We have now been in Texas for 1 year. It has now been 18 months since Bill had his third stroke.

Bill is now only awake for about 7 to 10 hours of the day. I can only keep him out of the bed for a couple of hours at a time. He seldom wants to go out of the house ....ie the mailbox or the club. He still likes to go out in the car. However Thursday one of our neighbors came to help me get him into the car and go get a SnoBall in Tomball about a 40 minute ride. It was a beautiful day. The ride is rural and wooded for the most part...but still we were out of the house. We got our treat and Bill was ready to come home. When we got home I was getting him out of the car. His knees just buckled under him...I could not hold him. I tried to get him back into the car seat....he was sliding down between the top of the seat and the door frame. I asked the neighbor to go get a male neighbor to help. We were able between the three of us to lay him down on the garage floor and to get a pillow under his head. We called 911 for the 4th or 5th time....they came to the rescue.

I am putting this on the blog because I am always trying to give you good news. It is getting harder to find the good news these days. The prospect of therapy is out of the question since he has no strength left in his legs. He is loosing his muscle mass both in his arms and legs. He is able to roll slightly to his right side and pull up with his right arm to the top of the bed and raise his legs in the bed and that is it. He still does not have trunk control which is why he cannot get his balance . No balance prevents him from even being able to sit on side of the bed or straighten himself in the wheelchair.

He never complains....we're OK. I'm just feeling the need to keep it real tonight.