Show off......

Paula REALLY showed off this morning!!!!

• She got dressed with minimal help



• While standing, she folded numerous towels and wash rags......she would shake them first, then fold them.....the folding was a "little" off, but it was great. She reached down several times, picked up her cup, drank some water, then put the cup back down to continue folding



• Using 4 different colored cones, she place the ones that the therapist ask her to on top of another



• The therapist held up a picture of a cat and dog, the therapist pointed to each and ask Paula what it was, and she told her

Paula got really tired, so I brought her back to the room, and told her to stand up so we could get her in the bed....she said "No."

I said, "Why not."

She said, "Because I don't want to."

I said, "OK"

After about 5 minutes, she quickly stood up, walked about 4 steps to the bed, and got in. That was appx 11:30, she didn't go to sleep and they came at 12 to get her up to go to the dining room, the nurse said she ate appx 25% of her meal. Then they came to get Paula to do some more therapy.....and Paula was tired and was not interested in more therapy......she was thinking about her lab work as a Med Tech.....she kept saying "Glucose 187, get me some glucose.....please, I'm desperate....glucose 187.....PH level....." So we brought her back to the room where she was resting, but not sleeping.

Marty and Gene Sliker came and Marty started talking to her about Upward this morning and mentioned the the Jenkins twins....Dalton.....(Marty could not remember the name of the other one, so she ask Paula) Paula said "Ethan." Marty then talked to Paula about all the kids in the nursery, and Paula was saying all their names.

This afternoon, Paula sat up in the bed close to the night stand, she reached over and got her brush, adjusted in her hand, and then started brushing her hair.

Just a minute ago, Paula reached over and made several adjustments to her bed by pushing various buttons, when she was satisfied, she layed down.

At one point, she ask me what was happening at MCG and were they going to do surgery.

God has given us another great day.

Our "M.A.P.S." team left for Peru this evening. They will be building a church. Please pray for their safety and their success.

Some more progress.....

Paula had a busy day of therapy from appx 1:30-3:45. When I got there around 4:30, she was sleeping....she woke up a little later, then had supper. They couldn't get her to open her mouth for lunch....and they are still feeding her thru her feeding tube.

At supper, her chewing, swallowing, and drinking were all good. She ate a bite or two or sweet potato pie yesterday, but tonight she actually chewed her food.

The kisses that I'm getting now are actually "puckering" kisses.....prior, she would place her lips to mine...but not pucker.

Paula calls her cats, Smarty Jones and Marigold, her "catalinas,".....when I told her tonight that her "catalinas" missed her very much.....she got the biggest/widest grin you can imagine.

I told her that I missed her and wanted her to come home......and I really think it's going to be soon!

Praise God from whom ALL....blessing flow!

Good day.....

Paula had another good day. They did a swallowing test on her, and she did very good. They fed her some sweet potato pie at lunch, and were going to feed her a meal tonight (Marty Sliker stayed with her this evening, so I don't know yet how that went).

Paula walked 90 ft. today, 30 ft. with the walker, and 60 ft. without the walker.....she actually did better without the walker.

Lanis and Terry (B) came in and talked to Paula, they then said they would like to pray for her......she immediately got on her hands and knees in the bed, and put her head on the bed. I told them that was the first time she'd done that, and they both said it looked like Paula was praying......and that's probably right, because after they finished, she laid back down.

She didn't talk much today, but she did talk some....to the nurse, to me.....I laid my head on the bed next to her arm, and she reached over and put her hand on my neck and patted it.....

A good day!

Ummm.......

Thru all of this.....I've failed to mention a VERY, VERY, VERY important part of my support.......my friend, my brother in Christ,.......my partner......Alvin Scott. I know a lot of fine Christian men.......a lot may equal Alvin....but I don't know ANY that surpass him.......I've been able to carry on BECAUSE...... of Alvin.....from the bottom of my heart....Thanks Alvin!

Paula had a good day today. She said hello to the speech therapist, she ate some apple sauce, all the therapist seemed pleased at Paula's state. She pulled her cath tube out last night, and they decided not to put it back in and work with Paula's bathroom habits as part of the therapy.

They closed the curtain tonight to do something with Paula, Marty Sliker and myself were standing on the outside of the curtain....and I don't know what the nurse did....but Paula said loudly, "Colddddddd!"

One of the administrators at Walton told me today that it is very seldom that they (insurance companies) allow people to stay at Walton more than 3 weeks.....so....we'll see..... Alvin told me that we would just be believing that it's not going to take that long!

