With Love

Hello friends and family. We wanted to let everyone know that our best friend, Hal, passed away this afternoon at 2:10 pm, surrounded by his three girls holding his hands. He was not in any pain and he appeared to be peaceful. We were so lucky to have had the time in Hospice to be with him. There were many tears, but more so, there were funny and loving stories being shared about Hal and all the people in his life. We are very sad but we also are celebrating his life and how fortunate we are to have been a part of it.

Dad's funeral services will be held at Star of David Cemetery and Funeral Chapel, Tuesday March 24th at 12 o'clock pm. The address is 9321 Memorial Park Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33412. The telephone number is (561) 627-2277. There will be a funeral service and burial for those who can attend. Everyone is welcome at our home afterwards for some food, comfort and sharing funny stories about dad.

For those of you from out of town that might be able to attend, please feel free to contact Dignity Memorial Bereavement Travel Program at 1-800-224-4177 and reference number 4129 for assistance with your travel arrangements from 7am-10pm CST.

There are several hotels in the area that can be reserved. Here are a few to choose from:

Marriot
4000 RCA Blvd.
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
561-622-8888

Embassy Suites
4350 PGA Blvd.
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
561-622-1000

Doubletree
4431 PGA Boulevard
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410
561-622-2260

In lieu of flowers, anyone can make a donation to Hospice of Palm Beach County, specifically the Hospice at Palm Beach Gardens Hospital, for the wonderful and compassionate angels who took care of my father and my family during this difficult time. Without them, we would not have made it through the past 11 days we spent by his bedside. Many nurses, doctors, and CNAs now hold special places in our hearts for the love and attention they showed us and my father. The address is:
HPBC
Charles W. Gerstenberg Hospice Center
5300 East Ave.
West Palm Beach, FL 33407-2387

If you have any questions about your donation, you can call (561) 227-5142.

We want to thank again everyone who read this blog faithfully, who called us to check in and ask how we were, who emailed to say they were thinking of us, or who just held us in their thoughts on a daily basis. Without the strength and support of you all, we would not have been able to endure what we have since Nov. 1. Words will never be able to express how much we thank each and every one of you.

With much love from my dad and from us,

The Pollacks

My beautiful father

Dad is still in Hospice and holding on. The doctors and nurses all say he has a strong heart, and we know he has a strong will and spirit as well.

Carrie, mom and I have continued to stay with him as his days become fewer. Although there is no response on his end, we continue to talk to him, touch him, and treat him as if he is our number one. We have tried to give him some more "privacy" because the staff at the hospital have all said that he might not let go if we are around because he does not want us to have that as our final memory of him, or because he still wants to be part of the gang. I like to believe it is the latter, because dad always felt most comfortable and happiest with his family, spending time with his three girls.

It is hard to give him his space. I don't want him to be alone when he chooses to go, but I have been told that we don't decide that; it is already decided between my dad and his higher power.

We will be with him at that final moment, whether or not we are present in his room. We will always be with him and he with us, and I know he knows that.

My dad is awesome. My dad loves me more than anything or anyone. Ok, ok, so he loves my mom and Carrie equally as well, but he has this way of making us feel that we each hold a special place in his heart. He is the best father. He is the best friend. He is the best person I know because of his simplicity and honesty. He loved life and cherished all the moments. I believe that he will also cherish these last moments because my family has become closer throughout this experience. My father has brought us closer together because that is where he felt most at peace; with us.

I love you dad more than you will ever understand.
Love Tracy

family

Hello all,

I just wanted to share this great picture of my family taken by joyce chapnick, a long time family friend.

We are still here at hospice spending the last family time with my dad. He is comfortable and in no pain, probably laughing at our conversations that we are having with him reminiscing of great family memories. We are so lucky to be having this time to say goodbye to him. I think the thoughts we are having right now are how fortunate we are to have been a part of dad's life, he has lived long and well and we are so lucky. He has been so loved by us and by all of you.

We will post more later.

Love to everyone!

-Carrie

Many thanks

Hi all. We are still here at Hospice, spending time with dad and making sure he is comfortable. We have been with him 24/7, eating in the room, sleeping in the room, watching TV, talking, laughing, crying. We want it to feel somewhat like home for him because we know he can hear us. We know he knows he has his girls with him, and he can feel peaceful knowing that he is not alone.

