DADDY UPDATE - ALIVE AND WELL

I'm working on changing the look of my blog. I'm trying to upload a personal photo to the background template, but for some reason it's not working. Can any of you help me? Until then, I'm going to have a really plain blog :) :) :)

Hi everyone,
It has been awhile since I posted anything, let along give an update on how my dad is doing. The good news is that my dad is alive and doing very, very well. He is recovering nicely.

THIS IS MY FATHER, "BIG POPPA", ON  HIS WAY TO THE VA REHAB FACILITY.


I wanted to start with that photo first, because, my daddy is so handsome :) :) That and the fact, that I was so happy to see him doing so well after all that he's been through.  This photo was taken last Wednesday.  My father is a veteran of the Army...and because of that the VA payed for his entire hospital stay. However, the doctors determined that my dad would need intensive speech, physical and occupational therapy and that could only be found at the VA facility about 1.5 hours north of where we live.

At first Dad didn't want to go, and I didn't want him to go, either. There were so many unknowns. However, everyone that has had any experience with this particular VA has had nothing but high praise. It's the most modern facility in the entire VA system AND more modern than most hospitals in the private sector.  So the free medical transport came to take my dad up to the VA rehab facility.  The hospital was really sweet and brought my daddy a bagged lunch for the ride up there.

He "graciously" let me take this photo of him with his lunch in his lap, and the driver taking him up north.  That driver is rather good-looking. As he was wheeling my dad out to the van, I started singing the "Leave It To Beaver" theme song. My dad rolled his eyes and started laughing. I say he "graciously" let me take his photo. In truth, I told my father he owed me one, because I saved his life :) :) Yeah...so I got a really nice photo. My dad is shy with the camera. Isn't he handsome and looks so healthy :) :) :)  His anticipated release date is sometime this coming Friday. I'm praying so hard for his safe return home.


Here are a few pictures from when he was still in the hospital, that I wanted to share with you.

Our next door neighbor brought these jumper cables as a "get well" gift for my dad. He said that "For the man who has everything, I brought you these.  If your heart gives out on you again, I'll hook one end to your chest and the other end to my car engine. Then I'll give you a boost" My dad started laughing so hard...and that made me laugh. Laughter is really good medicine :) :)

These are my daddy's precious hands...more like the size of bear paws...but stil precious, all the same :) :)  He was using my aunt's computer laptop.  He was still having some trouble with hand coordination and getting his fingers on the homerow of the keyboard.  He's gotten so much better since this photo was taken. He LOVES doing Bible studies on the computer. Having this computer with him in the hospital was really good for brain stimulation.

This is literally my dad's favorite Bible. He made the leather cover himself years ago.  He likes to insert his own notes inside, between the verses and extra page inserts...sort of like his own personal Bible commentary. It's really sweet. This was one of the first things he asked for when he woke up out of the medically-induced coma.

This is one of the pages inside my dad's Bible. He made this page insert himself.  That tiny photo at the bottom, is a photo of me and some friends at a Christian retreat when I was in college (in Germany).  This is the same Bible that my dad carries everywhere with him, even to the grocery store. His reason is "You never know when you'll need a Bible...even at the grocery store" :) :)

My father's anticipated release date is this coming Friday.  He's getting a minimum of 4 hours  day of combined physical, speech and occupation therapies. That's so awesome.  He's got his own personal flat-screen computer...like a giant iPad, that hovers above the bed in his room.  He's so occupied now, that he hardly ever calls. Now in our family "no news is good news" I'm so happy that they're keeping him busy. I'm so thankful for the VA, because they are covering the entire bill for my father. Without that, we would have been in a world of financial hurt. God really provided for my tiny family in so many different ways.

There's so much to say, that I have forgotten. Feel free to ask questions. If you need prayer, for anything, feel free to email me. 

It rained so hard last night. So much so, that I was afraid the water would come through the ceiling.  Now it's wet outside, but sunny :) :) My next door neighbor, Lisa, has been so good to give me rides when I need them, till my dad gets home.

Thanks so MUCH for all of your prayers and good thoughts coming our way. My dad and I have appreciated all of them :) :)  That's the news from the ocean shores of California today. Love and hugs, Heather :)