A Fantastic Day for Mom!!!!

After weeks of us seeing little progress, today was an incredible new day for my mom. My sister was at the hospital, as usual, and mom was awake and aware. The last few days had been a bit heartbreaking for sis, as mom has slept a lot and not necessarily been the nicest person when awake.

But today was a different story. Mom has started to remember. She carried on a full conversation. She said she has lost track of time and asked what day it was. She said she feels she had been stuck in a dark tunnel and that people would come visit her in that tunnel, showing her photos and asking her who the people in the photos were (as my sister and I have done often with her). She said she remembers being confused and not being able to recognize the people in the pictures.

My sister asked her if she knew who she (my sister) is. Mom told her she was the nurse. Then she showed photos of herself (my sister) and asked my mom who the person in the photo was. My mom answered, "That's my daughter."

"What is her name?"

"Her name is Sally." (right)

She then showed a photo of me and asked her who I was. She responded, "That's my son." That was the first time she has done that since falling ill. My sister asked her, "What is his name? Is it Joe?"

"No," she responded. "It's Giuseppe." (That's my name in Italian!)

She also recognized my father, who died when I was two, and her mother, who is also deceased, and others in the photos! At a certain point, my mom told my sister, "How did you come in possession of these photos?" My sister told her that she brought them from home. She then told my sister to please arrange to bring photos of others who are still alive because the only ones in the photos that are still alive are herself and her children!

At another point, she asked my sister to get a piece of paper and then recited from memory my sister's home and cell phone numbers and asked my sister to call my sister and ask her to come visit! My mom said that she can't believe that even though she's been in the hospital for weeks, that my sister hasn't come once to visit. Of course, my sister has been there every day and said so, adding that I had been there every day for the three weeks that I was there.

My mom made it clear to my sister that she was surprised to have come out of the tunnel she was in and that she is very anxious to get back on her feet and get back to a normal life.

I know, I know, this may all be temporary. Tomorrow she may relapse back to how she was. I hope not, of course, I hope she gets better and better! I hope to return very soon as finances permit and see her awake, recognizing me, smiling and kissing me once again.

Thank you for continued good thoughts and prayers!

I am an Italian American

My roots are deep in an ancient soil, drenched by the Mediterranean sun, and watered by pure streams from snow capped mountains.

I am enriched by thousands of years of culture.

My hands are those of the mason, the artist, the man of the soil.

My thoughts have been recounted in the annals of Rome, the poetry of Virgil, the creations of Dante, and the philosophy of Benedetto Croce.

I am an Italian-American, and from my ancient world, I first spanned the seas to the New World. I am Cristoforo Colombo.

I am Giovanne Caboto known in American History as John Cabot, discoverer of the mainland of North America

I am Amerigo Vespucci, who gave my name to the New World, America.

First to sail on the Great Lakes in 1679, founder of the territory that became the State of Illinois, colonizer of Louisiana and Arkansas, I am Enrico Tonti.

I am Filippo Mazzei friend of Thomas Jefferson, and my thesis on the equality of man was written into the Bill of Rights.

I am William Paca, signer of the Declaration of Independence.

I am an Italian-American. I financed the Northwest Expedition of George Rogers Clark and accompanied him through the lands that would become Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. I am Colonel Francesco Vigo.

I mapped the Pacific from Mexico to Alaska and to the Philippines, I am Alessandro Malaspina.

I am Giacomo Belinimi, discoverer of the source of the Mississippi River in 1823.

I created the Dome of the United States Capitol. They call me the Michelangelo of America. I am Constantino Brumidi.

In 1904, I founded in San Francisco, the Bank of Italy now known as the Bank of America, the largest financial institution in the world, I am A.P. Giannini.

I am Enrico Fermi, father of nuclear science in America.

I am Steve Geppi, founder of Diamond Comics, the largest distributorship of comics on the planet.

I am the first enlisted man to earn the Medal of Honor in World War II, I am John Basilone of New Jersey.

I am an Italian-American. I am the million strong who served in America 's armies and the tens of thousands whose names are enshrined in military cemeteries from Guadalcanal to the Rhine.

I am the steel maker in Pittsburgh, the grower in the Imperial Valley of California, the textile designer in Manhattan, the movie maker in Hollywood, the homemaker and the breadwinner in over 10,000 communities.

I am an American without stint or reservation, loving this land as only one who understands history, its agonies and its triumphs can love and serve it.

I will not be told that my contribution is any less nor my role not as worthy as that of any other American.

I will stand in support of this nation's freedom and protect against all foes.

My heritage has dedicated me to this nation.

I am proud of my heritage, and I shall remain worthy of it.

I am an Italian-American.