(12/08/2015) The first couple days with my new hardware fitted were like some form of torture… sleeping position was the first drama, normally I sleep on my side – there was no way I could do this with HALO installed. Also laying for hours on my back caused massive discomfort to my lower back I found myself adjusting the bed up-down-bend-pillows under knees etc...
“BED SCRUB”
On the second day there a male nurse woke me to tell me I needed a wash, I remember him asking me “what do you want me to do with the Meat and 2 Veg? You leave your inhabitations at the door in Hospital – Give them a scrub I reply. Still high as a kite and sleep deprived from constant round the clock “high dependency” I just lay there. As I seem to get better, so also does my vanity I start to think about the state of my over grown neither region (let’s call it my garden) usually I try to keep it nice with no weds, “tidy” but I had been so busy I have let it go… now it looks like some Cambodian jungle. I’m sure there would have been talks about the bloke’s jungle in bed 3. What lost civilisation would be discovered? I also start to get used to the awkwardness of some of the nurses about this area at wash time. Most would just get on with it, some get right in, and others well… My analogy is it's a lot like vacuuming... some move items whilst doing it and others simply vacuum around it. Let’s not even discuss the back crack….oh, the embarrassment lol… like I said earlier… leave your inhabitations at the door.
The following days were much the same and time seemed to go fast, the days blended into the nights and it started over again…..need to get off the drugs….
I started to feel there was a problem with the HALO brace and how it was fitting, I could not sit up without throwing up and feeling pressure on the back of my neck. The brace was fitted with me laying down, my head position was slightly raised so doing anything was bloody hard. I had to be fed lying down, I couldn’t even sit up enough to attempt to feed myself with my good arm. I was convinced the device was not fitted correctly and requested it be looked at – another adjustment and still no improvement. Maybe this is how it’s meant to be. It must be the drugs… got to get off the drugs..
By the 5th day I refused all drugs except Panadol. I wasn’t trying to be tough, I just wanted to feel human. The dulling effect on my brain and the constant vomiting as I tried to sit up was not doing anything for my recovery. As the effect of the drugs wears of my appetite seems to come back, I’ve not been able to stomach more than a few Weetabix in 5 days. I’m also finding I can sit up. I still have pain in my neck when standing… need to see someone about this HALO. The Physio team were coming by regularly but I wasn’t able to take more than a few steps with our nausea taking over.
“MILE STONES AND SETTING GOALS”
It may seem silly to lay in bed thinking about what you want to achieve that day for exercise. Even sillier is when your day’s activity might just be about getting to the toilet and back or going for a small walk. For me, I found it motivating to push a little harder each time, something to focus on. I can remember my fist attempt to get to the doorway (on day 2or3 I think) I psyched myself up and managed to make it followed by a huge vomit. Still I was exhausted, they say the body uses a huge amount of energy to heal. I know this feeling first hand. Second attempt on that was to do it without throwing up!
By now I was getting used to teams of doctors and medical staff coming to see me, apparently HALOS aren’t dished out regularly (my wife succinctly informed me that most people who have injuries that would need to have a halo fitted result in people being placed in a casket not a brace – reality check, I came close! Really close!) I found myself explaining to lots of staff about what I had done. This it would seem had nothing to do with helping me but more to sooth their curiosity. It did do something though….. My physio had told another team that I was refusing to get out of bed as I had neck pain, the entire (new) team, all seven of them came to my room – took one look and said, that’s no good we need to start again! – Unfortunately this took another 2 days to sort out as we were now heading into the weekend.
Once the team finally arrived (after getting approval from my specialist) they completely removed the device whilst I sat in an upright position we also discussed head position. My head was tilted slightly forward past ‘neutral’ – this made things so much easier for me. As soon as they finished and stood back I stood up for the first time. The HALO FELT FANTASTIC. Later that day with my wife by my side we walked x4 laps of the hospital ward. First mile stone achieved!
