Getting Better One Milestone At a Time

There is much improvement in the fellow who got his throat sliced open 13 days ago. He definitely went through a very rough time before feeling like he'd turned the corner and is now on the road to recovery.

Saturday marked the turn around day of significant improvement when Glen consented to have a shower after 3 days off. He was willing to have visitors that day. He was more mobile and was eating a bit better. Perhaps it was because his favorite team was playing basketball that day and they won again and it puts them one step closer to all that March Madness tournament stuff--whatever all that is called. Whatever it was that was tripping his happy trigger, made me happy as well.

There were some milestones that happened on Sunday. One actually happened at bedtime the night before.  Glen decided to sleep in our bed. He's been sleeping in the recliner in the basement since the day after Christmas. This was a big deal! Progress is being made!!!!

He didn't venture out to attend any Sunday meetings. Although willing to do so, I was unwilling for him to do so and so he obediently stayed in to rest all day. I figured our evening activity would probably wear him out and felt like one big thing was enough for him on his first day venturing out.

He was congratulating himself that morning for showering two days in a row. It was a big improvement in his personal hygiene. Hurrah! He put on street clothes, which was another big improvement over the sweats he's been in for nearly 2 weeks. And, he stepped out of the house for the first time since coming home from the hospital. The event was the monthly family birthday dinner party at my parents' home.

Glen knew if he wanted to get any good food to eat that night, he had better go with us instead of stay home by himself. And there was another big thing that happened while there--Glen ate his meal sitting down. He has had such trouble swallowing that he felt like standing up to eat made it a little bit easier for the food to make its way down his throat.

The food was delicious and there was a big crowd there that made lots of noise and Glen was such a good sport through it all. But, after a couple of hours, he was looking tired and was anxious to get back home.

He wanted to get to bed early because he had a big day planned for today. Another first happened when he got up early and went to work. He'd been doing some work on his computer at home a few days last week, but this was a really big step for him.

Since Glen is still on pain medication, I drove him to and from work. He was able to work until noon and felt good about his efforts, but admitted that he was very tired and was glad he was going home for the afternoon. Shortly after eating lunch and taking half a pain pill (that's half a pill less than he took in the morning, so more progress there as well), he couldn't stay awake any longer. He hit the couch for a much-needed nap.

Sarah has been craving a salmon dinner for a while now, so we cooked up the dinner and everything we had appealed to Glen. He said all the foods we fixed just slithered down his throat. He ate a lot and he ate sitting down. This is exciting. Maybe I'll be able to take him out in public to a restaurant after all...

While Glen was at work, I put away his hospital drink jug, the apparatus that forced him to take deep breaths, the heating pad and the traction unit. All those things are for a sick person and we're tired of living in a sick house.  So, all remnants have been removed--even his pillow in the easy chair which propped up his head.  We're now living in a well house and it feels good!

There is one big goal looming out there that he needs to accomplish.  He's working to become drug-free.  Quite a worthy goal, I'd say!