On Friday, August 9, 2024 Billy was at the hospital for a routine CT scan. The neurosurgeon explained to me that even though he found some fluid, he felt comfortable replacing Billy's skull plate. This news puts us closer to the trifecta of requirements to move Billy out of Billy's Place and closer to Billy's home.

The 3 requirements were to have the skull plate replaced, to be have the treach removed, and get approved for Disability in Florida.

They had the traech tube capped on and off for a few weeks. Yay! More progress. Respiratory says they will have him off the traech by end of the week. Ooops! He's having surgery next week, we'll have to wait

Then the company that makes the skull plate could not have it ready in time. Surgery is now scheduled for Sept. 4. Our application for Disability is still under review.

Billy was transferred to Fern Crest Manor Living Center on March 7, 2024. The staff there have been tremendous. Yesterday Dave and I were standing in the outside of Billy's room while the aides were changing his bed linens. A nurse walking down the hall and asked if were are Billy's parents. She was so happy to meet us. She had been out on sick leave, but she still knew about Billy's up-coming surgery (more details in next post). She shook our hands and gave us her blessings . Even in a coma he is still affecting people.

Dave was working in Jacksonville, FL that week. Once we got grounded about the details of the hit-and-run accident, there was nothing to do but wait. Even though Dave jumped into his rental car, I had 4 hours to wait. Wait for Dave to pick me up, wait for medical updates, wait to fall apart. I didn’t.

Dave drove 4 straight hours from Jacksonville to Panama City, then straight on to NOLA.We met with some of the guys at the elevators on the 4th Floor of University Medical Center / New Orleans. They escorted us to Billy’s room.

There we learned about the hit & run accident and the broken leg and ribs, scapular injury, broken spine at C2, internal injuries and head injury that Traumatic Brain Injury l (TBI) that left him in a coma. It was then that we first heard the term “baby steps" that would be used at the hospital to describe the incredibly slow healing process.