Paul's Update - 06/29/06

Dear Friends:

Paul had a pretty good day today. When Dad arrived Paul was just starting to stir. Dad asked if Paul wanted him to do something for him and Paul nodded "yes". Dad asked what he wanted and Paul pointed to the door. Dad asked "you want me to go out and close the door?" and Paul nodded "YES"! LOL He wasn't ready to get up yet! The Speech therapist came. She stretched Paul's face which he hates but he let her do it. She tried to get him to stick his tongue out. At first he wouldn't do it. Finally he did it and then she got him to put his tongue in the roof of his mouth. He still has trouble with tongue control but he tries to do what she asks. After she was done she wasn't going to come again until the 4th of July. She was planning to come only once a week in order to stretch out the amount of time she can continue to come but once she got home and was working on her report she got all excited about Paul's progress today and wants to come again tomorrow while he is still primed and doing well. Tabby was making the bed this afternoon and she asked Paul to hold Max. Dad said to Paul "the baby looks just like you" and Paul nodded and smiled. Paul got to feed the baby again today. He does a great job with Max. He holds the bottle gently in Max's mouth. Paul didn't want to go outside so they watched Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles with him. She had Adventures in Babysitting planned next. Dad & I are planning to go away for the holiday weekend. We will leave mid-day on Friday and be gone until Tuesday. Bobby, Tabby & Audrey will be there. I will try to get updates while I am away. Have a great holiday weekend!

Love, Lynne & Carl


P.S. I got a call tonight from a dear long time friend. Matt Gittings' wife Nancy called to say that Matt is in the hospital. Please say an extra prayer for him! It looks like he will be in the hospital for about 10 days.

Paul's Update - 06/28/06

Dear Friends:

Today was movie day at the Johnson's. Paul and Tabby are watching some "series" movies. They were on part II of a three part movie when I came in tonight. After dinner tonight Tabby decided to bottle feed Max. She put Max in Paul's arms and let Paul do it. He did real good and even stopped feeding at the right time to burp him. It is nice that he gets to be "dad" some of the time. He really enjoys participating with Max! Even Pap Paw (Carl) is getting to help with Max. He got to choose an outfit for the baby today and he even changed a diaper (wow ... he didn't even do that for his own kids!!). Tabby's mom had to go home today. She was out of her medicines and was having lots of pain from her fibromyalgia. She will be very missed. She has been a great help for Tabby! Tabby continues to recover. She is feeling pretty good and plans to discontinue the extra nursing care (8pm-midnight) after the 4th of July Holiday. It has been good to have the extra care but Tabby finds that she is also staying up until after the nurse leaves each night. She will probably get more sleep and she can handle Paul during the night if he helps and is cooperative. She also has Bobby there during the night if she gets in a bind. Dad was pretty tired tonight and I didn't get many details of the day. He looked good when I was there and was pretty alert. Our hope is that once we can start eliminating the Depacote that Paul still takes we will start seeing more physical improvements!! He certainly doesn't seem to have trouble understanding us or the things we talk about and ask him!

Have a great day! Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/27/06

Dear Friends:

Paul has been pretty tired most of the day. Dad worked on speech this morning. He worked on the facial stretching that the therapist showed him. Paul put up with it for a while but when Dad tried to get him to stick out his tongue he wouldn't do it. Then Dad asked him to open his mouth and he shook his head "no". Paul walked OK earlier today but by this evening he was so tired that Dad couldn't even get him out of the bed before he would try to sit back down. He said he wanted to get up but just couldn't do it. It appeared that he had a headache today. Dad skipped the PT today since Paul was having a hard time. He watched TV some and sat up in the wheelchair a good part of the day. Tabby took Max to the pediatrician today. He got his first shot!! He's gaining weight nicely, the doctor was pleased. Tabby told Paul that she loved him today and he said "I know". Dad told him goodbye tonight and he said "bye" back. Then Dad asked him if he would give him a hug and Paul leaned forward to give him a hug. Tonight Bobby came in and interrupted the movie that Paul and Tabby were watching. Paul got mad and made an inappropriate gesture toward Bobby ... normally it wouldn't be funny but he really got his point across! How's that for cognitive thinking!! LOL If only the doctors could see him in those moments when there is NO doubt what he means!! I'm so thankful for those times we can laugh ... we all need it from time to time!

Have a blessed day, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/26/06

Dear Friends:

Today started early. Dad & Tabby took Paul to have his blood drawn at 7:00am. They went out for breakfast at Denny's afterward. Paul enjoys getting out. Paul wanted to sit in a booth!! They stayed for about an hour. They took a side trip to Giant on the way home. Dad tried to stretch Paul out today. He didn't want to stretch his legs. He stiffens up his legs and shakes his head "no". It is hard to tell if his legs hurt but he certainly makes it clear that he doesn't want to do it! Dad tried to get him up on his hands & knees instead. Once he was on his hands & knees he rolled (with assistance) from his knees back to his side and then back up ... they did that three times. The Occupational therapist came and worked the upper body (hands, arms etc). He worked with a magi light flashlight and used it like a barbell to do some upper arm curls. The he gave Paul a set of ankle weights and had him curl them. When Paul got tired he laid one on his knee. Steve asked Paul to hand it to him and Paul shook his head "no". Tabby told him to give it to Steve and he lifted his knee up so he just had to push it over to the therapist instead of having to lift it up! Steve had a spring loaded hand exerciser that they also worked with. Steve would squeeze the one he had and Paul would copy him. Steve said he is impressed with Paul's cognitive abilities. The visiting nurse came by today to do a checkup. She thinks Paul's feet seem somewhat swollen so she wants him to have his feet elevated when he is in bed. It is possible that this is also a side effect from the medicines. Paul took several naps today ... a couple of hours at a time. Dad said they had to wake him for dinner. The rainy weather may be exhausting him just like everyone else!! Tabby thinks that Max has his days and nights mixed up. She let him cry and stay awake a little today. She is doing a great job with him. He will go and be weighed and checked over at the pediatrician on Tuesday. He's two weeks old now! Yahoo!

