until he has his kidney surgery on Thursday morning (5/7) and he needs to stay on one for his stomach. He even was taken off of his cholesterol medication since he has lost weight. He will be going back to his doctor at a later date for a complete physical but he wants to get the last couple of things taken care of (kidney stone surgery and g-tube removal) first before he gets his final physical.

He still has a few weeks before he can have the G-tube removed and it is still his biggest source of discomfort. He has done very well with it though and when he gets his dressings changed he has become quite the pro at opening the valve and inserting the syringe tube for the water flush. He does it all so casually now. I teased him about being so use to his tube he would probably miss it when it is gone he said that is the last thing he wants to get use to.

His lithotripsy is scheduled for 6:00A tomorrow. It should only take a few hours and it will be done as outpatient. He again has missed is Diet Squirt since he has not been able to have any soda since his kidney stone problem. He has had to drink a lot of water and if you know Dick very well that is his last choice of beverage.

So as you can see he still has a few things to work through but he is gaining stamina and doing very well. I will keep you posted after his lithotripsy. Bless to you all for hanging in there with his journey

April 29 - Update

For those of you still checking in, I wanted to let you know that Dick is doing well. He went to the eye doctor the other day and they say his eye is fine. He has a little double vision only when he looks out the corner of his eye to the far left but they say even that should eventually go away. He is back to wearing his contact and he can read the paper with it again although he thinks he might need to get it increased just a little. (that might just be his age creeping up, he will have a birthday next month)

He has increased his daily walks from once around the block twice a day to twice around the block two times a day and hopes to soon be driving. He has been busy with the grand kids which he has enjoyed tremendously, helping Avery ride her bike, pushing Brock on the swings, playing catch with Braden and keeping up with Brooklyn and Carson.

A home health care nurse visits once a week and has given him good reports each visit. She is impressed with his progress (who'd have guessed).

He still has to go through his lithotripsy and have that irritating g-tube removed but these will be a cake walk for him. So as you can see his recovery is still ongoing but it is proceeding in the right direction. Slower than he would want but that is to be expected the overachiever that he is.
Check back. Updates will be posted occasionally as there is more to report.

Recent Accomplishments

Well, there hasn't been much to report but I will try to give you a bit of an update if you are still checking in on Dick recent accomplishments.

He has been taking at least two walks a day around the block, weather permitting, and has been really doing good. He get a little winded and is ready to sit down by time we get back but he feels good and it takes him less time to recoup now than when he first started. He has been making some trips to the grocery store and outings to the bank and errands around town. He goes out for meals a couple a times a week and is eating well. He still is not allowed to drive. He is anxious to get the g-tube out of his stomach but it has to stay another 4 weeks. Not that it is needed for anything any longer but because of the type of the tube it is it must remain for a minimum of 12 weeks total. This causes him the greatest discomfort now and it tends to get quite sore.

He is enjoying many visitor's now. He even had some friends visit him from Elko, Nevada where he last worked, they are here taking a class at Morton Cat.

He had been getting irritated that he just couldn't do as much as he thought he should and we kept telling him he had to give it time, that he had been through a lot. He finally understood when his home health nurse told him for every day that he laid in the hospital it takes three days to recuperate. Now he understands that he has a long road to get back to his old self but that his is definitely on that road.

Feeling good

Today is the first day since Tuesday when Dick got out of the hospital that he has actually felt really good. He had his surgery yesterday for his kidney stone where they move he stone up into the kidney and placed a stent to hold the stone in his kidney until he is able to have lithotripsy, which should be within the next two to three weeks.

Today he took two walks around the block. He got his hair cut, which he has been anxious to get done. He was able to get out and have lunch and diner and was actually hungry enough to eat both times. He even did a couple of errands today like some banking and went to the pharmacy. He is still not driving and he is not on his own yet but he is accomplishing a lot of daily tasks on his own at home. He gets tired and has to take breaks but he as usual is still pushing him self and is determined to be left on his own as soon as possible. We all wish this for him. We know how independent he is and how much he has earned it. It will not be too long before he will get his wish.

Outpatient

Yes, he will have outpatient surgery tomorrow. Because of the location and the size of the kidney stone they will move the kidney stone up into his kidney then plan lithotripsy (sp) on him at a later date. He has been a little nauseous and unable to eat much since he has been home due to the kidney stone so hopefully this will help.

Other than the kidney stone problem he has been getting along well. He sat outside this morning for a little while and then left for his doctor appointment. He is taking it a little slower today than he did yesterday. I think a little slower is better until he gets this new problem resolved.

Day 51 - Happy to be home?

Dick has returned to his home in Morton today. It is the first time he has been home since January 24 when he left for vacation headed to Florida with his brothers. What a turn of events from that cold January day when they left with such excitement. Who would have guessed that he would have taken such a detour in his life.

He had an enjoyable visit with his kids and grandchildren. He may have overdone just a bit because he was quite tired this afternoon but he took nap in his own bed, something that he.......

Well that was the start of my blog yesterday evening but as you can see from Amy's blog things took another detour. Remember that roller coaster in life I had spoken of in a previous blog well we were on another ride. Happy to be home when we hit the big turn.


He is now back home again but he actually would have preferred to have stayed in the hospital last night and have his kidney stone removed today but after the urologist looked at the location of the stone they decided that it was too high so they want it to drop before they remove it. I guess this is one of those location, location, location kind of things. He will follow up with his urologist today, drink lots and lots of water and in the next couple of days when the stone has moved to a better position they will retrieve it.


He was in a great deal of pain and it took quite a bit of pain medication to relieve him of his pain, but he is resting comfortably now. One of the reason's he was hoping to stay in the hospital and get this bout over with was due to the IV placement. Since he has been in the hospital they have used up his good veins with IVs and they have a hard time finding one on him right now. It took quite a few sticks and finally the best IV guy there to finally find a good vein. Now he will have to go through that part all over again. But as always he was a trooper.


As Amy said you may want wait a few days before stopping by.

Small Setback!

Good morning! Well, I would love to say Dad had a first great night at home but that did not happen. He was having what he thought were stomach pains all day yesterday and last night the pain had gotten a lot worse. Aunt Judi and Uncle Jeri went ahead and took Dad to the ER. To make a long story short Dad has a very large kidney stone. I know, seriously can the man catch a break or what!!! From what I understand they were going to keep him overnight and remove it today. I don't know exactly why plans changed but they ended up giving him pain medications and sending him home to try to pass it on his own! The text I received was that he was not a happy camper when they told him he was going to have to stay overnight! I can't blame the poor thing. I am guessing it was his decision to try to pass it at home.


So if you are planning a visit to Dad I would maybe wait for a few days. I know today he will be resting a good portion of the day since they didn't get home until 4:30 this morning! I will have Aunt Judi send out something else later that is more detailed. I just thought I would let you all know what was going on!

Day 49 - Homeward Bound

Great news - they moved up his date to go home to tomorrow. Again he has amazed everyone!

Day 48 - Two days to go

Today Dick had two sessions of therapy - one physical therapy and one occupational therapy. He had a different physical therapist this morning and he said this therapist really gave him a work out. The last couple of days he walked up a flight of stairs and back down. Today he said he felt like he ran them. He only has two full days left to be in the hospital and he is so anxious to get home. He is ready to take walks outside and sit in the sunshine. We tried to take him outside on the 2nd floor patio today but it was just a little too chilly but the fresh air felt good.

He had company this morning, Amy's kids were there and helped him eat his lunch. Although, they are still counting his intake they seem to be a little more understanding about what the kids eat now. But Jer and I brought him some homemade potato salad and a piece of cake to supplement his food tray so they also took that into consideration. In fact when his nurse came to take his tray she even ask Dick, "Just what of this did you eat"? We told Amy if the kids don't eat at home just put it on a hospital tray!

They may be removing his GI tube on Monday that was inserted when he was started on tube feedings in Florida. Although he is no longer tube fed, they leave that tube in just in case they need to administer feedings or medication rapidly. That will be the last of the invasive sites that needs to be tended to before he leaves.

Amy told me today how difficult it is to write the blog now that Dick is getting so much better. I know what she means. The news anymore is so good. Usually it's just that he has had a good day, he's had therapy and is looking forward to going home. So for the next few days if the blog is a bit sparse this is the reason why. I am sure that once Dick gets home the news will get more exciting and we will continue to blog as long as Dick continues to improve. So stay tuned!

Day 47 - But who's counting!

Just a short note.

Dick didn't have therapy today but they will keep him hopping with two sessions tomorrow. (yes it was an Easter pun) He is very anxious to get home and he is definitely counting!

From our family to yours, we wish you a very Happy Easter!

Day 46- 4 Days and Counting!!!!!!!!!!

