This thread is dedicated to my Mother and her recovery.
On Monday the 4th June 2007, while holidaying in the UK with my Father, my Mother was struck by a van while crossing the road.
Mum spent 88 days in various UK hospitals before finally being brought home back to Australia on the 30th August 2007.
She is currently in The John Whittle Nursing Facility with brain damage
I have set up this thread to keep you all updated on her condition and her improvements and hopefully one day, Mum will be able to read it.
On Monday the 4th June 2007, while holidaying in the UK with my Father, my Mother was struck by a van while crossing the road.
Mum spent 88 days in various UK hospitals before finally being brought home back to Australia on the 30th August 2007.
She is currently in The John Whittle Nursing Facility with brain damage
I have set up this thread to keep you all updated on her condition and her improvements and hopefully one day, Mum will be able to read it.
Hi Amy, I too am glad you have started this here. I hardly posted on this thread, but I read it and am hoping, along with many others, I am sure, that your mum will improve as time goes by.
โฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅ
โฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅโฅ
14th July 2007- Now for the flight news.
I'm going
Leave on 26 July with Malaysian Airlines. Stop over at Kuala Lumpa on the way for 3 hours.
Come home on 8 August.
Cost= $2591.00
This was found for me because of the people here who put me onto the Best Flights site.
I printed the flight out i found on there and it's cost and Flight Centre got it for me and matched it.
So thanks again for helping me with that.
And Mum news is she has settled well after leaving Blackpool. She has her eyes wide open at times but we still don't know if she can see people or just shadows.
They will be doing tests etc on mum next week and then my dad will be able to speak to the specialist who will be able to answer questions about her condition.
The approach of the nurses on the new ward is to stimulate her in any and every way that can be done to help her get better. So Dad and my Aunt have bought her some nice body lotion, body wash etc for nurses to use on her when they clean her. She is also allowed photos, flowers, cards and posters all around her to stimulate her visual sense.
------------------
You know, today is the day Mum and Dad would of been coming home.
Tonight i would of been able to talk to Mum as she would of been back home in Dubbo.
My friends here have organised a dinner tonight to take my mind off of things for a while.
Tomorrow im having a small birthday party for my little man. He turns 4 next week.
I dont know how i can ever thank you all for this. Writing thankyou on here or in an email just doesnt seem enough.
-------------------------------
I'm going
Leave on 26 July with Malaysian Airlines. Stop over at Kuala Lumpa on the way for 3 hours.
Come home on 8 August.
Cost= $2591.00
This was found for me because of the people here who put me onto the Best Flights site.
I printed the flight out i found on there and it's cost and Flight Centre got it for me and matched it.
So thanks again for helping me with that.
And Mum news is she has settled well after leaving Blackpool. She has her eyes wide open at times but we still don't know if she can see people or just shadows.
They will be doing tests etc on mum next week and then my dad will be able to speak to the specialist who will be able to answer questions about her condition.
The approach of the nurses on the new ward is to stimulate her in any and every way that can be done to help her get better. So Dad and my Aunt have bought her some nice body lotion, body wash etc for nurses to use on her when they clean her. She is also allowed photos, flowers, cards and posters all around her to stimulate her visual sense.
------------------
You know, today is the day Mum and Dad would of been coming home.
Tonight i would of been able to talk to Mum as she would of been back home in Dubbo.
My friends here have organised a dinner tonight to take my mind off of things for a while.
Tomorrow im having a small birthday party for my little man. He turns 4 next week.
I dont know how i can ever thank you all for this. Writing thankyou on here or in an email just doesnt seem enough.
-------------------------------
16th July 2007- Just talked to my Aunt
Mum has diarrohea at the moment. They have run tests to see if its just from the food (she hadnt eaten for 6 days so it may of given her a tummy bug) or from an infection.
This week she is also having more brain scans and tests. Then the specialist will be able to tell us his expert opinion.
My dad is really looking forward to me coming, but i think he thinks that i'm going to somehow make Mum better.
