Home

I look back over the last ten years or so since I've left Omaha, and there have been times I've been very anxious to get home to see everyone and spend time. That feeling I'm sure pales in comparison to the feeling Dad had last night and today as they drove back to Omaha after spending pretty much since May 3rd in Minnesota.

Short story: they're in Omaha and beyond thrilled to be there.

Longer story: so the MRI yesterday was pretty routine - in that they were getting a baseline of post-surgery. As expected, the pressure on the brain stem was greatly relieved. This has resulted in Dad keeping his eyes open nearly all of the time, steady when he walks, and going way beyond just the basics of living. He even helped Rich load the car this morning and unpack the car when they got to Omaha. It sounds simple, but he wasn't able to do those things in April and May - he was focused on just staying awake and doing the bare essentials. Amazing turn around.

The plan is to follow up at the Mayo Clinic in ten weeks. There is no further treatment of chemo at this time (because there is nothing to treat). They're going to watch him closely to ensure that all continues to go well. The MRI also showed great relief in the swelling of the brain - no longer crossing the mid-line because the brain was running out of room on the right. There is no question that the surgery saved his life, and to say he probably had weeks to live had he elected not to do the surgery is not a stretch at all.

I guess the grandkids were all super excited to see Grandma and Grandpa after such a long time, and I know that Mom and Dad were incredibly happy to see them as well. The hope is that things can get back to "normal" a bit for the summer. Dad will still have some speech therapy to do (2-4 times per week) to continue to work on some cognitive rehab, but that will be done in Omaha.

When I talked with them both today, they were both tired, but happy to be home. Dad said that leaving Rochester today was the happiest he's been to be on the road home since he left Vietnam back in 1967. After getting a few days in of some good rest in his own bed, the calendar will open up for visits, lunches out, dinners out, and spending time with the family and friends. It's unbelievable to think that he can now turn his focus to watching tee-ball games, getting little Kaitlyn to smile, telling Emily how much her eyes sparkle like a princess, and helping Sam steer clear of neighborhood traffic on his bike.

Everyone is home where they should be. Finally!