BELIEVE IN MIRACLES

David and I couldn't wait to get on the road this afternoon to see how Jason was doing and also to see his new temporary home.  As we rode up the PA turnpike and got closer and closer the ride became prettier and prettier. Once off the highway and onto the road the hospital is on the houses got larger and larger and we passed a beautiful golf club and suddenly came to the entrance sign for Bryn Mawr.  It's a beautiful drive up to the main building with mature trees and open grassy fields. We saw people in wheel chairs and walking along paths around a pond with gazebo area and bridge and then there was the large outpatient and in patient buildings.  We parked and rode the elevator up to his room and felt so relieved when we saw him.  It just felt like the whole air around him was different - as though he knew this was a different chapter.  His eyes were open and he was looking right at Carolin.  Though we didn't feel he reacted too much to us he clearly knew who Carolin was and while we were with him watched in amazement as he once again took his arm and pulled her head onto his shoulder and seemed to lightly rub her back.  Once she picked her head up he reached out and touched her cheek.  It brought both of us to tears to see him clearly interacting in such a definite way.
He became uncomfortable soon after so we weren't there long before he got an injection for pain and was soon sleeping again. 

As Carolin described the long hours of assessment he had today with all the different therapists and his reaction we were once again brought to tear filled eyes.  A few highlights:

When asked if he lived in Texas he shook his head no.
When asked if his birthday was in May he shook his head yes.
When asked to take a wash cloth and wipe his face he did. (Not sure if this was a good response but he then threw the washcloth!)
They put a few drops of juice in his mouth and he swallowed. 
They put him in a special wheelchair that can hold his head up and Carolin got to take him for a little walk around outside which he seemed to enjoy. (The feeling is that he may be using a regular wheelchair in less than a week.)

The nurses told Carolin that it was amazing that he was even there as the average patient with the severe injuries he had/has usually don't arrive from the trauma center until at least a month after an accident. 

Because he seems to be slowly waking up more and more the professionals working with him want to really keep at it each day so even on weekends and holidays such as this one he will start a vigorous program immediately. 

Later in the day Jason looked at Carolin and mumbled clearly enough for even her Dad to understand, "I love you". If he wasn't there to verify it we would all think she surely imagined that but he heard it too! To us it's obvious that he is having moments of lucidity and no matter how fleeting they are there and should keep getting longer.

So after close to three weeks of agony for all of us who love Jason it is a day that proves more than ever that some miracles have already occurred and we are sure they will continue!  Please keep those prayer chains going because we need them more than ever to continue to give Jason the power to heal, heal, heal to all that he was both inside and outside and be ready by early November to hold his little girl.  He just has to be and we won't stop believing!