Update!

Hey everyone, I'm sorry that there are no longer daily updates, but now that Dan is home and only going to Rehab twice a week, there won't be a ton to monitor daily. He did, however, have rehab yesterday and I got a chance to stop by last night and talk to Dan and Kathy about what sort of day he had and what's going on in their lives.
Dan had an extremely hard day yesterday. The doctors realized that he has Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo which is basically where natural particles (Calcium Carbonate Crystals) that belong in his ear have found their way into the wrong canal causing vertigo like symptoms. The process to correct this is very painful and nauseating. The doctors are hoping that they were able to fix this for Dan today but there is a very good chance that they will have to re-do this process on Monday. Dan said he felt an overwhelming need to throw up during the process, and isn't looking forward to doing it again anytime soon! The doctors have also noticed that all though Dan's right hand is his dominant hand, it is not as strong as his left. He is have to do some strengthening exercises to recover the full use of it, which doctors say he should definitely be able to do.
And the last news is great news! Dan was able to stop by his job, SPS, today and visit with all of his co-workers! He loved every minute of it and just can't wait to go back to work full time! Thank you to those of you who regularly check in to see how Dan is doing, to those who have sent cards, to those who have sent casseroles, and to those who have stopped by to help with projects in the home. We all feel so loved by you, the body of Christ.
With love,
The Family

Out patient

Hello, Everyone!
Dan went it today to be evaluated for out patient rehab. The doctors decided that Dan could get by on only 2 days a week! This is great news, because Dan is still very tired and going back and forth from the hospital everyday would be very overwhelming. He also wet to a doctors appointment yesterday and found that his heart is going too fast sometimes and other times going too slow. We're not really sure yet why this is occurring, but we ask you to keep this in your prayers for sure until the doctors can get to the bottom of it.
Sorry I don't have much of an update for you today, but I will write more after Dan's first official day of out patient rehabilitation.
Much Love,
The Family

Home again, home again and the jig is up

Hey friends, Dan is home and settling into his new routine. He is started to realize that coming home wasn't the end of all of his problems. He is glad to be home, glad to be in his recliner, but he is overwhelmed easily, very tired, and frustrated when he can't do the things he used to be able to do without thinking about it. He had a great visit with Sam and Lind this weekend, who were careful to not be at the house all weekend, and all of us kids were around everyday for a few hours at a time, but I am sure that he is ready for a quiet day with just Kathy. We love you all and thank you for your prayers that have brought us this far and ask that you continue to pray with us as Dan continues towards a full recovery.
-The Family

Welcome Back

Hey everyone, Dan's first day back home was a success. He called Kathy from the hospital this morning at 6 am to find out how soon she was coming for him. By the time she got there, Dan was sitting outside of his door just waiting. The nurses said he'd been waiting for quite some time, anxious to get home! The first thing Dan wanted to do once he reached home was check on his motorcycle, and the second thing was to crash in his own bed! Dan spent a few happy hours in bed today and then enjoyed spending the rest of the day with his brother, Sam, and sister-in-law, Linda, who flew in this morning. Many family members and a few friends stopped in to welcome Dan home in style. Dan will be going back to rehab on Monday to find out what his schedule will be from here on, but we are hoping for a 3 day rehab rotation. Thanks for your prayers that helped Dan make it home.
Much love,
The Family

Waking Up

Hey everyone, Dan had a good day today. His boss heard about Dan's anxiety over work and he took time to come out today and reassure Dan that everything was fine. The people at SPS have been incredibly supportive, from stopping by, to sending meals and we're so grateful. Imagine going through all of this with an unsupportive work crew!
Dan got his hands on his medical records that are left in his room and updated by nurses everyday and was pretty nervous about what he saw. He is finally waking up to his own reality, and while we feel its a good one, he is finding everything about his medications and recovery at once, I'm sure you can imagine how shocking that could be. Still, he is coming home in just a few days, and the therapists are shocked and pleased with his recovery every single day. We know, of course, that God is guiding Dan to full health, and hope that his recovery is miraculous enough that the doctors will know it as well. Thank you for actively participating with us in ushering in Dan's healing through prayer.
We are yours in love,
The Family

What an Improvement!

Well, folks, the verdict is in- and Dan is coming home on FRIDAY! This is especially amazing to me as the doctors first projected that it would take Dan several months before he was able to leave the hospital. On Friday, he will have been in a day short of 3 weeks! God is so good and faithful to answer our prayers! I just know that the prediction the doctors gave of a 3-5 year recovery will also be smashed but our great God's mighty out stretched hand. Friends, tonight, lift up prayers of adoration and praise to our Mighty King, because He has proven once more that He does all things well. We know that there is more news to come (but good and bad) but in the end, we acknowledge God's sovereignty in Dan's and our lives. This is such good news, and we are so happy to be able to share it with you.
In love,
The Family

Monday, Monday

Hey everyone, Sorry there was no update yesterday, but I've decided to take a break from blogging and the computer in general on Sundays from now on, unless something huge happens that you need to be made aware of immediately.
Dan had a good day in rehab today. However, he is still confused and anxious about work. A friend of his came to visit him today and Dan tried to convince him that SPS had moved to the hospital. He is very preoccupied with getting back to work, and worried that his boss has fired him. Other than his confusion, and having difficulty walking for long periods of time, Dan has really been making huge strides in recovery! The doctors are meeting tomorrow to give Dan a new projected date for his homecoming.
We would, of course, love for him to come home soon but there do need to be a few things that change first. One, Dan would have to understand that he must follow the doctors orders, and those he receives via Kathy. He told her today that he didn't want to come home and fight about what he could and couldn't do. He just wants to come home, ride his motorcycle and go to work. Keeping him from his motorcycle and his work are going to be two of the hardest things that Kathy has to do once he does come home, so we need him to have a clear understanding of why he can't have those things. Two, we need to be able to trust Dan not to get out of bed without first waking Kathy and asking for assistance. If he got up in the middle of the night and tried to use the rest room or get some water, he could very likely fall and hurt himself even more. And three, we just need to make sure that we don't rush this. That the doctors are able to fairly asses where Dan is in his recovery and if Kathy is able to care for him single handedly (physically and emotionally) once he comes home. Next to Dan, this transition affects Kathy most of all.
Please join me in praying that the doctors are guided by God in all of their decisions, and that Kathy will be well rested and prepared for the next step of the journey.
We remain yours, in love,
The Family