Hope is the physician of each misery. ~Irish Proverb

Here is a little peek at some of what Vernon has been working on, behind the scenes.

What can I say? Though he is obviously doing better than he was a month ago, he seems to be slowing down again…not wanting to work, not wanting to open his eyes and acknowledge his situation.  I think he is depressed. Who wouldn’t be?  In a way, that could be a sign that his brain is healthy. Still, we keep cheerleading and encouraging him to find the HOPE that will be his strength. It’s not easy to watch though.

I don’t want to pressure him to perform and show progress, as it all will happen in his own time, but its difficult for us all when it feels things are going backward. Its hard to watch him lose momentum, even though I KNOW that he will be breaking through the next level again, just as he has before.  There is just no time-frame, which makes it frustrating.

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Here I am trying to make him look up for the camera (which to his credit, he was never crazy about.) To our praying friends: please ask God that he would be refreshed and uplifted again.  He may just not be feeling well these days…but he needs another breakthrough.  He needs to find the will to work and interact so that we can communicate and so that he can be confident that he is indeed improving. I know how debilitating the Great Sadness can be.

Pilar mentioned today that there is a spate of younger motorcycle accident patients who have just been transferred in. I then suggested to her that perhaps when Vernon is ready to moved from his isolation room, he could be put with a younger roommate…perhaps it would be good for him to see that some of the other patients in the hospital are young.  I get the sense he feels like an old man: unable to do the most basic things, moving too slowly, helpless, unlike the self he remembers at all. It might be good for him to see some other ‘young’ patients he can relate to.

Back in the room, Pilar noticed a friendly young man, Juan, walking around the halls with his walker, chatting to all the nurses, and asked if he could come meet Vernon.  Of course he could. He only stayed for a few minutes, telling his story how he was so depressed in the beginning, he didn’t want to eat or try to work, but with the physical therapists, he now loves to move around and generally has the brightest attitude in the hall (that I can tell so far.) He hadn’t had a brain injury but a blood clot that had rendered him unable to use his legs.

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Juan was great, full of spark and positivity. Vernon opened his eyes wide for the first time all day when Juan was in the room talking to him. Maybe we are on to something here.  I personally think Vernon needs a big booster shot of HOPE.

I’m praying for a supernatural infusion of the stuff.

Once you choose hope, anything’s possible. ~Christopher Reeve

 

 

 

 

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