January 21, 2011

Dear Friends,

We got the final word and Dwaine is coming home to stay tomorrow at around 11:30.  If you have a spare minute to welcome him home, I think he'd be excited to see you.  We live at XXXX in Stapleton, 80238. 

He's doing so well, it's impossible to truly appreciate his progress if you hadn't seen him at the beginning - pale, with such pain in his head it made him nauseous, unable to speak, unable to move his arm or even shrug his shoulder.  It terrified both of us as we spent our sleepless nights together in the surgical intensive care unit at University Hospital.  But he slowly improved every day.  His medical condition stabilized after three days and we were able to move to the regular hospital room.  He learned to swallow again so he could start taking food - first thickened liquids, then pureed food.  And then a setback - the debilitating hiccups that wracked his body for hours at a time, which could only be controlled through strong tranquilizers that left him foggy and drowsy.  But then more improvements:  Getting up to walk for the first time.  Watching him move his arm slightly - then a finger.  Then lifting his arm.  Then moving *all* of his fingers!  And finally a smile!  I can't remember what triggered the first one, but I'll never forget the moment.  Seeing that old Dwaine smile, crashing through the weakened facial muscles, and *still* managing to light up the room.  Maybe, just maybe, things were going to be OK.

We watched him fight every step of the way - learning to talk again, learning to eat regular food.  Learning to balance and walk firmly without shuffling.  Taking endless cognitive tests with almost impossible drills and math word problems he had to do in his head.  Learning to take care of himself.  And more smiling!  Not often . . . but like the sun briefly bursting out of clouds on one of those gray winter days, a special smile that warmed everyone around right down to the toes. 

Sigh - and then more setbacks.  The trips to the emergency room and re-hospitalization for low blood pressure and a false aneurysm.  Terrible, painful disappointments, to be sure, but weathered with strength and courage and a touch of that special Schmidt stubbornness that seems to only shake its fist harder in the face of adversity. 

And now, you'll get to see for yourself how far he's come.  I'll leave it to you to make your own judgments.  But from one who has lived with him for fifteen years, meh - he's the same ol' Dwaine!  Maybe a little paler and probably 15 lbs lighter, but still ornery as hell, and sharp as a tack.  And still smiling.  Oh, sure we still have a ways to go.  Dwaine will be in Day Rehab for a while, continuing his work on fine motor skills, driving and getting back to work.  But I see that happening very quickly, especially now that he can be at home to rest soundly.  

So, with this, the Daily Dwaine-o-Grams have come to an end.  He can tell you himself now just how he's doing - he doesn't need me for that.  He's very motivated to regain his lightning-fast typing skills - and he will, of course.  I've no doubt you'll soon be getting your own messages straight from the source.  

So, for a final time, Good Night and Sweet Dreams everyone.  I thank you all for sharing our joys and sorrows and helping us to cope with this unexpected avalanche.  We've both come out stronger for all of it.