Home Again!

(Leaving Rehab)

Tonight is Discharge Eve.  In many ways it’s like Christmas Eve.  The anticipation, the huge buildup, the excitement.  And, I have a feeling that in many ways the day after Discharge will be a lot like the day after Christmas. . . kind of a letdown.  All David can focus on right now is D-Day, and even though all of his therapists have continually reiterated that there are many things that will be different for a while, his mind is so focused on the big day that I fear there will be many a letdown once we are home.  

He has made huge strides of progress here in the Rehab facility.  Physically he can do most everything he could do before the accident, although his strength is greatly diminished from the weeks lying in bed.  I have no doubt his body will recondition itself with ease, though it may take longer than usual since lots of energy is being used to heal his broken parts.

His speech continues to improve.  He recognizes when the words he says don’t sound right, and he will slow down and ask for help to say what he wants to say.  He understands everything people around him are saying, and the words and sentences in his head are intact, but the signals translating the words in his head to the words he speaks are still getting mixed up.  This is going to be hard for him out in the “real world” where people might make assumptions about his intelligence based on his speech.  

His memory and cognition also continue to improve, but more slowly than his speech.  He can find his way back to his room about 50% of the time now.  He knows the day, month and year most of the time.  He knows where we are and why we are here (although he is still incredulous that he could have fallen out of that tree. . . we all still are).  His short-term memory is weak still, but improving.  His right eye still remains closed, although there is more muscle movement of the actual eye than there has been.  The plastic surgeon is still hopeful that his eye may fully recover.

(( The above post was written last night (12/15), below was written tonight (12/16). ))

Well, today was the big day.  We got out of bed early and packed up.  David scarfed his breakfast down and we scooted out of there.  He was so happy.  So was I, but it was mixed with a whole lot of apprehension.

The rest of the day today went great, really.  We got home, got unpacked, shed some happy tears, took naps.  We went to the beach with my sister, who has been here acting as surrogate mom for our kids for the last 10 days.  David is very worried about our kids all the time, that they are safe and not doing things that could get them hurt, to the point where he seems a little paranoid.

The naps are really hard for David.  He needs them, of course, but every time he wakes up from one he is very disoriented and thinks that he has been asleep all night and it’s the morning of a new day.  He also has trouble orienting to the time throughout the day, and usually thinks it’s much later than it is.  His emotions are amplified and his tears come very easily and quickly.  In some ways it’s nice to see his feelings on the surface. . . he usually keeps them pretty deep.  On the other hand, it’s kind of disconcerting to see him become upset and emotional so quickly, and to see his confidence so shaken.  I have hope that’s one of the things that will come back in time.  It’s something that makes him. . . him.

My sister left for the airport tonight.  So we are just us again, for the first time in 4 and a half weeks.  The task of keeping us all together, of being in charge of everything to do with both the kids’ and David’s well-being is daunting and frightening and exhausting.  I don’t know if I can do it.  I have to do it.  I hope I can do it.

(Final Meal at Rehab)

(Coming in the front door)

(At the beach with the kids)