July Sunday . . .leaf on bridge

I just read that the NFL training camps start this week....or was it next week?
What bittersweet memories.
The camps had begun to be a real annoyance for Paul the last few years...so many restrictions...a different era.
But no way in hell would he have stopped going.
I sit here shaking my head....(I hear a strange rattle).
He was damned good at what he did....meeting him was always memorable. You couldn't argue his knowledge for the game....the details. I can even go as far as saying it would be difficult to find someone with as much knowledge about many things.
Wine...coins...books....history.........
You must tire of hearing me say this but....god how I miss his voice.

We spent three hours today working on getting a little of it back.
We started with vowel sounds....and then added a consonant.....eeeeeeeee then an mmmmmm. Then we reversed and did the mmmmmmm followed by the eeeeeee.
ME
NO
BE
WE
Paul can't say them spontaneously....yet.
It isn't for lack of trying....on either of our parts.

Heather, Dean and Steve came for a visit......it was a wonderful and frustrating time.
The schedules of a 2 year old and a man in rehab don't ever seem to be in sync.
We only had time to visit late at night.
Heather & Steve really gave us a hand.
We did manage to get both cars in tiptop shape. My '94 Celica is now attached to a battery saver.
I just don't have any time that I drive without Paul in the car. So I never drive the Celica...too hard for Paul to get in and out.
But it is wonderful to have a back up if the Camry has a fit.

All the light bulbs in high places have been replaced....
even the one that required Steve to dangle from a ledge.
He had to send Heather downstairs on a fake errand.
She woulda choked him if she knew what he was up to.
I would have too.

The massage table came down from the top shelf in the garage......I've used it every day.
I set it up in the library....so every morning when we come downstairs and pass through the library....I work on Paul. I am hoping that I can stretch out his hamstrings and whatever
other strings are tight.

Every day we do drills....physical....speech....comprehension....etc.
I feel like a drill instructor.
The teacher I never wanted to be.....but I am damned good...at least I have stamina.
I've never been a sprinter...more a plow horse.
I always had a great respect for teachers....it takes a ton of energy and a huge dose of creativity.
Just this week we are starting to see some real gains....the same gains that we were seeing before Paul's seizure in June.
I am a little gun-shy...kinda terrified. Paul is now almost halfway through the switch from Dilantin to Keppra....the next few weeks we walk a tightrope.

Paul is starting to make some real connections verbally....and the comprehension drills are looking really good. In Physical Therapy on friday Aaron said that Paul was doing some of the exercizes that he was doing before the seizure.
Paul is almost back to where he was physically, before the seizure....and he is ahead of where he was speechwise.
Please God....don't give us another boot!!

Hope that everyone is having a glorious summer!