Vernon continues to improve in tiny but noticeable steps.  Today I talked to him more about the accident and what had happened, though I’m not sure how much he can remember or was able to understand.  His ‘hand squeezes’ (mostly from the upper arm because his fingers still have so little grasp) became especially strong when I hugged his waist and talked  about our relationship and the children. This was slightly awkward as I had to avoid various tubes, stitches, plates, and bandages, but I was amazed how well he responded to more touch. The nurse was pleased with this because he hadn’t much reaction from him earlier in the day. Having the familiar nearby will obviously be big for Vernon in this phase.

We will hope for more signs of improvement tomorrow.

In the meantime, I’ll share a picture from his wall…actually window, as we have run out of room on the wall.

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This is my attempt at illustrating part of an Alder tree.  Vernon’s name literally means “Alder Grove.”  He had often told me that in the past, but I didn’t see the significance of it till now.  I recently read that Alder trees are known for their resilience and readiness to grow back after fire.  Alders grow in large groves and have a deep network of strong roots.  How amazing it is to think in that Vernon is healing, not just on his own, and not just due to the hospital care, but  also because he is connected under the surface to a greater network of people who are loving him back into the grove, tall and strong.

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