May 21 - springing alive!!

I have been visiting Dustin for the last 3 days and much is happening! I attended the first family meeting where all the different professions are there to work with Dustin on 2 week goals. HIs wound continues to heal being the size of a small pancake with the skin filling in. He is still allowed up in the chair for 3-4 hours per day. He attends Physical Therapy where he continues to get on the tilt table at 80 degrees (virtually standing up) and today he tried an "arm cycle video driving game". He doesn't have enough shoulder strength and continues to have a lot of shoulder,neck and head pain so the video cycle was not too popular today. He needs to build up his strength. He also got a steriod shot in the back of his head to help occipital headaches and then one in his neck area. We are really hoping that will help a lot with the pain so they can get him off some of the hard drugs for pain that don't work that well anyway.

He is able to eat "honey consistency" foods and up until today has only eaten eggs, french toast and grits (all pureed). Today he got to have a lunch of pureed pork, broccoli and mashed potatoes. He liked the potatoes needless to say and not much else. I had given him a few bites of tuna salad and mac/cheese from home and this coconut pie that he really liked. Oh whoops - it was not pureed. I will try to feed him chocolate pudding saved from lunch. He was pretty worn out by lunch and his swallowing and interest in food start dropping. He will have another swallowing test on June 3 and hopefully he can "clear" normal liquids and then can progress with a normal diet. His weight is a whole 3 lbs greater than me at 121 however he has 6 inches on me. He needs some intense good food!!

Nerina and the occupational therapist and myself have been researching all of the Mac computer stuff so he can begin training for film editing, and all of his film and usual computer stuff with voice activation. The VA will buy the computer and software as part of monies for "independent living" and vocational rehab. I am sure I mentioned that Fullsail (his school) has agreed to let him come "work" there with a voc rehab counselor. He had a full neuropsych evaluation and does have some limitations in "executive functions, sequencing and something else". He will need assistance keeping track of things such as time and tasks until it becomes routine.

He continues to have a cast on his right arm. They are going to remove the Pic line (yeah- this is an intravenous catheter that they have pumped a lot of meds and antibiotics in) and then cast his arm one final time to get it back to straight.

He will be moving to the "D" ward next Thursday and will then be on a 3 month plan towards discharge. It may be a bit more than that depending on his wound healing. He will be doing more activities including going out into the community, working on his computer, learning how to feed himself etc. He is really looking forward to it.

The Army has also invited him to an Army ball and the Paralyzed Veterans Association (who have helped us so many times) will be renting them tuxes and the whole nine yards. Of course he has invited Nerina and told her she will have to wear something "fabulous" ( you have to know Dustin and his language choices). It will be at the McDill Air Force Base.

Rick and I will probably be going to Sanford/Orlando to again try to find a house for him and get it renovated accessible. Please pray we can find the perfect chosen caretaker for him as that to me is the biggest issue we have. If you have any ideas let me know!! I plan to call one of our 7000 associates and see if he has anyone in his church. He will begin his rehab at Project Walk and as able start working at Fullsail. You have no idea how tiring even the least bit of stuff is to him so please pray that his transition to the next unit is smooth, with a great roommate, and a bit more tolerance in others.

As for the home front, our chickens continue to be a delight. Two Monday's ago we went to the cattle auction in Thomaston. Talk about not having a clue - that'd be Rick and I!! Anyway we ended up with a nice black angus baby bull (4-5 months) that was grass fed, no antibiotics etc from our close neighbor. We had tried to buy a cow from him and he said he'd call when he took it to auction. Thank goodness he was there to help us interpret Georgia auctioneer language. I have a pretty good ear for real southern, but I could not understand a word they were saying. Well, wouldn't you know that a guy that was shooting the breeze with us at the auction was trying to decrease his herd size and had several mom cows and babies he was trying to sell. We went and looked and there was a beautiful mom and baby black cows with these great black and white faces. We made the big corporate farm decision and bought them. when we went back to pick them up in our new cow trailor, we didn't know we were suppposed to have something on the floor so the cows would not slip. Oh well- have money , got cows, gotta go! Thank goodness the guy selling them to us knew cows and had them in the barn ready to load. Well, the mom got in (and by the way, up close , that was the biggest cow I have ever seen--1500 lbs??) and got spooked and started sliding around and then got out. Trying to get her back in with her baby was certainly stretching me. Well they are both loaded and now we have to drive home with a very freaked out 1500 lb cow slipping and sliding (oh- did I mention she had diarrhea by now) and I am just praying she doesn't slide and crush her baby. Prayer is awesome and we made it home with two live cows who jumped out into the woods not to trust us again. Rick has been slowly going out 2 times per day with sweet feed and getting them used to him and their favorite food. I took a Dairy Science class when I went to Clemson in 1975 and the only thing I remembered is "cows are creatures of habit". I certainly missed my animal calling as I love structure and habit!! Just another note, I thought I might want to major in Dairy Science which is hilarious since I was a pure city girl. OH well, some things go in a circle. Anyway - lots of fun coming up. Our daughter and her family and our son are coming today to visit for weekend. Then we get to keep our 2 granddaughters (ages 1 and 3) for 5 days.

We appreciate all of your prayers and interest in this chapter of our lives.

love to all
mary pat