Dan's Family Meeting

I was honored to be invited to "the family meeting" with all the therapists and Dan's parents by Steve and Linda yesterday at 10:30. Basically the Occupational Therapist (OT), the Physical Therapist (PT) and the Speech Therapist (ST) each gave a report on how Dan is doing in their area and then we got the plan for Dan for the next week.

Basically the insurance company approved Dan to be at the rehab hospital until Monday. So if they don't approve another week he will be home on Tuesday. It is typical for the insurance to go week by week on their approval. If Dan were to go home Tuesday it would require someone to be with him at all times based on what the OT was saying. The PT was very pleased with his progress and based on his eval would release him. The OT and the ST would highly recommend another week for sure and then a re-evaluation. Dan isn't really having problems with his speech, but his brain is still healing and the ST would like to work with him some more on cognitive development. The lead nurse is working with the insurance company and felt like most likely they will approve another week based on what the hospital would recommend. If he does stay another week, which is likely, he will have an appointment in Flagstaff to see the plastic surgeon for his jaw and face and the orthopedic surgeon for his hands. The rehab hospital also wants him to have a neuralogical psych eval, ear nose and throat eval for his left ear and an eye doctor eval for his left eye. Currently he is having some trouble focusing out of his left eye and he cannot hear out of his left ear. I will let you know what he will be doing as soon as I find out, although I would expect him to be there another week. The team working with Dan recommends a discharge date of July 31st, but again it will be week to week on Dan's improvement, the teams recommendations and the insurance company. Steve has gone back home to get caught up and Linda is staying until the 26th or 27th as far as she knows at this time. She will stay longer if necessary.

Dan is doing well, there have been quite a few visitors and I think he likes the interaction with different people. We do need to keep praying that he keeps his spirits up and can have patience with the whole process. He can't eat solid food and has lost about 30 lbs (as you can tell from the pictures) so he has been eating a lot of smoothies, pray for his strength and weight to return. Also continue to pray for him to know what it is God saved his life for as he really believes God wants him here...I think I would agree. Also be praying for the financial piece of this whole thing. The kids of the full time staff here on camp (my kids, Coyne kids and the other Mengarelli's) have been selling lemonade and brownies with the procedes going to Dan's Medical Fund. I will try to get some info on how much we need and how much we have to pass that along to all of you. Thanks for your prayers and here are some pictures for your enjoyment.

Kris