Have a great day, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/25/06

Dear Friends:

We have had a pretty quiet weekend. Dad was gone a lot doing errands on Friday. Tabby, her Mom & Dora held down the fort. Paul was feeling about the same. He seems to respond better and better. He has lots of facial expression and says "hi" and "bye" most of the time. Tabby has been working more with Paul to do some sign language. He can sign "I love you" and "ok" pretty well. Audrey worked some with him too and told me that he can actually do about five different signs. Hopefully he will learn enough to start telling us what he needs!! Saturday is Starbucks day. They went around 8am and stayed until about 10am. Tabby's dad & grandma came later in the day and they went out to do errands & have lunch. Sunday was a rainy day ... everyone was sleepy or had headaches (including Paul). He sat up for a short while but was ready to go back to bed within a short time. He watched lots of TV and rested. Dad will start the physical therapy again on Monday after Paul goes to have his blood drawn. This test will be to determine the level of Dialantin in his body. Max goes to the doctor on Tuesday for his two week checkup. Tabby is starting to do job hunting since she will soon be laid off from her current job. Tabby's mom will be going back home at the end of the week. It has been such a blessing for her to be able to be here to help with Max. She will be missed!! Max is doing real well. He eats & sleeps pretty normally for a two week old!! He is adorable and we are enjoying him a bunch! Tabby is doing a great job as a new Mommy! Our family is well blessed!

Have a great week, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/22/06

Dear Friends:

Today was a great day. Tabby needed to go to her office today to visit with the people in her office. She left at 10:30am with Max. The speech therapist came around 11am. She worked on facial stretches which Paul really didn't like. She asked him if he was mad at her and he nodded "yes". She told him that she didn't think Helen Keller liked her speech therapist either but she told him she was going to work to get him talking. He nodded "yes". She worked with him to do some sounds ... "Mmmm" and "ahhh". Then she worked on tongue movement. He wouldn't move his tongue. She asked for a mirror and Dora helped her hold the full length mirror that is in his bedroom in front of him. Once he could see himself he was able to stick out his tongue. After her time was up ... she waved goodbye to him and he lifted up his right arm saluted her!! What a great display of personality!! He is moving his right arm a bit more but doesn't do well with his finger movement yet. The OT called and wanted to come when Paul was having lunch. He showed up at 12pm. When he got there he decided to see if Paul could make his own lunch. They got out the fixings out for a ham & cheese sandwich. With assistance Paul was able to spread the Mayo on the bread, pull the plastic off the cheese, and pull out three slices of ham. He put his own sandwich together!! After lunch Paul rested for a bit. Later in the afternoon Dad started doing some PT with Paul. Dad rolled him over onto his stomach. He didn't like that at all. Dad tried to get him to raise up on his knees. He couldn't do it but Dad plans to continue to try. Dad told him that it is important to be able to get on his hands and knees in case he falls out of bed again. The neurologist called today. He said that the blood tests came back and Paul has a therapeutic level of the Depacote in his blood. Then Dad reminded him that we want to get Paul off Depacote because of the side effects. Another blood test is going to be done on Monday next week. Hopefully we will know more about the Dilantin level from this test. It should take another ten days to know the results. We hope that at that time we can start decreasing the Depacote. The EEG results came back also. There are no signs of seizures (praise God). There is some evidence of damage from the initial injury but none of us was surprised about that. We are just thankful that Paul is doing well and is not having any more seizures. Dad had to run out and do some more errands this afternoon. He left for the evening around 6pm to go to our Bible Study that meets on Thursday nights. Tabby & Bobby got Paul ready for bed tonight (along with Audrey, the night CNA). Have a great weekend!

Love, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/21/06

Dear Friends:

Dad wasn't at Paul's house much today. He got there at 3:45am and stayed until about 8am. He had some errands to do today so he left Tabby, her mom & Dora to take care of Paul. He had a pretty good day. He is very alert when he is awake and responds to everything he is asked. He really enjoys holding his baby!! He held Max a lot today. Tabby would ask "do you want to hold the baby?" and Paul would hold out his arm to take him. Tabby had him moved to the center of the bed so he could hold Max without worrying that he may drop him. He didn't drop him at all!! He reaches down and tenderly kisses the baby every once in a while. He is very proud and he smiles while he is holding Max! Tonight he was holding Max in his right arm and reached with his left hand to pull the blanket away from Max's face then he took Max's hand away from his face!! He is so gentle with the baby! Tabby worked to exercise Paul's face today. She is also working to get him to do more sign language. He can do the "I love you" sign really well most of the time. He is also trying to make different sounds. He said "hi" tonight. The speech therapist comes again on Thursday. It appears that Paul will do well if she continues to be aggressive!! Dad has decided that starting Thursday he will begin a physical therapy regimen for Paul since we no longer have a PT coming to the house. Dad & Tabby are usually the best therapists anyway!

