October 21, 2009

Johnny,

Well, there is a weekly family meeting scheduled for today. Mom and Diana attended. They found out that you are approved to be at Baylor until the 27th. Insurance gives their approval out a little at a time...why would they want to give the family piece of mind...(that was sarcasm) Please pray that Johnny gets to continue his rehab at Baylor as long as he can. I know God's in control, but it certainly doesn't hurt telling him what we want : )

Your approved for the pump, we just have to wait 5 WEEKS!!! for you appointment. Something about ordering the pump, etc. Sounds ridiculous to me but, well waiting is not my strong point!
Your going to have surgery on your legs right after you get the pump. They are going to lengthen your Achilles tendons. What has happened to cause this to need to be done is that the brain trauma that you suffered causes posturing and spasticity. The posturing and spasticity caused, what they call, foot drop. That's sort of like when you get a foot cramp and your toes point downward...only 24/7. Or you might compare your feet to that of a ballerina's. Overtime, the foot stays like that. The good thing is, this is fixable. The bad thing is, it's going to hurt. They will do the surgery and then cast your feet. They will do the serial casting on your feet just like the serial casting they are doing on your left arm. It's a lot of work Johnny but your tough and I know you'll do just fine!! Back to my original point, the doctors are going to wait for you to get the pump first so that they can take advantage of you being more relaxed. They feel if they do the surgery and casting now and you don't have the pump that your feet could go back the same and it would have been all for not.

You had a CT scan this morning but we don't know the results yet.

Diana asked you a question and your response to her was yea. Plain as day!
Your LVN told mom that you were singing this morning. They couldn't make out the song but you were singing. It makes me think you must be happy. And, that makes me happy!
Ms. Ruthie said that your playing possum with your speech therapist. When she turns her back, you open your eyes and check out what's going on but when she faces you, you act like your asleep...sounds like you!

Cindy your NP said you weren't as awake today during your therapy with her as the day before but she did tell us that your a 5 on the Rancho scale. I blogged about the Rancho scale a few posts back.

Your x-ray on your feet and ankles and knees showed no bone growth...that's really good!

Your suppose to have an x-ray swallow test tomorrow to see how your swallowing is coming along. We have the okay to give you ice chips, we just have to make sure your sitting up and that you swallow a few times between the chips.

Mom asked you if you wanted to talk or rest and you said rest...I think that's funny! You've never really been a talker!

Mom said also that she asked you if your jaw hurt and you said, "a little bit".

I'm very proud of you Johnny! I love you!! xo Jen