Andie update

I spent hours in Andie's room today. Most of the time she seemed out of it but when they brought down the sedation she opened her eyes, and moved around - her hands had been bound to stop the thrashing and grabbing at tubes - the nurse took the left one out of the restraints and said my parents and I could do that too but I didn't feel comfortable with that if he wasn't there. When the hand was free she was touching her face where it's swollen and was not too combative today that I saw. There was a tear in her eye and I wonder how much she realizes about what's going on.

More lists of to -dos and I carry my little notebook that comes out about half way into what the doc is saying since he seems to pop in and as he's talking I try to grasp it but know I should write it too so I can take it all in and remember and look stuff up later.

This doctor is fabulous. Ironically one of the women at my parent's church had an issue that was tended by him an few years ago. He indicated that since there was quite a bit of damage of Andie's temporal lobe but seemed pleased with her progress - even though it didn't seem like much to me... Talk of taking the breathing tube out but it was still there when I left and earlier there was mention of 3 - 5 days. Obviously, it's moment by moment stuff.

They say she can hear us and might not remember it later but I find it remarkable that she was more active today - alot while the pastor of my parent's church was visiting - and thought her eyes didn't really seem to focus I wonder if she saw us. My Dad thinks she tapped his palm - after I left and was driving home- and she does seem to respond to his voice as in getting more active... as much as a person can while hooked up to all kinds of lines and tubes and lying like that.

I'm home now and will chill here this evening and rest as much as possible and will decide about going back tomorrow or Tuesday once I've pondered all this.

Since I've applied for and gotten Dima's benefits and that kind of stuff is related to what I did when I had a paying job I should be the one to work out her insurance issues, Mom and Dad don't need more to think about. I do want to get back to Allentown to deal with that with the help of the hospital people. I've got files started that I left at Mom + Dad's about the hospital and Andie's mail so far with empty files remaining to be used as needed.

Again: DO NOT VISIT NOW she needs... above all... to rest and recover and most of you know how vain she is ...just don't go - when things have changed I'll let you know - I'll do my best to post nightly updates and we will call you - or at least I will - when we need extra hands.

The lack - of- job thing and car problems seem so trivial now!

Good Night. Guten Nacht. Buona Notte. Spakoina Noche