Blessings, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/20/06

Dear Friends:

Dad got to Paul's house at 4:00am and found that Paul was sleeping. Tabby, Max & Grandma had been up most of the night. Paul slept through the TV and Max most of the night. The EEG was at 11:00am. They put 26 electrodes on Paul's head and got brain activity from all of them. The nurse told Paul to close his eyes and relax. She also asked him to rapidly blink his eyes and he did that. She asked him to breath rapidly and he did that too. She really wanted him to breath rapidly for three minutes but she only got him to do that for one minute. She was OK with that and got what she needed. He did pretty good but he kept wanting to lift up his head. Each time he did that they had to stop the test and get him to relax again. When he got home he was pretty tired. Now we have to wait about ten days for the results of the test to be sent to the neurologist and Paul's general practitioner. Paul will go back and have more blood tests on the 26th. After the results come back from that he will go back to the neurologist to see what the doctor wants to do next. Hopefully, Paul will have enough Dilantin in his blood to start reducing the Depacote. The speech therapist came by this afternoon and worked with Paul to exercise his mouth and tongue. She tried to have him make sounds. She started with "ahh" and then "mmmm" and then put them together "mmm ... ahh" it comes out "ma"! She was successful in getting him to say it! She told him not to get frustrated because if he could do it without problems, he wouldn't need her! She also brought him a device that says words when he pushes the corresponding button. She asked him to push some of the buttons but he couldn't recognize which button to push. Once she showed him which button he was suppose to push, he could push it. Then she asked him if he recognized any of the words ... he couldn't. She asked him if he knew where Tabby was (right next to him), he nodded and looked over at her. The therapist told him to point to her. He kept looking at Tabby but didn't point. Then she asked again for him to point to her, he pointed to Dad instead (at the end of the bed). The therapist was not surprised at any of this and is not discouraged. Dad & Tabby were very impressed with this therapist and plans to ask the agency to continue sending her!! This is the best speech therapy he has had since he came home from Mt. Vernon. Paul was pretty observant today but he was exhausted and slept a lot. Dad had trouble getting him to walk much. Tonight Dad & I had some business to take care of and were gone until about 8:00pm. When we got back to Paul's I was able to hold Max for about an hour while he slept. He couldn't be a more perfect baby (well ... I AM a little prejudice). He is a wonderful blessing for our family!

Have a great day, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/19/06

Dear Friends:

PT came today. Paul walked from the bed to the kitchen sink and back. He seems to be getting somewhat better. She told Tabby that today was her last visit because Paul isn't advancing enough to keep coming out to the house. We could have the option to go to Prince William Hospital outpatient or wait until the meds get straightened out and call her to come back. OT came today as well. He seems pleased with the work that he is getting from Paul and isn't talking about discharging Paul yet. He worked at the kitchen sink to stand and balance. He stood at the sink and drank a glass of water too. Speech is suppose to come Tuesday. Since she hasn't really had any time with Paul she cannot make a judgment on his progress yet. Paul seems to be trying to communicate more with facial movement and hand movements. He also makes different tones when he says things. He has even said some things that sound like words. Tabby said he was holding Max yesterday and when the baby started to cry Paul said "quiet". It wasn't real clear but clear enough that she understood him. Also when she was showing him some presents that they received he smiled but was disinterested for most of it but she showed him something that he liked and he said "Oooo". He also has some times that he seems to just answer even if it is inappropriate ... he will nod yes to everything or shake his head "no" to everything. When I went to leave I waved to Paul. He lifted his left hand to his head and then did a salute. Wow ... we were all surprised ... this is a new interaction! Tabby talked to the insurance company. They finally found the order for the wheelchair. Evidently it hasn't been built yet ... so now we have to probably wait for another 6-8 weeks ... Sigh! Tonight Tabby will be keeping Paul us as much of the night that she can. The EEG is at 11am Tuesday and the doctor wants him to be "sleep deprived" for the test. I pray the this test will show normal brain activity.

Blessings, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/18/06

Dear Friends:

I just have a short message tonight since today was Father's day and we were not at Paul's most of the day. I attempted to call Tabby tonight but she'd probably gone to bed ... I will update any news I missed on Tuesday if possible. Dad went over at 3:30am to check on Paul. He stayed until about 7am. Sunday we have breakfast with Bill & Ronda (and sometimes Lew). After breakfast we go back home and get ready for church. Today's plan was suppose to include a ride on the Harley after church but the battery went dead. It is a six year old battery and the bike has been sitting for more than 7 months so I guess we are not surprised. Dad wanted to take a trip to visit with his mother in Mineral Virginia. It was a very hot day so I was just as glad to ride in the air conditioned car. Before we left we took a side trip to Paul's house to get a picture of Max for Great Grandma Johnson. Paul was sitting up in the bed and watching TV. Max was sleeping in Grandma Smith's arms. Tabby is feeling better each day. She showed us what she and Max gave Paul for father's day. Tabby also showed us a set of Walkie-Talkies that she got for Paul to use to call her with. He will need lots of practice to be able to use them but he already can push the call button and make a sound that will alert her. Right now you have to encourage him to do it but if he can figure out when to use it ... it could be very useful. He isn't really alone much but this would allow him to call if he needs help when he is alone. Tabby also attempted to have Paul show us some sign language that he can do. He can do the sign for "I love you". He tried to do it for me but only did it about "half-way". She tried to get him to do it better and evidently he DOES do it for her!! What a cool thing!! Audrey (the weekend CNA) has now completed 36 hours of time this weekend. I hope she doesn't get tired of that many hours all together ... she is really good and we like having her be there. Monday is going to be a LONG day for Paul. Dad & Tabby have to keep him awake all night Monday in order to be ready for the EEG on Tuesday. We are looking forward to having the speech therapist come this week and actually start WORKING with Paul!!

