They tell us now that Pat should no longer be considered "unconscious." She's not quite conscious yet, but more semi-conscious.
I've been thinking that myself. I came here expecting a definite demarcation between one and the other and that at some point she would just yawn and open her eyes and ask for a strong cup of coffee.
I guess that happens sometimes. It did indeed happen to my niece Bronwyn (the daughter of Prof. L.G. Moses at the U of Okla. who hangs around with the Comanche and Kiowa) who as a child fell and was unconscious for three days, then opened her eyes and asked, "Could I have some Doritos?"
But this is more common I guess - a slow emergence. Not quite conscious, but not unconscious either.
(I don't know why that should surprise me. I walk around for days not knowing whether I'm fully conscious or exactly what unnamed state I'm in.)
The respiratory therapist just came in and said that Pat has been breathing room air all day today. Up to this point she has been breathing oxygen enriched air. They're also talking now too about giving her a smaller trach. They keep weaning her from all the various supports.
One of the TV stations wants to do an interview, so Larry and I are going to meet with them in a bit. I'm curious what their slant will be. I believe Larry said Fox was the network.
More soon. Dan
The CAT scans look good and even a little shadow that they had been concerned about might be lessening. We'll hear more about that this afternoon.
They're clearing out the Critical Care unit in anticipation of the Labor Day Weekend, in which they do good business. So it looks like now that Pat will indeed move down the hall. Larry made sure it was a private room with a good view of the valley. We had been hoping to stay here and keep the continuity of staff, and I'm guessing now that if it weren't for the coming rush of customers this weekend that she would stay here. But it looks like we're going to move, which of course is a huge indication of a medical milestone.
Our immediate reaction of course was to shut off the flow of cookies and candy to this nursing staff so that we could start making an immediate impression on the next group. The Mozart balls that Birgitte (Bipi) Lintner has been air freighting from Prague have been a particularly big hit. So they'll be sorry.
Smiles are routine now. I've had our mother speak to Pat by telephone and she smiles when she hears Mom's voice. She looks good and fit, like she always has. I'm told she was fairly swollen earlier on in her legs and arms and everywhere, but you wouldn't know it at this point.
By now you should have seen her skinhead in the pictures on the website (www.upski.com/pat). I'm thinking that as her hair starts to grow out we'll have to get some gel and put spikes in her hair. And maybe dye it green and put some temporary tattoos on her.
Betsy got halfway done with the pedicure by getting the old polish off. She left it to Larry and me to add the new paint. We may need to get a picture of that.
The nursing staff and docs have all commented on the support that Pat has been getting. They say that's very important, and I think it brings out the best in them too, since they start grasping that the lady in room 10 must be someone special. So keep the energy flowing this way -- the LCS or LDS or LSD or whatever those initials are.
Pat took a very bad hit. Despite all the progress, she is still very sick and it will take a long time for her recovery. We need to keep up the spirit on our end.
Dan