I know I am going to be a help, and i know she will want me with her...but i hope i dont disappoint Dad .
Test results are back. Diaorhea is not from an infection and is getting better.
Today they have had Mum sitting in a special chair for 2 hours. They also put a TV in her room which they put on for her when she has no visitors. She has not had her eyes open today but would most likely have been very sleepy after last 2 days.
Nurses seemed very pleased with her.
Total raised from 36 CWaggers kindness is $1285.
Thankyou to those people soooooo much.
Mum has diarrohea at the moment. They have run tests to see if its just from the food (she hadnt eaten for 6 days so it may of given her a tummy bug) or from an infection.
This week she is also having more brain scans and tests. Then the specialist will be able to tell us his expert opinion.
My dad is really looking forward to me coming, but i think he thinks that i'm going to somehow make Mum better.
I know I am going to be a help, and i know she will want me with her...but i hope i dont disappoint Dad .
Test results are back. Diaorhea is not from an infection and is getting better.
Today they have had Mum sitting in a special chair for 2 hours. They also put a TV in her room which they put on for her when she has no visitors. She has not had her eyes open today but would most likely have been very sleepy after last 2 days.
Nurses seemed very pleased with her.
Total raised from 36 CWaggers kindness is $1285.
Thankyou to those people soooooo much.
31st July 2007-
Hi everyone ,),
I arrived safely but very tired. I was a it lost by the time difference and ended up going to bed at 3pm, sleeping till 10pm, staying awake till 1am, then sleeping again till 5am.
Now i'm almost adjusted, but wake most days at 5am still.
England is beautiful. The village i'm at is so adorable. I'm staying at my Aunt and Uncles. Their house is so sweet and im staying in a gorgeous little bedroom in the ceiling. This type of house is called a chalet.
My Dad is staying 2 doors up with my Grandma and Grandad.
Have been with mum everyday. Long days, usually with her from about 11am till 8pm at night.
Its hard to know what to say about Mum. Its upsetting. She looks very different, not really like my Mum anymore
Her hair is longer than she would ever of let it get. She has a lot of grey hairs, which mum would never normally have as she used to dye it all the time. They have had to remove her bottom dentures, which makes her face look very sunken in and drawn and Mum would never ever let me see her without her dentures and her Aussie tan has faded.
I did break down when i first saw her, it was a big shock. But now, each day, i'm getting more used to what she looks like and each day I see an improvement.
Today, she has her nasal feeding tube removed and a feeding peg put in her stomach. The procedure only took about 15 minutes but there were risks involved so it was a long 15 minutes. But, it went really well and she looked really good after.
My Dad and i had some very rough moments in the first few days. I felt like her was treating me like a child and that he didnt think my sister and I had suffered any in the last 2 months. He has actually had me in tears more than Mum has.
But this morning we sat down and had a really good talk. The best talk we have ever had and he told me how proud her is of my sister and I.
Its hard to get on the computer much to correspond as im so tired by the time i get back here at night. We usually dont get dinner till about 9pm and then spend some time with my grandparents, so i'm sorry if i dont get to keep you updated much.
Please pass this email on to everyone for me.
talk soon,
Amy xx
Hi everyone ,),
I arrived safely but very tired. I was a it lost by the time difference and ended up going to bed at 3pm, sleeping till 10pm, staying awake till 1am, then sleeping again till 5am.
Now i'm almost adjusted, but wake most days at 5am still.
England is beautiful. The village i'm at is so adorable. I'm staying at my Aunt and Uncles. Their house is so sweet and im staying in a gorgeous little bedroom in the ceiling. This type of house is called a chalet.
My Dad is staying 2 doors up with my Grandma and Grandad.
Have been with mum everyday. Long days, usually with her from about 11am till 8pm at night.
