Gerard here!

Hi all,

I am at last on line!

A big thank you once again to all my friends for your support and I apologise for not replying to everyone. I am overloaded with visitors, phonecalls, doctors, tests, physio and just the daily business of getting up, showering, getting in the chair, getting out of the chair etc.

I am generally comfortable although have had a bit of trouble with neusea and bowels lately (I'll spare you the details but it can be a time consuming and exhausting problem when you cant run to the toilet)!

Physically I am doing well and it finally pays to be a lightweight scrawny bastard. Although I do have sore muscles I didnt know I had from the "physioterrorists" workouts. I assume the rehab, when I get there, will be even more like a "Boot Camp".

It looks like it'll be another couple of weeks waiting for a free bed at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation hospital and then around 3 months live in there.

Love to all and dont worry about me. Not sure why but my spirits remain high and I have met a bunch of unbelievable people (mostly nurses and some inspiring patients too).

Gerard

Update from Gerard

Hi Gerard will be getting online in the next few days with his laptop so we might get some posts from him! The family were planning on going on holiday next week and they are still going at Gerard's insistance . So Gerard will have more spare visiting slots than usual next week. Remember to call him on 94965000 and ask for him (Ward 3 North) to arrange a visit.
Gerard has the all-clear medically to go to the Royal Talbot for rehab. There's no spots available yet though so he'll be an estimate of another couple of weeks at the Austin. They have a fantastic unit there with a team of physions and he's going pretty well with exercises and coordination and balance games. He's not yet developed a herculean torso (just wait) but at least he's injury free in all those newly exercised muscle groups.

MEETING WITH GERARD LAST FRIDAY - 17/10/08

Guys,
I caught up with Gerard last Friday. I am very impressed with his positiveness regarding his situation. A real down to earth engineer.....fully applying the FMEA process. He is an inspiration!

Gerard showed me three X-Rays last week. The first one show one his vertebrae crushed and the last one showed the titanium jack/bolt that replaced the section of backbone removed. The vertebrae above and below were pinned together using a "U" shaped bracket which was screwed into the vertebrae above and below the titanium jack. Looked like a solid joint. Gerard advised me that with time bone will grow over the titanium jack.
I joked saying to him he will never get past the airport X-scanners but he advised me that as it is non magnetic, they will never pick it up. Oh!
He is happy to have visitors but only a few at a time. He will be at the Austin a little while longer and then relocated to the Royal Talbot rehabilitation.

He is looking forward to coming back to work, and we are looking forward to see him back.....I want to continue talking turkey where we left off...... regarding researching building electric cars.

Update from Greg S

Gerard is sitting up OK, and was able to move around fairly comfortably in a low-back wheelchair. Usually a high-back chair would be required, but Gerard has better than expected torso control and was able to stay up for an hour. He took us around the outdoor deck and showed us the "wheelchair proving ground" which is a smaller version of the PG one: special surfaces, ramps and other expected hazards for wheelchair drivers. Gerard is maintaining a positive and balanced approach to his new situation, but he is still recovering from major surgery and will tire easily for some time yet. Please be considerate in the length of visits: it is vital that he gets adequate rest, and there is a lot going on - there is a constant stream of different specialists / consultants / assistance providers coming to see him all day long.
Gerard is now doing the visitor bookings himself, so call the switchboard at the Austin.

HELLO from Sal

Hi from all of us. Change in plans. No visitors for Gerard today as he has things on. Tony and I'll be visiting on Monday. Gerard spoke to the Underbody team this morning. It was really good to talk to him.He is enthusiatic about the idea of a working bee at his place which Tony is arranging.

Hospital Visit

I visited Gerard today with Paula, another colleague Gerard was up and about today on an electric wheelchair. He was meant to have a normal one to star him getting moving on a conventional wheelchair and the upper body exercise which that involves. However Gerard's neighbour Bob the builder, the young at heart 85 year old who fell off a shed roof and landed on his hammer managed to pinch his wheelchair! So he's having an easy time today and getting into the exercise tomorrow. Gerard was relaxed, holding himself in a very upright sitting position, mentioning that his stomach muscles ached as they weren't used to the new posture. He was cheerful and laughed a few times, but did not make light of his situation, as he knows there's hard work ahead.
I'm not even sure if i've set the blog up right yet so you can make posts, but I'm sure you can make comments. I think Gerard would like to hear your comments and thoughts and not just me prattling on ..
Try clicking 'following this blog' and you will be contacted if an update is made. Click 'comments' to make a comment which should get to Gerard.

Update

I had a long chat with Gerard last night. He was comfortable and pain free, with ample evidence of a pragmatic and optimistic outlook and no evidence of self pity. He is very pleased with all the support and visits he is getting. He's got quite a lot of people coming to see him today. He is scheduling people in a notebook and pencil (which works well upside down).
Gerard is happy to have visitors but reminds people that there's plenty of time. He'll be around for another 10 days or so in the Austin then moving to the rehab centre (Royal Talbot I think?) after that.
He's had most hospital routine stuff done to him and is usually up for a visit by 11AM. As Gerard is recovering from major surgery, he needs rest and its best to avoid the early afternoon approx 1.30-3pm, but after 3PM should be OK. You can reach Gerard to schedule a visit by calling the switchboard on 94965000 and asking for him by name and ward number (currently Ward 3 North level 3). He has his own phone and will answer it if he is around and it is within reach.