feb 1

Gil has been home nearly two weeks. There is not a lot of change in that time. He verbalizes alot but nothing that can be understood. He watches T.V. and seems to understand as he laughs when something is funny, and makes facial gestures at things he doesn't understand. In the morning when I help him do his get up things, he helps out more-helps to put his good leg in the pants leg, pull them up, helps to get his shirt on and buttons it up, that sort of thing. He combs his own hair and shaves with an electric shaver, and does fairly well. He can't brush his own teeth yet, although the therapist in the hospital said he could. I should have asked to watch that as he only has use of his left arm, so how he could hold the teeth in his hand and brush them has me baffled, that is something I have to do for him also. He participates in the therapy I do with him in the morning, although, speech therapy is a challenge for both of us. I have prayed ALOT for patience lately. He has really given me a hard time at taking his medicine. I can only tell him why he should, and try to be stern with him about it, but not much I can do if he refuses to take it. Today he refused to take it altogether so it ended up in the garbage. So then I have the fear of him having another stroke because he is not getting the blood thinner, and the other meds they feel he needs. Anyways, Dorrine and I took him to dinner the other night and that went okay. I was worried about the two of us not being able to get him in and out of the car in the front of the house. (flat surfaces are okay). But we did it without dropping him on his head(although the temptation was there when he was so STUBBORN about getting in the car his way, instead of the way I was trying to explain-the safer way) and Dorrine told him he should apologize to me for pushing me out of the way, but of course that didn't happen. I only continued on to dinner for Dorrine's sake, otherwise he would have been taken back into the house. But he ate well, and so I guess that's good. He has phone calls this week from Gerald and Kathy. He listens and hands the phone back when he is done listening. He knows who he is talking to and responds with chuckles. or a yes or no at times. So feel free to call. Okay, he is resting so I am going to try and get some laundry done and get dinner in the oven. Keep us in your prayers. Susie