Sunday afternoon, May 18 - approx 12:30 PM

Hi ... NO I am NOT in Kansas!! I just keep forgetting to get to the computer and do an update. By the way ... when we get to Kansas, because I have no home computer I will probably have to reduce the updates to twice a week. I'll have to go to the Library to do them ... Yet, I want to keep y'all updated as we will still VERY MUCH need the prayers still!

Prayer request ... Joe and I met with Dr. Berry ... we are concerned because Dwight is so 'blunt' and 'rude' in his comments so much of the time and this is SO contrary to his character. He also is very elementary in the depth of his conversations as well. It is 'normal' with this severe of an injury. The frontal lobes are not yet functioning ... these are the part of the brain that let you sift, filter, reason and discern things before speeking ... please pray that God will heal this specific part of his brain. He does not understand he is even doing this. Please pray!!!!

On Friday, his PT put the balance beam between the parallel bars and let Dwight stand on it cross-ways. He is relearning balance and he did quite well. He also 'brought down the ceiling' during OT later that day. He was sitting on the mat and I stepped back from assisting them and 'whoosh' ... part of the ceiling fell down on the mat. His OT's professional/maternal instinct took over in that she shielded his head and took a piece of the ceiling in the shoulder and Dwight took a piece on his left shoulder and I my right arm. No injury ... just quite the scare! Engineering is doing some construction on the outskirts of the PT gym/room and they did not secure this section as well as they thought. An accident report was filed and nursing checked Dwight all over, etc. Made for a very eventful OT class!

They have reduced Dwight's Amantadeene (sp?) by 50%. This is the 'wake up' medication ... they feel he does not need as much. The only other med he is on is the blood thinner and this will continue until he is completely mobile on his feel.

Our visit with Dr. Berry also helped us understand the LONG HAUL we have ahead. It is like raising an adolescent all over again. Dr. Berry told us that Dwight just came out of "Post Traumatic Amnesia" two weeks ago. I thought he was just having trouble with his short term memory as his long term memory seems to be there .... but not so. He had the PTA ....
Friday in the mail, he rec'd a Calvary's Counqueror's ball shirt, ball hat, autographed soft ball, and autographed certificate naming him the Most Valuable Player of the 2003 season They are also dedicating this season to Dwight! Made Mom cry and Dwight was exhilerated!!!! He goes, "I'm going to play ball with them when I get home" ..... It was SUCH an encouragment to him and to me!!!! THANX TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday, I went with Jessica shopping for apartment furnishings. I did not get to see Dwight until 3:15. "Where have you been" ? He asked and I told him and that was cool. He and Bruno had an AWESOME day he said. Just chilling and watching sports and talking. Dwight did not miss us at all. I visited about 2 hours with him and then Jess and I took off to finish our quest. This morning, however, It was 10:30 and I was leaving to go to see him and the phone in my apartment rang. It was Dwight wanting to know where I was. "You're two hours late" ... I am? "yes, you're normally here by 8:30" .... I told him I thought he'd not want the female influence this morning and he told me he missed me!!!! AWE!

We are counting down the days until coming home! It is a bitter-sweet thing in that it is VERY scarey ... there is SUCH a security here and the therapists are just AWESOME!!!! Please pray the adjustment and all coming back to KS will be a smooth transition. THANX! We appreciate ALL each does for us!!! The prayers are of UTMOST importance!!!!

May God find US faithful!!!! joan for us 4 1 Cor. 2:5 "so that 'our' faith should not rest on the wisdom of men BUT on the POWER OF GOD"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!