Thursday, February 5, 2009

Thomas Jefferson

Tom is doing fine. His appetite is strong. He drives his truck. He's working every day. He's still unsteady on his feet and relies on his cane to get around, but he's not letting anything stand in the way.

His hair is growing straight outward from his head, like an afro. He says he looks like Mr. Jefferson from the 70s tv show The Jeffersons, with his receding hairline and afro. I'll post a photo soon.

He has stopped taking a couple of his medicines because of the negative effect they've had on him. He had a gut feeling that these particilar drugs were the culprit in making him sick for so long. He felt that he had no choice other than stopping. It was either 1) feeling really ill and continuing to be hospitalized periodically and given more medicines to counteract the side effects of other medicines, or 2) stop taking them. The doctors are aware of this and have told him that it's a risk, however they are acknowledging his rapid progress with each weekly clinic visit and telephone call. I agree with Tom that those couple of medicines that he was taking were keeping him in limbo - not allowing him to progress toward a more healthy state of being.

Sometimes we have to overrule the experts because we know what is going on within ourselves far better than they do - we have but one patient. They do their best but they can't feel it - experience it - especially the emotional part of it all. Everyone has a limit and Tom reached his as far as the medications. He was to a point of feeling pure desperation... a fight or flight reaction.

His memory can be a little challenged at times but not too bad. It has interfered with a couple of work-related projects but I believe his colleagues understand that he suffered a brain injury a month ago but is recovering very quickly. I mean, he went from lying on his death bed (yet again) to coming home and resuming a normal life in such a short span of time. Speaking of death beds, I'm going to scan and post something this weekend that will blow your mind.

Other than wobbling around like an old white man with an afro, he is doing quite well. We're movin' on up!

6 comments:

friendlymentor said...

We are very glad to hear of Tom's progress . . . we will have to start calling you Weezie . . .

wiizii said...

Er....weezie is my name, but under the circumstance, I suppose there's room for two of us! Ha...ha...ha...I'm happy to hear everything is going well for the both of you. Love and hugs to you all,
Love,
The Weez

Unknown said...

It's great to hear that Tom is doing well!!! I think about you all many times a day!

Tom Carter said...

Many, many thanks to you all!

Unknown said...

Tom and Lisa,

Just had a facebook chat with Doug B. from our days at BLS/Medcareers and learned about the blog. It's so good to hear that you guys are doing well and getting better. I'll try to ring you soon!

Thinking 'bout you in the NY!

Rob C.

Anonymous said...

Hi Lisa and Tom and Katie,
I am Katie's math teacher-she gave me your blog address. She told me about her dad being sick and gave me this address. You all are definitely in my thoughts and prayers. Katie is such a delight to have in class. She has beautiful manners and is so kind to everyone in the class. She is also very intelligent when it comes to math. You have done well in raising her!! Sincerely, Gayle Middleton