A good day

I'm typing this post with a special one-handed keyboard so please  
forgive any typos...

Wow, August just flew by.... and guess what? I went the whole month  
without any trips to the hospital!  I hope this trend continues.

Meg and I have been making good progress... my walking speed is  
picking up gradually and I can get up steps consistently without the  
cane.. coming down steps is harder.. sometimes I can do it... and  
sometimes... I've had two minor falls in therapy... I think they  
scared Meg more than me... thankfully, I wasn't hurt and Meg was quick 
to order me back up and "get on the horse!"

I have been using the electrical-stimulation device at home for a  
couple weeks now.. my grip and elbow movements are improving nicely...  
finger extension remains elusive... hopes are high...

I reached another big milestone today... I went to work!  It was great  
to see everyone (and meet some new faces)  While looking at some code  
I realized my brain is in as good a shape as my arms and legs.. it's  
going to take a lot of work to get back into working condition... I'm  
really tired and will have to get in bed early tonight.  We're going  
to try working one day a week for a while which will hopefully  
rehablitate my unused neurons....

Tomoka comes in two weeks!

woefully overdue update

ow.  Long time no see, huh?  You'd think a web designer (even brain- 
damaged) wouldn't let his domain lapse.. My apologies to anyone who  
visited the other day only to get a strange error screen.  It's been a  
long time and there are many things to cover-- some good, some bad.

Bad things first.  I did spend 4 days in April in the hospital.  I  
developed a blood clot in my left leg.  Turns out I have a genetic  
condition that makes me more prone to blood clots.  This sounds scary  
but is easily manageable; I'll be on blood thinners for a few years  
and need to avoid inactivity.  That second part has become more  
difficult cause of my recent weight gain (many people say I look  
better now).  I now weigh about 170 and can actually float in the pool  
(an interesting and enjoyable benefit).  My BMI is still in the  
healthy range and I'm working to keep it there.  I know I've said this  
before, but that was the last trip to the hospital, serious this  
time.  The other bit of bad news, the doctor doesn't expect me to  
recover the use of my left hand.  This was heartbreaking for about 5  
minutes until I decided he was wrong.  I've started working with an  
occupational therapist in Winston-Salem.  We're using a hand device  
that lets me do therapy while getting electrical stimulation.  The  
therapist doesn't believe the device will lead to full recovery of my  
hand, she does think it may let me regain the ability to open my left  
hand and grasp objects.  I'm going to rent the device for a few months  
and continue therapy on my own at home.

Okay, onto the good things that have happened since last post.  Tomoka  
came to visit for 2 weeks in April and that was wonderful.   We  
attended Lisa's (co-worker) wedding, so I got to introduce Tomoka to  
everyone and finally see the new work-place (it is awesome.) Tomoka  
is coming for 2 weeks in September which is greatly anticipated (and will
give us time to plan a more permanent stay).  I've been doing a lot of work
at church with Meg, a music therapist.  She's getting me to move my left  
arm more,read treble clef and play piano.  I occasionally inflict my  
singing on her.  We are making good progress (except for the singing)  
and had a great break-through on May 20th when we realized I CAN  
WALK!  I've been walking everyday since then.  I'm still slow and  
working on things like posture/balance and the ability to get up and  
down steps on my own.  I've joined the YMCA and workout with Dad a  
couple times a week.  So that's great news.  I still have a long way  
to go, and we have a plan for getting there.  Hope you are well.
I'll be here counting the days until Tomoka comes.