I had originally posted all the updates on my Facebook wall, but since there are so many people involved in Garretts care and who care about him I though a page for him would be a good idea so everyone can follow how hes doing and other can help me post. Here are all my past updates: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 Just wanted to update everyone. Today on hwy 34 Garrett & Alexis were in a bad car accident. Garrett was airlifted to Marshfield & Alexis was transported by ambulance. Alexis was released after being checked out & getting staples in the back of her head. They also think she may have a slight concussion. She has no memory of the accident. Garrett is currently in the ICU & is sedated. Hes cut up pretty good due to glass & such. He also has a broken collar bone, a fracture at the bottom of his skull, & had to have stitches in his left arm. They just hooked him up to an EEG machine because he is having seizures. Hopefully we will know more soon... Thank you very much everyone for your thoughts and prayers! They mean so much to us! Thursday, October 10, 2013 AM Update on Garrett, last night went ok. We havent seen from the neurologist yet regarding his seizures, but he didnt have any visible ones last night. This morning they turned off his sedation. They didnt get him to respond, though, until they turned off his pain meds too. That was a little scary at first. They turned the ventilator down so he is breathing mostly on his own now. They also turned his pain meds back on, but will leave the sedation off as long as he doesnt get combative. Hes still really out of it, but hes got his iron grip back & will hold your hand. He also moves his legs around once in a while. Thank you again to everyone for all your prayers, thoughts, & support! Thursday, October 10, 2013 PM Update- Garrett did pretty well today. The neurologist said he didnt have any seizures during the night, which is good. He opened his eyes a few times if provoked. He started squeezing our hands on occasion too. At one point he opened his eyes & tried to sit himself up. If we talk to him when he gets upset he usually will calm down. He was supposed to have a MRI done, but due to some complications he didnt make his apt. He will have it tomorrow. Although, they told us that while they were working with him he gave them a thumbs up, & when asked if he wore contacts he shook his head no. We are very excited about that. They also started tube feeding him & he seems to be taking to it well. We asked if they could give him pizza & diet coke flavored, lol. Friday, October 11, 2013 AM Last night was bitter sweet Id have to stay. It started out great. The nurse told us that when she was doing her assessment he opened his eyes & looked at her & kept them open. Usually he closes them right away. She was able to talk to him & tell him what happened. She said he gave her thumbs up when asked right away & when she asked if he was in pain he shook his head yes. They sedated him a little so he could rest for the night. Unfortunately later in the night/early morning he sat himself up & got very physical. He didnt respond to people talking to him & they couldnt get him to lay down so they had to sedate him again. When they got him laid back down he was shaking still so they think it was possibly another seizure. They cant say for sure because he didnt have the EEG machine on anymore. He is scheduled for his MRI today so hopefully we will know more later. Friday, October 11, 2013 PM Alexis wanted to try school today so she could see her friends. She lasted until about 11:30 when I got a call she wanted to come home. She had a headache. Im so proud of her for trying. She came home & took a long nap. Then she & Rett went to a friend’s house to play. I think that really helped. They are very confused on what is happening & Alexis is so concerned about Garrett. We got good news on Garrett. What we thought was a seizure last night was determined not to be, so thats good. They do have him on anti-seizure meds though. He responded well this morning to his tests. He opened his eyes, gave them thumbs up, & put up one finger when they asked for two, which is something. His left side is a weaker then the right, but when the doc said to squeeze his left hand he made the doc say oh! So that was good too. When I asked the doc if I could hold his hand Gar lifted it up by himself. When I took his hand he opened his eyes & looked at me for a few seconds. I cant describe the joy I had when he did that! Hes a fighter! He had his MRI today & they said that his blood vessels arent damaged, which is great, & he has some shredding, but they said they already knew that from the CT scan. We will know more tomorrow when we talk to the neurologist. Hopefully tonight he rests better. Thank you so much everyone for the continuous prayers, thoughts, kind words. We really appreciate it! Saturday, October 12, 2013 Rett & Alexis came up to the hospital today. I didnt let them see Garrett yet. Maybe I will next week. Alexis was doing very well though. She definitely was keeping her aunties busy. She is still getting headaches though. Garretts CT scan came back good. They said it was probably just him fluctuating. He did very well with following commands later in the day. He squeezed my hand, let it go, & wiggled his