Keep Praying For Lon & His Family

Lon is still doing real well. There hasn't been anymore big changes; Mostly little ones are adding up right now.
Please pray that Lon and Melinda stay healthy (Annastacia and Zeb are fighting a flu), pray for more sleep, favor with social security and the Albers insurance company. Melinda's sister and niece from Arizona are visiting and helping out for 1 - 2 weeks. Everyday is a miracle (for all of us!)

Lon and Melinda arrived home around 3pm, after going to Costco for prescriptions (almost $700.00 for a short supply!).
Lon is worn out, a bit dizzy, maybe from the change in altitude (1000'), but doing real well and so happy to be home!
I spoke with Lon and it was so great to hear his voice. He sounds a bit slower than usual, but so amazing. He was telling me the peace he felt when he was first injured, he was concerned for his family, but not himself. He felt a peace like he's never experienced, because he said he knew where he was going if he didn't make it!
Lon says "My brains been on horse." Sounds like Lon doesn't it:)
Right now Lon has PT Friday, Speech Monday and OT Tuesday.
Please keep praying for them, they still need all of our prayers. Please pray that Insurance will cover everything without a hassle. (There has been denials already for things, so Melinda has to resubmit.)
Melinda want's me to tell you all Thank You for everything!!!

Today was better than great. Melinda arrived at rehab around 7:30 AM. Today she and Lon and his OT went to a sporting goods store and did some window shopping. Then Lon made a purchase of coffee, counting back change. Then he and Melinda got passes to leave for awhile and they went to the ICU where Lon saw some of the people that helped him and he got the opportunity to thank them. They were so happy to see him!
Lon took Melinda to dinner for Mothers day. He has a tough time sitting very long so he stood by the table talking to her a lot of the time. Lon was telling the waitress and others today that "It's a miracle I'm alive, but it's not the doctors it's Gods miracle." Lon was also apologetic and thankful to others who have been with him during this time of recovery. Melinda did the driving today, and Lon handled it well. (Lon is the one who usually drives.)
A CT scan was done today and all of the blood is gone from his brain, the swelling has gone down a lot; However there is still some towards the lower back. Lon still needs his nerves to mend together. The doctors say they believe the confusion will go away and his memory should come back pretty well. (We're praying for 100%.) Melinda is staying the night and planning on bringing Lon home tomorrow. Keep praying:)

Lon has been doing real well. The conversations that Melinda, Marv and his doctors have had with him today have all been pretty exciting. He seems to have a better understanding of his injury and what he should and shouldn't do for safety reasons. He is excited about Melinda coming up tomorrow morning and the possibility of going home. We're praying for compliance, peace, good rest and of course we're still believing and praying for complete healing! Pray for Melinda's time with Lon tomorrow and her safety traveling.
PS If all goes well Lon will be going home Thursday!

Lon was moved back to rehab today and he met with his doctors. He told them that he want's to go home and they cannot hold him against his will. He is right. But he did agree to stay until his doctors say it is OK to go home (pretty much the prior agreement of Lon being compliant for 3 days and then he can go home Thursday.) We are praying that Lon will stay calm, keep his agreement and get good rest. Please pray for Melinda also.

Lon's medication was changed again yesterday. They're still looking for the one that helps his mood to be more even. Today was a real good day!
Melinda and the kids went to church for the first time together since the accident. When they got home there was a very sweet message on the answering machine from Lon to Melinda for Mothers day.
When Melinda, Marv and Mark (a friend from WA) went to visit Lon he was doing very well today. Lon gave Melinda hugs and a kiss (too nice to keep private!). He is still on the secure 3rd floor, and he is still thinking he is going home this week... He doesn't know that his behavior caused him to go back up to the 3rd floor. Right now he blames others for his actions. He doesn't always remember things that he does or says and doesn't understand yet that there is a consequence or reaction for every action.

Lon was blessed with moving back down to rehab this afternoon.
Melinda made a spaghetti dinner, got the kids ready for the 1 1/2 hour trip to Great Falls and they shared a nice family meal together in Lon's room; The first dinner they've shared since the accident. They spent an hour with Lon tonight and even played the board game trouble for awhile. Lon, with 3 assistants, walked his family to their truck to say goodbye. It was a good visit.
Lon was shown pictures again today of his MRI / CT scan of his brain. He told Melinda that "It seems to be a miracle that I'm alive." Amen!
Maybe Lon is beginning to understand the severity of his injury. This will help him as he transitions back home, to avoid unsafe situations, if he can keep this understanding in his memory.
Maybe going home is just around the corner. When it happens it will be a huge transition for everyone. Please keep this in your prayers.

Lon woke this morning talking about wanting to go home and wanting his shoes so he could leave. He was exhausted tonight and fell asleep early while on the phone to the kids. He hasn't been sleeping very much. Pray that he will get as much sleep every night that is necessary for his brain to heal. He wouldn't take his medication because he thought he had already taken it for the night. These aren't good signs for him being able to move back to rehab tomorrow. We will see :)
Melinda is hoping to take the kids to see Lon tomorrow, he misses them and they miss their Daddy. Pray for Lon to be calm tomorrow and for a good visit. And if it's right, for Lon to move back to rehab.

