Update: 9:00pm on 6/29

Forrest has been working hard and striving to succeed, as he has done so every day. For over a month Forrest has been unable to communicate with us. Yesterday brought about some exciting progress. He had a great Speech Therapy session yesterday, when he pointed to the “no” card when his therapist asked if he was 37 years old and pointed to the “yes” card when asked if he lived in Virginia. After those two successes he was exhausted and unable to answer anything else, but it was a great start. He’s also started tentatively fist bumping and high fiving again, which are great signs. He overall looks more alert and aware, after a difficult month. He’s been having some gastro-intestinal problems, which the doctors are working up. He’s still posturing and hyper-extending for many hours each day, we are working with the doctors on changing his pain, anxiety, and muscle relaxing meds to counter these “posturing” episodes.

Transferring from his bed to his wheelchair he stood up with me several times yesterday and it was a heartwarming sight to see him looming above looking down at me, which is how he usually looks at people, especially me. The active duty Team 44 has moved into our new apartment, much more spacious and just a 10 min walk from the hospital. Yeah Aunt Lobie for finding rental furniture, supervising the movers, organizing our new abode, and shopping for and stocking the new Team 44 command post!

We also had a great number of Mercersburg (Forrest’s high-school for several years) visitors over the weekend and yesterday. It was great to see Nikki and Christina Hyrkas, their Mother, Mikk Nuth, Peter Flanagan, Gio DeSantis, and Shayna Rice. Forrest seemed to love seeing them, even when he dozed off we know hearing them tell stories of times with Forrest gave him positive energy & material for happy dreams.

Love,
Austin and Team 44

Forrest standing!

Christina and Nikki

Mikk

Gio and Pete (Shayna not in pic!)