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Date: | Mon, 15 May 2006 23:49:09 -0500 |
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My daughter and I visited Andy before we left town on our five hour trip
back home. We got on the sixth floor, stepped off the elevator and he was
10 feet to our right taking his afternoon walk with the rehab nurses so we
walked with him a bit. We went back to his room and they did a little hand
eye coordination testing by bouncing a ball in front of him, it then
bounced up to his chest area and he caught it every time. Then he'd bounce
it back. Then they just tossed it at him straight to the chest and he
still caught it. This was a light plastic beach ball type thing. Then they
put him back to bed. He was trying to get a little mind of his own on
sitting down and then trying to get in bed so they put him in bed and
strapped his hands down as they do if no one will be there to watch him.
They asked if we'd be comfortable watching him, but we weren't staying
real long. Anyway they got him settled and I talked with him a bit as he
sat up in bed. He asked if the guy next door was still babbling. I leaned
over and said yeah he's answering all our questions and then I sort of
snickered a bit and he did too. I said though that I felt bad because I've
never seen anyone come and visit him, the old guy that is. Andy was a bit
restless sitting up and laying down and so forth with his hands yet tied
to the sides. That has got to be rough. Then the phone rings. I thought it
was from the other guys bed but they share the ringer and it was Andy's
phone. My daughter answered it and held it to Andy's ear and such so he
could talk, but he wanted to get his arm free to talk but I wasn't sure
how or if we should and so he didn't want to try to talk with someone else
holding it up. So my daughter talked with his fiance who was on the phone
and gave him a message and then I talked with him a little bit and then he
managed to get one arm free and then was working on the other one and I
told him to hold up and they were on for his safety. He left the one tied
up but then laid on his side and got comfortable. I think that's all he
wanted anyway. So I sat in the chair right next to his bed and talked to
him a bit more and he was beginning to nod off a bit. I asked him if he
wanted to take a nap, and he said no, but his eyes were closing and
obviously tired. I told him we'd let him get some rest and we'd go for now
and come back in a couple weeks. He reached over and grabbed for my hand
and grasped it pretty tight and we just held hands there a second. I told
him I loved him and I had tons of people praying for him and that I loved
him again. He began to tear up and wipe his eyes with his other hand. I
told him he was doing awesome, and I hated to leave cause I really liked
visiting with him. He is still yet pretty quiet in response but he knows
what is going on, what is being said to him, and all and he is just still
quite and was always somewhat someone who was quiet and waits for
another to initiate conversation. I really hated to leave. I would have
loved to just stay and watch TV with him or just talk with him and etc. I
brought him two "In Fishermen" magazines to look at when he was up for
it. The rehab nurses had asked if there was anything I knew of for
rehabilitation activity that would be more interesting for andy. I said
"Yeah, get a fishing pole with a rubber fly on it and he'll cast it in a
bucket for ya". They said they may actually have something along those
lines for rehab. I can't wait to see the progress when we go back in two
weeks. Today marks three weeks of his accident.
Brad
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