Peru Part 2 (Last Year's Christmas Trip)

So this is a mis-timed post and there will be at least two more.  As our lives settle into a new normal I am trying to get caught up on back posts.  In addition to the blog being our communication method with the world, it is also the story of Sidney's life and I think it is important for me to catch it up on the bits that we missed because of life, moving and the accident.

This is the second part of a post from January 2014 that tells about or adventures in Peru for Christmas and New Years.  The previous post was due in large part to Kirk's copious notes.  However I don't have those anymore, I have only the notes Sidney and I took which aren't as detailed.  We do however have pictures, or at least some of them.  We had a computer crash since then as well.

The previous post described our arrival into Lima, our trip to Puno and the floating Islands of Lake Titicaca, our bus ride to Cusco (my favorite town in Peru), our Christmas dinner and travels around the Cusco area.

This post will take you to Machu Picchu and the fresh water lakes of the Amazon.  And then home again. The first two days are Kirks notes and after that it's my recollection.

12/27 - As stated before, Kirk was up several times through the night with Montezuma's revenge, or perhaps Tupac Amaru's revenge. By wake-up time, Kirk felt pretty ill and skipped the breakfast. We met David (our guide) in the lobby, then took a bus to the train station for our train ride to Machu Picchu. The train ride was 3 1/2 hours long. It was a nice tourist train and the ride and was very scenic, passing farmland, then through canyons and along a raging river to the town of Aguas Calientes, with is a little town in the shadow of and catering to Machu Picchu and the tourist industry.  One unique feature of the train route has to do with the grade the tracks cover in a short distance. The train makes a Z up and down the steep section. The train pulls or backs into a section, then reverses its way up or down several times.

Kirk stayed back at the hotel, while Kimber, Sidney and David went out to do a little exploring. Kimber and Sidney walked along the river using the train tracks.  It was pouring rain and the river was raging.  They had a great time getting soaked, talking with David and exploring.  Sidney rescued snails off the train tracks.  She would let them crawl onto a leaf and them move them off to the side.  Sidney and David would also walk the rails ever so very slowly but working on balance. It was a great let down day.

12/28 - Machu Picchu day and Kirk was better but Kimber has been up all night sick. She was under control by morning and could be away from a bathroom, but couldn't eat. She braved it out anyway and after a quick breakfast we headed for an early bus up the mountain.  She was not going to miss this day. We were up before dawn to catch the bus so we could see the sunrise at Machu Picchu. It was a little drizzly with quite a bit of fog rising out of the valley, but the temperature was nice. The fog added to the beauty and mystery that surrounds the "lost city of the Incas". By the way, before Hiram Bingham "found" the city in 1911, there had been two other European explorers that visited the city in the 1800's, and when he found it, there were three local families that were still farming some of the terraces surrounding the city. Hiram Bingham was just the first to recognize the significance of the city and do excavations of the main city. The train we ride to and from Cusco has Hiram's name on it.

The clouds cleared after we got our overlook views of the city, and the weather was wonderful for the rest of the day. I am not sure it could have been better. The sun came out, and the temperature was very pleasant for our exploring. David taught us a huge amount about the history, as well as construction methods and the purpose of the buildings throughout the city. It is amazing that a city over 500 years old still has a perfectly functioning drainage and irrigation system. There are of course
many temples and important religious buildings at the site. The houses and buildings are uniquely
built and have interesting ways of holding on doors and the thatch roofs that they had.

The technology found in the city was also fascinating. There is one stone which is carved and set so the four points match up with the four points of the compass. There are also several stones carved and set so their profiles match the profiles of the large mountains behind them.

The ability of the Incas to build houses with intricately carved stones for holding doors, roof poles for thatching, and even houses with two stories was also amazing. We saw different qualities of stone carving and setting, depending on the purpose of the building, and David also pointed out areas where significant artifact finds were located. It took thousands of laborers 50 years to build Machu Picchu. It's reason for existence is unknown but it is thought to have been on good travel routes linking many other cities.

There were also lots of opportunities to view nature around the city. There were wildflowers and native plant species, several birds, including some kestrel hawks, and insects. Sidney particularly liked the millipedes, which she referred to as gazillipedes.

Kimber, being the driven individual that she is, decided to hike up toward the Sun Gate, which is on the Inca Trail overlooking the city. Kirk knows his limitations and decided to stay back with David and enjoy a cold Cusquenas beer at the entry point while Kimber and Sidney did the hike. After they returned, we opted to hike down the mountain and back to Aguas Calientes instead of taking the bus. The weather was great, and the nature would have been beautiful to look at, except Sidney practically ran down the mountain dragging David and Kimber and Kirk had to work hard to stay within sight of them. It was probably one of the toughest downhill hikes we have done since Norway!

It started to rain just a bit just as we were getting back into town. We stopped into a rail side cafe for lunch, then headed back to the hotel to rest a bit in the lobby before catching the train back to Cusco.
This would be the last time we saw our favorite guide ever, David. Kimber did see him while she was back in Peru this summer.

Sidney would like to hike the Inca trail when she is old enough, age 12.

12/29 - Off to the Amazon. We departed Cusco for Porto Maldonado.  Porto Maldonado has the smallest airport ever.  There aren't even real walls, only tarps for walls except for the wall to the planes which has two glass doors and some other glass. There are two gates and no food.  Tiny!

We were picked up by our guide company for the Amazon part of our trip and taken to drop off the luggage we didn't need for the last four days of our Peru adventure.  We were prepared for this having read the requirement that you have to carry everything into and out of the lodge we were going to.  Others weren't prepared and had to unpack and repack in front of everyone. It was at least funny.

We also had to find water proof boots because the trail into the lodge is muddy this time of year as it is the rainy season. We had trouble here for Sidney. We thought we got a pair that fit but we found our quickly they wouldn't stay on and we have to manage some other way.  Kimber was left with a too large pair also but took Sidney's when she couldn't wear them and was OK.

We took a boat ride on a tributary from the Amazon river, the Urubamba to the Madre de Dios to the drop off place where we enter the forest to go to the lodge.  This is also where we needed sun block and bug repellent at least three times per day and took anti malaria drugs.

It felt like a forced march for the 1.5 miles to the next boat.  We were late because another couple in our group couldn't make any of the boots work and we had to drive around looking for a pair for him and the sun goes down early there. Kimber got a boot stuck in mud right up tot he top and almost walked out of her boots a few times.  Kirk did fine and we helped Sidney over and around as much
mud as we could since she didn't have boots.  She didn't care and had a great time.  We just figured we would sacrifice the shoes and trash them.

After the forced march we took a canoe to Lake Sandoval Lodge.  It is very primitive.  There is water all the time but only electricity part of the time. No air conditioning and no ceilings. There is a roof over the whole set of buildings, but no ceiling over each room which means you can hear everything that happens in other rooms nearby. we also slept in mosquito netting.

After getting settled in went for a night hike.  We saw pink footed tarantula, chicken spider, wolf spider, frogs, tailless scorpions, tropical house gecko, squirrel monkey, scarlet macaw, gray macaw, leaf cutting ants, yellow headed vulture, and tadpoles.  The chicken spider is as big or bigger than a large man's hand.

Dinner was always edible although nothing fancy. Again, everything has to be carried in on foot or in carts pulled on foot, including fuel. Hence the lack of electricity.  The water is recycled and isn't drinkable except what is provided from the kitchen. The lodge is in an area that requires conservation.

