Sam is showing a lot of improvement in the past week!  His speech has become much more understandable--we had family over today that hasn't seen him in quite a while and they could UNDERSTAND him!  It is so wonderful to listen to Sam have a conversation with someone without one of us having to interpret for the other person.  His enunciation in conversation is much improved and he is remembering to put spaces between his words.

He also showed the family how he could walk today.  He wheeled out to the garage and used his parallel bars, with just my mom behind him to spot.  When he got halfway down the parallel bars he stopped and did a little hula dance (just for the entertainment value).

He also did a wonderful job with swallow the other day.  He was able to swallow peach baby food, an Oreo thin crisp cookie and a couple strawfuls of coke, all with very little distress and no aspiration--now he has been reintroduced to the world of JUNK FOOD!  (His pre-accident diet consisted of many Little Debbie oatmeal cookies and Mountain Dew).  So his Speech Path. Randi is going to order a repeat swallow study at the end of this month--so cross your fingers that he can pass it and start on grilled cheese sandwiches.

So it has been a busy week for our Sam--he continues to look a little worn and his white count is up (indicating some infection) but it just doesn't keep him down. But he hates being stuck in bed--tonight he spent most of the evening playing Monopoly with his bro-in-law (Anthony).  At last count both of them were pretty broke, but with much money invested in real estate.  Unfortunately this really mean nurse made them quit because it was time to go to bed (that mean nurse being my mom).  The other night Sam was upset with my mom and starting humming the wicked witch theme song (from Wizard of Oz) in her general direction.  The nonsense that poor woman puts up with!

As I close out this post, Sam is singing the song "Summertime" as he is laying in bed.  (He is supposed to be doing his breathing treatment but keeps taking it out to sing or chat). 

--Bec