Mary has been moved down to the trauma ward. She is in a
side room due to being still very frail and at risk of infections. The good news
is the room affords her great reception for Radio 4.
Since being moved, the nurses have seen a real development
in Mary’s awareness. Mary is still not fully conscious but there are times when
she seems to respond to being asked to open, close her eyes and blink. She is
also developing a swallow reflex and is able to cough.
Mary has daily physiotherapy and has been able to sit in a
chair assisted.
She still has her tracheotomy in which helps her to breath,
but she is being weaned off this during the next 3-4weeks. This is great news
as it poses a real infection risk to her lungs whilst she uses it
to breathe.
Mary’s wounds are continuing to heal. The external pins in
her thigh bones should be coming out in the next 4-5weeks. All her skin grafts
are doing well.
She has been read most of all Doris Lessing ever wrote.
At the moment Mary needs lots of sleep to help her brain
heal, and nurses are trying to ensure she can do this as much as possible. Please
do not try and visit Mary if your visiting has not been previously agreed with
a member of the family. This is to protect Mary from infection, allow close
family to see her, and ensure she isn’t tired out at the end of it all.
:-) Thank you, this message has made my day. If she'd like to know more about another Southern African writer I am on hand to read Coetzee! So much love to you all xxxx
ReplyDeletethank you for these posts, and for the songs uploaded, I think of Mary constantly and really hope that with each day she´s getting healthier. Please tell her Siobhan from primary school says hi and hopes one day we´ll be able to go to the circus again together with Lalaboose. (Mary will know what I´m talking about).
ReplyDeleteAll my love xxxxxxx
I only just heard about Mary because I went to look up what she ended up writing in an article that I was a source for - somewhat ironically, about Facebook pages becoming memorial pages. I went and had a look on Mary's wall and saw all these messages, and I just can't believe it.
ReplyDeleteSuch awful news - I can't quite take it in, and I just wish her a complete recovery. She's a toughie, so if anyone can do it, Mary can. I think I'm getting rid of my bike after this.
I'm sending so much love to her and her family - and if she ever needs someone else to read aloud to her, there is nothing I like more - and I'm a freelancer now with lots of time on my hands.
Lots of love,
Rhiannon xxxxxx