February 1, 2006 -- Dan returns to work part-time

Dan returned to work on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 (in a wheelchair).

All went smoothly. Dan returned to the same office and the same job.

He will work part-time (3 days a week, M-W-F, 8 am to 2:30 PM) for about 2 weeks and then return to full-time status.

Having Dan back at work is such a time of triumph and excitement for our family and shows us things will soon feel normal.

We do have a time of adjustment ahead. We have only one car at this time and physically getting Dan to work and getting the children to where they need to be, is a challenge and we anticipate some exhausting days until a 2nd vehicle can be obtained. Before Dan's accicdent, we were able to function with one car since Dan took the bus to work, but that is no longer an option.

Dan continues to have physical therapy and doctor visits that need to now be squeezed into a busy schedule.

When will Dan walk?

Although Dan is now able to put weight on both legs and balance a bit, it is going to take a long time to walk without assistance or more than a few feet again.

Dan will continue in physical therapy and also be able to return to work, but will have to work from his wheelchair.

A new walker, that includes a seat, is expected to arrive at our home sometime this week. We are hoping that using the walker will help Dan walk or be more mobile.

He has come a long way and we are grateful.

Saturday 1-28-06 -- Dan takes Jo Ann out to dinner

Dan was able to get his wheelchair in and out of the car on his own and was able to take Jo Ann out to dinner the night of 1-28-06. Wow, what an accomplishment when once we wondered if such a moment would ever happen again.

Dan talks about his trip (1/18--1/24/06) to see his family

To listen to Dan talk about his trip to California, click below.

Dan will return to work part-time after February 1st!

Dan is excited about returning to work (at the same office he worked at prior to the accident) part-time after February 1st. He will begin by working six hours and day, M-W-F, then eventually return to full-time status as his energy returns.

Dan can drive again! 1-22-06

Dan reports that he did 1/2 of the driving to Long Beach and also did all the driving across the Los Angeles freeways when he visited his brother Pat and his sister-in-law Monica!

He is still in Long Beach at his parents house, but will return to Colorado by mid-week.

Jo Ann and the kids had a nice week enjoying playing in the snow, shopping, eating out, and being together, but the children do miss Daddy and have called him every day.

Dan goes to visit his parents in California

Dan (and his brother Mike) rented a car and left for Long Beach, California today. Last time Dan's parents saw Dan he was in traction and in a coma and in critical condition. This visit should be quite different.

A few small steps

On Monday, October 16, Dan's physician gave him the okay to put weight on his left foot.

So, that evening (like in the story HEIDI) , Dan got up out of his wheelchair and walked about 3 feet to Jo Ann's arms.

You guessed it...Jo Ann cried tears of joy.

Look Ma, No hands! 1-10-06

Look Ma, No hands! (Well, it was about 60 seconds of standing without holding on to something.)

1-10-06 -- Dan "walked" with his walker down our driveway and back!

Dan "walked" with his walker down the length of our driveway and down the street for a few feet and back into the house today! We are looking forward to borrowing a pair of crutches and seeing how he does using crutches. He is still not able to put weight on his left foot yet (doctor's orders).

Surgery went smoothly!

Today's surgery went smoothly! Now we wait and see if Dan can walk again.

It is just marvelous to know that Dan is not paralyzed or brain damaged or...or...or dead.

Wow.....our family will never forget the miracle of Dan being alive!

What will 2006 bring? We wonder; we wait.

Surgery scheduled for Friday, January 6, 2006

Dan will have the pins removed from his left foot during an outpatient surgery on Friday, January 6, 2006 at 4:30 PM.

We now will wonder how long before Dan will walk again? It may not be long.

Will he walk perfectly? That may take time, but we are so grateful Dan is alive and with us.

Wheelchair at Chanukah on Ice - Decenber 28, 2005

Take a look at Dan on the ice with his brother Mike and "Dan's girls."

Inline Skating while pushing Dan in his wheelchair!

