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First words out of his mouth when Alyssa and I walked into his room:
Where have you been?! I've been awake since 5:30. You have to learn how to help me do my tongue/mouth/swallow therapy. The guy next door was drunk and kept me awake all night. No ones been to see me yet. I can't see the tv because I have double vision and black spots in front of my eyes. (Can you say...too many steroids???) He literally talked all day long. Although his tongue is still swollen, he is getting easier to understand. And he hears really well. LOL!! We were saving up for a pair of those really expensive hearing aids that he would have to have as a musician.

Funniest thing that happened today:
Okay, second funniest thing, because he'd kill me if I told you the first...
Alyssa and I came in from dinner and he's "watching" Hannah Montana, the Movie. Alyssa says, "Why are you watching this?" and he says, "Because it was the only channel playing any (air quotes) music."

Most touching thing:
He teared up when our faithful Sandy came in the room and he told her it is so overwhelming the love and support he is getting when he was such a lousy person long ago (he really wasn't) and he's so thankful that the Lord put people in his life to teach him how to be a friend. Thanks again for visiting. I do think he's up for small visits pretty much any time now.

Scariest thing and "How the Hook's got in trouble with the nurse in ICU":
For his tongue and swallowing exercises he uses a small sponge on a stick that is dipped in ice water from a cup. Then he is supposed to practice taking a sip of water and spit it back into the cup. He had already decided that if the therapist said to do it 10 times, that doing it 20 times would make him get better faster and Alyssa had to remind him that "it's not quantity of reps, it's quality". Then, on the last therapy session, he takes the sip of water and swallows it! I freaked out (because I've seen enough medical dramas to know that you don't drink something until you have it on your chart;)), but he wouldn't listen to me. He insisted that if he could swallow the water they would let him have it and he stubbornly continued to drink the whole cup of water, while I fretted. Then he wanted more and I told him not without the nurse's permission. I went out and told her and she said, "NO, he can't drink until they make certain that his swallowing mechanism is not sending the water to his lungs!!!" I was mortified that I wasn't more strict and Gary was properly contrite, until she left the room and he said defiantly, "I felt the water go to my stomach."

Please pray:
*There will be lots of therapy. He will have to retrain parts of his brain to help him swallow, to have his eyes work together as one, instead of separately, to put his tongue in the right place, etc. I noticed a lack of coordination in his left arm and hand. His tongue and eye show a slight weakness on the left. BUT he mustn't rush things and he must listen to directions and me. Most importantly, he must take things slowly. He's already decided that he will be perfectly fine to drive Alyssa to Jackson, MS for her ballet intensive in 3 weeks. Plus he was talking about resting while doing yardwork...I kid you not.
*His blood pressure and blood sugar level are very high. The meds they give for swelling wreak havoc on his system. He's having to take insulin now. I know it will all work out, but it's hard not to worry.
*Many tests today...a barium swallow, brain MRI, ct scan, etc...that all will show wonderful results.
*Today (yesterday) was the first day I actually had the urge to fall apart. Gary's always been so strong and I realized that some things could be permanently changed for him. I thought this would be more of a 20 years from now thing.

What the world needs now is love: (stupid philosophical moment)
Don't forget to love...every person in your life, every activity you do, every talent and gift God has given you, every precious moment of your life. Don't be too busy to enjoy things. Let yourself and your family have fun. Try new things and experiences. I guess I'm just trying to say that God has given us so much to enjoy in this life and we get awfully bogged down in the daily grind. My prayer for my family (and yours) will now be that we live every moment to it's fullest, realizing that God has everything under control, so we can stop trying so hard to control everything and just enjoy what He's given us...family, friends, work and play.