Its hard to know what to say about Mum. Its upsetting. She looks very different, not really like my Mum anymore
Her hair is longer than she would ever of let it get. She has a lot of grey hairs, which mum would never normally have as she used to dye it all the time. They have had to remove her bottom dentures, which makes her face look very sunken in and drawn and Mum would never ever let me see her without her dentures and her Aussie tan has faded.
I did break down when i first saw her, it was a big shock. But now, each day, i'm getting more used to what she looks like and each day I see an improvement.
Today, she has her nasal feeding tube removed and a feeding peg put in her stomach. The procedure only took about 15 minutes but there were risks involved so it was a long 15 minutes. But, it went really well and she looked really good after.
My Dad and i had some very rough moments in the first few days. I felt like her was treating me like a child and that he didnt think my sister and I had suffered any in the last 2 months. He has actually had me in tears more than Mum has.
But this morning we sat down and had a really good talk. The best talk we have ever had and he told me how proud her is of my sister and I.
Its hard to get on the computer much to correspond as im so tired by the time i get back here at night. We usually dont get dinner till about 9pm and then spend some time with my grandparents, so i'm sorry if i dont get to keep you updated much.
Please pass this email on to everyone for me.
talk soon,
Amy xx
3rd August 2007-
Hi everyone,
Well I actually don't have to much to tell you all.
Mum has not been real well. Since having the feeding peg put in, her stats are not stable and they drop down so that she needs to have an oxygen mask on.
The last 2 days she has not had her eyes open very much at all.
I now know exactly what my Dad has gone through for the last 8 weeks. You get your hopes up because things seem to be going well, then things change so quickly. Mum has had to have some blood taken to test for MRSA which i think is like our Golden Staph hospital bug.
We should get the results in 4 days. We really dont want her to get it
Ive got some nail polish so tomorrow i'm going to give her a manicure and paint her nails.
Today i went in to Leicester City for 2 hours with my Mums 3 sisters. It's a very messy, busy city.
I also went ot see where my Dad went to school. There is a beutiful old church across the road and we went for a wak around it. The grave stones in the cemetary dated back older than what Australia is. The history here is unbelieveable to me. Houses that people are living in with plaques on saying they were built in 1830. So beautiful.
On Sunday, my Uncle is going to show me where my Mum was born and grew up.
Well thats about all i can tell you all at the moment. Its 12:10am here and im stuffed.
Night to you all,
keep the candles burning for Mum.
Amy xx
Hi everyone,
Well I actually don't have to much to tell you all.
Mum has not been real well. Since having the feeding peg put in, her stats are not stable and they drop down so that she needs to have an oxygen mask on.
The last 2 days she has not had her eyes open very much at all.
I now know exactly what my Dad has gone through for the last 8 weeks. You get your hopes up because things seem to be going well, then things change so quickly. Mum has had to have some blood taken to test for MRSA which i think is like our Golden Staph hospital bug.
We should get the results in 4 days. We really dont want her to get it
Ive got some nail polish so tomorrow i'm going to give her a manicure and paint her nails.
Today i went in to Leicester City for 2 hours with my Mums 3 sisters. It's a very messy, busy city.
I also went ot see where my Dad went to school. There is a beutiful old church across the road and we went for a wak around it. The grave stones in the cemetary dated back older than what Australia is. The history here is unbelieveable to me. Houses that people are living in with plaques on saying they were built in 1830. So beautiful.
On Sunday, my Uncle is going to show me where my Mum was born and grew up.
Well thats about all i can tell you all at the moment. Its 12:10am here and im stuffed.
Night to you all,
keep the candles burning for Mum.
Amy xx
Am up to page 22 of 92 on the old thread.
Will continue to copy more posts over on another day.
Will continue to copy more posts over on another day.
1oth August 2007
hello everyone,
I arrived back home yesterday at 6am. was very jetlagged but did manage to stay awake till 8:30pm (although i was in zombie mode).
It's hard to talk at the moment. The last 2 weeks have been the most emotionally draining time in my life.
I have a lot to tell you all, but i'm just not quite ready to yet.
