Merry Christmas from Tim!

Hello and Merry Christmas to everyone!

It was certainly an unusual Christmas this year! We weren't able to have Tim stay overnight at home this year, so Tim's Uncle David, who happened to be in the area, brought him home to us on Christmas eve for a few hours. It was nice to have him with us- even if for just a short period. 

We brought a little bit of Christmas to Tim today when we visited him for a few  hours in Santa Cruz. I think he gets a little better every day. He had a big appetite today and ate a huge plate of left-overs from last night. He was eager to spend some time outside today in spite of the rain. He can't wheel himself in and out of the facility, so he spends nearly all of his time indoors. 

As for his  progress, we were happy to see a few important developments this evening. His left hand is involuntarily laying in a much more relaxed state. His fingers are naturally  laying flat and he is able to lift his arm above his head! Praise God! It seems that the left side of his mouth moved better today and his speech was improved. It is very  labor-intensive for him to try to speak clearly, so it's easy to tell when he is getting tired 'cause he gets difficult to understand. The steroids that he is taking make him feel  pretty emotional, so he is usually  tearful when he sees a familiar face and then again when we leave. He is feeling pretty discouraged right now and some company would do him good. He has a free day tomorrow, Friday, after 3:PM, so please drop in to see him if you are in the a area. I think he would really enjoy going for a walk. Of course, this would mean you wheeling him around.

It was difficult to leave him tonight, especially because I am going out of town for a few days. There's no  need to call before visiting Tim if it is after 3:PM. He's enjoying salty and sweet foods lately, so bringing him a treat would be much appreciated, I'm sure. You know how he loves coffee, too!

Well, I've got a very early flight out to Washington state to see our sister, so I'll close by wishing you all a healthy and happy  new year! Thank you for the steady  prayer for Tim and our family!

-Christy and family

Progressing to Santa Cruz

I am happy to report that Tim has been moved from Stanford to Dominican Rehabilitation Hospital in Santa Cruz on Fredrick St. Tim pretty much informed Stanford that today was going to be his discharge day! ...And he was out by noon! Who's better than you, Tim?!

Tim will be undergoing three hours of therapy per day. Visiting hours are from 3:PM-8:PM every day. He will be there a minimum of 10 days and not more than 3 weeks. Friday is the first day that he can receive visitors and I'm sure he will enjoy seeing everyone in good time.

Tim will be coming home (parent's house) on Christmas eve and will stay through Christmas day. We (his family) are so happy that we won't be celebrating Christmas without him. Tim's little sister, Steph and her husband, Einar and their daughter, Liv will be visiting in January and we're sure this will be a great encouragement to Tim's spirits.

Today, our mom was able to speak with Dr. Steinberg's head nurse of 25 years. The nurse said the doctor is pleased with the outcome of Tim's surgery and is certain that Tim will make great progress toward becoming more mobile. We were all overjoyed to hear this. It is very discouraging to see him as he is now, even though we know that he won't be like this forever. It is especially difficult to see him so distressed with occasional feelings of sadness and despair. Should you be visiting him anytime soon, be prepared for him to look different to you.

We feel as though we are begging God on Tim's behalf. Please continue to join us in prayer over Tim throughout the coming weeks. I know he is counting on your prayer. Pray for his brain and body to connect during therapy sessions and that he will feel encouraged each day.

Thank you again for remembering him throughout this busy time of the year!

-Christy and family

It's a Brain Blog

Today is Tim's sixth day back at Stanford. He went in for a second surgery on the 16th. The surgery time was 6-7 hours. When Dr. Steinberg went into the brain, he found the malformation to be much worse than he expected. Nearly 2 1/2 centimeters of the mass was removed this time. Dr. Steinberg said that Tim would have certainly died without the surgery. He felt confident that they were able to remove all of the mass and did not have to sever any nerves in the process. He accurately predicted that Tim would be temporarily paralyzed on the left side of his body and the right side of his face. Tim will spend the next couple of weeks at a rehabilitation hospital in the valley. Dr Steinberg expects a full six-month recovery and he emphasized the importance of staying encouraged and patient through the process of rehabilitation.

Tim is quite anxious to go home! He really wants to take a shower. Sponge baths just aren't all that great after all! His hearing has improved a little bit and he is able to move his fingers on the left hand a bit as well as his left leg. He spends a lot of time sleeping and listening to music. Nearly everything is exhausting to him- as you can imagine. He is anxious to see friends again and will let everyone know when he is ready for visitors. Cards are an encouragement to him and can be mailed to 1505 Newport Ave., San Jose 95125. Tim is not able to speak clearly enough to talk on the phone, but today he is speaking a little better than he was yesterday.

We will write more on a daily basis. Please continue lifting Tim up in prayer during this time, as it is very important for him to not lose hope.

Thank you for being such good friends!