Happy Birthday to Kent

What a way to spend a birthday!

Toni & Mary reported that Kent was working with some nurses in testing his range of mobility. Although he was not able to lift his body weight to move forward on the bed without assistance, he was able to sit up and lift both knees and hold them up. They also had him walk the ICU circle and attempt a few stairs, which he was able to do.

His speech is slurred and his face is still swollen on the right side from the incision that runs from under, and then through, his ear lobe then up and around the ear towards the temple. There is also some weakness in his left side that prevents a full smile. He will see a speech therapist soon to discuss therapy.

Kent was moved this morning to NIMU - one step below ICU - where he will spend one night and then hopefully be moved down to a normal room for another night. This is great progress. He is alert today and asking questions about what happened to him. Mary and Toni are telling him a little at a time to bring him up-to-date on the last 3 or 4 days.

The hospital will allow him to have a piece of cake and a balloon for his birthday, but no party. (ONLY Kent can have food/drinks in this type of room.) I think his "party for one" may be delayed since he's now experiencing some nausea from all the activity.

More later and possibly photos of his birthday cake.