[Epley Update] April 29, 2006 Russ Update

[Russ and Flossie Epley]

We are in a totally different place from where we were a week ago. Russ 
is trying very hard to communicate. Soon after I arrived today he 
showed me that he figured out that "Y" is the first letter in "yes" and 
"N" begins "no." (Yesterday he tried to sign "O" for "no.") I asked him 
various yes/no questions and found that he could answer correctly 
things that he knew before his stroke like "Were you born in Kearney, 
Nebraska?" Yes. "Do we live in Chicago?" No. But he was unable to 
answer questions about new information such as "Is this hospital in 
Tachikawa?" even though I have told him where he is many times over the 
past few weeks. He also didn't know the answer to "Is Joel 19 years 
old?" The answer is "yes" because Joel had his birthday while Russ was 
still in ICU. A few weeks ago I told him several times about Joel's 
birthday. I'm realizing that I need to repeat things that are new 
information since his stroke, while things he knew before March 30, I 
only need to tell him once for him to regain that information.

Russ still has good intelligence. I heard it well described as a filing 
cabinet that had all its contents dumped. The files are there, but they 
are all mixed up. Isn't God gracious to give me a natural love for 
organizing? Admittedly I have a lot more practice organizing contents 
of cupboards than brains, but I don't mind the challenge. I feel like 
for every word God can help me give Russ a connection, I'm giving him a 
gift. He's a fine man and I delight to give him as many 
connections/gifts as I can.

To practice thinking and signing I asked him the first letter of 
various family members. He could easily sign the first letter of the 
people's names in the family pictures I put in his room a few days ago. 
Today I asked him more challenging verbal questions such as "What is 
the first letter of my mother's name?" He had to think, but did very 
well answering with the manual alphabet.

Though communication is still done in riddles, we are making progress. 
This little scenario today gives insight into how we communicate and 
what's important to him. He kept saying "were-dom." I couldn't figure 
out what he meant. He tried signing "P" and "R" and seemingly random 
letters. I asked him if it would help if he could see the letters. He 
nodded so I showed him a chart on which I had written the alphabet. He 
studied it for a long time and then pointed to the letter "W" and 
various other consonants. Again he said "were-dom." I asked him if the 
word has two syllables. He said "yeah." Then I asked if it had 
something to do with me. "Yes." Suddenly it hit me..."Worship?" "Yes!" 
he replied and joy flooded his face. I read Psalm 100 and then sang 
some songs. He was obviously thoroughly enjoying it. Then he pointed to 
the CD player where he had been listening to the book of Matthew being 
read. (The nurse put it on but then left so he listened to all 17 
chapters on that CD. I'll take him the next CD tomorrow so he can 
finish the book!). He wanted us to listen to it together. We listened 
to a few chapters and then he pointed to it for me to turn it off. I 
read Psalms 84 and we prayed. He even learned how to use his voice to 
say, "Pray"!

Later in the day he was trying to tell me something else. By asking 
questions such as "Is it an object?" (no) "Does it have something to do 
with family?" (no) "Do you want information?" (yes!) About CAJ? (no) 
About TEAM? (no) About finances? (yes!) We persisted until I discovered 
he wanted to know if we had enough money transferred to the account 
that covers utility expenses. He was so relieved when I told him I had 
taken care of it. I had actually told him that a few days ago, but 
that's new information after his stroke so needed to be repeated.

We're getting there! Russ will get to see our son Joel in 10 days so 
he's practicing saying, "Hi, Joel."

When we get tired of verbal practice, (Yes, I really do get tired of 
talking and he surely tires of tracking with me) I gently massage his 
inactive limbs or I sit down and rest myself.

While Russ has gotten past the will-he-live-through-this? stage, he is 
still in need of lots of prayer so I plan to keep writing daily for 
awhile at least. The notes will taper off when there is not as much 
change from day to day. In the meantime it's good therapy for me to 
write out my thoughts and it's great to have so many praying!

Many of you pass on my updates to friends to pray. If you would like 
to, you are welcome to let your friends who want to keep reading 
updates to sign up for the updates themselves. They can do so at the 
website below. The same website can be used to take your name off if 
you ever feel like you're getting email overload.

http://charlotte.lightoftheweb.org/mailman/listinfo/epleyupdates 

Sure do appreciate your prayers!
Flossie

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