About Dave Kingston
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Happy Holidays
It's hard to believe I've already been here a whole week. The days have flown by. I've been taking the early shift so Jan can take care of things around the house and get ready for the holidays. We are doing our usual holiday events, and videotaping them for Dave. All of the kids and grandkids will be at Jan and Dave's over the next few days, and everyone will be stopping by to spend time with Dave, also.
This week, Jan prepared gifts for Dave to give to the nurses and aides who take care of him. They have loved the gifts, and Dave enjoyed handing them out. Here is Dave with Laura, one of his regular nursing aides.
Dave continues to make improvements every week, with his muscle strength, his speech therapy, and his stroke recovery. We are in the process of requesting an evaluation for an extended stroke rehab program at Miami Valley. His lungs and overall health are good, and he is nearly ready to start some serious rehab work. We hope to know over the next few weeks what these programs require before he can start, and have a timeline for this.
As you can imagine, our holiday cheer isn't quite as bubbly as years past. But we are all aware of how precious life is, and how much we have to be grateful for at this time. We wish all of you the happiest of holidays and hope that you are able to spend this time with the people who mean the most to you.
It's hard to believe I've already been here a whole week. The days have flown by. I've been taking the early shift so Jan can take care of things around the house and get ready for the holidays. We are doing our usual holiday events, and videotaping them for Dave. All of the kids and grandkids will be at Jan and Dave's over the next few days, and everyone will be stopping by to spend time with Dave, also.
This week, Jan prepared gifts for Dave to give to the nurses and aides who take care of him. They have loved the gifts, and Dave enjoyed handing them out. Here is Dave with Laura, one of his regular nursing aides.
Dave continues to make improvements every week, with his muscle strength, his speech therapy, and his stroke recovery. We are in the process of requesting an evaluation for an extended stroke rehab program at Miami Valley. His lungs and overall health are good, and he is nearly ready to start some serious rehab work. We hope to know over the next few weeks what these programs require before he can start, and have a timeline for this.
As you can imagine, our holiday cheer isn't quite as bubbly as years past. But we are all aware of how precious life is, and how much we have to be grateful for at this time. We wish all of you the happiest of holidays and hope that you are able to spend this time with the people who mean the most to you.
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Physical Therapy Resumed
Last week, Dave had limited physical therapy while his body rested from getting his ucler fixed. This week, he is back into his full therapy schedule, getting about 2 hours every morning and another hour every afternoon. He is still making steady progress.
Dave Jr. has created another new game for him. Instead of catch, Dave is now shooting hoops, tossing his ball into a wastebasket. All of this helps Dave to rebuild the nerve pathways through his brain, aiding in his stroke recovery.
I arrived in town late yesterday, and I was pleased to see more improvement in Dave since my last trip. He looks great, and has more precise movement. I'll get an updated picture posted here soon so you can see how strong and healthy he looks.
Last week, Dave had limited physical therapy while his body rested from getting his ucler fixed. This week, he is back into his full therapy schedule, getting about 2 hours every morning and another hour every afternoon. He is still making steady progress.
Dave Jr. has created another new game for him. Instead of catch, Dave is now shooting hoops, tossing his ball into a wastebasket. All of this helps Dave to rebuild the nerve pathways through his brain, aiding in his stroke recovery.
I arrived in town late yesterday, and I was pleased to see more improvement in Dave since my last trip. He looks great, and has more precise movement. I'll get an updated picture posted here soon so you can see how strong and healthy he looks.
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Dave Returns to DaySpring
Dave is back at DaySpring. The ucler was peptic, inside his stomach. The doctor said he had been working on it for much longer than 4 months.
He is obviously feeling better, and is quite talkative. I was able to have a short conversation with him over the phone, and I understood everything he said.
Dave is back at DaySpring. The ucler was peptic, inside his stomach. The doctor said he had been working on it for much longer than 4 months.
He is obviously feeling better, and is quite talkative. I was able to have a short conversation with him over the phone, and I understood everything he said.
Monday, December 08, 2003
Procedure Completed
Early this afternoon, Dave had the procedure and he had a bleeding ulcer. The doctor was able to cauterize it. Dave was only under a local anesthetic, and Jan was with him. Dave's doctor also replaced his feed tube with a different kind. He will be kept overnight for observation. We expect him to return to DaySpring on Tuesday.
