Lamar Odom: Miraculous Recovery ... He's Back!!!

Lamar Odom is doing so well, if you didn't know he was at death's door in October, you would never know he suffered 12 strokes and was unable to walk or speak.

As we reported, Lamar went hiking with Kim and Khloe over the weekend. The doctors never thought they would see the day. But even more surprising ... Lamar's cognitive functions have significantly returned ... he's able to process thoughts, speak them and carry on conversations.

Lamar had significant problems recognizing people -- even family members -- for several months after he was rushed to the hospital. But now his recall is back.

We're told Lamar's not completely back. He's still "a bit slow," and has memory lapses and sometimes has problems speaking. But the issues are subtle.

As for the hike, we're told his goal is to be able to run again. He's not there, but he's determined and believes he still has a shot at playing basketball again.

We're told Lamar's trajectory is so miraculous, he has a shot at living independently in a matter of months.