710 replies to this topic

[Cactus]

Annabel, you and Bert are in all our thoughts and prayers.

Stay strong, and always remember we are here for you if you ever need anything.

I look forward to hearing the next update from you. It is truly heartwarming.

Best regards from Canada...
Ian Duke

[G-BSCA]

You should not be thanking us Annabel! We should be thanking you! Berts is mainly responding to you, and the things you do... So you are obviously his reason for needing to get well again, and for that i can only thank you   . Our server (Akroma, he has probably spoken of it many times) would not be the same is he were to never return, and i really do hope that he may return to us very soon.

Id like to congratulate you, as a whole for sharing the news with us, as without that we had never had known what trouble he was in, and be able to pay our greatest repects towards him.



G-BSCA

[Mul.]

excellent to see he is on the mend. Thankyou for keeping us informed

Wishing you all the best of luck,

Mul

[Annabel]

Hi everyone, last week a nurse suggested me to write down all the important events that had happened to Bert and write down my feelings on these events.

As you all where informed late on what has happened, I just thought I share it here. I left out some too personal notes.
But this is what happend during the past weeks after Bert's accident.

Quote

18th September.

While I'm at work Bert is hit by a car and is rushed to the hospital.
When I arrive at the hospital, Bert is already in surgery.
Doctors tell me operation is successful but the had to amputate Bert's right leg.
Bert also had a cerebral hemorrhage, is not waking up from surgery.
Doctors fight for his life, after 10 hours he becomes stable and is moved to intensive care

Doctors tell me Bert is in a deep coma, his changes on recovery are slim.
He looks horrible, my world has shattered.

19th September
Bert gets a drainage tube implanted into his brain, to drain blood and lower the pressure on his brain.

20th September
No change Bert is still in coma, I pray all day.
Deniese has broke down, she needs my help !

24th September
Bert dies, after great effort, doctors are able to bring him back.
The saddest day of my life, I'm shattered.

26th September
Bert is still hanging on, still in coma.
Nurses tell me the driver of the car has come to the hospital and asked about Bert's condition.
I'm as mad as ###### ! And go and see the driver.
When I walk into the room, I meet a shattered young girl. She's crying all the time, asking for forgiveness. She tells me she was late for work, on her first day and speeded to get in time. Lost her job the same day. At first I don't care, but she seems to be really heartbroken. Her mother tells me she burned her license and sold her car.
I start to feel sorry for her and tell her we will keep her informed on Bert's condition.
I leave her I'm angry and feel sorry for her the same time.

30th September
Bert's drainage tube is removed from his head.
Brain scans are made, but it's hard to tell how great the damage is.

5th October
Bert is moved from intensive car to a private IC room.

6th October
Doctors discuss ending life support with me.
I'm desperate, I don't want him to suffer but don't want to let him die.
I'm in so much pain, GOD HELP ME !

7th October
I tell the doctors I want Bert to live, if Bert has to die only God can do this.

10th October
Bert is still in coma, no improvements.
Today his army commander came with some of Bert's army friends.
They are too kind for me and Deniese.

This evening the driver came again,  while I grabbed a snack in the restaurant. I don't know why but I sit down at her table we don't speak, she still looks sad.
After I eat, I ask how she is. She feels very guilty, still has no new job.
I remember Bert always told me to forgive people.
I still can't, but give her the name and address of my boss.
Later when she's gone I call my boss, he is willing to hire her for the time I'm away.

16th
Bert's Birthday, this should be a happy day.
We can't celebrate, it just doesn't feel right.

20th October
Bert's coma hasn't improved.
Ending his life support crosses my mind again.
I feel sad and pray.

29th October
I walk past Bert's computer, stop and look at it.
I miss him sitting there, it hurts.
I remember him telling me to inform his friends on the internet.
I tell myself I have to do this.

30th October
I finally found the passwords and logins
Now I can contact his friends.
As I leave for the hospital I just check Bert's e-mails and check the forums.
I didn't know he had this much friends.

[d_tillman69]

sorry to hear, my thoughts are with him.

[[V1]-[VR]-[V2]]

we have to try anything! to get him back. ive heard from scientific resources that things like his favourite music or favourite flavours can effect the brain activity. i hope he will inprove and gets awake very soon! we cant loose such a good guy

[Mul.]

Dear god. I can't even imagine the pain you have been through the past month. Every day of your log made me completely speechless. At least it seems like bert is on the mend.

It is apparent that he's a very strong person to make it through all this and I'm sure he will be up very soon.

Mul

[G-BSCA]

Its good that after all that he is coming around, and quite nicely at that.

I really feel a bursting urge to thank Annebel again, but this time for making the right decision on the life support machine.... Thank god, and Bert that you wanted it to be kept on. Hopefully the decision will be made sucessful in the near future.


G-BSCA

[PiP]

Hi, and welcome to the forum. Albeit under less than ideal circumstances.

It sounds like you've had a rough time these past months. But it's great that Bert is recovering so rapidly at the moment.

Thank you for keeping us all informed.

