I found this email from Jo and have been meaning to blog it…it’s from May 2:
I got a chance to see both URex and ADonna yesterday and wanted to report.
I was quite prepared for URex to be really “bad off.” I must tell you he was not what I expected. He talked not as easily as usual, but didn’t seem to be at a loss for stuff to say. For example, after Papa climbed up on a chair to fix the vertical blinds since the control thingys were broken, UR asked what Papa was doing on Monday. Of course Papa said “Nothing … what do you need?” UR asked “Can you drive?” P said “Yes.” UR said “What time can you be here?” P said “Whenever you need me.” After a pause, UR said “Well, I’m not sure yet when those blinds are gonna need to be turned the other way yet, I’ll let you know.” = )
He commented that “they” say the “wagon” caused the accident. I was glad and hope he believes it. He joked about how the owner of the wagon hasn’t been heard from and maybe it’s because he fears UR is gonna sue. Papa said he heard the owner is gonna sue UR for damage to the wagon! UR laughed easily and said that would make sense.
He also talked about wanting some gumbo from the Jambalaya Shoppe on Perkins, not the one on Old Hammond because that one has been sold to somebody outside the family and their gumbo isn’t as good. He ate while we were there but it wasn’t much. Mama fed him but later when I saw Becki she was saying how he could eat on his own.
Physically, he’s got a MAJOR neck brace. It keeps his chin up (higher than looks comfortable) and also prevents his head from turning right or left.
He said all staples have been removed and he kept them (!) if you care to see ’em. His left arm is being held at a 90 degree angle to his waist and he doesn’t move it at all … that’s the broken collarbone. The skin on his left shoulder looked smooth but dark. I didn’t see the back of his shoulder. His right arm is still yellow from bruising, his fingers are pretty rough around the nails, maybe from road burn. It’s just spots here and there that are torn up and the nails are grungy around the edges. I seem to remember that the gloves he wore were fingerless, so that might explain the fingers. He’s had a staple in his right leg, below the knee.
The staple is gone and the wound just had a couple of bandaids. The left leg has a good size cast just below the knee to the toes. Becki says he stood on his own without support yesterday, so that’s improvement. He coughs a lot. Mama says it’s because he’s not moving much and it just collects in his chest. He has breathing treatments to “bring it up and out” but he was saying how he has to concentrate to really get it out.
He said all they needed to do was tell him what they needed to see to let him go home and he’ll do it. His first day of therapy in LA is today.
ADonna, on the other hand, looked just like her same old self. She showed up at Kyle’s birthday party, which was held at First Bapt Gonz after their church service last night. (He was 1 year old yesterday!) Amy, Sam, Bek, Heidi, Caleb and Kelsey were with her. (quite an entourage) AD was in a wheelchair and had long sleeves and pants, bandaids on her fingers. So really, all you could see was her head but it looks like always. = ) I just cheek-to-cheeked her for fear of touching her anywhere.
Ronnie, Josh and other folks built a ramp at UD’s house and Bek says it’s great. Apparently they’re going to need it. AD is home now and UR said he expected he might be at HealthSouth Rehab for a few weeks.
They both still have a lot of healing to do. Keep them in your prayers.