We wanted to say a special thanks to our Aunt Jinny, who has provided us with such relief, not only through her care of us, but of our furry, four-legged friends, Dexter and Hiro. She has watched them for us from the moment we came to the hospital. They are hanging out with her and her two dogs and cat, and they are enjoying themselves at their extended "sleepover". Thanks Aunt Jinny, you are such a special and wonderful person to us and we can not thank you enough for your generosity and compassion. We are so lucky to have you as a member of our family. We love you very much.

We will keep everyone updated on dad's status. He is resting calmly and peacefully and still holding on. We know he knows how much we love and cherish him.

Hospice

Hello everyone,

This is so difficult and sad to say that my dad has been moved to the Hospice wing at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center after being in the ICU for 2 weeks. Dad was moved on Tuesday afternoon after a few days of really tough talks with the doctors and nurses we had been working with. This was such a hard decision and was not made lightly by my family. I want everyone to know that the doctors did everything they could and we thought of all possible options. In the end my mom, sister and I knew that this was the right thing for my dad as he would not want to be here in the condition that he is currently in.

In the last few days in the ICU we learned more about what happened and what we were faced with. On the night of the seizures he suffered at Chatsworth my dad also experienced a major infarction in his brain, basically a stroke without bleeding in his brain. My sister and I were able to get to the hospital 2 days after this happened and were with him for 10 days. When I got here he was heavily sedated, on a respirator and still having seizures we just couldn't see them since he was so sedated. He also came into the hospital with MRSA, a staff infection and was then put in isolation. After they got him stable and resting for a few days they began to decrease the sedation to try to wake him up. This is a difficult process since he has a brain injury already. we spent a few days going back and forth and throughout this time we started seeing the seizures since the sedation was being taken away to wake him up in order to see if he could breathe on his own. The seizures ranged in size and time but all were scary and not a good sign as far as showing the new trauma to the brain. When the seizures occur we were told that it was the brain shutting down and saying the connections were not working properly. He did finally get off the vent and had a day when he had his eyes open and was responding slightly to commands such as squeeze my hand, wiggle your toes, etc but he could not speak and could not really move his body or hold his head up. This changed pretty fast. He began to be unresponsive, not opening his eyes and not following commands. It was also at this time that he developed pneumonia as well as a blood clot in his arm. The second CT scan showed the infarction as well as parts of his brain that had been damaged and died.

My dad came so far after his first accident. We were so lucky to get 4 more months with him. He worked so hard and was so brave. His body just couldn't take any more and started to give out. My mom, sister and I know that he would not want to live in the condition he has been in the last 2 weeks. So we are all here at the Hospice together to be with my dad and support each other. My dad is being made as comfortable as possible and is being well taken care of by the nurses, they are actually taking care of us too which we greatly appreciate through this really hard time.

I can't really say any more than that as we are taking it hour by hour and day by day. There is space for us all to sleep in my dad's room so we are with him and together which is all we really want right now.

I know that you all love my dad and we wanted you to know where we are. I will post when I can to keep you informed. My family could not have gotten through this experience without all of your love and support and I thank you. Please keep saying those special prayers, all kinds help.

-Carrie

Our fearless leader

Well, what can I say? There are no words that can describe the experience we are having. Pain, sadness, frustration, anger, sorrow. None of these seem to touch the depth of feelings that are right below the surface layer of skin. If I were to allow myself to feel these, I am afraid that I might not be able to get up in the morning because it does not seem fair to go on living when my dad is so close to death.

The questions that go through my mind are ones that I am sure others have asked when faced with the loss of someone very special and important to them. Why did this have to happen? Why is it his time to go? What am I supposed to learn from this experience? What do I do now?

My dad has pneumonia, which is interfering with his breathing, and he is unable to clear his own airway. The doctors spoke of another tracheotomy, but only for comfort purposes. He also has a blood clot in his arm, which is causing his heart to have to work harder to pump. These maladies are on top of the multitude of other problems he is having. How much more can an 80-year-old man go through? Not much.

My dad is very sick. He is not going to get better this time. He has fought so hard to come back from his accident, and he has proven how strong and courageous he is; but we already knew this. His body and mind have gone through more than one can endure, and he was able to "recover" for a period of time, which was an absolute miracle. We are so proud of him!

My father is the most brave man I know. I want to be just like him when I grow up.

I love you dad with all my heart and soul. You will always be my inspiration.