I wrote this to a Yahoo Group of artistic inline skaters.

I just had to share it with those who log in to check on updates on Dan.

Enjoy! I did take a photo of this wonderful memory and will ad it to this entry when I get the film developed.

'Today was a beautiful day in Colorado and I took my children
outside to play and my 6 year old put on her Pic Skates and began
pushing her doll which was in a stroller. She dashed down the
sidewalk and inspired me with an idea!

I asked my brother-in-law (who is 61 years old!) if he wanted to try
putting on my husband's inline skates and try pushing my husband down
the street in his wheelchair.

Well, imagine this: my brother-in-law (he's been helping up take care
of my husband since the accident) has never inline skated and only
ice skated a few times in his life and he had a blast pushing that
wheelchair and skating!

I HAD to try it and it was SO FUN to push my husband down the
street! My husband even got some speed going! I was wearing my
Entry Level Artistic Figure Skates from China and it seemed as we
were going down small hills that I was taking a ride!

I even did spirals and jumps and brackets as we "strolled"
and "rolled" down the street while hanging on to his wheelchair!

Anyway, this is a very happy "skating memory" that I had to share in
the midst of much stress.

Happy Holidays!'

Dan stood on one foot while pushing a walker!

It was a time of emotion at 5:15 PM on 12-16-05 (exactly 13 weeks since THE ACCIDENT). Dan stood on one foot (right--he can't put weight on the left yet) and pushed a walker in our kitchen for about 5 feet. Jo Ann cried. The children jumped up and down and clapped!

Big excitement -- Dan can take a shower at home now!

Dan's wheelchair has not been able to fit in our bathroom and he's been home a little over 7 weeks now, so Dan has had to take sponge baths and use a commode (not fun!).

Well, last weekend, the children and Jo Ann went to Office Max and bought an office chair that has wheels. Now Dan can transfer to that chair from his wheelchair and get into the bathroom and do things we all take for granted.

We also bought a bath stool that goes right in the tub so Dan can take showers!

Today, Dan got to take a shower at home -- 12/14/05.

Yeah!

A Day Like Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates 12-10-05

On Saturday, December 10, the children participated in a holiday ice show at the Chapel Hills Ice Rink.

What made the experience a time of celebration and joy was that Dan got to come and watch the children perform!

We pulled his wheelchair right to the rail and he video-taped their performances.

Annabelle dressed up as Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" and did a pair program with Sam Anderson. Rebekah wore a red candy cane skating dress and put a Santa Claus scrunchie in her hair and Joel wore a bright green turtleneck, black pants, and red boot covers and Joel and Rebekah skated to "The Chipmunk Christmas Song" while skating the Dutch Waltz and Starlight Waltz and doing a spiral-spin ending.

After the performance, we all went out to dinner at Jason's Deli.

Yes, it was like the end of the movie "Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates" because in that movie the children were so excited that their father was able to watch them skate even though he was not fully recovered, but able to celebrate from a wheelchair.

We continue to be thankful as Dan continues to recover.

Dan begins physical therapy on his right foot 12-8-05

Today Dan will begin physical therapy on his right foot. He will go to an out-patient rehab facility 2 times a weeks for 6 weeks.

Jo Ann has asked Santa if Dan could stand on one foot by Christmas.

The "thing" on Dan's right foot has been removed -- Yippee!

The "thing" or external fixator on Dan's right foot was removed Monday, December 5! Yippee! That means he may be able to put weight on his right foot soon.

12-1-05 Dan went out to eat and took the children to see Santa!

Yesterday Dan went to the mall with us and watched the children skate and we all went out to eat as a family and we took the children to see Santa. Dan's sister Penny is visiting. Dan still is not feeling completely well, but the kidney stones seem to be under control.

Here's who is in the photo: Joel, Annabelle, Rebekah, above them is Santa, Dan is in the wheelchair, above him is his older brother Mike, Jo Ann is next to Dan, and Dan's sister Penny is next to Jo Ann.