toes. Later he gave a thumbs up & did 3 fingers up. All was pretty much on his right side. The left side is still weak. We got his MRI results & they said he has three spots on his brain that had some sheering. One is on the part of the brain that has to do with waking up which is why he has a hard time getting up or why he just shoots awake for a little bit. The doc said he was very optimistic on his prognosis. All three spots typically heal well, but it will be a long road & know one knows for sure. He said it could possibly be a month before hes able to wake up on his own. One a good note, when we were allowed to come back in after the shift change we noticed Garretts ventilating was out! He had on an air mask. The nurse then told us that he pulled the tube out himself... I guess he wanted to speed up the process. But, he is doing very well. His numbers are staying high so they said they are going to try & leave the tube out. Since hes off the ventilator he cant be sedated either, but so far hes staying calm. He is just moving around a bit. Hes doing well. Thank you to everyone whos sent/brought cards & flowers & also to everyone for offering to help whether it is with the kids or meals or the house. It means so much to have so much support from family & friends. Thank you everyone! Sunday, October 13, 2013 Sorry for no update this morning. Garrett had a very busy day! His breathing is doing great! They had him on oxygen, but he kept taking it off so they left it off & hes doing awesome. He started moving his left leg deliberately & squeezing better with his left hand. They took the EEG probes off today & while they were doing it he lifted his head up & held it so they could get the ones from the back off. He also got all his IVs removed. He is getting all his pain meds threw his feeding tube. He responded well to his directions like wiggle your toes & show me two fingers. When I was sitting by him he kept putting his leg off the bed & almost every time I asked him to put it back in bed he did. While the nurse was moving him around she asked him if he was in pain & he made a noise. She asked again & he said yeah. So exciting! Then later he was trying to pull off his leg sleeves (to prevent blood clots) so the nurse removed them. He started to scratch his leg so I asked if his leg itched. He took my hand & pushed it on his leg so Id scratch them for him. When I stopped he picked up his leg & put it in my face, lol. Later he kept trying to sit up so I asked him if he was in pain & he said yeah again! The nurse said he couldnt have any pain meds yet but he could try & sit on the edge of the bed. After they got him to the edge of the bed he pointed at a chair. When the nurse asked if he wanted to sit in the chair, he shook his head “yes.” So he sat in a chair today!! His nurse said he was her star patient & that hes the fastest progressing patient that shes had. She also said that if he keeps doing so well he may be moved out of the ICU on Tuesday! He still isnt opening his eyes much, & has a long road ahead of him, but he is doing so well & I am so proud of him! Monday, October 14, 2013 AM Update- It was a busy night for Garrett. He showed is his strength & ingenuity last night. He always said I have monkey toes, but he was the one pulling stuff off with his toes since his hands have gloves on them. He also can get his gloves off with his toes too; mind you his hands are strapped down so he has to bring his feet up. Last night was a struggle to get him not to pull out all his tubes. At one point he had his mom pined to the end of the bed by her jacket. She had to take it off to move, but wed rather have him putting his toes to his head & moving all over then just laying there... He said a few more word last night & opened his eyes a little twice too. The doc said they might move him to the 5th floor today. It all depends. Monday, October 14, 2013 PM Another big day for Garrett today! Lots of updates! He tried to talk more today. Later the OT came to see him & when she asked him if he could raise his left hand he grab it with his right & picked it up. He got to sit in the chair again. While he was in it they had a stool under his feet. He pushed the stool away & the when he wanted it back he pulled it back with his foot. We asked him to do it again for the nurse & he did. The nurse was so exited! While unrestrained we thought he was trying to pull out his feeding tube but soon realized he just wanted to scratch his nose & rub his eyes. When Grandma said something about putting off his hair cut he ran his fingers threw his hair, & while I was holding his hand & rubbing it with my thumb he rubbed my hand back! That just made my day! Since he had to get out of the chair for another MRI on his neck the nurse asked him to put up 1 finger if he wanted to go in a wheel chair & 2 fingers if he wanted to go in the bed. He put up 1 finger so he went in a wheel chair. The doc seems very impressed with his progress. He did great with listening & staying still in the MRI so the nurse told him if he would listen & stay calm he could have the restrains off. Hes doing awesome with it! While his mom was on the phone with his brother his brother asked if he was behaving & he waved his hand making the so-so sign. I laughed so hard! He then proceeded to grab his moms