Paul's Update - 03/18/08

Dear Friends:

We are back from our trip and we had a wonderful time. Paul travelled very well and we didn’t need to use any of the Dramamine that we took with us!! Yeah!! Before I get to Paul’s progress over the last week I would like to take a moment to ask you to pray for two families who lost loved ones over the last week due to brain injuries. Last week I asked for you to pray for a young man named Todd. He lost his fight to stay alive on Sunday the 9th. Please pray for his friends and family who will miss him terribly. Also, over the last three years we’ve been praying for a dear lady named Gerlinde who was injured in a bicycle accident while serving in Africa as a missionary with her husband Ben. She & Ben have fought a long battle to recover from her injury but God took her home on Sunday the 16th. She has made quite an impact on our family and many others whom she touched before and after her accident. Please keep her husband Ben and their two children in your prayers as they deal with the loss of this wonderful woman.

We spent the last week in South Carolina visiting with my mother and sister. We arrived there on Monday the 10th around noon. We spent the day visiting and relaxing. Mom & I went out and got a roasted chicken from Walmart for dinner. It was a quick and easy dinner. Paul slept on Ann’s waterbed for the night … he seems to like it!

Tuesday Ann, Mom & I headed out to look for dresses for Bobby’s wedding on April 5th. We went to a little boutique in town and I was able to find the perfect dress! Dad & Paul stayed home … shopping isn’t really their thing!! Dad decided to take a trip to Walmart and see if he could get a pair of shoes for Paul. The shoes he is wearing are two different sizes because of the brace he has been wearing to keep his foot from “dropping”. He started walking Paul in the house without the brace and he actually did quite well. He needs to be ready to wear the shoes that go with his Tuxedo for the wedding and it looks like he will do OK with them. Once Ann, Mom & I returned we took a ride to the “Fish House” for lunch. Then we went to the beach for a short spell. Paul walked on the ramp to the sandy beach with his cane and then proceeded to walk onto the sand a little. This is really a good thing to be able to do since sand is unstable and you need to have good balance to walk on it. The therapist had recommended that we have him try walking on the sand and he did amazingly good with it. We spent the evening watching American Idol … we’re hooked! Paul took residence in Ann’s leather chair … loving known as the “sloth” chair.

Wednesday Ann had to work so Carl, Paul, Mom & I took a ride to Mullins SC and had lunch at Webster’s Bed & Breakfast. If you ever go to SC … take a trip there … it is worth it! After lunch we went to the Tobacco Museum there in Mullins. Paul enjoyed the tour and he only sat down towards the end of the tour. The fellow that led the tour was a long time native and he was very interesting. The plan was to go out to dinner after we picked up Ann from work but since we ate a late lunch nobody was hungry enough to make it worth going out for dinner. We ordered a Pizza from a local Italian restaurant and took it home. Pizza is something Paul especially enjoys since he can use his hands to eat it!! LOL

Thursday Mom & I were planning to go out and do some shopping to see if we could find a dress for her to wear at the wedding. Paul & Dad decided they wanted to come along. The mall was near a Bass Pro Shop so while Mom & I shopped at Penney’s, Paul & Dad walked through the mall and went to the Bass Pro Shop. Paul started out with just his cane and walked about ½ mile worth. They went to a fish restaurant near the Bass Pro Shop. Paul had a HUGE fish sandwich. Dad went and got the walker for him after lunch but he did a LOT more walking … it is always good exercise for him! After we took Mom home we met Ann at her work and went out to the Alabama Theater for a live show. We had great seats but I couldn’t tell if Paul really enjoyed the show … all of the rest of us enjoyed it. We didn’t get home until after 11pm.

Friday we (Carl, Paul & I) took Mom and headed out for a ride in the countryside. Mom said she misses the county rides she used to take when she was in Tennessee. It was a nice opportunity to spend time with her. We met Ann at her work at 5pm and went out to dinner at the Olive Garden. It was a really good dinner … even with all the “spring breakers” who were there. We had a quiet evening … Paul was still tired from the walking on Thursday.

Saturday we headed out to shop again. I still needed shoes for the wedding. Dad and Paul were going to stay home but Paul said he wanted to go with us. We went to the mall and Paul used his walker but he walked all through the mall with Dad while we shopped. We went to Books a Million to find a couple of books we wanted to get. Dad & Paul took the opportunity to sit in the coffee shop and drink a cup of coffee. We spent several hours shopping and Paul was thoroughly worn out. We spent the evening at home. Dad & Ann went to get a new mailbox at Walmart. He promised to install it before we left … but it had to wait until after the terrible storms we had that evening.

Sunday morning Dad started getting the car ready to head home. He was able to install Ann’s new mailbox … it looks great! We left to come home around 9:15am. We made several stops on the way but Paul did real good travelling. We arrived home around 5:30pm and it was nice to be home! I think Paul was glad to be back in his own bed!

Monday Dora was back!! Yahoo! We had a quiet day relaxing. Dad spent some time reading & Paul relaxed in front of the TV. I was able to catch up on some things in my office … bills, taxes etc. We met up with Bill, Ronda & Shirley (Bill’s Mom) for dinner at the Olive Garden. Bill & Shirley were preparing to leave on a trip … Bill’s annual Bowling Tournament. We had a wonderful dinner. Paul had the … FISH … LOL! During dinner Dad was telling Bill & Shirley a joke … it is an OLD joke that Paul used to tell. When Dad got to the punch line Paul got the biggest grin on his face. I LOVE it when he smiles … emotions don’t come very often but when they do it shows that Paul understands what is going on!

Tuesday was therapy day. The physical therapist was impressed that Paul was doing so well without his brace. She timed him when he walked the hallway and he beat his fastest time!! They also worked on sitting & standing, did tummy crunches and leg lifts … all the usual stuff. He was walking better today … he has a bit of trouble bending his right knee and he drags his foot a bit but he did better than he has been. The occupational therapist had trouble getting Paul to cooperate. He didn’t seem to want to do anything for her. I suspect he was worn out from the workout he got at PT! We had a quiet afternoon and evening. Paul even went to bed early … 10pm.

It appears that we are back on track and into our routine. It was real nice to get away and Paul did so well. We will have to do it again … well maybe in a couple of months or so!! LOL Please remember to pray for Todd & Gerlinde’s families. I am reminded how blessed we are. Paul’s recovery is nothing less than a miracle … God has been good to us! Thanks for continuing to care and pray, it means a lot to us!

Have a great day, Lynne & Carl