In short, he's really doing very well. To all of you that told me personally that he would walk and talk again, you were (and still are) correct. Granted, our expectations dropped to the point that what we think of as walking and talking aren't necessarily where he was before the stroke. Regardless, he has made monumental strides (literally) in regaining his sense of independence and self.
In more detail. His gait is not without its shuffles and missteps, but he is walking without the assistance of so much as a cane. He is gaining confidence daily, and aside from the occasional bout with balance control, he is walking on his own. He remains frustrated with his conversational skills, but even in this area he has made continued progress. Over the last few weekends, Dad and I have spent several afternoons together. No projects, or crazy timeframes to meet, just spending time together, chatting and watching TV. For my side, it was time well spent, and time I'm glad we got to spend together.
He continues to fight through unfamiliar aches and pains. I found out only recently that he has never really suffered from headaches. Well, he's suffering now. Not necessarily daily, they seem to come and go. But they are clearly painful, and he's always grateful when they relent. He fights through some level of stomach pain, most likely related to the peg tube he only recently had removed. And then there's his right arm and hand. Sadly, they aren't coming back to the extent of his walking and talking. Really, only moderate progress since his time at the rehabilitation center. The goal at this time, is simply to keep his hand elevated as often as possible to reduce swelling.
I'm not sure where the path leads from here. We're still working on selling our homes and moving forward with some vague notion of where we want to be. Dad and Mom continue to work through the substantial changes in their own lives as they support each other in their own ways. As a family, we have grown. Some growth is naturally more painful than other. Hopefully, we're past the worst of it, and can look forward to an easier existence for now.
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