Seven days

By the time I submit this post it will be seven days since Jim's accident. To us it seems more like seven months. Time since last Monday has passed excruciatingly slowly for us, as we wait for the next milestone in Jim's recovery. Despite this feeling, we think that he has done amazingly well since last Monday night when we were told that his chances of survival were not good.

Earlier today Jim gave us a thumbs up. He was not quite as animated this evening when we visited. Jim did open his eyes and recognized his visitors, but seemed to be quite tired. His ability to interact with us seems to fade in and out, but is more obvious with each passing day.

This evening we also happened to meet one of the ambulance officers, Mike, who attended the accident. The ambulance came from New Lynn and was at the accident scene very quickly. Mike said that Jim was struggling with all his arms and legs when he was in the ambulance, and this had decreased when the ambulance arrived at the hospital. We hope that this movement indicates that the use of the right side of his body is not permanently impaired, and will be restored with physical therapy. This will happen after he leaves the neuro ward (to which he will be transferred in a few days). We are so grateful for the speed at which first aid was given to Jim by Mike and his colleagues as well as passers by. This first 30 minutes and the expert care thereafter have given Jim the best chance he could have of a full recovery.

The Philpotts are glad to be at the end of what has been the worst week in our lives. It has also been a week of wonderful support from Jim's friends and relations, who have kept him in their thoughts and prayers, and provided his family with emails, cards, flowers, cakes, meals and lots of good karma. We are grateful more than we can say.