Figuring things out

Evy and I (Flora) were able to surprise Dad with a visit on Tuesday and were rewarded by a genuine smile and look of surprise on his face. He had had a very busy day already - he had been visited by the director of the unit and was meeting with his Dr when we showed up...then waiting behind us were the speech therapist (to feed him his lunch), his nurse (with his meds), and the respiratory therapist (with his breathing treatments)...all of us waiting patiently in a line. (Even later came palliative care to visit, physical therapy to sit him at the side of the bed, aids to turn him, friends to visit. It's a happenin' place!)

Seeing him eat was a new element to the visit. At lunch he did so-so and had to be suctioned. The speech therapist said that the main thing that he needs to regain is tongue control so that he can better manipulate the food. She confirmed that eating is exercise and I told Dad that most people DREAM of being prescribed exercises that involve eating! He chuckled.

He asked me about his medications, specifically the pain medicines and he seemed to be sorting them out as I answered his questions. He also asked me,"What is Coumadin for?" and was surprised when I told him that it is a blood thinner and that he had a pulmonary embolus during his ICU stay.

A few times, when he wanted us to readjust him, he spelled, "Push the normal button" or "Push the max-inflate button" both of which are bed-setting modes that are located on the OUTSIDE of the bed rails - he can't see them, but he has been paying attention to what they are and what they do.

He has also figured out the food system telling me at 6:55, "You better call them. They close at 7." He had only been eating less than one day at that point but had the system figured out.

I fed him his dinner with a bit of anxiety, not wanting him to choke on me! But he did great! In fact, he talked with his laser pointer the whole time, giving a new meaning to the phrase "talking with your mouth full." I told him it was nice of Tim to affix his laser pointer to a plain black headband and not a pink sparkley one - then I found out later that Tim had told him, "Dad, you better be glad it wasn't Flora doing this - she would have given you a Mickey Mouse ears headband!" Ha! (True!)

When I started to feed him he corrected me and had me move the table from beside me to across his lap. He wanted to sit in front of his meal and see it and smell it and have a real meal. I was so pleased he said that - of course he should have it in front of him!! He has been waiting so long to re-enjoy the simple pleasure of a meal. (They have maintained the tube feedings at the same rate because he isn't sustaining enough calories from his meals yet. He ate about 1/2 his dinner for me and decided he was done.) He seemed to enjoy hearing the list of food choices available to him when we chose all 3 meals for the next day.

When his friend Rick came to vist, Dad introduced us (not knowing that we had already met at a previous hospital visit). I was very encouraged to see Dad engaging in social niceties. For such a long time there, polite conversations was outside his abilities. All conversation revolved around "S-U-C-T-I-O-N," "P-A-I-N," and "F-A-N."

He was able to tell Rick and me details about the support staff, lists that he is keeping in his head, and plans he has for "when he gets his voice and legs back"...in the meantime he adds to his mental lists.

All in all he seemed more fully in command of his environment which made it a very encouraging visit