12/30 - We started with an early boat ride. We were successful almost immediately is seeing what we came to see. The reason to go to Lake Sandoval is giant fresh water otters. They are found only in the fresh water lakes of the Amazon. They are 6 foot long otters who eat 10 pounds of fish per otter each day. A lake can support only one family and the kids hang around for three or more years before beginning the difficult journey across land to find both an unclaimed lake big enough to support a family and a mate.

They are found here because of another mammal, the monkey. The squirrel monkeys race through the forest along the edge of the lake picking fruit and eating only a few bites. Then they toss the fruit. It falls in the water where the abundant fish life devour a hand delivered treat. The level of marine life can then support a family of otters. Since we went in the rainy season, it can be harder to find the family as they use many burrows. During the dry season they use just one borrow. As it happened the burrow they were using was the burrow just below the lodge. So we saw them often by boat and from shore. Lovely creatures.

We saw tons of other animals as well. Long nose bats, black camen babies and their eggs, sun grebe, Anhinga, striated heron, green ibis, Hoatzin (punk chickens seen in the picture), boat billed heron, neotropic cormorant, parrots and macaws of all sizes and shapes, and colors, toucan, white winger swallow, king fisher, red capped cardinal, and wood creeper.  The forest is alive with birds, bugs and mammals.

After breakfast we went for a walk in the jungle. We saw black winged bats, dusky titi monkeys, and tried Quinine (used to treat malaria).  It was very bitter and and nasty. We also tried fresh Brazil nuts, which we loved.  They fall about 50 feet from the trees.  They are difficult to grow because the Brazil nut flower is built such that it takes a strong bee to get in and once it is in, it is often trapped.  A tree will produce fruit only every other year.  The whole nut is just larger than a baseball.  You hack off part of the outer shell and take our the segments.  There are 13 to 25 segments per nut.  Then you have to use a nut cracker to get in.  Fresh Brazil nuts are so amazingly better than what you can get in the states.  We also saw cirique birds, the ones that weave the nests.

We always took a break in the afternoon because it was hot.  Then we went on another boat ride. We saw Kara Kara and huge troops of spider monkeys partaking in their wasteful run through the forest eating a few bite here and there and dropping the rest in the lake. We counted 20 mothers with babies on their backs.  They were crazy and so much fun to watch. We also saw howler monkeys, clambuse kites, and fish catching bats.  We were out right at dusk. And then we saw our friend Camey, a black caiman (named by Sidney of course).  The caiman and otters survive peacefully together for the most part.  The otters are strictly diurnal and the caiman nocturnal.  So they rarely cross paths and full grown they are not threats to each other. Sidney's quote of the day was it is raining monkeys.

After our busy day we were ready for our simple dinner.  The only problem with dinners was it is dark and the lights are on in the lodge.  This attracted droves of tiny white gnats.  Inevitably we ate lots of them.  They would land in drinks and soups.  Extra protein.

After dinner we got a unique surprise.  We were hanging in the hammocks when we heard someone say Hi Sidney, what are you doing here?  It happens that a boy from her school in Katy came to the lodge that night.  He and his mom had also been in Peru and came to the lodge.  They had a shorter visit but what a small world.  He and Sidney are about the same age but different grades.  They fought anytime they were together.

12/31 - New Year's Eve - We started this morning with a 5 am boat ride and walk but it was so worth it. We saw more howler monkeys another caiman, cappuccino monkeys, white bellied parrot. Then we got to the surprise.  There are several pictures of this. It is an old dead palm tree that attracts all the birds.  They come an eat the wood because it contains nutrients they need that aren't found in the fruit they eat.  There are hundreds of birds around at anyone time waiting to get their nutrient snack.

We ate breakfast when we got back to the lodge.  There was a possum on the underside of the roof in the kitchen area.  There must have been a good sized hole somewhere. After breakfast we went for another walk.  We saw and Agudo (the rodent pictured) right behind the lodge.  They are dog sized rodent.  We also saw a collared forest falcon with a rat and Sidney swung Tarzan like on a vine. She doesn't know who Tarzan is. We ate more Brazil nuts and saw more bugs, moths and butterflies.

We ate dinner and went to bed early. Yes it was New Years Eve but there is no power after 10 pm and not TV to Internet so what's the point of staying up.  We also had to leave in the morning to head to Lima to catch our flight home so we had 24 hours of travel in front of us.

1/1 - Happy New Year.  Today was travel.  We took the canoe to the muddy trail.  Sidney had wells this time.  Then the trail which was far less rushed and more enjoyable to the boat. The boat back to town and then got our stuff and headed to the airport.

Our flight from Lima departed at 11:30 pm so we had a lot of time to kill in the Lima airport.  Unfortunately Sidney was getting a really bad cold and was running  fever.  Everyone was exhausted.  Our flight was to Newark and then another flight to Houston so it was going to be a long time till home.  When we went to check in though, we got told we could get not he direct flight to Houston.  It departed late but still got us home by 7 am, many hours before we would have gotten there the other way.  We were in the back of the plane and Sidney was miserable but we were glad to be home.  We had piles of the nastiest laundry ever.  The clothes from the amazon reeked and we had only washed the rest of the clothes in the sink.

December 26

We had a good day on Christmas. Sidney fell asleep early on Christmas Eve after the Christmas Eve service at church so Santa could come. Nobody got up until 7 and it was a leisurely morning if opening gifts, cleaning up afterwords and eating a light breakfast. I did try to kill the blender with orange juice while trying to make a smoothie. The bottom of the blender bowl leaked and I didn't realize it until the blender just stopped working. OJ'ed out I guess. It started up again once I dumped all the juice out.

We went to get Kirk at 10 and arrived at our friends at around 11. Kirk helped peel potatoes. It was a little difficult at first but then muscle memory took over. He still isn't as strong or coordinated so he wasn't speedy but he got it done. We shared a great meal of turkey, stuffing, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, biscuits and cranberry jello.

Kirk is a plate cleaner. He will clean it every time with dedication. This is an example of the focus that is apparent after the injury. That's also why condiments in dishes can't be near him. He thinks those need to be eaten as well. He has drank soy sauce and dressing. I took barbecue sauce away from him before to keep him from drinking it.

Kirk was very restless after dinner. He would sit and watch TV for a while before he needed to wander. Our friend finally took him outside to help set up a trampoline they got for their kids. Again Kirk demonstrated his focus and muscle memory. Given a socket wrench and direction to tighten bolts, it got done.

It seemed like he was content to happy all day. He liked watching the dogs run around, watching the kids eat, and helping with the trampoline. He never seemed overwhelmed or over tired. He wanted to stay but accepted that he needed to go back to his house in part because his medications were there.

We took him to his house and he opened his gifts. He got some slippers, a couple of new pairs of sweat suits, and several games and crafts. I don't think he totally got that it was Christmas. I mean with feeling. The opening of gifts was automatic.

Sidney's big gift this year was horse back riding lessons. She took her first lesson today and loved it. She will get two more before school starts and then once a week after that. It's another thing to do but she was completely surprised and it's worth it to get some time taking her too and from and seeing her fully enjoy something.

I don't know if we got memory for Christmas. Please continue praying for it. The next post will be about our adventure this time last year in Peru. Needless to say I am way behind.

