Dave continues to make big strides now that he’s shifted from respiratory rehabilitation to physical rehabilitation. As noted in the last update, he can eat solid foods now, though the doctors did move him backward slightly in regards to his diet, placing him on soft and bite-sized foods after he seemed to struggle a bit with eating. He indicated that each time he eats anything with significant texture, he feels like he’s choking a little. The good news is that they took a closer look and he’s not choking at all; it’s just a product of using his chewing and swallowing muscles for the first time in 3 months.

The bigger and much better news has been that since he moved to Harrisburg, he’s dove head first into physical and occupational therapy. He can now sit up with some help on the side of the bed and then keep himself there largley under his own power. He’s pushing himself hard, doing 90 minutes of each therapy every day. And as you can see in the picture, he sometimes gets a four-legged companion while putting in the work. It’s exhausting for him at times, but if you ask him if he’s tired during therapy, he’ll tell you no because he just wants to keep pushing toward that next step.

He’ll be here in Harrisburg for just about a month, with his expected discharge date being May 24. Lots of time to put in more work. #schwindstrong #keepclimbing