Going Home!!

Tonight is Shawn's last night away from home!! We have gone through family training over the past couple days here at Shephard to make sure we are ready to take care of Shawn when he gets home. While going through this therapy I have learned that Shawn does not really need much of my help. He has come a long way since he has arrived here at Shephard Center three weeks ago!! He pretty much bathes himself, dresses him self, etc. I just really need to be there to remind him that he is still healing and make sure he does not make any compulsive decisions that could result in injuries. He has also shown off the fact that he can walk!! Yeap you heard me right he can walk!! He is still a little weak on the right leg but that will get stronger as he goes through more therapy and he begins to use it more!! He climbed two flights of stairs this morning in therapy for me!! His right arm is still weak, but that is starting to come back as well, the arm may take a little longer than the leg as the therapist was explaining to us that the arm has a lot more range of motions and muscles to have to learn how to use all over again, but he has started raising his arm up and moving it from side to side which he could not do a week ago! His speech is improving as well, I sat through his speech therapy session today and I could not believe the difference from the first day we were here, it was almost a 100% better!! I am amazed at what they have done for Shawn here at Shephard and what he has allowed himself to do. When we arrived here a little over three weeks ago, Shawn was not very happy and was really negative about seeing any positive results coming from rehab/therapy! He has really amazed me at how he has been so positive and committed to getting better!! I am so proud of him, he has even "asked" the therapists for homework while he has been here!! We leave hopefully tomorrow before lunch and we are headed home to the "lake"!! He has not been home in almost six weeks! I know he will be glad to sleep in his own bed again and be at home with his family! He is already talking about frying a turkey for Thanksgiving like we usually do every year! Not really sure that is going to happen yet, but Shawn is being stubborn about it!! LOL!! Shawn has the rest of the week and weekend off then he will begin his next stage of therapy at another part of the Shepard program in Decatur called "Pathways" which should not last more than six weeks, it could be shorter or longer depending on his progress. The team here at Shepard does not think it will be much longer than six weeks or it will be shorter!! Thank you all for the thoughts, prayers, gifts, cards, etc.; myself, Kendall, Ashlyn, and Shawn are truly grateful to have such wonderful friends and family!! We love you all and will see everyone soon!!

We are on the final count down to shawn returning home! Shawn is doing amazing, he has become so much more independent since he has been at Shephard. It is amazing how fast he improves every day. He is almost at the point of walking on his own and his right arm is starting to come around as well. His speach is continuing to improve everyday as well. Today we started family training and we learned how to take care of him when he comes home. We learned how to put him in the car, get him in and out of the shower, etc. He was so excited to sit in a car again, it has been a while.
We are leaving the Shephard center next Tuesday. Shawn is so ready to be at his house, it will have been almost six weeks since he has seen his house. He will have off of therapy/rehab from the Tuesday we return home until the following Monday where he will start the "day program" therapy part of Shephard Center in Decatur. It will be the same type of therapy he has gotten here at Shephard everyday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00p.m Monday through Friday with the weekends off. The only difference is he gets to come home every night to his house and family!!!! We all miss him at home and can't wait for him to be back at home!! He will be just in time to enjoy Thanksgiving at home and Christmas right around the corner!

Shawn had another good week in therapy! He has one more full week here at shephard and is scheduled to leave the following tuesday! He is getting so much stronger on his right leg! Tonight I brought the girls to see their dad for the first time! It went really well they were so excited to see him they both even got to ride in his lap on his wheelchair! He was soo excited to see them too I think it melted his heart when kendall said " good night daddy I love u see u in the morning! Me and the girls are cooking shawn dinner tomorrow night thought shawn would like a home cooked meal!! Thank you all again for the continuing thoughts and prayers!!

Shawn is continuing to improve everyday!! They finally have taken him off the "low fat" diet and he is now on a regular diet!! This has made him a different person! So far he has taken part in a cheeseburger, cokes, and fries!! Yesterday he got to get out of the Shephard Center for a while as part of his therapy and go on an "outing" at lunch! He said they went to Target, shawn's favorite place !! LOL!!! He is doing good with all the other therapy and continues to show much improvement everday!

They will have him on several machines this week for physical therapy like treadmills and in the pool! They have set a goal discharge date of the tuesday of thanksgiving week! From this date he will be able to come home but will need to be in a day rehab/therapy program. We are not sure yet where his outpatient therapy will be or how long yet! So glad he wiil be home for the holidays although I guess with his low fat diet fried turkey is out for him this thanksgiving!! Thank u all for the continuing thoughts and prayers! Joanne

Sorry I have not had a chance to update the blog! Shawn survived his first week of therapy at shephard! They have been working him hard everyday with therapy. He has therapy from 7:30 in the morning until around 4 everyday but has the weekends off except for an hour on saturday mornings! It has been amazing the progress he has made in a week. He is starting to move his leg so much more and they keep working him everyday with all sorts of different machines that help him stand up which makes his leg stronger! He has been working on his right arm as well as his speach! His speach gets better everyday he is really good with casual conversation they are just working to help him with trying to find the right words. He has what they call aphasia which shawn knows the word it just may come out another but all this will come back over time. He has a busy therapy week ahead of him!

We have moved rooms again yep we r getting good and tired of this his room number is now 302b:). He survived his first day of therapy and is looking pretty wore out. He is doing really good and they say he has a lot of "tone" on his right side which means the feeling and muscles are all trying to work again! I think this place is going to work miracles on him!! He got his cath and pick line out today ( line that was feeding him in hospital). Slowly but surely he is making progress everyday! Keep it up shawn!!