h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

as Dmitri

a slow step forward is still a step in the right direction

Thank you both.

Glad to hear of progress, even if it must be frustrating for you all that it goes slowly.

Thank you, too, Milla.

So good to hear from you and know that there is more progress.
Can he enjoy music or read and watch TV? Best wishes for the coming New Year. .. ... ......................... . . . .. ...

Thanks, Ginger!

He currently has attention span and short-term memory issues, so he can't really read, and tends not to want to watch lengthy things (short videos, like comedy skits and such, have been quite welcome, though).
And apparently they've recently made some changes in his medications, and now he is less sleepy than before, so hopefully that will lead to other good things.

I sympathise with your position so much more now than I did when you first wrote telling us about him. I hope he continues to improve. My thoughts are with you.

Haven't updated here in a while, but the truth is there has not been much to update. Progress is still slow. It _is_ progress, which is good, but it's slow.
Part of the problem, apparently, is his attitude. He's always had a difficult, stubborn, very independent character; and it seems he has trouble getting motivated. I recently understood from his sister that there are all sorts of physical actions he can do, in theory (such as feed himself, or brush his teeth, or even tie his shoes), but most of the time he just doesn't bother. He'll bring one forkful to his mouth, but then stop, and let others feed him. It's not laziness, exactly, I think it's more a form of his frustration... since mentally he's basically himself, 'in there', and since he's such an intelligent, independent person, it must drive him crazy, all that stuff he can't do, which makes it easier to just give up. At least, that's how I see it. It's hard to tell for sure.
*sigh*


But still, there is progress. In the Passover Seder (which was here in Jerusalem - so about an hour drive from where they're staying near the rehab centre, and the first time they came here with him), while he didn't participate all the way through, he _did_ participate, and even read a part of the Hagaddah, when held in front of him. Considering how much everything is hard work for him (even things we take for granted, like speaking or eating), he held pretty well, before he got tired and frustrated and lashed out.
They came to Jerusalem once more, last weekend, and that went mostly well, also. I hope it'll get easier, later on.

Passover in Jersualem . This year!
It must be really horribly frustrating, for him as well as his family... I wish it swings round, and he finds a way to motivate himself.

Thank you, Milla.

My thoughts are with you Lady P. My wife's recovery is pretty much complete, but there is an emotional side to things that is really hard for her. She's almost completely better, but she still feels a bereavement of her old self. Your cousin must be going through all of that, too.

She really got fed up of people telling her how well she was doing as she recovered. She just wanted her old self back. I don't know if that is any help. But my thoughts are with you and your cousin.

That's almost exactly what my friend said! She broke her neck last summer, and was pretty much paralysed - a slight toe wiggle was all. Now she is up, walking (although not easily), using her right hand well, and her left not very well. She is also sick of hearing how well she is doing, and is still angry at the fall having happened at all. Although, in her case I think she is able to turn the anger into creative force by training her skills.

Thanks, both.


And yeah, it's not hard to see how something like that would be frustrating.


At the moment, it's been decided that it might be best if they take a break from the rehabilitation centre, for a few months - not without any work at all, of course, but not as intensively. The hope is that it'll let him rest for a while, and maybe he'll be more receptive to treatment then.

In my experience life is made bearable by people and not by what you do. People can face up to all sorts of things if they have the right relationships and loving people around them.

Yael, how is your cousin doing love ? I hope that recovery is still heading in the right direction

never stop hoping for the better


F1926355?thread=8175284

This is my son now, 3 years later (as in tomorrow 22nd Apr 2014) he was helped so far, by my bro in law and nephew, into their house last Christmas Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBiE2ZWIVi4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Very thanks for sharing that. I am glad your son has inherited your stubbornness,Prof. He needs that to keep on truck'n! I hope his flat doesn't have stairs in it.

now he's in a wheelchair, he's "small" enough for me to clip his ears now

Nah, the child shouldn't require hearing aids as well, give him a break ,Prof.

love taps

Hiya, sorry I haven't been updating here much.

It's neat to see how yw your son is doing, Prof! Thanks for the video.

As for my cousin, it's still going slow. There's stuff they're trying, and I think there _is_ some progress, but there's still a long way to go to full recovery - and perhaps there will not be full recovery, even. It's hard to know. That's the difference between spine injuries and head injuries, I guess - the rehab is not just physical, but also neurological/mental, and that's harder to deal with.
(Now, to be honest, I mostly either hear about this from my mum, after she talks with her sister, or I see him at family events which, by definition, tend to be rather busy&noisy affairs, which are things he doesn't deal with very well. It's very tiring for him, so he tends to not be very cooperative.)