A Milestone for Mark

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Mark hit a great milestone this evening. He was able to dine at one of the island's finest restaurants with absolutely no problems. Mark's children are coming next weekend so his brother and I took him for a practice run tonight and to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary. Mark was able to eat a beautiful piece of salmon, mashed potatoes, hot rolls, and chocolate pie with ice cream for dessert, nothing pureed, no problems swallowing, a big step for the boy and we couldn't be happier. We took the portable suction machine just in case but didn't need it.

We owe it all to his speech therapist who has been working with him twice a week since he started wearing the Passy Muir valve on his trach. Much to my amazement, he does his exercises daily, recites " had a little lamb" for his caregiver daily, works real hard at only saying two to three words on each breath and talks better now then he did before. We are very careful with what he eats and so far haven't had any problems.

Mark's daughter became engaged in December so we are letting him help with wedding plans (don't tell him, but his daughter and I have a plan to allow him to help so we can get the tight boy to deal out more dough). She even moved the location from Nantucket to Kiawah Island so it would be easier for him to get there. SMART GIRL! She is marrying the nicest boy I've ever met, he even flew down last month to Savannah, rented a car, drove to the island to ask for her hand in marriage because he wanted to do it face to face.

Then he flew her to Paris to ask her.

The children and I have noticed a big change in Mark after the terrible episode in December. Once he got back to talking and eating his attitude is much better. We do believe that he feels like he now has some control over a few things which makes him happy. Don't get me wrong, he's still harboring that awful stubbornness that goes with this disorder, many times won't do what he is asked, very often acts like a HUGE two year old, but is still easier to get along with.

Mark loves his caregiver, she and I have become best friends, she can't imagine why I keep telling her that if he becomes the pain in butt to her like he does me, to please let me know. She just laughs and tells me that he never acts like that with her, must be a wife thing!

Our HUGE amazon puppy now weighs in at 48 pounds and she's only 7 months old, the little fart goes to bed with Mark every night and sleeps at his feet while I'm at work during the day. He delights in telling me that she has NO discipline and I'm not doing my job at raising her correctly. MEN, you gotta love'm!

Take Care,

Judy