Hey everyone! It looks like we skipped a day. It is getting really hard to blog everyday since he just keeps getting stronger and better, day by day! Yesterday he seemed to have another great day. Dad had all of his therapy and continues to go one step further each day than the day before. J, the kids and I were up last night to visit. Mike and Uncle Rick were there when we arrived. It was so nice to all be sitting around laughing and having a normal conversation. I can't wait to be sitting around Dad's table at home having our normal day to day conversations! 4 days to go!!!!!!! Have a good day!

Day 45 - Do you want fries with that?

Today Dick was given the ok to eat anything he wanted so tonight Jer and I brought him a Steak n' Shake double steak burger w/ fries and a vanilla malt for his supper. I even took him some homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert. He ate all but a few fries and loved every bit of it. That was the end of the day. Now let me get back to the beginning.

Dick had his Physical Therapy this morning and he had his cheering section in tow. His friend Smitty from Morton was there with me to cheer him on at his 10a session and then at his 1:30 session Cheryl and Amy were there along with his granddaughter Avery and his great niece Elly who accompanied him with his work out. I'm not sure who kept up with whom. They all did a great job! Each day he gets stronger and each session he exceeds what he did in his last. Elly was watching her Uncle Dick walking and she told her Grammy Cheryl, "He walks good for an old man." It took us a while to compose ourselves after that one. I guess at 5 1/2 we all look pretty old to her.




One thing for sure, it is so nice that we are able to be there to encourage him and watch his progress. I see so many other patients go through therapy alone and it seems so sad. So I too would like to add my thanks to everyone who has accompanied Dick to his therapy sessions, who have visited, who have read this blog and/or left a comment, sent cards, said prayers, made calls to pass reports, etc., etc., etc. You too are the reason he is doing so well and will be returning home so soon. You can not know how excited he is for Wednesday to get here and neither can we. For him it has seemed so long, but it has actually gone relatively fast considering all he has gone through and how far he has come. He has proven to be an exceptional patient!

Day 44- One Popular Guy

Good evening everybody. You're stuck with Mike 2 nights in a row. Wow, I'm getting this posted early tonight. Dad had another successful day. I wasn't able to make it up to any of his therapy today b/c of work, but I did get the scoop from dad. He said they really worked him hard again today. Although, no matter how many minutes or reps they ask him to do, he seems to do just a little bit more. He was instructed to try to walk for 3 continuous minutes on the treadmill. He walked for 5 minutes. Then, they asked him to ride a stationary bike that also incorporates arm movements for 5 minutes. He went ahead and did it for 10 minutes. It seems like no matter what the therapists throw at him he's able to not only meet the challenge, but exceed it. I'm sure that determination is one of the reasons he will be leaving the hospital ahead of schedule.

However, dad doesn't only work hard, he plays hard too. When I got up to see dad after work, he was not in his room. I thought that's funny b/c his rehab usually gets over around 3. Well, when you're as popular a guy as dad is, your hospital room can't possibly accommodate all your visitors. They had to move the party to one of the family rooms. At one point this afternoon, I think there were close to 10 of us visiting dad. The best part was he didn't seem the least bit overwhelmed. He seemed perfectly comfortable visiting with that many people. Several of the nurses asked if there was a party going on when they stepped into the room.

I hope all of you reading this know what a big part you have played in dad's recovery. Whether you came to visit, sent a card, said a prayer, whatever, it's made a big difference in his road back. The case worker told me yesterday she always notices that the people who are surrounded by family and friends always recover the quickest. So give yourselves a pat on the back. You deserve it.

Thanks for reading everybody. Have a great night!

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.

-Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Day 43- Fantastic News!!

Good evening everybody. Sorry for the late post. It appears I, Mike, was nominated to write thie blog this evening. Dad received amazing news today: He will be leaving the hospital and going home on April 15th. The progress he has made is truly amazing. He will be going home 7 weeks after his accident. That is unbelievable considering we were told right after the accident he would probably be in Tampa for 3 months! I can't even begin to tell you how happy dad is knowing he will get to sleep in his own bed in about a week. He will still have to do outpatient therapy for an undetermined amount of time, but what a relief it will be to him to be back in the comfort of his own home.

Today was another day filled with therapy. Dad gets about 4-5 hours of various types of therapy each day. While the work is hard, he gives it 100% each time b/c he knows it's the only way he will be able to get back to the active lifestyle he enjoys so much. Even though he is tired and sore at the end of each day, it's obvious the therapy is doing wonders for dad physically and mentally. He told me tonight he feels a little bit more like himself each day. I know he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. If the man only knew how long that tunnel was when he started this journey, he would be truly amazed.

Thanks to everyone for reading. And thanks to all of you for the love and support you have shown my dad. I will leave you with this quote from Mahatma Gandhi that I think sums up dad's desire to get better: “If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”

Lots of Therapy!

Hi everyone! Today was Dad's first full day of therapy. It sounds like he was in therapy until around 3:00 p.m. He looks so good. Everyday I see him he just keeps looking better. He said he has been able to give himself a shower everyday, which he had been looking forward to! He has help getting to the shower, and when he is done getting out of the shower, but he can do everything else. Mike said today the social worker was in and said that they are having a meeting about him tomorrow morning and will be discussing when they think he can be discharged. She told Mike he must be doing really well because they usually don't have this meeting this soon. So we were all very glad to hear this. Braden and Avery went with me to the hospital tonight to have a visit with Dad. He was very happy to see them and kept telling them how much he misses them. They love going to the hospital to see him. They are both so eager to get him things or just lay in bed and watch T.V. with him. When we arrived he was getting an eye exam from the Optomologist. He seems to think the double vision Dad is experiencing is from a muscle behind his eye. He said Dad should just make an appointment when he gets out of the hospital. He couldn't do the proper exam at bedside. He said it would have to be done in the office. He really didn't seem to concerned, so that was good also.

Dad showed me his schedule for therapy everyday. It seemed to look like he would be busy from 8:30 a.m. until around 3:00 p.m. If you are planning a visit I would suggest going after 3:00. If you don't mind watching a bunch of therapy ,then you are more than welcome to go watch. I just know during that time he is pretty busy. He does get 15-20 min. breaks in between each session. Thanks to everyone who follows this blog. We really appreciate it! Talk to you all tomorrow, Amy

Day 41 - He is Doing Great

Well, today Dick had a number of visitors. He didn't have any therapy today because it was Sunday, but they are working on his therapy schedule which sounds like he will be kept quite busy most of the day, every day of the week. He is getting stronger. He is also getting sore from the exercise which means that his muscles are getting a work out. He is making amazing progress.

He has been able to take a shower and wear his own clothes which makes him feel more human. He also got another shave from Jer today which always makes him feel good. It was nice to be able to have him sit at a table and visit with us for an hour and even sit at the table and have his lunch and enjoy a visit like he was in his own kitchen surrounded by family.

He is still seeing double but tomorrow he will see an opthomologist for this problem to see what can be done. He may have to wear a patch for a while over one eye to make the injured eye stronger. Hopefully this will take care of the problem.

A Very Special Day!

Hey guys! What can I say today was another great day! I arrived this morning, with kids and J in tow, to an empty room. Dad was in his first session of physical therapy. Sara and Jeff had the privilege of watching his session. We met Uncle Darryl, Aunt Jan, and Doug in the waiting room. After about five minutes Jeff came to get us to let us know Dad was back in his room. The kids eagerly rushed in! They were very excited to see Dad and he was excited as well. He was showered with lots of kisses and hugs from everyone. I was so surprised to see him in his sweats and T-shirt! This was the first day he has gotten to wear clothes. The catheter was removed this morning . Braden and Avery were very helpful with giving him drinks, and they also helped him pick out his meals for tomorrow. I could hardly hold back the tears but I must say I did a pretty good job. Avery spent a good portion of our time in bed with Dad. It was priceless!!!! Sara and Jeff said they were in the therapy room for almost two hours this morning. Their report was that he did a really good job, and that they didn't hesitate working him like crazy. They actually had him walking today without the walker. He did have a safety belt around him that the therapist holds on to him with and walks behind him, but to my knowledge he did all of the work by himself. He was pretty exhausted, but still had some energy for his company. I know he had several visitors today,besides the morning crew, that included Alyssa, Sherry and Brad, and last but not least Mike, Tina, Carson, and Brooklynn. Mike said Carson also sat in bed with Dad quite a bit! They too had the chance to see Dad's second therapy session of the day. Mike said he did awesome. Tomorrow will be Dad's day off so it's back to work on Monday! I hope I get to see one of these sessions soon. That's all for tonight, but I will be reporting tomorrow night hopefully with yet another great day! Love, Amy

SAFE AND SOUND!

