Randy Travis awake, interacting with loved ones after stroke
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Country music legend Randy Travis is still recuperating in a Texas hospital following his stroke last week, and it appears the country music star is well on the road to recovery.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Travis is now awake and interacting with his family and friends as he recovers from intensive surgery.
Doctors say Travis remains in critical condition and on a ventilator, but the 54-year-old country music singer has been taken off a heart pump and is now breathing spontaneously. His breathing support is being reduced bit by bit as he begins the early stages of physical therapy.
Mary Davis, the country star's fiancee, thanked Travis' friends and fans for their support during this trying time.
"I know that Randy feels each and every one of those," Davis said. "He feels the hands of the doctors and the care of the nurses and the love of his fans. His friends and family have all been touched by that. He is responding well to voices and he sees and he understands. He's miles beyond where any of us thought he would be a few days ago."
Travis will remain at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano for between two to three more weeks before being transferred to a different facility for intensive physical therapy, with doctors predicting it will take several months for Travis to recover from the stroke. However, scans reportedly show that the swelling in his brain has subsided considerably in the wake of the surgery. By all accounts, the singer is making significant progress toward recovery.
The Grammy winner was admitted to the hospital on July 7 as a result of a condition called cardiomyopathy, an illness of the heart which was made significantly worse by the presence of a viral infection in Travis. However, doctors say the singer doesn't have an active heart infection, and they expect Travis should be able to get his weakened heart under control with medication.
Michael Mack, a cardiac surgeon and medical director of cardiovascular disease at Baylor Health Care System in Dallas, said Travis' heart problem was not caused by drug or alcohol abuse. "Mr. Travis does have a family history of cardiomyopathy and it is more likely related to that," he said.