Four Weeks

Monday 5 November 2001
8:57 pm  Dave and I are home, thanks to Thom Little, who volunteered to stay the afternoon, evening and night (till 10) for us. 
I spent the morning with Brian, 8 till 11:45. He brushed his teeth alone and took off his socks again. Penny shaved him and he pursed his lips for her to make it easier. Then he looked in a mirror, opening his mouth wide - to look down his throat?H e got to see the trach, too. Earlier, he had been watching himself in the tv screen, covering his face partially with a washcloth t be silly.
I got to stay in the room when the OT Karen worked with Brian. When she sat him up on the side of the bed, I noticed there was a 50-cent piece sized bare patch worn on the back of his head, from turning it back and forth.
Karen, Penny and I got Brian into the chair, where Karen worked his right arm and got him to count with her ( I saw "six", "eight" and "ten"). She did range of motion and bicep curls with him. She did the left arm when he was in bed. Brian touched his nose, his ear (right hand, right ear) and Karen's nose, on command. He had trouble touching his left hand ("Touch your other hand"). He held up one finger, three fingers and five fingers - all on his left hand. And he and Karen arm-wrestled with his right arm, when he didn't want to cooperate at first. He likes her - she is good with him. He sat in the chair quite a while. He hugged me with his right arm and held me close to him with the arm wrapped around my waist and back, for several minutes. It was VERY sweet to snuggle with my son!
Dr. Foster came in briefly, and got a big smile from Brian. Dr. Fennel came in and has arranged for Dr. Traynor to put in a smaller trach (it was to be today or tomorrow). It will be one that Brian can talk with, if he is swallowing well enough when they deflate the little balloon collar inside. Yay!
Brian's friend Ryan Davidson visited with his mom and brought a copy of the program from "Arsenic and Old Lace", the play Ryan's in. Ryan has dedicated his performance to Brian.
The Re-hab Team will have a meeting about Brian on Wednesday morning. I will meet with one or all of them around 9 am that morning (along with Dave, and Marshall and Kellie, if they make it). Time to make plans.
Ali visited Brian this morning, as did Marshall.
Conflicts with Marshall and Kellie. 
Mary Kathryn called.
Marc, Jessica Daly and Bubby visited, in the evening.