From this point forward things started moving at warp speed. Once the breathing tube was out, we could hear Ray speak, although his voice started off as almost a whisper. Speech therapists had him do a swallow study and started letting him eat soft foods. He quickly discovered apple sauce was good until he tasted the medicine in it. His facial expressions and the hints of his personality were quite a hit with everyone.
He continued getting better and better each day. He was up in a special chair and then moving around on his own in bed. I came in one morning to find him restrained after he decided he wanted to go outside for a cigarette, even though he had quit smoking about three months earlier. Since being hospitalized he had lost about thirty pounds, but he was still so strong and felt like he was ready to go. It was frustrating to see him restrained and agitated, but it was also a special time—on April 5th, 2024, we celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary with him alive and kicking! Another day or so in the Neuro-ICU and we were then moved to the step-down unit.

For the next few days, Ray continued being a bit of trouble when he was awake. He needed a sitter and boxing gloves. He hated the soft collar they gave him and being connected to the IV. But he got more rest, better food, and became more active once he was in the step-down unit. It was hard for him to be dependent, and he would get agitated when he wasn’t allowed to get out of bed on his own. The TBI had resulted in some weakness but his memory seemed to be intact, and he had no issues with speech aside from a gruffer than usual voice as a result of all the tubes. It was at this point someone from the team came back to check on us, and they told me that maybe his personality did have something to do with his recovery after all. I guess there are some things that science and medicine just can’t predict.

***

Our next step was to get Ray back to Michigan. My goal was to get him into the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM), which is part of the Detroit Medical Center family. After jumping through some hoops, they eventually agreed to take him, but our insurance had to agree to fly us home on another air ambulance. We were finally able to leave on April 16, 2024.  

Ray spent a week at RIM in downtown Detroit. His personality was coming through so well, and the rehab team asked me if he was really himself or if it was the TBI talking. They weren’t used to working with someone who was so sincere yet still had a sense of humor and completely understood sarcasm. He was officially sent home on April 23^rd, 2024.

It took me some time to adjust to allowing Ray to re-learn how to do certain tasks. I initially thought he was being stubborn when he wouldn’t do something when asked, but I soon realized it wasn’t that he didn’t want to do it, he just couldn’t. The next few months were filled with doctor appointments, rehab, and Ray trying to cook. Making lists, following recipes, and remembering to turn off the stove were all big accomplishments for him. 

We also went to counseling with TBI specialists. My counselor was such a tremendous help. She was able to help me understand what was happening in Ray’s brain and she taught me how to look at things differently.

On July 16, 2024, Ray received a neuropsychological evaluation—this was at just the four-and-a-half-month mark, because he refused to wait six months to return to work.  Everyone prepared me ahead of time that this was going to be a very rough day and that it would take all day to complete. The exam ended up taking about four hours, and Ray was told he made it through all the levels available. Next, he was tested by occupational therapy and underwent vision testing in order to be given approval to start driving again. On July 23^rd, Ray regained his freedom and was able to go behind the wheel once more. 

We received the neuropsychological evaluation results on August 1^st and found out that Ray performed exceptionally well. The tests did recognize his usual issues with doing too many things at once and not paying attention to details. (Personally, I blame that on his being a man more than his cognitive capacity.) 

On September 5, 2024, less than six months after Ray’s accident, he returned to work. Within a month he was back to working full-time in his position as Director of Strategic Planning for an automotive supplier. The last step to close this chapter in our lives was Ray’s completion of rehabilitation. The physiatrist from RIM had one last follow-up with him in October 2024, after which he was released from their care without any further follow-up visits needed.

From the outside, our lives might now appear the same as they had been before—but if you had known Ray for a while before his accident, you could tell something had changed. Fatigue remains a challenge for him, but not as much as it could have been considering the severity of his brain injury. We are adjusting to our new life but also trying to maintain some consistency and normality, especially when it comes to travel. Our first trip involving a flight will be to Jamaica for the winter holidays. It will be our first real trip since the accident and perhaps a test to see if Ray is ready to return to work travel. But we also have so many more adventures to look forward to, and the future is beginning to look bright.

Click here to read Part 1 of Ray's Story of Hope.