Thursday is drawing to a close, and it has been a full and exciting day with lots of wonderful baby steps in the right direction. Fiona spent the day with me today, thank goodness, her ability to sit in silence with me, window shop the hospital candy shelves, and walk at speed down hallways is only matched by her ability to be engaged in trivia searches on google. She really is one in a million. Toren struggled today while the doctors changed his medications. He is now on a far lighter sedative, which will allow him to be carefully weaned off the vent hopefully before week two draws to a close... so we have a journey ahead of us. For the first half of today though he sweated and dealt with a racing heart, a slowing heart, and hyperventilation, and so on. Still with patience and trial and error, the doctors were able to get the dosage just right and Toren drifted into a gentle sleep. Triggering the vent for breaths and being supported by the vent rather than driven to breathe by it. This is wonderful especially considering the fragile state of his lungs.
This evening Toren squeezed my hand, made eye contact, nodded his head, and slowed his breathing upon suggestion.
I am so happy, relieved, and grateful... we are so blessed just to recognize each other. I have my reclining chair pulled right up to his bed so I can go to sleep holding his hand. There is more room in here now the EEG is off his head so I can stay closer to him. Right now he is resting comfortably, breathing slowly and I know he is not in pain because I checked with him. Sleep with be a quiet blessing tonight, filled with hope rather than angst.
With love.... please offer up a prayer of gratitude after you read this... This is surely another miracle for us.
M