Visits - March 9th - March 29th - April 2nd

Kaiji and Nawej leave a message to their dad

January 30th

Lisa reaches out and scoops me from work to visit. One of the first visits where Thau was able to sit upright. Unable to speak because of the trach tube, Thau is responsive, communicative with his hand. Lisa massages Thau's restless legs and feet, easing Thau's agitation from being confined to the bed. 

3/9, 6:50pm - Group message update

Yesterday's visit was a triumph as we were able to finally hear Thau speak, they have refitted his tracheotomy tube to close so that air passes over his vocal chords. Hard to put into words how happy it was to hear that Thau's thoughts were together and fluid, his mind attentive. His skull had been put back together on Thursday as the brain swelling has finally diminished. 

The past couple of weeks had some setbacks from a fever and he had fallen into a coma for a day. His lungs were in constant need of care to be cleared out. Now it seems that he is working on connecting with his muscles so that he can cough on his own. He sits up in a chair and is working on standing with assistance. 

The concern for his weak heart remains, he will be transferred to cardiology unit, most likely to considered as a candidate for possible transplant.

Thau seems to absorb the vitality of each of his visitors with a gaze he would hold, he would fix his eyes on each face, and as if he was connecting to deeply missed presence, but I'm also sure he was getting ready to sell me something. 

Although his face is visibly worn out from his trouble sleeping, he was able to be present as we chatted, sang songs, listen to music and recall memories. His mom encouraged by his son's progress.

Brian

Brian, Karla, Sacha

March 29th -

Visited Thau alone soon after he was moved from ICU to Recovery ward. During past visits as it turns out, I was never alone - either Thau's mom was there or I visited with friends.

This day, Thau's mom was away, and I visited for a couple of hours.  The food service came, I would feed him and got to talk. He was going stir crazy from being cooped up, needed to get out of the hospital. We started planning a break out, texted Sasha to see if he would supply the getaway car. Sacha agrees, obviously ;)

I brought up some summer plans, how the weather would break soon, and we could hang out in the Parc Lafontaine across from hospital. Thau chatted about his plans to get a condo in the area, something close to his kids and their school. Something nice.

Then at times there were downhills in our conversation, he was having some crazy nightmares, and anxiety, that were wearing him down, sometimes the conversation would turn dark, about ending it.

Thau would tire out and rest. I left, aware of the limits of Thau's isolation for his day to day spirit.

April 2nd -

Megan flew in from out of town and we link up with Andy to visit. Thau stirs from his sleep and immediately recognizes Megan "from Bermuda" and Andy.  We had our visit during meal service, Thau had energy to setup and converse. 

He is preoccupied with the slower nursing care in the Recovery ward, and his regiment of medication, no longer on IV's, he takes pills through out the day.