August 2013
To contact David Hanson's family, please use the e-mail familyofdavidhanson@gmail.com

8/6/13 (Rachel Hanson) Good news...the EEG came back perfectly normal; no seizure activity and no slowing. So the rehab doc came in last week and lowered his Keppra a little (anti-convulsant). The primary speech therapist is gone on vacation for a couple weeks and the secondary speech therapist seems more willing to try David on a few more foods and push his endurance a little. He did great eating some mashed potatoes, thickened juice and pudding. Saturday, David was able to do 300 (sets of 50) rounds on the bike by himself...and yes, I did 300 squats. I think Jocelyn wants to do squats too because yesterday's I was supporting her in a standing position on my lap and she was doing squats in time with the activities director! She thought she was so funny and had this big grin on her face! A few days ago, I said something about home and said "Where's home?". I told him where Jocelyn and I were living and kind of recapped where he'd been the last year and how it was such a miracle that he was alive and not a vegetable. His response was perfect, "I'm definitely not a vegetable!" I asked him if he was a vegetable, what would he be? He said, "Carrot", naturally. Yesterday, he wasn't real energetic and only did one set on the bike and was tired so we decided to do something else. He told me, "Sing a song." O, boy. He wanted me to sing the alphabet song. I was thinking the one I learned in kindergarten but couldn't start it. The nurse came to my rescue and sang it with me. I noticed David closed his eyes in a look of embarrassment...or disgust...not sure which, but we had just made fools of ourselves singing the wrong alphabet song. Then he wanted me to sing another song I didn't know: "Mr. Noah". Thanks to YouTube, I found a cute little Indian girl singing "Mr. Noah" with hand signals and everything! Me being the therapist that I am, couldn't resist making it a therapeutic moment, and made David do as much of the hand signals as he could. Poor David had to endure some pretty horrible singing in comparison to his mother's lovely voice that he grew up with.

8/25/13 (Rachel Hanson) David is moving HOME! I almost hold my breath to even think these words, fearing something horrible is going to happen to prevent it. But I trust it is in the Lord's will for David to come home because the Lord has practically parted the Red Sea to make it possible. The case manager has been incredible. That is a huge blessing because I've heard lots of horror stories of battling with insurance companies. David still has good days and bad days. He struggles with fatigue constantly but is using lots of energy to communicate a lot to me during the day and participate in therapies. He isn't repeating things as much and I'm noticing that he's thinking (or at least communicating) more like himself. We can actually have half way decent "conversations" now. They generally get interrupted a lot because of the slowness of the process. But I'm so thrilled to be able to get a few thoughts from my husband on things. David surprises me sometimes with the things he remembers and then puts together for a thought. We were talking about how I would need to be gone for a few days to prepare for him coming home andh E spelled out "8 more days for you, right? I was shocked. I asked him, "How did you know how many days it is til I leave?" His reply:"Guessed" "Well, that's a pretty good guess!! Do you even know what day it is??" He pointed his finger for no. I told him he amazes me with how smart he is. He smirked. Please pray for us regarding the move home. It has taken months to orchestrate everything and on days like today, it all hits me all at once and I feel pretty inadequate and overwhelmed. I'm excited and scared all in the same moment. David still has a very long road of recovery ahead of him. This is where the real hard work starts.

8/30/13 (R. H.) David is amazing me by the new things he's doing. He's really starting to be able to express sentiments and caring things that I haven't heard since before the accident. Yesterday, he wanted to make sure our home had a fridge, stove, washer and dryer and then he asked if I needed anything. He's been telling me "Good job" whenever I do things for him like clipping his toe nails. Today he spelled out, "marriage is a wonderful thing" and "I'm a very privileged man". He's also crying when he's sad (which is normal) like today. He's keeping track of when I'm going to be gone to set up the house for him coming home and said it would be a "sad day." Today, he stood up in a walker for the first time and was actually able to help push himself up straight with BOTH arms! He also said a few words on command with his voice today. He is improving in his ability to use a keyboard for typing too. I keep praying that the Lord would make David WHOLE and that he would be like Shadrach, Meshak and Abednego in the fire, coming out with not even the smell of "smoke" in his hair. "Because he has set his love on me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation." Psalms 91:14-16

To contact David Hanson's family, please use the e-mail familyofdavidhanson@gmail.com