I was a little down earlier today. I know it's a long road and I know there will be ups and downs but I feared that Riza was becoming a little more distant.
I talked to Dr. Nelson tonight. (You know, it's a small sample, but I am starting to think there is some truth in that old "Brain Surgeons are smart" folklore...) He assured me that what I am seeing is additional sedation to keep her comfortable and to allow her to forget this part of her life. The good things I saw early in the week are still there, and he continues to be amazed how well she is doing.
It was great to hear that.
Another good thing is how much better she looks. She has always been the most beautiful to me, but even I questioned the giant white head bandage fashion accessory. After that came off, she had a lot of swelling around her eyes and face. Today, the swelling has gone way down and she looks really good. Lisa brushed and braided her hair and she looks like Riza again.
I'm a big fan of Virginia Postrel. She is a libertarian economist, Buffy fan, and frequent contributor to the New York Times. Her beat is to highlight the importance of aesthetics and design, and to quantity economic advantages. To see Riza looking so good cheered me up enormously.