Hi everyone,

Todd is home!

Tuesday afternoon my dad's physicians discharged him from HCMC. We left the hospital late that afternoon (the picture of him leaving), stopped for some Dairy Queen, got him settled in /comfy, and spent some quality time all together at home. He is over the moon to be home, and when he is not resting, he is busy catching up on all the tv series he has missed. We are so thankful and happy to have him home.

Healing:

Like I have mentioned before, his road to recovery is going to be a marathon. Nights are really rough (it is rough 24/7 honestly, but the nights are especially difficult). Right now, pain is our biggest opponent, but we are trying to manage that with medication.  Everything else seems to be steady and on the mend though. Pneumonia seems to be managed and no longer a concern as he is now walking independently and is breathing on room air (no oxygen assistance). Healing will come with time, and with healing we hope the pain will decrease.

Future plans:

For now, our only plans are to stay home and rest (besides going to follow-up visits with his physicians). As you are all aware, Todd is extremely at risk for COVID, so we are going to be in isolation/quarantine for quite some time. As he begins to gain strength and things calm down, we will hopefully be able to open our home to visitors so you guys can see him. He does have his phone, but just so you all are aware, conversation still takes a toll on his energy and can be stressful to his injuries after some time. He does appreciate hearing from you though 😊.

Todd’s words:

Like I mentioned in my last update, I’ve been reading him CaringBridge updates and comments. He now requests whenever I write them, to say something to you all…

“I have had a lot of challenges in life that have tested me. This is by far the most physically and mentally challenging situation I have ever faced. I am proud and very thankful for how far I have come, and I have many of you to thank for that. Once again, to everyone that has showed their concerns and generosity, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. People like you do not grow on trees and I am very privileged to have friends like you. If it was not for this damn nineteen (him referring to COVID), I’d personally drive (meaning Jessica would drive) to each and every one of you and give you a hug. Thank you all.”

With my dad now being at home, it is a huge sigh of relief, but it is also a new challenge for our family and it will likely be very time and energy consuming. Because of this, my updates will likely be fewer and possibly halting, especially since Todd is doing well and I truly believe we are “over the hill”. The upcoming weeks will be a struggle, but as I keep saying, my family and I are beyond thankful for these weeks—we are truly blessed. 

Thank you all so very much for all of your support, kind words, sweet offers, and thoughtful actions. I have always felt like we have lived in an amazing community and our lives are full of amazing people, but experiencing the benefits of that first-hand is something unexplainable. If there is anything we want to take out of this and share with you—especially with the holidays approaching—is to be thankful for what you DO have. Life changes in the blink of an eye. Appreciate the little things, moments you have, and the people who surround you.

Thank you all for everything, friends and family.  And a special thanks/acknowledgment to those selfless healthcare workers who saved my dad’s life. I aspire to care for others like they did for my dad one day.

Jess