..... a progress report
Many of you are reading this for the first time and are therefore unaware of the misfortune that has come Dawn's way.
I had this idea today of quickly putting together a webpage that explains what exactly happened on the 16th February 2011.
For me it serves two purposes:
Word has slowly spread around the world about Dawn's event, and I have been truly amazed (though not surprised) by the level of concern and immense love that people that everyone has shown towards her; I thank you all!
It is not the prettiest page in the world, but one which I hope will function as a place where you can find what I hope to be the latest on how Dawn is doing. As I go live with the page, content will be sparse I know, but bear with me.
Once again, thank you for all the kind comments, love and concern expressed thus far. If you know someone that I may have forgotten, please let them have the link to this page.
I had this idea today of quickly putting together a webpage that explains what exactly happened on the 16th February 2011.
For me it serves two purposes:
- It enables all her friends, students, colleagues, etc to find out how she is progressing, without the need to overload me with texts, emails and voicemails.
- It also serves as a release for me, a form of therapy if you like, a place that I can get things off my chest, thus easing some of my present emotional burden.
Word has slowly spread around the world about Dawn's event, and I have been truly amazed (though not surprised) by the level of concern and immense love that people that everyone has shown towards her; I thank you all!
It is not the prettiest page in the world, but one which I hope will function as a place where you can find what I hope to be the latest on how Dawn is doing. As I go live with the page, content will be sparse I know, but bear with me.
Once again, thank you for all the kind comments, love and concern expressed thus far. If you know someone that I may have forgotten, please let them have the link to this page.
Click on each day to find out more...
For more information on Subarachnoid Haemorrhages, I have included the same booklet (pdf) that was given to me at the hospital, which explains clearly what has happened, and more importantly what the recovery will involve. Please click on the link to find out more...you might learn something! I did.
Gary
Dawn's husband
Dawn's husband
On the evening of the 3rd March, Dawn was allowed to leave hospital.
Please allow a little time for Dawn to adjust to being back home.
If considering visiting, please call first.
We will also need people to be with Dawn during the day, not as official carer's, but just to keep an eye on Dawn to be safe.
Please allow a little time for Dawn to adjust to being back home.
If considering visiting, please call first.
We will also need people to be with Dawn during the day, not as official carer's, but just to keep an eye on Dawn to be safe.
Why is day four so important and relevant?
Dawn has encountered a life threatening trauma to her brain, during which a quantity of blood leaked out and now rests between her brain and the arachnoid membrane. This blood will dissipate naturally over the next ten days.
The brain normally glides smoothly against the membrane, however, in Dawn's case she now has a layer of decaying blood on which her brain will now rub. This can irritate the brain causing the blood vessels to spasm and restrict blood (O2) supply.
Whilst Dawn may look good on the outside, we have to remember that this process continues on the inside. She will not be clear of this threat until Day 14.
From Day 15 onwards, the medical staff will assess her condition, with a view of moving her out of ICU and onto a ward, looking forward to a steady and full recovery.
Please send all your energy to help her through these coming days.
Dawn has encountered a life threatening trauma to her brain, during which a quantity of blood leaked out and now rests between her brain and the arachnoid membrane. This blood will dissipate naturally over the next ten days.
The brain normally glides smoothly against the membrane, however, in Dawn's case she now has a layer of decaying blood on which her brain will now rub. This can irritate the brain causing the blood vessels to spasm and restrict blood (O2) supply.
Whilst Dawn may look good on the outside, we have to remember that this process continues on the inside. She will not be clear of this threat until Day 14.
From Day 15 onwards, the medical staff will assess her condition, with a view of moving her out of ICU and onto a ward, looking forward to a steady and full recovery.
Please send all your energy to help her through these coming days.
The NHS does take a bashing from time to time, but in times like this you appreciate exactly what they are there for.
The medical team at Hurstwood Park NC, Haywards Heath are doing a fantastic job in nursing Dawn back to full health, I take my hat off to them.
The medical team at Hurstwood Park NC, Haywards Heath are doing a fantastic job in nursing Dawn back to full health, I take my hat off to them.
Many of you, in fact nearly all of you have offered to help in whatever way you can, which has really touched my heart, thank-you!
My main underlying, long-term worry is financial. With 50% of the joint income gone, my thoughts are ..... 'mmm, what the $*&? are we going to do?'
However, this is for me to manage and not for anyone else to worry about, but, if you win the lottery, we are here!!