HE IS IN PEORIA! Hey everyone! Dad made it safe and sound back to Peoria today around 3:00. We are so thankful to have him this much closer to home. He was very excited to get the news this morning that he would get to come to Peoria today! He managed to get his last physical therapy session in before he left. Of course he did very well! He did get to say goodbye to several of his favorite nurses, pcts, and therapists. They all told him they would miss him very much and wished him lots of luck. His Doctor ( Dr. A) greeted him with her usual saying this morning. "Where's my guy?" She must have told him ten times how much she would miss him. She gave me her card and asked that we call her in a couple of weeks to let her know how he was doing. Even in the hospital Dad still seems to have a way with the ladies.LOL!

When Aunt Cheryl and I arrived in Peoria we were surprised that Dad was already all nice and cozy in his room. He had a busy few hours going over his chart with all of his Doctors, and getting checked in. We feel a great sense of relief knowing what good hands he is in and how much closer he is to all of us. I told him he would probably have quite a few visitors tomorrow. He didn't seem to mind a bit. He seemed so much more relaxed just knowing he was closer to everyone that loves him so much. I told him he would definitely have five little visitors as well. He said he couldn't wait to see all of the kids, and I know they can't wait to see him as well. I am sure, at least for me, it will be a tearful reunion! Mike and I have waited for this day for a long time and we can't wait!

That is all I have for now but I will let all of you know now how his first full day goes tomorrow. Well, maybe I will let Doogie have that job! Love you all, Amy

Home Sweet Home(Almost)

Hi Everybody. Great news: Dad will be arriving at St. Francis in Peoria around 3:00 this afternoon! Just wanted to let everybody know in case they were planning a visit this weekend. If you were, your trip just got a whole lot shorter. Amy will be blogging later in more detail about the move. I can tell you Dad was super excited to be coming back to Peoria. He called me this morning and you could hear the excitement in his voice. I think he will make even better progress than he has up to this point just knowing his family and friends are so close. Thanks again to everybody for all the support. We, along with dad, couldn't have gotten through this w/out you! Mike

Good evening everyone. Today was a really great day. Aunt Cheryl and I arrived around 10:30 a.m. Dad was in a pretty good mood and we weren't even in trouble today for being late! He said he had a pretty good night, and actually got some sleep! YEAH!!!!!! He really was in need for some heavy duty sleeping. Soon after we arrived Dad received four visitors. Sherry Clark, Jim and Gloria Hicks, and Vicki Poroit. He was very happy and grateful to see all of them. Since the room is on the small side Dad seemed to get a little anxious with all of us in there at once. Everyone was so understanding and we only went in the room a couple at a time for the rest of the day. Thank you so much to all of you for coming to visit Dad. He really appreciated it, and so did we!

After Dad's company left he ate his dinner, and seemed to be so peaceful and content lying in his bed. Dad called all of his brothers and sisters and told them how much he loved them and his exciting news! He will hopefully be transferred to St. Francis tomorrow or Monday! We are praying for tomorrow! He is really getting anxious to get back near his home turf. He is also ready to start intense rehab. He took a lap today around the unit and he did marvelous! I know I use this phrase a lot but it was so amazing to watch. I sat there thinking wow, five weeks ago we didn't even know if this man was going to make it and now look at him go! What else can I say except we finally got our miracle! After my Mom passed away I asked myself why didn't we get a miracle with her? I see so many people get miracles everyday why not her, why not us? Today watching my Dad cruising the halls it all became clear to me. My Mom gave up her miracle so my Dad could have his. I know my Mom is cheering my Dad on from heaven everyday and she is partly the reason he is still here!

That is all I have for you all tonight. I hope tomorrow I will be writing you letting you know that Dad has been transferred safe and sound! Love, Amy

Day Thirty Six - Short and Sweet

Today was a short day for us. We were only able to stay with Dick from 9:20a until 2:15p but the time was good. He had breakfast before we got there and he claims he ate good. (Maybe he could still hear Susie's voice in his head) Then he took a morning stroll through the hall with the physical therapist. He walked all the way down the hall and only sat down one time, he did have one complaint though, this therapist changed the height of his walker. Although, they are trying to get him to stand taller when he walks, he likes comfort as opposed to posture. He is doing well though.

Wayne Tessier and his wife stopped by today. Dick was very happy to see them. Wayne had been to see Dick in Tampa so this was quite a change from the Dick he had seen then. Dick wasn't aware that Wayne had even been at his bedside before. They had a few laughs and talked of common friends. His sense of humor always seems to surface.

That scruffy beard that just yesterday he said he was going to keep is now gone. Today he just couldn't take it any longer and had Jer shave the whole thing off. The only thing he guarded carefully was his mustache. That will never leave if he has anything to say about it.

As we left this afternoon, he was again walking the halls getting in his exercise with the newly adjusted walker. He was looking forward to getting his hair washed later today (now that would have been a picture). But he was really looking forward to speaking to his doctor this afternoon to find out just when he would be transferred to Peoria. He knows it will either be the end of this week or the beginning of next but he is trying to pinpoint them to a day. The unknown is very disconcerting for him. For his sake we hope that it is sooner than later. I know it will be very recuperative for him to see his grandchildren and for more friends to be able to visit. Keep your fingers crossed for a Friday transfer!

Day Thirty Five - Another Great Day

Today was a great day for a number of reasons. He started out with a nice walk half way around the unit this morning. He is going further every day. Dick felt well enough today to have his baby brother give him a trim too. Jer cleaned up his mustache and shaved-- just a little of the scraggly looking beard Dick has decided keep.

He also had his trach removed!!! Yeah! They came in and removed it this afternoon and then they placed a gauze pad over the incision and told him that it would heal in about 2 weeks. He sounds the same but if he wants to speak a little louder he just has to hold his fingers over the pad and his voice will be stronger.

He is now on antibiotics for his bladder infection so hopefully that will be gone soon and he will again be rid of the cath. And speaking of things he is rid of... he is finished with his speech therapist. Not that we won't miss Kristin, she was one of our favorites. She has done all that she can do for him here. He had an oral test today where she asked him some questions on 'what he would do' scenarios and he did well. Again, she said that he has done remarkably well in the short time that he has been here and she is impressed with his progress.

He may be headed back to Peoria and St. Francis Hospital by the end of the week or at the beginning of next so if you have plans to visit here you may want to check with Amy or Mike to see where he is. He is anxious to get back to the Peoria area to be closer to his friends and family. Although, he did have a couple of visitor's today other than me and Jer. His cousin Susie and her husband Hawk, and Don Able his riding buddy came to see him.

One thing that we're encouraging Dick to do is to eat more. He is only eating about 25% of his food on his tray per meal and they would like to see him eat at least 50% to get the calories in to increase his strength and stamina. Jer and I left Dick in Susie and Hawk's care while we went to eat and Susie said she would be sure to get him to eat his diner. Now you all know that Dick thinks I pick on him and you know that I would have made him eat...but when I got back he actually told me that I couldn't hold a candle to Susie. I knew I had left him in good hands. The report back on his meal was that he had eaten 75%. Way to go Sue!

So you see, today was a great day. Walking farther, getting a trim, no more trach, no more speech therapist, eating better, and wonderful visitor's. With the prospect of coming to the home turf he feels like he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Every now and then I go back to the beginning and read the blog and am amazed just how far he has come and how blessed we all are.

NEW PROGRESS/NEW CHALLENGES

This is my first writing "blogging experience", so hopefully I can help share a little bit of what went on yesterday, Monday, March 30th,---one day short of being five weeks since Dick's accident. Oh, I forgot to tell you, I'm Cheryl, Dick's favorite sister---oops, I forgot, my other two sisters are reading this! Sorry sisters JoElla & Kim---Dick & I were trying to keep the "favorite" thing a secret! Anyway, Amy & I arrived at Dick's room at 10:00 a.m.---2 1/2 hours after leaving Morton. Dick always looks at the clock when we arrive to make sure we are getting our full visiting hours in with him! Soon after we arrived, he had to go for a CT scan of his lungs, which we went with him. We weren't able to get the results of that yesterday but hopefully today. The lung doctor told us both of his lungs were badly hurt in the accident and he wanted to make sure everything was good before they removed his trach. He is totally breathing on his own without any oxygen and doing very well. All day yesterday his oxygen level was running at 100%---can't beat that!

