I posted this somewhere else - I think on a swap or something but here is an update on my dad.
I talked with his neurosurgeon yesterday - dad is still improving, still following commands to move his hands and feet. He has started talking but some of what he says doesn't make sense. The doc says he keeps talking about Paris Island - and even asked me if my dad had been a marine - well, he had but it was over 40 years ago.
They have removed one drain from his brain and he has been off the ventilator since Saturday. They are going to do another ct scan to be sure the spinal fluid isn't backing up again and if everything looks ok, they will remove the other drain some time this week.
They are testing his swallowing and if that looks fine, they will change his diet to more "normal" food - if any hospital food can be called normal. Probably next week, they will do another mri and an artereogram (I may have spelled that wrong - I am not really sure what it is) to determine how to repair the AVM. The doc said that surgery is out because of where it is located - it would do more harm than good to cut into the brain there.
I want to take my mom for a visit but I don't want her to be upset if he doesn't recoginze her. She said several times yesterday "I hope he knows me". If things keep looking up, I think I will try to take her the weekend of the 21st. Of course, my brother thinks we should be driving over every weekend and I would if I thought it would do any good. The doc still thinks he won't know us yet.
Dad still has an uphill struggle but hopefully he will get back most of his motor function and speech.
Thanks to all who have him on your prayer lists and who have sent such nice emails. I do believe he wouldn't be doing so well if he didn't have so many people praying for him and sending him good healing energy.
Thanks again,
Sandy
