Category: 1

New Years Day was again one of both ups and downs. The downs really sucked as we learn about Peter’s health and what is in his future. Nothing life threating however there will be major changes in how Peter is going to have to live the rest of his life.

The ups may seem minor but it is pretty big in my book. When Peter was asked to stick out his tongue after the stroke, it pointed to the right rather significantly. Today it was almost back to the middle. Also the droop on the right side of his face is not as pronounced. And best of all, he could grip my fingers tight enough that I could lift his hand off the bed which is an improvement from yesterday. I’ll take my wins where I can get them these days.

The big change was bringing Caroline into the loop as to what happened to her father and what the future held. How do you tell a very empathic and sensitive 10 year old that the father that she left at the Magic Kingdom is not the same father she is returning to?

It wasn’t easy but I did. I explained about the stroke and what had happened and, between the cascading tears, let her ask me questions. It was a long ride to Jacksonville trying to figure out how to tell her what was going on and a long ride back as I was driving so I couldn’t hold my sobbing daughter. She came up with a crazy theory that it was her fault because she wanted to come down to Florida, which I quashed quickly. I pointed out that even if we had just gone home from Atlanta, this would have happened sooner or later. Eventually she cried herself to sleep as I tried not to have tears fill my eyes as well since I was driving.

We got to the Hospital and I took her up to her father’s room. She stood in the room looking at him a little stunned. Ariel was sitting next to him and asked if Caroline wanted to sit next to Daddy. She nodded and fought back the tears that were welling in her eyes. Peter explained to Caroline what had happened and what he could and couldn’t do. Ariel explained how to stimulate the right hand and help Daddy with his “kung-fu grip”. Caroline was trying not to cry but Peter asked if she wanted a hug she nodded yes and as Peter hugged her the flood gates opened. I couldn’t understand half of what she was saying but she was pouring out all her fears to him. Peter told her that he understood and he was scared too. There were more hugs and assurances given to her.

In the end she understood what had happened and what was going to happen next. She is not happy about it but understands that this is all to get her Daddy back to her so they can do things together like they always did.

Since the blackout dates are past except Magic Kingdom, I took the girls to Disney Hollywood studios (at Peter’s insistence that we get out of there for a bit) and we rode Star Tours a couple of time and then build their father a Skippy the Jedi Droid with a pirate hat (because to solve the double vision, Peter has to wear an eye patch).

I am grateful for every improvement that Peter has shown since the stroke.

Peter update (I figure I will be doing these once a day for a while):

One of the scary things about stroke is that things can get worse before they get better. There is the initial stroke and then what I would best describe as aftershocks as the brain works through the trauma it is experiencing. So there can be a bit of a downward before we begin any upward. And with any good luck we are past the bottom of this and working our way back up the hill.

Peter was much more alert when we arrived yesterday morning. His eyes looked better even though he still has the double vision in the right. He seemed much more himself. He was not tiring as easily during the morning.

During the day we got both some good news and some bad news. We had some movement forward and a little back but this is totally normal for someone who has suffered the brain injury that Peter has suffered.

However before midnight we got some great news or rather saw some great news. He was able to grasp and squeeze Ariel’s hand and my hand. This is great because 24 hours earlier he could do neither. He says the most frustration thing about all this is that he can feel the limbs and he knows they are there but he can’t get them to agree to move for him when HE wants them to. He isn’t in pain just extremely frustrated.

Shana, Gwen, and Ariel have been great through all this. Shana is taking care of Caroline which frees me up to take care of Peter. Gwen is helping with all kinds of things including some information gathering that we needed. Ariel is being a rock in front of her dad even though she is very scared inside. She has been very helpful.

We all agree that Caroline is going to have to be brought into the loop sooner rather than later. We are working out how that is going to happen. She is coming back to Orlando today and she will see her Daddy.

We are still in a hold on what is happening when next.

Again keep the good energy coming. He is coming back but it is going to be a long road ahead.

I am grateful that he started the New Year by being able to hold my hand.

We were on vacation in Florida when I lost control of the right side of my body. I cannot see properly and I cannot move my right arm or leg. We are currently getting the extent of the damage sorted out and will report as further details become clarified.

PAD

Shìŧ.

Now I have to pay my bills.

PAD

At what point will it be appropriate to talk about gun control? About raising the rules? About making it an actually difficult thing for lunatics to acquire guns that destroy rooms full of children?

How many have to die, and how long do we have to wait after those deaths, before it’s addressed?

Just curious.

PAD

The biopsy came back on the mass that the doctor removed from his hindquarters.

Cancer.

The upside to that pronouncement is that the doctor was able to remove all of it in the surgery. And it’s a type of cancer that such a 100% removal can serve as a curative. So basically we have to keep an eye on Treat from here on to make sure there’s no recurrence.

PAD

A few days ago, Kath and I noticed that Treat, the large cat who lives down in my office,was bleeding on stuff. We discovered he had some kind of lump on his posterior that he’d presumably been licking so much that he had ripped open the top.

So Saturday morning it was off to the vet. Dr. Adams said that it was definitely a growth and he could not determine the nature of it unless he lopped it off and sent it out for biopsy. So that’s what he did yesterday. He removed it and it’s been sent out for testing, and he’s currently back in my office, looking tired and relieved to be bereft of the growth. I’ll let you guys know what the test results are.

PAD