Love your little one,
Tracy

saturday

Hello everyone,

Tracy left today and I am getting ready to go tomorrow although I will be back next week for spring break. It is so hard to leave with my dad still in the ICU and so many unanswered questions. I think we are all going a little crazy, but we are strong, like my dad so we are all still hanging in.

There are a few new things to report but still a lot of unknowns...my dad was finally taken off of the ventilator a few days ago! hurray! but he seems to have pneumonia which is really scary as people can have serious complications from this especially someone in a frail condition like my dad. We are so happy to have him off that freaky thing as seeing him fight it yet again is really hard. He is breathing on his own and is just using a little oxygen in the nose although he has a lot of secretions and isn't really able to cough well yet so he is getting suctioning every few hours which has got to irritate your throat.

He is still having seizures. Tracy and I saw a really active one last night and my mom and I saw 2 smaller ones today. The nurse said he had one this morning as well so the doctor has upped his seizure meds. The one we saw today hardly affected his heart rate, pulse or breathing so who knows how many of those he has been having since they check on him every hour and when his monitor registers some activity so he could be having small seizures by himself. The seizures make him really tired as well as the seizure meds having a slight sedative effect so he is sleeping a lot of the time. He has not spoken yet and we are not sure if he can. Last night I thought I saw him mouth bathroom as he tried to get out of bed with what little strength he has. We are not really seeing a lot of response from him. He can squeeze our hands, wiggle his toes and nod yes and no only selectively. I think he is really in and out of awareness. We just don't really know yet. Dr. Shallop is going to do a CT scan tomorrow which will hopefully tell us more but we don't know that even.

We are kinda back at the beginning and this is frustrating for everyone, only 2 weeks ago we were planning to take my dad home. We are so tired and a little lost, very angry and confused and just trying to get through everyday. We go to the hospital 3 times a day to be with him and that is all we can do.

We will update the blog when we know more. Thanks to everyone being patient with us and sending good thoughts and prayers. Any one close by please keep an eye on my mom this week, i'll be back on monday the 16th.

xoxox
Carrie

waking up

Hello everyone!

Well it sure has been a roller coaster ride for the last few months but we have never lost hope. Today they have started weeing dad off of the sedation and plan to try to get him off the breathing machine tomorrow. The doctors seem hopeful although it is still a waiting game. He is following short commands such as wiggle your toes, squeeze my hand, and can shake his head yes or no so he is still there!!!

He did have a few episodes today of petite mal seizures but they lasted maybe a minute and then were over. Dad said he knew they were coming on when he nodded his head yes after we asked him if he began to feel weird before they happened.

I think we will have some more information tomorrow after the breathing trails happen...keep praying and sending great thoughts!

-Carrie

Well, I wanted to post a picture with dad, and it happens to also have some people that are special to our family and who loved Hal dearly. My grandmother and her husband, Jim, as well as Harvey and Gerry Klass, good family friends of ours. We do not have much news to report. Things are still the same with dad. No change has occurred and we are still waiting to see if he wakes up. His doctor was extremely busy with emergencies today, so those took priority; not that my father is not an emergency, but I suppose they are considering him "stable" in terms of his vitals. He has yet to truely wake up, although he is showing some signs of alertness. But we are really unsure if they are more reflexes or purposeful movements. It is really hard to tell without the background in neurology. Tomorrow morning we anticipate meeting with the neurologist, and we have a lot of questions. We will pass the information along once we know.

Please keep sending good energy our way!!! We really need it!

Love,
The Pollacks

still waiting...

Well, I am sorry but we really do not have much to share. Dad is still somewhat nonresponsive and sedated. He did not do well on his breathing trial yesterday, so they were reluctant to try again today. They did turn off one of the sedatives completely, which will take a few days to metabolize. The other sedative is shorter acting, so they can shut it off and it will be gone in half an hour, which is what they did yesterday when they tried him on the CPAP machine. He did appear to wake up a bit this morning, but what we are seeing as a family may be different than what the hospital staff is seeing because we do not have the medical/neurological background. This morning after being with dad for a few hours and feeling really sad and hopeless, he began to try to open his eyes and slightly move his right arm. Now again, we are unsure if this what purposeful or a reflex, but nonetheless, we were quite pleased to see him move at all!

