This is so gooood!
Hooray!!!
It seems quite bizarre to me to give a shit about, not just a random person on the internet that I don’t know, but a person that’s important to some random person on the internet. But I do, so there you are.
Purplehorseshoe, it’s really great to hear that your guy is improving, and whereas I first started reading this thread with trepidation, now I’m reading it to get a little vicarious happiness. So thanks for that.
And the good thoughts and best wishes are still being sent your way.
Same here. I started following the thread early on, out of mild interest, and never would’ve expected to find myself caring so much.
Oh, what a relief. So good to hear.
Yay Mr. Shoe! Purplehorseshoes, I am so happy for you.
Now, take a deep, relaxing breath, eat properly yourself, and get plenty of sleep.
Homeboy is SITTING UP?! This is fantastic.
And I remember when ice chips were verboten. Ahh, this is wonderful news indeed!
Please let him know that a bunch of people he’s never met are rooting hard for both him and for you.
OK - now you need to tell us where he’s at so we can FLOOD his room with get well cards addressed to “Shmoopy”!
Uh YEAH??? Come on - give us an addy - PM me!!! I’ve already bought the card!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
Waves hand in the air! Me too!!! Well, I don’t have a card yet, but I have stamps and a working pen and I know where I can aquire a card or 2. Opening cards might help with his dexterity, so maybe that number should be 3 or 4.
This is such wonderful news. I’m glad that the exciting stuff in this thread has moved to happy stuff 
Awesome! (hugs for both Shoes)
zoid, Missy2U, flatlined, check your PMs. Everyone else: please, I beg, forgive my paranoid ass for not posting our address publicly, but I’ll send it to anyone who sends a PM.
I can’t tell you what it means to me that random strangers care. Really. REALLY.
Let’s see:
Good news: he’s brushing his own teeth! His right (non-dominant) hand isn’t doing much, but his left (dominant) hand is gaining strength and dexterity every time I see him.
Technical / not-so-good Rx news: his pulmonologist is keeping his PEEP level damn high. His oxygen has been dialed down to 35%, but his PEEP pressure is still at 12% to keep his alveoli open so his lungs don’t collapse down and refill with the aforementioned crud. He’s in isolation - we have to wear gloves, gown, mask, and booties, just to walk into his room - from a bacterial positive in his lungs. Otherwise, he’s relatively strong, and in fairly good spirits. Just … bored and frustrated, and YES we’ve brought him the local paper and whatever else we can think of to keep him occupied. He has a book of crosswords in his room with a Post-It wishing him the best from all the night nurses. 
(Told ya he’s been flirting …)
So glad to hear the good news!
From my recent hospital camp-outs, I do have one tiny piece of advice. When it is time to move him to a new room/ floor/ facility, bring a laundry basket. It is amazing the amount of personal stuff that will have accumulated in his room.
A laundry basket seemed more diginifed to me than throwing it all into a clean garbage bag. YMMV, of course. Not everyone has my hang ups.
(Side note: thanks to Lacunae Matata dubbing you ‘Madame Violet Equine Footwear,’ when I quote something wonderful you’ve said to my RL friends I refer to you as ‘My buddy Violet in Dallas’)
Maybe his new tablet could accommodate some audio books? Regular e-books too. Gotta keep a guy entertained.
Go over to Project Gutenberg and go “shopping” for free books for Schmooops. 
There’s thousands of freebies over there, everything from Shakespeare to Mark Twain.
I like a big book of pencil puzzles, myself. The kind where you’ve got crosswords and crisswords and several other kinds of puzzles in one book. I get bored with doing crosswords after a few hours of it, and it’s nice to change up puzzles. Also, a pack of mechanical pencils. The lead’s a bit harder than I like, but far more convenient than constantly sharpening a regular pencil.
This might be a good opportunity for him to learn to knit or crochet or do embroidery. I’m serious. I’ve done a lot of cross stitch while I’ve been hospitalized.
Netflix has a $7.99/mo unlimited streaming package that is guaranteed to keep him occupied until the 22nd century.
I’m currently watching “Frasier” and “Upstairs/Downstairs” series.
In fact, I will even spring for 3 months - PM me and I’ll send you a check.
Hooray! I’m so happy to hear all the good news. I’ve been telling my husband about you and Schmoopie, so you’ve even got non-Doper-type strangers caring about you.
We’ve been thinking about you guys a lot this last weekend, actually. We were both feeling feverish and headachy on and off, and then early Monday, husband took a turn for the worse, and we found out he has meningitis, probably viral. Then I started deteriorating, and it turns out I have it, too! Fortunately, the kid seems to be fine so far. But yeah, I’ve only been in the hospital a day or so and I’m already bored out of my gourd. So, one, we both have a renewed appreciation for what all of you are going through, and two, whatever I can do to help, I’m on it as soon as my ass is out of here. Cards, books, jokes that are only funny to me; all this and more is yours for the asking.
Keep up the good work!
YAAAAAAY!!!
hugs to both of you It’s so awesome to hear he’s doing so well!!!
Guess who got moved out of the ICU today? points at Mr. Shoe THIS GUY!!!
No real changes, other than geography. Still on the oxygen vent and all that, but now I think the focus is shifting towards getting him stronger, more mobile… oh, and that whole “breathing for himself” thing, too.
Nice room, too: shit, the TV is nicer than the one we have at home! I told him I’ll hang with him more, now. Big ol’ window with a nice view; the staff seems nice, and competent. He was sleeping soundly when I came tonight, but earlier, he did seem in good spirits, and at least enjoying having a different wall in front of him. Oh, and I hadn’t mentioned this thread to him before, but I told him today. The look on his face when I told him how many thousands of views it’s gotten was priceless. He was really incredulous, that so many random strangers neither of us have ever met care a bit about how he’s doing.
So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for giving me the ability to tell him that he’s loved by so many. It means a lot.
Wishing you and your husband a speedy recovery, Heart of Dorkness. Meningitis was one of the very few dangers that passed over my husband, and I’m sorry if the Meningitis Fairy skipped over him and into your home instead.