Day 11: What a difference a week makes

We have had a few difficult days in a row, it's true. But overall this has been a miraculous week for progress. Every person we have talked to that is familiar with brain injury and stroke has told us to look at progress in terms of weeks, not days. This absolutely seems true for Ronda so far. One week ago Ronda was minimally responsive and on a ventilator. Her eyes were closed all day except for an occasional flutter of an eyelid. She would occasionally respond to us but mostly she did not. We were discussing the possibility that she might not ever wake up and we were starting to make plans in case she didn't make it. If she did wake up we did not know if she would be able to see or speak or care for herself.

One week ago there was significant medical support in place to keep Ronda alive. In addition to her ventilator, she had an arterial line, a central line, and 5 drains from her surgeries. She was being monitored in every possible way every second of the day. She was receiving blood and various other life-saving medications to keep her alive. Some of us were assuming a best-case scenario would look like leaving the ICU before Christmas.

Now, a week later, she has moved out of the ICU into Intermediate Care. Ronda is off the ventilator. Her drains, arterial line, central line, and head bandage are all gone. She is off of all her continuous IV medications and is just receiving medication as needed. She has been very sleepy for a few days, the nurses think she has her days and nights mixed up. But overall she is awake and responsive a lot more than she was. She can see and speak and hear. She can move both arms and legs and she can even stand and walk a little with support.

Ronda is medically and physically getting stronger every day. Now that we are able to communicate with her we can now predict that her biggest challenge will likely be cognitive. Her memory has been greatly impacted. We are having a fast for Ronda starting tonight. Please join us. Please pray that Ronda's memory will come back and that her brilliant brain will heal. Please also pray that we, as her family and friends will be patient with her and will know how to best support her healing.

Thank you ❤️