Sunday, 11-13-11

Well, WOW!! Just plain WOW!!

Dan and I went to visit Estelle yesterday around 10:30AM - when we got there the nurses were getting her dressed and in the chair so we cooled our heels in the waiting room for a bit and then finally got to see her.

We walked into the room and Dan said, "Hi, Mom, it's Dan," and she looked right at him, smiled and said, "I know that." I think it's the first time since she had the stroke that I've seen real animation on her face and it was wonderful to see. Dan motioned to me and said, "Laura's with me. You remember Laura, don't you? She's my wife." (She's not recognized me for months now) She turned her head to look at me (again, not something she's been doing) and she said, "Of course I know her. You've been married a long time now and you're my family. She's looking very beautiful today."

Her face was clear, her eyes were clear and her voice was as strong and as clear as I've ever heard it be. It was absolutely astounding. She told us about the nurses getting her dressed and in the chair and said she wasn't quite sure who they were but that they were very helpful. She asked about my grandchildren and spent at least 10 minutes telling us about the importance of family and how she liked being a part of her own family and she wanted to know who was "around" her. She spoke of Meryl and told us how she was her greatest friend in "the world" and about Meryl's family and, especially, her grandson, Rafi. She knew where he went to school and how often he'd seen her own grandchildren and shared a whole plethora of past and current information.

Dan called Viv and she got to talk to Viv for a while. I'm hoping Viv understood most of what she was saying because it was such a treat to hear her speak so positively and so clearheadedly. Her voice is still sometimes difficult to hear - she speaks very low and I'm afraid that on a phone it becomes lost sometimes. She was asked about Thanksgiving and talking about cupcakes and birthdays and families to Viv as well as to Dan and I.

Once off the phone she continued to speak of family. She told Dan how glad she was tht he was part of her family and that she was happy where she was living and glad that he came to see her frequently. She looked at me (sounds like a small thing, but Dan and I were sitting on opposite sides of her and, in the past, she has never deliberately moved her head from one side to the other in order to look at the person speaking or being spoken to) and said, "You're here all the time, aren't you," and she laughed.

She then pointedly asked Dan when he was going to start playing his guitar. He explained that he had not brought it in with him because I was there and she said, "Well, I'm sure she can listen, too." He asked me if I'd like him to take me home and he'd come back later and she interrupted and said, "She'll stay. There's no reason anyone has to leave right now."

Needless to say, he went to the car and got the guitar. As he was tuning it she started talking about the piano they used to have and how she liked music in the house and, once again, talked about how much she loved her family and how nice it was to talk to them and see them. We tried calling Mark for her, but he was not home.

Usually when Dan plays guitar she is silent but this time she was full of questions as to the name of the song and who sang it and why wasn't Danny singing the words. He sang for her and she then questioned what on earth the song was about, anyhow. It was a Bob Dylan song, so who the heck really knows???

We stayed about 3 hours and she was visibly tiring towards the end but that's ok, too. It's good to be tired from something instead of being tired of nothing.

Anyhow, it was a great visit. We're not sure what's going on or why the sudden radical change in mental status, but we'll take it, humbly gratefully and modestly hopeful.