Update on Jim & Ruth Ennenga

Hi Everyone,
I am so sorry that I have not kept up my updates as I  should have, but all I 
can say is that my Dad is getting better so fast that I  am exhausted by the 
end of the day, and not thinking about email.  However,  it seems that many of 
you are, and I will pass long your good wishes to  both Mama and Daddy.  
Thank you!  Anyhow, back to Mama and Daddy,  I told Mama last night that I had not 
expected a vacation in coming to take care  of Dad in the hospital, but that 
my time here has been wonderful.  It has  been so exciting to watch the 
progress that he is making on a daily basis.   Those "baby" steps add up when you 
practice them over and over, and when  you  really work to get better ... and 
Dad really works hard.  To  date, the big steps include: no more back brace 
(soon to be burned in  effigy), all tubes gone (the last yesterday), walking with 
a walker 136 steps  with only one rest and stability support only (today), and 
a graduation from the  dining table to his own room for meals because the 
speech path doesn't need to  watch his every swallow on his current soft food 
diet.  I could go on and  on, but I will just tell you about one which I think 
shows how well he is  doing.  Before I got here, I told Dad that we could play 
cribbage together  when I came to stay with him.  After I arrived, I could tell 
that he was  just too tired to be interested, and this continued into last 
week.    However, we started getting into the habit of playing while he waited 
the thirty  minutes required after eating before he could lay back down, and 
now ... he is  on a roll.  I was up four games to none, when he "skunked" me and 
gained  two games.   We played again, and he won that too, and today, we  
played our closest game ever for both of us.  The speech therapist had to  wait 
while we finished the last hand.  Dad was in the "stink hole" with 119  points, 
and I was right behind with 118 points, and either of us could have  pegged 
out - given the right cards ... and wouldn't you know it ... Dad, the  dealer, 
says "I sure hope his 'knob's (a jack) turns up on the deck" ... and IT  
DID!!!! ...and he pegged out without us ever playing a card in either of our  
hands.  Boy was he ever happy and smiling.  Then he went in and had a  great  
speech therapy session - didn't mind those sour lemon swabs or  getting his tongue 
pushed on with a tongue depressor one bit - or rather he was  in too good 
spirits to complain.  Later this afternoon, I went back home  and picked Mama up 
and brought her down to see the doctor who is taking care of  her leg burns.  
She had it redressed and then came up to see Dad and to  have dinner with him.  
I brought some frozen Runzas, or as Daddy calls them  - German 'bierocks', 
from Omaha, and we sat in the dining room and ate  microwaved Runzas, creamed 
corn, applesauce,  and sliced pears.  Daddy  ate practically nothing from his 
hospital tray, but he sure enjoyed his  'bierock'.
 
I had better go up and tuck Mama in for the night.  I  wish I had more time 
to spend with her, but she knows that Daddy needs me more,  and I will plan to 
"play with her" when I come back after Christmas.  In  the meantime, Mama gets 
up with me early in the morning, fixes my lunch, gives  me a kiss and a hug, 
and sends me off to spend the day with Daddy at all kinds  of therapy.  
Tomorrow, we are going to a mall to practice getting around in  crowds, around 
obstacles, and using wheelchair ramps.  This should be fun,  and time away from he 
hospital is good for the spirit.  (Although Dad is  working hard, and he is 
using a walker, he has a lot of strength to gain, and he  may have to use a 
wheelchair for some trips outside of his home.)  Also, we  get to eat lunch out at 
the mall - WOW - whatever will he choose -probably  something that actually 
tastes good.
 
Lastly, the doctor in charge of Dad, at Patricia  Neal, told us today that he 
should be released in about two weeks.  Dad's  reply was something about 
working extra hard to make that happen - no surprise  there - but he was so happy 
to tell Mama that he would be coming home  soon.
 
This is probably the last I will write, as I go home on  Sunday.  Winnie 
(Wilma) flies in on Saturday, and I am sure she will keep  it going.  Thanks to 
you all for your prayers and for your uplifting  messages.  
 
Bless you all,
Daughter #4
Susan

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