The speech therapist was in today with some writing "tests" for Dick. He said to Amy & I, "Oh good, you know how good I am about taking tests!" These were tests to see how well he could identify and match "like" things, follow directions, remember story details, etc. He really did very well. One test was a bunch of squares only made out of 4 dots and he had to draw four lines in each box and make each one different. There were probably a dozen boxes---quite challenging for anyone! He knew a few of them were the same but he concentrated very hard and gave a good effort! Amy & I were glad we weren't doing the test---not sure if we would have done as well. She tested for about 20 minutes and said she'd come back the next day to finish because he was getting too tired. She did tell us privately that he was doing very well!

Amy & I noticed early on that this was going to be a challenging day for him. He had another restless night---as they all seem to be---and he was extra tired and simply not feeling well. He started running a temperature by afternoon and had been complaining of his bladder feeling too full. His catheter had just come out the day before and he ended up with a urinary tract infection. This has slowed his progress down but he is still determined to do his physical therapy so he can be transferred closer to home. When the physical therapists came, he was able to walk about 140-150 feet with only one rest in between. We were very proud of him!

Jerry & Judi will be up with him on Tuesday & Wednesday and Amy & I will return on Thursday & Friday. If you're up in the Des Plaines area, stop in for a visit---he does like seeing family & friends. Thanks again for all the cards and prayers. He loves when he gets mail and we sit and read all of them to him. Please keep those prayers coming---they are a major reason for all his progress. Our family is so thankful for everyone remembering him. I don't think he even realized how many friends he has and how much they care about him. He is loved!

Sorry this is so long but we love to share with all of you so you can be a part of his healing.
Peace and thanks for being a part of our family journal, Cheryl

Ditto What I Said For Saturday

Hi Everybody, this is Mike again. Sunday was another slow day. Although there was some good news. The feeding tube has been turned off. The only nourishment he gets now is from the meals he eats. Dr. A was in again this morning and said she thinks the trach will come completely out by mid-week. He's pretty excited about that. Probably b/c he knows that means he's really close to be going home! She told him once again how impressed she is with the progress he has made in the last 2 weeks. The average stay here is about 1 month so it appears he's going to beat that by a substantial amount. He has overachieved since the beginning so it shouldn't surprise us that he's doing it again. We are so very proud of him.

Well, sorry for another short blog, but the weekends just seem to be quiet. It's about 6:30 and I'm getting ready to head back to Morton. Lucky for you guys Amy will be back up tomorrow so you'll get a better blog! Have a great night!

Day Thirty-Two- Another Good Day

Good evening everyone. This is Mike and I'll be providing you your nightly update this evening. Today, like most weekends, was a little slow. Since they don't do therapy on the weekends, things tend to be a little exciting as compared to weekdays. The good news is Dad was breathing 100% on his own again today with no problems. Dr. A(I won't even attempt to spell her last name) came in and said there's a good chance he will be completely done with the trach mid-week. And it wouldn't be long after that and he will be able to move into the next phase of his recovery: intense physical rehab. Being the exerciser that dad is, he told me tonight he can't wait to start that process to begin. Of course, his excitement might also have something to do with the fact it will take place in Peoria.

I will try to write more tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for reading and following dad's progress. He really appreciates everyone's concern for him. Have a great night!

Day Thirty-One - Walk the Line

Today has been a really good day. Dick has been busy today he has had breakfast, lunch, and diner. He has eaten well which is really good because the better he eats the sooner he is able to get his feeding tube out. Today for lunch he had cubes of chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, cooked carrots, lemon sherbet, ice tea and juice and for diner he had baked potatoes, pork (cubes), cream of broccoli, roll w/butter, cake and juice. He has been getting quite the meals. He doesn't eat it all, but he eats quite a bit and it usually tastes good to him. So with that in mind the removal of the feeding tube could be any day now.

He also had to walk the line today! I think he was out to set a record. He walked 45 feet yesterday and today he walked 120 feet. He only sat down two times once on the way down the hall and once on the way back. He had a cheering section of his nurses and RT team along with Amy and I. His PT asked if he wanted to sit once he got closer to the door but he didn't want to... he wanted to go all the way back into his room. Quite an accomplishment for only his second walk in the hall!

More good news is that he has been completely on room air today. Between the room air and the feedings the trach may be removed by the end of next week. Yipee!

He is getting quite a reputation up here now. The same reputation he had at Morton Caterpillar, and Miami FL, Elko NV, IN, SC, CA, Mexico and probably a few I have missed. That reputation of being a good guy, someone easy to get along with, likable....that's our Uncle Dick. His staff here is impressed with his hard work and his determination as well as his sense of humor. But all of us in the Hasty Family can add dependable, generous, kind hearted and a pain in the a**! But we love him.

SQUIRT!

Hi guys! So today was a much better day than yesterday. Aunt Cheryl and I arrived a little early this morning, which Dad was thrilled with. First thing he said was, "Today I get my Squirt!" He has been waiting for this day for an entire week. He has been so thirsty that he has not stopped talking about getting his soda! He watched the clock for two and a half hours until Kristin arrived with his lunch. She sat him up on the side of the bed and pulled up the table with his lunch and his Squirt. I opened his plate of food and his face was priceless! He looked at the food and said what the H--- is that? I said "that is your lunch", and he said "I am not eating that I just want my drink." He did eat the food and to his surprise it wasn't that bad. He started drinking so fast Kristin came out of her chair and said" SLOW DOWN!" She told him he was drinking way too fast. He gasped for air and said" that was the best squirt ever!" He did pretty well and soon after he ate Occupational Therapy came in and did his exercises.

Before he ate Physical Therapy came in and they actually got him up and walking down the hall. He had a walker and a wheelchair right behind him to sit when he was tired. He did so well. A bunch of the nurses and Pct's that Dad has had in the past week were standing in the hallway cheering him on. When he finally sat down to take a breath he said "I feel like an exhibit!" They all started laughing and said "we are so proud of you!" He didn't mind the attention, I think it made him try even harder! He did great and he will get up and walk a little more tomorrow. They even said they were going to upgrade him to two times a day for Physical Therapy.

Aunt Cheryl and I had a good couple of days with dad. There were times we were emotional, anxious, and so tired we couldn't stop laughing. He loved having his little sister there for all of her loving support. I loved having her there as well! For those of you who know Aunt Cheryl you know what an amazing person she is. I couldn't have gotten through any of this without her and her amazing amount of love! So, thank you Aunt Cheryl for everything!

Tomorrow I will be traveling with Aunt Judi to the windy city. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. I have to leave all of you with the funniest quote of my dad for the day. Today was full of activity for dad, so he was moved a lot and turned and really all over the place. He is starting to be very concerned about his gown being open and who see's what. After the fifteenth time of them moving him all around today and changing his sheets he called me over very seriously. He said "Sis come here." I went over of course very concerned. I leaned down and said "what do you need?" He said " why don't you go out in the hallway and ask the nurses which one hasn't seen my a@! today!!!!!!!!!" I started laughing so hard it made him break out into laughter. He said "seriously this is humiliating." I told him not to worry they had seen it all before. I had to share this with you. It was so nice to see him laughing again! It was truly music to my ears!

Have a great night and hopefully I can talk Aunt Judi into doing the blog tomorrow. I seem to get really long winded! Love you all, Amy

Keep the Food Coming!

Good Evening everyone! Your stuck with me Amy again! Today was yet another good day. Dad had a breakfast tray this morning, which consisted of eggs, cream of wheat, and two types of juice! He was thrilled with the juice. Bless his heart, he is just so thirsty. We brought him up a Squirt today and put it on the window, he told me to hide it so he didn't have to look at it. It just made him more thirsty to see it. When Kristin came in she told me that he would be getting lunch tomorrow and he could have his soda then! He was thrilled! After lunch tomorrow he will be starting on three meals a day. This is great news! They will still have the feeding tube hooked up at night from 8 p.m.-8 a.m. I think only for a short time though.


Dad was very nervous today. He is just so aware of everything now, that he gets himself all worked up. He is so sweet and just keeps apologizing for everything and thanking all of us for being there with him. I told him today that he might not remember the worst of this but we do and it may not seem to him like he is making progress but he is. I told him that he has already overcome the most difficult challenge and that is making it through the first couple of weeks. He said" I know honey I just hate sitting here like this and being helpless." I assured him that it wasn't forever and that is why we are here so we can help him! This seemed to satisfy him for a while. He definitely likes having family around him to reassure him and take care of him so he doesn't have to ask the nurses for much. He much prefers bossing us around!

