Young pup teaches old dog….
Week 8 starts with a virus which sees both my son and I both chucking our guts up (yes we are starting to think we must have killed a Chinaman with how our lucks going) It’s nothing to do with trauma suffered, its gastro and it’s doing the rounds and has us both knocked for 6. For those of you lucky enough not to have had GASTRO it’s the closest thing you can get to experiencing child birth – not the pain factor… I mean the way the body simply takes over and wants to eject the foreign object from its host…hum the film ALIEN just came to mind. So here we are, both of us taking turns driving the porcelain bus, but me, I’m just trying to support my head and get comfortable. My wife is going back and forth between our two bathrooms dealing with us each in turn. Thankfully we had a few sick bags left from our hospital stay and I found sitting on the bathroom floor with one of those in hand to be a better option for me than leaning over the loo, I even made the pillow master take a photo of me in this position much to her bemusement. “It’s for my blog!” I tell her, I didn’t look up but I guarantee she rolled her eyes. She took the requested photo though, she’s good like that. Unfortunately even after every bit of food and fluid scrap have passed my body still wants more so the dry heaving starts. It’s a great work out for the abnormal muscles but about 4 weeks too early. I was impressed with how even with GASTRO the tail pipe seal couldn’t be broken. The constipation on these drugs is horrific and find me having to take laxatives daily so I can try to poo. The following day I find myself sitting at the table feeling rather sorry for myself from the night before lack of sleep. I’m hunched over with my elbows on my knees staring at the floor. My son on the other hand has had a miraculous recovery and awakes full of the joys of spring (oh to be young! He asks if I would like to play UNO (Card game) with him. I reply with… “Luke I’m going to sit here stare at the floor and sulk” without even having to think he shoots back “Daddy we are Hinchelwood’s – we DON’T SULK! Thanks Luke it was just what I need to hear.
“THE DARK SIDE”
As I sit at the table I cast a glance at the HALO cart across the room on the fridge door. I’m reminded of the journey travelled this far. It’s been a struggle to say the least – sometimes, I even think it could be the hardest thing I’ve ever done/doing. The constant reminder of frame work on your head is reminded to you when you walk, talk, and sleep even sitting in a car as a passenger is a nightmare. Yes it’s a battle but we are now past half way and the countdown is on. I now look at how many weeks are left rather than how many we have done. It’s easy to let depression set in while in the present of HALO attire. Every move you make reminds you of your accident and everything you do needs to be carefully planned as you can’t afford a small trip up. You have to find a way through it, positivity is key to your healing and rehabilitation. I’ve been depressed, it’s true… I have missed my mountain biking, social bantering with work colleges, cuddles with the family and snuggling up to the pillow master at night. So what motivates me on those bad days?… its comments like my son Luke made, it’s the sun beaming down on my face, the air is beginning to warm up, the mornings are getting lighter and the days are getting longer, breathe deep, smell those gorgeous springtime smells... Ahh… got to get better!
“BRIEF”
Week 8 gives me my best sleep to date, I’m still hard on the Endone and my shoulder is still over 70% of my pain. I’m not experiencing any deep neck pain and my scalp seems to have settled down with the burning pain I experienced earlier on. Pin site pain has now diminished after Halo re-fit so lying down whilst still feeling a little weird (the whole unsupported head thing) we have figured out our rolled up blanket solution which works well. My kids are also very accepting of the brace, they don’t seem to be having nightmares and even being out in public with them doesn’t seem to cause my daughter any more discomfort. She has even started writing a short story about Halo’s adventures. Her latest “Halo meets his new family” is an interesting angle looking from Halo’s (the bear) perspective of sitting on the shelves waiting to be brought. I love the way kid’s minds think.
“NEWS”
On Facebook this week a story popped up repeatedly on my wife’s newsfeed, a few friends had sent it to her and tagged her in it knowing our situation and that we would be interested. The story was about a toddler (only 16months) named Jackson Taylor. He and his family were involved in a horrific car accident, as a result the little lad is now sporting a HALO. I wish him and his family all the best, I know how hard it’s been for me, I can’t imagine trying to look after a toddler with one of these (lifesaving) medieval torture devices.
That’s all from me for week 8 – Thanks for reading.
Top Picture - Not my proudest moment - Gastro!
Middle Picture - Sleeping in the lounge on outdoor recliner.
Bottom Picture - Starting to feel like me again.
