It's nice when Sunday rolls around and we can enjoy a day of rest--even when we are in a rehab hospital! Every other day of the week there are therapy sessions. Sunday Bridgett gets to just relax. When we first got to the rehab hospital we got to meet a cute girl who is 26 years old and was in a very bad car wreck in Provo canyon. She had a traumatic brain injury (like Bridgett) and was in a coma. She was just getting ready to be released from the rehab hospital here. Her name is Courtney. Mark and I were able to talk to her parents and get some very good insight about the probable experience we would have here. It was very enlightening. One of the things that Courtney's mother, Penny, explained to us was that the rehab sessions will help Bridgett, but a necessary thing is REST for the brain to repair and heal. She suggested that every day Bridgett get a nap. Actually, Bridgett rarely gets a nap and if she does it's only for about 20 minutes. I do tuck her into bed and turn out the lights, but she usually just rests. Also she has not been sleeping well at night either. But, just the past three or so nights she has slept through the night. She does move around a lot at night, including doing sign language in her sleep! But, at least she's been sleeping. When she does actually get a nap I am happy! By the way, Bridgett's level of consciousness is really good. She is no longer in a coma. She is still not really oriented (she doesn't remember where she is, often forgets how old she is, doesn't remember why she is here, doesn't remember the month or year etc.) but she is doing great. She will become more oriented as time goes by. Oh, for those wondering why they have to leave the peg in for six weeks--once they put in the peg, it takes six weeks for the tract to heal and for complete fusion of the stomach to the abdominal wall. I have heard some doctors say it could be removed as early as four weeks and some say it's best to wait as long as eight weeks. The surgeon who placed Bridgett's peg said it had to be in for at least six weeks. In any case, we will confirm all of this before they remove the peg. Bridgett and I went to the chapel in the hospital for church today. The service only lasted for 30 minutes. It was probably good that Bridgett could only whisper, as she wasn't oriented enough to understand when not to talk. It was good to be in church. I've been able to get the sacrament every week, but it was nice to sing and be with other people. There were quite a few people there. When I counted before the meeting there were 35, and more people showed up after that. The two couples that I had met on other Sundays (when they brought the sacrament to the room) stopped by to chat and say that they were so impressed with how well Bridgett looked when they saw her at church. We have met so many really great people through this experience! One thing that was so touching during the service--when I sang I held up the book and pointed at each word. During the first song she just watched me, during the sacrament song she began to sing the words and on the closing song she sang many of the words. It was neat!
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