Today we reached the two week mark. Kassi and Brandon are much more mobile than they were days ago, let alone two weeks ago. Everyone has come so far in the last two weeks. We have reached the stretch when everyone is exhausted, bored and ready for a change. And change we get everyday.
The most common comment we seem to get is that Brandon is far ahead of where he should be and to be patient. I can't believe the changes from last night to today. Brandon took me for a walk last night. He was walking with his best impression of a question mark. Today he walked too many laps to count, standing upright and minimal foot drag. His voice and swallowing gets stronger every day. His personality is returning and he loves to do something to get a reaction from people followed by a big grin and a laugh.
His short term memory still has a way to go. I walked in this afternoon after helping Leanne pack things in the car and he said, "Well look whose here." I asked how long I was gone and he said "Like three months." He wanted to watch football and take walks all day. It is obvious that he knows there are several things he still can't do quite right. He got frustrated when he colored outside the lines, wanted to walk faster than we would allow him and still insists that he be allowed to get around by himself.
He got tried of his feeding tube last night about 11:30, dug deep into his nose and removed most of it. The nursing staff removed the rest. I told him that he needed to leave it in place until Monday. He said "They lie." "They told me I could have it out if I ate and they left it in." He is so insistent that it not be replaced he ate EVERYTHING we put in front of him today. He has been able to consistently eat 3,000 calories the last two days.
At 6:00 this morning he decided he could get out of bed this morning all by himself and make it to the bathroom. He only made it from the edge of the bed to the floor. He caught his nose and forehead on the edge of a chair. It appears he got away with nothing more than a short lived nose bleed and a small headache.
Brandon also took a trip to church services this morning, or as he called it, "Fake" church. (because it is only a half hour long.) He enjoys getting out of his room when he can. But honestly I think his biggest reason for going was to take the sacrament water. He got about half of it down before the theripist grabbed his hand and stopped him. He also found the hymn page (208) and sang. He said that's the first time he's ever sang in church. We came up with the top ten reasons attending church at the hospital is better than a regular ward:
10: Compared to your birthday suit a hospital gown is Sunday best.
9: Everyone is so eager to get out of their room no one complains; "Do I really have to go to church."
8: Free pick up and delivery service - wheelchair from room to meeting.
7: The speakers are afraid if they talk too long they really may bore you to death.
6: You can actively and regularly attend meetings without having to worry about being called as Scout Master.
5: When everyone has a Foley catheter you don't have to worry about the kids taking five bathroom breaks.
4: People are so grateful you can make any kind of noise they don't care if you can't sing a note
3: You don't have to be a high priest to take a nap. Everyone thinks it's medication related.
2: Consolidated meeting block - 30 minutes start to finish.
1: Compared to being tied to your bed for two weeks, the high council talk really isn't that bad.
By evening Brandon's brain had had enough. He becomes harder to understand and his actions become more random. He is obsessed with his bedding and the bathroom. I think he realizes he needs to do something before bed, he is not quite sure what that is. Each day it is better and he is infinitely much further along than initially expected.
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