CHICAGO

hey guys, it’s Maggie writing this next blog update!

the day after Easter my mom, dad, and i took off for Chicago. the intensive speech program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago started the following Wednesday, which means my dad has completed just over two weeks of the month-long program.

the program consists of ten patients, the youngest being a 19-year old football placer, and the oldest a gentleman in his 80's. all of them are amazingly brilliant, motivated people, planning on returning to their CEO position, college studies, private business, or simply life back home. it’s an amazing group to be around, there is such determination and strength, and it really is humbling to see them commit themselves to a way of life they had never planned on.

my dad works 7 hours a day, plugging away at speech drills, grammar, conversation skills, group chats and discussions, and one-on-one with his therapists. they’re constantly pushing him to increase his vocabulary, work on independently holding a conversation with other patients, and rely only on his speech skills to communicate (no writing, motioning, or visual cues). every day he tells us it is ‘hard work’ but ‘better and better’, or ‘bit by bit’. but we have truly seen great improvement in his speech in the last few weeks . . . we’re hearing more complete sentences, new words every day, and the ability to participate more in conversations. his accuracy is so much better, he can almost always get out the correct word or phrase right away, and there is no need to plan or rehearse words. of course, good is never enough, so my dad continues to push himself and not let himself rest, despite the great changes we’ve been seeing.

his arm is doing well, though right now, it is not taking priority in his therapy work. we try to work on exercises at least once day, though it be only 10 minutes, and we’re seeing more muscle flexibility and control. we continue to stimulate the muscles and keep his arm in a brace.

being in the city, we do a LOT of walking – every day my dad walks to and from therapy, almost two miles in all, and besides that we’ll often taken an evening stroll or a walk to the coffee shop. his gait is smoother, straighter, and more stable, and continues to improve. he has a very confident walk now, and he enjoys the chance to get out and stretch his legs.

Chicago has been treating us well! our apartment is perfect, and ideally located right off of Michigan Avenue. we’ve definitely gotten to know the city quite well, lots of long strolls along the lake and up and down Michigan to check out the shops and restaurants. the weather has treated us well, though it’s been quite bipolar. on the weekends, my dad likes to just take it easy, but we always find something to keep us busy, a matinee, a walk through Navy Pier, or an adventure to a new coffee shop.

my dad has two more weeks left in the program. his persistence is quite amazing, and we’re happy in his progress.

<-- Easter Sunday

We had a wonderful few days together as a family. The warm, sunny Easter Sunday we had was a wonderful change from the cold and rainy days preceding. On Easter we went downtown Minneapolis after church and took a walk across the old Stone Arch Bridge. First day in a while where my dad was able to take a walk outside again. It was quite wonderful.

My parents and Maggie left Monday afternoon for Chicago for the intensive speech therapy. They stopped halfway in Madison to rest and meet up with some friends, then arrived in Chicago the next day. They are staying in an apartment near where Dad is heading to therapy, right in the downtown. Their apartment is on the 47th floor! They do have elevators, but I think it would be good therapy/exercise for my dad to walk up the stairs. Maybe 47 flights is a bit much, though.

Yesterday, Wednesday, was the first day of therapy. There are 10 other people in the program. There are a few who have done the program before and feel they made so much progress that they want to do it again. Each person has their own schedule for the day. They are all there for 7 hours. My dad has specific itinerary that he does every day: a couple hours of individual therapy, an hour of computer speech therapy,an hour of group therapy, an hour "break" for lunch (the people in the program are supposed to talk and interact with others), an hour of reading and writing, and an hour of constraint induced therapy for communicating. Very intensive, but everyone we've talked to has been super pleased and encouraged with the program.

My dad isn't quite sure of the whole thing yet. Therapy at Sister Kenny was great, but he was able to do a lot more out of therapy, too. We would head out for excursions all the time. Now though, his therapy lasts from 9AM- 4PM, and when he gets home he just wants to sleep. He is up for dinner then heads to bed. He liked the feeling of living a fairly normal life, instead of therapy taking up his whole day. We are all real certain, though, that as the days pass he will realize the progress being made. He is definitely giving it his all and will work as hard as he can! The program is until the end of May, and then he'll have a nice long break.



