When you are in
the ICU post brain surgery, they monitor you regularly to make sure your brain
is working. There is a script of questions: What’s your name? Where are you? Do
you know what day it is? Can you lift both arms? Stick out your tongue. Can you push, can you pull? Look at me.
Sounds too
simple to reveal neurological problems, but each test confirms the brain is working.
So far we’re pretty sure Harold’s still got one. By the time Harold arrived in
the ICU he’d been through the drill a few times, so when his nurse started the
questioning with “What’s your name?” he replied, “My name is Inigo
Montoya.” 1 Luckily she got the reference, harrumphed, and asked
the question again.
Come
on Harold – This is serious. We’re all pulling for you. I think you’ve been unduly
influenced by a recent gift: F in Exams – The Very Best Totally Wrong Test
Answers by Richard Benson.
(Thanks
Walt)
Actually Harold had been acing everything until he tried to stand up
for the first time this afternoon. He quickly became dizzy and sat down. Then he discovered his right arm had a spastic motion. We later realized he also
leaned right as he walked. The Docs took this seriously but also believed it
was a result of swelling at the surgical site. Not unexpected as his surgery
was in the left frontal lobe. Swelling just behind that would affect motion on
his right side. That turned out to be true. Harold is much better tonight. In
the peak of our worry he quipped: Westley: Why won’t my arms move? Fezzik: You’ve
been mostly-dead all day.2
1 The
Princess Bride (1987). Inigo Montoya: Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare
to die. As referenced in The Jones Family Collection of Cultural Idioms’ and
Oft Quoted Movie Lines, Competition Edition, Pg 34.
2 Same as above, pg 38.
One of the greatest movies of all time. You don't really have a book of oft-used quotes, do you? If so, this is something I have to see.
ReplyDeleteThe quotes referenced above are actually from the first edition of the book as compiled by the "first" family of Megan, Christian, and Darren. There is also the revised edition which includes contributions from the "second" family of Preston, Kaylene, and Rebecca as well. Though well used among all of us Jones children, the book isn't in print...yet.
ReplyDelete