Update

Thank you all for your kind responses and blog posts.

Today, James has been promoted (within the Critical Care Facility) from Intensive Care to High Dependency. This recognises that his breathing needs less aid than it did. It changes the nurse: patient ratio from 1:1 to 1:2. It means that we’ve been chucked out of the hospital accommodation. We still get a preferential parking rate. He also starts a physiotherapy/rehabilitation routine. We have to supply pyjamas (or a nightie!), shower gel, toothbrush etc.

We’ve been advised that head injury patients progress is slow. James is breaking the mould (why stop at ribs, clavicle, vertebrae?). We (and the nurses) reckon that he’s making excellent progress. His doctors (like the nurses – marvellous) are more guarded. I rationalise this on the basis that they don’t want to raise expectations ergo they present the gloomiest picture ergo this cannot be generally representative. So, Team Poole is splendidly optimistic and positive.

An example of this:

James’ Aunt Barbara came to see him last weekend – about 24 hours after the crash. She was disgruntled after sitting with him for 30 minutes because he couldn’t be bothered to open his eyes or even acknowledge her existence. I had a chat with James before she dropped in Sunday afternoon. It was a bit of a one-sided conversation, indeed it was more of a monologue, but I represented the benefits of good manners in general, the correlation between manners and Christmas presents, Aunt sensitivity, Aunt travelling times, consequences for father if son didn’t perform etc.

James responded by looking at Barbara, squeezing her hand, not pulling all his drips and drains out, and finally, when Sunil (the Nurse) adjusted the tracheoscopy, James whispered answers to a few (admittedly rather fatuous) questions – favourite colour –blue (useful come to think of it, it’ll help Bean when she’s pyjama shopping at John Lewis today), name of prime minister (we probably all know that) and confirmation that he knew that he was in a hospital.

Also, Sunil tried eyes: we’ve been a bit anxious about this, they look a bit wonky. Anyway, Sunil held up some fingers and James counted (or guessed) three. As it happens, he was:

A) right,

B) his maths appears to have improved, and

C) he can’t have double vision .

The upshot was that Barbara left thoroughly Regruntled. Well done, James!

A second example:

When offered the choice (for a minute while one of them went to fetch something) between the company of his girlfriend, Bean, and that of a girl friend, Charlotte, who was visiting and had been telling him about the excellent fish pie that she had made for Team Poole the previous evening, he very forcefully opted for Bean.

Clearly, he can understand what’s going on and there’s nothing wrong with his libido or hand/arm strength. Charlotte (far from being offended by the implied aspersion on her conversation topic and fish pie prowess) kindly said that it was one of the most romantic things that she’d seen in her life. Charlotte’s fish pie was one of the most welcome dishes that I’ve had, by the way.

The medical team are very conscious of the risks of infection. They’ve cultured a few bacteria from James’ sputum (spit etc). There are three types of baddy but not in sufficient quantity to cause concern and apparently on balance it’s better not to zap them because in so doing one would zap other goody bacteria. The risk is being carefully monitored.

That’s it for now – Team Poole is lodged in a house borrowed from Charlotte’s extremely kind and generous friends for 6 days, then some of us will take a flat and the others will revert to weekend visits.

Thanks again for all of your good wishes. We’ll continue to keep you posted.

With best wishes from

Penny, Bean, Alasdair & Duncan.