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