This email came from Joan a few days ago.

Hi All

Spring is here and Paul will soon be here. Next Friday, May 4th, is the date for him to be discharged and come home. We are both looking forward to that with great anticipation and hope there are no glitches in the plan. I have had him home several times (the first being Easter weekend) and they have been wonderful. We've also learned a lot from these trips and that is preparing us better for life together again. Another big step in this life changing 13 months we've had.

The facility he is at is ordering equipment for me to use at home (wheelchair, walker, commode, tub bath bench) and they are supposed to contact the home health care department here near Windsor Park Manor. I had already called them, but now it needs to go through the proper channels - physician's orders, social worker, nursing & therapy assessments. Then the health care folks will make their own assessments.

One big step we made last week was to get a wheelchair accessible van. Using our Honda CRV just wouldn't work out, although I was so hopeful it would. We learned one weekend that just Paul and I could not manage that alone. It could have been a bad scene in the driveway, but we managed, and then just sat a minute and decided a van was necessary! It is a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan (16,000 miles) that has been "gutted" (my term). The official term is "converted" whereby they take out the front and middle seats (3rd row seats remain); lower the floor; put each front seat on rollers so either can be removed; add a fold out ramp that comes out the sliding door all at the press of a button. The van also "kneels." That means when the ramp is lowering the vehicle is also lowering so the ramp incline is not so steep. Since the front seats are on wheels, we took out the passenger seat and now I can roll Paul in his wheelchair up the ramp and into the front passenger seat area. There are special clamps that lock onto the wheelchair, plus the seat belt, so that he is secure. It works slick. We tried it out this weekend for the first time. It's a regular minivan, but I feel like I'm driving a school bus.

We were able to trade in the Honda and plan on selling the little blue Ford pickup, once we get it from the garage at the lake where it is stored. Anybody interested? Paul came to the conclusion himself that he will probably never drive again. That was my thinking, but I am glad he verbalized it first.

It's a great joy to realize his mind is improving in so many ways. We can joke and tease and it almost feels like B.A. (before accident). He wants to know how my day is going, what I've done, who I've talked to, any interesting mail, or did I talk to the kids or grandkids. He calls me each morning after breakfast and each evening after supper. Then I visit him all afternoon, so we are communicating well. His physical strength and walking is at a plateau now, but that seems to be his pattern. Last Saturday when he was home for most of the day he walked from the bedroom to the kitchen for lunch using the walker, me holding on to the transfer belt and trailing the wheelchair behind in case he needed to sit down quickly. He was quite proud - and that's walking on softer carpeting than he's used to. I was proud, as well. So it's coming.

Please pray that this next transition will go safely and well and that the home health part will work out with assistance and therapy. We both are so grateful for your continued concern, love and most of all, the prayers in our behalf. The peace and contentment we feel is real and amazing. I even believe that I'll start sewing and quilting again some day.

Lovingly, Joan