Progress!!!

Every day I go to the hospital I feel like I did every report card period when I was in Catholic school. In those days, they actually handed us the report card and trusted that they would end up in the hands of our parents. Four times a year, panic would rise up in me, did I do well or should I really have studied as some people suggested would be a good idea. Outside the room are essentially flags, each color meaning something to the staff. The green one says "vent weaning" on it and that is the flag I have been looking for to be indicated outside room 250. I know that if they were beginning to wean Gary off the the vent, the possibilty of him having to be transferred to a vent facility in Milwaukee was less likely. And even though the staff has not flown the green "vent weaning" sign, that is exactly what has happened (yay for good report cards). It has been a process since Friday, but slowly Gary has remained off the ventilator and when I last saw him this afternoon he had not received any ventilation for about 32 hours, receiving only moisturized oxygen through the trach tube. Yesterday they gave him a "passey muir" valve they are able to plug the trach tube with which allows him to speak. It is a little more difficult to breathe with it in so he needs to be pretty well rested to use it.
The other question looming on the horizon is where would he go when he is able to leave ICU. Seeing as how Milwaukee is mostly out of the picture, he has made great strides in his breathing, Rehab was the big question on my mind. Theda Clark has a Rehab unit, but unless he was completely off the vent and able to participate 3 hours per day in his own rehab, this was not an option and I was given resources to attempt to find a facility that would take our insurance. In my heart I want Gary to stay at Theda Clark, at least for now. So that has been kind of the thing that the staff has not wanted to commit to.
Today the Rehab Doctor came to visit him and talked to the nurses (who are really championing his cause), she looked at me and said "bring in clothes and shoes for him, he will need to be dressed everyday on the Rehab Unit.
                                                          Oh How He Loves Us!!!!!

Not exactly sure when that will be, but it he should be out of ICU soon., it has been 3 long weeks .The staff has been outstanding and loving and it will be hard to build relationships with the new staff we will meet, but I believe God's love, faithfulness and goodness was demonstrated to so many people we came in contact with these last 3 weeks, and I know it will continue. Cary, a very sweet and dedicated ICU nurse who has been Gary's primary care nurse so often during his stay told me once she returns from vacation she intends to go find him wherever he is.
Thank you all for pounding heaven for Gary's recovery, we are unable to adequately describe just how thankful we are. And we are thankful for all the faithful friends who are willing to share this difficult time by visiting and trying to direct our attention elsewhere even for a little while. Thank You Bretta for being able to read lips so well!
As Always,
Relentless After Him