Progress!

Yesterday was a hard day. Mom had her eyes open, but didn't seem responsive for the most part. It's been tough to see her backsliding after the progress she was making a week ago, but today I have good news to report! Physical therapists have continued working with Mom, and today they had her held up in a chair for an hour. They move her limbs for her to send reverse signals to the brain to help it "wake up."

Dad found Mom significantly more responsive today than yesterday. He asked her if she could mouth words for him, starting with the word "hello," and he is fairly certain that she mouthed the word clearly. She can't talk yet because her vocal cords are swollen from the breathing tube that has been down her throat for the past two weeks, but it's great news that she can mouth words!

The doctors need Mom to be able to cough strongly to loosen anything in her lungs before they can remove the trach tube. Whenever Mom coughs, we encourage her to cough more and cough harder! This afternoon Dad was encouraging Mom by saying, "Come on, cough really good!" Dad is almost certain that Mom--ever the Grammar Queen of the Palmer household!--looked at him and mouthed the word "well." And finally, my older sister Emily visited for Thanksgiving, and she clipped Mom's fingernails for her and put lotion on her hands. Mom mouthed, "thank you."

I guess our Thanksgiving just came a day late; Thursday was a low point for Mom (and thus for all of us), but today has shown us progress! We're thankful.