"normal" -- what's that?

We decided a short while ago that we would update the blog once every week. This seemed like a good sort of schedule -- not too frequent, not too far in between. And so far, we have had plenty to report, both accomplishments and setbacks. This week, however, there isn't much news either way.

Instead, we're beginning throw the word "normal" around a bit. As in, "We ate out at a restaurant today and you didn't get so exhausted that we had to leave early! Hooray! We did something normal!" or "You went to a movie with the kids and didn't get a headache -- woo hoo! A normal Sunday afternoon!"

If you ask Tim's neurosurgeon about the average amount of time it takes to recover from a craniotomy, he'll tell you it's typically six weeks. That's what he told us, and so that's what Tim has had in mind. However... six weeks until what? Until he can walk through the grocery store without getting woozy? Until he can drive? Until his hearing returns to its pre-surgery level?

Tim is definitely getting stronger. We know this because he's able to do more things throughout each day. Those things are still pretty sedate activities, but he can do more of them before he has to nap. (Yay, naps!) However, he is also beginning to embrace the fact that six weeks to resume a nice, quiet life might be possible, but that six weeks might not be enough time to return to the kind of pace he managed before.

We are both so appreciative of the support that we have received from everyone at American Airlines. We know you genuinely care about Tim's wellbeing, and this allows him to recover at a natural, healthy pace. We don't know how long before Tim is back to... um... normal... but we're grateful for time to heal.