It’s been a week of ups and downs with dad, but I’m happy to say right now we are on an upswing. He’s been here in the rehab center almost 2 weeks, 2 weeks tomorrow in fact, which is also his 90th birthday. July 14, 1927 was a good day for our family, when this little red headed baby boy was born into the world.
We have all been hanging in there with him getting treatment at the rehab going through speech, occupational, and physical therapy with him. Some days have been good and some not so good. Monday, mom and I were here with him and he just had a terrible day. Sleeping most of the day and really out of it and when they got him up he was in pain. We finally had an X-ray done, but thank goodness nothing is broken and he’s probably just bruised from the original fall in the kitchen. After such a dismal day on Monday, we had the prayer warriors rallying with my pleas on Facebook and Instagram and mom and dad’s church were all praying too, as well as all of YOU out there who are lifting up my dad to the Lord.
Mom got a wonderful word from the Lord on Tuesday morning from her devotions before she went in to see dad and I can now say, we have a miracle. Here’s the verse she was directed to:
Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
When mom walked in on Tuesday morning after such a rough Monday, she hardly recognized that dad was the same man. He was sitting up and alert when she got there, talking and interacting, and had a really great day with all his physical therapy. A complete turnaround from Monday! I was with him all day Wednesday, giving mom a break and he was very much the same, on an upward track and doing much better overall.
He’s done pretty well on the stationary bike and Tuesday when mom was there, he rode it for 15 minutes and walked over 150 steps down the hall on his walker. Progress! He did the same thing for me on Wednesday.
Mom called me Tuesday night after he had such a good day and was so joyful and happy over his good day and progress, so we think that the turning point has come. God has been hearing our prayers and he is starting to get stronger every day. He still gets tired out from the PT, but overall we are seeing positive movement in getting better. So much better than last week, praise God!
Physical therapy has been challenging, he’s still not able to get up on his own and really doesn’t have a lot of strength in his legs, but as he keeps doing these challenges and exercises, he will get stronger and stronger.
We are trying to feed him food and keep the calories in so that he will gain weight. He’s lost about 20 lbs. though all of this and can’t afford to lose more, so our goal is to keep him eating and drinking liquid supplements that will help him gain weight. His appetite is just not there, so we are trying to make him eat more than he wants to to get his strength back. Little by little, I think it’s working. We are getting him on appetite stimulants and hope that starts helping too.
You have all been SO kind, caring, and supportive through all this. I shared a couple of Get Well cards with him and that boosted him so much. He is just amazed that so many of you out there know about his health issues and care about him, but I have assured him that y’all are praying for him and that people all over the country are concerned for him.
All the birthday cards that you all have sent in, we will open them Friday on his birthday! He was amazed at this stack!
My family was NOT at all prepared for all of this and as caregivers are finding out all the hoops to jump through and ways of working with the rehab personnel. We are having to learn this along the way since this is the first time we’ve had a health crisis like this in the family. I do appreciate all the comments, ideas and suggestions that you all have given, we’ve taken some of them and are implementing them and trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t. It’s all a learning process, that’s for sure. And I can see he’s making progress.
Friends of the family stopping by to see dad. He enjoys talking to these dear folk!
So, that’s an update for this week. I’ll do another one next week after his birthday and show you all the stack of cards he got and how much fun that will be for him to see and hear these cards from all of you out there. He’s got a long ways to go, but we see a glimmer of improvement this week and hoping for even more next week. It would be so great to have him up and walking soon and back home with mom. That is the ultimate goal, to get him back home where he belongs and eating mom’s home cooking again. Being in a rehab is tiring for all involved, so I feel for all of you who have gone through this. It’s no fun at all, but it’s a part of life that I knew would be coming sooner or later. It’s just hard to prepare yourself for it and know what is coming.
Finally got him interested in going outside on Wednesday and he really did like the sunshine and fresh air. We have turned the corner this week!
Again, thank you ALL for the sweet comments, prayers and thoughts about my dad and his recovery. We know that he is going to continue to get better and will be home before too much longer, we pray!
