10/30 - Sam's Journey - Day 323

We've had another couple of normal weeks at Casa Loeffler. Essentially, this means we're all neck deep in our routines. Sam heads off to rehab every day, Sarah and I go (limp?) off to school, and Jim runs around like a chicken with its head cut off with all of the musical gigs he juggles this time of year. For as crazy as our "normal" gets, it's still preferable to the alternative existence of the last 10+ months. 

Since I'm hoping to keep this brief, (I'll let you recover from your laughing fit...) here are a couple of developments in the continuing saga of Sam.  

First piece of good news: the Keppra is done! There don't appear to be any weird side effects, other than an occasional shiver here and there. We are currently down to ONE medication only--the Baclofen to keep the left arm loose. Well, that and Zyrtec, the number one drug of choice by the locals to fight Texas-sized allergies. 

Second piece of good news: the No Feeding Tube Use Plan has been in full effect for about a month now, and other than having to keep nagging about the water intake, things are good. Thanks for all of the help and suggestions with the applesauce! I got in touch with the gastroenterologist's office and asked when they would like me to set up an appointment since we were several weeks in with no tube. We now have an appointment set up to remove the tube--barring any complications--not for February like originally planned, but for NOVEMBER 28TH! We're just hoping we can find the magic bullet to keep the water intake up to speed.

Other than that, he's been practicing his walking so much at rehab that he keeps breaking the brackets on his leg brace. It stands to reason since it's the original brace he got shortly after leaving inpatient rehab. He's using the stuffing out of that thing, and we're pretty sure he's grown roughly a million inches since the accident, so we're not surprised in the least. This week he was molded for a new brace, and that should be ready in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, he just has to make due with the old one. Luckily, we have a pretty common phrase we use around here: Daddy fix. For the old brace, Jim has now graduated from zip ties and duct tape and moved straight to the wire. We're just hoping it holds until the new one comes in. I'm kind of glad that I got him that cold plastic welding pen for Christmas last year. He might need it!

Thanks so much for your prayers and support! (We are set on paper towels and water for a good long while!)  Please continue to keep Corey, Ben, Kyle and Tyler in your prayers as they progress through their TBI recoveries, as well as an amazing friend who is recovering after donating a kidney. 

I'll leave you with two pictures from yesterday's All Region concert. In the first one, Sarah is in the first position, front row in the mixed choir. The second is of Jim waiting to accompany for the women's choir. Have a great week! (Or however long it is until I write again!)