He's Coming Home!

Tomorrow morning Dad will be coming home from the hospital! We are all so excited and can't wait to have him back. He will still be going to doctor visits for a little while but I bet it will be nice to be in his own bed. Thanks everyone for the constant thoughts and prayers we love you all :)

Visiting

Shane and I went and saw Dad yesterday. He is doing very well. He had done some occupational and physical therapy yesterday. We took his dinner and ate in the family center room. That was a nice change and gave us a chance to all be together. Julie, Ted, Natalie, Taylor, and Mom were all with us as well. It is amazing how well he is doing after such a horrible fall and infection. Dad wants to get back to work as soon as possible but he needs to take it slow so he can make a full recovery. We are all so blessed with the progress he has made! We can't wait for the time he can finally come home. 

I mentioned that visiting hours are from 4-8, however you can visit earlier, but he may or may not be doing therapy. After 4 you are sure to see him!

Officially in Rehab

Today at about 4:30 pm, they officially moved Dad to rehab. It was supposed to be Monday or Tuesday but they were giving him some extra rest time I guess. He is doing so much better and I think will do very well, very fast in rehab. He was excited to get going and get through it, he really wants to go to work. I don't think my dad has ever spent this much time away from work so he is getting antsy "sitting around". Although, he needs the rest to get well.


Visiting hours in rehab are from 4:00 PM -8:00PM. They like to keep to this schedule because for most of the day patients are in therapy and doing rehab work. When they aren't, they are getting much needed rest.
Dad is on the second floor. The best way to get there is to go in the main entrance of the hospital and go down the "clinicals" hall until you get to "A Elevators". Take A elevators to level 2. I forgot his room number...just ask the nurse station for Don Alger and they will tell you the #.


We are all grateful for Dad and his improving health!

He's Back!

Alright so it is day 20 of this hospital journey and I am pleased to say that Dad is back! What I mean is dad is not confused anymore and actually talking like himself again! I feel like it just all of a sudden happened, Friday and Saturday he was still really confused and then yesterday and today he just started remembering what was happening. He doesn't remember anything from when he hit his head through saturday, April 30th, but he realizes he is in the hospital to get better. He also remembers things from before the accident. My mom was telling him about everyone who has come to visit, made phone calls, provided dinner, fasted, prayed, blessed, and just plain been there for him. He was so touched and amazed by everyone's generosity. Today's gratitude thought comes from dad...He kept saying how grateful and blessed he was to have such amazing family, friends and ward members.


He was also remembering things we were saying, which he was not able to do before...he would just forget things from even an hour earlier in the day. Dad is ready for rehab and wants to get better so he can get back to work! He is off the dysphagia diet which was only soft food and is now on the normal hospital food diet. I asked him what I could do to help and he said "bring something really cool up here for your dad". Haha, funny! I probably will though :) Anyway, today has been a total 180 turn from last week. When he is in rehab I am pretty sure visiting hours are only from 4-8 PM. I will check and update everyone tomorrow. I am sure he would love to see people now, especially since he will remember your visit!

Day 12 at the U..."A thousand times better..."

Quoting the Doctor, this morning my dad looked "a thousand times better!". From yesterday to today, he has made huge jumps. The doctor said they took him off some pain medication and are now only using tylonol  which is helping with the being more alert and talkative. Dad is also on two medications to "wake him up" so he is not so sleepy, and it is working! When I came in this morning he was talking, active and wanted to look at some family pictures.  He had also eaten half of his breakfast. I wasn't there when he ate lunch but Natalie said he ate all of it. It feels funny to get excited over my dad eating, but this last week he hardly ate anything, just a couple bites here and there. Dad talked on the phone with several people and held pretty decent conversations. One of my Grandma Alger's friends stopped by for a second and my dad was telling her how he was going to have grandkids, that Clay and Tiffany were expecting their first child. He recognized everyone that was with him today and knew he was at the University of Utah. He could answer all the questions from the doctor like who he was, the year, his birthday, etc. Dad actually started looking and acting like himself more today. 


His blood clot has improved by leaps and bounds and his arm is not swollen anymore. They are taking him off the heprin tomorrow and he will continue coumadin for the blood clot, that seems to be under control now. It was very positive and encouraging to see him doing so well. I think it will only continue to get better from here on out. Tomorrow he will be starting rehab and he's excited to get going on that recovery. Thanks everyone who is thinking, praying, and staying updated on dad. We appreciate all your love and support. I promise that soon visitors will be welcome to see him, probably in a few days time. 


I am grateful for the opportunity to tell my Dad I love him. His accident has reminded me how precious life can be, and how fast it can change!