December 24

Sidney and I spent several hours with Kirk at the clinic yesterday getting to watch him work. Sidney even did some exercises with him and checked his math. That's a switch.

Kirk is getting a little more endurance every day as well as focus. We do continue to see interesting things. He can write but not read. You can tell him a decent length sentence, all at once and he can write it. He continues to work on identifying common objects like pens, paper, balls and socks. His writing is sloppily his.

He can also play connect 4. He and Sidney played several games and had fun. They each won a game and I helped Sidney with a third game. Their strategies are funny.

He still sings to the radio. It seems that things that don't require the concentrated recall are easier, like songs.

He always walks us to the door and yesterday he told Sidney "I love you Beans". We have called Sidney Bean since the day she was born because she was so little. But I haven't heard him say it since the accident.

It is decided that we will pick him up tomorrow at 10:30 and head to our friends. We will eat and hang out there before we take him back to his house. We won't bring him home yet. It is still to confusing the division between our house and his need to be away. Please pray for peace and happiness for him and for me to be attuned to his needs so I can make sure he doesn't back track or get overwhelmed.

Sidney and I will go to church tonight and spend Christmas morning at home. Pray for us to be peaceful and to feel love.

We wish you a joyful and beautiful Christmas.

December 21

Kirk has had a pretty good week. He has been able to participate in all the activities of the house and clinic this week. He made a ginger bread house with Cliff, one of the staff. He was very proud of his creation. He also went to the grocery store and helped at the food pantry. He can still do many normal daily activities with little queuing. But he can't remember anything for more than a minute or two or single activity.

Sidney played the piano in a Christmas Concert at a retirement home. She played Frosty the Snowman. While we were on our way there we pulled up behind a car that had the gas door open and the gas cap hanging out. The driver of the car next to them was trying very hard to indicate what the problem was. But the driver of the car with the gas cap off didn't get it. Finally the passenger of the other car got out and went around to put in the gas cap and close the door. It was hysterical to watch. 

Sidney also came up one of her jokes. What movie do cows watch? The Sound of Moosic. She cracks me up.

We've had a friend from Houston for the weekend so we ate out and I had help with a few things around the house. Sidney is out of school and I am off the next two weeks. We both need a break and we can spend a bit more time with Kirk as well. 

All we want for Christmas is memory. That would be the best possible gift.

December 14

We spent time with Kirk yesterday. We picked him up and went to a really nice little park close to where Kirk is. We probably walked about a 1/2 mile to and from the play ground. Sidney thought the playground was great. Then we went for some barbecue before heading back to the house where Kirk is. He was not as insistent about coming home this time. We did a craft project with him. We made some necklaces out of bells. We made three reindeer and three snowmen. 

Kirk is about the same with no memory. He didn't remember going to the park right after we left. We have to get memory. Somehow that's what we need to find. 

Sidney and I have had a quiet weekend. Just the usual chores and errands. One more week of school and we get a little break. We need it. I wish I had more to tell you right now but I don't. 

December 11

I visited Kirk at the clinic yesterday. He continues to do fairly well there. He hasn't had a set back like the week before Thanksgiving since then. He takes his medications and is fairly compliant with working on assignments at the clinic. He seems more comfortable with where he is and doesn't act nearly as fearful anymore. He still wants me to take him home every time I see him. And he still has no moment to moment memory. While I was visiting I stepped away to talk to the counselor and came back to him. He did not realize he had seen me a few minutes before. Until the amnesia starts to pass though it is very hard to make real progress. 

Sidney was in choir concert last night. I'll get a picture of her in her tuxedo shirt, vest and bow tie up this weekend. It was a cute concert. The kids did a good job. And otherwise Sidney and I are just staying afloat. I am trying to figure out what to do for Christmas to best take care of everyone but I am just not prepared for this. I truly don't think Kirk will even be able to visit us at home. I think me dreams of him home for Christmas are gone. 

Thank you for your continuing love, thoughts, prayers and support.

December 6

We had a good visit with Kirk. I got his and Sidney's hair trimmed. Neither needed much but they both needed to be cleaned up. Sorry I forgot to get a picture. We went and grabbed lunch from Sonic and took it back to the house. We spent several hours together before getting back to weekend business. It was really hard to walk out on Kirk. He wants to come home but really needs to be where he is.

Dinner tonight was sausage and cabbage. The cabbage was from a friend's garden. It was really good and easy. One pan and done. We also got groceries and finished the tree.

We need to start developing a plan for something to do with Kirk next week. If it's nice we can go to the park. If not I need a not super stimulating idea for what to do near the house where he is. Oh he did Gus about my driving. I didn't gave both hands on the steering wheel. So when he fussed I took them both off. Ha!

Tomorrow is church before kicking off a busy week. I'll go see him at the clinic mid week again and see what kind of trouble he is up to!

December 4

This week has been as different as night and day from last week. Kirk can still tire or get over stimulated easily but he handles it much better this week. He has done really well in all of his therapy and been much more compliant with his medications. It's just been a really good week. He sings to the radio even when he can remember only some of the words and imitates all the instruments when he is jazzed. He's got a fiddle, drums and piano at least in is mock instruments. He is using very little Arabic and seems to be more comfortable where he is. He is also helping out around the house particularly in the kitchen.

Sidney and I are planning to try to take Kirk for a hair cut this weekend. We will base our ultimate decision to try when we see him Saturday. We will also try to stop to pick up lunch but only if the haircut goes OK. I am anxious but willing to try. I won't in any way push our luck. Please pray for us to have a good weekend and to enjoy a few minutes alone together.

December 1

It has been three months now since the accident. The pest control people called me today to set up this quarter's pest treatment. The last treatment was the week of Kirk's accident. It has been a whole quarter. Wow.

Kirk has improved over the weekend in his ability to take his medications willingly and in communication. No signs the amnesia is going away but he is easier to get along with and using less Arabic. We visited several times over the weekend and he was much better than on Wednesday. He had a really good day today at therapy, completing all his tasks, speaking only English and identifying 75%of the items he was shown. None of this has happened before. He has always gotten frustrated and aggravated. This is only one day though and we need many, many more of these to make improvement.

He is enjoying crafts. He made a snowman out of socks and a turkey. So that was a good thing to learn because Sidney and I can take things to do with him. I think I might take him Legos as well. We also finally heard him sing. Sidney started singing Rudolph and he joined in. He could sing nearly all of it with her. Then we sang Do Lord and he sang all of his part except one time he couldn't remember so he sang Ho Ho Ho knowing it was wrong and knowing he could get a laugh out of us. So we need to try more tricks to get him to sing. He also told Sidney he loved her tons but she could still get a time out while snuggling on her.

Sidney and I are moving along. We went on another long hike Friday. Had a really nice but rather exhausting time. We both drooped in the last mile. Stormy was of course still ready to run circles around us. We are also trying to get the Christmas letter together. It may not be the most grammatically correct letter ever. We have to plug through three more weeks before another break from the crazy routine. With a child and two pets having names that start with "S" I get into trouble when I need to fuss at someone and I can't remember which "S" word to use.

Please continue to pray for peace for him as he struggles to sort out current reality and deals with frustration. Pray for us to know how best to support him and help him on our continuing journey.

