Thursday, October 22, 2009
Who is the most flexible of them all?
Heather, Tims Dr and mother No. 2,
says no question - she is!!
Thurs 18th Oct: Out of the blue ...
Compulsory bedrest to heal
this massive pressure blister on
Tim's left heel. We're hoping his
rehab break home on the 28th Oct
won't be delayed.
Nothing stops Tim
pumping iron at the gym.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Hello Gentlemen and Gentlewomen,
Rehab is continuing to progress very quickly, and still with no setbacks! I did recently have to go under general anaesthetic to get three bladder stones lasered. And soon I will have my kidney stone shattered by sound waves conducted through water, but no biggie, plus I'm pretty hard.
On the 28th of Sept Dad arrived just in time to head off to Trimble to see my second cousin, Gary Chisholm at work. He showed us all the gadgets behind the scenes for his GPS engineering, which was all very interesting. I can't say anymore or Gary will have to slaughter me. Unfortunately Dad didnt have any time to see my sister Sal, with her arriving the day after he left.
It was really great to finally see Sally, as she couldnt get time off her architecture job in Melbourne. We decided not to clutter her short three day visit with outings, so we just watched movies and hung out. I look forward to seeing her for our first Christmas home as a family since 2006.
I've been very busy with trialling equipment. I have trialled and picked my mattress, bed controls, hoist and sling, and more recently my power chair. I am currently trialling a manual wheelchair, which helped me set a new record of 3.08mins for 250 mtrs, and which is faster than walking (3.45mins). Last Tuesday I had my first swim. It felt extremely weird at the start but then was alot of fun and relaxing. Yesterday my uni friends Cass and Ross accompanied me to the movies to watch 'The Taking of Pelham 123'. And today Sally's best friend Lyns and her new fiancee Scott had a quick visit, it was great to see them.
This afternoon I'm extremely excited to purchase my very own iphone and I should have my old number which I'll confirm next week.
I'm Rove McMannis, say hi to your Mum for me.
Rehab is continuing to progress very quickly, and still with no setbacks! I did recently have to go under general anaesthetic to get three bladder stones lasered. And soon I will have my kidney stone shattered by sound waves conducted through water, but no biggie, plus I'm pretty hard.
On the 28th of Sept Dad arrived just in time to head off to Trimble to see my second cousin, Gary Chisholm at work. He showed us all the gadgets behind the scenes for his GPS engineering, which was all very interesting. I can't say anymore or Gary will have to slaughter me. Unfortunately Dad didnt have any time to see my sister Sal, with her arriving the day after he left.
It was really great to finally see Sally, as she couldnt get time off her architecture job in Melbourne. We decided not to clutter her short three day visit with outings, so we just watched movies and hung out. I look forward to seeing her for our first Christmas home as a family since 2006.
I've been very busy with trialling equipment. I have trialled and picked my mattress, bed controls, hoist and sling, and more recently my power chair. I am currently trialling a manual wheelchair, which helped me set a new record of 3.08mins for 250 mtrs, and which is faster than walking (3.45mins). Last Tuesday I had my first swim. It felt extremely weird at the start but then was alot of fun and relaxing. Yesterday my uni friends Cass and Ross accompanied me to the movies to watch 'The Taking of Pelham 123'. And today Sally's best friend Lyns and her new fiancee Scott had a quick visit, it was great to see them.
This afternoon I'm extremely excited to purchase my very own iphone and I should have my old number which I'll confirm next week.
I'm Rove McMannis, say hi to your Mum for me.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Phil, Tim and my cousin Gary Chisholm, who arranged a very interesting visit to Trimble. Amazing intro to how GPS is used in construction, agriculture and marine work.
Friends from Christchurch who Tim met in Fernie. Ben and Matt break the Tim winning streak at 4D Connect 4!
Cousies Libby and Jess, sister Sal . Tims uncle Bruce arrived from Tauranga with a surprise - cousin Jess!
Brisk walk on the
New Brighton Pier.
