Update on Grace, Saturday, Aug 14

Saturday. Latest update 9:10 PM.

9:22 AM - Jan and I went to visit Grace about 8AM this morning.

The good news up front: SHE SEEMED SOMEWHAT AWAKE!

When we arrived there, her eyes were closed, and she still had that breathing-assist device in her mouth. But when we spoke to her, she OPENED HER EYES! Well, one eye. She opened her left eye, and it seemed she was trying hard to open the right one.

Not only did she open her eye, she actually turned her head and looked at us! Hooray, and thank you, Lord!

It was obvious she was still fighting hard against the effects of the sedatives that are finally wearing off, because it was a major effort for her to move her head, open her eyes (eye), and try to lift her hands, which are still restrained.

She tried to talk around the frustrating device in her mouth, but where yesterday her vocalizations were limited to "Aaahhh!" and "Kha!" sounds, today we could see she was actually trying to form words. We have little doubt that those words, had she been able to form them, would have been, "Please get this thing out of my mouth!" and then, "It's so good to see you."

Because she seemed more lucid this morning than we've seen her at any time since her operation a week ago yesterday, I started talking to her, telling her, "You spent a lot of time in River Oaks hospital. But not long ago," (I didn't want to put any number of days here because I didn't want her to even think about trying to process how many days she's been where), "not long ago, they moved you to this hospital where we are now. That's the one that's just north of Cracker Barrel."

Grace likes to go eat at the Cracker Barrel, partially because the food is reliably good, and partially because we like to purchase their sourdough bread, which is totally outstanding when used to make grilled cheese sandwiches or eggs-in-a-basket. Grace also frequently likes to make Cracker Barrel bread toast for her breakfast. Whenever we start getting low on our supply of Cracker Barrel bread, Grace will announce, "We're getting low on bread. Time to go eat at Cracker Barrel again."

Another reason both Jan and Grace like to go eat at Cracker Barrel is their Coca-Cola cake. They used to have this cake only at certain times of the year, but recently, they've been having it as a regular item on their menu. Jan and Grace both really like that cake (it's a chocolate cake, and it comes with ice cream), and as for me, well, let's just say I don't ever object when they suggest getting some. (Can you see my blandly innocent expression?)

So after I told Grace that she was in the hospital that was near Cracker Barrel, I said, "And when you get feeling better, maybe we can help you escape from here and we can go get some Coca Cola cake!"

When I said this, I actually saw Grace flicker a smile!

Wow, and yeah! She was really awake and alert enough to be listening to what we were saying.

However, in the time we were there, which was more than five minutes but less than ten minutes, the lethargy overcame Grace again, and she fell back asleep.

So we told her that Bill would come to see her soon, and that we'd both be back later on, bringing Daniel and Shelley, but this didn't get any response. She was totally zonked.

While I was there, I did ask the attending nurse if it would be possible to have the breathing-assist device taken out, and the nurse told me that the pulmonologist had directed it be put in, and he would have to say when it could come out. This is mostly because Grace is still sleeping so much, and she's on her back. With this, and the fact that she bit her tongue in the fall and it's still swollen, there's a tendency when she falls asleep for the tongue to fall to the back of the throat and bring on episodes of apnea, which (as many of us know) are breathing stoppages and can be very dangerous.

So as bothersome as that breathing-assist device is, both Jan and I agree it's probably better for her to have it now than not. Comparing the inconvenience now against the dangers of the apnea, the inconvenience is preferable.

With all the family in town now, and with Grace seeming to be starting to finally awaken, we can tag-team our visits and hopefully keep Grace supplied with as many visitors as she can stand. We certainly don't want here there, awake for long periods with no company.

Let's all continue to pray for her, and rejoice at the healing that is yet to come.

I'll post more here as soon as I know it.

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1:00 PM -
GREAT NEWS!! GRACE IS AWAKE!

Bill went to visit her a bit before 10 AM this morning, which is not too long after Jan and I were there, and he reports that not only did they have her breathing-assist device removed, she had both her eyes open, and she SPOKE!

Thank you, Lord!

Bill says that when he came in the room, Grace said, "Hi, Son." Bill talked to her and told her she was improving each time he came in. He teased her about the TV show that was on (cartoons), and asked her if that was her favorite show, and she gave him a real big smile! YAY!.

He asked if there were anything he could do for her or bring her, and she answered, "No, I can't think of anything."

