Tuesday October 4, 2005

Tuesday October 4, 2005 Zack had to manage without me this morning since my car wouldn’t start. After trying for everything for 45 minutes I finally called AAA. Needless to say I was extremely stressed out by the whole thing knowing that I was missing my last morning with Dr. Mook. Thankfully Carey Donovan from Swope came to the rescue with a car for me and had my car towed to get it fixed. Zack had P.T. early this morning at 8:30 with Rita. Hey worked on path finding, balance and the treadmill. 9:00 Speech with Kristi and she had him identify different objects in the room. Then he had to circle words to identify objects and although he always circled the right word he had trouble actually saying it correctly right away. Dr. Calvery came by and played a Brain Game with Zack where the rules would change while they played. She did not tell him the rules only if he got the right card. He figured it out pretty easily. O.T. with Mary Beth and she did an assessment of his physical fine motor skills, dexterity, resistance and checking the difference between the right and left side (minimal difference). Then he got on the computer to type and said, “Tomorrow is special because I am leaving”. He edited his own work. Afternoon speech with Kristi and she reviews daily events with him. She asked him various questions, “Do bikes need gas?” “Do you use a screwdriver to pound nails?” He answered them all correctly. Zack thinks Kristi is cute and whenever she isn’t looking he makes goo-goo eyes at her. He did the best ever in speech today and I think it was to show off. He would get embarrassed by some of his answers if they weren’t right. When she left he said, “That girl was hot!” Afternoon P.T. with Amy and she does her assessment. She tickles his feet and he says, “You need to stop”. He says goodbye to Amy. Zack keeps asking Rita where I am because he wants me to go to therapy with him. He knows I am spending the night tonight and wants to know if his Dad is staying the night too. While they were waiting for Mary Beth he told her, “This is what I want you to do. While I’m in here, I want you to go up to my room and get my Mom and bring her down here”. It was a very clear thought out request. Mary Beth shows Zack pictures of when he first arrived at Frazier and how he first wrote his name. He was very interested. She continues her assessment. Zack does not get dizzy when he bends over and he looks quickly from side to side. It was time to say good-bye. Mary Beth says hundreds of patients come through here and there is a handful that you will remember…Zack is one of them. Zack sings Amazing Grace for her and she says that it was the perfect way to end her day. When he returns to the room a nurse comes to draw blood for tomorrow. Scott comes with Dylan and the girls and we head to the conference room for a feast. A business associate of mine, Kathy Brown, brings us Lasagna, Salad and Apple Pie and the whole family gets to eat together for the first time since Zack’s accident. It was wonderful. Today has been very stressful for me, worrying about surgery, wondering if we will ever here about Dallas, anxious about leaving my safe, little room at Frazier. Twice today I have been rescued (Carey with the car and Kathy with dinner). God is truly wise in his perfect answers to prayers not even uttered. After dinner several of his friends arrive to say goodbye. I think they will miss their trips to Frazier too. We take down all the pictures off his walls and pack away the mementos. Pat Day comes with Mark Key and wants to meet Zack. He prays with us and gets treated to Zack dancing. We listen to the song that Taylor wrote for Zack and those that know the words sing along. We continue to pack his memories away while we listen to worship music and take final pictures. Different staff members come to say good-bye. His room looks very different with all the pictures down and they move chairs out to make room for my bed. This will be the last time I post from here. Tomorrow we will be at University Hospital for his surgery at 7:30 AM. Surgery should take 3 to 4 hours with another 1 to 2 hours in recovery. I will not have Internet access there so don’t be alarmed of I don’t post. We hope to have an answer on Dallas. We end another chapter in Zack’s road to recovery. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us tomorrow. Please be in prayer for a successful surgery. Pray that the aphasia slips away with the anesthesia. Pray for complete recovery. To God be the Glory!