arm, take her phone from her, & put it by his ear to talk to his brother. When he talked to his friend & his friend stopped talking he hung up the phone! Hes doing so well! Hes not opening his eyes yet or taking much, but he definitely lets is know what he wants. They moved him to the 5th floor today & hes got his own room. He also is now answering yes or no questions by putting 1 finger up for no & 2 for yes! Im just so proud of him! The nurses told us we needed to go home tonight & get some sleep. Also it will let him try & get on a normal sleeping schedule so tonight we will be at a motel nearby. Tonight this will be the first time we are not with him, but they gave us a number to call & someone will be with him 24/7. Please pray for a good night! Tuesday, October 15, 2013 Update- Garrett started using his left hand a little more today. He grabbed his right hand with his left a couple of times. The neck brace is really bothering him today. He pulled on it & said “oww.” We got the MRI results back for his neck & everything looks good, but we got the unfortunate news that because he has that fracture in his skull he has to keep it on for a while. They are going to see if they can find something a little more comfortable for him. This morning he said water & made a drinking sign. I asked if he could have some, but they said not until the speech therapist said it was ok. They brought him a cup of water with a mouth sponge to wet his mouth. A little later he made the drink sign again & I asked if he wanted some more water. He responded to me by saying “Diet Coke”. Lol, I told him I don’t think they will let him have diet. Coke since he can’t even have water yet but I’d ask. Later in the day the ST came & tested to see if he could swallow right. He was cleared to drink and eat foods like pudding & soup. At one point during the day he was pulling at his shirt, chest strap, & cord for his heart monitor. I told him he needed to stop & started waving his hand like he was hot. He’s finding lots of ways to tell us what he’d like. The nurse took of his chest restraint & he did real well with that, also. We got a visit from the surgeon today. He said that Garrett’s collar bone has moved out of place & the tendons are twisted. He needs to have surgery now. He will be having surgery on Thursday. Please pray for him. We had a funny moment today. While covered with a blanket Garrett took off one of his chest sensors for his heart monitor & held it up. His mom said, “Well you mid-as-well put that on your forehead now”. So he did. Then he removed two more & did the same thing. What a jokester! Needless to say, he got what he wanted & they removed his heart monitor since his vitals have been so good. Tonight I came home for the first time since the accident. I spend some good time with the kids. Alexis is doing very well. Tomorrow is muffins with mom at Alexis’ school so I’m going to take her. While I was telling Garrett good bye I squeezed his hand & gave it a kiss, he then raised my hand to his mouth & gave my hand a kiss too. My Garrett is coming back! Wednesday, October 16, 2013 Last night was an ok night for Garrett. His blood pressure was elevated a little. They gave him blood pressure meds. At one point while with his mom & Shawn he tried to open his eyes with his fingers. He did open one a slit on his own. Today was a different story... First off Alexis woke up with a really bad headache & was nauseous. She tired school but didnt make it more than 45 min. She started feeling a little better in the afternoon after some rest. Garrett had a very rough day too... He was in a tremendous amount of pain, mostly from his shoulder/collarbone. He was shaking horribly from it & having hot/cold spells. If anyone would like to come visit some time that would be ok, but please let me know first so I can let you know how hes doing & if itd be a good time. Im hoping that his surgery tomorrow will help... On a good note he stood for the PT for a few seconds today. Also, the kids got to see him for the first time today. Rett still doesnt understand. He just wants Daddy to come home. Alexis was nervous to see him. She wanted to leave shortly after seeing him, but after supper she went back. She held his hand & told him a story. She made him a wallet out of duct tape at home & put all her money from her piggy bank in it so he could buy a new car. They miss him so much. Thank you again everyone for your thoughts, prayers, & word of encouragement! Thursday, October 17, 2013 Update- When we came in this morning they told us Garrett was shaking real bad during the night. They thought it might be seizures again. Then they said he may not be able to have his collarbone surgery. The NP from neurology checked him out and didnt think it was seizures but ordered an EEG machine again just to be safe. He said he was ok to have the surgery. Then later the nurse said they thought they filled his spot so he couldnt have the surgery today, but they would let us know. While we were waiting his mom noticed some blood behind his neck on the bed. It was everywhere. The nurses came in and removed his collar, and saw it was coming from near his ear where he was hit by all the glass. I guess he has pieces of glass stuck in him, and they are starting to come out. It took a while, but they were able to get it