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.
Today saw some positive signs building on others with him holding his head up on his own while seated in his new lazy boy wheel chair. When he was shifted into it he seemed very alert and was even moving his right arm which is currently in a cast to try and straighten it out. It is hard to understand how he can be so reactive to commands and aware of what is happening around him yet remain in a coma.
Again, this is due to the fact that the mid brain is very damaged and this part of the brain controls conciousness amongst other things, but it is still very odd. Even his physio said today that it was normal to be the other way around. I couldn’t help but chuckle…that is so Darryl. Whatever the norm is he finds a way to break the mold.
So he is medically looking very stable and slowly, very slowly seems to be a little more alert each day. He does however need more ’sleep’ now too, ironically. In the main because the more wakeful times are exhausting. I remember from his first brain bleed that he also needed a lot of sleep and was incredibly grumpy and adverse to conversation and contact for a good couple of weeks. He just wanted to be alone in a dark room. So I guess this is just an exacerbated version of that.
This afternoon was yet another special moment with Brenna. She trotted in with Catherine wearing her fairy outfit complete with a pink tutu, pink fairy wings, a tiara and a wand. She tiptoed up to Darryl who was resting quietly and started waving her wand around asking Darryl to wake up. It was hard to fight back the tears as she tried to work her fairy magic to bring back her own real life sleeping beauty.
She misses him so much and she has been so strong, but I know how she longs to be able to be wrapped up in his big arms and flipped above his head as he had done with her so often. Each day he holds her hand and shares a few thumbs up as she asks questions and gently strokes his arm. This in contrast to the sturdy, knuckle breaking handshake he gives his brother Brook. Even with his left hand he has a grip that a rodeo bull rider would be proud of.
Brook has been terrific with his brother. There everyday, giving him brotherly words of encouragement, sharing in the bond and love that only siblings can share. He, as I do, know that Darryl would do the same if the roles were reversed. I could not be more proud of all three of them.
There is a long long way to go and the fog is low and heavy. But as so often we see when the fog lifts on a cool autumn morning, the warmth of the sun framed in a clear blue sky brings the promise of a new day filled with possiblity. The fog cannot deny the possiblity and promise of the new day, it merely heightens the sense of joy when finally it clears and that fine warm day dawns.
Mike
Mike,
I just learned of this situation via email from Ron Brooks. I am writing to pass on my heart filled prayers and wishes for Darryl’s quick recovery and for your family while they wait for him to find his way back. If he is anything like you, it should take to long for him to figure out how to make it out of the ‘fog’ back to you all. I am sure you have heard it over and over again, but if I can do anything at all to assist, please do not hesitate to contact me.
All my best wishes,
Mike
Michael Walker
Executive Director
Central Coast Gang Investigators Association
Mike,
I just learned of this situation via email from Ron Brooks.
I am writing to pass on my heart filled prayers and wishes for Darryl’s quick recovery and for your family while they wait for him to find his way back. If he is anything like you, it should not take too long for him to figure out how to make it out of the ‘fog’ back to you all.
I am sure you have heard it over and over again, but if I can do anything at all to assist, please do not hesitate to contact me. We have a fairly large membership who would be willing to assist with what ever your needs may be.
All my best wishes to you and your family,
Mike
Michael Walker
Executive Director
Central Coast Gang Investigators Association
Hey Darryl,
Things have been busy on the station, we finished shearing
on monday & have been busy mustering stock for our annual
stock count, thats every head.Golly & simon have been
helping, loop reckons theyre getting work experience ha ha.
It is good to here you are making steady progress keep it up
mate.Latimer & i were coming home from waitiki last knight
talking about your double chocolate chip, chocolate chip
biscuits & how it would have been nice to stop in for one
or two or five.Sorry i havent been in contact but i only
just worked out how to do this.Keep up the good work
Darryl.Leo & Diane are keeping close tabs on you &
send ther best.We are all looking forward to your
return.
Deane Paua Station
Morning DAZZLA
Mate you are such a ledgend,
A real fighter
We all know you want to be here
We felt it off you in Critical care
we both came out more pumped up
than when we went in!!
What you would do with a second chance hey?
Or i guess in your case a third chance,
There is M O R E than just you that
wants you to be here,
There’s a whole collective group of forces working
for you out there BIG TIME
But you know what – YOU’RE WORTH IT!!
Keep up the fight DAZZLA,
You CAN do it
We all have no doubt
Mike glad to hear you saying that Darryl is heading out of the woods, those words have plagued me for a wee while, great effort. Brook had the pleasure of meeting you, you guys are so different but yet very alike, i know what a driven person you are and i am sure that would be a huge factor for DAZZLA. We think about you around twelve and hope the new job is treating you well. Brenna you are just what Darryl needs, he loves kids and you bring that element to him everyday, that’s huge. He always speaks about you. To all the rest of the support crew it was so nice to see how much you guys know your importance in Dazzla’s healing. He is such a huge family man. Keep up the awesome effort.
Take care guys
The Tubbs Family
Joke For Darryl to bring that smile back.
Mad Cow Disease
There were these two cows, chatting over the fence between their fields.
The first cow said, “I tell you, this mad-cow-disease is really pretty scary. They say it is spreading fast; I heard it hit some cows down on the Proctor Farm.”
