Coming Back

I can't remember the days exactly, but I scribbled notes each day...

One day at a time Clark is coming back:

New day - Clark squeezes the doctor's hand when asked, temperature 101 degrees. He is taking some breaths on his own, with the ventilator doing the rest. The therapist comes in and instructs me on how to exercise Clark's muscles. His right arm and leg are totally limp. I need to stretch his achilles heel, so the tendons won't shrink. Otherwise, when he recovers he will have a harder time learning to walk again. I like having something to do to help him. I talk to him constantly as I work all his muscles.

New day - Clark doesn't squeeze the doctor's hand on command today, temperature 100.3, alot of "gunk" in his lungs, more seizures in his right arm...up the dilantin.

New day - Clark pulls the ventilator out himself. They were going to remove it tomorrow but Clark had other ideas. (go Clark!)

New day - He is trying to open his eyes but can't. You can see his eye muscles trying to pull the lid open. I decide to give his eyes some help, I put my face into Clark's face, and lift both of his eyelids up to see his brown eyes, and tell him "Clark you can do it, it is Ann, I love you". The doctor tells me the aphasia might be worse, if he even comes out all the way.

New day - another cat scan - carbon dioxide level is a concern. I get up the nerve and choke back the tears, as I ask the nurse practitioner..."Will Clark ever wake up?". She says quite simply "We don't know", I know she said more but I don't remember what. I go back to his room and talk to him, while holding his hand.

New day - They removed his feeding tube that went through his nose, but had me sign a form to put a "Peg in", which is a tube that is surgically inserted through your skin, above the belly button directly into the stomach. Liquid food and medicine is then poured into the stomach through the tube. He stops breathing and the first time scares me... I run out to the nurse "Clark isn't breathing", but by the time we got back to his room he had started to breath again. I think she thought I was imagining things, but they soon found out that he has sleep apnea.

New day - They try to stimulate Clark to consciouness. They yell, pinch him as hard as they can. Clark doesn't respond....

New day - Three therapist come in and they sit him up on the side of the bed. He isn't even conscious, he is totally limp, but they hope the stimulation will help him come around.

New day - He moved his left thumb and one finger!!!! Temperature 100.5.

New day - They start talking to me about moving him to a Nursing Home, he is stable and there is no more they can do. They can give me no ideas how far he will recover, nor how long it will take...

**I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.** Psalm 120:1