Day 451 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends,

Brain injuries are very curious. By that I mean each morning we wait to see what we have to work with that day. As I mentioned over the last week, some days Grayson seems to have more connections being made than others. On those days he can speak more clearly, follow more complex instructions, and appears to be calmer. These are the days when we can expect more of him and give fewer cues to complete a task. His eyes are bright and it is easy to see that he is tracking right along with me.

Other days, when the fog seems to be clouding his mind, he requires many more direct cues and in some instances actual hands-on assistance. His eyes reflect a lack of brightness and he seems more confused.

Today he was foggy in the morning, slightly more alert by noon, and quite restless by this evening. He was impatient for dinner and yet couldn't stay seated long enough to finish it. He kept standing up like he just couldn't handle sitting still. He scratched his head repeatedly and seemed to have a lot of neurological "noise" going on inside. He could barely concentrate long enough to even do a cursory brushing of his teeth (he takes his turn and then I re-brush them).

Every day is different. It is much like a sensitive dance. Minute by minute we must ascertain where he is and meet him right there. Drawing him forward, challenging him, without enabling him to become completely dependent on our help. The tricky part is that the starting point keeps moving.

The challenges are similar to those we faced raising young children but the progression was much more linear then.

Never a dull day – that's for sure. I wonder what tomorrow will be like.

Grace and peace,

Regina