Keep him involved in Therapy. My mom had a shoulder injury do to a fall when she was 72. The Doctor did not insist on therapy…and would have improved her physical impairments at time went on. My mom would be a year older than your dad, had she not passed away 14 years ago. She had dementia/Alzheimers kept asking them to give her B12 shots. But the doctors would not give her the shots, and then her memory became affected. My father passed away 25 years ago at age 70; and never had to see her physical and mental decline. Aging gracefully (as your father & mother appear to have experienced) is a great gift to the rest of the family. Prayers to all.
Great news on your Dad! I have always loved that scripture that the Lord gave your dear Mom! Tomorrow (July 14th) will be one of my granddaughters 8th birthday, too! Happy Birthday to your precious Dad!!!
What a wonderful report Rhoda!! Thanking God with you! God bless you and your family
Happy early Birthday to your sweet Dad! Glad he is feeling better!
Keeping you all in my prayers…
Rhonda,
What a powerful verse that is! Continued prayers for your Dads recovery. I am also praying for your Mom as I know this is draining on her too. Please give him a birthday hug tomorrow from all of your readers.
God bless you Daddy…and you and all of your family too. Lots of prayers coming. ❌⭕️❤️
Happy Birthday to your Dad!! Prayers that his health continues to improve, and here’s hoping things get back to normal soon!
Prayers for continued improvement for your daddy!
Oh, thank God! Your dad has been very much in my prayers. Thank you for asking so clearly for what you needed. I believe it makes a difference when many of us agree in prayer.
I am grateful that you and your mom are encouraged. It’s hard to keep up day after day when you’re feeling discouraged. Bless you all!
Bless his heart. Thank the Lord, he’s doing better! Wish I could meet your mom and dad. They sound like my kind of people! Happy birthday to him!
Happy Birthday!!!! Looking forward to seeing you back at home. Hope are feeling better every day!
Enjoy your day with friends & family. We all are thinking about you and love you.
Get well soon,
Jamie from Ohio 🙂 🙂 🙂
The photo of the therapist working with your dad reminded me of how truly special the people are who do these jobs. They work with people at such a low point in their lives and have to be their taskmasters as well as their cheerleaders . They do this all day long every day. It is not something I could ever do but their hard work makes all of the difference in the lives of our loved ones. Good luck to your dad in his get well journey.
Hi Rhonda – another faithful reader here, sorry I don’t comment very often but this post about your dad just hit home for me. I just lost my dad one month ago, after a 17 year battle with Parkinson’s disease. My mom cared for him at home for as long as possible. I have spent so much time in rehab facilities, hoping and praying for a miracle. God is so faithful – he gave us miracle after miracle but sadly, his strength finally gave out. I was able to spend 3 wonderful days with him in the hospital, talking about God and how happy he would be to see his mother and father and all 10 of his brothers and sisters in heaven (he was the last one left). He was ready to go, as hard as that is to accept. He also talked to me about my son, Jonathan who I lost 5 years ago at age 24 (his apartment caught fire, it was devastating and beyond anything I ever imagined could happen to me). He promised me he would give Jonathan the biggest hug from me, and how much we all miss him. He left us on June 5 – I can only imagine that glorious reunion going on in heaven that day.
Ok, now that I am in tears typing this…..all this to say I am praying for your dad. He is a sweet man and loved by so many!!! We serve a loving and faithful God. I pray for strength for him and for your mom and all your family. It is SO HARD to watch this happen. But I know it will all be ok.
Sending you love,
Diane Taylor
ps – VERY EXCITED about your upcoming marriage and the new house!!!!!!!!!
OH, Diane, I’m in tears now too reading your story. Life is so hard sometimes and we don’t see how we are going to make it, but somehow we make it through. Thank you for taking the time to share that with me. We do think dad will recover, although he might not fully recover, we just don’t know yet. It is so very hard to see them lose their strength and vitality that we saw all those years growing up. I’m so very sorry for the loss of your son, but you are so right, lots of happy reunions will be happening in heaven one day!