May 19

And on the seventh day, he rested.

Technically it’s not his seventh day of rehab, but you see where the metaphor is going.  It’s Sunday, and rehab patients get one weekend day off.  He’d requested Saturday as his therapy day, so today’s his day to rest.

I think he’s made very good progress, and that is echoed among the staff here.  One of the ICU nurses said to me last week to consider progress being made not as a day-to-day measurement, but rather as a week-to-week kind of thing.  The difference in him from last Saturday to yesterday has been so marked, it’s almost like he’s not the same person.  Last Saturday I was petrified that the brain injury starring in the show was going to manifest as it was, and never return my sweet husband’s personality to us.  But the brain is a magical thing, and much of Tom’s personality is shining through.  I do miss his constant stream of good-naturedness and goofiness though.

He got a good look at his face for the first time day before last, which was a bit of a surprise to him.  Whereas I have been able to witness the progression from acute road rash and drains for the blood and fluids around his ear, to a cleaned-up, less traumatized version of his visage, he’s focused on the nerve damage asymmetry he’s seeing for the first time.  I still love that his eyes light up and he smiles whenever I walk in, even if it’s with 50% of his face for now.

I have to laugh at his not-exactly-love for speech therapy.  Ah, irony. . .  I think he views therapy as a physical accomplishment, but I know that brain injury is as much a part of the beast, maybe even more so than the bones, nerves, and muscles stuff he “sees” as making improvements.  It’s one of those things with brain injury that one with the brain injury cannot take in the long view or be objective.  He’s come far and fast already.  You’ll have to believe me, because I’m betting he wouldn’t report in the same way.

One of his coworkers, a self-described prayer warrior, visited the other night to pray over Tom.  Neither of us are religious, but it was quite something to be with someone whose conviction is so strong, and whose belief is so firm that a higher power can and will take care of him.  Several times during his few minutes of prayer, I felt myself smiling at the things he said or the way he described them.  It was lovely.  We are surrounded by good people committing good works for my good husband.