8 PM Washington D.C. time.
Patty and I saw David early this morning and he was awake but soon got sleepy when they gave him his meds. We had time to talk (one sided of course), "play" with weird stuff, and stretch and bend his arms and legs (irritate him). So it was good fun.
While he slept we went back to our little room and did laundry and packed. We didn't really know when we would be leaving for Palo Alto (we now think Wed. or Thurs.) and have heard that we may only have several hours notice. In the Fisher House we have to clean our room and bathroom and make the bed before we leave, maybe in the wee hours of the morning. Life is tough!
When we returned in the afternoon he was awake again, and we hung out with him for a while. Then his nurse, Jean (who has two sons, 17 and 19) suggested that we put him in a chair, and if we were up to it, take him for a ride outside. If we were up to it?! Does a bear..........? So we went for an excursion through the hospital and all over out front in the sunlight. David raised his face toward the sun rays and seemed to bask. He also drifted in and out of sleep. But it was still cool. Sometimes you just have to have faith that sitting by his bedside and talking to him, or touching and massaging him or trading him the horn for the squishy football, for the orange, for the balloon, for the apple is helping him. We tried the marker and paper again and he held it perfect and seemed to think, but that was all that happened. There were some funny moments, like when he grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his face and head, and then instead of resting his elbow on the side rail of his bed he rested it on my belly and seemed quite content.
The doctors made their rounds and they thought he was doing much better physically, he is coughing up less junk, and hasn't needed much suctioning today. After his next meds he of course got sleepy so we left and got some awesome cafeteria food. Patty went back up to check on him afterwards and I came back to our room to write this update.
I keep praying that God continues mending the messed up parts of David's brain, and rewires the fried circuitry and all the while grants David patience and peace. Some times I think I see frustration on his face and I pray that God gives him hope. Thanks for your continued prayers.
Steve
Monday, November 5th, 2007
Posted by The Huddleston family at 4:56 PM
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2 comments :
Good job, Dad! Love the belly resting part! I'm so glad you were able to take him outside! I keep thinking about how David is similar to a baby, and how his brain is going to make all the pathways again, just like a baby's does. I think of when Brea was a baby and didn't respond to anything that we did until what, like 3 months? Then we might have gotten a smile. But obviously we had to keep playing with her and explosing her to new experiences/things so that she could learn and her brain could start "working." Anyway, babies don't pop out honking horns 3 times or blinking on command, but it doesn't mean that they won't be able to. Hopefully David will re-learn all these things quicker than a baby though, since he was already able to everything once.
God is Good!! And David is VERY lucky to have you and mom taking care of him and lovin' on him! He would've picked you for parents if he could have!
Love you,
Laura
You are doing great! I am sure David is comforted by your being there and making him active. Last year I covered a job for an engineer that was on medical leave for TBI (kicked in head by a horse). She is back to work after at least a year off. I would repeat what Laura said, God is good and it is good that David has you guys.
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