The rollercoaster ride continues. And one thing is for sure there is not a rollercoaster standing on this planet that can compare to this one. I got to the hospital to find that during the doctors rounds they thought Darryl was having seizures so they were sending him off for an EEG, which is neurology speak for a electrical test of brain waves to assertain whether the injury had induced epileptic seizures.
Hearing that I felt like I had been asked to swollow a brick . Having seen Darryl make some good improvements over the weekend I was devastated to think he might be having seizures. I was also gutted to hear that to stop the seizures they had given him sedatives, which meant when I saw him he was all ‘gaga’ again as if we were trapped in ground hog episde of One Flew Over the Cookoos Nest. I was hoping he wasn’t fitting but just stirred up from a combination of inability to cough, bright lights and the condition they call storming. More on that shortly.
Not long after the brick in the tummy the physios arrived and propmtly prepared Darryl for the ‘gym’, Jim, but not as we know it. He was whisked off in his bed and minutes later Darryl was slid off his bed onto a firm padded seat arrangement where they proceded to sit him up (while supporting him) and stretch his back out and get him in an upright seated position. The frustrating thing was that he was so doped up from the sedative he was not able to ‘participate’ in what was going on.
Luckily however, about half way into it I was holding him by the hand and I sensed he was squeezing it and I asked him if he could hear me. “Darryl squeeze my hand if you can hear me”….and he did. And again, the now famous thumbs up made an appearance on command also.
But most compelling and I’d have to say heartwrenching of all was when I looked at Darryl’s face just as a tear sprang from his closed eye and ran down his cheek. It was like someone grabbed my heart and tied a granny knot in it and his tears were closely followed by mine. I know my son and I know that he is in there and feeling pain in his heart as much as his head. He didn’t have to speak a word for me to know that. And while the few tears that rolled down his cheeks were also tearing at my heart, I also felt more strongly that he may be down but he sure as hell aint out!!!.
For the last few minutes of the physio he was following basic commands and showed the physio staff that what we had seen over the past two days was a reality and not a figment of our wishful thinking.
We went back from physio and not long after Darryl was being delivered to the Neuro ward to have his head wired up for tests. I swear I felt as if I was holding my breath for the entire hour of those tests hoping my beliefs were right and the doctors suspicions were wrong. Well, I let out a sigh eventually when it was confirmed he wasn’t having seizures. In fact when I later spoke with the neurologist and he mentioned the movements of his mouth and lips combined with his tensing up in the arms around his chest I explained to them that I thought the mouth movements were his effort to swallow saliva and the tensing was due to the fact that he also needed to cough. At the same time he would have also had ‘flemunition’ (for the tomahawk flem missiles) sitting on top of his lungs making it even harder to breath. You get to have a feel for these things having spent the last 14 days watching his every move. I’d better add that to my business card – drug policy consultant and flem missile specialist!
Anyway the long and short of it all was there was no issue with him at all and despite the rugged day of sedation, physio, EEG’s and riding up the elevators , Darryl is still making slow but steady progress in my view. Yes I know there is a long way to go, but I know my boy will break the moulds and for every squeeze he gives my hand, my belief in his strength of character grows ten-fold, notwithstanding the admiration I already held for him in this regard prior this tragedy.
On an equally touching note, yesterday Brenna, Darryl’s 4 1/2 year old sister was playing the roll of nurse to her older brother whom she idolises and sponging his body and arms with a cool cloth. She was chatting away lovingly to him as she did so and then out of nowhere looked up at his face and said “I really miss you Darryl when are you going to wake up?”
No words can adequately describe to heartache fused with adoration within that moment. I really miss you too Darryl….we all really miss you
My thanks to you all again.
Mike
Dear Sabin Family
I am a Kiwi now living and working in England and have just been shown the tv 3 report about the terrible situation you find yourself in.
Mike, Listening to your description about Darryl – you could have been describing me (as is the case I know for most Kiwi boys) – I now sport the regulation scars from surgey gained from ignoring advise and playing on…..
This could have been me, my family, or a million others – so it it is with a huge amount of empathy that I tell you – as a New Zealander – how proud I am to be from the same country as you.
The strength you are showing in these circumstances is unbelieveable – words let me down as I try to convey my (our) support, sympathy and admiration.
I hope the NZRFU take on board the message of common sense you have highlighted – but most importantly – I hope – with all my heart – that Darryl makes a recovery and you enjoy the incredible bond that you two must have for many decades to come.
I am told that messages like this help Mike – I hope so – please know that that the hopes, best wishes and prayers are with you from England.
With huge respect,
Anthony Holland
It seems that I am the first one in here tongiht. I did not had a good night sleep last night and it seems to happened to me tonight as well. My tears rolled down from my eyes again by the innocent girl, Brenna. “I really miss you Darryl when are you going to wake up?” just by this innocent talk shows me how much she miss him and loves him. That’s really got my just calmed emotion back on tears again
I believe thay Darryl really want just wake up and go. I can imagine how he does not want stuffer in coma and how much he wants to say “I love you, dad.”
Hey Darryl mate. It is strange that I seem like understand your feeling even I dont know you and you dont know who am I. It is wried but you know what there are pieces of heart is praying for you ay! Get well soon mate. May be one day just a may be we will have a chance to meet each other mate.
