Dad's 2012

Wow... it has been a long while since i posted.  Almost 2 years since our trip to Holland and over a year since i last posted.  Opps....

Well, here we go again.  Its now 2013, but lets review last year.  It was kind of a gong show.  Not really but just not what we expected.  The craziness with my father made us start the year running, quite literally.  Here are the highlights from the year.

Jan 1 - Dad goes into the Hospital in Mazatlan Mexico and is diagnosed with Guillian-Barre Syndrome.

Jan 3-4 - Major prayers as we waited for him to start improving with medication

Jan 7 - Dad moved out of ICU and we had our first Skype visit in Tears.

Jan 10 - The day mom and dad were suppose to be back. Instead i am having to do schedules, payrolls, and close up for who knows how long. We have no idea what the future holds and when my parents will be back in Canada.

Jan 18 - Dad flown back to Canada to the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. He was placed in the Nuerology unit on the 11th floor. We never thought we would say this but we like Mexico's hospital better. He had more physio there and he is convinced he moved backwards in the next week instead of forwards. He had 2 1/2 hour sessions of physio per day.

Amulance ride and then was airlifted via Air Ambulance back to Calgary

Our family pizza dinner the first Saturday, a tradition we have always had after finishing a week of work.

February 1 - Dad moved out of Neurology in the Rehab unit on the 5th Floor. He now has 3-5 1/2 hour sessions of physio per day. Basic physio at 10, Leg strengthening at 11 (which usually is more like 45 minutes), Hand strengthening at noon, Occupational Therapy at 1:30 and Recreational Therapy at 2:30. 

learning to lift his head again

Gaining leg strength

the face of determination.

February 3 - An unexpected surprise when Dad is offered his first day pass. An extremely amazing and wonderful gift to have him home Saturday and Sunday.

Februrary 7 - We are told that dad can come home every day till 9pm once his physio is done. Makes moms like SOOOOO much easier as she does not have to stay at the hospital all day and night with dad.

February 17 - Dad is granted an overnight pass for the weekend. He can leave the hospital at 3pm on Friday and does not have to be back on Monday morning!!!!!!

February 19 - Dad is able to get from a laying position to a sitting position at home on his own!

February 26 – Dad stands between in end of the couch and another chair on his own. Practising bending his knees. The couch in front prevents his knees from folding in and the couch behind gives him a place to sit down when he needs.

March 3 – Moms 50^th birthday party at Old Spaghetti Factory. Not what we had originally planned but so special nonetheless.

March 9 – Dad begins to take “steps” by lifting his feet off the ground in between his chairs. SOOO AMAZING!

March 12 – Dad walks for the first time using a walker.

March 16 – There is a witness to the walking – ME! And the Discharge words gets thrown around.

March 23 – Dad is giving his new wheelchair that he will be taking home.

March 25 – Dad gets from his wheelchair to the couch and standing in between 2 couches on his own using the sliding board.

April 2 – Dad is able to play with Tianna and Kaydence on the couch and try to prevent them from getting away. It was soooo cute to watch!

April 5^th – Dad is discharged from the Hospital

April 9 – Dad can get from laying on his stomach to his knees for the first time

April 27^th – Suitcases make it home from Mexico

May 1^st – Dad walks across the living room to get a kiss from mom for the first time without a walker

May 27^th – Dad gets onto the trampoline to play with the girls for the first time

June 1^st – The treadmill is brought upstairs for dad to walk on

July 15^th – Took the walker to church for the first time!

July 15 – Picked up Tianna for the first time while standing to give her a hug at the park

July 16^th – Took down the ramp at my parents house

- Worked a full 8 hour shift at the bakery!

From May to September Mom and Dad spent as much time at the cabin as they could.  It was the perfect year to do that and God's hand was at work as we watched the water levels at the cabin almost break a 40 year record.  At the cabin dad started swimming, kneeboarding and doing a lot of walking and soaking in the hot tub.

Once September hit Mom and Dad were back to working full time.  Dad went back to physio and everyone was shocked at how well he had done over the summer.  Thanksgiving was the first big test for dad.  It was a lot of hours, a lot of working and he did amazing.  It was great to see him back in full swing.

Christmas brought a whole new set of memories and work to do.  The whole month of december is busy leading up to the busiest week just before christmas where the bakers have a TON of hours.  Again, God's hand was upon Dad as he was given the daily energy to get through the long hours before Christmas.

After Christmas was hard, a lot of memories and a ton of emotions.  It also was time for a trip back to Mexico to make some more memories to replace the bitter taste that the last trip may have left.  Everyone was amazed to see dad.  Shocked to see how well he was doing.  They had a great time visiting with Rich and Mary, seeing the hospital and Dr's at the Sharps Hospital in mazatlan and visiting the restaurants mom got to know so well in the area.

Alright.... that sums up 2012.  I will do another post on our trips this summer but here is my year for now.