Final Days at Shock Trauma & Visiting

Ya’ll (I’m practicing my Southern - scroll down to read more) continue to amaze and overwhelm us with your support for our family. The Meal Train filled up overnight and TeamSward.com is hopping (our soon to be home for these updates and much, much more). We appreciate you heading over there and also sharing it. 

Yesterday, David (with some pivotal, wise and wonderful input from Doug and me of course) made the decision to go to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta for his rehabilitation. Shepherd and just shy of 20 other places in the country are part of a Spinal Cord Injury Model Center System - the best places to go that will help propel someone to their maximum potential after such an event like this. Shepherd and just one or two other places quickly rose to the top: Following some conversations with new friends whose loved ones went to Shepherd, hospital staff, and our meeting with a Shepherd rep, the decision was mad

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While we’d talked about whether we could get David down there this week - his hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) sessions are about to end and getting the intensive rehab party started is the best thing that can be done - it looks like Monday will be our day of departure if everything continues to line up. He is eager & ready to go! 

A number of you have asked about coming to see David - we would love to fit that in if we can! Given the nurses’ visits, his PT and other needs, I ask you to text me (Erika) to let me know of your interest to see if we can make the stars align. With HBO ending, this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday look like good days to have a few folks come up. As always, one cannot predict an exact time he will be free because of the nurses and other factors and we may need to ask you to hang out in the lounge for a bit too. We also appreciate your understanding that visits should be limited to no more than 30 minutes and we may just not be able to get everyone in. But we will try!! 

Meanwhile, back at the home front, Jake departed yesterday to go back to Madison and Grampa Mel arrived - just in time for the return to school for the boys. It was understandably rough getting up and out the door this morning, but it was time and I think good for both of them. And while we are hoping to bring London back soon from her R&R time at our friends’ house, Happy Cat is definitely feeling David’s absence, the disruption of routine, and the under currents of anxiety permeating our house. This morning, when Grampa was eating breakfast, Happy jumped up on his lap for some love. Cereal and cat fur = breakfast of champions.  

Thank you all 💕💕💕