As Day Twenty-Five ends, it is a tough day for Jenny and I. Starting with vitals, everything is average except her hemoglobin (protein in blood that transports oxygen) is low. Her white blood cell count is 12.3 meaning the unknown infection is slowly dissipating. Her T.B.I. (Traumatic Brain Injury) assessment is scheduled for tomorrow. During the evening, I ask Jenny the same basic questions such as “Do you remember me?” which she usually responds “Yes” and then I follow up with “Do you remember my name?” which she always responds “No”. The next question is something that I don’t ask often – I ask “Are you coming back to me?” and though she usually responds “Yes” this time she responds “No”. I’m taken aback, so I ask her again, “Are you coming back to me?” and she responds “No”. I am hoping that maybe she is confused or her brain is floating in and out so I desperately ask her one more time “Are you coming back to me?” and she responds “No”.
I become very dejected as the evening goes on but unbeknownst to me the worst is yet to come. At 9:33pm the health care aide, [Redacted upon request], comes in and asks me how Jenny is doing and I say she’s not doing too well as she is restless and might be in pain so I ask Jenny if she is in pain for verbal confirmation and as I look at her carefully for an answer I notice there is blood going down her neck again. I look at her nose, because that’s where the blood came from yesterday, but it is dry. Instead, the blood is coming from the edge of her mouth. Jenny is spitting out blood. I immediately hit the call button and her assigned nurse for the night, [Redacted upon request], comes in and we start cleaning her up immediately. After we’re done cleaning [Redacted upon request] gets a wooden tongue depressor and asks Jenny to open her mouth a bit so she can examine where the blood is coming from. She does not cooperate. I ask Jenny to please listen to [Redacted upon request] so we can see why there was so much blood, and she does not cooperate. I beg Jenny to please let [Redacted upon request] have a look so we can help her, and she does not cooperate. Jenny just continued to stare blankly at the wall. It’s only after the third time asking and lack of response that something in me just completely breaks down and the tears begin.
Jenny does not speak for the rest of the evening and eventually I am asked to go home for the night. I could only walk with tears streaming down my face. I feel useless. I cannot help her. I cannot do anything.
Jenny's Recovery 
I am sorry to hear you are both going through a rough time right now. Being Pinoy I am guessing you are both Catholic. I will give you my personal patient experience when I was in HSC for 3 months with liver failure in 2014. At the end of 1 month I could no longer stand the smell of the food. The constant vital checks/ tests from the health care team made it impossible to sleep (you must know how often they come at all hours of the day). I was mentally and physically exhausted from lack of sleep after just 1 month. I had a lot of family visiting and to be honest that was hard to because if i could fall asleep during the day or evening I was awakened by their presence as quiet as they tried to be. A priest anointed me several times over the course of those three months as they didn’t think i would last the night on more than one occasion. Even though the priest would pray with my family for me i thought they only anointed dying people! I did not know my faith very well as the anointing is used to give you strength and communion with Holy spirit to give you courage and peace.
So i would request my nephew to come and pray for me and my bedside because he was always very religious just like my brother. It made me feel calmer and more at peace thinking God would listen to him more than anyone else(foolish but that was my thinking at the time). So hearing my family praying (and crying in sorrow) for me at bedside gave me the strength and the will to carry on. I did not want to leave them. Perhaps if she has someone special like my nephew to come and pray with her special family at bedside, to pray for for strength and courage that might be enough to lift her spirits and give her the will to carry on. God bless you both.
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Hi Steven, we don’t know each other but I had been following your update on Jenny. I was so emotional reading all your post. Steven stay strong. Lots of people praying for Jenny and for you. Today, I read your update and I really cried. I hope and pray that the Lord will comfort you what you are going through with Jenny’s situation. It must very frustrating for her & for yourself not to be able to make a conversation. Please, calling all Prayer Brigade out there to rally and lets Pray for Jenny, for her to get through this ordeal. And for Steven to stay strong emotionally & physically. Thank you.
Steven, you are doing an amazing job. I admired your kindness & love towards Jenny. We love you too. Take care of yourself. Stay positive as you always do. GOD BLESS. Praying for brighter news on Jenny. 🙏🏼❤
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