God be with you. I am praying for Darryl, and for Brenna, and the whole family today. I love the thumbs-up that Darryl is giving you. God please give him more progress today in healing, and give him patience and endurance for the task.
Good morning
Darryl, I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be for you not to be able to respond to your family or express yourself fullstop. I can imagine, however, what you’re probably thinking about the various tests and exams being exacted on you, along with being used as ’scone-dough’, as your Dad so eoloquently put it!
Mike, your instincts have been proven true time and again and you have science backing those instincts up. Please take heart from that.
Miss Brenna, you’re doing a fantastic job looking after & loving your brother, keep talking to him, he can hear you, even if he can’t talk to you at the moment.
I hope the waters calmed a little last night for you all.
Much love
Virg
Ah Bro, so cool
thinking of you all the time and always yelling out
G O D A R R Y L G O
Huge Progress, awesome Job
Miss you and need you back on the farm,
the deal goes through today which means there is that
spot for you to run the beef- you are perfect for the job
and fit into our family so well
The boys miss you and ask about you often,
every evening is a ritual of cranking up your
favourite song and the boys have a dance for you.
Jake has made a life size cut out of you and it is hung in
their bedroom, so he can think about you
Zinny is always getting us to put your song on during the day too.
Saddle up
The Tubbs Family
i keep following this every day, my thoughts and prayers are still with you all,
this is a long journey, it may be tough but hold onto that hope,
we are all waiting for tears of joy,
kellie,
Cmon buddy, we know you are making progress, even if only slightly.
Lord we want to see him back as himself, fit, young and sprightly!!!
We pray for your return buddy.
Love to you all!!!
Bill Thurston x x x x x
Mike, many thanks to you for this website, its great to follow the progress.
Sounds like your giving it all you got darryl keep it up buddy.
Holly
Mike and Family,
Hi mate thats one tough rollercoaster to be sure. My thoughts are with Darryl,you,and your family, each and everyday. I know one thing for sure that if I was Darryl I couldnt wish for a better Dad to be in my corner. Obviously there has been many crests and troughs but little by little Darryl is clawing his way back to us……………stubbon, dont know where he gets that from!! Yeah hes a chip off the old block alright. One thing that medical science cant measure or test for on any machine is the strength of an indivduals spirit. Theres a lot of fight in this one and I know he will continue to surprise. Tell him that the stags are only getting bigger and ones got his name on it for next roar.
Mark, Erana, and Family
Good Morning Dazzla,
I so wish with all my heart that I could be there, holding your hand and talking to you. It’s so awesome to know that you are getting better and that all your hard work is paying off.
Darryl you are an incredible person, and so very brave and strong to be fighting through this. Please keep on fighting.
We are all waiting here for you, for when ever the time is right to give you the biggest “squeeze est” hug ever!! You’ll probably need to use a crowbar to loosen our grip of you, cus we ain’t guna want to let you go. Especially you family!!
Miss you, Lulu*.
Thinking of you and your family and hoping Darryl continues to make progress – best wishes from the Team at Employer Services in Whangarei – Murray, Barry, Sally and Wendy
hi darryl
this jo deanes son
Awesome darryl your at least making progress
all the best
im not usually subject 2 contacting strangers, but been keepin an eye on darryls progress from down here in highlander country
even though none of us down here know him, us southland boys know what grip the game can have on u, and all feel we can relate 2 the position darryl was in
back in the day i remember after getting seriously hurt in a game for about the 8th time i was determind to play again to prove to myself i was the best, but then my mum threatend to come to every game and training i played from then on with a megaphone armed with baby photos 2 embarrass me off the pitch.
as soon as i was recovered sure enough, she carried her threats out on my first game by standing there with a megaphone drowning everybody out
at the time i hated her for it, as rugby was what i loved, everything to me and not having your parents see that made me one angry young man.
but now, as ive growen up and had 2 boys of my own i can really see what she was doing, i was her only boy and she was scared. and with gud reason. but i was able to see there was so much more out there that was better than the game.
mike, maybe you need to get yourself a megaphone!
all the best darryl,
we will hold up a cold jug for ya! (speights of course)
kia kaha boy
Hey cowboy,
Sooo sorry to hear about your accident and be one of the slackest at checking out this website- just found out!!!
Truly is an awesome idea so friends/supporters can find out what happened and follow the progress…
Great to hear your fighting hard and making progress Darryl. Good on ya!!! Keep it up!!!
You know i’m not religious or anything so who am i kidding but if there was ever a time when it could help to have a little support from the ‘Big fella’ on your side, this’s it! God Bless you mate, and All the best for you and your family!
Might crack a cold one for ya but you know we only drink Red round here =)
Thinking of you Darryl, keep up the good progress!
Gem ox
Hang in there Darryl! We have Faith in You.
Well Mike ,
We read your blog daily and having not cried at the last two days- smiling instead, today the tears were flowing- my dad always said my bladder was too close to my eyes!.
We send you heaps of postive thoughts , stay strong and try to rest, easier said than done.
Tell Darryl theres a sheep on our farm with shepherds pie and roasts with his name on it.
Hey mate,
Going to hard again aye!
Good to hear your making good progress.
Can’t wait until you come right so you can come
fishing on our boat.
Best wishes from us we are thinking of you every day.
Bryce and Karen
Hang in there and thumbs up Darryl. Thoughts are also with your family. Good luck and stay strong!