So the question now is, what did you read to him? Was it the Dope? or was it just dopey? 
I haven’t looked at this thread for a while, it’s so good to see that Santo’s making such good progress. He’ll be owing you all kinds of favours after this!
Thank you for answering, though I think I speak for everyone when I say you should feel free to tell us to piss off when we get too nosy. 
Awesome, the trach coming out is a very good thing.
And the MRI results, too.
Huzzah Santo! Good news is scarce in our world, but welcome indeed.
We’re still in your corner Santo and family!
That would be great! You can send cards to:
Craig Hospital
Patrick Garcia
3425 South Clarkson Street
Englewood, CO 80113
Far from it! I wish I knew what the prognosis is… I would definitely sleep better at night. I wish the doctor’s knew!
I try to put it in perspective - I think of when he left the trauma center; he could only open his left eye! Now he is responding to commands and is starting to have more control over moving his legs and arms. The speech therapist is working to establish a form of communication with him.
People have told me to only worry about today. Only deal with what’s happening now. I try to do that, otherwise I would drive myself crazy.
We are blessed with good friends and family who help keep us on track. We have good days and bad days. Lately, they are mostly good!
We have been reading a book that he was reading prior to the accident - Guns, Germs & Steel (or some such thing). I chose to read an excert from the Ken Follet novel I was reading - Jackdaws. I told him it was an historical novel about female resistance fighters in France during WWII. I think that’s what did the trick. It does have some violent parts including things being blown up!
That’s great news. I miss Pat and hope that he will someday be able to come back here, but in the mean time it’s good to know that he is making steady progress. And the rehab facility sounds great. Thanks so much for keeping us updated.
To be able to follow his journey through all this by the up-dates in here… it really means a lot to me.
I keep hoping for good news - and we really have been getting a lot of them lately.
Thank you for the address and updates. I’m glad to hear Pat’s progressing well.
This is awesome news, SRM, and also a great way to keep my trivial (by comparison) problems in perspective.
Vamonos Senor Garcia!
Santo had such a good weekend and is making good progress!
He continues to respond and follow commands more consistently. He has weekends off from therapy so we try to help him stretch out. This a.m. I asked him if he was tired and wanted to quit stretching, to raise his eyebrows. He didn’t hesitate to raise them! He was also able to give a thumbs up and point his finger for his little brother.
We continue to be very hopeful. Thanks for your continued prayers and positive thoughts!
Outstanding!
Great news. If you haven’t already told him, make sure you tell him that the power of the straight dope is pulling for him.
We all do care he is one of ours and nobody gets left behind.
That’s great news. He’s still in there.
SRMom, let me tell you a little story about my mother and her massive hemorraghic stroke. The day after her stroke, the neurologist told us to find a good care facility to put her in, because she was never going to recover. The damage was just too severe. After she got out of intensive care and was able to start therapy, she was dogged. She’d do everything the therapists would give her and have us bring pre-K flashcards and workbooks so she could regain a sense of colours and numbers and the alphabet. After she got out of a week or two oin in-patient, they sent her home and she did out-patient therapy for months. Pretty much every waking hour was spent working in some way. Although she didn’t come through it totally unscathed, this woman who the doctors wanted to write off was able to regain almost all aspects of her former life. They therapists said that most people get frustrated when they don’t see immediate improvement, then give up on therapy. You have to be strong, be bull-headed, and fight for every inch you can take. Ignore the therapists saying that most of the improvement will be made the first month, three months, or whatever. As long as she kept working, she kept improving.
Good luck, stay tough, and don’t let him lose heart. If a 70 year old woman can recover from a strove that should’ve easily killed her, your son can do the same.
StG
More communication is great news!
Thanks for the update.
I was just thinking about Pat yesterday when I was down at a rugby tournament in Santa Fe. Hopefully He’ll at least be able to come out and watch us next year if not jump in and play.
I’m glad to hear things are still improving.
You just can’t keep a good man down.
This is all kinds of awesome.