Day 22

Baby steps....but at this rate maybe he'll be walking soon!! He did have a wee bit of response to the neurologists "tests" today. Dr. Downs does things that make me shudder!! I mean this IS an injured brain he is dealing with, and he jerks Stan's head from side to side while holding his eyes open....checking for something called "doll's eyes." He also takes a bit of paper towel or tissue and rolls it into a toothpick shape, and then sticks it on Stan's eyeballs. And today he thrust his open hand toward Stan's eye that he was holding open, and stopped just short of "hitting" him. Any of those are hard to watch. Then he says, "Now I'm going to do something that may look bad, but it isn't." And what he does is press on the eyeball while the lid is closed. Now of all those tests...that is the one that did NOT look "bad."

Well, we aren't setting off sky rockets, but maybe we're lighting a fire cracker or two!!

They have turned off the ativan and will turn down the fentanol tonight. His "peep" is down to 8 tonight...this is the lowest it has been set so far. His pressure is still set at 50% and his numbers are all staying very good. We could "almost" start liking numbers again!!

If he would just open his eyes and say Hi....what a glorious day that will be!

The bump on his forehead is gone, but there is a weird red spot there, now.

The doctor who ordered the proning came in to see me tonight. He said he wanted to do a bit of bragging. I told him to brag all he wants...I, for one, am very happy with his results!!

I have been playing CDs of Bert Kempfert and Billy Vaughn big band music........music we have listened to for over 45 years...first on LPs, then tapes, and now CDs..............I chose those two because when "Wonderland by Night" comes on (it's on both CDs) he will automatically think of me and know I am there. That has been a favorite song of ours for ever and evokes memories of when we were planning our first house, etc. I have a CD by Galen and one by Roger Hall of hymns, too....more favorites.

Several nurses have commented how much they like the music, and like to step into his room just for the calmness it creates.

Both shooting victims have been moved out of ICU. PTL

The boys tell me they will finish repairing the water early tomorrow and also bring in the ladders. (We have an attic room above the ceiling in the upper turret room, but it is a 12 foot ceiling, so it takes a step ladder to climb and lift off the lid, and then a taller ladder to reach into the opening. That is where all my Christmas decorations are stored. This is no small production....and I carefully remove each ornament from its box, and put it back in January. We also have our living room fake tree up there, and any number of wreathes, ribbons, lights, etc....not just the tons of ornaments I have amassed over the years. Isaac asked if he could help decorate the tree. I do believe I'll take him up on it!!! I usually flock the real tree, but this one is so pretty, I may not have the heart. (Unless some Russians decide to come help me! heehee)

Sorry there is no funny errors to laugh at. Guess I am awake tonight.... I do have a bit of trivia that might bring a smile. For some reason I realized today a new meaning to the phrase "turn a blind eye."
I had cataract surgery last December (wow, really!! a year ago!! ) and so my left eye is now 20/15...better than perfect vision...except it is still "old" and needs reading glasses to see up close. Now, the right eye didn't have a cataract, so it is still 20/500.........quite blind, BUT it has the nearsighted advantage of not needing reading glasses to see up real close. So the left is blind for close work, and the right is blind for distance...........so, at anytime, anywhere I am able to "turn a blind eye" towards something!!! Cute, aren't I!!!

As Stan would say, "You're getting silly. Go to bed..." Sooooo, I am off to bed. Talk to you tomorrow.

Love, M