This evening when Carrie and I went, his feet appeared more ticklish (I know it sounds cruel, but right now we are ok torturing him if it gets him to respond!), his right arm moved a bit more, and he was coughing quite a bit because he felt the tube in his throat more. These signs give us hope, but of course we have to also be realistic. We are just really unsure right now, and still have no answers or new information.

Hopefully he will be able to go for a CT scan sometime soon, as well as participate in breathing more. His vitals are good, which we like to see, and his coloring is also good. The nurse last night gave him a shampoo, so this morning when we walked in we saw the Hal we all know, love and thinks is so handsome!

So as soon as we have the information, we will pass it along, but for now it is another waiting game, which is quite intolerable and draining.

We love you all and thank you for your care and concern.

Love,
Tracy, Carrie & Linda

We have no answers...

So, as you all know my father is back in the ICU as of Sunday night. He had been having a continuous seizure, which I suppose can also be looked at as a stroke. What type of stroke, we are not sure because they have been unable to take him for a CAT scan due to his critical nature. He is on a ventilator again, not conscious, heavily sedated, and non responsive. We are really unsure as to what is happening, or to what the prognosis is. We just don't know, which of course is extremely scary. Right now what the doctors plan to do is to decrease sedation, decrease the vent, and see how much he can participate in breathing on his own, as well as get him stable enough to take him for a CAT scan. Once this happens, we will have more information about the damage that has been done and what we can expect. So until then, I am sorry but we just don't have any answers. My mom, Carrie and I are all together in Florida. Aunt Jinny is here taking good care of us. We are sticking together and providing as much strength and support as we can for each other. It is really hard right now, and we are all very sad and in pain. When we know more, we will certainly let you all know who have been so diligent about following my dad's progress. Thanks again for the love and support. We really need it right now!

I am sorry to report that we have taken a huge step back.....

Hal was taken by ambulance from Chatsworth Sunday night to the emergency room at Palm Beach Gardens Hospital, after he had a seizure.

I met the ambulance there about llpm and stayed with him until they kicked me out at 5am. St Mary's did not have an ICU bed so they put him in ICU at PBG Hosp.

He is in an induced coma, and as of this morning his EEG showed that the brain is still having seizure activity. They can't really give me much information, other than he is in NO pain, and it is important to let the brain rest and cool down. So he needs time and it looks like another waiting game.

Please continue your good thoughts and prayers...WE REALLY NEED THEM.

My daughters join me in thanking you for your continued support.

Much love, Linda

Hi Everyone,

Hal is doing fine at Chatsworth.

They are working him hard in physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. He isn't always happy, but I remind him of how lucky he is and how far he has come. His long term memory is good, but short-term memory is not so good. He does not remember the accident at all or the many weeks he spent in ICU.

The visiting hours are very lenient, but the therapy sessions are scheduled sporadically, on weekdays. I have found the mid to late afternoon usually works the best, BUT there are no guarantees. On sat. and sun. they have less therapy, so more free time.

Chatsworth is very easy to get to. From Mirasol: Take PGA to Ryder Cup Blvd through PGA National to Northlake Blvd. Turn left on Northlake and make the very first left turn. You will be crossing the oncoming traffic onto Hiatt Drive. staying on that road, Chatsworth is a two story bldg., yellow and pink to the right.

Friends visiting are very helpful, but please don't be offended if he does not recognize you...just tell him who you are.

Once again, I thank all of you for your caring and support.

Love, Linda

Hi everyone,

Linda here.

Well I have very good news! Hal will be going to Chatsworth tomorrow. This is really huge, and means that he has made great strides. St. Mary's Trauma Center is now calling him a "miracle". He truly has come back from the "dead".

Chatsworth is a sub-acute rehab/nursing center that is connected with Devonshire of PGA National. YEAH, he will be right across the street from Mirasol, and not only that, but it is a "pet friendly" facility.....SO, I can take Dexter with me when I visit him. Dexter is going to be so happy to see PopPop...he misses him.

This also means all of you who have been wanting to visit Hal can now go see him without it being an I95 trip. I will find out the visiting hours and post it on the blog.

Can you believe it???? The next stop for him will be home.

I attribute this to the love and prayers from all of our friends...I cannot thankyou enough.

Love, Linda

Hi everyone!

Here are some great pic's from tracy and my last visit to see dad. You can all see how much better he looks, much more aware and functioning!

