LVAD Experience IV

The next morning Dad and I got up and had some coffee before heading back up to the hospital.  I was anxious to get back up there & I drove pretty fast but Dad kept up.  When we walked into the room Dean was alert and awake. He was so happy to see both of us!! I had brought up a dry erase board because Dean still had the breathing tube in & being the talker that he is I know he would get frustrated not being able to talk.  Thank goodness I had that board!!  For the most part he communicated by mouthing and signing to us but when we didn't understand he wrote it on the board.  At first Dad was better at understanding what he was trying to say than I was.  He told Dad that he was really touched that he was there and while holding his hand made a point of telling Dad that he wants him here while we build our new home this summer.  That really made Dad happy & Dean motioned with his hand from his heart to my Dad and Dad said "we will be blood brothers!"  Dean nodded his head emphatically and I could see he had tears in his eyes.  I was so moved I started tearing up too.  We all chatted for a little while more and then Dad and I went downstairs to have a late breakfast & leave Dean to sleep for a while.  I was especially grateful to have Dad there.  The poor guy was exhausted because he had just flown in from Vegas 2 days before.  We went back up to the room and a short time after that I walked Dad out so he could get home while it was still light out.  Dean was on some heavy pain meds and slept most of the morning while I sat by his bedside and held his hand.  He loves Christmas music and the hospital had a TV station that played nothing but Christmas music all the time so we had that playing softly while he slept.  His Mom came up for a visit and Dean woke up for that and we chatted using the board.  Our dear friend Betty stopped in on her way to work as well.  While we were all visiting the song 'O Holy Night began playing and Dean started tearing up and pointed at his mother and mouthed the words 'you weren't there....I sang this song for All County concert and you never came to the concert so I will sing it now'  I don't recall who now but someone tried to stop him mid-sentence because he was getting so worked up but because Dean and I had talked about this so many times before - I knew where he was going & said 'let him finish - he has something to say to his Mom'  He wasn't there to punish his Mom but wanted to share that special moment she missed out on when he sang that song as a solo performer.  The tears were pouring out of me while I watched him mouth/sing the rest of the song.  His Mom didn't say a word but I know she understood.  I silently thanked God for providing Dean that moment because his parents not showing up to any events when he was a child has always hurt him and this was definitely some closure.  It was quiet for a while but then we picked up some conversation and moved forward.  His Mom had to get going & shortly after that Betty had to get to work so I walked her out and we grabbed some coffee before she left.  I am grateful for her friendship & support.  I stayed with Dean until early evening but he really needed rest & was trying to stay awake because I was there so it was best that I left.  Besides...we have a little kitty named Einstein at home who was very lonely and boy was she happy to spend some time with me!!