It is getting hard to keep up with Darryl’s milestones! Even his physio is struggling to adjust the programme to keep pace. Each day he learns, or re-masters is probably more appropriate, a former function. To name a few, he can now turn his head left and right, up and down. He can poke his tongue out and to the left of his mouth and the right. He scrubs his teeth with great finesse and can use a torch to pinpoint photos, and any item we name that is on the wall on the opposite side of his room.
Up at the gym he has been been rolling onto his side, mostly under his own ’steam’. Actually that is probably a very appropriate term to use because his own ’steam’ is working very well as I found out this morning when stretching his thighs up toward his chest. It was a special moment, not because I was in the firing line, but because when I responded with a suficient degree of repugnance, Darryl smirked – the first time I have seen him smile in 8 weeks. I guess it was worth being ’steamed’ to see that. I think!
He has been pushing himself up to a seated position from lying on his side. He has been kicking a balloon with his left leg and is now starting to get a tiny bit of movement in his right leg. He pulls his shirt on and off and helps pull his shorts up. He washes as much as he can reach when he’s in the shower (that is a bath). He even takes off his rugby head gear – identically to how he has done it for years. Each day he gets something, or lots of things back. As Bill Thurston keeps reminding me, he is putting the pieces of the puzzle back together. And much like a jigsaw puzzle, when you get to a tipping point in that the picture starts to make sense and the amount of pieces left makes it easier to see ‘what goes where’ , it all starts to happen with more deliberate purpose and the process develops a life of it’s own.
I’m not sure that we are anywhere close to that yet, but the ‘carrying away of stones’ is certainly making some serious holes in the mountain to be moved!
Yesterday brought a classic Kodak moment when the speech therapist was working with him and wanting to illicit a smile. This is difficult because the tapestry of facial muscles are still in the process of waking up as the nerves start to fire again. Anyway the therapist ended up using her fingers to push the corners of Darryl’s mouth up to form a smile. Having done this a couple of times she asked Darryl to try and smile, to which Darryl sat for a few seconds, emotionless.
What happened next had us in hysterics. Darryl, obviously tiring of not getting his face to work, brings his hand to his mouth and skillfully using his thumb on one side and forefinger on the other forces the corners of his mouth up into a smile and then turns his head to face the therapist. It was priceless! And so Darryl. If I can’t do it one way, I’ll find another.
Darryl, you may have been knocked down, literally as well as figuratively, but your spirit, courage and strength have never waivered and at all times remained intact. In many ways, it is those qualities that have seen you survive this most foul hand of fate. What was fear and anguish beyond my wildest nightmares is now giving way to the seeds of recovery and a new sense of future. There is nothing surer than all our lives have changed forever as a result of this.
Lets ensure that the change is like that of a forest felled by fire in that new growth flourishes with the passing of the old. That new trees will now stand taller and stronger than what their predecessors did. In nature we learn that it often takes tragedy for real growth to occur and the ashes of destruction are the catalyst for change rather than the remnants of loss. And never forget, that the mightiest oak tree grows from the tiniest of acorns.
Keep passing the test of you Darryl.
Dad
haha. what a classic moment i can imagine when he turn his head to the therapists with his artificial smile.
good on you mate,
darryl.
I agree, it seems like he’s had a fast-track into ’superb’ and having set the bar so high, recovering as he is, I guess he will just keep surging ahead in the years to come. I feel sure of it.
As for the ’steamed’ story, I thought the smirk was priceless.
Awesome to read this week is going along as it started with great progress and humour. Missiles now steam, you are obviously a good target Mike, so pleased for you that Darryl’s sense of humour is able to shine alongside his determination.
Keep on going “full steam ahead” Darryl
The acorn has germinated!!
Lets water and nurture it for Darryl,s sake!!
Kia kaha!!
Bill Thurston
Hey Darryl,
You’re away now. Truely AWESOME to hear how well you are doing ..
NOT that I doubted you ever.Mum is still with me as she did’nt want to go home yet. So taking her back next week now ,but will be calling in to visit you.
