Here's an email from Jen:
Chase did amazing today. Thank you again to all those who chose to fast. Miracles are happening.
Chase had speech and occupational therapy today. They both said that his prognosis looks great and that they feel that he is ready to move from the "medical team" to the "therapy" team. Another step toward home. What that means is that the "medical" team is more focused on his brain, responsiveness - more acute, medical care. The "therapy" team is focused on rehabilitation. They said that they would put him for him to be moved to complete rehab at this point.
Chase ate pudding today and even sat up and threw and caught a ball (as best as he could). He did great - even scanning the ball with his eyes. They said he had great focus.
Chase will begin intensive therapy starting tomorrow at 3 hours per day - so he will be restful in his room the rest of the time. We ask that visitors please call ahead and only come after 5pm. We so appreciate your support on this - we have to do what's best for chase and visitors often stimulate him and then he is too drained to do the therapies. The weekends are a different story! We so love having visitors and love and support. Again, please just call (or text) ahead.
He watches movies for short periods of times. Right now he is watching Smurfs. Watching familiar movies is very comforting to him and right now he still needs to rest his brain in between therapies so it can re-process & continue to heal.
Chase still has his feeding tube in even though he is learning how to eat. Reason being: as he learns, it will be slow and steady so we will need to have him get the extra nutrients - just like he did with his breathing. Even though he could breathe on his own, he would "ride the ventilator" (let the ventilator do the work for him) so his energy was spent on other things - healing his brain, being responsive, etc.
The therapists said that his room felt "peaceful and calm" and I knew it wasn't my essential oils diffusing (though it helps). There's such a sweet spirit here. We feel the love and prayers as we continue this journey with chase. The "floor" has such a different feeling than the PICU. The PICU is life or death where the rehab "floor" is a place of healing and hope.
Thank you so much again for all your continual prayers and warm thoughts. We feel them; they are carrying us.
Love to all,
Jen
Yea Chase, we are so happy about all the great news from out west! Keep it up Chase and we will keep the prayers up too. We wish we could visit but we are there in spirit and prayer. Thanks so much for the updates , for those of us far away it really helps us to feel connected. We love you guys so much and continue to pray for the slow and steady progress for chase. Hugs and kisses to all, love Aunt Marianne and family
ReplyDeleteAwesome progress! Prayers will continue...
ReplyDeleteWay to go Chase!!! We so look forward to the progress reports and will continue to send positive thoughts and prayers your way!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work Chase... We love you all so much! The Dunne's
Faye and Marianne just said it perfectly. We all look forward to the progress reports, it helps us to feel close. Thank you so much for keeping this blog updated. Keep up the good work and positive progress Chase.
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