September 5th we are headed back to Montevideo- just in time for school. Dad is already planning a schedule for himself! He has not been home since June 2010, so he is getting excited about heading back.

We find that my dad's aphasia is improving a lot, but the apraxia is what is hard for him right now. Apraxia is knowing what to say(or do), but not knowing how to say it. (i.e. He knows he wants to say "tomorrow," but he just can't think of how to form the word.) If we give him just the first sound of the word, he knows how to say it from there. He can also 99% of the time write the word or sentence, even if he can't speak it. Rarely is there a time now where he just gives up on what he wants to say. It still takes time, but the speech is becoming more constant and is always improving! New vocabulary comes nearly every day!

One activity that Dad does at home is reading several paragraphs aloud. The paragraphs are about 5 sentences long. He started working on this about 5 weeks ago, and every week he adds a new paragraph. My dad now has a piece of paper with 5 paragraphs on it which he is supposed to read aloud. One of us will read the paragraph with him, then he reads it on his own- pointing to each word as he reads. This started out very difficult for him, but it keeps improving! With each new paragraph, it becomes easier for him. It's so fun to hear his voice reading aloud for a couple minutes, and it's always getting better!

He also seems to be comprehending a lot more things lately, and tries to join in on conversations more often. He used to just sit back, since it was so hard to speak. Now as he keeps improving, he is starting to join in and say a little bit. This is encouraging not only for us, but for him, too. I can only imagine how much he wants to say, and now is finally starting to be able to say some of it. I know that what he wants to say is much more complicated than what he can actually say right now, but we are all very confident that his speech will just keep improving!

We have heard from several people and/or websites that typically the first 6 months after a person's stroke is when most improvements will be made. We have found this to be incorrect. Dad's progress has not slowed down at all!

Dad also seems to have more energy for his therapy at home. A few days ago he went on an hour and a half long walk, and came back and worked on his paragraph, apraxia drills, and other therapies!

The early part of this week we all went up to the family's cottage for a few relaxing days. My dad won our game of Scrabble, after he played a 7 letter word and got the 50 point bonus!

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." -Psalm 32:8
"...the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him." -Psalm 32:10

Every night at dinner, we go around the table and ask Dad a question that he has to answer in a full sentence. Tonight, one of us was taking so long that he started asking himself his own questions and answering them. "What is your favorite music?" "I love opera!" "What is your favorite movie?" "Oh, a lot of movies!" etc. He was on a roll! He is always making progress and always surprising us with new words and sentences. And, of course, he is just as humorous as always!

One thing that is hard for my dad to do is do 2 things at once. Eating and talking, or walking and talking is difficult. We talk to him while he is walking and try to get him to say something back. A few months ago it was too difficult, but now he does it much more easily. It is still hard, but getting better!

My dad continues to work on therapy at home, despite the hot, humid weather! He works on it several hours a day and is very dedicated. He has probably 20 different exercises that he works on daily and rarely complains about the work.

Dad still has lots of time to do fun things during the day. Things such as coffee breaks, a pontoon ride on Lake Minnetonka, and evening walks to ice cream shops!

Dad has been keeping busy these past few weeks. He is going to Sister Kenny several times each week for speech therapy and pool exercises. He also has gone a couple of times to meet with a personal fitness trainer, to figure out a routine that he can work on at a gym.

Aside from the therapies at Sister Kenny, Dad continues to keep busy at home with even more therapy. He has so many different things to be working on, that we finally made a list so that he can keep track of what he has done for the day. He is very diligent about working on it on his own now, which is great to see. He has speech exercises (working especially on his speaking, but also writing and reading skills), arm and hand exercises (working on things such as holding a ball and swinging a tennis racket), and leg exercises (working on strengthening his ankle hamstring).

After not working much with the arm for over a month, we've started several new exercises with him to try to improve his right arm and hand. One of the things we started a few days ago is tennis. We had a tennis ball attached to a string and hung it so that it is just above the waist. We got a neat mitt for the hand that helps Dad hold something by wrapping around his wrist and hand. This helps him hold the tennis racket, then Dad has to hit the ball! The first day was difficult, but now he is hitting the ball nearly every time. He has to work on raising his arm and then moving it forward. It's very tiresome for him, but he is definitely improving!

