Monday, August 22, 2011

Reality Check

I spent all day at the hospital yesterday.  Dan and I had a nice day together.  He slept on and off.  We managed to catch a little bit of sunshine, getting a wheelchair pass and stepping out the door into the fresh air for the first time (for Dan) in 10 days or so.  It felt so good and Dan was clearly into it.  But when we got back to the room he went deep into sleep and slept through his dinner tray arriving.

Today began a week of intensive daily therapies.  I go back to work tomorrow and will be just a few floors below him so will be able to go up to say hi and check in.  There is a meeting of his entire team of doctors, nurses and therapists tomorrow around 2 which I've been asked to attend.  Kevin will probably join me for that as a second pair of ears.  Or third if you count Dan's!

Lastly, I want to let you know that my lack of response to emails, phone calls, texts, etc., is not personal.  I have to be careful about how much time I spend on the phone or emailing because I am trying to get my own strength back and preserve my energy.  The "no visitors" restriction is for Dan's good.  He is exhausted and his brain injury is serious.  The best therapy for his healing is to rest,  to only be stimulated in the way the pro's want to stimulate him for therapeutic reasons.  Visitors (other than family) put a strain on him at this point.   So please don't be hurt or take any of this personally.

I appreciate all that you are doing, praying, thinking, sending - all the love.  But we need to maintain his safe, quiet place for a bit longer.

Thanks for understanding.

Love,

Irene

6 comments:

  1. Hopefully everyone understands your need to keep Dan quiet, and stimulated only as appropriate. This blog is (and will be in the future) a wonderful way to keep track of the evolution of this huge event in your lives. And of course, you find ways to lace these accounts with your insightful humor and intense compassion.

    Last night I saw an interview on Charlie Rose with a man who had a spontaneous brain hemorrhage entitled: What I Learned When I Almost Died: How a Maniac TV Producer Put Down His BlackBerry and Started to Live His Life. I thought so much of you and Dan throughout the broadcast, and know that you,Dan, Sarah and Julia not only have strength within yourselves to navigate this curvy, overwhelming journey, but you have an army of friends (and, ahem, family) who love and support you and will be there for you.

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  2. I meant to say the man interviewed on Charlie Rose wrote a book entitled....

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  3. Ms. Irene,

    You know we are there with you all in spirit and when the time comes for more than that you have a tribe waiting in the wings. Please don't feel bad about not contacting people. Anyone that is a friend of yours has excellent taste in friends (and no doubt, good judgement) and definitely understands. Keep on keepin' on.
    xo,
    Star

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  5. Thanks for all these blog messages, Irene. We read them daily. Dan's need for a low-stim environment makes complete sense. We all understand, and just want you to do whatever you need to do to take care of yourselves. That means ALL of you--Dan, Irene, Julia, Sarah, Kevin and Aileen. This could be a long haul...
    Dan--we think of you daily and continue to send good vibrations. Peace and love, Gail Hudson

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  6. Sunshine. Fresh air. Rest. The best medicine. (And don't forget to throw in some laughs for good measure.)

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