The other cow replies, “Hell, I ain’t worried, it don’t affect us ducks!”
Mike, Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to keep us all up to date. I read it religiously everyday, sometime a couple of times a day. It somehow makes me feel closer to Dazzla.
And Thank you to you, Brook, or who ever takes the awesome time out to read these to Dazzla, I know my’n are a bit long and probably extremely boring to you but I hope that Dazzla’s listening and can get some sort of good from them. Thank you so much.
Good Morning Dazzla,
Hope you are feeling good today. I know you might feel scared and distressed sometimes, and think what the hell is going on but I’m sure all the wonderful people around you help you to understand the situation.
.
Just keep one thing in the back of your mind Dazzla, when you have an accident your body needs time to heal, although you probably just want to wake up, your body is just doing what’s best for it, its taking the time it needs to heal, and there is no doubt in it that when its ready you will wake up and be with all of us again. So just hang in there, keep up the good work and think of it as an opportunity to catch up on as much as you want
When the time is right the time will be right.
Well I left work at 3 to drive down to the pound to see my kitten and put a deposit down on it. I picked up my other sister outside of college on the way and off we went. About 5 min into our journey the sky’s opened up and man did it pour down! At times I could barely see in front of me, I was just trying to follows the car in front’s lights.
Yeh we had to have our lights on at 3.30 in the arvo, crazy hey. Anyway the traffic just got worse and worse. We were going 20 at times on a motor way that’s supposed to be 110. Mainly cus no one could see where they were going.
I was stressing the whole way down, thinking please let me make it in time, please let me make it in time. At about quarter to 5 we rang to let them know, look we are still coming, we’ve been driving for ages but are just stuck in traffic and the weather is really bad. They told us that if we’re not there by 5, then its just tuff they cant let us in! At 5 I thought we were pretty close, but eventually had to just give in to defeat an turned around and started our journey home.
All in all I drove for over 4 hour straight, went through 4 tolls and almost ran out of petrol, because there’s no where on the motorway to fill up, and every time you get off you have to pay to get back on, and achieve nothing.
BUT they were sympathetic about the situation and let me put a deposit over the phone, which they don’t normally do because you have to view the animal first. Pheww. So if all goes well and no one claims him, he’s mine on Sunday! Yay!.
Man the weathers been bad here. So windy and so much rain everyday. Up by my Mom and Dad they had over 200mm of rain last night. They’ve declared their state a state of natural disaster up there! It’s just completely flooded, you can’t even see whole towns cus they’re just under water. And the wind man it’s strong, I think it’s making it was down to us. People’s bbq are even blowing off their balconies, ha ha bummer if you’d planned a Barbie over the weekend. Scary.
Dazzla feel free to fall asleep at any time if this is boring you, but I’ll just keep writing till the day I can talk to you again, and you can just keep listening, or not
it’s up to you.
Love you Lots,
Keep fighting and I know I’ll speak to you soon.
Mwah.
Catch up on as much SLEEP as you want.
Hi Brenna
I miss your cheery wave and ‘hi George’ every day. It is good to know you are helping so much with your brother. You will make a great nurse some day, if you choose.
Mike, hang in there. Your transition from ‘tough cop’ to devoted father and literate blogger is awesome. All due respect to you and Catherine.
We enjoy hearing Brook on TV 3 as well. Give him my regards. I always knew he could make the transition from Far North Cable to the big time.
Cheers, g
Every now and then
We come across disaster.
We have a choice, each person,
On who becomes our master.
It can be fear and dread,
It can be personal strength.
It can be denial
Or a giving ’til nothing’s left!
Or ….. it can be prayer and recognition
Of a Creator God who wants to help.
Who just wants to take your pain,
Your fears and your doubt.
He wants to take your hands
And walk with you through this time.
He wants to hear each person
Say to Him “Be Mine!”
Let this be a turning point
In each life affected by this pain.
Give Him your hearts and souls.
A step that is eternal gain.
Blessings from one who knows
The pure love of Jesus Christ
Withing each moment of every day.
His love, His forgiveness and His ‘might’!!
Love from God and Sue.
hey bro, stil followin ya from down here in speights country
went to a bloody choice gig in dunnerz where a mates band did a song and told all the crowd to raise their lighters, drinks and phones for ya while they playd. much to my suprise, even tho noone knows u personally, befor you knew it the whole room was lit up! it was a bloody impressive sight bro
and we can onli hope you felt that choice energy!!
give it heaps bro
wil hav ta meet u for one of those handshakes and a cold beer one day!
as in the song dedicated 2 u goes –
“Now the north star guides us on our way as we are headed home”
Hello from the Olivers. Great to hear the good news. Keep those thumbs up coming.
Steph and Lance
hey my bro sorry for being suchcha slack guy man iv just read your whole story and man your a hard man all right my freind i miss seeing you around yarning about rugby with you br0. So keep fighting hard man il be trying my hardest to come and see you so stay strong bro
Teila
So good to hear Darryl is continuing to progress. All positive signs.
Brenna’s magic must be helping heaps, keep sprinkling the fairy dust Brenna, Darryl can’t have too much of that right now.
Keep sparkling.
Mike
I met you recently at Matamata college when you visited. I hope and pray your boy will heal quick.
Stew Best
Social Worker