Jim, this morning in his hospital bed.

Jim is my step-father.  He and my mother have been married almost 16 years.  He just had brain surgery to stop a bleed from a fall earlier this week.  It is a tough thing.  And it is something I know a little bit about.  My father, years ago, fell, fractured his skull and required surgery.  I know there is very little worse than waiting as your father is in surgery or watching him in the subsequent days for little signs.  Is he alert?  Is he oriented to what is going on? 

My heart goes out to Jim and his family.  Jay has been with him and his daughter Janie will arrive later today.  It is so hard to watch this type of recovery because when dealing with the brain, of course, so much can go wrong.  Today Jim is getting a blood transfusion and continuing his speech and physical therapy. Jay says he seems to be a little restless but taking in all that is going on. We are hoping he can be moved to an inpatient rehab hospital later next week but hours and days go by slowly as the brain heals.  My father was in neuro-ICU for 90 days.  It was like a lifetime.

We hadn’t told mom about Jim.  Not knowing what possible good that could come of it.  But yesterday when we visited with Jordyn, the bright five year-old launched into a complete update on her GG (great-grandpa) Jim.  She told her granny-nanny that Jim fell down, and he had to have surgery on his brain.  Mom did not seem to really grasp what Jo was saying.  She just got a distant look in her eyes and said, “you know I love that man”.  I guess that is the best gift we can give Jim right now-love and prayers.  We are sending them out in bunches.