Feeling Hopeful

Although not much has changed visibly from last weekend to this one, somehow I feel that Sam's cognition has gone up a notch or two and plateaued for now. The healing and recovery process is VERY slow. It is not hours or days, but rather months and years. One of the neighbors on Sam's unit complemented Sam on Saturday for remembering her name and she, Bridget, told me that Sam was doing well. I later befriended Bridget's sister and had a long conversation about all that they have been through and about the recovery process in general. Bridget is actually doing quite well and is on her way to becoming independent. Bridget has been in rehabilitation one year longer than Sam. Their brain injuries are quite similar, although Sam's is a bit more severe. My conversation however did provide continued hope for the future.
Sam was in a good mood this weekend although she had caught a 24 hour virus earlier in the week that had been making its way through the facility. She joked with me about KD Lang...yes, I brought in a KD Lang tape to play for Sam just because I figured that she would automatically know all the words to all her songs (she did). Sam's humor however came out with the music as she feigned sadness at one of the songs and started rubbing her eyes as if she were crying. - I started to tell Sam that she didn't need to be upset - that it was only a song...and Sam then gave me that mischievous look of hers and started laughing, saying she got me. I also brought in a laptop computer but could not get on the Internet with it. Sam however was fascinated with the computer and all of my attempts to get online. Sam tried to direct me, but I could not quite follow it all. I knew that Sam was trying to tell me what I had to do, but that I just could not figure it out. I will have to bring in a computer for her permanently, as she really perked up when we were playing with it.