Early this afternoon, Dave had the procedure and he had a bleeding ulcer. The doctor was able to cauterize it. Dave was only under a local anesthetic, and Jan was with him. Dave's doctor also replaced his feed tube with a different kind. He will be kept overnight for observation. We expect him to return to DaySpring on Tuesday.
Sunday, December 07, 2003
Dave Returns to Grandview
Late this afternoon, Dave's doctor at DaySpring thought it would be best for Dave to be taken to Grandview for some tests. He has been having some problems with his feeding tube, which is very common for feeding tubes. He has not been digesting his food very well, and there has been some irritation around the feed tube entrance on his stomach.
They took him to Grandview by ambulance, but did not run the sirens. Jan, Dave Jr., Michelle, and Ron were with him at the hospital. After running a battery of tests in the emergency department, they have decided to admit Dave to check out the stomach situation further. His new doctor, Dr. Cheek, an internal medicine doctor who specialized in stomach issues, believes that Dave may have an ulcer. Dave has been quite stressed by his situation, as you can imagine, and tends to worry about things. I don't believe he has ever had an ucler before.
Dr. Cheek will use a scope tomorrow to check Dave's stomach for an ulcer, and if she finds one, will cauterize it. Because of some of Dave's ongoing medications, it may not be possible to do this until Tuesday. But she expects that Dave will leave Grandview the same day, whether it is Monday or Tuesday.
Dave is feeling great, is not in any pain, and doesn't have a fever. As you can see from the recent pictures, Dave continues to improve in strength and looks healthier every week. I'll keep you posted through the website and email about progress on the outcome of the scope test and any procedures.
Late this afternoon, Dave's doctor at DaySpring thought it would be best for Dave to be taken to Grandview for some tests. He has been having some problems with his feeding tube, which is very common for feeding tubes. He has not been digesting his food very well, and there has been some irritation around the feed tube entrance on his stomach.
They took him to Grandview by ambulance, but did not run the sirens. Jan, Dave Jr., Michelle, and Ron were with him at the hospital. After running a battery of tests in the emergency department, they have decided to admit Dave to check out the stomach situation further. His new doctor, Dr. Cheek, an internal medicine doctor who specialized in stomach issues, believes that Dave may have an ulcer. Dave has been quite stressed by his situation, as you can imagine, and tends to worry about things. I don't believe he has ever had an ucler before.
Dr. Cheek will use a scope tomorrow to check Dave's stomach for an ulcer, and if she finds one, will cauterize it. Because of some of Dave's ongoing medications, it may not be possible to do this until Tuesday. But she expects that Dave will leave Grandview the same day, whether it is Monday or Tuesday.
Dave is feeling great, is not in any pain, and doesn't have a fever. As you can see from the recent pictures, Dave continues to improve in strength and looks healthier every week. I'll keep you posted through the website and email about progress on the outcome of the scope test and any procedures.
Thursday, December 04, 2003
Continued Therapy Progress
It's been another good week for Dave. He continues to have physical therapy twice a day, and has been getting longer speech therapy sessions throughout the week. Jan and Dave Jr. have started getting involved with the speech therapy, using a finger to cover his trach so Dave can speak easier. His voice is still whispery, but it is getting stronger every day.
Today, Dave started using his own strength to move his wheelchair. He used his feet to pull the wheelchair forward, using his hands to steer himself through the doors and part of the way down the hall to the therapy room. It has to seem good to him to gain more independence, and it is certainly good exercise for his legs, too.
It was great getting to see some of you on my last trip. I'm returning in a few weeks and staying through the holidays. Hopefully, I can get to meet more of you during that time. Thanks for your ongoing interest in Dave and his recovery. It means a great deal to him and to the family.
It's been another good week for Dave. He continues to have physical therapy twice a day, and has been getting longer speech therapy sessions throughout the week. Jan and Dave Jr. have started getting involved with the speech therapy, using a finger to cover his trach so Dave can speak easier. His voice is still whispery, but it is getting stronger every day.
Today, Dave started using his own strength to move his wheelchair. He used his feet to pull the wheelchair forward, using his hands to steer himself through the doors and part of the way down the hall to the therapy room. It has to seem good to him to gain more independence, and it is certainly good exercise for his legs, too.
It was great getting to see some of you on my last trip. I'm returning in a few weeks and staying through the holidays. Hopefully, I can get to meet more of you during that time. Thanks for your ongoing interest in Dave and his recovery. It means a great deal to him and to the family.