November 26

Kirk has had two pretty rough days. He is still extremely confused and struggling to trust anyone. He frequently refuses to take his medications. He is very agitated. Because of this we will not be able to get him tomorrow for Thanksgiving. We have never not had a Thanksgiving together all at one table. I think this will be harder on me and Sidney because he won't remember. We will go spend time with him in the morning but I need to figure out how to make him as calm as possible.

Please pray for this so difficult phase to pass. I don't know what is next but this is really hard. Please pray for him to understand we love and care about him and that he can trust all of his care givers.

November 24

I appologize for 5 days going by between posts. It's hard for me to even remember what has happened in the week. So this might be random. Sidney is out of school for the week and enjoying some time with various friends. And the weather is fabulous to be outside right now.

Yesterday she and I went to a state park called Lost Maples. There are many large maples there and they are just past their prime on fall color but still worth the drive and hike. We took Stormy with us and she did great. We had a nice hike and picnic lunch. We all got clean after we got home, including Stormy. We did a bit of work around the house before having dinner with friends.

Kirk's cousin flew in on Saturday to help Kirk's mom and aunt drive home. We picked her up at the airport after Sidney and I visited Kirk and had lunch with a friend from Houston. Everyone visited Kirk and then headed out on Sunday. They have just made it home.

Kirk is doing OK. He is still extremely confused about where and when he is. He knows he is not at home and he thinks at least sometimes he is living on a compound. He still uses Arabic interchanged with English. Or he just speaks Arabic. We think it is possible that he thinks he is in Iraq back in 1990. He reacts to helicopters when he had not prior.

We talk to him every night unless he falls asleep before we call. I am planning to get him and take him to a friend's for Thanksgiving. We will only have him for part of the day. Please pray for him to not be upset and just to know he is safe and loved. Pray for patience for me to know how to take care of him and to make the experience positive. And pray for Sidney to continue to love her father and to continue to be his biggest cheer leader. I am very nervous about taking full care of him for even a few hours. But I've got to learn sometime.

November 19

Kirk has been over at the new place for a couple of days now. The first night was confusing because he wanted to come home and there were so many changes that day. He didn't want to sleep in his room that night and fell asleep in the living room. He did eventually move to his bed. Last night went better.

His mom visited him today and I will swing by tomorrow. I did talk to him on the phone tonight. I was hesitant to do that because I don't want to confuse him more. But we had a pretty good conversation. Still a lot of word substituting. He has used a variety of words over time. Meme is his primary word. But he uses subscription, prescription, and others and today added masquerade.

I really want to check him out for a few hours on Thanksgiving. I am equally apprehensive. He seems reasonably adaptable and calm but what if something is a trigger. I am going to speak with his counselor at length.

Sidney and I are developing simple Christmas decorating plans that we can do safely by ourselves. It would be easy to skip all together but we both need a break from our new normal.

Sidney has taken up a project to make and sell book marks to give money to church, choir, school and animal shelter. I have been absconded into helping her fulfill her orders. It gets us at the table talking and working with no TV or thought of any problems. She is a sweet and giving child.

November 17

Kirk had a good weekend. We had a friend from Houston visit and he had an army buddy visit.  So there were several parties in his room.  He was back to knowing who Sidney and I were and being a clown.  He is being a jokester and if he were in his right mind his jokes wouldn't be funny.  Here is a picture of us from this weekend.


Friday I got home to this hole in my ceiling.  Nice, isn't it.  I had a leak from what I thought was the roof but it was a water pipe.  So it is drying out before they remediate and patch it up.  All the insulation was in the bath tub. That was aggravating.

Kirk moved today to Neuro Restorative.  This is a transitional care facility that is intend to get him able to care for himself.  He will be much more responsible for what has to happen dying his day.  This is milestone.  He is officially not an inpatient anymore and there is no more hospital ID on his arm.  He lives in a large 6 bedroom house and goes to a clinic for rehab every day.

His address is 124 South Winston Lane (I think). He can be visited after 6 pm on weekdays and during the day on weekends.  I'll get some more specifics up soon.

He has gained back some weight but I suspect he will loose some in the next few weeks of more intense work. I think he has gained back about 15 pounds.

I made chicken noodle soup last night. I repurposed some frozen chicken leftovers as well as some frozen veggie left overs. It was really good and Kirk's mom, aunt and a friend of ours ate with us. Sidney made dessert from a fruit tray, making everyone a slightly different smiley face.

Sidney is off next week but we still have lots to do. I am still trying to find various resources to help us for now and in the future. We will continue to need support of friends and professionals. We have a lot of learning to do still. Thank you for your loving support. I'll keep you posted on how Kirk does this week with all the changes in his life.

November 14

This is a super short update. Kirk won't move until Monday. He wasn't ready to go on Thursday and Neuro Restorative doesn't like to get folks on Fridays. This gives a few more days to get his medications straightened out. I have started getting his discharge medications as well as all the stuff he will now need. 

This has been a really rough and discouraging week for me. I have felt like we are back on a roller coaster and it has been very traumatic. Unfortunately this is far from over. Please continue to pray for us as we travel this difficult journey. Sidney and I are hanging onto each other tightly in a way I could never have imagined. And you hanging onto us means so much to us. Thank you. 

November 12

Happy Veterans Day a little late to all of our veterans. Thank you for your service.

Sidney and I and our friend went to Natural Bridge Caverns on Sunday.  This was my first visit but Sidney's third or fourth.  The caverns are not very big compared to Carlsbad but they have some nice formations and good history.  Sidney's favorite part of the visit there now though is the maze.  They have a large maze made of panels and you have to find 4 letters as well as the exit to get out.  The letters are CALF.  Sidney isn't speedy but she had fun.  I think I might have to try it next time.

We got a few more things taken care of after our visit to the Caverns.  We got Kirk some clothes he will need in the coming weeks and groceries.  We took Mediterranean food to Kirk for dinner and actually sat down as a family to eat.  It was a little funny.  First we had to argue with him to come sit with us to eat. He was "tired".  Then he started on his salad and I think because his salad was in a separate container from his meat he couldn't eat both at the same time.  He had to finish all of his salad first.  I put dressing on his salad that came in the cup, but not all of it.  And I left the cup in the top half of the container in front of him.  He apparently thought it was medicine and drank it. I could not make him stop.  I guess anything that comes in a little cup needs to be taken.  He also ate the stem of his pepper. First he ate the pepper and left the stem in the top of the container.  But then he decided to eat the stem also.

After dinner we just sat around the table and then played a game called Left, Right Center.  I am not sure he got exactly what was up but he did know left and right and where to pass a token.  But I don't think he is able to process the words. I wrote I love You and did not get any sort of indication he could read it. But he can write at least some things legibly. While we were sitting though we were listening to music.  There was a drum section and he proceeded to match it perfectly with his hands as if they were holding drum sticks.  He has always liked drum sections.

The feeding tube was removed today and we officially decided and have insurance approval for Kirk to move to Neurorestorative on Friday.  I am getting things ready for his move over there.

Please pray for us. Kirk has not recognized me at all this week and that is so very difficult. Please pray for a change in him, a spark of real memory that he wants to grab onto and run towards. And pray for strength and peace for me.

November 8

Kirk is just steady on at Reeves. I do think he will move this week as long as there is a bed at what's ever facility I choose. I looked at Mentis this week and will look at Neurorestorative this week. There are advantages and disadvantages to both so I will do my best to choose the right one.

