Day 5 after surgery

Today was another great day!

All tubes gone, up and walking around, and eating.

The physical therapist came by this morning and got dad up to walk around. Thanks to new house shoes Katherine brought him, he was walking around comfortably as opposed to with those awful hospital socks; you know the kind with grips on the top and the bottom (we were told they are cheaper to make that way).

She initially had daddy walk with a walker, but he took about 10 steps and told her he didn't want to use it. So, she allowed him to walk with her, and his IV pole, around the floor without a walker. When they got back to the room, dad did a little soft shoe shuffle (you would have been proud Kenny) and asked the PT if he passed now that he could dance, and could he go home now. I told him that maybe we should start with a nice slow waltz and Katherine chimed in that tap dancing was a bit more precarious to pursue at this time and we should work up to it. 😊👍🏻 I should also mention that the next time he walked around he asked if he should jog back to the room. 😁

He still has a little bit of issue swallowing thin liquids like broth soups and his jaw is pretty sore, making chewing painful. Overall, he's doing really well and trying to prove he is ready to go home.

We are so grateful that Meta and Albert Laabs came by today. He is a 6 year survivor of GBM and I think helped dad feel a little better about his diagnosis. We also have another friend, Zehong, who is a 9 year survivor. Great stories of LIFE all around.

Mark and Wendy made it back today and came straight to the hospital to see dad. He was moved to a step down floor and Mark is staying the night with him tonight.

You can really tell how great a person is by the company they keep. All of the amazing people that have come to visit and bring food are a testament to the amazing friends dad has. Last night, dad's friend Uday stayed the night with him and gave a great report about his night when I checked in on him this morning. Uday is a "cigar shop" friend that dad has, and he and his family have been a beautiful blessing during this time. Their love for dad is evident in the way they have stepped up, coming home early from their family's Christmas celebration, to Uday's wife, Sunita (I think I spelled that correctly) checking on a prescription for dad to help make his eyes feel better (she is a pharmacist at Methodist). Just another example of how God made sure dad was somewhere surrounded by friends that love him in the hospital.

Thank you again for your prayers! We are almost to the point where dad can come home, but the journey is just beginning. Please keep praying diligently for dad!