LOOKING forward to seeing you Darryl, I keep remembering little conversations we had. Guy and Kyle have been asking after you so can’t wait to give them 1st hand information.
The last 2 pups have gone to new homes ,just the 2 heading pups we are keeping left now. Their names are Gyp and Pearl.
Keep up the good work my friend BUT do’nt forget to rest,
Hugs and love
Traceyxxxxx
Congratulations family sounds like that boy of yours is a real character, is that not typical of a teenage boy even in recovery from a severe brain injury they are able to be proud of a little “Steam”!as you call it, he is definately on the mend.
It is great to see the continual progress he making Keep it up mate.
regards
Debbie
Wow, what progress…… Always going forward..
Being ’steamed’ could be the next new phrase! I am sure Darryl can’t wait to get back up north,get into some of the beautiful kai and a bit of ’steaming’, just to let his mates know he’s back.
Good to know that no matter what “boys are boys” – Tai will be very very impressed as he is a junior-steam champ within an entire family of steam champs (excluding myself of course).
Fantastic that the speed at which improvements are happening is continuing to increase. More fantastic progress – awesome Darryl.
Whooo hooo !!!
Good Morning Dazzla.
Wow, it’s full steam ahead now.
It like your Dad said, when you’ve worked hard on a puzzle for a long time all of a sudden you can see the bigger picture and those last pieces just seem to fall into place a lot quicker that.
Where in the beginning it took ages and a lot of hard work just to figure out where one piece went, now you almost cant keep up with yourself.
For me today was defiantly one of the best updates I have read so far! Wow wow wow, you are moving so fast Dazzla. Very proud of you.
Not long now hey.
Love Lulu*.
What an amazing fighter Darryl is. Come a long way since the accident, & it’s good to hear his personality is coming through loud and clear. Seems not long ago that his sister was trying every trick to get a response – the relief must be so great for all now hes “back”. Classic re the smile production, seems he’ll always find a way, it’s so lucky to have that trait… now.
Ha ha ha, priceless Darryl! You little ripper!!! So happy for you all. Sure there’ll be many more of these hilarious moments. Thanks for sharing each of these milestones with us – it is painting a picture of that puzzle coming together and a joy to watch unfold.
All our love…
Hi Darryl
It keeps getting better and better each day. Great work putting it all those milestones back together. I had the allblacks by less than 13 – I was right on that account. Erin reckoned she was going to move out till the end of the all black rugby season after my match watching performance last week -I must of scored 10 out of 10 for that! Just watched the Italy/Aussie game, played in ideal conditions in a stadium. Definitely a big win predicated next week I think – All blacks of course.
You only have a few weeks to meet Mr Henrys personal challange to you and we reckon that you will get there. Keep it up Darryl and keep using all the energy and positive thoughts that everyone sends you.
Keep on fighting…………..
Unforgetable
So thrilled for you
We miss you and cant wait to hang out with you again
Keep being YOU
i wish i had been up north to visit you before anzac day Darryl. now i know i can still look forward to that visit in the future. with kindest regards, jim and greetings from jill too
Hi Darryl,Mike and Catherine and family, hey great news last week re your progress Darryl !!!!! You have made some big leaps forwards and it is testimony to the love and care and the time spent by your family in always being there with and for you during this journey back.It brings back many memories and emotions that I experienced with Aaron especially in those first 4 weeks.
Must tell you all that Aaron has now been back home in the U.S. for 6 weeks and happy to report that he is getting some part time work as a bike mechanic and has also been contracted by 4 young riders who want him to work on their race bikes but also to help prepare them mentally for racing.Aaron has seen a need for this sort of work and it’s looking very positive.
I guess my message from this to you Darryl, is you have shown incredible strength and healing power (and had like Aaron, some
luck), to get this far and that there will be great opportunities waiting out there for you to grab hold of.
They may be the same or different to what you had prior to your injury but great chances in life nevertheless !!
Sincere best wishes. Kia Kaha.
John Clark