The best part of today was he was down sized again to a size 4 trach, which is the smallest he can get. They capped it off and he was just on regular oxygen today. He did great with this. He is put back on the vent at night but they are slowly weining him off of this as well. He needs to be on regular oxygen for 48 hours and when he completes this they will take the trach out!!!!!!!!! I can't wait and neither can he!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is doing awesome and I want to thank everyone again, and again for all of the support and prayers! Love to all, Amy

Day Twenty-Eight - Just Say Graham Crackers

Today Dick hit another graduation. He had a cap put on his trach replacing his extra tubing that brought in his moist air and held his voice device. Now the one small cap holds his voice device and he now has a regular oxygen tube that goes over his ears and into his nostrils. Although, we think they are a pain when we are sick, this is a great improvement for him and much more comfortable. He will be going back and forth from the old device to the cap for a while until he tolerates it well ....but it has been in from 10a this morning and it is now after 5p so I think he is tolerating it pretty well.

Dick also had a swallow test today that he past with flying colors. He was given pudding, liquid and some graham crackers to eat while being x-rayed to see how his swallowing mechanisms were doing. He did so well he will get to have some meat tomorrow. This will also be a test for him and they will be adding the blue dye. If he passes this test he could be on to solid foods and the end of the tube feedings. I am sure he will pass this with flying colors too. Funny thing is he is really looking forward to a Diet Squirt of all things. He is worried about not having a fridge in his room to keep them in. He must be really thirsty....but who wouldn't be after this long.

Jeremy stopped by tonight to see Uncle Dick (Jeremy is working in the Chicago area). Uncle Dick was excited to see him. He helped Uncle Dick once or twice with pillows and to move his legs but the one thing that Jeremy learned is that you don't stand in front of Dick's fan. We had a chuckle when Jeremy adjusted Dick's pillow and then he said that's good but your blocking my fan.

I know we talk about how well Dick is doing... and he is, but I want to tell you a little about what he goes through and how hard some things are for him. His days right now are based on time. When you get there the first thing he usually ask is what time you are leaving. He needs to have a basis for how much time he has with you. He may ask you that same question a couple of times in the day, I think it's just for reassurance. Today, his nurse told him that they would come for him between 10a and 12p for his test. They didn't show up until 2p. I know things happen and they can't always stay on schedule but for him right now he only thinks of things in blocks of time. Between 10 and noon we had to reassure him that they would still come and get him for the test. Then by time they finally came after him he was so nervous and worked up with anxiety they almost had to cancel it and reschedule. Luckily, his speech therapist showed up and moved him to a larger, cooler room and one where Jer and I could both be with him. This calmed him down and he was able to continue with the test which like I said he passed with flying colors. He works hard at his OT, his PT, and his speech therapy and it is so hard to see him go through times like these. He is always apologetic and appreciative of anyone being with him- but we keep telling him that we know he would be doing it for any of us. We love him and we wouldn't be any place else. Today was the first day that I have actually cried while I was with him, because I can't do more. He is trying so hard and I pray everyday that God heals him quickly.

Visitor Hotel Information

For anyone wishing to stay overnight while visiting Dick we have made special rate arrangements at the Country Inn and Suites about 4 miles from Holy Family. It is very clean and close. Country Inn and Suites, 2200 S. Elmhurst Road, Mount Prospect, IL 60056 (847)290-0909. Special Rate is $59.00. Please be sure to tell them that you are with the Hasty Family when making your reservations.

Day Twenty-Seven - Ummm Food

Another milestone - today Dick had the first taste of real food, albeit it was baby food it was still real food. He did great. He got two teaspoons of blue water and two teaspoons of blue apple sauce. (They add the blue food coloring so they can suction his windpipe afterward to be sure the food is going down the right place - No blue in the windpipe, he passed the test) I asked him if it tasted good and if he was full he said "ya, I'm stuffed." Tomorrow they will do it again but take x-rays while he swallows. (note to the kids: Paw Paw/Uncle Dick has a blue tongue!)

The other thing they did today was an EEG. They had attached 22 probes to his head with some terribly sticky gel. The test took 30 minutes and he did a great job, even with coughing once or twice. When they were finished they removed the probes but left the gel so I scrubbed his head for him, it was itching and he wouldn't get it washed until morning. I wish I could share the comment he made.


When we arrived this morning he already had a visitor with him, his friend Wally Swanson. They had been having a nice conversation. Dick just talks up a storm now with his new voice device. He is ready to take visitors but it would be good to check with Amy or Mike and see who is going up so he does not have too many visitors on one day. Dick said he may be asleep or he may be awake, visitors just have to take their chances. But anymore he is mostly awake. He has made so much progress from a week ago it is just unbelievable.

He definitely had that spunk today--when Jer and I got back from supper he was watching a basketball game. He told Jer he didn't have to watch the game, he didn't care what he watched. Jer told him "That's ok buddy we can watch this, I don't care what we watch either". So I told them, if neither of you care what you watch then I'll change it to the Food Network. Dick pointed at me and said, "I told Jer he could watch what he wanted". Both of them knew that I just said that to get a rise out of Dick and it worked. The bad thing was we had a few laughs today with our banter back and forth and we kept setting his monitor's off. They kept coming in and telling him he was having way too much fun. We will try to keep out of trouble tomorrow. We hate to be banned on our first visit! But Dick is such an instigator....

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

Hi Everybody. This is Mike. Just got home from Chicago after my visit with dad. He had another good day. He was off the vent from the time I got there at 10am until I left him at 7pm. So he seems to be making a lot of progress in his quest to get the trach out. The speaking valve was in all day and it's amazing how much stronger and clearer his voice has become in just a few short days. I could understand him so much better as compared to Friday. I was so impressed!

Here's another thing I can say about my dad: he still knows his sports. We watched basketball for a good portion of the day and he was very in tune to what was going on in the game. He was even able to make a couple wise cracks about the referees when they made some questionable calls. At one point, he asked me about the Cardinals pitching staff. I was very relieved to hear this question. I was afraid he might come out of this a cub fan. Falling on your head can do strange things to people. The fact he is still a Cardinal fan tells me there was in fact no permanent damage done to his head!

My only disappointment of the day was that there is no physical or speech therapy today. I was hoping to see the progress he has made since last Tuesday. Although, I did have him working on his grip strength and some simple leg exercises the therapist had him do last time I was there. You can tell he still likes to exercise. He definitely puts all he's got into those exercise.

That is all for tonight folks. I imagine you will be hearing from Aunt Judi the next couple of nights. Thanks to everyone for all the love, prayers and support you have shown my dad and us. We really appreciate it and I know he does also. Have a great night!

Visitors!

Good morning! So yesterday from what I hear was another great day. Uncle Darryl and Aunt Jan headed up to see Dad in the morning. I talked to Aunt Jan when they left and she said he was doing really good. She said it was a little hard to hear him and understand him at times but they got through it. Aunt Jan said that at one point she was holding dad's hand and he readjusted his hold and held on so tight that she didn't know how long she could stand it! We laughed and she told me she was glad to know he still had his strength. I think they left between 4 and 4 thirty or so and to my surprise after they left he had another guest. Todd decided to drive up in the afternoon and have a visit with his Uncle. I was so happy to hear this. Mike called and said you can stop worrying about dad being alone for to long because Todd is going up this afternoon! What a relief! I just cant stand the thought of him there for to long without someone with him. When he doesn't have any visitors they do have to put restraints on his arms for his safety. They don't want him pulling on any of the things he is hooked up to. Especially the traech. He has made it perfectly clear he does not like this. So back to his visit with Todd, they talked for a while and then watched some basketball. I guess he asked Todd what time Mike would be there tomorrow? The sooner the better he said so I can get these things off my arms! Todd told him Mike would be up around 10 or so. I think Todd stayed until 7 thirty or so. Thank you Todd, Uncle Darryl, and Aunt Jan for taking the time to go see Dad. I know he appreciated it! Mike and I appreciate it as well! Okay so that is it for now but hopefully Mike will have some energy left when he gets home to write the blog for today! Aunt Judi and Uncle Jer will be heading up Monday and Tuesday so she will be doing the blog those two days I am sure. Thanks! Amy
By the way, do any of you medical people who read the blog know the correct way to spell traech? I really don't have a clue, I am just guessing! Someone help!

Sara and Amy's Day!

