A breath of fresh air

Dad had to go over to the regular hospital for a routine procedure today. When I asked him about it this afternoon, I jokingly said, "Did you have fun on your trip to the hospital today?" Nod. And I quickly realized how great it must have been for him to actually leave his room for a bit of "adventure." I said, "It must have been nice to be outside for a little bit, huh?" Vigorous nod! How easy it is for us to forget what it's like to be trapped inside for months at a time.

Dad's looking so good and he had such a good day today. In addition to his jaunt outside, he had a great therapy session: three separate stands (on the last one, the PT told him, "Leo, that's all you standing.") and he was able to do some intricate movements with his hands, like bringing together his thumb with each separate finger (easier with his right hand than his left). Amazing stuff, folks. He was able to sit up in a regular chair for a bit. He looked so good sitting up that my Uncle Gene wanted to take a picture to show their other brother, George. "Smile for George, Leo," Gene told him, and Dad obliged. :) It's so good to see him looking relatively comfortable (as comfortable as one can be with all the tubes and wires he's got going on!). OH, and they took him off oxygen last night (he was only on a little bit anyway) and even after all his activity today, he remained well oxygenated.

The doctor has had a medical student with him this week and when he came in today, he said, "I met the colonel yesterday" and Dad gave him a sharp salute (we found out he's in the reserves). It was so sweet. Dad even got to see his beautiful great-granddaughter today. She didn't get to come into the room because of the health precautions from Dad's infection, but she could look in from the hallway and Dad could wave to her.

After the doctor checked him out today, he said he doesn't see any signs of the ileus. Because Dad had already been approved for pureed foods before, it shouldn't be long before he'll be able to have something to eat!

I have to tell you all that when Dad was doing his physical therapy today, I was standing near the doorway so I could look out to the nurses station where the doctor, the med student, and a handful of other members of the medical staff were. They all stopped what they were doing to watch Dad in amazement as he stood. I'm not kidding. They were all so impressed and pleased to see him beating the odds.

My uncle was showing the med student today a picture of Dad and his brothers. Gene was telling the student about their oldest brother who passed away just this summer at 79. Danny had rheumatic fever as a child and they told him he would never live to 18. I said, "You just can't tell these Coonradt men what they can't do."