alive, alert, awake, and enthusistic

The title about sums up today except maybe not entirely enthusiastic but for being 24 hours removed from having someone nosing around your brain we'll take it. Heidi got the afternoon off from visitors and I went in to see her around dinner time. Kristi and Cal also came up and stayed through some of the evening. In my mind the difference between just those few hours was impressive. When I came in she was awake, much more alert, and just seemed that much better. She was joking and talking and pretty much being herself which was good. A short time later Dr Welling popped in to check on her and was quite pleased how everything was going. He had her make all kinds of funny faces and weird stuff like that. Then he had her put a phone up to her ear and she said that was audible so he said everything was looking great...very scientific I thought. He said the numbness and swelling on here face would probably hang around for a while but he saw no reason why a full recovery would not happen so that was good to hear.

I also have two humorous stories from today. Before they would let me back in to see her in the ICU I grabbed some wendy's (really sick of it already...but its food) and went out to eat in front of the building near where I was last night. It can best be described as a courtyard with some small sidewalk fountains, a few tables and benches, and is quite pleasant. As I was eating I noticed quite a few patients walking around with their gowns on and IV poles in tow getting some fresh air. One was an extremely obese women riding around in a scooter puffing on a cigarette which just seemed a bit odd. Then a guy walks up to me and trys to bum a smoke. I said I didn't and he moved along. A moment later I saw him talking to scooter women and then watched them have a smoke together....some recovery.

Then tonight in Heidi's room around dinner time she was getting hungry and a bit grumpy that dinner had not arrived yet. Lunch was pretty good and included chicken and stuffing, vegetables, potato soup, peaches in a cup, and some apple pie. So needless to say she was looking forward to food. About 5:45 a nurse brings in a dinner tray and sets it down. I start to help organize it all and it looks a little sparse. Heidi asks what it is and I inform her she has chicken broth and jello. By the time I got the 'o' out she was banging on the nurses call but with a rather disgruntled look. A nurse sticks her head in and Heidi asks her what this was and she said 'dinner' which was not the correct answer. After a brief but somewhat intense discussion the nurse says I'll figure it out and leaves which was her smartest move. A few minutes later the nurse assigned to Heidi (who is doing a remarkable job) came in and said that the food people must have messed it up because she had ordered the food dinner as opposed the the liquid dinner. About 20 minutes later real dinner arrived with some beef, carrots & potatos, a banana, brownie and some veggie soup. This made Heidi much happier. At that time I knew my Heidi was the same Heidi that was wheeled away on Tuesday morning. I just hope they don't screw up breakfast....