Another good day for Darryl. His passive stretches this morning showed he had some increased range of motion in his arms which have been so tight from all the storming over the past weeks. The physio was very pleased with the added flexibility and range of motion, but it comes at a painful price. Darryl gave a solid thumbs up when I enquired as to whether he was hurting. To his credit it was followed by another thumb when I asked if he could handle it.
He slept after that until his 11 oclock session up at the gym. He was obviously having a good rest, because having been hoisted off his bed into a chair, wheeled up to the gym, stretched and manipulated, then strapped to a tilt table and stood upright before he finally woke up. Once he did though, he was responding well and his eyes stayed open more than we have seen before. Still only a little open, but it was his doing. That is significant as it shows the nerves in this critical area of the brain stem which have been damaged by the pressure as his brain in the hours after the injury, are showing signs of healing.
His eyes were also following moving objects better than yesterday and his arm raising above his head was better also. The highlight came though when my mother and father arrived in the gym and I said to Darryl to show them his 1,2,3,4,5 fingers up. Then the physio said give your Grandma a wave – which he then did! And so another milestone is reached.
Today instead of beerotherapy I took his greenstone dog whistle to the gym which he managed to hold carefully in his fingertips. He wasn’t able to get it to his lips, but at one stage it fell and he managed to close his fingers to catch it with the fine string tied to it. That was impressive. I popped it in his mouth, and while he couldn’t blow it because he still has a trachie in his throat rediverting air, but he tried and I could see his chest rising and falling as he gave it a go.
On his way back from the gym I asked the physios to take the ‘long way home’ so I could show Darryl the outside of the facility. We stopped a couple of times and popped his eyes open so we could show him the lay of the land and then the house which he is staying in. His eyes were taking it all in, one at a time. We then showed him the kitchen, the hallway and the entrance to his room. Hopefully this will help give him a sense of his surroundings until he can keep his eyes open himself.
On returning to his room he went back to bed and slept well all afternoon until 5 pm. The good rest continued into the evening. I can’t tell you how rewarding it is just to have quiet restful sleep. All the nurses and staff have commented on these small gains and his increasing level of comfort.
Tomorrow we start trachie weaning. This involves slowly removing functions of the trachie and if he copes with it and continues to swallow secretions and keep his oxygen saturation up then the tube in his throat will come out. That will make a difference because he is constantly knocking and raking across it with his right hand. So much so that there has been quite a bit of blood coming up from it.
So the journey continues and Darryl remains steadfast in his task. The last few weeks have taken me to places I didn’t know existed and shattered the world that I shared with Darryl. But little by little he is putting back the pieces into some semblence of what was. I am witnessing a slow motion evolution of the human spirit from the ashes of devastation.
I often wonder why something like this could happen to someone like this, the seeming injustice and cruelty of it all. I have so often tried to convince myself that this is part of the test of life and that life tends to deliver what will be the measure of those ‘tested’. So it would be that Darryl would have this test of tests, the true test of himself, body, mind, spirit and soul. But as you will have read, this has also angered me because this is a test no-one should have to endure.
The reality is however, that once the dye is cast the choice is simple. Stand and fight or laydown and surrender, the former has and will always be running through Darryl’s veins, no question. And I celebrate each victory he has in this fight as reinforcement of that.
I take my hat off to you mate. Your fight is something we all share in, but more importantly we all learn from. We learn about the power of the human spirit to rise to the test, to never lay down and to unravel hope from the twisted shreds of fate. I am proud to know you and a better man for having you in my life.
Dad
I never knew you Darryl, but since i have been following your progress i feel as though ihave known you for some time!
Your strength and your fight to regain normality has been admirable, with the support of your whanau of course!
Kia kaha mate!
Love and regards to all!
Bill Thurston
GO the DAZZLA
so awesome mate
I know when ever I read your progress I smile
cos you are da man
Your small steps are huge and very very well recieved
take care and keep it up
We think of you often and I read your progress out
to the family every morning
well done D
Tubbs Family
Awesome Darryl keep going. We know you can pull though.
To Darryl’s family keep hanging in and letting us know how its going.
Our support to all of you.:)
Hey mate!!
haha
sorry its been so long since ive written. being a student is such hard work
The last post i read before now was tuesdays, and man what a huge leap forward youve taken since then! Your dads is writing is getting more and more positive.
Your friends are all so proud of you darryl, I swear you have more strength than all of us combined.