Hi everyone! Okay so I am going to apologize but I am extremely tired so this blog is going to be short and sweet! Today when Sara and I arrived Dad was already up and sitting in a chair. We walked into a bright eyed man who is looking more and more like himself everyday! He greeted us both with lots of kisses. He was very excited to see his Rah-Rah. For those of you who don't know, this is what all of my kids called Sara when they were younger. Well, actually Brock and Carson still call her that and my dad has never stopped calling her that since Braden was a baby. Anyway, shortly after we arrived Kristin( the speech therapist) came in to place the speaking valve back on. He said hi to all of us. She said to him "so this is the famous Rah-Rah!" He proceeded to tell Kristin that he could tell her some Rah-Rah stories but only if she was off work and had a cold one in her hand! For those of you who know Sara you know this is very true! He ended up having the valve in for the whole day. He talked to B, Avery , Mike, and Carson on the phone today. He told each of them he loved and missed them very much. It was truly touching for Sara and I to watch. Later on in the day he had physical therapy which he did the usual exercises and then they had him stand for maybe about a minute. He didn't want to sit down but they told him they didn't want him to overwhelm himself and that he shouldn't push it to far. This really wore him out and when they got him back in bed his heart rate went up quite a bit. They gave him something to relax him and he then was able to sleep for a couple of hours. When Sara and I got ready to leave he actually gave us each a hug! This was the first time for actual hugs with both arms around us. We each said a tearful goodbye and I told him I wasn't crying for any reason other than I was so proud of him and that he was getting so much better. He held my hands and said "honey this is just something we have to do. I will be okay." The best part was when he looked me straight in the eyes and said " I'm not going anywhere!" I knew he didn't mean literally, he meant he was going to be around for a long time!

Well, this wasn't as short of a blog as I had intended but that is all I have for tonight. Uncle Darryl and Aunt Jan will be spending the day with dad tomorrow so I will try to get a full report and share something with all of you tomorrow. Keep the prayers coming. They are working! Good night everyone, Love, Amy

He's Back!!!!!!!!

Good evening everyone! Today was another milestone day. When Mary(my mother-in-law) and I arrived this morning Dad was getting an eye examine. The doctor said he was just checking his eyes especially the left one to make sure everything looked okay. He dialated them and then took a light to look inside of each eye. He said they looked pretty good and he didnt think there was any permant damage to either eye. What a relief! About an hour later the speech therapy girl ( kristin) came in and put in the valve to let him start speaking! She had him say hello everyone and say his name which he did very well. His voice is obviously very weak and sounds a little different but she said that will get better with time. Aunt Cheryl and Jen came in at this time and the fun began! He playfully gave Jen a hard time and wouldnt say her name. He kept calling her Sarah just to get a rise out of her. He then said you are Heidi's sister. Which Heidi loved by the way! I asked him if he knew me and he said " I dont recognize you at all!" He smiled and said you are my daughter. The relief I felt just hearing his voice was almost overwhelming. I knew he was in there and I finally had my Dad back! I called Mike and let Dad say hi to him. He said " Hi buddy I love you and tell the kids I love them and miss them." It brought tears to all of our eyes. Rich- I told him what you had said on your comment about using the Cub towel on his head. I said what do you think about that and he said tell him "I do still have a brain!" This sent us all into tears of laughter! It was such a great day for all of us there to hear his voice after almost four weeks. He only had the valve in for about 45 minutes and they had to give him a breathing treatment. The speech therapist said since it was only the first day they should give him a break and she would be back early morning to place it back in for the day.
I cant tell you how exciting this is for us and him to be able to communicate with words! I can't wait for tomorrow to see what he comes up with.

When they gave him the breathing treatment his heart rate went up and he started shaking. The doctor came in and said she has noticed that this starts mostly with the breathing treatments. She said that they would change the medicine in the treatments and only give them from now on as needed. The shaking and the increased heart rate are both side affects of the medicine in the treatments. He was having a reaction to them and they would cut back on them. Thank God because this was a very hard thing to watch. He said he wasnt in any pain but to watch him you could tell he was obviously having some sort of strange reaction. Mary and I left shortly after this so I could get home to spend some much needed time with my family. Aunt Cheryl and Sarah I mean Jen, JK, stayed with him until about 730. They explained they would be leaving but he would be in good hands and Sarah and I would return in the morning . Jen said that her and Aunt Cheryl tearfully said goodbye and he peacefully waved goodbye to them. Overall this was another great day and I hope there will be many more to come! Love you all, Amy

Another eventful day!

Hi everyone! You are all stuck with Amy tonight. I really stink at this so please bear with me. Okay here goes, so this morning my wonderful mother-in-law took me to Chicago to see Dad. She dropped me off and went looking for hotels at reasonable rates! She is the best! Anyway, while she did that I sat with Dad. He greeted me with a smile and a kiss and then he immediately began physical therapy. He did a set of leg bends and leg lifts. Then they sat him up on the bed for about 15 minutes or so, which he did really well. His eyes were open the whole time. The therapist asked him if he wanted to stand and he said yes right away. She said he stood very well and was pretty impressed with his strength. That really wore him out so he took a five minute nap and the Occupational Therapist came in and tried to do several things. He did mostly everything she asked but he was pretty wore out! She said she would try to give him more of a break in between sessions next time!



He decided to take a nap for a while and so I decided to read my book. While I was reading my book I felt something hit me. When I looked up it was his washcloth I had on his head. I looked over at him and was looking at me with the most rotten looking smile on his face! I said I take it you want this wet again and he lifted his hands like " get off your butt and do your job!" He definitely hasn't lost his playful side!



Next the Speech Therapist came in and asked him lots of questions. Like who is the president, what happened to you, where are you, etc. He passed with flying colors. Although he answered most of them correctly it is very hard to communicate with out being able to talk. Hopefully tomorrow they will place the valve over the traech and he can start trying to talk a little! I cant wait! My heart was pounding today when she was quizzing him. Inside I was screaming you can do it! Every time he answered a question right I felt so proud!! Tomorrow is a new day and I cant wait to see what it brings! Love you all! Keep praying! Even though Dad is doing great he still has a long and tough road ahead of him!

First Full Day In The Windy City

Hello Everyone. This is Mike and I've been nominated(IE forced) to write the blog tonight. Just kidding. Happy to spread the good news to everybody. Dad had an awesome first day in Chicago. I arrived to his room at 10am(start of visiting hours). Those nuns at the front desk are sticklers on the visiting hours. Anyway, within about 15 minutes of my arrival, the occupational(upper body, everyday type of movements) therapist showed up and worked with him for about 20 minutes. He did great. Dad was able to do every move she asked and when she asked him to provide resistance when she tried to move him a certain way he showed pretty good strength. She said for all he had been through he was still pretty strong. After she left, the physical therapy(lower body movement) team showed up about 10 minutes later. They moved his legs around in all different directions and he showed good range of motion and no pain. After that, they sat him on the edge of his bed and had him do leg lifts and ankle movements. To their surprise, he was able to most of the reps on his own. They were in there about 30 minutes. After that, he had about a 15 minute break until the speech therapist arrived. She asked him a series of questions and he passed the test with flying colors. They also practiced really enunciating his words. That will help when he begins to talk again. Which brings me to some great news. The speech therapist thinks tomorrow they will be able to put add a piece to his trache that will allow him to speak! Of course, at first, his voice will probably be weak, but what a relief it will be for him to be able to communicate verbally again. So as you can see, they really worked him over today which is good. He needs to be pushed. I'm so happy I was there to help motivate him. The tables have turned now. It's payback time for all the years he coached and "motivated" me in wrestling! Just kidding. Actually, I'm not. He's gonna pay! Lastly, Amy and I were able to leave tonight on a high note. About 30 minutes before we had to leave, dad opened his eyes wider and for longer than anytime I've seen him since the accident. It was amazing. I'll leave you with a description of what we saw dad doing on our way out: laying in bed, eyes wide open, tv remote control in hand, channel surfing and happily waving good-bye to us. It was a beautiful sight...

DAY TWENTY - On the Wings of Love

Today has been a very, very good day. Mike took his dad back to Illinois! Mike arrived at the hospital this morning at 8:00a to get all the paperwork in order. Dealing with insurance companies is always fun, right Mike. Once the insurance company was satisfied then the airbus company filed the schedule and the ball got rolling. We were given a time of 2:00p and it was a short morning. The Air Transport team came in and they made short work of switching his IV's and tubing's from the hospital equipment to their transport equipment. They ask him if he was in any pain and he said no, he knew exactly what was going on and was prepared for the ride. They told him that he was to give them a thumbs down if he was in any distress on the trip and when asked to show what that was he immediately showed them that he could do the thumbs down if needed. He was bundled up in his bed sheet like a little papoose and whisked away to the ambulance for his ride to the Tampa Airport. From their he and Mike took a nice ride to the Chicago Executive airport where they arrived safely at 5:50P tonight. He has earned his wings and he has definitely made this trip on wings of love from all the wonderful support of his friends and family. You can send your cards to Dick at Holy Family Medical Center, 100 N River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016. A big thanks go to the medical staff at Tampa General Hospital for all you have done.

