I had an awesome visit with Jeff today. When I arrived he was sitting in a wheelchair and had just returned from Occupational Therapy. His therapist said he did a great job and that he had Speech Therapy at 1 and Occupational Therapy at 2:00 PM. He was awake and alert. I asked him how he was doing. He responded in a pretty loud voice with “pretty good.” I got to spend the next hour and a half with him one on one. We were able to have a real conversation. I was able to hear and understand almost everything he was saying. Although he had a couple times where either I couldn’t understand what he was saying or what he was saying didn’t quite fit into the conversation. But overall he was doing great.
I told him I was dragging his ass to the National Homebrew Convention in June in San Diego. I asked him if it was OK and he said. “Yeah that’s OK.” So I told him he needed to brew something and enter it into the Nationals, and I said it would be great if he won it this time. He said, “that would be nice.”
I asked him what we should brew. “Bass.” I said, we should brew a Bass clone? “Yeah, a Bass clone.” What else should we brew I asked. “Maybe a Porter or something like that.” I said, maybe we should brew your Baltic Porter, that was a good one. “Yeah, Baltic Porter sounds good.” I told him that wouldn’t be a problem, but he had to keep up the hard work and himself the hell out of there. “Yeah, I know.”
We talked a little more about the brew club and brewing. Then his wife and her Dad showed up. She asked Jeff to look and see who she had with her. “Who’s this Jeff?” He responded with “The brewmaster?” “No Jeff, look at him, who is he?” He said some other name which I didn’t understand. Finally she told him it was her Dad. She brought up a story about not knowing that her Dad swore until Jeff told her about them golfing together. She asked if he remembered golfing with her Dad and he said, “a couple of times.” Her Dad mentioned that he did it because golfing was a frustrating game. Jeff smiled and nodded and said “these things happen.”
Then it was time for his Speech Therapy. I don’t know why they call it that. The therapist asked him a series of questions that she asks each day and they grade the responses on a scale. Today he scored two points higher than yesterday. She then fed him some ice chips, asked him some more questions and fed him some applesauce. He did great with both of them. Then she asked if he wanted to try feeding himself. She asked if he was a righty or a lefty. He responded, “righty, lefty, either way.”
He was able to feed himself with his left hand and need some help with the right. She told hos wife that she would notify his nurses that she could feed him ice chips whenever he wanted. She asked Jeff if he liked chocolate pudding, his response was calm, quiet, “yes.” Then she asked if he liked mashed potatoes, a resounding “YES!” was his answer. Looks like he’s only a few days away from real food.
All in all it was a great visit. I’m really thrilled with his progress from just a few weeks ago. Word is that he’s been green lighted to continue his rehab, at least for now.
I know the holiday season is in full swing and we all have a lot going on, but please take a little time to keep Jeff and his family in your thoughts and prayers.