March 22

Day 38
What a beautiful day! Finally! That in itself lifts your spirits. I visited the people at Glenn's work today and was happy to share with them how well Glenn is doing. He touched and still touches a lot of people because he is so generous and caring. He's not a bad listener (sometimes not to me!), but I find myself somewhat surprised how people have taken to him, and how very concerned for him and us they are now. We continue to receive cards, prayers and comments on the blog. We apparently have a very devoted following. Thank-you for that.
Today, I was informed by some very pleased therapists that Glenn had "bridged". Well, I had no idea what that meant, so they informed me that they held his legs and got him to lift his butt off the bed! They said that is a prelude to his being able to walk, so I'm thinking it was a pretty big step. They have also devised a new splint for his right arm (well it has been used on one other person), to help keep the bicep muscle extended. This will help reduce the tone, and allow Glenn's ability to move his hand and arm to come through.
We had a few visitors today, and Glenn seemed a bit more emotional than he was yesterday. When I got there, his pants were pinching (his words) so I tried to pull the legs down, and finally got some help from a nurse to get them down where they were comfortable. It is good that he can let us know if he is in discomfort and be specific about what the problem is. We then went for a walk around the unit, and were caught by the therapists who put the new brace on his arm. They showed me how to put it on, and advised that it be on no longer than 1/2 hr at a time, and to be sure to watch for bruising. I also will try to shake his arm to release some of the tension in the muscle. I hope we make a difference. We'll know Monday.
All in all, it was another day of progress. As someone pointed out, we haven't hit a plateau yet, but there is time for that yet. My brother came to see Glenn today, and said he is noticably more himself. Glenn does get upset when people come, but he also settles down after a minute and pays attention to what they are saying. We can soon welcome visitors, so just a little longer please.
Spring is here, we've seen crows and gophers. The days are longer, and so far the weather is taking care of the snow. We'll probably have another blast or two, but it won't last too much longer. Our journey is easier if we don't have to worry about the weather and commuting in the cold. Tomorrow is a new day, we'll keep an eye out for more signs.
'Til next time
Louise