Sighs of Relief!

It seems that David's headaches are most likely from the therapy he's been doing these last couple of weeks...his brain is working overtime trying to connect all the dots that have been a little jumbled since his surgery.

So we all collectively sigh and thank God for the no news!!

Sigh.
Thank You.

Please continue to pray for David, Matt & Kathe as they day by day walk this road in faith...trusting God and living the life He has given, to the fullest! Unaltered by fear or worry!

Since the surgery, David's short term memory has been greatly affected...there are days where little improvements can be seen, and then there are days when it seems the pendulum swings back the other way.

It is quite a road.

A huge praise is that David is, and this won't come as a surprise, happy and hopeful...his personality shines more and more as the days go by, and we keep praying that his short term memory will come back more and more each day as well!

Join us.

Long Overdue Update!

It's been almost a month since David has been home!

And it's been a good month of getting settled back at home for the Bakers - getting settled into a new routine of lots of therapy at TIRR and at Shriner's with some TOP KNOTCH therapists, and lots of therapy at home (with some non-professional but equally top knotch therapists: Matt & Kathe!) - memory games, reading comprehension, tennis, drum lessons, journaling, and swimming to name a few! David Baker is a busy man working to regain his short term memory! And his parents are busy helping him too!

As far as David's physical health, he has continued to improve and has been doing great!

However, in the last 24 hours, David has experienced 3 major headaches.

If you read this this morning, please thank God for His protection of David thus far, and His grace over the past month. Pray also for David's brain to settle down. Pray that the headaches and pain would cease and that Dr. Chen is able to call the Bakers back as soon as possible with some wisdom to speak into the situation.

Pray for peace and for fear to again, be bound from entering the Baker's hearts...a headache to most of us seems minimal, no cause for alarm. A headache in the Baker's world is a lot scarier than that. Pray that they would all have the strength to cling to Jesus and His Word and to not operate out of a spirit of fear.

Thanks for checking in on David!!

Thank You

Can you believe that David WALKED out of the Neurotrauma ICU straight to the car, straight home?!

Here's your proof! Believe it!

So much to thank God for - so many ways He has blessed the Bakers - many of those blessings are the staff of Memorial Hermann - so many of them were out of town/off of work yesterday when David left the hospital, but a few are pictured above.

Thank you, Lord, for surrounding the Bakers with loving, knowledgeable, attentive, personable, talented, compassionate people during their hospital "visits" - You knew what they needed to make it through each long day and night and we thank You for giving them the sweet staff You did.

And thank YOU, David's nurses...you know who you are...so grateful for you and the hard work and depth of love you extended to the Bakers.

And they're...

off!

Discharge papers in hand, the Bakers are headed home...yay!!

Although they love the staff at the hospital, especially Dr. Roc the Chen and their sweet nurses (believe me, they REALLY love them!), it is with much excitement they bid farewell to the 7th floor ICU, to the couch/bed, to the long halls of Memorial Hermann, to the lovely parking garage (and parking fees!) and say hello to home!

Good to Go!

EEG results came back and all looks good!

If the morning continues to go well, David will be good to go home TODAY!

Tomorrow?!

Dr. Chen came by for awhile, but no results from EEG yet...HOWEVER...sounds like David might actually get to go HOME tomorrow!! That is completely not final, but wouldn't it be just fantastic to get David back home sooner than later for the duration of his recovery?!

Doing Better

David is really doing better this afternoon after a rough, very rough morning!

We haven't heard from Dr. Chen with results from the EEG, but David is having a good afternoon and seems much more aware of all that is going on.

There was talk earlier today about putting David on the waiting list to move to a regular room and out of ICU, but no official word on that either. :)

It's a waiting game...while we wait, though, David is making little progresses here and there...his mouth functions are leaps and bounds ahead of where they were a few days ago even! His personality is visible, and even his short term memory has improved a little!

As you can imagine, all our anxious to get David home, in his own house, in his own bed, with familiarity all around...we are hopeful that the homecoming could be just days away!

EEG this morning

David has had a bit of a scare this morning - Dr. Chen seems to think it was a reaction to medication, but has ordered an EEG (go here if you are unfamiliar with this test) this morning.

Please pray for David.

One Step at a Time

David is making HUGE steps towards recovering - he is eating like a stinkin' horse and is doing so almost entirely on his own! (yesterday I watched him eat a whole bowl of cinnamon toast crunch all on his own!), he is occasionally busting out the beat boxing, he is occasionally bringing the beat on the djembe, he is daily taking strolls around the NeuroTraum ICU and when I left the hospital last night, he was on his feet dancing with his fam to "Eye of the Tiger"!!

Risin' up, back on the street, did my time took my chances...went the distance now I'm back on my feet, just a man and his will to survive!!

Heck Yea!

A few things you can praise God for today: NO more stitches! NO more feeding tube! NO more central line!

A few prayer requests today: Please continue to pray for David's short term memory. Pray for small moments of clarity that will one day (hopefully soon!) string together to make longer and longer moments and then eventually turn into full days of clear understanding and complete awareness of all that has/is going on. Also, that Dave would become better oriented to regular day/night sleeping patterns...it's been quite a few nights of restless, interrupted sleep, and David really needs to rest (as do his parents!) to make the most out of the daylight/therapy hours.

Again, the road to full recovery is long - and David is moving right along, one step at a time.

One step at a time, dear Savior I cannot take any more The flesh is so weak and hopeless I know not what is before One step at a time, dear Savior Till faith grows stronger in Thee One step at a time, dear Savior Till hope grows stronger in me One step at a time, dear Savior I am not walking by sight Keep step with my soul, dear Savior I walk by faith in Thy might One step at a time, dear Savior O guard my faltering feet! Keep hold of my hand, dear Savior Till I my journey complete One step at a time, dear Savior Thou knowest all of my fear One word from Thy heart, dear Savior And heaven's mansions appear TJ Shelton

"Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy. For the word of the LORD is upright, And all His work is {done} in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD. By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance. The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; From His dwelling place He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works.
The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness, To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name. Let Your lovingkindness,
O LORD, be upon us, According as we have hoped in You."
Psalm 33

(thanks Janet for the link!)