What a sweet weekend we had. We celebrated our son's birthday at the hospital with relatives and M joked around and laughed. Later that evening, M on his own started reflecting about the future. He wants to work, to teach others. When he returns to work, he said, he wants to serve others, especially the disabled.
I've mentioned previously the possible consequences of frontal lobe damage: the loss of insight, planning ability, self awareness and awareness of others. Over the past few days, M has been demonstrating a remarkable insight and an ability to empathize. He's projecting himself into the future, showing some of the executive functions so necessary for taking charge of one'e own life.
Later Sunday evening, he transferred himself (with my help) from the wheelchair to a low couch and we sat together for a bible study our church is doing. For twenty minutes, we read the Bible and reflected on answers asked in the study. How sweet to commune with my husband. He reached sometimes in his reflections, was not either as facile or as intense as he could have been three months ago, but he was fully present -- such a gift. A week ago, ten minutes without a non sequiter would have been impossible.
God continues to be so good. We prayed so hard at church Sunday for Ms memory to improve. On a whim, one therapist decided today to test his immediate memory. He amazed all of us by making an almost perfect score. With the immediate memory (remembering things within minutes, such as when you look a phone number up, then turn to dial it), he can use aids to assist his memory. It also shows that healing proceeds.
And today he started reading the blog. A half hour later, he forgot he read the parts he had read, but he was so absorbed while reading, he sat straight up in the wheelchair for half an hour.
Late in the afternoon, we spoke with his doctor. She too is encouraged by his progress, stating she expected his recovery to continue at a rapid pace.
Bless you all. This weekend saw lots of activity at the house, too, with the rooms totally rearranged and most of the boxes of stuff put away. Today dear friends started redoing our entry floor, with stunning results. Soon we'll have a refreshing garden entrance, one that M can negotiate in a wheelchair. It reminds me of an old-fashioned conservatory, just the place for a convalescent to bask in the sun.
