Today Dick and Renate left late this morning, Todd and I spent the afternoon chilling out alone in a quiet space after a very active weekend. He was clearly tired out and the general movements where not as frequent, that said you can see a major development in his cognitive skills. I told him stories and asked him if he remembered. What I got was a solid blink of yes ( two blinks is no)…. the cool thing here is today he doesn’t need an explanation as to how to answer. We held hands all day with good squeezes from him and some finger stroking on his part. We still see only the right hand move, today and yesterday involuntary leg movement ( not able to claim voluntary although I believe the doctors may have received that this morning….) He is without a doubt building in strength. He has now seemed to figure out that if he goes to sleep I might leave, so I am not as successful in talking him to sleep. He is really milking those waking moments!!!! Tomorrow’s schedule includes the “tracheostoma” (tracheotomy – learning dutch medical phrases) this will really open the doors to communication, breathing on his own without backup ( still hooked up to the ventilator which does some work so he needs to rebuild his lung muscles), we are moving through confusion.. explaining a couple times a day and then he understands. Today the doctors have started focusing on repatriation (moving us back home) which the way it sounds we could be home in November….probably still in a hospital, but home.

Note of EXcellent Moments: this evening is DORKBOT fundraiser for us….soooo not like Todd to miss this sort of event. I told him about it but not sure if that is registering. I told him about the amazing art & stuff I saw online and all the cool cats that are organizing such an awesome and thoughtful event….Can’t wait to see the pics!!!!!!!!!!! Make sure we get lots of goofy grins and faces. We will be referring to these over the weeks to come….as soon as he is out of the ICU I hope they let me drag in the computer. The nurses have been known to print things out for us, because they are all so super cool!

Love to you All!!!
Alexandra & Todd

Penny here:
What a difference a day makes! It’s a shame that stupid commercial has ruined that song for me but DANG! I was a little discouraged yesterday and today…WOW! Todd was so much more aware- his cognitive abilites are coming along. He blinks and squeezes and nods (tiny,but noddy) hmmm.toddy? sure, yes please. make it strong. our guy is gonna come back. I saw the light. If you know me then you know you can’t shake me when I believe. and I believe. so come on. jump onto the wagon. todd’s (and alex are) driving so you know it’s gonna be bumpy and you know it’s gonna end up somewhere really fantastic.

Penny H.

P.s.
When I left Todd this evening I said I would visit him in his dreams and we could have a picnic (his favorite) …..you should have seen the nod I got! Boy does that man like his picnics!
A.