Update: Day 52

Thursday in Occupational Therapy they prepared for their Halloween Party.  Neal decorated the cupcakes…orange frosting, with candy corn fangs, red hot eyes, and black licorice legs. 

In Physical Therapy he stood up from a sitting to a standing position with no help and balanced on his feet for about 10 seconds.

The Nero Psychologist took him on a tour of the new part of the hospital.  They tried to wheel into the cafeteria but were kindly asked to leave…. I guess patients are not allowed in there.  So, then they rolled outside and spent a ½ hour outdoors.  This is the first time he has been out side in almost 2 months.  He does need some sun!  Neal said the Nero Psychologist told him he is the most “balanced patient” he has from the Nero Unit (but he maybe humoring him here a bit… ; )

Belinda

Update: Day 51

Sorry for no update yesterday…. My youngest granddaughter had a little accident yesterday and needed some stitches to her forehead… it threw me off track for the day.

They put Neal up in a sling-walker to help support him as he tried to walk. He said if only he was 130lbs, he could support himself! Only a little way to go! He is determined to walk out of the hospital. He continues each day to make huge improvements. His color is great, new haircut, showered and shaved…doesn’t look like he belongs in a hospital at all!

Kimberly and Trina paid him a special visit yesterday. They showered him with hugs and kisses and showed him just how much he means to them. : )

Gregg and Nanette will be coming up this weekend for a visit; I know he is really looking forward to that.

Belinda

Feeling the love

Hey everyone, Alyson here (Belinda's daughter). I just looked at the "stats" on Neal's blog and he's had over 4,000 page views so far! Amazing! Just shows how much Neal is loved and that everyone is wanting to keep updated on his recovery.
And thank you to all of those who have emailed me their updates for Neal to read. I have passed them along to my mom & Neal as they've come in.
Also a big thank you for all the kudos on the blog. I'm so happy that it has helped everyone stay informed. My mom and I have joked about the "old days" of no internet, no blog, no email, no cell phones or texting. How in the world would everyone keep updated when someone was in the hospital? Good ol' fashioned snail mail! Yeah... you would have never received this many updates that's for sure! :) Good thing we live in this fabulous world of technology!

Update: Day 47

Neal has a tentative release date of November 16^th!!!

There isn’t a day that goes by that he isn’t able to do something he wasn’t able to do the day before. Yesterday he was complaining about the pain in his feet and toes. This is a GREAT thing! That is the first sign that the nerves are coming back and the first step for him to be able to start walking. His upper body is strong and his upper leg muscles are strong as well. All he need now are those feet and toes.

The holiday’s are just around the corner and there is a lot to be ‘Thankful’ for this year.
Belinda

Visitations

You are welcome to visit Neal on Monday's, Wednesday's, Friday's, and/or Saturday's before 10:00 AM or after 4:00 PM (after he is done with his Physical Therapy) or anytime on Sunday's (his one day off PT). He has his cell phone on him now, so if you would like...give him a call.

My Update: Day 44

I can put on my own socks and sandals! I now use the regular 'Big Boy' toilet to poop! : ) No more bed pans! Standing up on my knees with only help with keeping balanced. Improvement everyday!

Neal

(You can all tell... he hasn't lost his bathroom humor! - Belinda)

Update: Day 42

Neal’s started his first day of physical therapy. He worked on some core strengthening and some exercises to stand. He worked on pulling up from a sitting position to standing. These are done in sets of three. He also worked on walking with the parallel bars support. His therapy is 2 ½ hours in the morning and another 2 hours in the afternoon. Needless to say, he works really, really hard and gives it his all during these sessions. He’s very tired afterwards, but is excited on working on his recovery.

Belinda

Update: Day 39

Neal will begin 6 day a week, 3 hour a day rehabilitation routine on Monday. He is now standing up with very little help. He believes he will be home within a month. Of course he will still need to do out patient rehab for a while, but soon he will be back to his normal self.

I can't wait to have him home again!

