Day 4

Today was a good day. I was able to spend the morning with the girls and head over to the hospital around lunch time.Our family has decided not to kill ourselves by all being down at the hospital 12 hours a day and start taking shifts with Dane. It's really hard for me to not be down at the hospital with him all day, but I know that my girls need me also... especially since they're missing their daddy so much.
Dane is definitely anxious to leave the hospital. Anytime that he wakes up, the first words out of his mouth are "lets go" or "what are we waiting for." Today, when he was asked what had happened to him, he had three different answers, phoenix fire and rescue and a helicopter, wild animals, and "I was carjacked and kidnapped." It really is an emotional process for us, as his family. Sometimes he feels like he's completely back to his normal self, and the very next moment he will have an answer like these for us, or he'll close his eyes and go back to sleep for hours.
We were finally able to meet the trauma doctor in charge of Dane's case today. He sat with us and talked with us for about 1/2 an hour and answered lots of our questions. As of right now, we have conflicting diagnosis for Dane, (one being small strokes and the other being contusions to the brain). The one positive thing that this doctor told us is that the treatment for either diagnosis is the same. They have decided, and we have agreed, to transfer Dane to a neurological rehabilitation center as soon as possible, most likely Monday. As far as we know right now, he will be transfered to St. Joes, St. Lukes or Good Samaritan. His prognosis is looking better and better each day.
Today, Dane was able to walk a little around his room, when he was awake. He was able to sit in a chair off and on. He was able to initiate some conversations toward the end of the day (up until now he was only answering questions that we gave him). He was able to eat the mashed potatoes, cooked carrots and jello that we fed him, and he was also able to go for a few walks around his floor in a wheelchair.
Thanks so much to all of our friends that came to visit us today. It really breaks up the day for us and for Dane too. Dane smiled for the first time at our friend Dustin when Dustin was teasing him about his accident. It was so great to see his smile. Thanks Dustin. Thanks so much to our ward, family and friends for fasting for our family and for Dane's recovery. It means so much to us all. We continue to be positive toward his full recovery and are thankful beyond words for all that has been done for us. I'm taking the morning shift at the hospital tomorrow so that I can finally go back to our house and we can all sleep in our own beds tomorrow night. The girls are definitely ready to get back on a schedule, and we are all anxious to be home. Hopefully Dane will be home soon too.