As the days roll around we find ourselves quickly approaching a month since that ill-fated day. In some ways it seems just a few days ago, in other ways it seems like a lifetime. But the reality is that we have seen some steady progress in the past 10 days or so that give us belief that Darryl is working his way back through the fog.
I was talking last night to a specialist in this area, in fact someone who has worked for many years in intensive care and then rehabilitation. She described his current state as like being in a fog. As if he is aware of things around him but is unable to ’see’ his way out. That made sense to me and also helps to give meaning to the obvious frustration Darryl appears to show at times as if he wishes he could wake up.
Continue reading ‘Thursday 21st May’
A good day today, relatively settled, good physio and good responses to blogs and our questions and the smell of my coffee!! Another day, another baby step.
The days that have passed since this tragedy have been the most challenging of my life as a father. There is not an emotion that I haven’t experienced, a fear I have not felt, a hope I have not had. The toll it takes on not just myself, but all of us here with him is not really something that can be calculated and will define our lives ahead, good bad or otherwise.
Continue reading ‘Wednesday 20th May’
Darryl had a pretty rough night with the storming back in full flight. This morning he was still very tense, sweating and in obvious discomfort. The storming would have seemed the obvious reason, as it has been for almost two weeks now, but something didn’t sit right with me.
I asked a number of questions of the nurse and then just sat there, held his hand and watched him. I tried to trouble shoot with him using the old thumbs up, but he seemed only able to grip my hand and squeeze hard.
Continue reading ‘Tuesday 19th May’
Lots of action in the coma zone today. Darryl had another pretty good night but he was riding out the storm this morning during the rounds. The physios decided to try and help the tensing (toning as they call it) on his right arm by fitting a full arm cast. The idea with this is that he will relax into it (hopefully) and give his arm three days of moderate stretching, uninterrupted by his toning/storming episodes.
His main physio who is doing some great work with him asked if he wanted a blue or purple cast. I found myself holding my breath hoping for the obvious ‘man’ choice and was rather delighted and somewhat relieved I might add, to see a bold thumbs up to blue. It would appear his mojo is still in tact as well as his sense of ‘bloke’.
Continue reading ‘Monday 18th May’
Well it was a ‘cut and paste’ day today. In other words I could cut and paste yesterday’s posting into today’s. He is doing well and also looks well.
He continues to make little improvements and now most of the nurses are communicating with him with regard to pain levels, comfort, positions and even his radio. Even in a coma Darryl seems to have a knack of getting things in order around him!
Continue reading ‘Sunday 17th May’
Darryl had a day that would make most of us envious. He was relaxed; he rested well and seemed so calm and peaceful – finally. It was really good for us all to seem him more relaxed, at least on the face of it anyway.
The medical team have been doing what they can to assist in the management of the storming and it has certainly made a difference as the episodes are less severe and less often. Again, it is hard to know whether he is simply working through this part of the journey as he slowly improves, but I certainly hope that is the case.
Continue reading ‘Saturday 16th May’
Sorry, this posting is a little later than normal. I was fortunate enough last night to spend time with two of my very best mates who drove down from up home to have a game of squash with me and a couple of beers.
Ant, Dion and I headed over to the Panmure squash club last night after visiting hours at the hospital were over and I took great pleasure out of tying to smash the black of the squash ball! It was great to put my thoughts and energy into a sport I really enjoy and almost feel normal for a few hours. I am lucky to have such good mates, as Darryl is, as this website bears testament to.
Continue reading ‘Friday 15th May’
So it is in the spirit of the ’coma-coaster’ that we had some really positive progress today. Darryl has basically gone 24 hours without the storming, thanks I’m sure in part to the fantastic work by the nursing team who are doing all they can to eliminate triggers for the condition. They have identified that some things or positions my be inducing the condition and are trying to avoid them. It is really reassuring to have a medical team that are working in tune with Darryl, who lets face it is not the easiest guy to keep in tune.
Anyway, after a good restful nights sleep Darryl performed well at his gym, Jim, but not as we know it , session. He was responding quite well to commands, or at least trying to and was then rewarded with yet another restful snooze in his famed lazy boy. The physio team also made up a splint for his right arm which seems to be bending and not wanting to sit straight. He will spend time in that to help keep his muscles lengthened.
Continue reading ‘Thursday 14th May’
The 13th….unlucky for some…..But not for Darryl it would appear. Having said that there was no appreciable change from the day before and the day before that. I guess this is where the word patience comes into it. It is a bitter bloody irony that I am needing to be patient for a patient. Go figure!
I mentioned to my brother Len who is here yet again in support that I would just post todays update and he rightly joked that I should just cut and paste the last 4 days. And to be honest, it is not far from being an accurate reflection, in that he become a little more responsive to commands but on the whole it’s just a case of having to swallow a large cup of hurry up and wait.
Continue reading ‘Wednesday 13th May’
Darryl had a fairly uneventful day today and while the early hours of the morning were again plagued by the ’storming’ episodes that see him tensing up, sweating and become agitated, the remainder of the day was relatively relaxed for him.
The physios did a whole range of stretches with him and then hoisted him out of his bed and into the lazy boy. He was also very relaxed in that chair for three hours or so. Darryl had less ‘awake’ time today, not surprising given he has been running marathons dealing with the storming in the early hours. Having said that, the calm resting is just what the doctor ordered so to speak, the brain needs to time to resolve the bruising.
Continue reading ‘Tuesday 12th May’
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