Update: Day 37

Lee, Neal’s brother, just talked to Neal on the phone. Neal was sitting in the chair eating lunch and watching TV. Yesterday he stood up for 30 seconds using a walker and a little help. He's 100% unplugged from everything. The trach is totally out, and the opening in the skin is healing up. Tomorrow they will move him to the physical rehab unit. He's set an ambitious goal, to walk out of the rehab unit one month from tomorrow. He realizes this is ambitious, it may take a little longer, and he may need a walker when he leaves. But his firm goal is to take care of himself when he comes home.

We are working on setting up a schedule to visit Neal. Once we know what his physical rehab workout schedule will be, we will have something setup on the blog to sign up for visits for those who would like to visit.

Belinda

Update: Day 35

Finally, the trach tube has been removed. I’m sure he is very happy to finally have that out of this throat.

Every day he seems to be regaining some strength back in his arms and hands. He is also starting to be able to move his legs. His doctor said he has never seen anyone recover this quickly from a case as severe as his.

He requested some candy… guess he is feeling better. : )

Belinda

Update: Day 33

Neal is finally out of ICU! They will be removing his trachea tube within a day or two. He has regained enough strength in his hands that he is now able to hold on to things. The neurologist has reevaluated his recovery time from 6-12 months to 4-6! Personally, I don't think it will be that long.

Update: Day 30

Molly and I had a nice visit with Neal this evening.

I would like to thank the person who sent him his foam hand grenades from his desk at work. He had a huge smile on his face when he saw them. That's Neal!

They are most likely going to remove the trach tube tomorrow or Saturday. He still isn't ready for visitors, but is deeply moved by all the well wishes from everyone.

Update: Day 28

Neal passed the 2^nd breathing test to begin removal of the ventilator this morning. He did so well, they hooked up the oxygen mist supply w/no vent support. That went so well they went ahead and installed the pass button that allows him to talk. That went so well…they pulled out the feeding tube! He is now eating normal food and oh yeah…. TALKING!!!

We spent the evening catching up during his dinner. It was WONDERFUL!!!

Belinda

Update: Day 27

From Belinda:

Neal is able to reach up and touch his face!  His arm and hand mobility and strength is improving every day.  He took a break from getting off the ventilator yesterday.  I think he was worn out working on building his arm/hand strength yesterday.  They still feel they will be able to move him to the respiratory recovery unit upstairs in the next day or two.  Which means he will very soon be off the ventilator.  They will be setting him up with a voice box so he can communicate easier, he will keep that until they are comfortable in removing the trachea tube.  I don’t know how long that may take.

I talked to him about visitors and he still wants to wait until the feeding tube is out and he is able to communicate easier.  I know everyone wants to visit and he does want to see all his friends…but his days are more about working on his recovery right now.  His spirits remain high… the GBS is not going to slow him down for long.

Update: Day 25

Neal has made astonishing progress since I saw him two weeks ago.
Today he is clearly able to mouth words with many fricatives. Today
he was on a four-hour ventilator test, off the ventilator. His
breathing off the ventilator today is better than fully assisted two
weeks ago. The respiration tech came by to monitor the test and
discussed the possibility of removing the ventilator next week and
installing a voice box. It depends on his strength at the end of
these tests. The efforts to remove him from the ventilator last week
were premature. Neal quoted Clint Eastwood: "A man's got to know his
limitations." There is a plan next week to create a direct line into
his stomach and remove the feeding tube. When that is done he'll be
able to drink things. The occupational therapist came and did
range-of-motion exercises and commented on the huge improvement since
the last evaluation. Neal asked for his foam hand grenade on his desk
to exercise with. The head nurse on the floor came by and discussed
near-term plans. When Neal is off the ventilator he's already been
approved to be moved to the occupational therapy ICU, one floor up
from his current room. He's real pleased with his own progress, and
the hospital's plans.

-Lee

Update: Day 24

Second treatment of IVIG and we have finger movement! Though the treatment is not a silver bullet, it is a very positive move in the right direction. Not able to hold a pencil yet….but hopefully soon. It will make it so much easier for him to communicate.

Molly visited last night. She updated him on school and her after school activities. He’s always happy to hear how/what she has been doing.

Belinda