Day 24

David and Gregory walked into the gym today in the early afternoon to find Burt sitting up straight with very little assistance from his drill instructor Randy. He has lost a lot of weight and wears the ordeal that his body has just experienced, but seeing him sitting straight and proud he was a portrait of perseverance and dignity. As a short man, Burt has always had perfect posture so that he could steal every last inch. In the meantime, as he works to regain his lost inches, he is making a few up, adding one or two every time someone asks his height.

While he was sitting, Burt's hand was also scotch taped to a board to keep it flat. He suggested to Randy that they look into better tape that did not tear off all of the hair on his hand. He then took a look at his son's hands and said, "don't ever go to the hospital, you won't have any fur left."

The rehab team has put a lot of energy into trying to keep his hand and arm in good condition and with as little tone as possible. The amount of tone in Burt's arm forces it into a bent position, so the more they can loosen it up, the straighter it will hang. As the rehab progresses, one of the trickiest aspects is Burt's shoulder. Because he does not have control of his left shoulder muscles, his arm hangs away from his body. This is causing sublmexation, which is a separation between his shoulder socket and muscle, which gives him some pain.

Burt said to Randy that his 'bad' shoulder hurt. Randy corrected him and said, "it's not your 'bad' side, it did not do anything to you. It is your affected side." This semantic difference seemed to resonate and for the first time Burt started to freely move his left arm with his right. It showed the glimmer of a man who will one day be able to function on his own.

Overall, Burt is learning to think about his condition and the road ahead in a very positive and realistic manner. He is taking stock of where he is and making new plans for the future. He even asked a friend to get him a 'sissy knob' which will enable him to drive a car with only one hand. It is a ways away, but at least he is thinking about it.

For those of you who are wondering, Burt debated for many hours and eventually decided to fast this Yom Kippur.