Today i get back to normal life (school for the kids, swimming lessons, cooking, cleaning etc) and to be honest....i just dont want to.
It was so hard to leave mum
If i could of come home, spent a day with my family and then flown back to Mum.....i would of.
That sounds so mean to my family and i hate that i feel like this
I think i may need to speak to someone, a councellor or something.
I dont know, im so changed.
Im finding it hard to adjust back to normal life.
Its hard to communicate.
Maybe in a day or two i'll be better
--------------------------------
13th Aug 2007
Its really hard to put into words all that ive been through in the last 2 weeks. I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy.
Im glad my 2 emails to Binky got through ok. Sorry i didnt get a chance to write more.
My flight over was fine....long, uncomfortable, but fine.
I went to see Mum the day i arrived and as i said in my emails....it was quite upsetting.
If i had been asked what my thoughts were regarding Mum the first 2 days i was with her I probably would of said i didnt hold much hope for her.
But, as each day went on and i got used to her appearance...i saw improvements and i saw hope.
I stayed at my Uncle (Dad's brother) and Aunts house. They live 2 doors down from my Grandparents (Dads parents) where my Dad stayed.
I'd never met my Aunt and Uncle before but they are the most adorable couple and i'm so thankful for all they have done for my Mum and Dad..
While i was over there Mum had her nasal feeding tube removed and had a feeding peg put in her stomach. She was not real good for a couple of days after that
But she seemed to recover from it.
I spent everyday from 11am till 8pm with Mum. The ward she is in (BIU) is very nice. A huge ward with only 6 patients. Mum is the most recent patient and also the less advanced patient. There is a 20 year old girl near Mum. She was hit in a hit and run accident on her 20th birthday a month before Mums accident. She was in the coma for the same length of time as Mum and like Mum, is now in a pesistant vegitative state, but she is beginning to respond to questions so she may move to the next stage of development soon (Post Traumatic Amnesia).
Dad and I had a hard time with eachother for the first few days i was there. Seems before i went over he was telling everyone how proud he is of me, how im a great daughter etc, but when he got there he talked to me like a child and snapped at everything i said.
Dad's reaction to me actually upset me more than Mum did.
But after a few days my Aunt pulled him aside and had a talk to him. Then he and I had a long walk and talked.
He thought we (my sis and I) would hate him for what had happened. He thought, if Mum was to go, we wouldnt want him because he had not been a very loving Dad to us.
I told him how much we love him and that there is always time to change. We need him and want him in our lives and our kids lives.
We had a lot of long, good talks. He told me how proud he is of me and everynight before bed, he would give me a hug and a kiss.
He also told me why he took 2 days to tell me and my sister about the accident.
I always thought it was because he expected her to get better so he didnt want us to worry for no reason, but it wasnt that.
He told me he expected her to be dead after the accident.
He said he will NEVER tell me all the details of what he saw that day but he did tell me that when he ran to where she was lying and put his hand under her head, he expected her head to just crumble in his hand.
He could not believe she was still alive. He could not believe she would survive even 10 minutes.
She did die in the ambulance but they brought her back.
He said he thought a call to us would be easier if he just rang and said "there has been an accident and Mum has been killed" rather than "there has been an accident and Mum has been hurt" then call again a few hours later and say "and now she has died".
Mum did have a brain scan done while i was over there. So i made sure i had an appointment with her Doc about it before i left.
He said the scan they did was showing signs of improvement from the one she had done in Blackpool.
He said her scan at the moment looks very similar to what a scan of an Alziemers patient would look like.
But an alzeimers patients scan would get worse where as they have hope that Mums will get better.
She does have a bruise between her skull and brain, however it is not of a huge concern as it is not putting any pressure on her brain.
However there is a small bleed near the bruise.
The only concern with that is that the Warfarin Mum is on for her deep vein thrombosis (DVT) thins her blood to prevent clotting.
But we need the bleed in the brain to clot to prevent it getting worse.