He has been eating on his own, some "crappy" hospital food which is how he himself describes the powdered eggs he gets every morning and some tasty mom homemade food which dad has been getting everyday now. My mom said he has been calling her everyday to see when she is bringing his lunch and now he is requesting dinner as well! I think it is great that he is getting his appetite back and asking for things that he wants. The picture of him holding the paper is him giving a thumbs down to the hospital menu!

Tracy's post expresses the relief and joy we a re all feeling regarding my dad's progress, he has truly amazed everyone in his comeback and especially in the last few weeks we have really seen some amazing jumps in his awareness and abilities.

It was pretty intense to show him some of the photos of him when he was in bad shape and to see him try to make sense of it all. We just keep telling him how lucky he is and how great he is doing.

We are awaiting his transfer to the next facility where he will continue therapy and will be one step closer to home. There is still a long way to go and I think my dad is really working on his progress now that he knows what he needs to work on. We will love him and take care of him no matter what!

Thanks to everyone for your support and help and prayers!
-Carrie

I cannot describe the satisfaction and sense of relief I have experienced the past few days of being with my father. What a difference a few weeks make! He has made such tremendous progress since I last saw him over Christmas. The past two days he has been able to stay awake the entire visit, has interacted and conversed with us, has been able to sit upright in his wheelchair the entire day, used a walker to get to the bathroom, and has eaten complete meals (albeit pureed food and liquids, but so what?!?!). I am so proud of how hard he has worked to get to this point in his recovery. He has no idea how happy he has made everyone.

Carrie and I were also able to go with mom to visit two rehab facilities in the area to determine where dad would thrive and continue to make improvements. He will likely be discharging from the hospital in the next or so, so we need to have things in place in order for the transition to be smooth for him. I think there is some hesitation and trepidation on his part about what the next step will look like, but he has shown he is a fighter and will continue to challenge himself and his limitations.

Carrie and I have enjoyed spending time with dad the past few days, and we have tried to help him recall all that has happened to him the past three months. He does not remember the accident, or all that he has been through while at St. Mary's, which is probably a good thing! We have shown him some photos from when he was in ICU, as well as the stepdown unit, and he is truly flabbergasted at what he looked like and how serious this whole experience has been. We keep telling him that he is our miracle...

We are so fortunate to have him here and for him to be doing as well as he is. We can only hope that he will continue to make improvements, but if this is his ceiling, we are so lucky he has come this far:) We will take him and keep him any way he is!

I love you dad with all my heart. You are such an amazing and special person. You have shown such strength and courage throughout this experience. You are someone we should all aspire to be.

Love you,
Tracy

HI EVERYONE,

Linda here... Well, I have really great news. After many attempts through the last several weeks, Hal finally passed the swallow test. With Doctor's permission I was present leading the cheering squad with encouragement, praise and hope. The last swallow test, Hal complained of how horrible the stuff tasted that they put in his mouth. Actually it is barium, because they follow the swallow on video. They try to flavor it, but I am sure it still tastes terrible.

My friend Susanne suggested putting a spoonful of honey in Hal's mouth (like the Mary Poppins receipe.."a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down"),well it worked. I actually used my finger and kept coating the inside of his mouth with it, Voila he swallowed everything they put in his mouth. The prize for doing this he now gets to eat "yummy" hospital food..pureed no less. BUT, IT"S A START I TOLD HIM.

After that success, and everyone cheering him when we brought him back upstairs, he said to me, "Now go downstairs and find out what's next". Interpretation: what more do I have to do to get out of here?

Well, progress is happening, and it does seem that he gets a tiny bit stronger everyday. He is enjoying being able to use the speed dial on his new cell phone and call me at least 4 times a day just to chat and mainly find out when I am coming to the hospital. And then he checks in with his daughters, so it is like he has re-joined the human race.

Please don't forget the good thoughts and prayers...see how much they are helping!!!

