Day 11 in ICU land, the body is healing, now we focus on the brain

It is Sunday afternoon in ICU land and Toren is gadget/monitor free... Thank God. He is young and strong, and was healthy when all this hit, so he is coming back with incredible speed physically. Toren is able to walk with support on both sides of him and each time he goes a little further. However, walking appears to produce a strange disorientation episode - which includes loss of speech, eye fluttering, etc. It is unlike anything we have seen before and it lasts about 10 minutes... he has been up on his feet 4 times, and has had an 'event' each time. We are waiting to have another Neuro exam/follow up to see what is what. It is possible that this is just post brain trauma and will resolve itself as his brain recovers. Of course, he has been in such critical condition that no MRIs etc have been done, so I am hopeful that testing will reveal something, allowing us to better understand his condition and prevent future emergencies. I know even more now about medicine than I ever expected, and frankly enough is enough.



Ideally, we will be discharged from ICU and moved to the seizure lab or Neuro unit tomorrow. Toren had no sleep last night, he was very restless and anxious. I slept at the hotel across the street - a bed was delightful after 10 days and nights in the room on a recliner type chair. Toren is talking although he is struggling with finding some words. He is understandably very tired and anxious to get out of the hospital, and back to him own life ~ healthy and appropriate responses to the situation. The nurses are thrilled for us, and excited to see him bounce back physically, they are equally responsive and attentive to this new manifestation of his condition. I remind myself that these are little worries compared to those of the middle of last week. Even though I knew there would be challenges once his life was out of danger, I am saddened. It is so troubling to see him have to wrestle with even more.

Toren is wonderfully appreciative of his nurses and doctors, and he is being a co-operative patient. However, his natural impulsivity and desire to get going did pull out his central line last night, as he got himself into a seated position on the bed without support or help. Toren is well aware of what is going on, and it overwhelms him from time to time, but he is expressing his feelings and that is a good thing.

Visits from my mum, Helaini, Linda & Jonathan, Buddy and Melinda all cheered him up, but it is also very tiring for him, now that Toren is alert and with it we need to find just the right balance, which I imagine will change day by day. I, of course, need breaks, but it doesn't work for Toren when I am not around, especially during the night.

Right now it is 7pm, Toren had a hearty dinner, he is sitting in a recliner watching CSI Miami, and really enjoying it. His beard is quite full and dark, and the nurse teased that he was McDreamy... Toren said he would rather be McSteamy... with a big smile. He just invited the night nurse to take a seat and join us watching TV, clearly whatever else has changed, his charm and warmth has not been impacted.