Bath Time

Today Bob took a bath in the bathroom for the first time. It's amazing how something we take for granted everyday can become a remarkable achievement. I hope we will be celebrating these quotidian tasks for months to come. Bob sat on a chair in the bathroom and used real shampoo. He enjoyed it.

By nine in the morning my time Bob had already had physical therapy, speech therapy and a bath. He ate some pureed food again. The phono-audiologist came twice today to make up the lost session from yesterday. Bob got a mirror to look at his mouth while he eats and vocalizes distinct sounds.

Bob was moved to room 215 today, also in the semi-ICU. This room has a better layout and a bigger bathroom. It also has wi-fi if you crane your neck out the window.

The nurse had to reposition Bob's feeding tube because it slipped out of place a bit. Bob didn't complain about this hurting. He then took an x-ray to be sure that the tube was inserted properly and had to wait to "eat" again until the results of the x-ray came back. I have no experience with a feeding tube, so I asked how the food is administered. It is similar to an IV bag that hangs and constantly drips into one's veins. They administer a certain amount of food per hour and adjust the machines according to Bob's needs. Of course this tube doesn't go into one's veins, it is inserted through the nose and goes past the stomach.

My mom spoke with Bob's doctor about how long they should expect to stay at the hospital. He said at least two more weeks. Today I made some calls to rehabilitation centers around Boston. The next step is visiting the centers.

Thanks to Janice for suggesting a center in Braintree and some idevice apps for speech therapy. She has also told us reassuring tales of a friend's recovery from a stroke similar to Bob's. Janice is Bob's sister. She lives in New York and even from that far she has been in touch with me and/or my mom daily via emails and calls.

Thanks for reading and keep the positive thoughts and prayers coming.