Welcome to Harvey's Blog!

Hello dear friends and family of Harvey (aka Dad)! We have created this blog for easy access to updates on our Dad's progress! Please feel free to leave messages here for Dad and we'll see that he gets them!

Let me give you the basic history...Harvey suffered a stroke on Monday, September 14, 2009, some time around 9:20. He had taken his shower, hung up his towel, brushed his teeth and gotten in bed. Minutes later Mildred went in to kiss him good night and she found him unable to respond to her and called 911. Harvey was flown to Austin's Seton Hospital by Life-Flight and arrived there within an hour of the stroke. Sadly, he was unable to receive any of the drugs you hear so much about because he was taking Coumadin, which is a blood thinner, and all the stroke meds are also blood thinners. Administering them to him would have most likely caused him to bleed more in his brain and would have proven fatal if that occurred. There was nothing they could do for him except monitor him. Harvey remained in the hospital about a week and was then moved to the Rehab Center. He is making remarkable progress there!

Currently Harvey is in the Reliant Rehab Center at 1400 Hester's Crossing in Round Rock, Room 111. The room number is subject to change so, when visiting, be sure to ask at the front desk when you check in! Yes, Harvey can have visitors! During the week he is pretty busy with Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy until after lunch. He does have therapy from time to time after lunch, but not on a regular basis. So, during the week, good visiting hours are between 2:00 and 7:00. He usually has his dinner about 5:00, but visitors don't keep him from eating!!! There is no therapy usually on the weekends. We do ask that you keep your visits to a reasonable length of time but come as often as you'd like!

We are so grateful for the therapists that are working with Harvey. His speech therapist goes above and beyond the call of duty in finding creative ways to try to stimulate his vocal chords and "remind" him to try to use his voice. The same goes for his physical therapist! They are both great blessings!

When you go visit Harvey, we are using thumbs up for "yes" and thumbs down for "no" and that works well. It is also easy to read the looks on Harvey's face and he has gotten really good at figuring out ways to communicate with us!

I will apologize for this first blog being long, but I want to get everyone caught up with all the progress Harvey has made! From the onset, he has been unable to speak, unable to use his right arm, hand or leg, and unable to read or write. It has been one month since the stroke and he now has some movement in his right leg foot and toes. His son-in-law, Ollie, was with him today and observed Harvey's toes wiggling while he was napping! He has also made progress in all realms. He can make some sounds and is pretty good at communicating his needs by pointing and making faces!

Yesterday was Danny's day to be with Dad. Danny is Mildred and Harvey's only son. Danny laid out a hand of Solitaire and Dad started playing it correctly!!!! That's HUGE! He was reading the numbers and the suits! After Dad finished one game, Danny shuffled the cards and handed them back to Dad. Lo and behold he laid out the hand by himself that time and then played!!! Later on, Ollie (my wonderful husband) went to the Center and started playing gin with Danny. Dad took over Danny's hand and played! Danny ran and got the speech therapist so she could see what was happening and she found a card holder to help Dad with his cards. Danny is making a sturdier one.

It's been an amazing to see the progress that is being made on a daily basis. Some days are more remarkable than others, but every day Dad seems to be stronger and making more progress than the previous day.

Everyone, of course, is also concerned about Mildred (aka Mom). She has been so strong and stoic. She and some of each of the siblings had been spending night and day with Dad until we worked out a system taking turns being with Dad during the day. Once he could push the nurse's button during the night, we decided no one had to be there at night. Mom goes to their home outside Marble Falls after she has been with Dad a day or so, stays a few days and then goes back to the Center. When she stays in town, she has been spending the nights at the home of their dear friends, Dorothy and Conway Taylor, who live in North Central Austin. She has also found it easy to stay at the Marriott which is directly across the street from the Center. That way she only has to drive across the street when she is tired.

Each one of us will try to update the blog after we have spent the day with Dad/Harvey. I will close today's blog by asking each and every one of you to continue praying for Harvey and Mildred. We fervently believe in the power of prayer! It's working and we are so grateful to God for his many blessings! All my love, Sandi (Mildred and Harvey's 3rd - and youngest - daughter!)