Friday September 2, 2005

Friday September 2, 2005 Zack was asleep when I arrived early so that I would be here when they removed his G-tube. Dr. Mook woke Zack up and told him it would sting for about 15 seconds. Then he wrapped a towel around it and pulled it out. Zack didn’t flinch or whimper. They bandaged it and he rolled over and went back to sleep. Dr. Mook said that was the first time that ever happened. Finally Zack got up, ate breakfast, got dressed and sang, “Better is one day” for Mrs. Head. 9:00 Speech with Kathy and she decided that they would just have fun playing cards. They played UNO and Kathy wins twice and then Zack beats her. He understood the game and enjoyed playing. She suggested that Zack play it with his friends this weekend. 10:00 in the gym with Amy (P.T.). She gives him a basketball and asked him to dribble. He smiles and dribbles between his legs (such a show off). Amy told Zack to find certain places in the hospital (like the elevators) and then find his way back (way finding). Zack did great and laughed. Two days ago he couldn’t find his way around at all. 11:00 O.T. with Jennette (a new therapist) since Mary Beth took the day off. She had him go to the Frazier grocery store and find an ear of corn, toilet paper and ice cream. This took a while to get it right but he didn’t get frustrated. Then he had to do a puzzle and he got very frustrated until she showed him to put the outside pieces together first. Jennette has him take a grip test and he scores a 7 on his right hand and a 15 on his left (his left hand is more than twice as strong as his right). Back in the room he takes a long nap before lunch. When he gets up he asked Teri (my friend from high school) if she has seen the movie Evolution. Then he starts to sing “Amazing Grace”. I love this new singing Zack, because before his accident he would be too embarrassed to sing, and he has a good voice. After lunch Zack was resting in his recliner and had a “spell” getting up before he could pump his legs. Dr. Mook told me this morning that they would keep him on 2mm of Florenef through the weekend and then, if everything was O.K., they would drop back down to 1mm. 1:30 Speech with Kathy and they throw the ball back and forth while counting by twos to 100. He only needed help 6 times. When Kathy asked him her name he told her “Porno” (maybe Kathy isn’t telling us everything…lol). She worked with him on sentence and phrase completion but he needed help. He got about 50% of the picture identification correct which is better than Monday. 2:00 P.T. with Amy and they try more way finding. She has him walk to the front door on the first floor and then get back to the starting point. He only misses one turn. He works out on the bicycle for 8 minutes and does stretches on the mat. He works hard. Then Amy asked him to name his siblings. He gets them all right. She asked him his Mom’s name and he says Eileen. Then she asked him his Dad’s name and he says D___S___. I guess we will have to work on that a little more. Back in his room and he naps before leaving for O.T. in the gym. Tiffany and Katie arrive after school and go to the gym with him. This time we work with Kevin and he has Zack play baseball. He was catcher first and squatted down and practiced throwing someone out at 2nd. Then he was pitcher and he threw the ball hard and released it like a pitcher (lifting his leg up). Next it was basketball drills, running sideways, ECT… Kevin had Zack race Tiffany and Katie doing suicide runs down the hall, picking up beanbags. Zack won and really enjoyed it. On the vision board he did his best ever. Kevin set it really fast and told him he could use both hands. The lights would go on all over the board and Zack mostly used his right hand, even crossing over his body to hit the light. He got 49 hits in 60 seconds (1.36 sec. per hit). Coming back up to the room after therapy we stopped at the nurses station and Zack sang Amazing Grace”. Everyone clapped and he was quite proud of himself. He decided to lie down until dinner and when he got up he had another “spell” before he could pump his legs. I guess we will have to review things with Dr. Mook this weekend. After dinner Zack’s friends start to arrive. He shows them the stuff Tiger Woods sent him.
Scott arrives with the girls because he wants to spend time with Zack again tonight. Dylan went to CAL’s Varsity Football Game so I will find something to do with the girls.
Scott takes Zack and a whole group of friends (Andrew, Taylor, Lauren Zirnheld, Liz, Jeremy, Blake, Robbie and Lauren Lovejoy) to McDonalds. Zack has a great time just being with his friends out of his room. They get stuck in the elevator and Zack thinks it’s really funny. One of his friends mentions to Scott that he is not taking notes and that he’s going to be in trouble with me. They all know that I am always writing things down so we can document these days for Zack. Most of his time at Frazier he won’t remember (and he already doesn’t remember he was at University) so I want to have a record of his lost months for him to read one day. I imagine that sometime in the future he will be the one posting to this site, explaining first hand his struggles and accomplishments. He was such a bright student but now it is sometimes hard for me to imagine what he will be doing with his life in the future. I think about what Dr. Kraft (Director of the Brain Injury Program) told me several weeks ago. That Zack would be able to do anything he wants to do, it will just be harder for him than most people. He will feel a sense of accomplishment in everything he does. I pray that in all things, he does it with excellence for the Lord. I suspect that he will be singing on stage in chapel at Christian Academy by Christmas. I imagine that he will be speaking at Southeast Christian Church sometime next year, explaining to thousands how God’s Glory was magnified through his recovery. I still dream of a college diploma, a career, a wedding and grandchildren. All things are possible as we lean on Christ for strength and trust in Him for Zack’s future.
Please pray for a recovery that includes some sort of ministry for Zack.