Day Nineteen - Awaiting the Move

Alright folks, you are reading history today. The first male Hasty to write the blog. You're stuck with Mike tonight. I'm sure I won't be as good as Aunt Judi, Jen or Amy, but I'll do my best. Today was another good day. Quiet, but good. I think b/c dad had such a busy day yesterday, he wasn't quite as energetic today. Although he did find the time to write several more sentences for us today. Sadly, I think his writing might be better now as compared to when he's 100% healthy. Dad has never been known for his penmanship. I also got to experience something with dad today that hasn't happened for a while: we watched some sports together. He was able to keep his eyes open for 15-20 minutes at a time as we watched some college basketball on TV. We were all very impressed. We also got him to do some hand exercises today. For about 10 minutes, he used one of those grip strength improvers. He would do 15 repetitions or so on one hand and then switch it over to another and do 15 more reps. We had hoped he could maybe do 10 reps on each hand and be done so he far exceeded our expectations. My favorite part of the day was when him and Aunt Judi were doing their usual sparring. Even injured, dad loves to give Aunt Judi a hard time. She told him to stop trying to push her away. He then responded by taking his hand, putting it up to her face and playfully pushing her away. The best part was he had a big smile on his face the whole time. It was good to see the mischievous side of dad is still going strong. Have a good night everybody. You know, I kind of feel like Doogie Howser when he used to write on his computer at the end of every show...

Day Eighteen - Good Communication

Jerry and I got here late last night, we visited Dick for about and hour and a half and he was pretty tired and slept most of the time. But today is a different story. He has been awake most of the day and he has been opening his eyes often and is asking a lot of questions.

His doctor came in this morning and explained what changes they have seen in his progress that will allow him to be moved to Illinois. First he is no longer considered a neuro patient which is the best news. Next he needs to be off the ventilator which he has been off of and has only been getting pressure support to just help fill the lungs. He has actually been breathing on his own for the biggest part of t0day and has been doing well. And the last thing they want to be sure of is that he is coughing good to keep the pneumonia that he does have from getting worse and that is going well too. His doctor actually said that he was one of their success stories. Way to go Uncle Dick!

They have been rolling him from side to side to give his backside a rest and he is letting them know when he is ready to lay on his back again. He actually sat up enough this morning that he was looking out the window. Jer and I keep telling him he needs to work at keeping his eyes open and he is doing his best, although sometimes he has to hold his eyes open with his hands he is working hard at getting the challenge met.


He has been writing notes to us - he has asked if we have talked to Mike and he was concerned if Mike was getting all the right information. We assured him that Mike and Amy have done a wonderful job of taking care of everything and that he would be very proud of them. He has asked if we have seen the orders for his move to Chicago and he has asked what day this is and how long he has been here. It is difficult at times to read his writing and decipher his hand signals but we are getting better. He sometimes gets frustrated with us and scratches through his writing and has to start all over again trying a different approach to his thought. This is such a giant leap forward and is very exciting.

Tonight while he was on his side he noticed the buttons on the rail of his bed. I thought he was asking if he could lower the rail and he was actually asking how to lower the bed. He pointed at the buttons and then motioned down. I showed him which button lowered his head and raised it and which lowered his feet and raised them. He started testing them out. He raised his head and lowered it and he raised his feet and lowered them. I asked him if he felt like he was in control now and he gave me a big smile.

After our conversations today I can tell that he is ready for some serious physical therapy and he is ready to head to Illinois. Cold as it may be there he will be warming many hearts.

One last note. I showed Dick a slide show of his kids & his grandkids tonight ....talk about a happy heart! I have never seen him smile so big.

Day Seventeen -- Big News

Today was a day to be shocked and stunned and excited and nervous! Cheryl met with the social worker to discuss the next step -- moving Dick to a long term care facility. While he still needs medical care, he is no longer in need of the care provided by Trauma ICU. He now needs a place that can continue to wean him off the ventilator, do the care involved with his tracheotomy, and give him the therapy he will need to recover from his injuries. While this is good news, the really exciting news was the possibility that we could move him to a facility in Illinois!! Cheryl spent the day working out the details, phoning Mike and Amy, and trying to believe it was all really happening.



When she talked to Dick about the possiblity of going to Illinois, he nodded his head yes:) Several times during the day, he pointed out of the room. Mom tried to guess several things he wanted/needed....then the nurse came in and asked if he was telling them he wanted to go home -- he nodded YES! While he isn't exactly going home, heading to Illinois is a pretty big step!



Mike will be flying into Tampa on Saturday morning to finalize all of the details. Jerry and Judi left today to drive there -- they will be helping Mike with decisions, as well as cleaning out the apartment. Plans are for Mike to fly home on the "air ambulance" with his dad and accompany him to the long term care facility. We will get you more details when we have them!



Thanks again for all of the prayers -- they are being answered slowly, but surely...just like the turtle! My kids and I will be making bracelets this weekend with turtles on them -- if you would like one to wear or tie on your steering wheel or hang from your mirror, let me know and we will see what we can do!!

Day Sixteen - Holding Steady

Cheryl's report for Dick today is that he has had a good day. He did not have a temperature today and he is responding to her by squeezing her hand. He has been taken off of the vent a couple of hours and then put back on to give him a rest since he has to work so hard those couple of hours. They say he is doing good and he is making good progress. Cheryl will be coming home tomorrow and Jer and I will be heading back on Friday. Mike will be returning to his dad's bedside on Saturday. Changing of the guard so to speak. I will continue the blog from the hospital again next week. I want to thank Jen for keeping up the blog while she was there, I know it is both difficult to write and theraputic at the same time. Keep those prayers coming.

Day Fifteen --A Rough Day

Today was a rough day in many ways. I (Jen) had to come home and care for my children, while Mom (cheryl) stayed behind to continue to care for Uncle Dick. It was difficult to leave them both, and I know it was difficult for mom to head to the hospital alone.


When she arrived at the hospital, it was obvious it was going to be a rough day all around. The physical therapist came in and wanted to work with Uncle Dick on his exercises. Although he squeezed her hand, he just barely lifted his leg. Last Friday, he had lifted his legs, pushed his feet, etc for his exercises. He just wasn't up to it today, and he couldnt stay awake. They tried to get him up into a chair, but he couldnt wake up and stay awake for that either. He did manage to get to a sitting position on the end of the bed, but that was as far as they got. They ended up adjusting his bed so he was "sitting" in bed, but he didnt make it to the chair.


Please understand that when we tell you he is "up in a chair," he didnt get up out of bed and walk over to the chair without help. This is a very involved process that involves at least a couple of people. It is still progress, but we have a long way to go.


Another rough point of the day was that Uncle Dick developed a fever. At this point, the medical team is not sure where the fever is coming from/why he has it. He was sweating profusely most of the day and was uncomfortable. However, when Mom went back to the hospital tonight, she said he seemed better. The fever was down some, and she was putting a cool cloth on his head...which was doing wonders for calming both of them down and helping them relax.


As far as communication, he did squeeze hands and open his eyes a little today. Mom said that when she returned to his room this evening after shift change, he immediately opened his eyes and reached for her, even before she had spoken to him. She took his hand, and he closed his eyes again, knowing he was in good hands with his little sister.


A positive step: they took him off the respirator for one hour tonight. Amy and Aunt Judi saw this last week, but it hadnt happened since Friday I believe. They disconnect the tubes from the trach in his throat, hooking up "humidified oxygen" for him to breathe. They watch him for an hour, checking his stats often; after an hour, they will hook him back up to the respirator so that he can rest comfortably for the night and not get too worn out.


One little step at a time.....one of his medical team members reminded us that he is going to have good days, "nothing happened" days, and bad days. He warned us not to get too caught up in one day -- a good day doesnt mean he is magically better and a bad day doesnt mean he wont get better. It is a journey, a long-distance event, and he will be "racing" at a turtle's pace. But, just like the fable of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race. Someone sent a card yesterday with a bandaged turtle on it -- the inside read something like "It's not the speed, it's the recovery." Just as the angel is our symbol for Aunt Marianne and a found penny is our symbol for Uncle Denny, I believe the turtle is now our symbol for Uncle Dick. It wont be easy, it wont be fast, but I know and believe with all of my heart that he will get there. One day at a time...one step at a time....one breath at a time.....let's all try and pray for him at each step of the journey....for patience, for perserverance, and for peace.

Day Fourteen -- Slow but sure

It's difficult for me to wait until the end of the day to blog -- I have to rack my brain to think of everything that has happened!! I will probably start doing two a day to help me remember...

Today has been pretty uneventful...in a good way! He has been resting comfortably most of the day; he still has some coughing, but Bruce the Respiratory Therapist said that coughing is good and he wants his patients to cough. They reworked his vent tube and neck brace so they arent aggravating each other any more -- that has also helped with the cough.

Before we arrived this morning, they had checked his eyes and dilated them. The eye report was good -- it is still bleeding a little, but the dr thinks that there isnt any damage. They think the bleeding is just because it is irritated inside, and it really has bled less today than yesterday. The swelling in it has also gone down.

