September 15, 2017 – Update from Barbara Stanton – Thanks for your prayers!
The doctor in the ICU after Pete’s brain injury on 5/2/17 told us recovery would be a marathon. And it has been!
Pete had a large right parietal stroke in 2009 with multiple deficits from which he had a good partial recovery. Drove-gardened-preached now and then. In a word, he lived and functioned independently. His subdural hematoma resulting from the fall in May, eight years after his stroke, was also on the right. It was not surgically treated because of its small size. All this stuff on the same side of the brain compounded his problems. He faced intractable headaches, inability to sit or stand and cognitive impairment for starters.
Last Sunday Pete walked down the aisle at St Pauls with minimal assistance and a cane (including managing the stairs). He was admittedly shaky at times but we have honored his wish that his life would have value only if he could walk again. Progress has been made exponentially. A week ago he was still using a walker with our hands-on help. At the Parish Picnic on 8/16, a parishioner had to help lift him into the car. Before that, he was in a wheelchair except for walks in therapy with two physical therapists hovering over him.
Thank you for your prayers-support-visits. Without them, there would have been no remarkable recovery. Pete loves to have visits so if you want to hear the whole story on this rehab just come by our house in Church Hill or invite us to your house. You know how old folks like us love to discuss what is important to us. Besides, it will give Pete a chance to tell his story and you can see for yourself how far he has come cognitively. What does that insurance ad say? …..We’ve been around awhile and have learned a thing or two….253-720-1535