A Perfect Mistake

Chapter 27

Dr. Avery was right; the very next morning, Mom woke up.

"Mommy!" I jump up with elatedness.

Mom looks at me blankly as if she doesn't remember me.

"Mom?" I speak slowly. "It's Cassie, your daughter."

Mom frowns, looking confused.

Oh my God. Mom didn't forget who I am, right?!

Dr. Avery enters the room right when I need her.

"Mom's awake, Dr. Avery!" I announce happily.

"That's wonderful!" Dr. Avery exclaims.

"But she doesn't seem to respond to me. She's giving me that blank stare. She looks, like, confused or something."

Dr. Avery nods. "Yeah, that's very common among patients with a stroke."

"Will she ever know who I am again?" I ask worriedly.

Mom can't forget me. She just can't...

"Oh, honey, I'm sure that she'll recognize you in a little bit," Dr. Avery assures me. "Just give her some time, okay?"

I nod uncertainly. "Okay."

"I'm going to check up on you, Mrs. Somers," Dr. Avery tells Mom, enunciating every word she speaks as if Mom is a little kid or deaf.

Mom doesn't reply verbally, but she does slowly nod her head. (That's a good sign, I guess?)

Dr. Avery listens to Mom's heart with the stethoscope.

"Perfect heart rate," Dr. Avery comments, writing on the piece of paper on her clipboard.

Dr. Avery takes Mom's blood pressure.

"Completely normal blood pressure," Dr. Avery comments, continuing to write things down.

Dr. Avery runs a few other physical tests and Mom passes with flying colors.

"Now I'm going to give you a speech test," Dr. Avery explains to Mom and I. "I'll be saying a couple of words and sentences, and Mrs. Somers must repeat those words and sentences. Understood?"

I nod my head immediately. Mom takes a few seconds to slowly nod her head.

"Hello," Dr. Avery speaks.

Mom tries to speak but fails to.

"Goodbye," Dr. Avery speaks.

Mom tries to speak but fails to.

"Dog."

No response.

"Cat."

No response.

"Mother."

Still no response.

"Father."

Still no response.

I sigh, impatient and frustrated.

"Okay, now I'm going to start speaking sentences," Dr. Avery says.

"Okay," I reply, sighing.

"It is time to go to school," Dr. Avery speaks.

Mom replies, her voice sounding low and raspy, "School, time go."

I gasp. "Great job, Mom!" I clap my hands.

Mom smiles proudly.

"Good job, Mrs. Somers," Dr. Avery congratulates Mom.

Dr. Avery continues speaking. "Are you hungry?"

"Hungry you are." Is Mom's reply.

Dr. Avery speaks 3 more sentences and Mom repeats them but not in the correct order.

"I'm glad that she can speak, but why not in the correct order?" I ask Dr. Avery.

"It's common for people with strokes to mix up their words and sentences," Is Dr. Avery's explanation. "Your mother is lucky to be able to talk at all. With speech therapy and practice, she can possibly talk normally again."

"Ohh okay," I nod, understanding.

"Now I'm going to run a fine motor test," Dr. Avery announces.

She gives Mom a book and instructs her to flip a page.

Mom struggles to do so, and after 5 minutes of effort, the page finally flips over.

Dr. Avery gives Mom a stack of papers and a stapler and instructs her to staple the papers.

Mom fails that task after several minutes of trying to do so.

Dr. Avery gives Mom a bowl of noodle soup and a spoon. She instructs Mom to eat it with the spoon.

Mom slowly picks up the spoon, which that alone takes a lot of hard work. She tries to scoop up some noodles with the spoon, but can't do it on her own.

I end up feeding Mom her lunch as if she's a baby.

"Yeah, she failed the fine motor test across the board," Dr. Avery comments, writing down the results.

I frown. "That's unfortunate."

"With occupational therapy and practice, she may be able to perform basic tasks on her own again."

After Mom finishes eating her noodle soup, Dr. Avery gives her a physical test.

Mom is able to stand up and walk around the room on her own without any trouble at all.

But, Mom is unable to run or jump. 

She is unable to do sit-ups and push-ups.

She is unable to do squats.

She is unable to do jumping jacks.

She is unable to walk up stairs.

"Excepting for standing up and walking, Mrs. Somers also fails the physical test across the board." Dr. Avery tells me.

I sigh sadly but hopefully say, "But with physical therapy and practice, she may be able to be more physically fit again?"

"Yes." Dr. Avery says, nodding. "Well, all the tests are taken. I'll leave you guys alone for a while."

Dr. Avery leaves the room.

"Hey, Mom," I say.

"Hi...um..."

"My name is Cassie."

"Yes. Cassie. Hi, Cassie."

"Do you know what happened, Mom?"

"Um. Pass out I. Now hospital I'm."

It takes a moment for me to understand what she's saying and I realize that she is actually saying: "I passed out. Now I'm in the hospital."  

"Yes, do you know why you passed out and you're in the hospital?" I ask.

"Stroke."

"That's right."

"Worry don't, sweetie. Fine I be."

Translation: "Don't worry, sweetie. I will be fine."

I sigh and hold Mom's hand tightly and say, "Okay, Mom. I love you."

"Love you too." That's Mom's 1st perfect, clear sentence.

Mom is totally different now...

I hope that she will get better and go back to normal soon...