to stop bleeding. Afterwards I looked at his ear and I could count at least 7 spots on his ear that looked like they might have glass. Poor guy… The doc came in and looked at him next. He opened Garrett’s eyes for him and when his mom talked on is left side he looked that way and then when I talked on his right he looked that way. After that he nurse came in to get him all cleaned up when some people came from down stairs saying they needed to take him to surgery. So the surgery was on. They told us it would last about an hr. We went for a walk and when we came back about 30 min later the board said he was back in his room. We knew something was up. When we got upstairs the nurse told us that the anesthesiologist cancelled the surgery because he wouldnt open his eyes or talk… Apparently they missed that part in his chart that said he couldnt do those things! The nurse was mad too. We ended up talking to the nurse manager. While we were talking about him in front of Garrett, he opened his eyes. It was very quickly and only for a second but he did it. Then he kept them open just a slit for a few minutes. He told us he was in pain, that it was his shoulder that hurt, and that he was shaking from the pain. We were told we had to wait until tomorrow to find out what the surgeon would like to do. Garrett did get a new collar today. This one fits a lot better than his other one. We also were told that the shaking was not seizures. It was probably due to pain and over stimulation. I’m just hoping he can get that surgery soon to help with the pain… Friday, October 18, 2013 Alexis got her staples out today. She is cleared to go back to cheer and other activities. He said to keep an eye on her headaches, and if she still has them in a few weeks or if they get worse to bring her back. When I went up to see Garrett today we were told they still don’t have a plan for his shoulder. They also talked about that his shaking may be due to something called neuro storming. The doctor talked about Garrett getting moved to a new room on the 5th floor to start rehab on Monday. They will start working on things like opening his eyes and things like that. He has been opening his eyes a little more today. It’s only a slit and mostly just the left eye, but he’s doing it. They did another MRI today to check and see if there is any new damage on his brain. They said there are a few teeny tiny spots that weren’t there before, but they said that is to be expected. It is nothing to worry about. Garrett’s brother called today to see how he was doing, and I gave the phone to Garrett so he could listen to him talk. While on the phone Garrett said, “Hello” “Hi” “Yeah” “Ok” “Good” & “I love you too”. That’s the most he’s talked since that day! After he got off the phone I could see him looking at me so I was talking to him about Alexis and told him she was going back to cheer on Sunday. I asked if I could take her, and he gave me a thumbs up. After that it was time for me to go. When I was telling him good bye he puckered his lips so I’d give him a kiss! That was the first time he kissed me back since that day! It made my day! Saturday, October 19, 2013 Garrett did a lot of shaking today. Since he was shaking a lot he was very tired & slept off & on. They brought him a stress ball which seemed to help a little when he got really worked up. When the doctor was checking him out today he opened his eyes. Not fully open but more than normal so I can tell hes still trying hard... It sounds like the plan is still to move him to a new room on Monday. He got a bloody nose tonight which caused him to get really worked up, but they got it to stop & got him calmed down. The nurse said he tried to talk to her before he fell asleep. I just hope he has a better night tonight because they said he was very restless last night. Sunday, October 20, 2013 When I went up to see Garrett this morning they had told me that his bloody nose has lasted an hour last night. There was concern that he may have developed a disorder that would cause his blood not to clot right. They did some tests this morning and everything turned out to be fine. They got him some nose spray and a gel to help with the nose bleeds. While talking with him this morning he opened his left eye just a little and kept it open for a long time. It was nice to see him look at me. I got to tour the rehab floor, and I think Garrett will really like it. There is a lot of nice stuff there. I didnt stay in Marshfield all day today because today was Alexis first day back to cheer. She did real well. She had to sit out a few times because she got tired, but I dont think it will be long before shes right back in it. I called the nurse later to see how Garrett was doing, and she said that he got a little over stimulated today. We are going have to really watch the mount of people in his room for a while. She also said that when they turned the TV off because they thought maybe the football game was over stimulating him he got real upset. They turned it back on and he calmed down. Hes still got his love for football I guess! They tired to do an x-ray to make sure he didnt have pneumonia, but he was shaking to bad and couldnt get it. They are going to try again in the morning. They also put some oxygen on him because his was just a little low. Im hoping he