Giving back...

Oh what a day!  I love the story behind this stuff that my dad was working with.  During occupational therapy they start out by teaching my dad how to get dressed and wash his hands and brush his teeth and then he gets to go to the brain gym.  There is so much fun to be had in there!  It is also enlightening to my dad as he looks around and sees people who have a much longer road on recovery.  I was talking to the occupational therapist about finding things to help keep his mind busy in the afternoons when he has no therapy sessions and I was telling her about an idea I had that would require some nuts and bolts.  I told her how my dad was always tinkering around with stuff to fix outside and that he had added on to their house.  She said well lets try this, I bet he would enjoy it.  She pulled out a box of pvc pipes and connectors.  There was a round piece of wood that had a connector attached to it and then there was a book of templates of things that could be made with the pieces of pvc in the box.  My dad enjoyed picking up the different pieces and making sure both sides were the same.  It was something that was kind of familiar to him.  Then when she was done she said that there was a patient who had a stroke, near the same age as my dad who went through rehab in that same room and then after he got out he actually made this and brought it back to them so they could use it with other people who had a stroke.  How cool is that?  My dad was using something today that was inspired and made by somebody who sat where he sat at one point.  I thought that was pretty neat. Everybody can give back in one way or another.

He got done with that and needed a snack.  All that brain power left him feeling hungry, or else he just really wanted some of grandmas vegetable beef soup.  He chowed down on that and had some ice before heading to physical therapy.

He got quite a work out in physical therapy.  He practiced sitting and standing.  He walked with assistance.  He actually moves his right left now on command.  He is stepping forward with it.  Yesterday he could not do that. While sitting they asked him to lift his leg up kind of like he was marching and he was able to do that, again something he could not do yesterday.  They put him on this bike where his arms and legs worked together, at five minutes in they said he could take a break but he kept going.  It was great to see that fighter side of my dad.  They took him up and down the stairs today too.  It was quite an intense workout.  At times I could see his body trembling but he didn't quit.  He kept giving it his all.  He is so inspiring. He won't give up. 

When I left to go get Ivan I told my dad if he ate all his lunch I would bring him back a milkshake. The chocolate milkshake the other day really hit the spot for him.  He can not have straws due to concerns with swallowing but he never really was a fan of straws anyways. I poured some into a smaller cup for him to drink, he pushed the smaller cup aside and tried to take the bigger one. I put the smaller one back in his hand and he started drinking it and seemed to really enjoy it. Whether he ate his lunch because I said that or because he was hungry, I still would have brought him back a milkshake!  I am just happy that he is eating.  When I looked down into the cup look at what I found.  A heart.  I found a heart while taking care of somebody I love!  

"Give to us grace, O Father, not to pass by suffering or joy without eyes to see; give us understanding and sympathy; and guard us from selfishness that we may enter into the joys and sufferings of others; use us to gladden and strengthen those who are weak and suffering; that by our lives we may help others who believe and serve you, and project your light which is the light of life." H.R. L. Sheppard 

I love my dad so much!