Need well wishes and prayers, please.

[ohiopiper]

I spent another hour with Fred yesterday (Saturday) and he is doing better. The therapists have him learning how to move himself from bed to chair and back and to move his wheelchair. He, of course, says he wants none of it, wants to get to the crutches immediately. They've told him he must learn to use crutches efficiently before getting a prosthesis.

They are beginning to slowly wean him off the pain meds. The doses they were giving him were massive, as he'd had a previous shoulder injury and apparently built up quite a tolerance for the painkillers. He'd been hallucinating due to the drugs, some pretty weird stuff. Called his wife (Dawn) in the middle of the night wanting to know why there was an indian sitting in the corner staring at him.

The only bad part of the visit was when I first got there. I brought him a thermos of home-brewed coffee and I was under the impression that if I got too close he'd try to kiss me for it!

ETA: As his nurse was walking out, Fred said, loud enough foe her to hear, "She wants me...To jump off a cliff." His sense of humor is returning.

[Coinneach]

It's good to hear Fred is getting back to his old self. There is always a tendency to want to rush things, especially when you're getting better and stronger, but also to prove to others that you're feeling better and stronger. The therapists know best. I hope he lets them do his job, though he may go crazy from their taking too long (in his opinion).

I hope every day gets better and easier for him and his family. It's such a blessing to them to have you and your family there to help, I'm sure.

[denmcdough]

Tough journey. I feel for him. Life, sometimes, isn't fair. I hope and pray he can accept this. The physical comeback will probably be easier than the mental. Once he gets past the mental, he can get on with life. Easier said than done, I know. Best of wishes going his way!!

[ohiopiper]

Fred came home from the hospital this past Thursday. I had printed out all your kind wishes and given them to him several weeks ago and they meant a lot to him. Thank you all.

Dawn, his wife, has to drive him on for therapy Mon.-Thurs. every week for the next several months, but he is doing better. Being home has already made an improvement in him. His kids are glad to have him back, too.

We carried him and his wheelchair up the steps and into church this past Sunday morning, he was a little skittish,. being out of control of where he was goiong and on steps, but he said it was good to be out of bed and out of the house for a bit.

[Tar Heel]

Best wishes to Fred and his family.
Tar Heel