Here is a picture of the three of us from today. It's a little blurry but still nice to have one as a family.

Kirk has had several techs with him that speak Arabic so he has been getting some practice with that language. They are all impressed with his ability to speak Arabic.

He has been doing a little writing and drawing. He wrote his name and then he wrote Sidney, daughter and Kimber, wife. It was completely his handwriting. I could recognize it anywhere.

He is mad at me because I don't eat dinner with him. Yesterday he to,d me to go home and relax. I said I would try and he told me I would do more than try. I did relax for one hour today. I got a facial and haircut.

I also rode my bike today. I haven't ridden since the day of the accident. Sidney was overnight at friends and I had a friend here. I did only 8 miles and it was physically hard because it has been so long but I was OK. It might be a while before I can ride again.

I also visited the ICU yesterday while I was at the hospital. It was my first visit since we left. It was nice to see the nurses and doctors and they enjoyed hearing how Kirk is. I still look forward to the three of us going back together to say thank you.

I also got some stuff done at the house like more pictures hung and a goodwill trip. Thanks in part to my friend and Sidney being gone. Of course that stuff doesn't stop so I am off to clean the fish tank.

November 4

Well Kirk was super sassy today. He is feisty and joking and generally trying to be up to no good. I came on to visit him today and he can count to 20 in English, Spanish and Arabic.  His vocabulary does grow each day but he still substitutes many words and continues to have traumatic amnesia.

He now requires constant attention. Not from a medical standpoint but because his physical capabilities far exceed his ability to know his limitations or follow rules. He had a tent around his bed until yesterday to keep him in bed when he wasn't attended and at night. However he is determined and managed to escape. So that was that. So he now has a sitter and is super sassy even with his lack of memory of short term events.

It has been a few days since I have posted. And we have been busy (imagine). I also don't get posts up everyday in part because I am exhausted. So in no particular order, here are the events of the past few days.

Sidney and I swim on Thursdays. She has lessons and I swim laps. But before the lesson we did a few laps of various strokes including the back stroke. We started at the same time and did two laps. She toasted me by one half of a lap. I am in for it. She is smarter than I am and faster at least in the pool. I'm so in trouble.

The other day Kirk did the alphabet by choosing a word that started with each letter. He only switched Yankee and unicorn. But almost every word was the alphabet you use for radio signals. I can't remember what it is called but I was surprised. He also just remembers how to do so many things by muscle memory. Like tie his shoes.

We visited him after church on Sunday and a good breakfast of pancakes. Sidney was giving him a back rub and he wanted her to rub lower and to the left. She went lower and to the right and he corrected her.

Speaking of escaping, Stormy escaped her kennel yesterday morning and spent the day destroying the house. She destroyed a pillowcase and duvet cover, slipper, and area rug. Considering she had all day the damage wasn't that bad. Sidney discovered her when she got home and called me in a complete panic. So we now triple check to make sure the kennel is securely closed.

And I have discovered all three pets, dog, cat and bird, all like the laser that cats like. So I can make them all shake their heads yes and no and the cat and dog can do it at the same time. Oh the little pleasures in life. And I am trying to supplement Rocky, the lobster, with some additional food to try to save the fish.  I tried carrot this morning and he ate that. I am going to try a few more veggies.  He and Kiwi like the same things possibly.


So the final bit of news I can think of is that I thought Kirk would move to the next rehab facility this week. But he continues to make improvements at this facility so he will stay most likely until next Thursday. But I am already setting up the consults for the two possible facilities he will move to and will visit them this week.  But he will stay at Reeves until he reaches a plateau.

So it has been a long time since I have been willing to take a picture of him to share. But I thought now might be a good time. He was just really lively today and I think it's OK to share now. I hope soon we will have opportunities to take more pictures.

Thank you for continuing this journey with us and for loving us through this.

November 1

Today is two months since the accident. Nothing is as I expected. But we are still moving towards whatever our new normal will be.

Sidney and I started our morning with a couple of hours with Kirk. We took him some coffee and chili. He ate and drank about half of each.  After visiting Kirk we got gas, car wash and groceries before heading home to make grilled cheese for lunch. I went for a quick run after lunch and then we made one more trip to Home Depot to get plants for the front. Carolyn and Barbara spent the afternoon with Kirk. We got the plants in, a coat of teak oil on some furniture, laundry done and dinner cooked. We will take Kirk some salmon and potato left overs tomorrow. And now I am ready to crash into bed.

Our lobster, Rocky, has devoured another fish so I need to figure out a solution. I don't want to maintain another tank but I can't afford for him to eat a fish every week and Sidney loves him. I am between a rock and a hard place. I just don't know what to do.

I have included pictures of the Mine Craft pumpkin and owl pumpkin I carved for Sidney. She loved them.

I also forgot to say that I am sorry I missed getting to say hello to so many of you in person while I was in Houston. I was pressed for time and there just was no way for me to see everyone. Please be patient with me until I get back. And thank you for continuing to support us.

We still receive little treasures in the mail from friends. Those small gifts make our days so much brighter and really keep us going. Thank you so much.

I took Kirk his glasses yesterday and they have already disappeared. Argh.

October 31

Happy Halloween. I made it back from Houston safely on Wednesday night. I stopped to see Kirk on my way home. It has been a few days since I have posted. He continues steady on with physical progress. He eats in the dining room at rehab. We are doing a calorie count right now to see if he is taking in enough calories to remove the feeding tube. He can eat whatever he wants and had 7 crunchy California rolls and a little snickers today. I am taking him chili tomorrow. It was a little slow the first few days but he is definitely eating more now so maybe early next week we can get rid of the last tube. He can also swallow all his pills and liquid medications. So one other thing we don't need a tube for anymore.  I say the last tube because we also got rid of the catheter this week.

He also can do more basic tasks with minimal cues. For example he can take a shower by himself and might only need a reminder to use shampoo. That is so much more than before. He was also batting a baloon in PT and I was pleased with his eye hand coordination.

He walks more and without a walker. He is pretty wobbly so we will see if that resolves with time. It also seems he doesn't see fully out of his left eye. He sometimes walks into things on that side. We can't sort that out until he communicates more consistently. The cognitive skills are still much slower in improvement. He has reached the point where his physical abilities exceed his cognitive ability so he sleeps in a bed tent and must otherwise be monitored if he isn't in the tent. He just isn't steady enough on his feet but doesn't know that.

When I went to visit today I got a back rub. I also asked if he wanted to be married to me. He said he wanted to be married to an American and I was the best choice. Some of the things he says are hysterical.

Sidney and I trick or treated while Carolyn and Barbara handed out snacks at the house. We handed out pretzels. Those are good because they are acceptable snacks at school. We had a great time trick or treating. Afterwords we hung out at a neighbors for a while and just chilled and chatted. I'll get a picture of the pumpkins tomorrow. I am too out of steam tonight.

Stormy's training is going really well.  Last night we had dog training, swimming, I carved two pumpkins and toasted the seeds. I crashed into bed.

It is very likely that Kirk will move again this week. Please pray for discernment for me as I look at options to try to choose the best next step for Kirk and his recovery. This is the last step before coming home and I need to get this right.

October 28

I got to see Kirk do some work today.  He walked several times at PT before I had to leave for Houston. He is definately getting stonger. I did not think even a month ago that I would see him walk.  He has the motion and balance but needs to build endurance. He did a swallow study today also and can start on easy to swallow stuff like liquids and soft foods.  It will likely take him a bit to manage to use his mouth properly even though he can swallow.  I hope that eating is something else that can help him to feel more normal.

