Day 20 Post Transplant - 29 days in Hospital

HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! Tube is out and Jim can speak. He sounds like a 2 pack a day smoker but regardless he can speak. Yesterday when they pulled it out the first thing he did was take a deep breath and say "Ahhhhhh." It was a sigh of relief. He was like a little kid just learning he could talk and kept trying things with his voice, just because he could. One of the first things he said was "you have alot of control when you can speak." Amazing the things we take for granted. Now he just has a mask with O2 and moist air going in.

Today, Jim has been cruising around the unit. Getting the tube out really gave him a boost in his spirits and some hope of getting better. He is much more lucid now. He said today that the whole experience has been strange because he can only remember some things and he said the whole time he wasn't sure what was reality and what wasn't. He has memories of things that didn't happen and no memory of things that did happen. I asked him if he was more clear headed today and he said "yeah, I was Wacko." (Couldn't agree More!)

The doctors told us today that if Jim continues to make progress, he will be back up on the bonemarrow unit tomorrow. Yea! That was great to hear. A week ago, I did not expect that I would ever hear that.

Speech Therapy will come up today and do a swallow test. After having a tube in your throat for two weeks, your swallow reflex doesn't work very well. So, now he just uses the spit sucker to clear his mouth. Once he can swallow they will begin to let him have some things like water or ice chips. He asked me today how long it has been since he last ate. He said he feels hungry. I told him it had been almost three weeks. I can't imagine going three weeks without eating. He really did not lose any weight though because he gained so much in water weight.

Well, I am a firm believer in Miracles. I have no doubt that this is one. I think that Jim must have more to do on this earth. I kept telling God last week that Jim surely could be more useful here than with him. Maybe I convinced him. (Ha Ha). Regardless of the reason, I am so glad he is still here with me.

Today I AM THANKFUL FOR the opportunity to hear my dear Jim's voice again.