"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." -2 Timothy 1:7

For those of you wondering, it looks like fall 2011 we will be living in Montevideo. This is subject to change, but as of now this our plan. We'll stay in the Twin Cities for the summer and head back in time for the start of the school year.

One week until Chicago. I think that my dad is looking forward to this more and more, and is looking forward to putting all of his energy towards improving his speech. Not being able to speak and say what is on his mind is definitely the hardest thing for my dad, so putting all of his energy towards improving it will be great. We're all excited to see what progress he makes!

Like mentioned before, the program is one month long. After coming back to the Cities at the end of May, we all head to Costa Rica. We are all very excited for this trip- especially my dad. He'll get a nice break from therapy and just be able to relax.

All therapies have been going real well. Speech is continuously making progress. Every other day or so there are noticeable changes. My dad has been more positive about his progress, too. He is realizing that although it is coming back very slowly, there is significant progress being made.

The right arm continues to make progress. Dad has surprised us a couple of times by putting his right hand out for us or guests to shake. When relaxed, his hand is usually in a fist. We're working with him on tightening it and opening it. Opening his hand is pretty hard, but it's slowly coming along. There was a motion that my dad's occupational therapist had been trying to get my dad to do with his arm, but Dad was never able to do it. The therapist needed him to raise his arm straight in front of him, but my dad would always bring it out on the side. For the first time a couple of days ago though, my dad raised it in the direction the therapist wanted him to! This motion is the key motion in getting more muscles to kick in and more everyday activities doable.

The days seem to be flying by now that the weather is finally starting to feel like spring. Both yesterday and Thursday my dad and all of us went on a long walk- just under 2 miles both days! My dad seems to have had a sudden burst of energy about 2 weeks ago and has been wanting to work extra hard and do more things.

Our walk yesterday was great- we walked along the Mississippi River in 63 degree weather. It seemed like the longer we walked, the better Dad's walking became. He doesn't swing it out much anymore, which is great. Therapists are still working with him on getting his hip flexer to kick in. The hip flexers are the muscles that help the leg lift up and make it easier to walk. That is one thing that my dad has been working on a lot in the pool. It's improving, slowly but surely.

The extra energy my dad has had has made him want to do more homework. At therapy the other day, his speech therapist asked him if he wanted some writing homework. "BRING IT ON!" was my dad's response. So, he's been adding more writing homework, arm therapy, and walking into his afternoons. Less naps and more action! It's so much fun to see him getting more enthusiastic about doing therapy.

Dad has just about another week and a half left at Sister Kenny, then on to Chicago! Sister Kenny has been a wonderful place to be, but my dad is very ready for a change of pace. The intensive speech therapy in Chicago is right in the downtown. We've also been in contact with someone at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago who wants to put Dad in another research program with his hand. My dad is very interested in this, so he might be doing that, too.

Over Easter, we'll have the whole family together. Maggie, Sam, and Joanna will all be flying to the Twin Cities a few days before Easter. It will be great to all be together.




"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." -Romans 15:13

My dad's occupational therapist said the other day that my dad's right arm is at the point where he should start using it in everyday activities, such as turning the light switch off and on. For a while progress seemed super slow with his right arm, but they've been trying out new techniques and exercises with him, and certain muscles are starting to kick in. This is definitely encouraging.

Speech has come a long way-- these past few days, especially! He continues to say things that surprise every day! We went to see the King Tut exhibit at the Science Museum last week and on our way home when we asked him what he enjoyed, he answered almost instantly: "Tutankhamun!" He is saying many new phrases and new words every day. "I think I can," "we'll see," "I think so," etc. are just a few phrases he has started using recently. My dad didn't always realize he is saying these things aloud, as he has been thinking them for so long, but never was able to say them. Now that he's able to say them more often and frequently, he is realizing it. It's super reassuring, but it can also be frustrating for him. He's making all this progress, but he's still not perfect. He's improving, but not fast enough. As always, slow and steady.

