Liquid Drinks and Real Food

Yesterday Doug graduated from eating honey thick liquid drinks. He is now able to have any drink he wants. His favorite is a grape slush. The concern was that the thinner liquids would go down his throat faster than he could swallow which would cause it to go into his lungs. If he had to cough after he drank, that was a sign it's going down too fast. But, I think he has mastered it now and he can move on.
The food he has been eating is mostly tender vegetables and shredded meat. Not too much with substance. Hopefully today he can be put on regular food too. He is doing really well on swallowing now.
He is getting more movement out his left leg everyday. He still isn't able to move his left arm. This week the physical therapists have been working on getting him out of bed to a standing up position to transfer Doug to a wheel chair. When the therapists aren't around, the nurses use a hydraulic lift to transfer him to a wheel chair.
He is required to be up for all three meals and taken to the dining room to eat. There isn't much for him to do for entertainment besides watching TV. I usually go visit him around lunch time and later in the evenings. His tentative discharge date is May 29. I pray this will be a week of progress.