2012 01 29 Sunday January 29 -- Slow Recovery

Post date: Jan 30, 2012 12:41:32 AM

Mom has been groggy for the last several days. This is attributable to her medications. The nurses and doctors assure us that her recovery is progressing normally. She is able to distinguish right from left, her reflexes are working normally, she is able to feed herself, and she knows us all by name. She is confused about where she is and how she got to where she is. Her last memory prior to surgery is being in the ER at Conway Regional Hospital, so she keeps assumming that she is in the hospital in Conway. We remind her several times a day where she is and what happened. She seems surprised about the brain surgery. Her thinking is confused, but the medical personnel tell us that this is normal for the first couple of weeks following brain surgery. She has proudly told several visitors that I (Amanda, her daughter) performed her brain surgery. Yikes!

Several of you who have have asked questions about her bandages. The bandage on her right is from the surgery. The surgeon drilled through her right temple. The bandage on the left is covering a drain that is removing blood from the aneurysm and her surgery. Several of you have also asked when we might expect that she will start walking. Of course, right now, she is much too groggy to walk, but the plan is that the medical personnel will start moving her toward walking when the drain comes out, and the drain will be removed when she stops bleeding. No, we don't know exactly when that will be.

Today, I asked Mom (Martha) if there was any message that she would like for me to share with her friends and family, and she enthusiastically responded, "Yes! Tell them that I am doing wonderfully, and I just feel great!" She remains characteristically positive and optimistic, even when confused. Quite amazing!