Hello, everyone.

Anthony has been at Mercy Hospital for a month now, and although I am not regretting putting him there, it seems to be no longer a good place for him. The behavioral health unit there deals with crazy people of all kinds, and although they keep him safe and make sure his personal needs are taken care of, they have a hard time dealing with Anthony's specific needs, particularly regarding the limitations caused by his brain and spinal cord injuries. They don't know how much he really understands or is aware of his reality, and they don't know his physical capabilities, so they don't know how much to push him (and they don't know the right ways to coach him for things like transfers, so the staff ends up doing things for him that he could do himself with a bit of proper cueing). They are looking into getting him some physical therapy before discharging him so that he can regain some skills and some strength that he's lost in the last four weeks. They are also more free with the administering of sedatives than I would like, which I've been addressing. But he is a tough case, and they are doing the best they can.

In dealing with his inability to walk, he seems to be going through the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance), and I don't think he is quite accepting it yet, which would seem to be a key attitude to help him to move forward. Still, more frequently than before, I'm seeing glimpses of the old Anthony (still not as often as I'd like, but it's still encouraging). At any rate, he seems ready to move on from Mercy, and despite my earlier misgivings, I am planning to take him to Philadelphia's ReMed program for more intensive therapy. I'm not sure exactly when that will happen, but it should be sometime in the next couple of weeks. He may end up going straight there from the hospital with just a quick stop at home to see the kids.

So please keep us in prayer as we make decisions regarding his ongoing rehabilitation. I feel like we're one of those toy cars that moves forward, bumps into something, bounces back in an arc-shape into something else, bounces off that in an arc into something else, etc. It's like we never go completely backward, but we keep trying different ways of moving forward, hitting roadblocks, and then having to switch to different plans. But somehow all of these attempts at moving forward (and the bounces from one thing to another) are part of God's overall plan to get us where He wants us to be.

My brother Fred suggested the following novena prayer for the time leading up to the first anniversary of Anthony's accident. The feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret is actually the 24th, but I think he'll accept a novena of prayers ending on the eve of his day! St. Severinus Boethius' feastday is on the 23rd, so we can ask for his intercession, too. Please join us in prayer (as you have for many months now!).

Novena Prayer for Anthony Maleski for October 15-23*
St. Anthony Mary Claret, during your life on earth you offered compassion to the afflicted, strength to the sick and hope to those seeking God. Guide and comfort Anthony, and all who are dear to him, on our journey of life. May the same grace that filled the Blessed Virgin Mary, and you as her child, fill Anthony with the love and confidence he needs to face all the challenges of his life. Watch over him as you did those under your care as missionary, archbishop and founder. Let Anthony learn from your tireless zeal how to live, work and die for the Lord. Help Anthony to turn his cares over to God and move forward with the same hope that sustained you in this life and led you to eternity. Amen.

St. Severinus Boethius, who labored with great fruit in the studies of theology and philosophy, pray for Anthony that he might regain full use of his mental powers if such is in conformity with God’s loving plan for him. Amen.

St. Oda, pray for us.

Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be

*Adapted from the Claretian brochure at http://www.claretian.com/documents/Novena2009brochure.pdf

We'll be moving to our new home (still in the process of being beautifully remodeled by family members and friends for accessibility) at the end of October, so when Anthony returns from Philadelphia, he'll have a new house to get used to, but it will be much more user-friendly for him. I am hoping that it will be conducive to his establishment of a sense of usefulness and normalcy as he re-adjusts to his husbandly and fatherly roles.

As always, thank you so much for your continued prayers. The graces have been amazing.

God bless,
Anna