Have a great day! Love, Lynne & Carl

P.S. If you are interested in reading the past updates...Bill has posted them all on his blog site. You can get the older ones at www.blackhawke.blogspot.com under the archives for each month. The most recent ones are at http://blackhawke2.blogspot.com/. It is an interesting perspective into where we've been and how far we've come! Thank God for all the miracles and blessings we've experience over the last 7 1/2 months.

Paul's Update - 06/17/06

Dear Friends:

Today was yet another fairly good day. Paul seems to be a little stronger but still has some difficulty walking from time to time. Dad headed over to the house around 3:30am. Once he checks on Paul he gets a chance to lay on the couch and doze a little. Audrey comes in about 8am to start her 16 hour day. Dad said that Paul was outside for a little this afternoon but he didn't stay out long since it was in the 90's today. Paul, Dad & Bobby were able to get out this evening and come to the Father & Son banquet at the church. Paul enjoyed the outing and ate a really good BBQ dinner with coleslaw, potato salad and beans. He even got to go outside for a bit and watch some of the other men play horseshoes. It was really nice for Dad to have his two boys with him. Unfortunately, Billy had to work and Max is too young yet to take for that kind of outing. Next year he can come!! Paul got his very first Father's Day card from Max.(delivered via Nana Richard!). What a special blessing! After getting home Paul was tired. Dad got him in the bed and he watched some TV. The Mummy was playing ... he enjoys that movie! Tabby was able to go out this evening with her parents to celebrate Father's day with her Dad. It is her first real outing since she came home (minus going to doctor appointments). Sunday will be a quiet day mostly. We will probably spend some family time but it is possible that Dad & I will get away for some time together. What a busy week it has been ... full of trials and blessings. But through it all this is a very blessed Father's day!

Love, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/16/06

Dear Friends:

Today was the first day that Dad went to Paul's house at 4am. It makes for a long & tiring day. Dad took Tabby & Max to the pediatrician this morning. Dora stayed at the house with Paul. Everything is going well ... the doctor wanted to check Max's weight since he'd lost a little just after the birth. The Physical Therapist & the Occupational therapist came while they were gone. Dora said he did well in OT. Steve (the therapist) worked with him to stretch him. He asked him to write on a piece of paper. He managed to write a "P". Dora said it wasn't great but it did look like the letter P. Paul had a little trouble moving around but he was trying very hard to get his balance. Dad & Tabby stopped in the neurologist's office while they were out taking Max to the doctor to get some forms to have his blood drawn again soon. The doctor poked his head out of the office and said he wanted to talk to Dad. Evidently he looked at the CT scans that were done at Fairfax Hospital. He was horrified at how much damage was done to Paul's brain. Dad stopped him mid-sentence to let the doctor know that we already know that Paul had a "severe head injury" but we already see Paul doing things that the doctors said he would never be able to do. It really perplexes us when doctors remind us of how much damage was done .... what do they think we are going to do at this point?? I guess some people choose to institutionalize someone that they believe will never recover enough to have a normal life. Being in this position I can see how some could not be strong enough to continue on ... but we believe that Paul will recover ... we know it is NOT beyond God's power. We cannot know how much he will recover or when that will happen ... we know that God has done mighty works already and must have a purpose for what has happened. The neurologist said it would take 10 days before he will have enough of the Dilantin in his body to do another blood test and see if he is getting a therapeutic amount. Then he will start eliminating the Depacote. Paul spent some time watching TV today and was able to go outside for a while. He doesn't do well in heat so he didn't stay out long. He seems very sensitive to temperature ... he use to really like his room to be COLD ... now he wants a blanket most of the time. Tabby is doing well with Max. She is still trying to nurse him as much as possible. He seems to be a very normal baby ... he eats, she changes him, he goes to sleep ... then they start over again in a couple of hours. He likes being in his swing!! What a joy he is! God has blessed us so well! Saturday night is the Father-Son banquet at the church. Dad will bring Bobby & Paul for dinner. This is Paul's first "father's day"!! How timely Max's birth is! Happy Father's day to all you dads!

Love & Hugs, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/16/06

Dear Friends:

Today was a pretty good day. The pastor came today and took pictures of Max to showoff on Sunday ... I mean MORE than I have already!! LOL The substitute speech therapist came today. She has lots of experience. She has been doing speech therapy for many years and had worked for quite a while at Mt. Vernon Hospital. She even worked with Jim Brady (the president's press secretary when Ronald Reagan was shot). She is going to start by getting some kind of device that Paul can use to let us know he needs something. She will start working more with Paul on Tuesday next week. She spent some time talking to Paul which is more than the other girl did in three visits!! Tabby talked to the nursing agency and indicated that we may like to keep this girl instead of the other one who is currently on vacation. They indicated that may be possible. Paul interacted with Max some more today. He held him a bit. He really does well with him. Audrey came tonight to start working from 8pm until midnight. Dad will go back over at 4am to cover until 8am. Paul usually sleeps through the midnight to 4am period. Paul seemed to walk a bit better today. He was tired tonight and didn't do well. Dad went to get Paul ready for bed tonight before he left at 8pm and Paul must have thought it was too early to get ready for bed because he wouldn't cooperate ... it WAS early ... Dad has been staying until 10pm. Tuesday next week Paul has an appointment to have an EEG test. This monitors the brain activity. Dad & Tabby have to keep him awake all night ... they want him sleep deprived so he will sleep during the test. That will be a challenge. We are encouraged that this neurologist is being thorough! We pray that he will get the meds straightened out and Paul will begin to become strong again!

