Another milestone passed!

Jon had a visit from his wound doctor who pronounced Jon's bed sore healed and scar tissue is forming over it. What wonderful news! He (and we) have been looking forward to this news for months. When we first started learning about bed sores we were discouraged when we read that sometimes they can take well over a year to heal and yes, now that I think about it, that is how long it was for Jon. However, the turning point was when Jon started eating solid foods in May. While it never got as big as the scary examples I saw on the internet it had gone deep. Jon gives much of the credit to the care he got at Westerville and vows to be vigilant in following procedures to keep a new one from forming. We're quite relieved and wish him well.

Dancing and the Dentist

Jon indeed had a terrific time at the dance Saturday night. There were a lot of friends from work as well as the group he hung around with. Also, his gal, Nancy. As I predicted he did get out on the dance floor and "showed off his form." Much to his credit there were no reports of running into or over other people's toes. Not too sure how often they have power chairs on their dance floor and with the darkness and all I was somewhat concerned. Anyway, a great time was had by all.

Jon took another trip to the dentist today for a second cleaning and impressions for his bridge. Dr. Bricker is retiring and the bridgework will be done under the supervision of a new gal, young and seems quite accomplished. His next appointment is on April 8th, his sister, Jo Marie's birthday. He remarked that she's been gone 30 years and would have been 46 years old this year. We've often wondered how life with Jo Marie would have been.......

Talked with Jon's dad about his cousin Mark's progress. He managed to go 4 years without getting a pressure sore but has evidently developed a doozy. It is at a stage 4 like Jon's and is now going through some of the infections Jon had but with much higher fevers. We wish him the best in a steady recovery--there is no "speedy" recovery for bedsores! Jon's sore has progressed to the point that it is barely visible. Great progress!

We're all looking forward to warmer weather--Jon is looking forward to getting outdoors and down the road again. We'll try to steer him down a different, much safer, road next time!

More progress

Jon continues to do well. He knew some of the staff already; the director was in his class at school. Some of them are former students of mine so that gives him something to start conversations. He is having a good time teasing both staff and residents and they tease him right back.

We went to the dentist last week to start preliminary work on his missing front teeth. I had checked with my dentist last summer and he was willing to take Jon on. He has two nearly identical offices in two small towns about one half hour away. (He was the one who fixed my teeth when I had a head on collision back in the 80s and his work is holding up very well but I didn't realize he would be handing his practice over to a rather young lady.) Unfortunately, I set the appointment at the office with one slight difference--the x-ray machine couldn't reach him since the chair most patients sit in wasn't the swing away type the other office had. He will go back next week for another cleaning, x-rays and I think impressions for a permanent bridge. He is looking forward to getting them fixed as he's been quite self-conscious when he smiles.

Josh and I took a large bag of bird seed to fill the 2 bird feeders that Jon can see from his window. A few birds have come but mostly one particular squirrel has enjoyed it. One day it sat feasting on seeds for almost half an hour. How it gets up a rather smooth, skinny (1 1/2?) inch pole and up over to the shelf is beyond me but he makes it. I took a suet block for the end of the feeder and had to wade through a snow bank over a foot deep. If I had checked first I would have noticed that the feeder was empty, too. I'm curious to see if squirrels eat suet also!

Jon reported that the Center was making an appointment with an urologist. He has been having some concerns about the catheter and we were pleased to hear that something might be done to take care of them. We are pleased with the Center so far although I keep thinking he should be getting some type of therapy and they're back to doing only maintenance type exercises. Got a call from the rehabilitation doctor earlier this week and she was going to set us up with a rehab doctor in Toledo but haven't heard back from her yet--Columbus got quite a snowfall this week on top of the last snow. Barb had called on Tuesday to say that her car was stuck half in the drive and half in the street. She keeps hoping someone on the street will be interested in earning extra money but no one has shown up yet. Jon's dad just got his drive and walk plowed out today.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and Jon is going to attend a dance at the Eagle's. Knowing Jon and how he loves to scoot around in his chair I wouldn't be surprised if he makes it out on the dance floor!

Hope everyone is enjoying (or surviiving) the snow....spring is coming, sooner or later!