Simon had a good chat with me today. He is stringing together quite useful sentences and even courteously e.g he asked "If you have time can you bring me some things from home". I couldn't make out what it was he wanted me to bring, so I ran through a list, getting the thumbs up for the computer (I suspect he wants to check his email) and more food! When he wants the nurses' attention he says "Excuse me". This nurse has seen him improving over the last week and thinks he is much better.
Certainly Simon is eating and drinking very well - it is all pureed food and thickened fluid, but I think that soon he will be able to take more substantial meals. He independently swallows tablets and medicines. Once he gets to rehab, I can imagine that he will make great strides with his speech.
He likes to flick over pages in a newspaper, but at such speed that he cannot be reading even the headlines. I think he is looking for pictures, so I will take in one of his art books. Oddly, he does not seem very interested in hearing music, although he liked me singing to him today (not so good for the other patients in the ward).
Shirley couldn't visit today because she thought a cold was coming. Best to stay indoors in the warm. She is in the kitchen again, cooking up chicken cacciatore. I ain't going to starve that's for sure.
Love Marian x
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This all sounds extremely positive, So just in case Simon gets to read this soon:
ReplyDeleteHI SIMON!
Now that you are on the road to recovery, you may be interested in the story of Jill Bolte Taylor. She had a really bad stroke, made a pretty well full recovery and appears to have made a career out of it!
Just google the name for details. I smell a paper or two!
Matt
Hello Marian,
ReplyDeleteAt last with the pointer from Shirley I am able to send a little message direct to you. I think it was a marvellous idea to create this blog. Everyone can check on progress without having you explain on the phone to one and all. Well my dear I know that we don't know each other, but I'm sure Shirley will have spoken of us. Bill, Danny and myself are all thinking of you and we know Simon has the inner strenght to pull through this, indeed it looks as though he is already making good progress. Lets hope when he gets to the rehab clinic he speeds ahead with leaps and bounds.
Much love to you all
Pat, Bill and Danny xxxxx
Hi there, Malcolm Here. Sounds like the great man is making great strides. Having been in a couple of psyche wards myself, I can hypothesise that the flicking of the newspaper is looking for patterns rather than distinct pictures. I have a schizo-affective disorder and have seen this happen in myself and others.
ReplyDeleteWhile Simon is in the RAH he might like to visit R5 room 28. In there lurks a very good friend, Tony Stevens. Tony is in with a tumor at the base of his brain, but is an extremely smart and widely experienced man who I count as one of my friends. While I was asking If he could see visitors such as Simon, he was very excited. Mental stimulation is a bit light up there.
We haven't been in to see either as Jelina has the plague, but we hope to catch up one day soon.
peace
Malcolm
Hi Marian
ReplyDeleteglad hear that Simon is searching for page 3! He always had a fine aesthetic sense. I recall when we were publishing comics/punk fanzines, in our teens he always hd great pictures on each page. Have you tried him on the art books yet?
Was also thinking about poetry and have mentioned how he was enjoying some to a few freinds. Derek Rangecroft, and old friend of mine, who shared many a meal and a drink with Simon suggested At Lunchtime by Roger McGough, which I will post for him (he has relied on my tech support for a number of years, ad hence has no hope at posting to a blog :-)
Loads of love to Simon, and you and Shirl xxx
At Lunchtime by Roger McGough (suggested by Derek)
ReplyDeleteWhen the bus stopped suddenly
to avoid damaging
a mother and child in the road,
the younglady in the green hat sitting opposite,
was thrown across me,
and not being one to miss an opportunity
I started to make love.
At first, she resisted,
saying that it was too early in the morning,
and too soon after breakfast,
and anyway, she found me repulsive.
But when I explained
that this being a nuclearage
the world was going to end at lunchtime,
she took off her green hat,
put her busticket into her pocket
and joined in the exercise.
The buspeople,
and there were many of them,
were shockedandsurprised,
and amusedandannoyed.
But when the word got around
that the world was going to end at lunchtime,
they put their pride in their pockets
with their bustickets
and made love one with the other.
And even the busconductor,
feeling left out,
climbed into the cab,
and struck up some sort of relationship with the driver.
That night,
on the bus coming home,
we were all a little embarrassed.
Especially me and the younglady in the green hat.
And we all started to say
in different ways
how hasty and foolish we had been.
But then, always having been a bitofalad,
I stood up and said it was a pity
that the world didnt nearly end every lunchtime,
and that we could always pretend.
And then it happened ...
Quick asa crash
we all changed partners,
and soon the bus was aquiver
with white, mothball bodies doing naughty things.
And the next day
and everyday
In everybus
In everystreet
In everytown
In everycountry
People pretended
that the world was coming to an end at lunchtime.
It still hasnt.
Although in a way it has.
So I read that you were publishing comics and fanzines. Another parallel in our lives. I used to be senior writer and editor for a comic book company in the Philippines called Camp Comics.
ReplyDeleteThis will give us something else to talk about should I be able to get down there.
Malcolm