Good luck,
Bracken

[Brad]

Thank you Annabelle, for sharing your experience with us.  I know that's not an easy thing to do - but as that nurse advised, it's good to get things like that in writing.  I don't know all the reasons why, but it does help to clarify things in one's mind.

You are very brave, and Bert is lucky to have you.

[ZEUSES]

wow great news mrs annabelle glad that his condition is becoming better i pray for him every night. wish full recovery to bert and good luck to your family i will keep praying for him

[VirginAtlantic101]

Annabel, thank you so much for updating us... this must be very very hard for you and your family to take, and for you to pluck up the curage to post your deepest feelings is remarkable... well done! i cannot praise you enough!

VA101

[boeing_737]

It's really great to see Bert recovering!

Quote

You are very brave, and Bert is lucky to have you.

Indeed. Few people have the mental strength and courage to go through situations like this. I take my hat off to you ma'am.

Bert's contribution to FS2004.com cannot be listed. But the best example of his work is the superb banner he created for us.

Do keep us updated.

[SargeJr3]

Annabelle, looking at your notes each day is re assurance that Bert will make it through this, and I'm sure, through everything he knows that his friends are wll imformed.

Glad to hear more, and Bert and his entire family are in my Prayers.

[Pavehawk]

It really is heartbreaking to hear this.  Glad to see he is improving.

Keep up the recovering Bert!  I know you will win the fight!

[drarni]

Great news Mrs Annabelle, Thanks a lot for sharing the news with us, be strong, Bert needs you in these moments, he is strong and your support makes him stronger, he wants to live and made great effort for that, keep supporting him, as an Anesthesiologist, I know how difficult the head injuries can be, and you need a lot of time and to be patient! you mentioned he said yes( is he not intubated any more or does he have a tracheostomy done?) Is he breathing spontaneously?(no respirator), if yes great news...again, you are doing great job, our prayers will be always with you till he writes to us him self with God's will soon.
Thanks for keeping us updated..be always possitive and have faith the best is coming.

[TND4NOS]

Thanks for the updated information Annabelle.... i know its quite hard but you are very brave for doing this.... and keeping strong.

This is still on the line stuff, i still don't know what to think

[kewlceo]

Annabel, on Nov 2 2005, 12:12 PM, said:

After I eat, I ask how she is. She feels very guilty, still has no new job.
I remember Bert always told me to forgive people.
I still can't, but give her the name and address of my boss.
Later when she's gone I call my boss, he is willing to hire her for the time I'm away.

This is so forgiving in nature (whether you've said the actual words or not) that it is inspirational. I'm speechless! You and Bert are both angels in my book.

[Annabel]

Hello everyone,

Last night and today Bert hasn't been awake until now, not much has happened in his room.
Just the usual every day routines, giving him a bath.

Most of the time I have been searching the internet for information on coma recovery.

I also visit all the forums Bert has and of course this one, reply to e-mails I get from his friends.
I'm so glad they gave me this laptop to use, the waiting here in the hospital can become very boring sometimes.

This morning at around 6 o'clock, in the room across the hall, a young girl was brought in.
The nurse told me she had also an accident. She had been trapped in her car.
Later this morning people walked in and out her room crying. She sadly passed away.
This made me realize how lucky Bert has been.

Bert's condition is still stable, the brain monitor showed some small improvements during the day.

I will keep you all infromed.
Annabel.

[V1 said:

-[VR]-[V2],Nov 2 2005, 09:08 PM]we have to try anything! to get him back. ive heard from scientific resources that things like his favourite music or favourite flavours can effect the brain activity. i hope he will inprove and gets awake very soon! we cant loose such a good guy

Hello floris, we already been doing this for weeks.
We play his CD's here in the room. We talk to him or read from a book to him.
Our daughter Deniese always tells jokes to him and reads to him form the donald duck.
We also massage him a lot, his hands, feet and muscle. As we wipe his mouth to keep it moist, we sometimes put a little bit of his favorite food on his lips. Just enough for him to taste it.

drarni, on Nov 3 2005, 09:08 AM, said:

Great news Mrs Annabelle, Thanks a lot for sharing the news with us, be strong, Bert needs you in these moments, he is strong and your support makes him stronger, he wants to live and made great effort for that, keep supporting him, as an Anesthesiologist, I know how difficult the head injuries can be, and you need a lot of time and to be patient! you mentioned he said yes( is he not intubated any more or does he have a tracheostomy done?) Is he breathing spontaneously?(no respirator), if yes great news...again, you are doing great job, our prayers will be always with you till he writes to us him self with God's will soon.
Thanks for keeping us updated..be always possitive and have faith the best is coming.

Drarni, Bert has had a tracheostomy, I had to ask the nurse what this was.
She also told me he might get a 'talking tracheostomy' fitted when he needs this.
Don't know how that works, but I think they will tell me when he gets one.
It looks so wierd seeing the tracheostomy tube coming from his neck.
Other then the tracheostomy, he has a catheter for his bladder, a intravenous drip.
He is fitted with patches for the brain and heart monitors.
It's a crowded room with all these machines.

Edited by Annabel, 03 November 2005 - 09:53 AM.

[Locstar]

Your in my prayers Captain