As Day Thirty-Three ends, Jenny’s vitals are normal except her blood pressure is still a bit low. The S.L.P. (Speech and Language Pathologists) came today to administer their second test to see if Jenny is able to eat and drink normally which would finally free her of the invasive N.G. feeding tube and the restrictive “cozy” mitt. Unfortunately, Jenny failed the test again but it was because she couldn’t stay awake during the test to complete it. However, she still did fail and due to that they are moving forward with the insertion of a peg directly into her stomach from the abdomen to get nutrition because one month of the invasive N.G. tube is very uncomfortable. The tube goes directly into her nose, down her throat, down the entire length of her esophagus and then directly into her stomach and whenever she pulls on it they have to reinsert it all over again. However, the schedule for the stomach peg is not happening today because Jenny is still on blood thinners and it won’t happen tomorrow either which means there is a small chance a third S.L.P. test could happen before she has to get her stomach cut open for the peg insert. I keep telling Jenny she has to be awake and pass the test when it happens and she nods and I hope she does truly remember this time. Lastly, everyday I visit Jenny I always ask the same question – “Do you remember me?” which she usually nods or says “Yes.” and then I follow up with “Do you remember my name?” which she always responds no.

Today, after asking

“Do you remember me?” she nodded as usual. I then asked

“Do you remember my name?” and as I was ready to hear the usual “No.” I was about to sit down in hospital chair but to my surprise Jenny said

“Yes.” and I was completely frozen midair as if I was squatting over a toilet. After a brief moment I squinted while angling my head and asked

“What is my name?”. Jenny took a few seconds but then confidently said

“Your name is Steven.”

After asking Jenny every single day without an answer and not even knowing if I would ever get an answer, for the very first time, Jenny remembered my name. Tears quickly filled my eyes and fell uncontrollably down my face. I hugged her and kissed her and thanked her over and over and over again. I have proof that key pieces of her memory are slowly but surely coming back and she has not given up. She is still trying to reconnect her mind every single day.