[amc] mi papá
- From: "Holly Herr" <hollyjill@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lorna@xxxxxxxxxx, marlabu@xxxxxxxxxxx, roohut@xxxxxxx, "Alison Wenzel" <alisonwenzel@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Austin Mennonite Church" <amc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Bea Smith" <bea.smith@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "blondani@xxxxxxx" <blondani@xxxxxxx>, "cmcgaughy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <cmcgaughy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Crook, Carolyn" <ccrook@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Diane Tyler" <dtyler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "DOOR San Antonio (Hugo)" <hugosaucedo@xxxxxxxx>, "g.e.richards@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <g.e.richards@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Gail Miller" <rakupants@xxxxxxxx>, "henkesa@xxxxxxxxxxx" <henkesa@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jean Fisher" <fisherj@xxxxxxxx>, "Jennifer Heatwole" <jenheatwole@xxxxxxxxx>, "jessicakious@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <jessicakious@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, "katiegoins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <katiegoins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Lara Fisher" <thandeka@xxxxxxxxx>, "Leah Gingerich" <sianasimone@xxxxxxxxx>, "Maureen Leach" <maureenleach@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "mgosden@xxxxxxx" <mgosden@xxxxxxx>, "neil fencer" <fencerna@xxxxxxxxx>, "Ramona Steiner" <rsteiner@xxxxxx>, "Russ Evans" <russevans@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "sarakurtz@xxxxxxxx" <sarakurtz@xxxxxxxx>, "tammie warren" <wams_13@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 19:32:10 -0500
Hi folks,
A couple of you have written asking how my dad is - I appreciate that. He
was released from the rehab hospital in Charlottesville on Monday and is now
at home. He is doing well - will continue with speech, occupational and
physical therapy ... he walks well with a walker and gets a little stronger
every day. He has to take naps during the day, still feels quite weak. My
mom is home with him and takes him to all of his appts. He continues to be
in good spirits, he is truly a joy to be around. Although he reads lips
fairly well, communication is best through writing. We have started the
process of getting one or two cochlear implants for him. Yesterday he had an
audiology test that diagnosed him with "profound bilateral hearing loss."
Although we know he can't hear, my mom said it was still hard to hear it
made official. But my dad took it so well. He deals with roaring in his head
all the time - common after a brain injury we are told.
My dad's friends have set up a trainer bike for him using one of his bikes.
It's kind of like a stationary bike but much better. They are all very
invested in his life and his recovery - he has been "a legend" for so many
people. He really is amazing, I have to say.
My parents actually have a German couple, friends of neighbors, staying with
them right now. She is a physical therapist and he a doctor!! Quite amazing.
So the German doctor took out my dad's peg-tube yesterday and the physical
therapist had him walk without his walker. She said he walks well, just
needs a more even gait. My dad did have a little fall the other night. He is
okay, but it scared him. Balance is controlled by sight, sense of body in
space, and the middle ear. He has lost his middle ear so at night he is
quite disadvantaged, he has to turn a light on. Actually the official rule
is that he has to wake up my mom, but he forgets.
He does have deficits cognitively. His memory and orientation are
exceptional - but his logic is off. He's "impulsive," we couldn't leave him
alone for a long time. And he's extremely literal. But we expect all of
those things to improve with time. I realized this morning that it has not
even been two months since the accident.
It's hard not to be able to talk to him on the phone. I ask my mom to put
him on the phone to tell me how his day has been and he always starts by
saying "Hi Holly. I can't hear you but you can hear me so I'll just talk and
you listen ....." And I do. And it is wonderful, every time, because I
thought I might never hear him speak again.
So that's how things are going. Love to you all ...
Holly
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