May 20, 2008

Rhonda Writes -
Well, let the games begin. Eric is definitely coming home Tuesday. I'm spending the day Friday getting my RN and PT license at the hospital. :) Everyone has started calling to delivery everything from equipment to Nutrition and all the bells and whistles that go along with it. They want Eric to come home Thursday evening for an hour to assess the home to ensure nothing additional is needed. Then we have from Friday - Tuesday to take care of anything that needs attention, whether it be a ramp, bathroom alterations, etc. Can you hear the stress as I type? I'm scared to death. As involved as Carol and I have been, nothing has prepared us for this. Home Health will come in until they feel confident that Eric can handle going to an outpatient facility for rehab. He has another swallow test the end of next week to see if he's ready for the next level. He is now only drinking "nectar" consistency liquids.
There are so many different stages to all of this. In the beginning, we feared that he would never overcome ventilators or even make it through the night. In three short (but LONG) months, he's made so much improvement. The discharge coordinator said today that "he inspires all of us - employees and patients". That's a pretty cool thing, isn't it? He's so driven now. He's very focused on changing and improving now. As I mentioned before, they removed his trach and now there's just a band-aid (another thing that blows my mind). At times, his voice sounds just like it did before.
Please continue to pray for us… all of us. Each week brings us a new set of challenges that we must overcome and adapt to. Our friends (the Johnsons and the Whites) have organized a community Swim-A-Thon this Saturday for the kids at our pool (Black Horse Run) from 10:00 to 12:00. Please come out and cheer on our little swimmers. Eric will be there too. We got a "hall pass" for him to leave DRI for a few hours. He can't wait.