can still go to rehab tomorrow. I guess we will just have to wait and see. Monday, October 21, 2013 Well today was another ruff day... Garrett did not respond much today. Even less then normal... He wouldnt do hand signs although he did try & talk a little this morning. Hes also been having fevers off & on. He did nothing for the OT today & took a few sips of water for the ST. Later the PT sat him on the side of the bed, but he didnt hold himself up much. The NP was concerned about his decline so she called in the doc. The doc ordered a CT, X-rays, & blood work. She also removed a lot of blood clots from his ear & arm. Then she sent him back to the ICU as a precaution. Waiting for the results seemed to take forever... After the results came in the doc said that it all looked ok. He believes its the two meds he started on Friday that caused the rapid decline. They are stopping them immediately. So now we have to wait for them to get out of his system to see what happens... On a good note, Garrett had his eyes open a little today & I saw him blink for the first time. Its the little victories... Tuesday, October 22, They started some new meds with Garrett to try and counter act the reaction from the other meds. They still think that his unresponsiveness was possibly caused from some meds he started on Friday. They also put the EEG back on again just to make sure he’s not having any seizures. They took him down and put in a pic-line iv so they don’t have to keep moving his iv. That will be nice for him. Once he got back they put in an arterial-line. That was so they could monitor his blood pressure better. He’s been having high blood pressure, and theyve been using different meds to keep it down. It was hard to get an accurate blood pressure reading while he was shaking so much. They did another x-ray of his collarbone, and it’s not looking any better. They said they will probably still have to do surgery on it but are going to wait until he is a little more awake. They are also going to keep him in ICU for a while to keep an eye on him. As the day went on he started to move a little on his own. His feet would move and his hands. He also was shaking less too, so hopefully everything is working! Wednesday, October 23, 2013 Update- Garrett was moving more today. He gave his mom a thumbs up and also answered a question using his fingers again. The doc said that his EEG still looked good, and there were no seizures. That is great. They also can see a little improvement which is good. They believe the new meds are working. It’s just going to take time. He’s still shaking pretty good, just not as much as before. Sometimes when you move his arm around it helps stop the shaking. I was doing that today, but his arm is still very strong, and I was having a hard time moving it. I told him, “even when you’re hurt you’re still stronger with one arm then I am with two”. His arm then got even harder to move! Tonight when the PT came to see him he moved his arm for her and opened this hand. His heart rate and blood pressure are back down now too. All in all, I’d say it was a good day. Hoping for more improvement tomorrow! Thursday, October 24, 2013 What a day! Garrett was more awake today. His mom, Anne, & Shawn where talking about how open candy & cookies go fast around the house. Shawn says right Garrett? & he said, yeah. He then asked if he wanted him to tickle his feet & Garrett said no. He also told his mom he loved her while she was taking to him. The nurse he had today was on the Spirit helicopter that brought him in that day. She said hes looking a lot better. He reacted to the pain he had in his shoulder today which is good that hes noticing it again. He also moved his hand up to stop the nurse when she did something that caused him pain. His bp & heart rate were high this morning but were better this evening. When I was getting ready to leave he started to mumble something. Then he started saying different things. Some clear & some not. He also opened his eyes a little more & looked at me when he was talking to me. He moved my hand around & tried to communicate the best he could. He also flipped off his friend twice. When we laughed the corners of his mouth turned up. When I said I had to go & asked if it was ok he said yes. I told him good bye & I love you & he said I love you too! That made my day!! What a great night! Unfortunately after I left he pulled out his arterial-line & they restrained him again. Thats what I get for telling him not to touch his lines... Friday, October 25, 2013 Update- Garrett had a great day today! He was talking up a storm & had his eyes open more too! When he herd the helicopter he said it sounded like an airplane. When I told him he rode on it he didnt believe me. Then I said when hes able to get up we could go see it & he told me, Ill just stay right here. He had a conversation with the OT today about UPS because his OT use to work at UPS. He even told him door 7 was his door. When the PT came he did a lot for her including holding his legs up in the air. When his brother went to get his sister-in-laws so they could see him he says, when they get here they are going to say Garrett you look like sh*t. What the hell happened to you?. Also, when I told him he could do what he was doing all day he said, watch me, lol! Later when he was