Security guards, cameras, and people with familiar logos came walking in the Neuro Trauma Unit yesterday. Super tall players, coaches and cheerleaders offered kind words, signed basketballs, and handshakes to the parents and kids. We overheard one family say, "Uh no, no jazz," to the person walking ahead to coordinate which families wanted visitors. Suddenly someone says loudly, "Wait, is that the Utah Jazz? I thought you meant a jazz band. Yes, yes we want the Utah Jazz to come in." Diana and I giggled about that. We had enjoyed their smiles and taken pictures together, but we thought the opposite. "The Utah Jazz team? Well, we can take a picture. But a jazz band in our room? Now that would have been something!" But it was very kind of the team to come and spend the day in the hospital with kids. There were many smiling faces around here.
Diana passed into a better memory level today. Her cognitive level was tested at level 8, as we have been praying for. She did well on memory tests and her Speech pathologist cheered at 2 PM when Diana correctly identified items that had been told to her at 9 AM. She has not been able to state the items listed even 15 minutes later. She did her laundry today, did a little Christmas shopping, and cooked some more in the kitchen.
However, she tires very easily and after that awesome memory feat, couldn't find her room. She can't stay aware like that for long. And two things cannot happen at once. But it is exiting that she has reached that level even if only for a few minutes. She still needs tons of rest and dimmed lights and quiet.
So, the good news is that we are being discharged tomorrow. We still have the neuro eye exam Thursday for most of the day and so most likely will come home Friday so Diana is not exhausted.
Its crazy busy to discharge from Inpatient care. We had many, many meetings today with health professionals and will have more tomorrow. Warnings, guidelines, statistics, cautions, support groups, temporary bans, and education materials are abundant. I am a little scared honestly. Like you who have left a hospital know, the healing and worries are not over. But we are still so excited to be together as a family. We have missed home so much!