He was up early this morning and has spent a good part of the day at various therapies or sitting at the nurses station.  He thinks he might be a nurse but doesn't really remember. But the interaction of sitting with the nurses is good for him.

I made it safely to Houston. I also got Sidney to her post-op appointment for her eyes before I left. Everything looks good and she doesn't have to go back for three months. She also took Rocky's moulted exoskeleton to school and all the 5th grade classes wanted to look at it.  Rocky is our blue lobster who lives in our fish tank.

October 27

Kirk has had two good days from a physical perspective. He has been up more and is helping a lot with transfers, doing nearly all the work himself. He did all of his own care this morning with little help other than guidance. He can do most things you ask. He has also been on many laps around the unit in the wheel chair. And today he made his first lap around "the block" on foot. He used a walker and made a full lap around the unit.  This is the first time he has walked since the accident. We kept him up out of bed all day.

But the last two days have been hard for me. Yesterday in particular was really tough. I don't think he knew who I was or was upset by something and he was just not nice to me. I honestly left broken hearted. He was slightly better today, finally telling me my name and giving me a hug and kiss. These days are really hard. I am so happy to see him able to do more things but saddened by the struggle to think.

I will be in Houston tomorrow night. My first night away since the accident. Kirk's mom and aunt will be staying with Sidney. I will be back Wednesday night. First I have to take Sidney for another post op appointment for her eyes tomorrow.

When I get home I have to carve to pumpkins and finish getting ready for Halloween and the United Way fundraiser. I think I will be more exhausted than normal come Friday night.

October 25

Kirk was still more down than up today. He woke up about noon but wasn't in the mood to do anything. The staff is giving him a choice to do PT. He says no but then he talked all afternoon. And he will do everything you ask/tell him to do. Ok sometimes he does it with a frowl (that's is a frown crossed with a growl). But he does it anyway. I think there is a lot of frustration mixed with confusion. I really wish there was more I could do for him. Sidney spent a good hour with him today. She snuggled with him for a while and chatted a bit. A good snuggle has been a long time coming.

I made chili tonight for a fundraiser next week. It's tucked safely into the freezer but between that and dinner I left a mess in the kitchen. I used the extra ground beef with some leftover mushrooms from the freezer for stroganoff. I used some noodles from the pantry that were left over from something else. So I cleaned up a bit of left overs. Unfortunately I am so tired or side tracked that I dumped a quarter of dinner on the floor. The dog helped clean that up. The only people food she has gotten at our house.

Please continue to surround Kirk with prayers of strength, patience, and peace. He is in such a difficult place in this in between. I pray for a switch to turn but I don't think it is that easy. Both his body and his mind are betraying him. I need prayers too. Sometimes I feel so worn out and afraid of the future. I miss him so much it aches. And for Sidney the peace of knowing without a doubt she is loved and safe.

October 24

Kirk had a down day today. It may just be that he is tired but I will be watching closely to see if there is anything else going on. But he just wasn't interested in doing anything today. Not a shower or tooth brushing. He was just sleepy. After the weekend the docs will make a few adjustments on his meds to see if we can get more functional awake time.

Kirk's mom, aunt and cousin arrived safely last night.  They are getting settled in over at their hotel and getting a couple of things taken care of.

I put in yesterdays post a comment about a trauma amnesia that Kirk is demonstrating and a test for that.  The test used is called a Galveston Orientation Test.  It is different from a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS).  GCS is based primarily on immediate physical response to very simple questions or in an unconscious patient, painful stimuli.  A person who can answer who, when, and where and usually one other question like who is the president would have a GCS of 12.  At the time of his accident Kirk was a 1 maybe.  He could react to painful stimuli but in an manner that indicated his brain was badly hurt (he only pulled his hands and legs in). As he could react more appropriately his score changed, like when he could pull the doctors hand away.  Also knowing his name is good.

The Galveston Orientation Test is different and more complicated.  The test asks 10 basic questions including the patients name.  They are questions regarding to determine if you know your orientation to person, place and time.  They are detailed questions like telling the date and time as well as what you can remember from any day following the accident and any day prior to the accident.  The date and time aren't trick questions.  There is a calendar and large clock in front of him.  Successful measure of being past the amnesia is greater than 67 of 100 for three consecutive tests.  Generally the longer it takes to get past the amnesia the worse the head injury was. And no I don't have a timeline for how long it will take or if we will get to a 67.  That's just honest, and scary for us.

October 23

Kirk had a good day today. His central line was removed and I don't think we will need that again. He can take everything he needs orally.  He is still getting daily blood draws but I have asked the medical team to consider whether he actually needs those every day or can go to at least every other day. 

He was still in his room in bed when I got there this morning. I snuck in beside him for a few minutes and he put his arm around me.  It felt so good.  He reaches for my hand frequently and gives me a hug as well as a kiss.  He is also paying much more attention to TV now.  It is pretty funny.  A little like trying to get a kids attention.  I am looking forward to spending time with him and Sidney in the same room this weekend.

Kirk has post trauma amnesia.  That is part of what we need to overcome in order to get him "well". There is a score for this, similar to a coma scale.  He has a score 6 right now with a 76 being an indicator that he no longer has it.  We have a good ways to go.

Sidney is excited to go back to swimming tonight.  She can't wait to be wet all over again by something other than a shower.  We also have another dog training session tonight. Stormy is well ready for the next set of training.  I think after I get her underway and not needing training every day I am going to try to work with the bird more to build our relationship. 

Kirk's mom, aunt and cousin will arrive this evening.  His mom and aunt will stay a month. His cousin will fly back to North Carolina this weekend. 

October 22

Kirk had a busy day in a good way. He looked much better when I got to see him this morning and afternoon. I think the antibiotic helped a lot. He had two sessions of speech therapy along with physical and occupational therapy. So he was exhausted tonight. His doctor stopped by to see him after 6 pm and even though he was exhausted he did everything she asked for his neurological exam. This is the best he has ever done. so a good day.

I came home last night to a lobster and a lobster exoskeleton. Rocky decided his shell needed to be replaced so I fished an entire lobster skeleton (minus one claw which I will get to) out of the tank. Now Rocky is cranky and hungry. So to the claw. It was still in the tank and tonight he decided that was his snack. He looks a bit odd with two claws and one in his mouth. I have since heard they back out of their tail when they shed. I still have the skeleton so I am going to need to look. For those who think we are weird, we are. Sidney loves oysters and calamari and we are both fascinated by anatomy.

Sidney and I had a quick dinner because we had pictures at church. It was for the directory but we also ordered some pictures. Kirk and Sidney have some pictures from several years ago when I was traveling. I tried to match them but if she and I.

Kirk moved to room 663 which is just two rooms past where he was and closer to the nurses station. I also would like to offer a suggestion for visitors. Please try to avoid asking him questions. He gets about a thousand questions per day. I would suggest to introduce yourself and tell Kirk how you know him. Then just talk to him and listen to him. Mostly his words don't fit context but you might get a jem. Sometimes he actually makes a joke. And give him time to just be with you. And thank you for continuing to support him during this confusing time for him.  Please also sgn the blue guest book so we can look back later and read your thoughts.

