Nephi is Home After Five Weeks

I don't even know where to start. We are so happy. Nephi was nervous and excited to come home. He didn't know what to expect, but after driving into our neighborhood to such a welcome sight and seeing our family in the yard jumping up and down with huge smiles on their face all his nervousness vanished. When he finally pulled himself together, got up his strength and got out of the car he was greeted with hugs from the kids. After wiping the tears out of his eyes, he turned to go into the house but not without catching a glimpse of the tree in our yard with Christmas lights still in it and saying, "I've got to take down those lights." Just in case you were worried, he is still the same guy.

Also, thinking he was a little more like me, I thought we would not be going to our church Sacrament Meeting, but he insisted. I kept trying to talk him into staying home, but he could not think of a good reason why he wouldn't go!? He was able to sit through the whole meeting after previously struggling with the half hour church services at the hospital. His back and sides start hurting if he is sitting upright for too long. It is little improvements like that one that he doesn't notice, but I do! After church we took a walk around the park, he did two laps without getting tired, we did get lots of breaks as we stopped to talk to neighbors though. He as also improved with walking outside, the first time he took a walk outside was at the hospital. After he successfully took 45 min. walks through the halls of the hospital his physical therapist took him on a walk on the sidewalk around the hospital. After he got back I asked him how it went. He said, "It is crazy out there! The ground is all uneven and it is windy and cold in the shade and hot in the sun!" He didn't like it at all.

Now he loves being outside. Yesterday he flew his new remote controlled helicopter outside with his brother-in-law Ryan. Ryan got them matching ones for Nephi's 30th birthday so they could have flying contests off our back porches (Ryan lives right next door to us.)

Nephi loves having people stop by for quick visits. It doesn't take much for him to lift up his shirt to show off all his scars. The other day some women from the ward came and he was talking about how he was feeling and all the changes. He said, "I don't know if you can tell, but I have lost a lot of weight." We all tried to keep a straight face as we looked at his skin-and bones body standing in front of us. He still gets weepy every time he thinks about all everyone has done for him though. He is such a funny mix of his old tough, can't keep him down self, and this new Nephi that feels so blessed and loved while feeling like he doesn't deserve all the kindness that people are showing him.

As I was writing this, Ryan came over and took all 67 staples out of Nephi's head. Just one of the benefits of having an ER doctor live next door. His head looks a lot better already!

We are still waiting for the at-home therapists to work out a price with our insurance, so he hasn't had any official therapy since he has come home. My parents gave him their Wii, and that seems to be just as good. He gets a good work out, and can work on his balance and hand-eye coordination. He has already gotten the high score on anything he has tried. With that, and his working on getting back to organizing his business and paying our bills I think he has his physical and occupational therapy covered!