The Occupational Therapist came in this morning and was going to try and get him up in a chair again. However, he wouldnt open his eyes or respond. They thought it was probably becuase his eyes had been dilated and hurt in the light, but they still wanted him to respond. When he refused, the nurse pinched his finger....hard. He made a "mean" face, and I couldnt help but laugh. She apologized and said she was sorry, but if he wasnt going to respond, she had to make sure he was in there:) I think he will probably be responding from now on!!

So, they didnt end up getting him up in a chair and the OT never returned. The nurse did prop his bed up so he was "sitting" for awhile.

Around lunch time, they took him for an xray of his neck. It took four people to move his bed down the hall -- pushing the bed, pushing his vent machine, working the "oxygen bag" on his vent, and I think pushing other monitors. It was quite a process. He got a little worked up, but said he wasnt nervous and understood that he was doing fine. It must be scary when you cant talk and you cant see...even for my brave Uncle Dick.

The unofficial report of the xray was that everything looks good and the ligaments look as if they have healed. We will wait for the "official" reading tomorrow, but, if all goes well, the news will be the same and he will get the neckbrace off. At this point, we are looking for every baby step we can celebrate!!

Communication: He has responded well with us today -- squeezing hands, moving arms and legs, trying to mouth words. He got a little frustrated with us today when he was trying to motion something with his hands -- he was pointed up and moving his hands up and acting like he was writing. Mom and I played charades as best we could, but I dont think we ever really understood. At one time I said "You want to go home?" and he shook his head yes....I dont think that is what he was miming, but he agreed! I hope he didnt think I was offering to take him!! Later in the afternoon, Mom was holding his hand and he brought her hand as close as he could to his mouth and gave it several little kisses. She was very happy and felt very loved by her big brother....if only all little boys knew that, one day, they would love their sister that much!! I am sure Braden would be appalled right now!

He received several cards in the mail today -- lots of get well messages. We read some of them to him and will continue to do so. Someone even sent pictures of Grama and Grandpa Hasty (his parents, my grandparents!) and Uncle Denny (around 18 months old) in a walker. He hasnt seen them yet, but Mom told him about them and she loved them!!

OK -- I think that sums up the day. I seem to be a little more "wordy" than Aunt Judi...Uncle Dick would probably tell you that I have always had that problem!! I will leave you with Cheryl's deep train of thought this morning.....

(she was looking out the window, out at the bay, at a pelican that was swimming...) "Oh my! That bird just ate a fish. Gobbled him up. I mean, the fish was flopping around...I dont even think he had time to die....so he is just flopping....do you think he is flopping in the bird's stomach?" {if you dont find that funny, I apologize. It could just be the insanity of sitting up here all day and all the serious stuff going on....she was just so deep in thought as she wondered aloud about the fish flopping around....I just had to laugh!!}

On a serious note, mom (cheryl) wants to thank everyone that is sending prayers and good thoughts our way. While we make a little progress everyday, he still has a long way to go to get out of Trauma ICU, then regular ICU, then PT, etc. We know that God and Aunt Cis and Uncle Denny and all the other guardian angels are watching over him. We thank God that Uncle Dick is stubborn and a fighter -- everytime we mention his kids and grandkids, he moves his head or his eyebrows, so we know he is always thinking about them and fighting to come back to them and play and give hugs and kisses!!

Hospital Address

There have been many request for the hospital address. You may send your cards to:
Tampa General Hospital, Davis Island PO Box 1289, Tampa, FL 33606. Thank you.

Day Thirteen -- 2nd Shift Takes Over

As Amy and Aunt Judi left yesterday, Mom (Cheryl) and I (Jen) arrived last night. It's difficult for us to be able to compare how he "was" to how he "is," but we are doing our best to talk to doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists to help us understand.

Everyone we talk to agrees that yesterday (saturday) was a setback from his progress on Friday, but they assure us that is to be expected. "Two steps forward, one step back!" This morning he was still struggling with coughing -- you can tell he is in pain when it happens as his entire body tenses. The coughing spells decreased somewhat as the day went on; they are giving a medicine to numb the area around the ventilation tube. Although he does have pneumonia and a severly bruised right lung, the doctor believes the main cause of the coughing is that the ventilator tube is aggravating his throat. In addition to the medicine, they are going to try some different tubing and maybe some alterations to his neck brace. They are hopeful that he will get the neckbrace off soon -- they know that nothing is his neck is broken (praise the Lord!), but they believe there might be some strained ligaments. They need to reassess the damage before they can safely remove the neck brace. Each new day is a promise of a new "victory" -- one step at a time.....

As far as communication, he has been sleeping alot since we arrived Saturday night. This morning, he did squeeze our hands. I told him that Amy was home with the kids and that they loved him, and he mouthed "Tell them I love them." The rest of the day, there was little communication -- we would stand with him and hold his hand during coughing attacks, but otherwise, he was sleeping deeply. However, when we arrived at 8pm tonight, he opened BOTH of his eyes and looked at us. Unfortunately, neither one of us look too great, so he closed his eyes and decided to ignore us:) (We promise to try and look nicer tomorrow!)

The nurse told us that she had just assessed him and he had squeezed her hands, pressed her hands down with his feet, and responded to every other command she gave him. She is very pleased with how well he is breathing tonight -- they have again turned down the vent and he is breathing "on his own." He is doing most of the work -- the vent stays in to ensure that his breathing stays regular, that he doesnt choke, etc. The next step (although we dont know when!) is to remove the tubing, leaving the vent in with oxygen over it. The nurse seemed hopeful that would be happening in the next few days. We will keep you posted!

As We Leave

As we leave today Dick is sleeping but it has not been an easy day for him. He has been doing a lot of coughing and has needed to have the ventilator turned back on only slightly to relieve him of working so hard. We have been assured that this is not a step backward this is just to help him rest a bit easier today. He has had some pain from his fractured ribs today since he has been coughing so they gave him some additional pain medication as well as something to help with the cough so he has been doing a lot of sleeping. The rest is good for him and what he coughs up is also good, but for us it is difficult to see him go through any of the pain and discomfort. All of his nurses have been telling us how well he is doing and how far he has come. They still think that by the beginning of next week he should be going to the step down unit. Amy and I will be reading the blog from home as it will be updated by Jen and Aunt Cheryl since they will be here with Dick. So it will be interesting to see what kind of progress he makes while we are gone. You keep up the good work Uncle Dick. We will miss visiting you everyday but I know you will surprise us when we return.

Day Twelve - Bittersweet for Amy

Today will be a bittersweet day for Amy, she will be traveling home to be with her family for a while. It will be so hard for her to leave her dad. I have told her that I will probably need a crowbar to get her to the airport with me. I know it will be hard for both of us to leave but for her, she is just now really starting to see her dad make progress and feels this is when he needs her most. What a tug a war the heart plays at times like this. She is a very brave and strong person and she has been a healing force for Dick. Dick's sister Cheryl and neice Jen will be here tonight replacing Amy and my presence for the next week and Mike will very soon be able to return to his father's side. I know it has been hard for him not being able to be here but he talks with Amy several times a day to get updates and Amy holds the phone to Dick's ear so Mike can talk to his dad. We will continue the process of family rotation as long as needed but for Amy this day the first time leaving him in someone else's care and longing to return to see and care for her own children is so bittersweet.

The End of the Day

The end has been just as good as the beginning today. Dick has been very active. He has responded to questions like how many kids do you have, how many grandchildren, sisters, and brothers. He has answered them all by holding up the correct amount of fingers. He has shown his sense of humor by telling Amy when she asked if he would open his eye for her that he was a little busy right now and then giving her a bit of a grin. He had his leg hanging off of the bed and I told him that he needed to put it back up so he doesn't get swelling and he pointed his finger at me and when I told him not to give me any guff he actually flipped me off-- his favorite sister-in-law (sorry, Jan & Kath, author's prerogative). We are happy to see these signs of his old self. They tied a hand exerciser on his bed this afternoon and when we return from dinner at 8:00p we found out that he had been in trouble. He had used the exerciser to pull himself down to the end of his bed and was trying to get his legs off of the bed when the nurse discovered how far down in the bed he had actually scooted. We have warned them that he won't be a good patient. He wants to do everything and he wants to do everything now! They do expect that he should go to the step down floor sometime at the beginning of next week. He is doing so good so fast, I know that he and all of us will be glad when he can have the trach removed from his throat so he can talk. Although, Amy is quite good at deciphering his hand signals and reading his lips I am totally at a loss. He gets frustrated that I don't understand him. I guess that is why I am number one. But without pointing it out to him, he is number one in my book too.