Top Photo - HALO fitted.
Middle Photo - First time walking more than a few steps.
Bottom Photo - Halo fitting (second adjustment)
“BED SCRUB”
On the second day there a male nurse woke me to tell me I needed a wash, I remember him asking me “what do you want me to do with the Meat and 2 Veg? You leave your inhabitations at the door in Hospital – Give them a scrub I reply. Still high as a kite and sleep deprived from constant round the clock “high dependency” I just lay there. As I seem to get better, so also does my vanity I start to think about the state of my over grown neither region (let’s call it my garden) usually I try to keep it nice with no weds, “tidy” but I had been so busy I have let it go… now it looks like some Cambodian jungle. I’m sure there would have been talks about the bloke’s jungle in bed 3. What lost civilisation would be discovered? I also start to get used to the awkwardness of some of the nurses about this area at wash time. Most would just get on with it, some get right in, and others well… My analogy is it's a lot like vacuuming... some move items whilst doing it and others simply vacuum around it. Let’s not even discuss the back crack….oh, the embarrassment lol… like I said earlier… leave your inhabitations at the door.
The following days were much the same and time seemed to go fast, the days blended into the nights and it started over again…..need to get off the drugs….
I started to feel there was a problem with the HALO brace and how it was fitting, I could not sit up without throwing up and feeling pressure on the back of my neck. The brace was fitted with me laying down, my head position was slightly raised so doing anything was bloody hard. I had to be fed lying down, I couldn’t even sit up enough to attempt to feed myself with my good arm. I was convinced the device was not fitted correctly and requested it be looked at – another adjustment and still no improvement. Maybe this is how it’s meant to be. It must be the drugs… got to get off the drugs..
By the 5th day I refused all drugs except Panadol. I wasn’t trying to be tough, I just wanted to feel human. The dulling effect on my brain and the constant vomiting as I tried to sit up was not doing anything for my recovery. As the effect of the drugs wears of my appetite seems to come back, I’ve not been able to stomach more than a few Weetabix in 5 days. I’m also finding I can sit up. I still have pain in my neck when standing… need to see someone about this HALO. The Physio team were coming by regularly but I wasn’t able to take more than a few steps with our nausea taking over.
“MILE STONES AND SETTING GOALS”
It may seem silly to lay in bed thinking about what you want to achieve that day for exercise. Even sillier is when your day’s activity might just be about getting to the toilet and back or going for a small walk. For me, I found it motivating to push a little harder each time, something to focus on. I can remember my fist attempt to get to the doorway (on day 2or3 I think) I psyched myself up and managed to make it followed by a huge vomit. Still I was exhausted, they say the body uses a huge amount of energy to heal. I know this feeling first hand. Second attempt on that was to do it without throwing up!
By now I was getting used to teams of doctors and medical staff coming to see me, apparently HALOS aren’t dished out regularly (my wife succinctly informed me that most people who have injuries that would need to have a halo fitted result in people being placed in a casket not a brace – reality check, I came close! Really close!) I found myself explaining to lots of staff about what I had done. This it would seem had nothing to do with helping me but more to sooth their curiosity. It did do something though….. My physio had told another team that I was refusing to get out of bed as I had neck pain, the entire (new) team, all seven of them came to my room – took one look and said, that’s no good we need to start again! – Unfortunately this took another 2 days to sort out as we were now heading into the weekend.
Once the team finally arrived (after getting approval from my specialist) they completely removed the device whilst I sat in an upright position we also discussed head position. My head was tilted slightly forward past ‘neutral’ – this made things so much easier for me. As soon as they finished and stood back I stood up for the first time. The HALO FELT FANTASTIC. Later that day with my wife by my side we walked x4 laps of the hospital ward. First mile stone achieved!
Top Photo - HALO fitted.
Middle Photo - First time walking more than a few steps.
Bottom Photo - Halo fitting (second adjustment)