Day 17 - Saturday December 31, 2011

Yesterday Bridgett stood (assisted) for 7 minutes in the a.m. and 15 minutes in the p.m.  She's doing great!  The physical therapist continues to be impressed with her leg strength!  She took two steps back to the bed yesterday.  Today she stood (assisted) and tried to take steps forward (without being asked).  She got one step and when she tried to get the second step her knee gave way.  But she's really progressing. The second time rehab came in she took like 3-4 steps forward, then had to stop because of all of her wires.  She is still not fully awake.  They say her Glasgow coma score is 10-11.  She has gotten very tricky about trying to get the trach tube (and all the other tubes) out.  She has rolled up washcloths in her hands and hadn't figured out how to release them yet.  Then, yesterday while she was standing with the rehab guy she used the left hand (thumb and forefinger) to pull the washcloth out of the right hand and then went for the trach tube.  I caught her.  Then later on she rolled the washcloth out of the right hand and used the thumb and forefinger to pull on the oxygen sensor on the finger.  Of course it didn't come off because you can't pull it off backwards.  Later on she got both washcloths out and used one hand to grab the sensor and then slowly inched it off the left hand.  I just let her do it to see what she would get accomplished!  We are having to be very vigilant to keep those tubes in!  We are with her around the clock and holding her hand(s) most of the time.  We don't want them to have to restrain her.  This morning she got a hold of the trach tube and pulled off the connection to the ventilator.  They got that put back together.  Then they came in and removed the ventilator tubes and put on an "artificial nose" that allows her to breath completely on her own.  Soon she will be able to breath directly through her nose and mouth and then they will just put a button on the trach tube so that they can suction her if they need to.  Something fun--she's holding my hand now and rubbing my skin!  It feels so much like she is really starting to be there.  They said she is like trying to wake up from a very deep sleep.  She plays thumb wars with Tyler, Arrianne and Stephany!  Tyler says she even cheats, by using her pointer to trap his thumb!    I played some Christmas music for her today.  She loves Christmas music.  She smiled (a little) when it started.