Hi guys,
I just wanted to write a short update to clarify what is going on with Steve right now, because it is very exciting! So apparently, yesterday morning, Steve was started on a medicine called Provigil, which is mainly used to treat narcolepsy. (Actually, the military has also expressed interest in using it to keep soldiers awake for long periods of time.) He got his first dose in the morning, and then around 7 pm, he became extremely active and agitated. He started moving his right arm a lot, and it looked as though he wanted to write something. So I handed him a pen and held up a sheet of paper, and he scribbled a word that looked like "pillow". After another couple of tries, he managed to write "pillow under..." and then when Mom said "feet?" he gave her the "thumbs up" sign.
He slept pretty well last night (Danielle, Mom and I stayed over), and then this morning, he wrote:
"more water" - Steve is usually really thirsty, because the moisturized air they're giving him goes through his trach and not his mouth
"take my socks off"
"they never put the IV in" - in response to a conversation Mom and I were having about his missing IV (actually, they just took it out because he doesn't need one anymore)
"can you give me the remote"
"I don't want to write" - poor guy!
Dad called Dr. Rotello at Suburban to tell him the good news, and Dr. Rotello indicated that the fact that Steve can write indicates a really high level of neurological function, and a good prognosis for the future. So we are all really excited.
Steve is also communicating a lot better now (more consistent "looking up" and "thumbs up" for "yes") and he recognized his occupational therapist, Patrick, when he came in this morning. He is also smiling now: he smiled at the "glapes" joke, as well as the "interrupting starfish" joke (I think that was from his friend Jess), and Uncle Don's mere presence in the room made him crack up...
Anyway, I think that's everything for now. Suffice it to say that Steve is doing great, and it seems like the Provigil really helped. We always knew he was "in there" - he was probably just too tired to show it sometimes!
More soon,
Beth
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8 comments:
Praise God!!!! I am so very happy to hear of all these positive achievements. You Go Steve!!!
Patti Robak
Dear Steve,
My dad just let me read Beth's note. Guess what, I don't want to write either, but in school I have to. Seriously, I don't like to. I hope you feel better soon.
Ryan
PS: maybe you can use a computer and send a short message in the blog.
This is great news! We are so happy to see that our prayers are being answered. Go Steve! *hi-5*
http://www.saynotocrack.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/invishighfive.jpg
Chris & Sonya Stone
Its great to hear the progress and im still praying. come on steven your almost there
Brad
DREAMIN AND PRAYIN SOME MORE!! KEEP IT UP STEVE!
ROB, REMEMBER THE SONG "IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS"...MOODY BLUES??
IT'S NOT A DREAM ANYMORE!
I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU GUYS!!
LOVE YA, KATHIE
dear steve,
my mom just told me you can write. boyyyy you are stepig it up. just a little long. i lit a candle for you in paris. i hope you don't mind ok talk to you later. bye
love ya, hayley
p.s. we are learing how to typeletters in english if you can tell.
looks like god answered yalls prayers.still praying for steven&the family. love yall
Amanda
Steve, been thinking about you a lot. this is such good news! Keep it up!
Hope to get up there and see you. Ole Miss gets out mid May.
love, Christopher
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