What happened? What's happening?

Four weeks ago Greg fell 20 feet off of a roof and severely damaged his spinal cord. Luckily he was working with someone on this day (he normally works alone) as he was out of cell phone  service and wouldn't have had the ability to call for help. He was taken to CVPH and then to UVM Medical Center, where we spent 3 weeks. The wonderful folks there put Greg back together again, surgeries/reconstruction to the front and back of his neck. He has a C5//C6 level injury-meaning he can move some of his right and left arms and wrists. His left is stronger and it is expected that with rehabilitation these areas will get stronger.

He has the ability to breathe now with a trachestomy, but is still on a ventilator at night. He spent well over a week on a ventilator without the ability to speak and then had to transition to a trach with a speaking valve with took another week. So, I become somewhat proficient in lip reading-it depends who you ask. The doctors are confident that he will be off the respirator (nights only) soon and the trach eventually. He has intense cough assist treatments, something he will require the rest of his life. However, as he gets stronger, off the respirator, no trach, this will be less intense.

It is unknown how much more function will return, but exercise and training will give Greg the ability to do a fair amount. We are on a journey of years that will require continuous adaptions. Today we are at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital with some of the finest doctors and therapists around. He works with the occupational therapist on using his left arm/wrist/hand to begin to learn how to raise his hand to his mouth for the ability to learn to eat, brush teeth, etc. He works with the physical therapist on driving a powered wheel chair and exercises to become stronger. He works with the speech path to swallow with a trach. And that is only after 2 days!

Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with an infection in the bowels and is back on antibiotics. This infection forces him to remain in his room-so our strolls around the floor are on hiatus. Fortunately,we have a good view from the room.