Well, after many sleepless nights and drives to Pittsburgh, Buster has been moved to a pulmonary rehabilitation facility in Beaver, PA. He will be there until they ween him off of the vent. After that, we will be at a very reputable rehab facility in Sewickley, PA.
Over the past few weeks, Buster has battled MRSA, a spiking fever, and blood clots.....and has come out with guns blazing. He's such a fighter. The doctors painted such a gray picture at first...I tried so hard to prepare myself for a funeral. Now I feel like a new person. A person that celebrates every hand squeeze and every toe wiggle.
Buster is very alert. He makes eye contact but doesn't maintain it for very long. He moves both arms, all fingers, his left foot, and his neck from side to side. He also makes it pretty evident when he is in dire need of some chapstick :) Such an amazing improvement. It's hard to believe that 2 weeks ago I was looking at a coma patient. I know that he is aware of much that goes on around him. I see it in his face. It breaks my heart to know that he is unable to voice or demonstrate what he feels and thinks. I try to reassure him that what he is experiencing is normal and although he may be frustrated by his current condition, he must give his body time to heal. He still has a small surgery ahead of him (they need to replace his bilateral bone flap) and a lot of rehab, but I continually promise him that I will be there every step of the way.
It's hard to put into words the gratitude I feel every day that he makes even the smallest improvement. I also can't express what the kind words and correspondence via this forum have meant to me over these last 4 weeks. Every single one of you have contributed to the emotional muscle I have been able to build. This site has become my lifeline.
I do have one question for all of you survivors: What was the first thing you remember? Is it clear or fuzzy? What were you able to register or digest? Is there even much that you remember after first waking up?.....I'm just trying to figure out how to relate or communicate with him.
Again, thank all of you so much!! I think of you all so, so very often :)