Bruce, Sal, Viv and Tim
Movie time
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Injury Clarification
Hi Everyone,
I thought I'd write a clarification blog. Its 7 and a half months since my accident now and many don't know much about my condition. At first I didn't know what all the fuss was about. All I knew was that I had a broken bone and I couldn't move. I was then told I was a C5 C6 Complete Tetraplegic. 84% of my body is paralysed including my hands and triceps. Turns out you need your hands for quite a lot.
The hardest things I've had to deal with (aside from the obvious) is that I couldn't eat, or drink while dealing with constant profuse sweating as well as not being able to swallow my own spit. For the first five months every day I had trouble breathing and where I longed for a day where life would become easier. Every time I was told a had a serious infection I felt like I was dealing with a minor cold.
We have recently talked about how on a few occasions I was in danger of dying. The first was my original accident falling 20 feet onto my neck. The second was having my heart kick started after a week of trying to breath and cough with a hole on my neck (after my trachy tube was first taken out). The third main time was when I had five bronchoscopys in four days. It was so severe I was placed on the critical list. When I woke after being on proprofol for five days, the only things I remember were very vivid disturbing hallucinations. I also felt as though I was going crazy with constant deja vu and paranoia episodes. At this point the Middlemore ICU doctors decided it was necessary for me to be weaned off the ventilator at Burwood. The whole time until then I had extreme anxiety problems with being crowded, or having anything touching me as I felt restricted and immobile. As a result I was on lorazepam, a concerning sedative used as antianxiety.
I'm now dealing with severe spasms requiring twelve pills a day which still don't dampen the problem. I'm also having minimal sleep as I'm trying to wean off a sleeping pill I've had every day for 33 weeks. Due to huge muscle loss, everyday I battle fatigue. Another daily issue Ive had to learn about is impairment of bowels, bladder and sexual function. As a result I have a catheter going directly into my bladder (SPC - supra pubic catheter). I have my bowels done every second day. If you want to know more google - tetraplegic sexual function. Also because of paralysis I have poor circulation. This means I am at risk of pressure sores, and dizziness when I am transferred into my chair. To combat this I wear tight pressure stockings and an abdominal binder to compensate for abdominal muscles and to increase blood pressure.
Autonomic dysreflexia is a condition that I have to be aware of. If anywhere I cannot feel is injured, or if my bowels or bladder are full, a signal will alert my brain and my body will react. I will go bright red in the parts I can feel and I will get a pounding headache as my blood pressure rises. If it goes untreated I am at risk of having a stroke and then possibly dying. This is a medical emergency. I carry the medicine wherever I go to lower my blood pressure.
This is now my new life, so I have embraced it. I dont think it is necessarily worse, but very different. Many opportunities have and will come from this. I didnt know know what I was going to do, so now I have some time to think. Plus I had a really bad itch before, and this was the only way of getting rid of it. It worked. And now I get to bludge off the government, and collect the money you pay for tax. Cheers.
Luckily I've been blessed with a positive attitude and very supportive friends and family, especially with Mum being with me since day two, to be exact.
Feel free to ask any questions. timothy.young.is@gmail.com
Tim
I thought I'd write a clarification blog. Its 7 and a half months since my accident now and many don't know much about my condition. At first I didn't know what all the fuss was about. All I knew was that I had a broken bone and I couldn't move. I was then told I was a C5 C6 Complete Tetraplegic. 84% of my body is paralysed including my hands and triceps. Turns out you need your hands for quite a lot.
The hardest things I've had to deal with (aside from the obvious) is that I couldn't eat, or drink while dealing with constant profuse sweating as well as not being able to swallow my own spit. For the first five months every day I had trouble breathing and where I longed for a day where life would become easier. Every time I was told a had a serious infection I felt like I was dealing with a minor cold.
We have recently talked about how on a few occasions I was in danger of dying. The first was my original accident falling 20 feet onto my neck. The second was having my heart kick started after a week of trying to breath and cough with a hole on my neck (after my trachy tube was first taken out). The third main time was when I had five bronchoscopys in four days. It was so severe I was placed on the critical list. When I woke after being on proprofol for five days, the only things I remember were very vivid disturbing hallucinations. I also felt as though I was going crazy with constant deja vu and paranoia episodes. At this point the Middlemore ICU doctors decided it was necessary for me to be weaned off the ventilator at Burwood. The whole time until then I had extreme anxiety problems with being crowded, or having anything touching me as I felt restricted and immobile. As a result I was on lorazepam, a concerning sedative used as antianxiety.
