When my dad came home from rehab today, I asked him how his therapy was. "Good," he answered, "and speech was excellent!" Geoff improves all the time even though we may not always notice it. Looking back just a month ago though, we realize how much progress he has made. He is so often able to contribute his thoughts to our conversations with words or small phrases. It's so wonderful and amazing to see all the progress he has made. He has homework that he does, where he reads a sheet of paper that has about 20 three-word phrases. He can now read all of them, and rattles them off as if he has always been able to say them! I think he gets bored of saying them over and over again, so has now started acting out the phrases, too.

My dad's walking is continuing to improve. I feel he has become more confident with his walking, and is now starting to walk faster. He takes strolls around the house to practice walking everyday. Now we have to hurry and step out of the way though, because he's walking so fast! He's a man on a mission! One day he even went up the stairs by himself when no one was watching. Typically we are with him just in case, but not this time! (The photo posted is of my dad on the LokoMat. It's really cool to watch, because it makes his leg walk perfectly.)

My dad's arm is probably one of the slowest things to come back, but nonetheless makes progress. He is still wearing the electrical stimulator 6 hours a day. The therapists are very encouraged by the progress that he is making with his arm and wrist. He is getting closer to being able to open a tight fist, which is something we've been working on. Once he can do this, he will be allowed to be in a special therapy session where they tie his left(good) arm to his side and force him to use his right(weak) arm.

We're trying to stay warm in this cold Minnesota winter weather. With the nice new wool mittens my dad has, it's easier to stay warm. I guess that means more coffee runs!

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." -John 14:27