My dad surprises us every day with new words and phrases. When he says a single word, he often works at putting it into a sentence. It is difficult to think of the right verb, but trying to find the right verb is something he didn't even think about a couple months ago. I can only imagine how amazing it must feel for him now to be able to express himself at least a little bit. We are quite convinced that he will continue to regain his speech.

One new thing that my dad has been able to do is whistle. Because of the apraxia, Dad was not able to whistle. About a week or 2 ago though, he started whistling again!

Last weekend we went up to my dad's family's cabin. Most of the family was there and it was great to see everyone and enjoy the lake. Dad has always loved the hot summer weather, and spent most of the time sitting in the sun.


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

Well, we're back from Costa Rica! It was a wonderful trip and it was so great being able to spend 2 weeks all together!

The last week at therapy in Chicago wrapped up well. My dad was very happy to be done with therapy and receive a long break! Mom and Dad were home for one day to pack and the next day we left for Costa Rica!

Dad received quite the workout while in Costa Rica. Walking in the jungle, walking on the beach, walking up to the volcano, walking up and down stairs with no railing, and just walking in the busy downtown San Jose streets are just a few of the challenges he had while walking. He did amazingly well! Nothing was too hard for Geoff! On our first day back home he kept on saying how easy everything felt to him now. Of course, this was no surprise to us as he made a lot of progress with his walking!

Speech also improved while in Costa Rica. I think that my dad ordered his own meal at nearly every restaurant we went to! Sentences are so much more frequent now with Dad's speaking. The length of the sentences are also increasing. We'll go around the table and all ask him a question. He has to answer the question with a full sentence. Maybe 1 out of 4 times he needs a little assistance, but otherwise he does great! He takes a minute or 2 to think about what he wants to say, but when he says it, it comes out very clearly. It's amazing looking back just a month and a half ago and seeing all the progress he has made. Dad will be continuing speech therapy this summer at the Sister Kenny Rehab. Institute, and we will continue working with him at home, too.

Right arm therapy was mostly put on the hold for the past month or so, but we're starting to work on it again. He continues to use the E-Stim on his arm every day. Progress is being made, even though we haven't been working on it so much. We all notice more movement, and a more relaxed position when at his side.

For the summer we'll be working with him on everything. As mentioned, he'll be continuing speech therapy at Sister Kenny, and also continuing with the aqua therapy there as well. Dad takes a walk every day that is always at least a mile long. He works hard, and tries to remain positive through everything.

Rose and I took a bus over to Chicago to visit my mom and dad. After not seeing him for 3 weeks, we were looking forward to seeing what progress my dad had made. It has been so wonderful this week to see all the improvements!

To start off, Dad seems more himself. He is so much more relaxed and confident with his walking and actions. Although he hasn't been working on his right arm and leg so much this month, I have noticed improvements with both. His walking is smoother and his pace is quicker! With his arm, his wrist is stronger, and so is his upper arm.

His speech is of course what has impressed me the most. One night at dinner he said "hard work, but better and better" and then paused. He thought for a moment and corrected himself by saying "hard work, but I'm getting better and better!" He is starting to put his words into short sentences. He will often say the main word or phrase (better and better) and then form it into a short sentence (I'm getting better and better). It's so cool for me to hear this progress! And so cool for him, too, to realize that his phrase needs more and is learning to put it into a full sentence.

Besides the sentence forming, his vocabulary has always grown immensely. He almost always has something to say, and is always coming up with new words. This intensive speech program has truly been wonderful!

Just a few more days left, then back home to Minnesota for one day, and on to Costa Rica! Dad is very ready for a long break from therapy and to just relax! Of course, just because he won't be going to formal therapy over the summer, that doesn't mean we won't be working him hard every day with therapies of our own!

"I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." -Acts 2:25

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