The day i left the Docs were having a meeting to discuss how to treat the DVT and the brain bleed.
Mum is being treated for the hospital bug MRSA but we were told it was no big deal.
99% of pateints with a trach tube get MRSA and as soon as her trach tube is removed, the MRSA will be gone.
The only way a visitor could get it is by swapping saliva with Mum.
Mum was responding to a lot of questions the day before i left.
If you speak to her slowly and while shes got her eyes open you can get her to move her fingers.
We were asking her if she could see/hear us. We asked her to lift her little finger if she could and after a minute or two her finger would lift off the bed. In the end she was responding to lots of questions and photos.
It takes time and sometimes she doesnt always respond....but sometimes she does a lot.
To me, it was happening way to frequently to be just reflex. Basically she doesnt move at all. But if we speak to her carefully, when her eyes are open, ask her easy questions, we can get her to lift different fingers to different questions.
I talked to the Doc about it and he said that he cant say it is a response but he also cant say it isnt. He says that the hospital can treat Mum medically but they cant sit with her 9 hours a day like family can. They can't give her the brain stimulation that we can and its the brain stimulation that she needs the most to improve.
I did venture away from the hospital a little bit. Only about an hour away.
I did spend one night with my Mums brother and his wife and on that night i went out to dinner with them and Mums 3 sisters.
They also took me to a beautiful park called BradGate Park and to a castle called Kirby Muxloe
The whole trip over has changed me. I now have relatives that i never really knew and I adore them. I have a much closer relationship to my Dad and i hope it continues to get stronger, but i'm still very sad.
It was so hard to leave my Mum. At first i was scared to go over and leave my kids but while over there, i realised my kids were fine but my Mum was not. She is so fragile and i want to be with her everyday.
I'm so glad i went over. I dont regret that for a minute but it had made me miss my Mum so much more now.
Amy xx
hello everyone,
I arrived back home yesterday at 6am. was very jetlagged but did manage to stay awake till 8:30pm (although i was in zombie mode).
It's hard to talk at the moment. The last 2 weeks have been the most emotionally draining time in my life.
I have a lot to tell you all, but i'm just not quite ready to yet.
Today i get back to normal life (school for the kids, swimming lessons, cooking, cleaning etc) and to be honest....i just dont want to.
It was so hard to leave mum
If i could of come home, spent a day with my family and then flown back to Mum.....i would of.
That sounds so mean to my family and i hate that i feel like this
I think i may need to speak to someone, a councellor or something.
I dont know, im so changed.
Im finding it hard to adjust back to normal life.
Its hard to communicate.
Maybe in a day or two i'll be better
--------------------------------
13th Aug 2007
Its really hard to put into words all that ive been through in the last 2 weeks. I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy.
Im glad my 2 emails to Binky got through ok. Sorry i didnt get a chance to write more.
My flight over was fine....long, uncomfortable, but fine.
I went to see Mum the day i arrived and as i said in my emails....it was quite upsetting.
If i had been asked what my thoughts were regarding Mum the first 2 days i was with her I probably would of said i didnt hold much hope for her.
But, as each day went on and i got used to her appearance...i saw improvements and i saw hope.
I stayed at my Uncle (Dad's brother) and Aunts house. They live 2 doors down from my Grandparents (Dads parents) where my Dad stayed.
I'd never met my Aunt and Uncle before but they are the most adorable couple and i'm so thankful for all they have done for my Mum and Dad..
While i was over there Mum had her nasal feeding tube removed and had a feeding peg put in her stomach. She was not real good for a couple of days after that
But she seemed to recover from it.
I spent everyday from 11am till 8pm with Mum. The ward she is in (BIU) is very nice. A huge ward with only 6 patients. Mum is the most recent patient and also the less advanced patient. There is a 20 year old girl near Mum. She was hit in a hit and run accident on her 20th birthday a month before Mums accident. She was in the coma for the same length of time as Mum and like Mum, is now in a pesistant vegitative state, but she is beginning to respond to questions so she may move to the next stage of development soon (Post Traumatic Amnesia).