talking he said, karmas a b*itch. I told him he didnt do anything to deserve what had happened to him. I cant believe how much hes talking & responding! Its hard to understand him sometimes, but he tries so hard. Im so proud of him. We had a family meeting with the doctors today & it was decided that the best option for Garrett is for him to go to a really good rehab center that will help him reach his best potential, but its in Milwaukee. Its going to be hard, but we need to do whats best for him. Its not for sure yet though. He has to be accepted into their program. We will hopefully find out more on Monday. Saturday, October 26, 2013 Well I started out my day with getting a call saying that Garrett pulled out his GI tube, but he didnt do it on purpose. He wouldnt let them put it back in. He just kept saying, “If you give me a chance I can eat food. If you take me out to eat I will eat. I want pizza and ice cream.” His brother and sister in-law did a lot of talking and convinced them to do a speech evaluation. When they came in they gave him apple juice, applesauce, and water. He did great with all of them and the ST said that he could have liquids and soft foods. Later he had chocolate pudding and raspberry sherbet. He was talking a lot clearer today and understanding very well. He had his eyes pretty much all the way open. He was cracking jokes and making us all laugh. He also talked about stuff that he remembers like being taken off the helicopter when he got to St Joes. He talked to the kids on the phone and made their day. They are going to go up and see him tomorrow. Later he asked for DQ & KFC mashed potatoes. His dad got him a small mashed potatoes & gravy. They sat him up in the chair, and he ate it there. He sat in the chair for 2 hrs! After the mashed potatoes his dinner came and he ate peaches, more mashed potatoes, turkey, sprite, & some chocolate ice cream his dad & Becky got him. He also got his diet coke. He definitely has his appetite back! They are still planning on putting the peg line in his stomach on Monday just in case he starts to get tired again. He’s not happy about that, but says as along as they put him under for it he will be fine. It was a great day today! Sunday, October 27, 2013 Another great day for Garrett! He hate a huge breakfast & lunch. Lunch included, a cheese burger, French fries, sherbet, strawberry cheese cake, & diet coke. He ate it all! The doc said that if he keeps eating like that they probably won’t have to do the peg line in his stomach. I hope not. The kids got to see Garrett today. They were so excited! They wore their Halloween costumes and brought him some presents. He had some presents for them too. They had so much fun! Later I took them trunk or treating, and they had a lot of fun there too. Garrett sat in the chair and watched some football today. He’s also been on his phone checking his scores and talking. He’s still his determined self, and when he wants to do something he’s going to do it. He even got his wish and they let him have pizza & ice cream for supper. There is talk about him moving back to the 5th floor tomorrow. We will see, but I hope so. I think he’d like to have a change in scenery. I can’t believe how far he’s come! He’s such a strong person. Every day he surprises me with the stuff he’s doing. I’m just so proud of him!! Monday, October 28, 2013 Today was a crazy/busy day! Garrett is still doing awesome eating. He got okayed to eat anything hed like. They also said no peg line so he was super excited about that! Not long after I got here I got the word that he was accepted into St Marys & they are moving him tomorrow morning! So I had to go back to Rapids, sign papers, & pack him & myself so we are all ready to leave at 8am. Garrett was complaining about his jaw hurting so they did a panoramic X-ray of his jaw but didnt see anything. They said sometimes theres a tear that doesnt show up & it had to heal. Even with the sore jaw he was insistent that he get strawberry ice cream & he did, lol! He also had all of the remaining lines taken out today. The only thing left on him is his heart monitor. He will be good to go tomorrow. His collarbone is really bugging him lately. The doc said that once he gets home & settled to call back & make an apt to get that fixed. Im hoping they might just fix it in Milwaukee because hes having a hard time moving his left arm because of it. We will see... Wish us luck as we ride in an ambulance to take the next step in Garretts journey! Tuesday, October 29, 2013 Update- Well we made it to Milwaukee just fine. Garrett is a little nervous about being here, but we staying with him all the time & Im sure he will be ok. He has a beautiful view out of his window & out the gym window is gorgeous too. We got a tour of the place & it seems very nice. Tomorrow he will start his therapies hardcore. Hes doing very well even since he got here though. He walked to the bathroom a few times today with assistance. His hair is getting real long & hes getting scruffy. The nurse said he could probably get it cut tomorrow. She also said that she thinks he looks like James Franco. After talking with the doc she said that if visitors would like to come the best time would be after 4pm on weekdays & after noon on weekends. Again, I cant express how much we appreciate