What a difference a day makes

Dad just wrapped up a webcam chat with three of the four grandkids, and I think both sides of the camera were thrilled to see the other side. The picture to the left represents a very fast capture of constantly moving kids and literally a scream of "HI GRANDPA!"

Mom and I had to do a double-take upon arriving at the hospital. Dad was in with PT in the gym, and they were just having him stand up out of the chair to do some more balance exercises.

He is walking better now than the week before surgery! Seriously - we couldn't believe our eyes.

They're really working with him on his balance (he's walking a foam balance beam, which Dad claims he couldn't have done even in his high school years), field of vision (asking him to walk in the halls, finding things related to fire: extinguisher, smoke alarms, fire alarm, etc.), bouncing a big exercise ball, doing the grapevine (left to right is good, right to left isn't so hot yet, but he's getting there), and other exercises/activities.

The PT thought he was doing really well. And I cannot tell you how much more rested and more positive about how things are going. He celebrated the end of a good day with a root beer float, courtesy of the staff up here doing a social hour. He's also starting to realize what the pathology report meant. He doesn't really remember us talking to him when we got the results back, and doesn't really remember talking to the Neurologist on Thursday, but it's starting to sink in. At least a little.

Seeing him like this makes it both easier and harder to leave tomorrow. Seeing him improve with such leaps and bounds after even just a day is awesome, and I'm sorry I won't be around here the next week or so to continue to see him improve. But I'm leaving him in VERY capable hands with Mom.