Tuesday 1st February 2005- FL Graham
Dear friends, family and assorted loved ones,
Airasa is taking my dictation and has had a tiring day, making me inclined to keep this message short. As this is only the second general email I've sent out, many of you may be disappointed at that. I'll be here for months so there will be further opportunities to try writing a longer message.
As most of you will know, I've finally made it to the Pinderfields spinal injuries unit. Today is my first full day here and it all seems a bit mad with loud chatter of nurses and patients, buzzers periodically going off and a television in the bed next door that's on for many hours at a time. It's a teenager which explains part of the infatuation with the TV, but only a small part. I don't know the extent of his injuries but he has a trachaeometry and apparently has very limited use of his hands and just gives me the sense that he's really badly injured. Like me, he has nothing to do all day. Unlike me, he finds satisfaction in the boob tube.
I've a small bedsore on my butt and the therapy is to keep me on one side or the other in 4 hour stretches. My arms are getting quite a thrashing from being restricted to these postures. I don't know how many days this shall go on, but I feel I may go mad if it is very many. Still, physio folks have promised to see me every day, which may be enough for me to keep a grip. The hospital has a chaplaincy service and they have promised to visit me every day. That too may help me to hang on to my senses. Pastor John today anointed me with oil, the first time I've had the experience I believe.
The nurses have set up a super sensitive buzzer that I can just slap with my hand, this may go a long way to help me feel less isolated and abandoned. Many of the patients are able to use wheelchairs. With sensible progress on my sore ass, I hope to be able, at the very least, to sit up in a chair before long.
Pinderfields is outside of Leeds about 25 miles so I'm not going to have as many visitors as I did at LGI. Your continued communications will go a long way to make up that difference.
I'm running out of gas so I'll close. I'm only getting the news in odd snippets but the world seems to be proceeding along the same dysfunctional paths. I did find it interesting at the time of the Iraqi elections just past, that President Bush issued a statement that no matter the electoral outcome, American troops would continue to occupy Iraq, at least for another two years. The US administration has also declared that it will not accept an 'Iranian style' government. What wonderful freedom . . . . what impressive democracy . . . . what bogus sovereignty.
Love,
Graham
Airasa is taking my dictation and has had a tiring day, making me inclined to keep this message short. As this is only the second general email I've sent out, many of you may be disappointed at that. I'll be here for months so there will be further opportunities to try writing a longer message.
As most of you will know, I've finally made it to the Pinderfields spinal injuries unit. Today is my first full day here and it all seems a bit mad with loud chatter of nurses and patients, buzzers periodically going off and a television in the bed next door that's on for many hours at a time. It's a teenager which explains part of the infatuation with the TV, but only a small part. I don't know the extent of his injuries but he has a trachaeometry and apparently has very limited use of his hands and just gives me the sense that he's really badly injured. Like me, he has nothing to do all day. Unlike me, he finds satisfaction in the boob tube.
I've a small bedsore on my butt and the therapy is to keep me on one side or the other in 4 hour stretches. My arms are getting quite a thrashing from being restricted to these postures. I don't know how many days this shall go on, but I feel I may go mad if it is very many. Still, physio folks have promised to see me every day, which may be enough for me to keep a grip. The hospital has a chaplaincy service and they have promised to visit me every day. That too may help me to hang on to my senses. Pastor John today anointed me with oil, the first time I've had the experience I believe.
The nurses have set up a super sensitive buzzer that I can just slap with my hand, this may go a long way to help me feel less isolated and abandoned. Many of the patients are able to use wheelchairs. With sensible progress on my sore ass, I hope to be able, at the very least, to sit up in a chair before long.
Pinderfields is outside of Leeds about 25 miles so I'm not going to have as many visitors as I did at LGI. Your continued communications will go a long way to make up that difference.
I'm running out of gas so I'll close. I'm only getting the news in odd snippets but the world seems to be proceeding along the same dysfunctional paths. I did find it interesting at the time of the Iraqi elections just past, that President Bush issued a statement that no matter the electoral outcome, American troops would continue to occupy Iraq, at least for another two years. The US administration has also declared that it will not accept an 'Iranian style' government. What wonderful freedom . . . . what impressive democracy . . . . what bogus sovereignty.
Love,
Graham
posted by Fearless Leader Sue at 11:12 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home