After a couple weeks of sedation, Dad’s personality is starting to reemerge, and it’s fun to see. Mom visited him this morning and asked him first thing if he knew who she was. Dad answered, “Gina Lollobrigida.” While the uninitiated might think this further evidence that Dad’s not yet in his right mind, Mom, Bret, and I knew immediately that he was getting back to his old self. In fact, the nurses say he’s been making little jokes throughout the day.
I saw him twice this evening, and though he slept a lot of it, it’s clear he’s improving. In fact, there is a very good chance that he’ll be moved out of ICU tomorrow and into a regular hospital room at OHSU. As one of his nurses, Heather, put it, “He no longer has any ICU issues.” True, his respiration is a little up and down, but he went most of today without the BiPap (oxygen mask), and all other vitals are good. He’s still facing a long hospitalization and a lot of physical therapy, but outlook is good. We are thankful.