Paula's had a GREAT 3 1/2 weeks, so I CANNOT be disappointed......it's GREAT that Paula is in God's hands and not mine......but.....ummm, then why was I a LITTLE......deflated.... today? Paula was a LITTLE less alert that she was yesterday, and she didn't talk much today. But again, how can I be disappointed......God IS good!!!!

Talk....

Paula talked a good bit today....she talked to her Mother, April, Vilas, Catherine Drew, Chuck....hopefully she'll be able to talk to Scott, Amy, and Jonathan tomorrow, maybe she can talk to Luchi soon.

She was moved to Walton Rehabilitation Hospital on 13th St. The best way to go is take Riverwatch which turns into Reynolds St., turn right on 13th. Paula is in room 124 B. The Doctor told me the best time to visit will be from 3:00-9:00 P.M.

When the nurse came in for the first time, she said "Paula, how are you today?" Paula replied "O.K., how are you?"

This evening, she was sitting on the side of the bed, and then stood up completely by herself.

Amen....Amen......

Leigh started reading scripture to Paula this morning, and Paula said "I love you." Leigh ask Paula if she wanted to read some of the books she had, and Paula said "No....I'm ready to get out of here!" Leigh said Paula had her eyes closed,and she didn't know what God was saying to Paula.....but Paula said "Amen......Amen.......Amen." I talked to Paula on the speaker phone and told her I loved her and missed her and she told me she loved me too!

Not Satisfied!!!!

Apparently, Paula was NOT satisfied with the speed at which the doctors were moving, so she took things in her own hands (literally!) and pulled her trach out.....

When I got there this morning, she was alert, and still focusing on everything......following me with her eyes around the room, etc., etc., etc........she rolled over in the bed toward me, and I started stroking her head, and she went sound asleep.

Appx 10 min. later, the Physcial Therapists came in and had a hard time waking her up....but they finally got her awake, put her in a wheel chair, and moved her to the hall. They made her stand up to a walker, and she walked 76', supporting herself fully....they sat her down to rest for a few minutes with the idea of letting her walk some more.....she went to sleep when she sat down, and we could not get her to walk anymore......

This afternoon, they removed her 6mm trach, and put in a 4mm trach, her O2 levels remained high......but she continuously was trying to mess with the trach.....I ask the Respiratory nurse if everything was alright with the trach....because Paula had not messed with the other one much.....I was holding her hands, and said "Paula, Paula"....and she said "What...." which is unusual for someone with a trach that is uncapped to actually speak!!! The Speech Therapist capped the trach off and her O2 levels remmained high.....the ST then got a cup of water, and Paula drank quite a bit thru a straw.....Paula's best friend from when she worked at MCG, Ann Arnette, came around 2:15 to stay with Paula for a while.....I had left, and Ann text me that Paula had taken her trach out, so I called Ann and ask if they were going to put it back in, and the Dr's said no....she doesn't need it!

Ann called me back in a few minutes and told me that they were going to move Paula in the morning to Walton Rehabilitation Hospital, probably before 11 in the morning.

I've told Paula several times, that I and her MOST important companions.....Smart and Marigold (her cats) were ready for her to come home......I think Paula IS....and WILL BE speeding up the process.

"Bless the Wonderful Name Of Jesus!!!!"

5:56 P.M.
Paula's O2 levels are still high and within the normal rate

10:50 P.M.
Paula's O2 levels are are 98%

Blank stare......

With brain injuries.....you have some progress.....then most likely setbacks....then more progress, and so on, and so on. You have a little conciousness, the quiet sleep.......you have a lot of blank stares, then a little bit of focus.

Over the last 21 days, we've had NO setbacks. We've had a lot of blank stares, and a few times when Paula focused.....but mostly, when she was "awake," she had her eyes closed.....even though she had meaningful, purposeful movements and even responded to our voices and request.

So.....I have no idea where the "blank stares" went today......they CERTAINLY were not in Paula's room!!!! From the time I got there, until I left this evening.....Paula was AWAKE, ALERT, FOCUSING on everything in the room, and every person that entered and spoke to her! I am SO thankful to our GRACIOUS Heavenly Father!!!! "Praise God from whom ALL.....ALL blessings flow!!!!!

The humidity tube was in the way of Paula moving her arm where she wanted it......so she pulled the humidity cup about 6" away from her trach......moved her arm, the placed the cup perfectly back on her trach.

But best of all......she pulled me close and placed her lips against mine.......it DOESN'T get any more sensuous than this!!!!!! Hollywood AIN'T got nothing on us!!!!!

I don't have a date in my mind.....but I don't believe it's going to be long before Paula is at home.....I'm anxious to see her walk tomorrow.

Again....thanks for your support and prayers!

Tommy