My blog, 1 month on...

Exactly 1 month ago …umm plus 2 days actually (sorry)… I wrote my first entry on this halo brace blog.

Someone on the survivors’ page said “you grow up fast in a halo” and that’s sure true.
I’ve gone from traction in hospital (see the pic for my hospital view -widescreen it wasn't) to ridiculous optimism in my early days out, [click 4 link] to the black depths.

Hopefully I’m more grounded now. Thanks to everyone who led me back.

Friends
I’ve made some great new friends but sure tested some of my oldest and bestest friendships.
I’ve already talked to most of you but if I haven’t I’ll just say that frustrated and angry people in pain [OK – me!] often do and say terrible things = “Misery loves company”.

Luck
I’m lucky to have you all and I’m especially lucky to be walking (but see my top 10 most-overworked phrases).
Lady Luck’s tricky tho : if the impact had been 0.5mm different I could be typing this with a mouth-stick. On the other hand, if my particular Trailer of Doom had been 0.5m further over then none of this might have happened.

Permanent?
I’ve tried to tell everyone personally but I’ll say here as well: I been diagnosed with Brown-Sequard paralysis: I continue to have neuro “deficits” affecting my right arm and leg and it’s possible I’ll have some sort of permanent impairment. If there’s anything definite you’ll read it here first.
Two months to go and I’m told I’m over the worst of the Halo
Watch this space –it’s going to be interesting!

Today's my 1 month anniversary

9 March 16:45 apprx>>

a keen but dumb young architecture student was biking down a steep hill and looking at a new building site. He saw the pothole & the spilled gravel but not the badly parked grey trailer. You know the rest…

My halo hero

Pic NOT ME – see below.

Heres a pic of Rudi Wulf - a hero of mine & great recovery example.

He's a thoroughly nice guy & went from having a broken neck in the same place as me at my age to being an All Black [international NZ football gods, if you need a translation] and 2009 Blues Player of the Year.

A link to a story about him:

http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/rudi-wulf-fom-heartache-all-black-glory-2766835

TVNZ interview: Rudi Wulf: Heartache to All Black glory

"As an up-and-coming 20-year-old in 2005, Wulf broke his neck in a horror accident after diving into the shallow end of a pool. In the weeks and months following he was tormented by the notion that he might never step onto a rugby field again…

Time to get out of the LaZBoy

I lost the entire last week, first in hospital & then all Easter zonked in the LazyBoy. Trapped in dreams & nightmares thanks to meds and too much weed. I don’t ever want to do that again

I know other people's dreams are boring but this one was so shattering I need to share it:

I woke up to find the docs telling me that they couldn’t save ma neck and they'd had to amputate my body from C2 down (dream logic! – I was breathing etc.). They said Id be OK - theyd put a handle on my halo so people could carry me around.

Horrible!!!

My check-up this morning was better – I got the OK to restart a restricted life.

I still have the halo brace and I still have to use the walking cane (which is good – it makes stairs etc. easier) and the collar (ditto – it takes some of the pressure feeling off my head I think). [pic: my caregiver showing my collar "This wont hurt much"]

Home detention

Disaster!

After my big check-up Tuesday ourtime I went 2 bed early and woke up early Weds morning. Head neck back arms shoulders all had red hot knives thru them!

A big shout-out to my poor flatmates who rescued me. They didn’t know what 2 do so called an ambulance.

Hospital all Wednesday on a hard bed while all the docs poked me n argued about treatment options – mostly horrible. They brought me home this (Thursday) afternoon. So sore :( but limbs all working OK :)

Result: I don't think docs know, they say it was reaction to all the resetting on Tues & everything still looks OK.

They've tightened da vest even TIGHTER and I have to wear a Philadelphia Collar *as well as* the halo as my spine may be "snaking" in the halo. So I've got the worst of both worlds – cant move cant talk cant chew!

Doc says Ive been doing too much too soon so have 2 hav total rest.

I've got home detention! Not allowed out all Easter holiday (Fri,S,S,Mon and return for another check on Tuesday 6th.) Scared and sore – has anyone experienced anything like this? I thought it'd be all OK once I was in da Halo + all I had 2 do was serve my time.

Happy Easter holiday 2 everyone who has Easter (if ya see what I mean)

- Aden