Outside of therapy, we've been keeping busy. Tuesday was my mom's birthday, and my dad picked out a special meal for us to make her. We all, including my dad, helped prepare the Hungarian Chicken Paprikash and the Budapest Pecan Cake. I think Dad liked working in the kitchen. Definitely a good thing- maybe he'll starting making his amazing pies again soon...!

Less than a month until the intensive speech therapy in Chicago. My dad is very ready for a change. It will be very tiring and hard, but the outcome will be huge and it will be good for him to do something new. The program is just a month long (end of April to end of May), and we'll be back in Minnesota for the summer.

Water therapy has been good. Dad has been working hard, doing both arm and leg therapies in the pool. He can do things in the water that he can’t do on land, and seems to be getting more arm movement through water exercises. With his arm supported by two floats, he can now move it straight out, across his chest, and to his side. He can also take a weighted float and pull it under the water and down by his side. It’s a lot of work, but getting easier. It's so cool to see the progress he's been making. The improvements are moving over to normal activities as well, and it's fun to see what new things he can do!

We bought him a ball the other day for work on his hamstring. He sits in a chair, and with his right foot/leg on top of it, he pushes the ball forward and back. This, too, is a lot of work for him and takes a lot of concentration. The physical therapist has told him that the movement is all there; it’s more of matter of helping the brain sort out when it needs to use which muscle. This is a great encouragement!

The PT (who works specifically on my dad’s leg) also told my dad the other day that with his positive attitude and ability to correct himself, and the fact that the movement really is there still, he feels my dad has the potential to keep making lots of gains and progress with his leg.

One of the hardest things to do with his leg is lifting it into the car. He tries to lift it up, and it lifts up, but it lifts up straight and then catches on the door. This is one of the reasons we need to get that hamstring and hip flexor to kick in!

My sisters decided to get out our board game, Catan, for the first time since my dad’s stroke. This is a game that they, especially my dad, were all pretty hooked on last year. Amazingly, my dad did really well -- only the trading part was a little confusing for him. Still, by the time they decided to quit for the evening, he was winning!

He also plays Bananagrams with my grandmother every other night.

In the midst of this tough time, my dad insists he is not suffering as much as others. He seldom complains, and continues to be his gracious -- and often funny -- self. He makes us all laugh everyday.



"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
-James 1:2-4

(Rose doing some arm/hand therapy with my dad.)

My dad is in a very regular routine now: speech therapy daily, PT and OT twice/week, and pool therapy 3X/week. That doesn’t count all of the extra therapy he gets at home: writing therapy with me, arm/hand therapy with my sister Rose, speech therapy in the evenings with some of my aunts, and lots of walking- in the house and at malls. My dad had us to measure how many times he would have to walk a circle inside the house (through the living room, dining room, kitchen, etc.) to make a half mile. We measured it: 27 laps.

Sometimes it’s hard to get in all of our extra “home” therapies, because my dad is exhausted and needs lots of sleep. Every afternoon he takes a nice long nap. Then there’s his pre-dinner nap, and his mid-morning nap on weekends. Recovery from a stroke seems to not only be a lot of hard work, but it’s also a lot of fighting tiredness. We let him sleep all he wants, and encourage him to sleep a lot because we keep hearing about how beneficial sleep and rest is.

I think as my dad’s thinking and speech improve, it sometimes seems even harder for him, because he is more aware of what he can’t do right now. Probably the most difficult part is his speech, especially because it is so up and down. For every three steps forward, there seem to be two steps back. It's hard for us, but especially him to see so much progress one week, and then have it disappear the next.

Still, my dad continues to make progress, and uses words like “tolerable, vague, and exhausted” instead of simpler terms that would probably be easier to say. His “apraxia” is probably the biggest hurdle of all, because most of the time he knows in his head what he wants to say, and even knows the words. It’s forming them that’s the hard part.

He fights to remain positive, and repeats “Better and better, day by day,” several times each day.


"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;he will never let the righteous fall." -Psalm 55:22