Which is the most any of us have heard her talk since her operation.

Thank you, Lord!!

Bill visited with her a while, then the nurse came in and said they had to do some medical things we don't like to mention in polite company, so Bill left.

But he says it was a very upbeat visit, and she's looking forward to the next visit.

We can all breathe a huge sigh of relief now, that she's gotten to this point. Those prayers have been answered. But more prayers are still needed.

Grace has a long road of recovery ahead of her, and we need prayer for His divine intervention and supernatural healing to help her get past this ordeal as quickly as possible. And prayers of thanks, of course.

We'll go back to visit her again today, several times, of course, but I feel we've finally turned the first big corner.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and caring and concern.

I know quite a few people now are keeping up with Grace's condition through this blog, and I'll report here as often as I can.

Bless you all.

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6:15 PM - We're all just back from a visit to see Grace, and she was more awake and more alert than any time since her operation!

Thank you, Lord!

She held a regular conversation with us, she recognized people, even without her glasses, and she even asked, "Where's Chad?"

We did have a crowd there - Me, Jan, Bill, Shelley, Daniel, and Sarah were all there, and Grace was awake and astute enough to see that Chad wasn't there and to ask about him. Sarah said, "He's home working, pounding away on his computer. And Katie is home, too, taking a nap. So Chad has to be there with her. We can't let the dogs babysit." And Grace smiled at that.

Grace is still a little bit disoriented, but goodness, what would you expect after a forced week-long sleep!? At a pause in the conversation, Grace asked, "When is the operation?" I think she thought it was still yet to happen. Jan and Shelley explained to her that it was already done, it was all over and she was healing now.

I'm not sure she understood it, or maybe didn't really believe it, but that also tells me that she doesn't remember much of the ordeal she's been going through this last week, and that's a wonderful blessing for sure.

She's still not forming her words as clearly as usual, because of her facial injuries (lacerations inside and outside the lower lip, and on her tongue), and because her mouth is so dry. The doctor and the speech pathologist (I'm not sure what THAT has to do with anything) say that Grace is not to have anything at all by mouth, including ice chips, until they say otherwise. I'm suspecting this was because she was still sleeping when they said that, and they were afraid she'd choke. But now that she's awake and (mostly) alert, we're all hoping they'll rescind that directive, and allow Grace to drink water, and to begin to eat real food again.

We told Grace in this visit that as soon as they'd let her have real food, we'd bring her some Coca-Cola cake from Cracker Barrel, and she got a big smile at that.

She did a LOT of smiling during this visit, and it did all our hearts good to see it.

We'll (probably) go back and see Grace once more tonight. I'll report more after that.

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9:10 PM - Tonight, Chad and I went to visit Grace.

First, a bit of background.

As you probably know, if you've been keeping up with these postings, we have a houseful of people right now. Most of us went to see Grace on the previous visit, but Chad was staying with Katie (who will be two in less than a month), and didn't get to go.

Tonight, after dinner, which was eight people around the table having vegetable lasagna and green beans, Jan and Sarah had to start in on the preparations for the baby shower Sarah is throwing for Shelley tomorrow. (So you can see, the houseful of people we have right now is just the prelude. The full gaggle will arrive tomorrow.)

Daniel got to be the gofer and co-Katiesitter with Shelley as primary, while Bill took off to visit Grace, then Chad and I followed a little bit later.

Chad had the great idea to take Grace some pictures of family members, so he retrieved pictures from beside Grace's bed of her three great-grandchildren. Meantime, I made three labels for the picture, "Property of Grace Ogden; Please call (phone number) to return." Chad attached the labels to out-of-the-way locations on the frames while I drove to the hospital.

When we got there, Bill was just leaving. He said Grace had fallen asleep, but she'd probably wake up for Chad. So I went in the room and announced, "Hi Grace. I brough Chad to see you!" and she opened her eyes and smiled.

Chad said, "Hi, Grandma!" and she said, "Hi, Darling!" and smiled more. Chad showed her the pictures he brought, and she smiled even more. We conversed for a few minutes, but it's obviously been a long day for Grace, for she fell asleep pretty quickly after that.

Even so, we all feel TONS better now. Now that she's finally awake, finally aware, and obviously on the road to recovery.

And we continue to pray.

G'nite, everyone. I'll post more tomorrow.

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