Immediately, and for the short term, the only thing I am struggling to find the time for is dinner for the kids. Maybe, once in while, a quick rustle up would be nice, but again, I hate to ask. Pride I guess!
It is sometimes difficult to feed them the same thing, as one likes this, and the other two like that. If you can help. let me know.
It will just be until Dawn is out of ICU and on the ward, when plenty of visitors will give me some slack to my schedule.
Looking long-term, I will have to return to work at some point, and WILL need someone at home to be with Dawn. I will have to think how to coordinate it, but even stints of 3-4 hours between a group of you would be of huge benefit.
I will ponder the above over the coming days and weeks!
My main underlying, long-term worry is financial. With 50% of the joint income gone, my thoughts are ..... 'mmm, what the $*&? are we going to do?'
However, this is for me to manage and not for anyone else to worry about, but, if you win the lottery, we are here!!
Immediately, and for the short term, the only thing I am struggling to find the time for is dinner for the kids. Maybe, once in while, a quick rustle up would be nice, but again, I hate to ask. Pride I guess!
It is sometimes difficult to feed them the same thing, as one likes this, and the other two like that. If you can help. let me know.
It will just be until Dawn is out of ICU and on the ward, when plenty of visitors will give me some slack to my schedule.
Looking long-term, I will have to return to work at some point, and WILL need someone at home to be with Dawn. I will have to think how to coordinate it, but even stints of 3-4 hours between a group of you would be of huge benefit.
I will ponder the above over the coming days and weeks!
This page has been designed on the basis of my immense love for my beautiful wife Dawn, please help to will her through these troubled times, thank-you.
It has been suggested that I provide a means for friends to leave messages to Dawn. I can advise you that I am a step ahead, and am figuring out how to do this.
I think Dawn will be amazed at this page when she gets home, and to have a long list of personal messages will really hit the spot!
I am working on a way to post mesages here, just bear with me, I will figure it out.
I think Dawn will be amazed at this page when she gets home, and to have a long list of personal messages will really hit the spot!
I am working on a way to post mesages here, just bear with me, I will figure it out.
Well, where do I start? Overall, given the circumstances of the past few days, they have been great, and have now all accepted the reality of Dawn's situation.
Tariq is the household genius, always the one for cleaning, laundry, tidying, dishwasher, vacuuming, etc.
Samar has been a treasure, such a strong cookie, rising up to the moment, and demonstrating such inner strength for such a young person, makes me proud.
Tamim, not so much a housework person (lol), but is working with me behind the scenes, so to speak!
My daughters, who tragically lost their mother not too long ago, have been monitoring Dawn's progress. Hayley, bless her, is in contact with me everyday, whilst I know that my Gemma is watching from a distance.
Tariq is the household genius, always the one for cleaning, laundry, tidying, dishwasher, vacuuming, etc.
Samar has been a treasure, such a strong cookie, rising up to the moment, and demonstrating such inner strength for such a young person, makes me proud.
Tamim, not so much a housework person (lol), but is working with me behind the scenes, so to speak!
My daughters, who tragically lost their mother not too long ago, have been monitoring Dawn's progress. Hayley, bless her, is in contact with me everyday, whilst I know that my Gemma is watching from a distance.
I am probaly runing to das behin my tyop checkin, so ber wit me whilt i corect any erors. te he!
I will add more pictures as and when time allows, it can be a lengthy process finding them, resizing, etc. I have more important things to do at the moment!
As I mentioned somewhere in my blog ramblings, I have added some tracking code to this webpage, from which I can view various statistics about the page. I thought you may wish to see the number of visits Dawn has received since this page has been live.Obviously the UK is highest, but it is the number of other countries that has amazed me.
14th Mar '11
This is the first time that I have looked at the 'stats' since the 3rd March, so I was understandably overwhelmed at the ongoing interest in Dawn's recovery...wow!
Dawn has seen this site since returning home, and cannot believe how many people have been watching over her from a distance.
Thank-you everyone, your support for Dawn is very much appreciated, especially now as she is home and starting her slow, gentle recovery back to full health.
14th Mar '11
This is the first time that I have looked at the 'stats' since the 3rd March, so I was understandably overwhelmed at the ongoing interest in Dawn's recovery...wow!
Dawn has seen this site since returning home, and cannot believe how many people have been watching over her from a distance.
Thank-you everyone, your support for Dawn is very much appreciated, especially now as she is home and starting her slow, gentle recovery back to full health.
Dawn, congratluations in making it thus far, the risk is now behind you, we now look forward to your return home. Love from all. xxx
The clock!
