From Latayne:
A day has arrived that seemed impossible exactly three months ago today.
Today, Dan was transferred to Health South, an acute rehabilitation hospital in northeast Albuquerque.
It was in many ways very sad for us, because the people at Specialty Hospital had become very dear to us. Many, many people fought for him (especially when he was unaware) while he was there, and took such good care of him. Whenever there were problems (and there will always be problems when you are in a facility staffed by human beings for such a long time), they were addressed immediately and vigorously.
For the first time in four months, he no longer has a PICC line, and he is wearing regular clothes. These are enormous milestones for him. I believe he will soon have his gastric tube removed, because he is enthusiastically eating all kinds of foods.
The nurses at Specialty (which is a long term acute care hospital with only limited physical therapy) warned Dan that he will be very tired every day because this begins a new phase of his life in which his body will be challenged so that he can return to his everyday activities, such as feeding himself, walking, dressing himself.
Health South hospital encourages visits from friends and family, but they told him that he will be in therapy until about 3 every afternoon. For that reason, there’s no need for people to come and relieve me for “writing time” for me as I will stay home each day and write and come to see him in the late afternoon or in the evening. I could never, ever have been able to get as much writing done as I have, without so many people’s sacrifices of their time.
I am 25 days away from the deadline on my book and will be working hard. However, I have learned some important spiritual lessons I’d like to share with you in coming days. The head nurse at Specialty took me aside and said I should write a book on how to be a patient advocate; and since so many people have told me that they are reading the blog and are caregivers themselves, I hope also to begin blogging to share about what I’ve learned.
So, in your prayers tonight praise and thank the God of all comfort, who has brought Dan this far and blessed him with this new opportunity for health and healing.
I am so grateful to you all as well for your support and help.
Wonderful news!
I am so amazed at all of you, and so happy at this good news.
Such wonderful news! It’s funny how in the beginning of all of this I would look daily, and mulitple times daily at the blog to see if there was an update and I would be so disappointed when I didn’t get a update almost every day. But in the last couple of weeks my tune changed to well he is doing good or they would surely let us know:) So no news became good news in a way. Oh but this is the news we have all been praying for and waiting for! Wow! What a wonderful birthday gift to Danny, and to us! Thank you Latayne! Holy week, Passover, how cool is that? Love to all.
It is very apparent that ” Scott’s do not quit”!
I’m so proud of all of you and love you so very much!
I can’t wait to visit this year and introduce my husband to you all.
I want to do this after Dan has lead singing and
walked with you up to us with normal ease.
Love you all!
Tara
What a wonderful day! God is so good, so glad to hear all the good news on Dan. We pray for you both and it’s just so amazing how God works. Love to you both!
Praise God!
Yeah! This is a huge step. I used to work at HealthSouth many moons ago and it had a great reputation at the time. I work in a similar facility now. I pray that he will be able to build in endurance and physical abilities. Praise God!
Awesome news!!!!!
Latayne,
We are thrilled and praising God as we read this update – yet another huge stride of progress in this journey and encouraging answer to prayer! What faithfulness on God’s part for Dan – and what tenacity, sacrifice and determination by you and so many others in his behalf… a beautiful picture of genuine love.
Our prayers and thanksgiving continue.
Blessings,
Jackie
This is a great day!!! Yes, diligence, faith, and love do have the power to move mountains!!! Now, the physical work begins for Danny, but he is one tough hombre and will persevere.
Pete
What wonderful news!!!!!! The Lord has been so good to Dan. We are so excited for him in this new phase of his recovery. We pray the facility will be as good as Specialty hospital was. We will continue to pray for him.
I’m so happy that Dan has reached this milestone! And patient advocacy is a very important topic…I hope you do write that book.
This news so blessed my heart. God is so good. Dan’s family, and his friends have diligently lifted him up in prayer. What a joyful season of time for Dan and for all of us Christians!Happy Easter!!
Answered prayers! I know you are both thankful and relieved. The book sounds wonderful and it is good you will have extra time to write. I agree with the nurse. Patient advocacy is so needed and important! Our prayers continue for your family.
This good news has lifted my spirits so much. I am thrilled for all of you and can’t wait to see him again. Maybe he will be able to hold his new granddaughter when she arrives. Biggest hugs from all of us…now I gotta go hug someone! Thank you!
Latayne & Dan,
What wonderful news. I have been looking and looking on your blog for some new information and here it is. Prayers of praise. How wonderful. Love to you both. Pamela & Ron
Great news! We are so glad for the Scott family.
We are rejoicing with you today. Praise Him. LaNell and Dave
I heartily agree about writing a book about patient advocacy. I felt distressed about the neglect when my mother was in daily pain. IF I hadn’t made noise about it, she’d been left to suffer.