"Sounds like somebody has a case of the Mondays..."

If you have seen the movie Office Space, you know this quote probably all too well.

I can tell you one thing, my Dad did not have a case of the 'Mondays' today. Today was day thirty and let me just tell you what a day it has been. I hope I don't leave anything out!

We had adventures with a Neurotic Nurse today who did everything in her power to keep us out of that room today, and to be a total jerk - no lie. She told me not to talk to him because I was agitating him... I'm not even gonna go on here about how much she aggravated me today because it is over and done with --- lets just put it this way - she was condescending and rude.

Dedo and Paw Paw (Wayman and Sharon) came to see Dad today too. His WBC count is still elevated, but they inserted another chest tube into his lung on the right side and removed one of the two from his left side. He was pretty alert alot of today.

Mom and I fussed and bugged a lot of people looking for a longer bed, to no avail. However, miraculously one appeared later and he is much more comfortable in it. Also, he read a lot of the cards that have come in the mail today. Not sure if he is comprehending or not, but he looks like he is reading the words. I watched his eyes today as he did this, and it looks like the track back and forth as if he were reading - so hopefully he is. He is still doing really good at answering questions and nodding responses.

He can follow commands and today when I brushed his teeth -- he didn't try to bite me! He actually opened his mouth and let me clean them a little better instead of just the fronts of them like usual! When I sprayed the water in to rinse the toothpaste off and to suction it out... that little brat swallowed the water! Mom told me she has been sticking the little sponges they have to clean his mouth with filled with ice water in his mouth and he has been sucking the water out of them. They told us they don't want him to do this yet until they "test" his swallowing capabilities. If he does well, they will take that feeding tube out to let him hopefully eat or drink soon...

I went to a dental school social thing tonight, and when I came back up to the hospital afterwards and walked in the room, he looked so happy to see me. Me and mom would just be talking to him or talking to each other, and he will just reach out and grab your hand because he wants to just hold it. We were taking pictures and notes down and showing them all to him.

I was talking to him and joking around about something, and I am mad that I can't remember what it was, but I made him laugh. I said some smart ass comment and he laughed. He smiled at a couple of other things I said today, but whatever I had said it made him grin and laugh a little. It was such a wonderful thing to see, and me and mom got so excited about it we can't remember what I was saying that was so darned funny.

I also told Dad tonight when Mom was asking him if she could bring anything --- even though there wasn't even really a way for him to answer. I was like, I know Dad, we can wheel your margarita machine in here and get you some margaritas. I thought he hadn't heard me really, but he must of thought about it for a second, but he kinda shrugged his shoulders and arms and made this face like "Hmm, not a bad idea!"... it was really funny.

I was in his room earlier today and just looking at him and talking to him, and he winked at me. It was something he always has done on random occasions is wink at me, especially when I was younger. I was thrown off, and I said with a huge grin, Dad was that a wink!?! and he nodded yes that it was with a tiny grin on his face.

I feel like I am just rambling all these little milestones off that we had today. Man, I know he is still very sick, but he is gonna be fine, I KNOW IT! I am so glad that I know it too because it feels like this weight is off my shoulders, and now I can just enjoy my time with him. It feels like real quality time too.

He also got downgraded tonight out of ICU! O man, that was probably important to some of you and I should have said so earlier --- oh well the people that skimmed over my ramblings will miss this bit of good news. He is now in the Intermediate critical care, which is a step down! Still is on machines and everything, but this is great! So he isn't technically in ICU now, but is still in the SIMU - shock Intermediate medical unit or something like that...

Anyway, I wanted to say the best piece of the day for last. We were getting ready to go, and I was telling dad that I don't like telling him goodnight and that I am sad to leave. I was telling him a hundred times how much I love him and I was trying to lean over the bed (which has higher sides than the old bed he had and I could barely reach him) and was going to give him a kiss on his cheek. He looks up at me leaning over and pursed his lips! I was like WHAT! My Dad wants a real goodnight kiss!! So I had to almost climb over that rail to reach his lips!
Mom was like Ah, what about me can I have a kiss too? and she leaned over and he gave her a goodnight kiss as well.

God is oh so good. I know everyone reading this knows what an amazing man that is up in that hospital ... but he is so more amazing to me than words can describe. He is my Dad... and it just doesn't get much better than that - a daughter's love for her Daddy is like no other. Man I love that man! So So much.

I love you all as well, I was so happy to read all the notes on the comments tonight, to see that everyone else is just as overjoyed as we are about this step toward his recovery! We can do this together, ya there may be a long long road ahead of him, but we are gonna get there!

Thank you everyone who is helping out with little Matthew, thank you to the guys that went to San Marcos last week and took care of business there. Thank you for the encouragement, and phonecalls to check on us and on Dad.

We love you!!! Thank you LORD!!! What amazing blessings continue to pour down!

Love Megan