October 24

Kirk had a down day today. It may just be that he is tired but I will be watching closely to see if there is anything else going on. But he just wasn't interested in doing anything today. Not a shower or tooth brushing. He was just sleepy. After the weekend the docs will make a few adjustments on his meds to see if we can get more functional awake time.

Kirk's mom, aunt and cousin arrived safely last night.  They are getting settled in over at their hotel and getting a couple of things taken care of.

I put in yesterdays post a comment about a trauma amnesia that Kirk is demonstrating and a test for that.  The test used is called a Galveston Orientation Test.  It is different from a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS).  GCS is based primarily on immediate physical response to very simple questions or in an unconscious patient, painful stimuli.  A person who can answer who, when, and where and usually one other question like who is the president would have a GCS of 12.  At the time of his accident Kirk was a 1 maybe.  He could react to painful stimuli but in an manner that indicated his brain was badly hurt (he only pulled his hands and legs in). As he could react more appropriately his score changed, like when he could pull the doctors hand away.  Also knowing his name is good.

The Galveston Orientation Test is different and more complicated.  The test asks 10 basic questions including the patients name.  They are questions regarding to determine if you know your orientation to person, place and time.  They are detailed questions like telling the date and time as well as what you can remember from any day following the accident and any day prior to the accident.  The date and time aren't trick questions.  There is a calendar and large clock in front of him.  Successful measure of being past the amnesia is greater than 67 of 100 for three consecutive tests.  Generally the longer it takes to get past the amnesia the worse the head injury was. And no I don't have a timeline for how long it will take or if we will get to a 67.  That's just honest, and scary for us.