Pudding

Those of us who know Ian know that he can sing well, and he has sung on Mark's scripture song series called, Hide the Word. I was listening to this Scripture put to song (2 Cor 4:17-18): "For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." Ian sang that song. I hope today that he remembers that Scripture and is being comforted by it. This "slight momentary affliction" he's experiencing is preparing something incredible for the future.

He was eating pudding tonight. He was cleared to start eating things with the consistency of honey or liquids thickened to that consistency, so tonight he got pudding. There's a delay before he swallows, but we've been told that the delay is to be expected. It's fairly typical for someone in his condition. Improvement for him will include a quicker response time in his swallowing, but he's improved to this point already where he's actually swallowing. He wasn't even doing that before.

Someone asked about his "rating" on the coma scale. Just to be clear, he is still in a coma. The scales are used just for discussion and provide a framework for treatment, but giving him another rating on the scale isn't like graduating him from first grade to second grade. There just isn't a clear break like that, and it's a matter of opinion as to where he falls on the scale. And, at this point, we're less concerned about his place on the scale and more concerned with evidence of progress. That's why we talk less now about his place on the scale.

Thank you for praying for Ian.

Steve