Update on Lyssa's Dad

Posted on Facebook

SO PROUD of Dad- he is making so much progress, so quickly! Pacemaker/AED implant planned for Tuesday, then rehab... still unsure whether that will be inpatient or outpatient. Dad would like to meet and thank all the officers that stood guard while he was in the ICU, he is so moved by that loyalty. Thank
you to all who have prayed and supported us these past couple of weeks.

Dan has made incredible progress and is walking the "loop" around his floor! He spent today sitting in the chair in his room (that he got into on his own!), wearing his own lounge wear- no more hospital gown! He has been eating a regular diet, including cookies from Chef's Kitchen and strawberry shakes from Smokey Row. The contrast in his status from just a few days ago is absolutely amazing.

Nurses are enforcing quiet time on Dan's floor between 1:30 and 2:30 every afternoon. Visitors are welcome outside of that time, I think he really appreciates everyone that has stopped by to tell him hello. We are all so glad to have him back with us!

If you'd like to send him a greeting, the hospital has an e-card that they will print and deliver to his room:
http://www.iowahealth.org/send-a-card.aspx

Thanks again for all of your love, support, and prayers!

Addendum: Latest from the Caring Bridge

Got up to see Dan early this morning, on my way to work, and was able to catch his visits from the Physical Medicine doc (a resident, I believe) and the Cardiologist, Dr. Kassiotis. On the PT/OT (physical and occupational therapy) front – his depth perception seems to be a bit better, he’s walking more and able to get up on his own, and his ribs and right elbow still hurt. X-rays of the elbow have been ordered to be sure it’s nothing more than tendonitis. Sounds like Dan might be leaning toward PT/OT as an in-patient at Younker Rehab (another wing of Iowa Methodist Medical Center), as he’s told that will give him his best chance for quick and complete recovery.

On the cardiac front, the news is that he is now scheduled to have the defibrillator implant done late today (late afternoon or evening). Something unforeseen has come up that’s resulted in there not being a physician available who can do the job tomorrow (Tuesday), so he’ll be added to the end of today’s schedule. Dr. Kassiotis did not want him to have to wait until after tomorrow for this procedure, and he’d already eaten breakfast, so would not be able to have it done until late today, anyway.

If you were planning to visit Dan late this afternoon or evening, you might want to check in with Chris or the nurse’s station on North 3 first, or wait until tomorrow.

Dan is so appreciative of all the love and care he’s received from all of you – many of whom he does not even know. Those of you young officers who sat with him during the night, he still wants to meet you and thank you at some time, if he hasn’t had a chance to already. He asked me to include in this posting a sentence from the book of stories he’s been writing about his experiences as a Des Moines Police Officer. This sentence concludes the opening chapter, written to his children and telling them why he’s writing this book. This is written to all of you, too, now: “I want each of you to know that I am proud to say that I am a member of the largest street gang in America – The Cops.”