Have a good day (TGIF); Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/14/06

Dear Friends:

Today was Max's first full day at home with his Mom, Dad, Grandma Smith & Pap Paw Johnson. Evidently he was up a lot during the night so Grandma had her work cut out for her! He seems to be a really good baby but when he cries he gets a lot of attention!! Tabby is encouraging him to nurse and he does pretty good with it. She supplements with a little formula since she hasn't really gotten much milk yet. He has a little gas but he otherwise is very healthy! He went back to the pediatrician today and the doctor was pleased that he is doing well. He lost a little weight but that is also pretty normal for newborns. Paul was able to hold Max this afternoon while he and Tabby were in the bed resting. Paul held him for 45 minutes!! He held him really well and even held him with his right arm for some of the time. Paul seems to be a really good dad! The physical therapist came today and she commented that he seems to be getting a little more use of the right hand. He is moving his fingers a little more and has some strength when she asks him to push her hand away. He is still having lots of trouble standing and walking so they do as little of that as possible. Tomorrow the Speech therapist is suppose to come. This is not going to be the regular therapist. There is some confusion as to whether the girl that has been coming quit or went on vacation but we are suppose to have a substitute. Tabby talked to the nursing agency today and has now arranged to have a CNA from 8pm to 12 midnight each night. Audrey (the weekend CNA) has been asked and agreed to come and do 8-12pm and then also work on the weekend from 8am to midnight. This accomplishes lots of things ... it doesn't seem like a lot but it will allow Dad to go home earlier and get some rest. Paul doesn't really need much attention from midnight until about 4am. Dad will come back at 4am to tend to Paul each morning until the CNA arrives at 8am. At least Dad will be able to come home earlier, sleep in his own bed and not have to worry about Paul. I'm including a picture of Max that was taken at the hospital ... take a good look at the background!!

Have a great day, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/13/06

Dear Friends:

It was a pretty quiet day for Paul. He is having lots of problems functioning. His legs seem to get weaker and weaker. Today Dad had a problem just getting Paul from the bed to the wheelchair ... which is right next to the bed. It is pretty taxing for Dad. However, he seems very alert and answers all questions we ask him. This morning Dad took Paul to the medical lab to have some blood drawn to check the level of Depacote that is in his body. This is typically done with anti-seizure medicines. I'm not really sure why the previous doctor hadn't done any of that kind of testing. Maybe that indicates that it was a good move to take him to another doctor. The next thing we need to do (as soon as Tabby feels good enough to do it) is schedule for an EEG to be done. It would be really nice to find that his brain is working fine and we just need to adjust the medicines ... maybe he is just getting too much!! After the visit at the medical lab, Dad took Paul to the hospital to see his wife and son. Again he was able to hold Max and was gently and loving with him. Tabby supported Paul's arms so he didn't need the sling. While they were there the photographer came in and took Max's picture. They turned out great. I will try to send one when I get mine. Of course he is laying on a Harley Davidson baby blanket ... what else would a Harley Master Technician have his baby's picture background be?? LOL Surprisingly Tabby's doctor came in this morning to see her and he told her that if she felt like it she could go home today. She was very open to that and so he told her that she could leave anytime after 3:00pm. The pediatrician came to see Max and did some blood testing (which is done on ALL babies) and he did the circumcision. Once all that was done he agreed to release Max to go home as long as Tabby agrees to bring him to the doctor on Wednesday. Evidently the doctor must see the baby two times in the first 48 hours after birth to make sure he is not having any problems. Carolyn & I went to pick up Tabby, her mom & Max this afternoon around 4:00pm. Max was sleeping peacefully when we arrived. Tabby said he spent the night in the nursery so she could get some rest. Mom stayed at the hospital with her. She will plan to stay with Tabby for the next few weeks. We got Tabby home around 6:30pm. She was sore and tired but glad to be home. Dad is planning to stay with them for at least tonight and Tabby is going to check to see if she can get some additional nursing help during the night for a few weeks since she cannot lift anything heavier than Max for about 6 weeks. And so ... another chapter starts in the life of Paul and Tabby!! God has blessed us again!

Love & Hugs, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/12/06

Dear Friends:

A joyous day in the Johnson-Smith family. Tabby delivered Maxwell this afternoon at 2:55pm. Mom & baby are both fine. Tabby had a very long labor but she did GREAT! Grandma Smith (Tabby's Mom), Carolyn & our friend Tai were all there. Unfortunately Paul did not get to be there. He had a doctor appointment at 1:15pm and it was important to keep the appointment. Paul was able to hold him about 45 minutes after he was born. Paul is a tender loving father. He held him in a sling designed for the mom to breast feed with but it was perfect for Paul to be able to hold him since he doesn't have a lot of arm strength. He even leaned over and kissed his new son! There wasn't a dry eye in the room! When we left the hospital Tabby was resting and her mother will be staying with her tonight. Dad & I stayed at Paul's on Sunday night. We started out this morning kind of early since Carolyn was keeping us informed every couple of hours on Tabby's progress. The CNA came at 8am. She got him dressed and bathed. The Physical Therapist showed up at 9:30. She stretched his arms and legs and tried to stand him up. She was able to get him up and rock back and forth on his hips but only a couple of times before his legs gave out on him. She is a little concerned about the affect the meds are having on him because he is not showing any forward progress and that may mean that Medicaid will not continue to cover his therapy. This is the same problem we had at Mount Vernon when he was on the other drugs that made him tired all the time!! The visiting nurse came around 10:30am. She checked him over and said he looks good. At 12:30pm Dad, Dora and I loaded Paul in the van to go to the Neurologist appointment. The doctor went over Paul's medical history and feels that we should put Paul on Dilantin instead of the Depacote. He wants to run some blood tests to see what the level of Depacote is in Paul's body to see if he is overmedicated before he starts the Dilantin. He will also run an EEG to monitor Paul's brain activity. Once he decides if he wants to change to Dilantin he will start him with one pill and slowly wean Paul off of the Depacote. This isn't really the news we wanted to hear since we were told that he was on Depacote to AVOID Dilantin! I sure hope this will be the right move. We headed over to the hospital as soon as we were done at the Neurologist office and went to see Max. It looks like Tabby has decided (with Paul's consent by a nod "yes") that the middle name will be Xavier. Maxwell Xavier Johnson ... evidently this comes from the X-Men movie. I guess that is appropriate since Maxwell comes from the TV show "Get Smart" where the main character was Maxwell Smart. The both seem pleased with this name. Tabby should be in the hospital until Wednesday. Her mother will be staying with her for a few weeks after the baby comes home.


