Day 13 - 3/7/2010

Well, I intended to post a Happy Birthday to Darrin this morning, but that didn't work out. I did go to the hospital today to tell him. He's 30 today. He had just fallen asleep when I went in, and Clare rattled him a bit and told him I was there. He looked at me and smiled, and then totally fell asleep. So I got a response from him, but I still haven't seen all the cool stuff he's doing. I'm still not offended. I think it's funny I show up at all the wrong times.

Darrin can write now. The first thing he wrote this morning was "small drink of water". I don't know if they give him actual drinks yet, but he was thirsty. He also wrote out his bank account number and PIN, and started writing the name of the bank too.

He asked Clare to bring in his cell phone, and hers too. "Then I can just call you." He also wanted his laptop. Clare told him she couldn't bring all that in the SICU, but it's clear he wants to be back in business and taking care of things.

Darrin walked around the SICU area three times today, and did a little dance on one of his outings as well. I'm pretty sure he doesn't quite have the balance he needs for that, so he probably gives the nurses heart attacks when he tries.

The other funny thing today was when only Shanna was in the room. The aid that usually keeps watch on Darrin had left the room for just a bit. Darrin leaned over to Shanna and said something like, "Hey, the guard's gone. Let's get out of here now." Also, Clare told him Shanna leaves tomorrow morning to go back home, and he sat up and gave Shanna a hug.

The nurse and aid that were in the room when I was there said they had both worked with many head injury patients like Darrin, and he's doing exceptionally well. They said that each patient usually has some kind of obvious deficiency, like they're unable to move one arm, or they can't count numbers, or something along those lines. But Darrin hasn't shown any deficiency like that yet.

All I can say is, Go Darrin!