everything from everyone. Thank you so much! Wednesday, October 30, 2013 Garrett had a good day today. He finally got to take a shower. Hes been wanting to do that since he woke up, & he also got himself dressed, shoes included, almost fully by himself. Later he brushed his teeth & his hair. He got his new chair today & we were able to cruse around some today when he wasnt busy. Although, he was very busy today. He did real good with the PT today. He walked all over the place! He also did well for the ST & OT. A lot if today was just testing everything he can do. I am very proud of how well he did! He saw someone from what they call rec-therapy & they said he could bring in one of his video game systems so I will be bringing him his Super Nintendo. Im going to be home now for a few days & his mom & friend are going to take turns staying with him. It was hard to leave him, but I know he will be in good hands, & it will be nice to be with the kids. Ill go back down on Saturday for a few days. Another nice thing is when his mom is there I can FaceTime with him. Tonight he FaceTimed with the kids a little while they where at my brother & sister-in-laws. He misses them so much & they miss him. Hopefully it wont be to much longer & he will be home. Thursday, October 31, 2013 Garrett did so good today! He was waking without his walker & was practicing things to help him get better for waking on the stairs. Today I went to Alexis school for their costume parade, & I FaceTimed Garrett so he could see her too. Then he talked with her a little bit. We also FaceTimed him during trick or treating & before they went to bed. Its so nice to have that. We got word today that tomorrow there will be a team meeting with all the doctors, nurses, therapists, & everyone involved in Garretts care, including Garrett, to talk about how they think hes doing & what the plan is for the future. They will even give a timeline & talk about a date for his discharge. Since I cant be there they will teleconference me in so I can hear too. When I called him tonight he was watching the dolphins game with Shawn & Shawn also brought his Super Nintendo so they can play. I hope they get some sleep tonight! Lol Friday, November 1, 2013 Garrett is getting stronger everyday. He is now able to walk without assistance & has been given permission to go a short distances with help of family/friends. His friend, Shawn, bought him a pizza cooked in a brick oven today. Yum! Good thing too because when they brought him his supper it had veggies, & if you know Garrett you know he wont touch ANY veggies, lol. He had some neck pain today. Its feeling better with the help of a heating pad & pain meds. We are not sure he exact cause of the pain, but we know his neck was not re-injured in the crash thankfully. He had his team meeting today. They talked about how well hes progressing & also some things to work on. They also talked about a timeline for him, & the plan for him to come home. The plan is for him to come home on Nov. 15th. So exciting!! He will continue an outpatient therapy & need to be with someone 24hrs a day for a while, but at least he will be home. After talking we decided to surprise the kids when he comes home, so shhhh dont tell them! Saturday, November 2, 2013 More goals met today for Garrett. He kicked a soccer ball around with PT, & he also walked up & down a flight if stairs. Very cool! Hes ready to do more! Im thinking we are going to have to put in more railings in our house because he wont be staying on one floor, lol. Today was not as busy as normal. He was done a little earlier with his therapies so we got to just sit around for a while. After supper we were both falling asleep so we went for a walk with the wheelchair. They said we could anywhere on the hospital grounds so we toured all over. We even went outside for a while. It was his first time outside since the accident. Its was nice but cold, lol. There is such a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. Later we both FaceTimed with the kids which was nice. They are so ready for him to come home & so is he. Hes still having pain in his shoulder & neck. They started putting a numbing patch on his neck like they do his shoulder. Hopefully that will help a little. Sunday, November 3, 2013 Update- It was a nice calm day today. Garrett had a few things to do. He walked really far in physical therapy today. He went all the way down to the 1st floor. He did well with the brain questions the speech therapist had too. I was very proud of him. We watched a lot of the football games today & just relaxed. His grandpa, friend, & uncle came to visit. It was nice to see them. We also visited with my cousin & went for a walk. All & all a very nice relaxing day. Tomorrow its back to the grind stone with a full schedule. Hes going to be tired tomorrow night, lol! Monday, November 4, 2013 Garrett used the balance bored today with PT. He balanced left & right then he balanced front & back. After that they worked on him balancing while passing a ball & then a weight back & forth. They also had him catching the ball while balancing. He did really well! The left side is still a little weaker than the right, but you can hardly notice. He did a lot of stairs today. We even recorded him doing it so I could show the kids when I got home