October 21

Kirk's morning starts with occupational therapy at 8:30. OT will focus on life skills like shaving and physical care to start with. This morning he got his first shower in seven weeks. That has to have felt good. I didn't have his clothes there in time so he us still wearing hospital garb.

He went to speech therapy at 10 am and physical therapy at 1 pm. His medications are getting changed around a bit also. He is off coma cocktail and on a Ritalin and serotonin combination. That has shown to work well with sleep/wake cycles and attention in brain injury patients.

He is also back on an antibiotic for a urinary tract infection. He has a pretty severe one and that can be contributing to his lethargy and pallor as well as nausea. Hopefully he can kick that quickly. He had a CAT last night and that shows that the traumatic injury to his brain is stable.

I forgot to put a few things in the blog yesterday. The first thing was our "argument". I went to see him yesterday morning and told him he was moving today. He said no tomorrow and would not let it go. We went back and forth several times. I won, he moved.

I also met his occupational therapist yesterday and she told me traumatic brain injury patients were her favorite. I liked that right away.  I will be working to arrange my schedule to spend enough time with him along with work and Sidney. 

Sidney had evening activities every day this week. Visiting hours are 4 to 8 pm. I would encourage any one who wants to stop by to please do so. He is to the point where he needs the stimulation. His room is private and comfortable. If you come to the hospital, look for the C elevators. They are in an older part if the hospital. Go to the 6th floor and ring the bell. Kirk's room is down the left hallway on the left side.

I also went over to the VA today to try to enroll Kirk for benefits.  In never dawned on me that he was eligible for benefits until I talked to a neighbor this weekend.  I didn't have enough paper work so I will try again tomorrow. VA benefits could have a large positive impact on our future including a good place for Kirk to go before coming home to continue rehab therapy and after he comes home.

October 20

Well we like to make moves on Mondays. Today is the start of week eight and we made the next big move. Kirk is now residing at Reeves rehab facility back over at University Hospital. The address is 4502 Medical Center Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, room 665. I am so happy he is there. He got over there at about 12:30 this afternoon. He was getting checked over by everyone to decide his treatment plan. And from now on clothes during the day. So I got his new shorts washed and matched up (in theory, I'm no good without him) with some t-shirts. 

I will take some pictures and cards along with his clothes to get his room ship shape and homey tomorrow. We keep moving in the right direction and with a steady pace but it is slowly and cautiously. I have to make far more decisions now than when we were in ICU. I need all the help and guidance I can get in making the best decisions.

Thank you for hanging on with us. Thank you for loving us, praying for us, feeding us, and sometimes even crying with us. We are held fast by your support.

October 19

Our morning started with a visit to Kirk. For a morning he was pretty awake. Then we were off to church before trying to rush back to Kirk while he was outside so Sidney could see him face to face. He had gotten dressed, with a lot of help of course, and been put in the chair and taken outside. It was the first time he had been outside since the accident.

Unfortunately we didn't make it in time to see him outside. It seems moving around makes him nauseated. So he had to come in but not before the staff helped him get a flower for Sidney and I. They did let Sidney come back to his room for a few minutes. Afterwards I fed him two bites of pudding which I am not sure he liked and several small ice cubes. He did well with those but isn't that interested in them. He even used a napkin to dab his chin.

Then we headed to a recital that Sidney was in. It was a Halloween recital so she could wear her costume. She was a falcon last year and I made her costume then. She wore it again this year but was an owl. I crammed finishing the mask into last night.

She did a beautiful job with her piece. As part of the recital there was a costume contest. Three places were given and when I saw who was third I thought there was no chance she would place. Third place went to a girl who had a Mine Craft Dragon costume. It was super creative. Then they announced second place which was a store bought costume. So we were floored when the "little owl" was announced as first place.

Our friends joined us for the recital so afterwards we stopped and got ice cream. Afterwards Sidney and I ran errands and ate dinner. After dinner we went out and cleaned the table and chair in the entry. They look great and Sidney really helped. Then the mom torture began. First the hula hoop. I am proud to say that after many tries I discovered I can still hula hoop. The jump rope came next. I can manage that in flip flops. Finally bubbles. I can blow a twin bubble.

Between all of this I am training Stormy. This involves patience on my part, hunger on her part and a lot of dog slobber. She is getting most of her calories from my hands (and she is so neat about it of course).

Kirk is still set to move tomorrow. I am nervous and excited. He will have to work hard and fast. I really hope he is up for it. I so want him back. He and Sidney together make my life complete. We have said so many times that we don't care where we are as long as we are together. That is what makes our home.

Here is a picture of Sidney in her costume. No owl is complete without a mouse in its mouth. Thank Shandy for letting us borrow a mouse.

October 18

I am sorry I didn't put up a blog post yesterday. It was a super long day and I was really tired. Kirk didn't have a great day. He did get up and dressed but he just wasn't himself (his new self that is). He was very tired and seemed like he just didn't feel well. He threw up in the middle of the day during physical therapy and was just asleep after that.

My morning started at 4 am when Sidney came in my room with a bad dream. She hung out there until I got up. Right after I got out of the shower Stormy started throwing up. She got the carpet in two rooms, tile in two rooms and a wall.  After getting all that cleaned up it was off to work and through a busy day.

A friend joined us for dinner and then we were off to Wizard of Oz at the theater. Kirk and Sidney won tickets some time ago in a costume contest at the movie. I had nearly forgotten about the tickets because there were only two tickets and I always expected they would go together. I really do feel guilty whenever we are doing something that keeps our life moving, like the play or a dinner out. I think it is all part of trying to figure out where I should be.

The play was super cute. They had a little dog playing Toto. He got to eat a hot dog part way through and he had some funny moments. The Good Witch was holding him once and he was sliding down her satin dress. It was really fun but we didn't get home until after 11 pm.

We went to see Kirk several times today but he was sleepy every time. I hope this is just storing up energy until he starts working hard on Monday. Sidney and I got the usual weekend chores done today around visiting Kirk including the fish tank.

We had a visit from a dog trainer in the afternoon to get some help making sure Stormy is ready for whatever the next step is. Stormy is a really sweet dog with a few bad habits, jumping mostly, and some leash difficulties. But we want her ready to meet strangers and deal with Kirk when the time comes. Plus we want to fully enjoy our life with her.

We met a friend from Catlettsburg Kentucky for dinner. He is in town for a meeting and I haven't seen him since we left Ohio to move to Norway. It was really nice to meet him for dinner at a Japanese steak house. It was a treat for everyone especially Sidney and I. And we have enough left overs for three meals. No one at the table liked shrimp so we got everyone.

LifeCare called while we were on our way to dinner to tell me that Kirk moved to room 304. Notice there is no "ICU" in front of those numbers. I hope I never have to go to an ICU again except to say thank you to the fabulous staff at University Hospital.  It is a private room and I think Kirk might be a night owl right now. He was awake and talking tonight but has been asleep all day. We are on for our move to Reeves, the rehab facility, on Monday.

October 16

This is going to be a really short update. Kirk had a good day. He brushed his teeth, buttoned his shirt (yes he wore a shirt and shorts for part of the day) and put on his tennis shoes. He responded more correctly to verbal communication and tossed a ball.

He won't move until Monday. This is to get him the longest possible start by going for a weeks worth of therapy during his start versus part of Saturday and nothing Sunday. I really am anxious to get to Reeves and get started on harder work.