Love, Grandma & Pap Paw Johnson :-) (otherwise know as Lynne & Carl)

Paul's Update - 06/11/06

Dear Friends:

As some of you may realize...I am writing this update at 3:00am. Tabby & Carolyn are at the hospital. At last report Tabby is progressing with her labor and has already been given her epidural to help with the pains. It appears that Max will be born sometime early this morning. Dad, Bobby & I are at Paul's house waiting for the time that we should bring Paul to see the birth of his child. Everyone is trying to get some sleep before we make the trek to the hospital with Paul ... well except me I guess. I woke and couldn't go back to sleep so I thought I'd update you before we leave since I won't have access to the internet once we leave here. I will try to update you on all the birth details as soon as I can do that. Paul had a really good day on Sunday. When I arrived at Paul's house I waived to Paul as I entered his room. He raised his hand to waive back!! He was feeling pretty good. We all (except Bobby who had other plans for the day) went to Aunt Cathy's house for a cookout to celebrate Mike's graduation. It was a gorgeous day. Paul was pretty alert and enjoyed getting out. Dad, Tabby, Audrey (the CNA), Carolyn, Alysa (our granddaughter) & I rode with Paul in his new van. The new seat works out really well ... he can even run the remote control that lowers the chair out of the van and then he runs it to raise him up into the van. He really does well with remote controls!! The ride went really well. We stopped at 7-11 and Tabby got drinks for some of us. Paul had a Slurpee and he enjoyed that. Paul enjoyed being with the family and paid pretty close attention to all the things going on. Uncle Al made Shish Kabobs with some help from Aunt Ann Z and then Aunt Cathy cooked them on the grill. Paul was able to sit in one of the deck chairs and he enjoyed dinner with all of us. After we had eaten Mike opened his gifts from the family and we had cake afterwards. Paul stayed until approximately 6:30 when they needed to get him home to rest. It was also almost time for Audrey to go home. This was the longest that Paul has been up and out of bed for the last few weeks. Monday is suppose to be the neurologist appointment at 1:30pm. I guess it will depend on how Tabby is doing as to whether Paul will be able to make the appointment but it is a really important appointment so Dad will try to take him if he can. I guess I will try to get a little more sleep. As I said before ... I will try to get the word out about Max's arrival as soon as I can do that! This is the blessing we've all been waiting for.

Til later ... Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/10/06

Dear Friends:

Still no baby as of this writing ... I stayed at my sister's house Friday night to prepare for my nephew Mike's graduation Saturday. I will try to catch you up from Friday and Saturday. Dad got to Paul's Friday morning and the Physical therapist was already there. She helped Tabby get Paul up & dressed. Then she was working to stretch his arms and legs. She got him up to walk a bit and got him to the bathroom. Paul seemed a bit better but is still pretty tired all the time. Tabby cut back one pill of the anti-seizure medicine. He is currently taking 1000mg a day and she cut it back to 750mg. Paul "told" Dad that his stomach was hurting. The visiting nurse took a look at his stomach and said it was a little distended. She called the doctor and he recommended some Gas-X since Paul seems to have a lot of gas. Hopefully that will help. Since the CNA stays until 8pm, it gives them time to have a break. Bobby was at the house since Dad was gone all evening and most of Saturday. He went to Promise Keepers with Bill and they didn't get back until late Saturday afternoon. It was a great opportunity for Dad to have some fun! Paul laid in the bed most of the day Saturday. He didn't seem to have any interest in getting out of bed. He was pretty alert though. Tabby said she was looking for the TV remote and he was able to point it out for her!! He seems to be having lots of trouble swallowing as well as standing. It will be nice to find out what the neurologist feels we can do about the meds on Monday. This evening Nana, Aunt Cathy, Aunt Ann Z & Cousin Sarah came to visit. He seemed to know everyone and responded to us. Lewis brought his little dog over hoping Paul might like to pet him. Tabby pet him for a bit but then the dog jumped down from the bed and under the bed ... he ran right into the CAT! The cat OWNS that house ... and he let the dog know it!! The dog got chased out of the bedroom and to the front door ... so much for "pet therapy". LOL Paul & Tabby didn't sleep much Friday night ... Tabby is having some labor and was pretty uncomfortable all night. Sunday is the full moon ... hmmm.


