Jimmy and Retia Dukes
< a positive sign >
Mom is still in a coma. She is certainly looking more and more like herself, but she is still not responsive to commands. She is not moving her arms and legs like she did even soon after the accident. However, this morning, Dad and I saw something that increased our hope.
Mom peaked out of her left eye for about 15 seconds. The therapists had been working with Dad. The new morning routine yesterday and today. Move Dad from the bed to the potty chair. Then, from the potty chair to the wheel chair. Then, I roll him down to see Mom. That’s what we did, and he once again was thankful to see her.
I wheeled him into the elevator. We descended five floors. Security opened the doors of the ICU for us. We turned the corner to her room. I wheeled him into the room and to the side of the bed. He grabbed her hand.
We began talking to her, not about all that much, but simply calling her name and saying, “We love you so much.” After a minute or two of doing this, she opened her left eye about a 1/4 of an inch and appeared to look from left to right. She left it open for about 15 seconds, then she closed it again. She did not open it again after that during our visit.
It definitely made an impact on Dad.
We stayed about 10 minutes more, and then we wheeled back up to the room. They helped him slide on a “sliding board” out of the wheel chair back over into his bed. Still no weight on the legs or the left arm. Pretty amazing watching how tough he is and how hard he is working to do all he can at this point. But we have known he is tough and a hard worker. So, no surprise.
He got settled back into bed and began to talk to me. Really without prompting. Just spilling out thoughts, allowing me to revel in the moment with him. It was a special time, ranging from response to what just happened all the way back to the first time he told her he loved her. Then, a visiting friend walked in, and he moved on.
Pretty special listening to him share his heart. He is definitely hopeful.
Two big positive signs. Mom peaking out of a barely open left eye. Dad growing in his hopefulness
Mom is still in a coma, and the eye opening slightly certainly is a small sign. But it’s a sign. That’s more than we had yesterday. As Jim Collins said to me just a minute ago, “If anything, it reminds us to stay fervent in our prayers for Mom to wake up.”
That would be a very positive thing. Let’s keep praying.
The Prayer Link 