The family meeting went real well today. The meeting was about 40 minutes long, which is a long span of time for Lon right now and tiring. He was calm even when he felt angry and didn't agree with the Doctors and the family. He did get to a point where he was visibly angry (red face) so they offered him some medication to help him stay calm, then everyone went off and took a break until the medication was working. Lon spent a lot of time trying to negotiate and debate their plan (this is Lon!); But he did agree to try it.
Plan: He must comply with their rules and no talk of or trying to escape through Thursday. If Lon does this they will look at moving him back to his other room in rehab where he has more freedom. If Lon complies through Sunday with everything, they will have another family meeting Monday to discuss going home. He would have to sign an agreement not to do certain things that could be harmful (drive, use power tools, etc.).
Lon doesn't need help walking (no belt or people to catch him). He needs his brain healed. Keep praying. With God all things are possible.

Today is Annastacias 5th birthday. The kids were irritable and teary early in the day because their daddy wasn't with them. This was a difficult day for everyone, but ended good for the kids. Even Lon tried to get home for her birthday. I don't know if he remembered on his own, but he tried throughout the day to leave. Lon's short term memory is very sporadic.
Melinda took the kids, Grandma and a cake she made last night to the carousel in Helena. A friend from church called her earlier in the day and asked when they would be there and she brought more of their friends and birthday gifts to celebrate the special day! What a blessing they were. This made for a very nice and memorable birthday for the kids. Thank you!
Melinda is asking for prayer that Lon's nerve / brain connections will come so that he will understand why certain choices are being made for him. Pray that Melinda and Marv will remain strong to do what is right and best for Lon. Pray for their family meeting tomorrow. Thank you.

Lon made his way out the double doors to the outside again. It took a lot of talking and some force to get him back inside. Lon has been moved to the 3rd floor where the security is much tighter and it will be very difficult for him to leave on his own. He want's to go home and feels like he should be able to. He is still unable to grasp what he has been through and the injuries he has. Melinda wants him home of course, but only when the Dr.'s say he is ready. They are really needing our prayers.
Melinda is home spending time with the kids + Annastacias birthday is tomorrow. Melinda and Marv are planning to go up Wednesday for a family meeting with the Doctors and Lon.

Today was a really difficult day. Lon seems to be in the anger stage that TBI sufferers go through. This has been very different than the agitation he has experienced. He has been very angry and emotionally cold (not like Lon at all). Lon told everyone to leave today. Melinda was told that it may be best to do this for now. So they packed up the trailer and Marv took Melinda and Sierra home. A very trying and emotional day for Melinda. Lon and Melinda are staying in contact and Melinda with Lon's nurses. Melinda will see how Lon is tomorrow and she may go up for the night. Lon is complying with the nurses and taking his medication.
Please keep praying. If this is the typical anger stage that TBI patients can go through, it has happened sooner than usual, which may be a good sign. Melinda is praying that it passes as quickly as possible, so Lon can move forward and come home.
We are still praising God for all he has done and all he is doing.

Lon's nurse and Melinda agreed it was best to stop the Ativan immediately. It seems like it was a wise decision because today Lon was calm, and not pacing the halls like he has been. Sierra will be there Sunday and Monday. She will spend two nights with Melinda if all is calm. Please keep them and their time together in prayer. If Lon signs an agreement to come back tomorrow, he chose not to sign the agreement earlier today, he will be able to leave with Marv, Melinda and Sierra for a few hours. This will help transition him back into life outside of rehab. Please pray if it's the right timing for Lon, he will sign the agreement and pray for his time with Sierra.

We only had a couple of minutes to talk tonight. It has been a very difficult day in MT. Lon woke up agitated, pulled his IV out and has been very agitated all day. They have to give him pills and shots now. Melinda said that he has enough drugs in him to put a horse down. Please pray for Lon to be calm and to rest through the night and for Melinda to get a restful nights sleep as well. They say that Lon is in an agitated "stage". TBI sufferers go through certain stages. Lon has been agitated at different times since he woke up from the coma, but nothing, nothing like this! Everyone needs to pray for this stage to pass as quickly as possible. Pray wisdom for the Dr.'s with medication and treatment. Pray peace, calm and restfulness over Lon and Melinda. Just keep praying in faith.

We had a quick and early conversation (7:30 here, 8:30 MT). Melinda was waiting for pizza to be delivered. Lon wanted pizza (he was hungry because he didn't eat dinner earlier) and he wasn't going to let it go, so it was pizza for a late dinner. (Tomorrow I'll ask if Lon even ate any.) During our call, Lon was walking the halls looking, watching and waiting. He asked Melinda who she was talking to. He said to "tell me hi and that it's beautiful here." I'm not sure he remembered me, but it was good to hear his voice.
Melinda had to get off the phone about 5 minutes after that, because Lon set the door alarm off at the other end of the hall and it was loud! The new medicine Seroquel, seems to be helping Lon to be more calm and his head more clear and focused then the last few days. The plan is to wean him off of the other two, the Haldol within the next day or so. Melinda noticed today that she couldn't just pretend to do something that Lon asked, she had to do it, because he could tell the difference. Lon did some sketches today of their home and land. Melinda said that he had done well and that they were accurate. Keep praying in faith.
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:22