Have a great Sunday; Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/08/06

Dear Friends:

No baby yet!! Today was Tabby's due date but nothing happened. She was disappointed she is feeling a little uncomfortable but no labor! Dad got to Paul's house this morning, he was feeling pretty tired again today. He doesn't feel good. Dad asks him if it is his stomach or head, is he dizzy etc. He nods "yes" to "are you dizzy?". It is really difficult for Dad to handle him. Paul had a neurologist appointment today at 1pm. When they got there the doctors office was locked up. Tabby called to find out what was going on and the receptionist said Paul's appointment was in the Dale City office (1/2 hour away). Tabby said she had no intention of keeping that appointment!! She has been disappointed with this doctor anyway. He doesn't talk to her and then when she called his office after the last appointment she found he'd gone out of the country when she had a question about the medicines. She was unable to talk to him and then found that the doctor that was covering for him was in Mount Vernon (1 hour away). She decided today was the straw that broke the camel's back and she has an appointment with a new neurologist on Monday next week. They didn't really have any appointments until two weeks from now but when Tabby said that just wouldn't do they told her to bring him Monday and they will squeeze him in. Paul had visitors today. He was pretty alert and responded when he was spoken to. Dad said he responded properly. Dad will be going away tomorrow afternoon and won't be back until middle of the day on Saturday. Bobby & Tabby (if Max doesn't come) will be taking care of Paul. This trip with Bill has been planned for some time and will be good for Dad but hopefully we will have a quiet weekend! Paul's cousin Mike is graduating this weekend so Nana, Aunt Ann & Cousin Sarah are coming to visit for the weekend. It will be nice to visit with family and celebrate Mike's big day!

Have a great day (TGIF), Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/07/06

Dear Friends:

Dad got to the house during Paul's bath this morning so he decided it was a good day to go and get a haircut. Dad is fighting a cold so he only went downstairs when Paul had to go to the bathroom most of the day. Tabby & Dora took care of Paul. At 2pm Dad went to get the van. Bobby got a cab to take Dad to Falls Church. The chairlift is really nice and Paul got to try it out once it was home. Dad talked to the folks at Access about using the $300 credit to purchase a carrier that mounts to the back of the van to carry the wheelchair when it comes. He has to go to pick it up on Thursday. Tabby went to her doctor and he said she is now 1.5 centimeters dilated. He feels she could go into labor anytime. Thursday is the neurologist appointment. Tabby wants to talk to the doctor about either changing the medicine or reducing the medicine he is currently taking to minimize the affect it is having on him. Dad said he was very hard to move around today. He seems to get dizzy and doesn't want to stand up ... then once he is up he doesn't want to walk. He even attempts to sit down before he is near the wheelchair. It is all Dad can do to hold him up and keep him from falling to the floor. Thank goodness Dad is strong enough to handle him most of the time. Please pray that the doctor has wisdom about what to do for Paul!

Love & Hugs, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/06/06

Dear Friends:

When Dad arrived this morning the Occupational therapist was there. He stretched Paul's muscles and worked his upper body. He helped Paul get dressed and worked with him to see if he could wash his face. Dad & Tabby worked with Paul to get him to roll over in the bed and back. He rolled over on his right side and onto his stomach then onto his back. He was all the way to the wall and then he reversed the process back to the middle of the bed. Dad had to help him a bit and he really didn't want to do it but ... he did do it! Tabby was pretty uncomfortable today ... no labor just stomach problems. Bobby & Tabby worked with Paul last night to see if they could get him to say different sounds. They were somewhat successful but he still says "ou" more than anything else. Tabby talked to the nursing agency and it looks like we may try splitting up the week between two nurses aids. The current aid is working 60 hours a week. It's a lot of time for one person to put in every week. It's possible that the girl that currently works on the weekends may pick up some extra hours. Tabby also talked to the company that is customizing the van and they said she won a drawing that she entered for a $300 lift that could be installed in the back of the van to help with lifting the wheelchair into the van. Really ... the van doesn't have enough room in the back for a lift. They told her she could have $300 store credit ... so Tabby asked if they would be willing to apply the credit towards the lift chair that we are putting in ... they were OK with that! It isn't a lot but it really helps with the cost! Wednesday the van should be ready for pick up. Thursday Paul has a doctor appointment, Tabby has a doctor appointment AND it is her due date. At least the van should be ready ... it sure will make things easier!! I am constantly amazed how God works things for us. I don't understand why this happened to Paul ... and our family but I know that every little piece of progress and all the miracles we have seen over the last 7 months only serve to glorify our God. I recently did a study on how suffering causes us to see God in a new way ... how true that is! Thanks as always for your continued prayer.

Love & Hugs, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/05/06

Dear Friends:

Paul seemed to feel better today although he still slept a lot. When he was awake he seemed more alert. The Physical Therapist came today. She stretched Paul's muscles and walked him some. She worked his foot a bit also. She tried to get him to step up onto a briefcase on the floor. He would put his foot on it but then he would try to reach down to pick it up!! You know ... you're not suppose to STEP on a briefcase!! LOL Tabby kept trying to reassure him that it was OK to step on it but he wouldn't do it! Dad & Tabby delivered the van to Access in Falls Church to be customized. They said they thought the date scheduled was suppose to be Thursday but Tabby reminded them that it was today. They kept it and will work on it Tuesday. Hopefully it will be ready on Wednesday for pick up but Tabby will call before going to pick it up to see if it is ready. The Speech therapist came today. She brought more cards with pictures for Paul to work with. She has been there three times now and hasn't really worked with Paul much. She has given Dad & Tabby things to do but hasn't had much one-on-one contact with Paul. She did point to the pictures and tell him what they were and then asked him to point to them. He was able to do that but she only did four pictures. Dad & Tabby are not really impressed with her. Tabby thinks that once the van is ready we may start going to outpatient therapy at the hospital. Tabby is doing well, we're still waiting for Max to arrive. Thursday is the due date. Tuesday should be a quiet day. Dad & Tabby will do some work with Paul to encourage more physical activity. They have been conferencing at the end of the day and trying to have a plan for each day! You know ... all good therapists should plan ahead!! LOL

