Day 9 of Jim's Recovery

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WE HAVE MADE CONTACT!!!! Yes, yes, yes, it is true Dad was finally responsive today! It's been nine days but it feels like nine months!

Okay, so on with the excellent details. Well, when Dad woke up from anesthesia he was very alert. Mom brought his glasses today so that he could see things when we showed him pictures. I don't know how long after he woke up but Dad started looking at people. So Mom said "Hey Jim, do you know who I am," and he shook his head "yes." The nurse was surprised so she said "Jim, look at your wife," and he did!! From then on Mom and the nurse would try to ask him questions. Some questions he could understand and shake his head yes or no. Others he seemed confused or would close his eyes, or even seem distracted. Dad was also getting very frustrated because he would try to say something and he could only make sounds not words.

Mom tried to do different things to see what he could understand. She held up a picture of Sage (my daughter) and he would say "ahhhh." Then at one point she was standing at the end of the bed and she asked with a silly voice "can you shake your head yes? Can you shake your head no?" Dad just smiled at Mom!

I guess he also can show that he is uncomfortable more. Mom said that he was moaning like he was sore somewhere so she asked him if he was sore on his neck. He shook his head no. She asked "are you sore on your arms." Again, he shook his head no. Then she asked if he was sore on his back. By then he either couldn't concentrate on what she was asking, just lost interest, or was too frustrated to respond because he just closed his eyes.

Sure this is the one day I can't make it to the hospital because I'm getting a cough and I miss all the action! I'm so mad. However, Mom called me before she left the hospital and I asked her if she would put the phone up to his ear so I could talk to him. When she did I said Hi and he said Hi back!! Then I told him I was sorry I couldn't visit today but I would try tomorrow. Mom then took the phone and said Dad was trying to mumble something then did his face scrunch when he is frustrated and shook his head.

Man, I have been shaking all day. I couldn't wait to get everything done and kids in bed to run and tell all of you about the fabulous day. Do keep in mind though that we still have a long road, but it looks like the road will be brighter for us to travel!

Later this evening Mike was heading up to the hospital so I made him call me back as soon as he left. Mike said that he walked into the room and saw Dad with his glasses on. When Dad looked up he said "Oh, Hi." Mike was totally taken back! He didn't know what to do. Also as Mike sat with Dad and talked to him he said it sounded like Dad was mumbling "I can't..." I can only imagine how frustrated Dad must be right now.

I wonder if the anesthesia is what helped Dad come out of the "sleepy comma." Mom said that is what the nurses think. They think that because of the anesthesia it helped to lower his blood pressure and helped his brain to relax. So all the fears we had of the negative effects of anesthesia were completely reversed!

Well, happy to say Dad will be moved to a nursing facility either Friday or Monday and we will be so happy to let everyone go visit him. He will still need a lot of support to get through this. We were told tonight as we looked at a couple facilities that Nero (head trauma) patients tend to get very agitated and depressed as the brain begin to heal because they remember or learn more and more, but can't quite do things. So we will need all the help we can get in keeping Dad's spirits up for this long journey.

There will be bad days and good days, but man I just can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!!

P.S. I knew I was right about Dad rubbing my arm when I hugged him yesterday!