Its so cold down here today, a solid 14degrees at the moment! There was alot of frost this morning, took a while for my windscreen to defrost thats for sure! Im from taipa, i dont know how to deal with these things! haha. I guess im not the awesome waikatoian i thought i was.
Anyway dude, take care. Not long now eh
Heather
Will be thinking of you all and praying for you all this weekend. Try ‘prayer-o-therapy’ and find that ‘peace’ promised to all, especially for that ‘human spirit’ and ’soul’ you speak of. Your journey is incredible and I so admire the strength you all show. Take care and keep on keeping on. The human body is an amazing thing!
Blessings. Sue.
Woah Mike, i tell you, from reading this blog a week ago, to catching up now, the only three words that come to mind are ‘you little beauty’
and i say those words with the biggest smile on my face.
Keep up the fan-bloody-tastic work Darryl, this world has got sooo much left instore for you, and now that you are showing what you have by passing one of the biggest fish-slaps life can throw at you, YOU CAN DO BLOODY ANYTHING!
keep your eyes fixed strongly on the horizon mate, as i can see the currents of fate which have so strongly fought against you to this point, are slowly starting to turn. and guided by the waves of the past and the neverending breeze that is your friends and family may it guide you all the way into the sunset.
there we go, once again going off like bloody oprah.
anyway, you get my point. keep giving it heaps and i’ll hopefully meet you for a beer one day.
until then, will have 1 (or 12) for you.
(unfortunitly speights as thats what they live on down here)
keep soldiering on like a bat outa hell,
may the force be with you,
will keep good the vibes comming.
Kristy
x
i am please that he is getting better slowly but surely. keep up the good work darryl. thing and opraying for you and you family mike. kia kaha
Hi Darryl, Mike and family
It is encouraging to read about your progress Darryl despite being tortured with beerotherapy – all the hard work and not being given the opportunity to imbibe. It was quite an emotional time to read that you’ve been able to open your eyes and even the wave to your grandparents. Well done, but keep on striving for excellence. (Sounds a bit like a school report – sorry about that, but it’s what I do)
Mike, I like the way you all keep looking for new things to catch Darryl’s attention to motivate him to push for the next step. It’s also good that the team involved with Darryl are flexible enough to give something new a go as well. Good luck with the trachie weaning.
At Taipa today I was reminded, by a couple of students who had slipped across to the beach at lunchtime for a quick dip in the ocean, that we are approaching the ‘mid winter swim’. They wanted the swim in a few weeks time to be held in the river where the water will be colder. Numb nuts. Sorry I can’t bottle the event, the ocean breeze and the embracing fresh feel of a cold swim to help with some TASotherapy.
All the best
Mike Ryken
Hey Darryl,
Just when we all think small steps are the order of the day, you go and give us a Sabin-special i.e. a charge down the middle, a coupla swervy side steps and a leap forward to finish the day – well done mate.
Apart from being damn cold for Northland, Whangas is rocking with the International Rally of Whangarei this weekend. I mention it as I know you can appreciate the fine art of hanging the back end of a finely tuned motor vehice out around the odd gravel corner or two. Not sure whether you gained that skill from dad, Catherine or Brook – but I’m thinking probably Catherine as it is a well-known trait of Mid-Northern-ites.
Tai wants me to tell you…. “Keep your pedal to the metal Darryl and you are cool”.
All our love
Jude T
Hi there
It has been both heartening and encouraging to read and follow the amazing achievements that Darryl is continuing to make…the baby steps seem to be widening on a daily, if not more frequent basis.
It is patently clear,that the catalyst to guiding Darryl home is the ongoing love, support and belief that Darryl has in his corner.
Mike and Cath, keep on keeping on with your very practical and realistic rehab ideas and stimulus…after all, it is you that knows best, what it is that pushes Darryl’s buttons.
Much love to you all
Virg
Hi Darryl and Whanau
Have been very busy this past week with all the finishing touches on the new house. This is the first time I’ve had a chance to catch up with you and yours in over a week, and I am astounded by the progress you have made!!!!
I understand that when you are in the middle of this journey, down there in Aucks, one day can seem alot like the next and things start to blend into one another, and as you said Mike, you are reluctant to get excited about the small triumphs, as they can sometimes be followed by disappointment, but I can tell you, when you have been away from the situation and then tune back in, the progress is amazing!!!! Even in just one week. Really really thrilled for you all… so lovely to hear some truely positive undertones back in your writings Mike… Well done Darryl – you are very slowly but surely, KICKING SOME BUTT!!! All our love, respect and best wishes…
The Edwards Whanau