Dr. Hao Day 3

Dr. Hao said we're looking at 20-30 appointments to get daddy where he thinks he can take him. We're leaving tomorrow with appointment #4 under our belt and a return trip planned in a couple of months. Dr. Hao explained that each appointment will accumulate and build on each other. This visit was an overall treatment to find out daddy’s baseline and prognosis for success. Dr. Hao believes it’s promising and even was bold enough to tell daddy that he was going to get him running again. Wouldn’t that be something! Future trips and appointments will be more concentrated on specific areas i.e. arms, legs, swallow and speech.

Daddy's homework when he gets home is to continue physical exercise. Specifically, raising his arms up and over his head while laying down, bending his knee to his chest and slowly pushing it back out and walking while bending his right knee instead of swinging his leg forward from his hip. (Click each link to see a video of daddy working on his exercises). Believe it or not, daddy’s a little stubborn when it comes to mom working with him on his exercises, so if any of you Nowata folk want to help “encourage” the daily exercises that would be great! I asked daddy if he had more feeling in his face, arm and/or leg and his answer to all three was “yes”!

Another area we are working on is to get rid of his automatic responses, “yes, sir” and “good to see you”. The goal would be to make him stop and think before he responds and helping him say an alternative sentence. This will help his brain get rid of this bad habit and create new pathways for his speech. 

Dr. Hao is happy with his progress so far and so are we! Daddy can tell there is a difference in his body and still says his speech is what he feels is most improved. We even had another full day without choking! Looks like there may be significant improvement in his swallow. Thanks again for all your prayers and words of encouragement. He loved listening to your comments again today. We’ll go to his last appointment tomorrow at 9:15am and start the 10-12 hour return trip home shortly after. My sweet baby (#2.1) is having ear tubes put in bright and early Friday morning, so we’re having to push it to get back in one day. Prayers for a successful appointment #4, a safe trip home and for little Kolt’s surgery Friday morning would be greatly appreciated! 

#2