With love, Linda

My dad figured out how to work the phone

Ok, so those of you who have had the pleasure of talking to my dad on his cell phone know that for my father to work the phone pre-accident was a huge accomplishment!! Granted half the conversation was lost because he insisted on speaker phone, but that was the only was for dad to talk on his cell phone. He has been asking for his phone for a while now, and when Carrie and I were there over the holidays, we brought it to him and reminded him how to use it. Well, apparently he dropped it in the toilet or something funny like that, so my mom got him a new one with bigger buttons and a bigger screen (his thumbs are like bug toes!). So imagine my surprise when my cell phone rang the other day and my dad's picture popped up! It has been over 3 months since I received a phone call from him; I was so excited that my heart skipped a beat. I picked up the phone and heard in his raspy,low voice "Hi Tracy, it's dad". I was so ecstatic and proud of him for this gesture of communication and connection. We chatted for a few minutes, and I was able to tell him I am coming back to visit him soon, which he thanked me for. He told me that this was part of his speech therapy; initiating conversation and using functional language. I guess the number buttons are big enough for him to see! We said we loved each other and that we would talk soon. He has actually called me one time since, although he said it was an accident...apparently my mom, carrie and I are on his speed dial and I was not the intended receiver, but I was certainly glad to be the mistake. It was great to hear his voice again and know that he now has the ability to reach out to me when he wants and/or needs to. I hope he calls me again and again; even if I am busy, I will always make time for my dad.
Thanks again to all of you who have kept us in your hearts and thoughts. Your support and positive energy has made all the difference through this extremely difficult time.
Much love,
Tracy

Hi good friends and family,

Really good news, (other than Hal fell again yesterday trying to get out of a chair which he was not supposed to do) BUT< he is really making leaps and bounds all of a sudden. His voice has become stronger, his cognitive awareness is so much better, he is walking everydayin his physical therapy with a walker, he is using his left hand better, AND he is starting to make complaints to me which is really a return to mornalcy.

Pat and Ira, good firneds of ours saw him about two weeks ago and then this week, and said they could not believe the difference, so it is not just my ovservation. He really is making huge strides all of a sudden.
Not that I want to get my hopes up, but this is really starting to look like Hal might be coming home sometime.

Please keep up the prayers and good thoughts; I do feel that has made a huge diference for us, and I thank asll of you.

With love, Linda

Blogger: We love Hal Pollack! - Manage Posts

Blogger: We love Hal Pollack! - Manage Posts

Hi good friends and family,

Really good news, (other than Hal fell yesterday trying to get out of a chair which he was not supposed to do) BUT, he is really making leaps and bounds all of a sudden. His voice has become stronger, his cognitive awareness is so much better, he is walking everyday in his physical therapy with a walker, and he is starting to make complaints to me which is really a return to normalcy.

Pat and Ira, very good friends of ours, saw him about two weeks ago and then this week, and said they could not believe the difference, so it is not just my observation. He really is making huge strides all of a sudden.
Not that I want to get my hopes up, but this is really starting to look like Hal might come home sometime.

Please keep up the prayers and good thoughts; I do feel that has make a huge difference for us, and I thank you.

With love, Linda

HI ALL:

Well Hal is doing about the same. SMALL BABY STEPS. I have to remind myself how lucky I am to still have him and be very patient with whatever progress he can make.

He once again failed the "swallow test". He must swallow this chalky type substance, because they have to be able to see it on video as it goes down. His report to me was, "it tasted vile". I asked him if he would have been able to swallow it if it had tasted good, and he said "maybe". So in speaking with his Rehab Doctor, I asked if I could be present at the next swallow test, with the hope of encouraging him to swallow. He must do this before he can start eating food, since he is still being fed through a tube into his stomach.

They are doubling up on the speech therapy since that is what will best prepare those throat and vocal cord muscles for swallowing. They tend to atrophy when not used, and especially since he spent so much time on the ventillator.

He continues to be very fatigued after his therapy, but tries hard to rally for visitors. The doctor has added 2 new medicines which will help with his activity level, hopefully.

Meanwhile, he hates it there and of course, would rather be home, but unfortunately, I think that is going to be a while. St. Mary's is an "acute care rehab" which is what he needs for now.

Your thoughts and prayers are still much appreciated.

With love,
Linda

Hi All,

Hal was funny yesterday. Tired and a little cranky. He claimed that "Everyone around here must be taking directions from my wife". I had told them not to put him back into bed after his therapy, I wanted him dressed and in the wheelchair so we could go outside. Well he wanted to get in bed to go to sleep, so was a little mad that they were following my instructions.

We ended up staying in and I gave him a much needed shave, and even cut his hair a little. It is finally emerging into something beyond baldness or a buzz cut.

