I would have to say that, cognitively, I'm afraid I'm out in left field

Today Dad had an appointment with a neuropsychiatrist. The appointment was for several hours of testing meant to determine Dad's current level of cognitive functioning.

Dad was a little nervous on the way to the hospital this morning. Because he can't function the way he wishes he could right now, he tends to get worried (as any of us would) that he's not doing very well. He told me, "I would have to say that, cognitively, I'm afraid I'm out in left field." I said, "Dad, just the fact that you articulated that sentence proves there's nothing wrong with you cognitively." "Oh," he said. :)

Anyway, I would have to say that today was the most positive medical appointment we've had to date. First of all, the doctor was very open about what we've known for months: that when it comes to the brain, all bets are off regarding how any one individual will react to or recover from an injury. You wouldn't believe how refreshing it actually is to hear a medical professional say, "You know, we really don't know."

The main take-away message from today, though, is that the testing showed the damage Dad sustained from the anoxia is quite localized. Considering the time he spent without oxygen, this is pretty amazing. Basically, Dad's vision and motor skills "took one for the team" leaving his cognitive processing, memory, and learning abilities relatively (there are still some minor issues which should mostly resolve over time) unscathed. It's a reminder yet again of how blessed we are that he is "himself" still, with all his mental faculties and personality. And it bodes well for his future recovery that his brain has fewer areas in which it needs to recover. (The doctor was very encouraging about Dad's potential progress given how well he's done these past few weeks, though he was quick to point out that recovering from anoxia is a "long, slow road.")

All in all, it was a very exciting morning. Dad and I celebrated by getting Subway and cinnamon doughnuts from Banbury Cross (if you live anywhere along the Wasatch Front and have never eaten one of these, go right now and get one...seriously, we'll wait...) and sitting at Liberty Park while we ate to enjoy the fresh air and watch the geese attack each other.