Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Wednesday. April 17

My message to Elder Babcock:

You're not sick anymore. Your brain is normal. The infection has disappeared. You are weak and tired. You must fight side effects. Work hard. The exercise will help. Music will help. Food will help. Sleep will help. Have faith in the blessings for total recovery. Be grateful for all the improvements.

My report to President Martinez y President Álvarez:

Elder Babcock is improving but still weak. He has a telephone, but his ears still have difficulty hearing. He has therapy three times a day and is just beginning to walk with assistance. He did not have any monitors for the first time today. He may be in the clinic for two more weeks. One day at a time. He cannot remember our mission in Chile. He can remember some people in photos, but has no memory of the context. He said he wants to remember and visitors are welcome now. He has been in ICU until today.

With love,

Hermana Babcock

This morning Dr. Rivas admitted he is a Christian. He had another patient down the hall who was not doing so well. Elder Babcock looked better every day. I posted my “Message to Elder Babcock” on the wall. The doctor read it and commented on the fact that people are not grateful for improvement. When he left, he told Elder Babcock, “Have faith.”

Hallelujah. The physical therapist was here and helped Elder Babcock to the window. He clung to the bar with both hands and walked along the bar 12-15 feet back and forth four or five times and then once with one hand and the other direction with the other hand, then he returned to bed, with help. He sat down to rest two or three times in the middle of his exercise, but it was absolutely amazing. He is not ruined, just out of practice.

When he was back in bed with music near his ear, I was surprised and happy when he told me that it was too loud, because that was the ear with less hearing. He wanted to sleep until the next interruption. A nurse came and disconnected him from the monitors. He didn’t need them anymore.

He had a new room 210 intermediate care. He had a shower, sitting, but a real shower in the bathroom before leaving the other room. More walking this afternoon. I thought I had a bladder infection, other than that things are going very well.