Tuesday 20-4-2010

We have hit the 8 week mark since Simon's injury and the physical progress he is making is inspiring.

During the week, I try to get to the hospital before 4pm so I can tidy his room, change the sheets and make his bed, before he returns from OT. On Monday (12th), as I was attending to feeding my need to clean, Jen from the Ward came in to advise me that Simon & I had an educational to attend prior to Simon coming home for the day on Wednesday............I must have looked like a character from Days of our lives with the confused look on my face, I said, 'Pardon...' Jen was quick to tell me that she didn't know it was a secret and that Simon would have to fill me in on the rest. With that, I proceeded with my obsession for Simon's comfort with the sheets, doing the hospital corners with a grin from ear to ear thinking about this home visit.

Simon came through the door and greeted me with the news of his day out. On Tuesday we attended an ICE (In Case of Emergency) Meeting on how to reposition Simon into his chair should he for any reason have a fall.

Tuesday night, I bravely hosted Alexandra's 6yo birthday sleep over. With the special request for a handbag cake for her party, pizza, popcorn and movies, Alexandra and Georgia and their 5 friends were all on their best behaviour. They were all spaced out in our living room, blankets, pillows, teddy's and all the lights on because of course the dark is scary and they were all passed out at 10.30.

Wednesday was to be a very monumental day, Simon was coming home for the day, and the best part was that the girls had no idea. The maxi taxi was booked for 1pm to pick Simon up from Shents. As I continued to ignore Alexandra ask me why I keep looking out the front door, I saw the taxi turn into our street...I felt like a school girl waiting for her boyfriend to come over. I snuck outside and helped get Simon to the front door, as soon as we got to it, you could see the excitement in Alexandra's face, 'What are you doing here?' and couldn't get out the door quick enough. Simon told her that he asked the doctors to let him out so he could spend her birthday with her at home and to eat the other cake mummy made, a bee hive.

It felt like a barrage of emotions. I was ecstatic to have Simon home, but knew that some parts of the house would be restricting, and I didn't know how to handle the potential frustration. The visit home affirmed the need for alternative accommodation when Simon is released from Shents.

Once through the door, a meander through the house, and he was quick to ask me to help him get onto the couch and he did his best to reclaim his groove. He was like a little kid in a lolly shop when he sat back in front of his plasma TV picked up the remote...and kissed it!! He was home. The day went well and mums and dads, sisters and brothers were asked to come after 4pm so we could have our alone time.

The taxi was booked for 7pm to pick up Simon as his curfew is at 8pm. Not long after 7, the taxi arrived...I was dreading this moment, time for Simon to go. It was extremely difficult for us. I was a blubbering mess while Simon was sending me messages of how good it was to be home, and that it was.

On Friday as Simon attended to Des and Troy in the gym, he had a special visitor, Ashley Prescott, an assistant coach from Essendon to present Simon with a signed Essendon guernsey. He was absolutely blown away by the visit which was arranged by the wonderful Nick Kirkbride. Thank you to Nick for organising that for Simon and for dealing with delayed flights, emails and phone calls galore.

Simon has 3 weeks from today until the neck-chest brace is removed, which will mean he can start other therapies that he is currently restricted from doing with the brace on.

We asked one of the Nurses Jess, to count how many tablets Simon takes in a day...at the moment 31! I couldn't believe it!!

We now look forward to the next home visit. Now we feel like we have overcome that initial shock of coming home, albeit the first of many home visits.