It has been a couple of months since Maila, Vernon’s hairdresser came for a visit.  He was in dire need of a trim. I don’t think Vernon spends much time looking in the mirror in this nursing home, but I know he sill loves the process of having his hair cut. He seemed very tired and didn’t say much today, but he seemed to enjoy the extra pampering.

We were surprised to see him waiting for us in a proper wheel chair when we showed up.  This is a good thing, I think. The footplates were rigged up so that his legs couldn’t slip to the floor.  He complained a bit about the pain from sitting, but this has to be good for his back and core muscles, much better than reclining all the time, as he has been. I expect he will soon figure out to turn and steer the wheels himself.

While we were visiting, Maila told me an interesting story. The other day, she ran into someone at the gym. They got to talking and Maila mentioned coming up to cut Vernon’s hair. The other person realized who she was talking about because she had been one of the nurses at Mission hospital, while Vernon was still in his long coma.  Apparently, she was really moved to find out that he was actually recovering—and doing well.  She said she truly hadn’t known if Vernon would ever really wake up.

That coma was only a few months ago, but to me it seems like years. That nurse’s words help me refresh my perspective. Being such a present person in his recovery process, sometimes I almost forget how far he has come. Methinks it’s the “watched-pot-never-boils syndrome,”  very easy to fall into. Thankfully other people come in to remind me…sometimes even strangers out of the blue.

Tomorrow I have a 9 am appointment at the Social Security office, hoping to help move along his application for Medicare.  Due to his End Stage Renal Disease, he is eligible for the plan, but as he isn’t an American Citizen, I’m hoping my own Social Security credits will cover him.  I know I have worked and paid taxes for most of my life, and hopefully, our marriage will help him out with these benefits. If he can get Medicare, we will have many more options for progressive therapy.  Although he has been receiving excellent care at the Subacute, for the past month, I have felt we are just falling through cracks in the system. I believe Medicare will make a big difference to his long term recovery. I’m praying hard that he will be approved.

“They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” —Tom Bodett