Day 118 - Tuesday April 10, 2012

We got Bridgett up at 6:35 and took her to the bathroom and right to the dentist's office.  Once there we did last minute paperwork and they let us come back and stay with Bridgett while they got her comfortable and sedated.  We waited in the waiting during the dental work and they came and got us when she was ready to wake up.  Of course it was hard waiting but I brought the computer and worked on my blog among other things.  I thought I would make some calls but I was so keyed up and emotional I didn't feel like talking.  Somehow it brought back many memories of things that we have already been through and I started crying a few times.  But this should be the last time she gets sedated!  Hurrah!  They didn't kick us out being with Bridgett until about 7:30 and then came out somewhat after 9:00 to tell us that they were through and cleaning up after the impressions.  They said that when they start waking her up we could be with her.  By the time they came and got us she had opened up her eyes once but said she wanted to sleep more and went back to sleep.  I held her hand while they told us how she did and by the time the anesthesiologist finished reporting she started opening her eyes and talking a bit to us.  She was groggy and her mouth somewhat swollen but she was waking up and talking coherently so we were happy.  Mark helped her into a wheelchair and we took her to the car.  On the way to the car her neurosurgeon called to check on her progress.  I gave her a short report and by that time we were ready to go back around the block to home.  The dentist's office gave us a prescription for Lortab as well as 10 days worth of antibiotic (I didn't ask why but will call tomorrow).  They said she might be groggy for up to four hours but that she could go home and go right to sleep--sleeping on her side.  We literally waked her to her bed and she slept for two hours.  When she woke up she was starving and wanted to eat.  BTW they did give her Novocaine as well, so her mouth was numb they thought for about two hours.  The two hours had passed and she said she wasn't numb (but who knows) so I offered her soft things--hot cereal, yogurt, etc. but she wanted french toast (surprise, surprise!).  She ate two pieces and then asked for more and said she was starving.  I made two more pieces and she ate both of them.  Perhaps she will actually want to eat now!  It was funny and made us all happy too!  She went back to sleep for about an hour then woke up hungry again and ate two ravioli from yesterday's birthday dinner.  Oh, I forgot--when she woke up the first time and was walking down the hallway she said why do I hurt all over? This is her usual question quite a few times a day for the past few weeks.  I often answer that it is because of her brain injury or her wreck but sometimes I just say I don't know.  This time I said I don't know but how does your mouth feel. She said my mouth is the only thing that doesn't hurt.  That was cool!  About three hours after we got home she said her mouth hurt some so I gave her the Lortab hoping to get it down before the big pain arrived.  Bridgett slept most of the day, waking to go to the bathroom or to eat a little bit.  She was a little more awake in the evening just before bed and we talked in the bedroom while she was getting ready to sleep--like we always do.  I sang a little bit of I Am a Child of God and asked if she remembered that song and she said yes.  What meeting on Sunday do little children go to and sing that song I said and she said Primary!  We were all excited that she remembered that.  I asked what she went to during high school early in the morning and she said seminary!  Stephany asked about young women's and she had to say young and then Bridgett answered women's.  I was so excited and happy I started crying.  I had been sad earlier about her amnesia and praying for comfort and this was it!  I had read that if you take the length of the coma (three weeks) and multiply by four (12 weeks) that is the average length of amnesia.  So, that was 15 weeks and we are at 17 weeks.  Of course, we are talking averages but it is a little worrisome.  I had consigned myself to the fact that it is possible that she might not remember her childhood--but the long term memory also holds the information we have accumulated through the years....who was the first president of the United States, etc.  That would be so hard to lose all that knowledge and have to relearn everything!  So, I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel.  Many things I read say the same thing--the longer the amnesia the more severe the brain injury.  So, we will be patient and bit by bit her memory will hopefully return.