More on Nathan

Today we were able to view Nathan's physical therapy.  They had equipment that he could sit in and then they brought him to a standing position.  Unlike the tilt table this piece of equipment can bring him totally upright.  He had to transfer to the chair like devise from his wheelchair using the board that they used on Monday.  They have to help him with this as he cannot move his limbs that freely yet.  Then he swings around to sit in the chair.  They strap him in so he does not slip under the arms and at his feet. and then the equipment raises him gradually until he is in standing position.  He was thrilled and laughed and joked like a school kid.  He said it felt good to be standing again.  They had him stand and try to blow different toys.  One of the best was blowing bubbles.  I always thought that blowing bubbles with kids was just a form of entertainment but apparently it also develops their ability to blow in a way to develops their air ways for speaking.

They took him to a picnic for Recreational Therapy at the Fisher House that was given for the veteran and their families.  Larry and I got to go with him.  It was a good meal with steak or chicken and potatoes, green beans, salad and other condiments and of course many desserts.  It was a little bit of a torture for him because he cannot eat but they did cut up a steak and at least rub it on his tongue which he says is better than not having the taste but it still seemed a little like torture to me.

We spent the better part of the afternoon talking.  He is supposed to practice talking in sentences.  He looked at some pictures of him as a child with me this afternoon and he talked about that.  He got upset when a nurse wanted to talk to me without him this afternoon so that started a whole dialogue on what he needs to have the nurses do better.  He talks very childlike sometimes and other times he talks more mature.  I am sure it is part of the healing process.

Tomorrow we need to find a place to look at fireworks.  He was joking with the nurses today that he wanted to have fireworks in his room.  They told him he could only have sparklers.  At that point because he cannot completely grip things for very long I told him he could not hold the sparkler so he would drop it and burn all the hair on his chest.  At that he picks up his hand slowly and forms it into a perfect fist in the front of his stomach showing me he could hold his sparkler.  We all laughed.