today. They were very proud of him. Alexis goes, “Yeah, that’s my daddy” with a big smile on her face. For speech today Garrett had to multitask, & I’d have to say he did really well! He was able to do his paperwork & count the songs at the same time. I think I would have gotten messed up if I had to do it, lol! In the afternoon he had PT again. They retested him on the stuff they did when he first got there. I can’t even explain the improvement I saw. It was awesome! His comment was, “It must be the new shoes” that his brother, Brian, got him. I guess he likes them! Tuesday, November 05, 2013 Garrett worked with some different physical therapists today. They thought he is doing very well with his walking and balance. He was able to get off the unit today and go walking in other parts of the hospital. His occupational therapist is impressed with his progress as well. Garrett slept most of the time he was not in therapy today. It was a sleepy kind of day. After dinner he and his mom, Anne, went for a long walk in the hospital. Later he enjoyed visiting with Uncle Dean & Aunt Diane. He & his mom walked with them to the parking garage. Right now he is working on his fantasy football stuff! No matter how ruff hes doing he will always have time for football, lol! Wednesday, November 6, 2013 Garrett is getting stronger every day. Today he walked up and down the stairs today with strength and confidence while holding on with the left hand. The physical therapist said that he thought a hand rail on one side of the stairs at home will be just fine which is good because all of our stairs have one rail, lol! He walked quite a distance to get to another therapy gym at the hospital. He walked on the treadmill. He did take a long nap after therapy, but the doctor said that this is perfectly normal for someone who has had a brain injury. The occupational therapist gave Garrett a list of activities that he can do at home to strengthen his hands, especially the left side. The fun part about this list is that most of the items on it are things that he can do with the kids. He is really getting excited about coming home. Tomorrow he is going on an outing to the grocery store to buy a frozen pizza that he will make for lunch on Friday. His step dad brought Shawn over to the hospital, and he will hangout with Garrett tonight. He came with pizza, Reese’s Peanut butter cups, and a game system! They are set for a fun night! I cant wait to get back down there to see him! Thursday, November 07, 2013 Garrett worked with the recreational therapist today. He played Kinect on the Xbox. Ive always wanted to try that, lol! In the afternoon he walked to Whole Foods Grocery store. He bought a frozen pizza which he is going to make for lunch tomorrow. He was not happy that there was not a claw machine at the store, but was amazed that they have a brick oven for baking pizzas right in the grocery store. Later he and Shawn played some NBA Jam on the Super Nintendo. Im glad hes still able to play games. His left side must be getting stronger. He found out today that he has gained some weight! If you would see all the goodies in his room, you would know why! Tomorrow is his team meeting, and he is hoping that his discharge date is moved up! I am too. I cant wait to have him home!! Friday, November 08, 2013 Today was a great day! When I got here Garrett was working in his math skills. Then it was OT time & he got to make his pizza that he bought yesterday! While it was cooking she retested him on the skilled she did when he first got there, & he did great! Today for rec. therapy he played bingo with some of the other residents. He won 2 times & got some cool prizes! Now for the exciting news... We had his team meeting today. They all talked about how good hes doing, & they all agreed that he is ready to go home tomorrow!!! Im so excited! I cant wait to have him home & have everyone together again. The kids were suppose to come visit tomorrow so we told them they couldnt come because Daddy has a lot of appointments then we will surprise them tomorrow. Tomorrow cant come fast enough... Saturday, November 9, 2013 Well today is officially one month since Garretts accident. Whoever thought hed come so far or would be doing so good?! Our trip coming home was good, but it seemed like it took forever. When we got home we were greeted by his mom, dad, step mom, Paul, Kerrin, Jacob, grandma, & a wonderful welcome home banner created by Christine, his cousin! When he saw it he was blown away. After that my mom brought the kids home. They were so surprised/excited to see him! Alexis didnt seem to want to leave her dads side. After a while he had to go lay down though because he was in A LOT of pain. Im very upset with his pharmacy... I dropped his prescriptions off at 1:15. He was due for meds at 2:00. After calling numerous times, telling him hes in a lot of pain, & being told it would still be longer. I finally went there at 4:00, & it still was not ready! Next time I will be trying that CVS. Has anyone used them yet? After Garrett was able to sit up we made cheese fries & stuffed pretzel bites & watched Monsters University with the kids. It was a cute movie. It was definitely a nice night.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 02:20:59 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015