Mon 9/6/04 from Gina

Yesterday we took Gerry out to lunch for his birthday, which we all enjoyed very much. He has now been at Ballard Rehabilitation in San Bernardino for about 1 & 1/2 weeks. Lori and Mom met with his new doctor last week, who said that Gerry is doing very well. A few main points they discussed were as follows: What they need to focus on medically for Gerry is his memory and regaining physical strength and balance. The doctor felt that Gerry would benefit from a transitional living center upon leaving Ballard. The insurance company could try to release Gerry from Ballard at any time, but will hopefully keep him there for another 2-3 weeks as he continues to get stronger.

They have removed the "peg tube" from Gerry's stomach. My Mom asked if Gerry's voice will return to normal. The doctor explained that his vocal chords have come apart, which has allowed air to escape between them. This why his voice sounds very nasally and gravelly. In time, this problem could correct itself. If it does not, there is a simple procedure that can be done to correct it. The doctor, of course, cannot give us a prediction of how much better Gerry will get cognitively, stating that it was not good that Gerry remained in a coma for so long. However, he was very encouraged to see how far Gerry has come. In another 6 months or so, we will have a better idea about Gerry's prognosis.

Gerry continues to get agitated at times, which is a result of the brain injury. We seem to notice that he can get agitated when he is overstimulated or understimulated. Lori has noticed a recent increase in his agitation, and we ask for your prayers. She is struggling to decide whether it is time to take him home permanently or continue to push the insurance company to allow Gerry to go to a transitional living center for a couple of months. She is concerned that Gerry has gotten more depressed since his one day visit at home a month or so ago. He did so well that day, and she feels that if she takes a couple months of leave from work to help him re-adjust, this may help him more than his extended stay at rehab would. However, we are concerned about his agitation becoming a problem at times. Specifically, when out and about, he has refused to get back in the van more than once. This could make running necessary errands a problem, and add a great deal of stress to Lori and the family.

Lori went to look at another transitional living center in Escondido last week, and really liked it. Mom and I are going to go check it out tomorrow. We will be asking them what would be the benefits of inpatient care vs. outpatient care, etc. because once Gerry comes home to live, we know we will only have access to outpatient therapy from that point on. We thank you for keeping this in prayer, as Lori will need to be making this important decision right away. In addition, we sincerely hope and pray that after a few months at home, Gerry will be able to not only stay by himself, but also watch the girls. We know there is a possibility that may not be so. If that is the reality, Lori would need to hire a caregiver to help watch Gerry and the girls while she is at work. We are very mindful of all of these important concerns as we pray for God's direction at this critical time. We thank you for praying along with us, as you have so graciously done all along!

Blessings,

Gina