I'm now dealing with severe spasms requiring twelve pills a day which still don't dampen the problem. I'm also having minimal sleep as I'm trying to wean off a sleeping pill I've had every day for 33 weeks. Due to huge muscle loss, everyday I battle fatigue. Another daily issue Ive had to learn about is impairment of bowels, bladder and sexual function. As a result I have a catheter going directly into my bladder (SPC - supra pubic catheter). I have my bowels done every second day. If you want to know more google - tetraplegic sexual function. Also because of paralysis I have poor circulation. This means I am at risk of pressure sores, and dizziness when I am transferred into my chair. To combat this I wear tight pressure stockings and an abdominal binder to compensate for abdominal muscles and to increase blood pressure.
Autonomic dysreflexia is a condition that I have to be aware of. If anywhere I cannot feel is injured, or if my bowels or bladder are full, a signal will alert my brain and my body will react. I will go bright red in the parts I can feel and I will get a pounding headache as my blood pressure rises. If it goes untreated I am at risk of having a stroke and then possibly dying. This is a medical emergency. I carry the medicine wherever I go to lower my blood pressure.
This is now my new life, so I have embraced it. I dont think it is necessarily worse, but very different. Many opportunities have and will come from this. I didnt know know what I was going to do, so now I have some time to think. Plus I had a really bad itch before, and this was the only way of getting rid of it. It worked. And now I get to bludge off the government, and collect the money you pay for tax. Cheers.
Luckily I've been blessed with a positive attitude and very supportive friends and family, especially with Mum being with me since day two, to be exact.
Feel free to ask any questions. timothy.young.is@gmail.com
Tim
Trials and Records
Hi Everyone,
Since Monday last week alot has happened. First it was great to see Aunty Annabel and have a delicious steak by the New Brighton Pier. Then my cousin Nicky, who came alot during Middlemore days, spent a couple of nights with us too. We all visited Vintage Cars on a Spinal Unit group outing. To finish the week my brother Robert came from Hamilton to spend two nights with me. Not long after arrival Rob escorted me to another shield match where Canterbury unfortunately thrashed Taranaki.
On Saturday we endeavoured to discover the Antartic Centre. I watched birds (penguins) being fed and got stuck in the snow. All in all I had a fantastic day!!! Lately I've been eating extra takeaways working on gaining weight. This is due to the fact that after my accident i lost 22kgs in 2 weeks, and all thanks to Jenny.
Ive enjoyed more visitors. Kate and Hayden (my God brother and sister, as their Mum Pam is my Godmother) came on Friday. Then Gyne (George) came for the weekend, and accompanied me to watch 'Funny People'. Were expecting Leish this afternoon.
Over the last week I have done 250 metres in 4 mins and 22 secs, and 25 metres on a slow surface in 1 min. I win.
Later boes
Tim
Since Monday last week alot has happened. First it was great to see Aunty Annabel and have a delicious steak by the New Brighton Pier. Then my cousin Nicky, who came alot during Middlemore days, spent a couple of nights with us too. We all visited Vintage Cars on a Spinal Unit group outing. To finish the week my brother Robert came from Hamilton to spend two nights with me. Not long after arrival Rob escorted me to another shield match where Canterbury unfortunately thrashed Taranaki.
On Saturday we endeavoured to discover the Antartic Centre. I watched birds (penguins) being fed and got stuck in the snow. All in all I had a fantastic day!!! Lately I've been eating extra takeaways working on gaining weight. This is due to the fact that after my accident i lost 22kgs in 2 weeks, and all thanks to Jenny.
Ive enjoyed more visitors. Kate and Hayden (my God brother and sister, as their Mum Pam is my Godmother) came on Friday. Then Gyne (George) came for the weekend, and accompanied me to watch 'Funny People'. Were expecting Leish this afternoon.
Over the last week I have done 250 metres in 4 mins and 22 secs, and 25 metres on a slow surface in 1 min. I win.
Later boes
Tim
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