More Surgery for Kev

Kev began to become sleepier over a few days, then as the story below says he has been returned to Perth by the Royal Flying Doctor service. He has become increasingly unresponsive.
However when I asked him to give me a hug good-bye tonight, at great effort he put his arm around me and held me tight. We prayed together thanking for the many blessings we do have and for peace and calmnes to be with Kevin and those who love him. As I did this he held me tighter at the appropriate times. When I had to go he released his embrace when I asked him to. This shows even though so unwell he continues to fight.

He has been reviewed by the consultant, Mr Honeybul, today and is scheduled for theatre tomorrow. He will have a shunt put into the ventricles of the brain and this will drain into his abdomen. At he same time the doctors will return the bone flap to avoid pressure o­n the brain.

I thank all of you who have been in contact and ask you all to keep in contact, it gives us both the wind in our sails to carry o­n. I do share messages and calls with Kevin and this gives me something positive and happy to share with him.

I would also like everyone to know that the wheelchair van was generously sold to us for half price by o­ne of our gues'ts families, which was so very kind of them. We enter the next phase and hope that Kev does not have complications of infection or rejection to the materials in his body.

Shall keep you all posted. Read more!

Wheels, water and celebrations

If you’ve read the article below, you will know that Alison bought a wheelchair van several weeks ago, and here it is in all its splendour, inside and out. More excitement with the delivery of the large hydrotherapy pool, but Kevin cannot use it until some decking and a ramp are built – naturally, all these projects take time as they are costly and can o­nly be achieved step by step.

To illustrate o­ne of Kevin’s less serious injuries, see the photo of his arm, taken almost 19 full weeks after his crash. If you can imagine the bruising to his brain being of at least a similar degree, you can perhaps better understand the extent of the healing required and why head injuries take such a long time to improve. Every little step is a triumph, however, and we can all celebrate what Kevin is achieving through his determination and the help of those around him, especially that of Alison.

Another cause for recent celebration was Alison and Kevin’s twenty-third wedding anniversary o­n 6 October. Kevin was able to raise a glass, which in itself is to be admired. And he is also able to hold his head up well – television remains, as ever, a good source of enjoyment, as you can see. Read more!

See these eyes, these windows of the soul…

Alison told me that even if Kevin doesn’t smile much or show much expression just now, you can see him in his eyes. The photo illustrates what I imagine it must be like for Kevin much of the time just now – lots of things blurred and dreamlike, but some things that come sharply into focus – with time, stimulation, positivity and much love, Kevin’s healing will continue. Read o­n…

This Friday it is three weeks since Kevin made the journey back home to Bunbury, travelling by ambulance with Alison while Glenda and Sid (who had flown in just the night before) drove the bus, stuffed full of belongings, back from Perth. During this initial settling-in period, Glenda and Sid have taken charge of the respite care business, while next door Alison has been getting things organised for Kevin. It’s a huge graft for everyone though, as the state is providing o­nly 45 minutes’ help daily – yes, you read right, 45 minutes per day!

Glenda and Sid being so close by is invaluable, Kevin’s family have been helping in all sorts of ways, and many friends have signed up to help out o­n a rota basis to massage Kev or to read to him. It is so important to keep up the stimulation in every kind of way. Other generous donations have been overwhelming too – suction equipment from a US company, all the hardware for speciality bathroom facilities from a plumbing merchant, a hoist, a wheelchair, and a wheelchair van sold to Alison at half the normal price… Nevertheless, Alison is facing huge expenses, having to find some hundreds of dollars each week to fund essential supplies such as Kevin’s PEG feeds, osteopathy and acupuncture, none of which are being funded by the state, and providing Kevin’s physiotherapy herself because this is not being made available either.

While Alison has demonstrated huge endurance, if she continues her role as carer 24/7 she will burn out and desperately needs more help. We are now in the process of a combined approach to try to get more funds so that Kevin’s quality of life and chances of recovery are maximised and so that Alison herself gets some relief. This approach first entails getting MPs involved; Elaine and Glenda had a good meeting with the Bunbury MP o­n Wednesday and we are hoping to get some MPs in Perth involved too. At the same time we are chasing information o­n setting up a Trust Fund so that people can donate funds to be used for Kevin’s essentials. We think this will require the services of a lawyer, an accountant and a bank, and ideally we might find professionals who are prepared to donate their services! A long shot, perhaps, but we’ll give it a whirl. If anyone has any information about how to set up a fund of this sort, or knows of any professionals in Australia who might be able to provide relevant information, please let us know! Equally, if anyone has contacts with companies who might like to make donations, please approach them!

To update in more detail, Kevin has made some good improvements since he has come home. He is much more alert and is spending longer periods awake, though he naturally still needs lots of sleep as there is a tremendous amount of healing to be done and the exertion of being washed or undergoing physiotherapy, for example, is exhausting. This week he reached a major milestone, however, by managing to swallow some food rather than hold it in his mouth. This started with a few spoons of jelly (suggested by Brenna) and then a little mashed potato, and a couple of days ago he enjoyed several spoons of puréed kumara so much that he was reaching out for the bowl! Kevin has been much weakened by his accident and all the trauma he has suffered, but he has a monkey bar above his bed and has been reaching up for that and doing some exercises – though a time other than midnight might suit Alison better! Overall, Alison feels Kevin is nearly back to where he was some weeks ago. Today he was given a piece of paper that was upside down and he turned it around the right way – small steps, big milestones.

Kevin and Alison still need all the cheering o­n that we can muster for them, so PLEASE everyone, keep sending your messages. It would be a good time now for you to write a short letter or card to Kevin that he could maybe open it himself – enclose a photo if you can. If you need the address, please mail me at Kerry@Munro.cc Read more!