Week 8 starts with a virus which sees both my son and I both chucking our guts up (yes we are starting to think we must have killed a Chinaman with how our lucks going) It’s nothing to do with trauma suffered, its gastro and it’s doing the rounds and has us both knocked for 6. For those of you lucky enough not to have had GASTRO it’s the closest thing you can get to experiencing child birth – not the pain factor… I mean the way the body simply takes over and wants to eject the foreign object from its host…hum the film ALIEN just came to mind. So here we are, both of us taking turns driving the porcelain bus, but me, I’m just trying to support my head and get comfortable. My wife is going back and forth between our two bathrooms dealing with us each in turn. Thankfully we had a few sick bags left from our hospital stay and I found sitting on the bathroom floor with one of those in hand to be a better option for me than leaning over the loo, I even made the pillow master take a photo of me in this position much to her bemusement. “It’s for my blog!” I tell her, I didn’t look up but I guarantee she rolled her eyes. She took the requested photo though, she’s good like that. Unfortunately even after every bit of food and fluid scrap have passed my body still wants more so the dry heaving starts. It’s a great work out for the abnormal muscles but about 4 weeks too early. I was impressed with how even with GASTRO the tail pipe seal couldn’t be broken. The constipation on these drugs is horrific and find me having to take laxatives daily so I can try to poo. The following day I find myself sitting at the table feeling rather sorry for myself from the night before lack of sleep. I’m hunched over with my elbows on my knees staring at the floor. My son on the other hand has had a miraculous recovery and awakes full of the joys of spring (oh to be young! He asks if I would like to play UNO (Card game) with him. I reply with… “Luke I’m going to sit here stare at the floor and sulk” without even having to think he shoots back “Daddy we are Hinchelwood’s – we DON’T SULK! Thanks Luke it was just what I need to hear.
“THE DARK SIDE”
As I sit at the table I cast a glance at the HALO cart across the room on the fridge door. I’m reminded of the journey travelled this far. It’s been a struggle to say the least – sometimes, I even think it could be the hardest thing I’ve ever done/doing. The constant reminder of frame work on your head is reminded to you when you walk, talk, and sleep even sitting in a car as a passenger is a nightmare. Yes it’s a battle but we are now past half way and the countdown is on. I now look at how many weeks are left rather than how many we have done. It’s easy to let depression set in while in the present of HALO attire. Every move you make reminds you of your accident and everything you do needs to be carefully planned as you can’t afford a small trip up. You have to find a way through it, positivity is key to your healing and rehabilitation. I’ve been depressed, it’s true… I have missed my mountain biking, social bantering with work colleges, cuddles with the family and snuggling up to the pillow master at night. So what motivates me on those bad days?… its comments like my son Luke made, it’s the sun beaming down on my face, the air is beginning to warm up, the mornings are getting lighter and the days are getting longer, breathe deep, smell those gorgeous springtime smells... Ahh… got to get better!
“BRIEF”
Week 8 gives me my best sleep to date, I’m still hard on the Endone and my shoulder is still over 70% of my pain. I’m not experiencing any deep neck pain and my scalp seems to have settled down with the burning pain I experienced earlier on. Pin site pain has now diminished after Halo re-fit so lying down whilst still feeling a little weird (the whole unsupported head thing) we have figured out our rolled up blanket solution which works well. My kids are also very accepting of the brace, they don’t seem to be having nightmares and even being out in public with them doesn’t seem to cause my daughter any more discomfort. She has even started writing a short story about Halo’s adventures. Her latest “Halo meets his new family” is an interesting angle looking from Halo’s (the bear) perspective of sitting on the shelves waiting to be brought. I love the way kid’s minds think.
“NEWS”
On Facebook this week a story popped up repeatedly on my wife’s newsfeed, a few friends had sent it to her and tagged her in it knowing our situation and that we would be interested. The story was about a toddler (only 16months) named Jackson Taylor. He and his family were involved in a horrific car accident, as a result the little lad is now sporting a HALO. I wish him and his family all the best, I know how hard it’s been for me, I can’t imagine trying to look after a toddler with one of these (lifesaving) medieval torture devices.
That’s all from me for week 8 – Thanks for reading.
Top Picture - Not my proudest moment - Gastro!
Middle Picture - Sleeping in the lounge on outdoor recliner.
Bottom Picture - Starting to feel like me again.