What I've learned:

1. We're all much smarter and more resilient than we think we are.

• Dear little Mom, who gets so mixed up sometimes, was able to instantly find some much needed documents that answered some key questions.
• It's possible to survive on about 7 hours of sleep out of 48, but I wouldn't recommend it. (and having a mad caffeine addiction helps.)

2. Don't ever be afraid to ask your friends for help. They will always come through for you.

• Need a driveway shoveled? Done! Need recommendations on nursing homes? Done!

3. Never underestimate the power of a shower and clean clothes.

• Both can make you feel like a new person.

4. Never underestimate Dad.

• We honestly thought he'd be gone before Monday. Now it's Friday and we're looking for a place where he can get some rehabilitation.
• He's definitely in there. Every once in a while we see a glimpse of him. A smile, a wise-crack.. we can even tell when he's just had enough of all these shenanigans. The look on his face when the speech pathologist asked him "Does a dog moo?" was priceless. You could just tell that he was thinking "What the HELL are you talking about??" 

5. Patience, in great quantities, will be required.

• In that same session where she asked him if dogs moo, she asked him to identify a pen. He couldn't remember the word for that. He knew that he was in a hospital, but he didn't know why. He doesn't ever remember that he's retired. He recognizes all of us now, but he sometimes forgets our names. He knew that Mom was his wife. She asked, "Do you remember my name?" and he said, "Of course I know it - you are my wife." She asked what it was, and he kept thinking and said "Well, I know your LAST name is the same as mine." Pretty clever. ::smile:: But, yeah, it's going to take a while.. and we just don't know if everything will come back.

6. We're at the very beginning of a very long journey.

• This journey is going to be very different than the one I took when my own dad died. His was long and difficult physically, but he was always mentally sharp. And he never had to be in a long term care facility. 

I woke up at 3:00 and my head was spinning.. there's just so much to think about. I got up at 4:00, made some coffee and started making lists.Thank God we're all on vacation this week. Now it's time to put one foot in front of the other and see what happens next.