I had a really rough day which I will say more about on another day. But I truly need God's peace and patience now as I begin to try to grasp what the long term affect of this accident will be on our family. Please pray for me to sleep when I need it so I can be strong when I need to be.

October 15

Kirk had a really great day. He asked for shoes and socks. He shaved with minimal help and he stood three times. And he stood in order to move from the bed to the chair and back. He is still mixed up during conversation for the most part but he is able stay with you for a second or two. He didn't answer when he was asked his wife and daughters names while I was there but as soon as I left he told the therapists Kimber and Sidney over and over. He just really had a good day.

I checked out the rehab place I want him to go to and he should be all set to go as soon as word is given. I suspect it will be this week. He is medically ready and needs more physical and mental stimulation. He will head back over to Reeves at University Hospital. He will receive more than three hours of therapy a day. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and counseling. He will get up and get dressed each morning and when he can eat, will have to go to the dining room for his meals.

The liaison there said he would likely be there only three weeks. I have a hard time imagining that but have realized I better get on the ball getting our lives and house ready for him to come home. I may be a doubter but I would not allow my self to believe until today that he might actually come home. We still have huge hurdles to go over and many of them but maybe it is possible. And we will likely need to make several adjustments along the way.

Sidney and I will be able to spend different time with him at Reeves. She can see him whenever she wants and even participate with his therapies. I think that will be good for both of them. He will work hard during the day and we can spend evenings with him. Obviously we can't be there every evening but we will get as many as we can. We can also spend more time on the weekends.

I am working on Sidney's Halloween mask to go with her costume. I am working on an owl mask. It needs to be ready by Sunday for her piano recital and costume contest.

Sidney is doing OK. Her teeth really hurt from the braces. And her cheeks are sore. She isn't terribly interested in eating except maybe ice cream and soup. I really hope it gets better soon.

Thank you again for your prayers, thoughts, support and love. We wouldn't make it without you.

October 14

Kirk had a pretty good day. He was awake every time I went to visit him and he had a few extra visitors today. I ran him through the animal paces. I tried to get the names of our pets out of him but got nowhere. So I tried various what does the xxx animal say. He did good on dog, cat, and cow. A fish goes meow and a duck goes tweet.

He did the tilt table and got to 50 degrees so he is over half way to standing on the tilt table. I am not sure I have described a tilt table before. It is a flat padded board basically that he is moved to from the bed. He is strapped to it and the angle if the whole table can be changed a few degrees at a time from completely horizontal to vertical. Success will be when he can tolerate 10 minutes at 80 degrees meaning he is just shy of completely vertical.

A co-worker of Kirk's came by to visit and Kirk responded really well to her. But some of the best moments of the day happened when our church Pastor from Katy, Dean, and his wife, Tricia, stopped by on their way to Kerville. Dean stayed with me and Kirk starting the night of the accident and for several days after. Tricia has stopped in for a couple of visits. Both have only seen Kirk at the lowest moments. So today was a real treat and I think because Kirk knows them well he turned up the charm. He gave me a kiss and then I wanted another before I left. Instead he gave me a hug and said he was only going to kiss him, meaning Dean. And then he gave a huge grin and was very satisfied with his joke. He will not remember their visit but it lifted his spirits all the same. And the moment of sassy lifted mine.

Sidney got her braces today. The whole thing took less than 30 minutes. The brackets are as big as her teeth but they are lovely little star shaped brackets. She has only four that are in front and one in each side in the back. She has four band colors, dark blue, light blue, purple and green. She is uncomfortable tonight. Sore teeth and sore cheeks and inside of mouth. I have a picture below of her getting them on.

I aging to visit a couple of rehab facilities tomorrow. I need to get on the ball because I really hope Kirk moves this week.

Have I yet mentioned I am double capital B blessed by Sidney. Without knowing it she is my rock. Her mouth hurts and her eyes are still a little sensitive and yet she both loves me and lights up my world. She is a blast of sunshine, love and purity that can zap you out of a rut in an instant. She is beautiful and kind and full of life. She has hugged me, rubbed my back and held my hand. What a blessed treasure.

October 13

Sorry for the delayed post. It has been a day of go followed by go. Kirk is doing OK today. He did the arm bike for about 5 minutes and the leg bike for 5 minutes. He got nauseated on the leg bike probably from just being up while doing. He also started shrugging his shoulders and raising his eyebrows today. A friend came by and Kirk shook the friends hand.

I am ready to get Kirk moving to the next step in his recovery. I am going to get hold of insurance tomorrow to start looking at facilities. I think he is ready to start working more.

Sidney had her post-op appointment for her eyes. Everything is looking fine. The correction seems good and her incisions are healing nicely. We have only two more days of antibiotics in her eyes and next week she can swim in her class next Thursday.

We got a few things done around the house in the evening. Sidney is getting much more helpful. It's really nice. She creates her own deserts when she feels the need for a sweet. Tonight is a sugarcone crushed and mixed with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows and then microwaved for a few seconds to a gooey s'mores Nacho mess.

Sidney has her orthodontist appointment tomorrow to get her braces. I will get a picture onto the blog as soon as I can.

Kirk and I both need peace in different ways. He needs the peace of patience with his situation and I need the peace of endurance. We are both so blessed to have Sidney's simple love. She loves me when I have a rough day, she loves Kirk with every ounce of her being no matter what he looks like or can do.

October 12

Kirk has just been hanging out today. He sat up for a while and promptly fell asleep. Maybe it's my company. Ha. I was singing to him earlier and he told me I needed to stop.

I went to church this morning and Sidney is with her girl friend from Katy. Tomorrow is a school holiday so she will be with them until mid-day tomorrow. She also has her post operative follow up with her eye doctor tomorrow. What she will want to hear is that she can swim, but I don't think it will happen this week.

Sidney's friend brought a beautiful card full of love from the Girls Scouts. Kirk was a troop leader for three years and the girls truly love him. I have included a picture of the card.

Tomorrow starts week seven of our journey. We will see what a new week will bring. Maybe it will bring being able to stand!! That would be fabulous.

October 11

Sidney talked to Kirk twice today on FaceTime. He did pretty good both times. He said "hi baby" and "I love you" both times. The second time they talked, she showed him how to touch his tongue to his nose. He could do it and we were both thrilled. So silly but happy and our happiness worked into his fog. The heparin is off which is the last IV medication. Everything else can be taken orally. We will keep his central line at least until he moves to rehab.

So he talks a lot now. Almost all of the time I am there. He says complete sentences and long words but the thoughts have nothing to do with what is going on. He does occasionally match his words in odd ways to what is happening. For example the nurse was giving him his medications this evening and he said that you take medicine once daily or twice daily. 

He hates the things that are attached to him. He doesn't like EKG leads, blood pressure cuffs, and the oxygen sensor on his finger. But the oxygen sensor detached at the connection today and he really tried to reconnect it. He knew how to attach it and got really close to success before getting frustrated. 

We went to the store and got gas as well as stopping to get pumpkins this afternoon. And I made dinner again. I made salmon with dill and cucumber sauce, stuffed mushrooms, and edammame . It was fabulous.

Sidney has her girl friend from Katy for a couple of days. Her eyes are recovering although she complains about not being able to swim. She also got carried off by mosquitoes last night and has at least 20 bites. Some are really welted. Poor baby.