One normal "wifely duty" that has returned is that I am doing Hal's laundry again. He is wearing gym type clothing everyday now for his therapy sessions,. Sometime shorts and sometimes sweatpants, with shirts and sweatshirt jackets, so everday I am bringing home a small bundle of wash. At least it is something that feels normal and familiar.

He had a wonderful visit with Harvey, Stan and Norm, his good tennis buddies. I think the male companionship was a very good thing, and did a lot for him. Thanks guys for uplifting him.

He is asking to see Dexter, again. And I cannot begin to tell you how much Dexter misses his POPPOP. Dexter was always Hal's afternoon buddy when I was playing cards or mah jongg, so they really do have a special bond.

Carrie is in NYC at a opening of her part in show at a gallery in chelsea. I am so proud of her, and would have loved to have been there, but I can't leave Hal, so I will have to get the report from Carrie as to how it went.

All for now,
With love, Linda

HI EVERYONE,

Linda here....It's been a while since I've done the blog. The girls have done such a good job, making it so interesting and with pictures etc., Both daughters have gone home, and our niece, also. It was wonderful having them here, they are such help and support, and are so wonderful to their Dad. Well,it's just me now and I am afraid I am not capable of making it as interesting.
BUT, the main thing is the content, and I can report that Hal is making progress...slow going, but steady progress, and that is more than acceptable.

He was able to walk the length of the hallway with a walker and the help of his physical therapist on Monday, and greeted me with "I have good news" when he told me of his accomplishment. That is really awesome, when you realize the last step he took was the one to get to the ambulance stretcher on that fateful day of the accident, Nov. 1.

We have had some interesting wheel chair rides lately, although I find he does not always remember them, because his "short term" memory is not so good. "Long term" memory seems to be perfect, so we will take that. Meanwhile I push him around the hospital corridors and outside on the sunshiny days. Maybe it helps me more than it does him to think he can get a ray of sunshine and a breath of fresh air.

He is starting to be stimulated by and enjoys having visits. Our long time friends, Patricia and Ira have been to see him, as well as Aunt Jinny. Louisa our neighbor and daughter Olivia (home from college) whom we have watched grow up from age 11, were there to sit in on his "occupational" therapy session, and then visit with him in his room. Today a few of Hal's tennis buddies are going to see him, and he is really looking forward to that. Hopefully, they will have some stories I can add to tomorrow's blog.

The problem is that by the time he finishes all of his therapy sessions in the morning he is exhausted by the afternoon (visiting time), so I sometimes watch him sleep for a while before I can wake him to talk.

I know that it will be a long time before he can come home, but it is with great hope and satisfaction to have gotten to this point.

Please keep the good thoughts and prayers going.

Thank You to all for your support,
With love, Linda

Happy New Year Everyone!

Sorry for the delay in posts, my mom has been bugging me to post these pics but I have been in transit and have finally gotten back to tennessee...cold, rainy tennessee!

These are some great pics from my last few days with my dad. One is of me giving him a much needed shampoo and we were practicing the comb over for his scar on his head. You can see the big scar, no hair is growing over it so it is there to stay.

We brought the dogs with us on new years to give my dad a little boost! He has missed dexter and I know his buddy has missed him so we spent a little time outside with them and the dogs were excited to see him and I know he was happy to see them too. You know what everyone says about dog therapy! Also just getting my dad outside for a little everyday when we can is so good for him.

The rehab has been hard for my dad and you could say it has been hard for us as well. I think he is gaining a better understanding of his limitations and it is really frustrating. My dad, as most of you know is really active and social and for him to be in bed and then confined to a wheel chair (only for the moment) and rely on others for help is totally not like him so that would make any one depressed. I think this is all a part of the process but honestly, this has been the hardest part for me, because my dad is able to express his frustrations and talk about them, get angry at us, etc and that is a hard thing to witness. I do have to remember and remind him that things could be much worse, and in time things will get better and better. This has been especially hard on my mom, her daily life is completely different.

Being back is hard, my sister and I talk about this a lot, wanting to be with my dad and how things in our daily lives seem really insignificant. It was really comforting to be able to see him everyday and see the small changes, or deal with the problems there and not over the phone with my mom.

I don't want this to sound depressing.....I am so thankful for my dad's slow but steady progress and I couldn't have gotten a better gift then seeing him over the holidays and being able to spend time with him, even if it was watching him sleep.

Thank you again to everyone for all of your support and wishing you all a HEALTHY and happy new year!

-Carrie