Paul

The headline is that Paul is very much with us.

I felt that Paul knew who I was, and when he wished to connect to me could clearly hear and understand what I had to say, and nod his head in answer to questions. It is more difficult for him to shake his head and sometimes he doesn’t seem to want to answer a question. During the 2½ hours of my stay he needed occasional periods of rest, but when I asked him if he wanted me to stay (for as long as I could) he always nodded his head.

The prognosis (given by the medics - not doctors, but nursing staff who are clearly experienced with this kind of injury): it is a matter of time, probably a long time (they would not say how long, but I got this feeling that it would be fairly long), for the brain to recover from these injuries.

As to the speed of recovery, during my visit he did something he couldn’t do the day before: the speech therapists required him to open his mouth to form an ‘o’ sound. After about 3 days of them working at it, he succeeded. The first steps are the most difficult.

The medics there only knew him as a Mr Frank Hilton from England, who has had a skiing accident, and whose recovery they are charged with overseeing. But we know that he is Paul. We know that Paul is not to be underestimated. We know he pushes boundaries.

I told the medics to call him Paul (having first asked him if he would like this, and got the nod). Then I told them that Paul pushes boundaries: watch this space! They laughed (positively, not cynically, I hasten to add). Humour is important in these situations: the speech therapists (a lively pair of girls in, I guess, their late 20s) were entertaining and amusing. They wouldn’t take no for an answer. I could feel Paul enjoying this.

So, if anyone gets to see Paul and finds a medic calling him ‘Mr Hilton’ or ‘Frank’, give ‘em hell! They should also know now (which they didn’t ) that Penny is Penny and Charlotte is Charlotte (they thought the photo of Charlotte on the wall was of Penny!!); they did know that William was William. Wanted on the wall: a photo of Penny (but I gather she hates being photographed, hence no photo of Penny).

William fforde 28th March 2009 (Date of visit 25th March)