Dad and I had a hard time with eachother for the first few days i was there. Seems before i went over he was telling everyone how proud he is of me, how im a great daughter etc, but when he got there he talked to me like a child and snapped at everything i said.
Dad's reaction to me actually upset me more than Mum did.
But after a few days my Aunt pulled him aside and had a talk to him. Then he and I had a long walk and talked.
He thought we (my sis and I) would hate him for what had happened. He thought, if Mum was to go, we wouldnt want him because he had not been a very loving Dad to us.
I told him how much we love him and that there is always time to change. We need him and want him in our lives and our kids lives.
We had a lot of long, good talks. He told me how proud he is of me and everynight before bed, he would give me a hug and a kiss.
He also told me why he took 2 days to tell me and my sister about the accident.
I always thought it was because he expected her to get better so he didnt want us to worry for no reason, but it wasnt that.
He told me he expected her to be dead after the accident.
He said he will NEVER tell me all the details of what he saw that day but he did tell me that when he ran to where she was lying and put his hand under her head, he expected her head to just crumble in his hand.
He could not believe she was still alive. He could not believe she would survive even 10 minutes.
She did die in the ambulance but they brought her back.
He said he thought a call to us would be easier if he just rang and said "there has been an accident and Mum has been killed" rather than "there has been an accident and Mum has been hurt" then call again a few hours later and say "and now she has died".
Mum did have a brain scan done while i was over there. So i made sure i had an appointment with her Doc about it before i left.
He said the scan they did was showing signs of improvement from the one she had done in Blackpool.
He said her scan at the moment looks very similar to what a scan of an Alziemers patient would look like.
But an alzeimers patients scan would get worse where as they have hope that Mums will get better.
She does have a bruise between her skull and brain, however it is not of a huge concern as it is not putting any pressure on her brain.
However there is a small bleed near the bruise.
The only concern with that is that the Warfarin Mum is on for her deep vein thrombosis (DVT) thins her blood to prevent clotting.
But we need the bleed in the brain to clot to prevent it getting worse.
The day i left the Docs were having a meeting to discuss how to treat the DVT and the brain bleed.
Mum is being treated for the hospital bug MRSA but we were told it was no big deal.
99% of pateints with a trach tube get MRSA and as soon as her trach tube is removed, the MRSA will be gone.
The only way a visitor could get it is by swapping saliva with Mum.
Mum was responding to a lot of questions the day before i left.
If you speak to her slowly and while shes got her eyes open you can get her to move her fingers.
We were asking her if she could see/hear us. We asked her to lift her little finger if she could and after a minute or two her finger would lift off the bed. In the end she was responding to lots of questions and photos.
It takes time and sometimes she doesnt always respond....but sometimes she does a lot.
To me, it was happening way to frequently to be just reflex. Basically she doesnt move at all. But if we speak to her carefully, when her eyes are open, ask her easy questions, we can get her to lift different fingers to different questions.
I talked to the Doc about it and he said that he cant say it is a response but he also cant say it isnt. He says that the hospital can treat Mum medically but they cant sit with her 9 hours a day like family can. They can't give her the brain stimulation that we can and its the brain stimulation that she needs the most to improve.
I did venture away from the hospital a little bit. Only about an hour away.
I did spend one night with my Mums brother and his wife and on that night i went out to dinner with them and Mums 3 sisters.
They also took me to a beautiful park called BradGate Park and to a castle called Kirby Muxloe
The whole trip over has changed me. I now have relatives that i never really knew and I adore them. I have a much closer relationship to my Dad and i hope it continues to get stronger, but i'm still very sad.
It was so hard to leave my Mum. At first i was scared to go over and leave my kids but while over there, i realised my kids were fine but my Mum was not. She is so fragile and i want to be with her everyday.
I'm so glad i went over. I dont regret that for a minute but it had made me miss my Mum so much more now.
Amy xx