Have a great day! Love Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/04/06

Dear Friends:

Today was a sleepy day for Paul. He actually slept a large portion of the day. He has been running a bit of a fever as well. He is taking medicines for the urinary tract infection but he may be coming down with something else. Tabby was not feeling good today either. She had more false labor and was up a lot during Saturday night. Dad came over around 5am to help her with Paul. The CNA doesn't come until 7am on the weekends so Dad had a couple of hours of extra duty today. Paul seems to have a pretty good appetite when he finally says he is hungry and he gets plenty of fluids throughout the day. Tonight he had a choice between macaroni & beef or tuna noodle casserole ... he loves both but he chose the macaroni and beef without hesitation! He continues to say "ou" a lot but Tabby said that she heard him say "hi" the other day ... it would be nice to see him go back to making words again. Hopefully the speech therapist will start working on that soon! Monday Dad & Tabby are going to take the van to the Area Access location in Falls Church so that the customization can be done on Tuesday. We are looking forward to that being done ... it will make life so much easier! Thursday this week will be the neurologist appointment to follow-up from the seizure episode. We are hoping he will review the medicines and possibly recommend something that won't make Paul so sluggish.

Have a great week! Lynne & Car

Paul's Update - 06/03/06

Dear Friends:

Today was a pretty quiet day. Paul went for a walk with Tabby & Dad. He seemed to feel better today. The only word he has been using lately is "ou" (ouch) ... not only for pain but as a response for everything. He nods or shakes his head "yes" or "no" but he says "ou". Even when he needs something he gets our attention by saying "ou". Today he didn't do that quite as much, Dad thinks that indicates he is feeling better. He was eating pretty good today and seemed more aware. He was paying attention to the things around him more. Unfortunately he isn't doing many new things since the meds still seem to affect him a lot. It turns out Tabby is going to wait to make any more med changes until Paul goes back to the neurologist on Thursday. She will take the list from the General Practitioner and see what the neurologist thinks of her suggestions. There was lots of activity at the house today. Carolyn was over with Alysa & Billy, Mike and his girls were over too. Carolyn & Tabby went out shopping and walking. Tabby is hoping that will encourage labor LOL. She is ready to be DONE! Sunday should be another quiet day. Nothing planned as of yet. Have a great day!

Love & Hugs, Lynne & Carl

Paul's Update - 06/02/06

Dear Friends:

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last update. I was sick most of the week and by the time Carl got home in the evening I was not feeling well enough to sit in front of my computer. I have had the flu (I guess ... it was BAD) but I'm feeling better. Paul has had a pretty good week. Nothing earth shattering has happened but he's been feeling a little. The exception to that is of course that the meds are making him pretty dopey! Carl is having to bear Paul's full weight to move him most of the time. He helps a little but not like before the seizures and the addition of new medications. Wednesday Paul had the Physical Therapist come. She worked his foot a little and walked him a bit. He had some stomach problems most of the week so he was in bed most of the day. Tabby had more false labor again but this time it really WAS false. They sent her back home. Thursday was much the same. Paul didn't do much. He complained about his elbow which is a side affect of the Depacote (joint aching). He also has a rash, uneven dilation of his eyes ... more side affects it looks like. Dad & Tabby are convinced that Paul is suffering too many side affects from this drug. Dad took him outside for a little bit but it was too hot to stay out long. He got up a little to watch TV & eat. Mostly a quiet day. Tabby went to the OB/GYN and he said that if she didn't have the baby prior to the 15th of June, he would induce her then. The doctor's office called the hospital and got her scheduled for the 15th just in case!! None of us believes she will go that long! Friday the visiting nurse brought a list of medicines and a list of the side affects of each for Tabby to review. Tabby called Paul's family doctor. She is the one that isn't afraid to change medicines that don't seem to be working. She recommended that we take Paul off the Prozac that he is taking since we cannot see that it makes any difference whatsoever. She also recommended that he start on Topomax instead of the Depacote that he is currently on for anti-seizure medicine. Evidently the Topomax has some difficult side affects for about a month while the body gets use to the medicine but it should be more effective with less side affects than what he is taking now. Dad took Paul in the truck to go to the doctor. He was able to step up on the running board to help himself up onto the seat! It is so nice when he can help!! The Physical therapist & Occupational therapist came today as well. They worked with stretching, walking to the sink etc. They tried to get him to turn on the water but he wouldn't do that. Once the water was on he was able to get himself a drink! When they were at the sink they took the walker away and walked him back to the bed. It was actually pretty difficult for all of them!! He didn't seem to have as much stomach pain today. Although we've had some ups & downs this week ... I am always reminded that there are some less fortunate than Paul. We hear stories of other TBI patients that struggle much more and have healed much less. Families that don't have the advantages of support & help! We hear stories about other trauma victims that don't live and their families have to grieve instead having the opportunity to fight for what we have. Our God has been so good to us. We praise Him and thank Him each day. Thanks for your continued faithfulness and love. We count you among our blessings!

Love & Hugs,