Making Progress

My kid in the hospital is making amazing progress.

Her family has been able to go in and visit, even her best friend was allowed in to ICU. She is responding as herself – when the doctor asked how she felt, she glared at him and flipped him off. When a nurse asked how she felt so rolled her eyes and said “Like shit Sherlock.”

To me it shows that K is there – what we have all feared and no one has spoken about really is what a brain injury would do to her.

Yesterday in the 98 degree heat I was out with my kids doing a car wash fundraiser we had set up for something else. We all agreed to do it for K. and my kids worked their butts off. When people in the community found out what we were doing they lined up to get their cars washed – some folks even just drove up and handed us money. My kids raised quite a bit of money they want me to deposit in the account set up for K. They even asked if I would take some of the cash to K’s parents last night so they had something for immediate needs.

I found K’s parents on the main floor heading out for a smoke break. Her dad is having a hard time; K is his baby girl and because he has been taking night shifts to stay with her he has not seen her awake yet, has not heard her voice, or “seen those pretty green eyes.” Seeing him tear up hurt my heart so deeply.

Mom come down while we were talking, and she and I went for a walk. She just told me about K’s childhood, about all the dreams she’s talked about, and then started telling me about how K talks about me every day, about how I am her favorite teacher and how much she loves my class. I stood in the parking lot and started crying, and we both cried together.

That’s when mom told me about her greatest fear, that if K came though this physically but not mentally – she is still terrified of losing her daughter. Everything is still at the point where only time can tell, but I think it’s a good sign that she is being sarcastic and when she is awake talking about in-jokes with her family and best friend.

I have to keep telling myself that she is going to be okay.