Day 28, Tuesday

He is growing his beard and mustache until he gets to go home.

Leonard was still having issues all through the night and into the afternoon and then all of a sudden he started feeling better and has been good ever since. I think he may be on the mend, at least we are hopeful. The cultures are coming back with no significant signs of infection but they are giving him some pretty high powered antibiotics as if he did have an infection. The gastro specialist came in and put him on an all clear liquid diet in hopes that it might help as well. He has been very lathargic since he was re-admitted to the hospital,but his spirits lifted this afternoon which makes my spirits lifted as well. We may be able to go back to the rehab hospital tomorrow.

The trauma doctor who headed up his team of doctors from ICU came in this morning before I got there and removed the trach; that was a big relief. Respitory said his oxygen levels are excellent and even removed the oxygen tube that was in his nose. His orthopedic doctor's associate came by late this afternoon and looked at his hip and ankle. He okayed the removal of the staples that start in the middle of his back all the way down to the top of his thigh to be removed but the leg and ankle has to wait for a bit longer yet. Incisions look very good.

So all in all he had a fairly good day with some small victories. The ortho doctor said his recovery will be at least a year which we pretty much knew. I think we just need to set his goals for one day at a time so he doesn't get overwhelmed with the long time frame. Key words: positive attitude and faith in God.