Updates for Biff Wiff: Catching up...

Well, it's been a busy week or so, and I'm always out of time and energy to get back on the blog. So, here's the major news, to get you all caught up on the current situation.

The night of December 4th, Biff was discharged to a Skilled Nursing Rehab facility. In some ways it's great, but, of course, he still wants to come home. Really, really wants to come home. Unforuntately, although he is doing well with Physical and Occupational Therapy and improving every day in every way, he's still too weak to come home just yet.

The facility is okay. The food is much better than the hospital! And his swallow function has improved a lot, and he's able to eat regular food, though still on the softer side. He's still struggling with appetite, but at least he's happy to eat most things they bring now, and the appetite seems to be growing a little. He did lose a pound in the last week (down to 138 lbs.), so I try to be there for one or two meals every day, encourage him, help him when he needs help feeding himself. He's gotten much better at all of that, although soup is still too tricky. But his right hand is getting stronger and the fine motor skills are working hard to come back.

He speaks better and better, too, and he's getting quite steady on his feet, walking with a walker and supervision more and more. We all, Biff included, consider keeping him from falling again a top priority, but he's able to do for himself more every day, even as he's supervised. He also is starting to really get into doing exercises in bed for his arms and legs. And I've brought him pen and paper, encouraging him to practice writing a little every day. His hand wears out fast, but he keeps at it.

One of the nice things is I can take him outside (and he can wear his own clothes!). Here's the first time I took him out on the 7th:

He wears a sun hat and sunglasses when he goes out now.

A little "blinded by the light" here. LOL

There are sliding glass doors to a courtyard in his room, too - having the natural light is a big help. Here he is working a word search puzzle - practicing with the pen!

There have been visitors, always fun, including one that created a potential COVID "exposure" (okay, that isn't fun, even though the visit was). The visitor who later tested positive was masked the entire visit, and Biff and I are both recently boosted on the vaccination, too. Neither of us ever had any symptoms and tested negative, but they did ask me to stay away for 3 days and test negative again before returning. It was lonely for both of us, although we spoke on the phone multiple times each day. I've got his phone set up so he can more easily call me. And he's poking his head into emails and texts a bit, but it's hard for his hands to manage the cell easily. So, small steps, you know?

One of the coolest things that's happened is the trailer has dropped on YouTube for the movie he did with Jake Johnson called Self-Reliance. One of Biff's last projects before he had to start cancer treatment. It's finally going to drop on Hulu next month! He actually shot some new, additional footage the weekend before he had surgery on his throat last December. I can't wait.

Okay, finally, they removed more than 62 staples and one thread suture from the incisions on his head. If you would like to see pictures of the scar (it's a doozy), click the "Read more" below. Otherwise, I'll be posting another update as soon as I can manage it. Our dear guy has dodged death about 3 extra times this go round. It boggles my mind.

Now, over all this, we have to get him healthy enough to resume his cancer treatment as soon as possible. Keeping a close eye on all that, as we battle this new front. Gotta hand it to him: his determination is undaunted. Me and the dogs can't wait till he can come home safely.