Hello, Family & Friends!
I figured today would be a good day to send an update on Brian, because he's having a good day today. Last week was not so good for him, which, in turn, made it not so good for the rest of us. He was inconsolable all week long. He cried from one end of the week to the other. Nothing really made him happy. He kept saying "I just miss me". Then he said "mammy, I'm broken - can you fix me". Talk about breaking your heart wide open, and then throwing hot coals on top of it. I thought last week would never end. Thankfully, it did. The whole family, sans myself, spent time with him last week, so I know it wasn't all bad.
Dad gave him 10 Euros, because he hasn't had/needed money for anything, but he mentioned how he was a little embarrassed about not being able to at least offer to pay for coffee or a pastry (like we would let him pay for anything), so he had his whopping 10 Euros. Hey, Big Spender! I wonder if we should have offered him money early last week! We would have cleared our bank accounts into his hands, if we thought it would have made a difference.
Today, he told me the story of how he had everyone laughing and singing in the cooking class. He said a woman was dancing and laughing so much, her prosthetic leg fell off, whizzed passed his ear, and hit the wall. Now, the accuracy of that story has still to be determined, but he got so much pleasure out of telling it, that it hardly matters if it is in fact true. He made "Irish soda bread, from the Avoca Cook Book", and had a warm slice of it, topped with cheese. He said it was "fabulous". I would have given anything to have shared a slice with him. Although, Brian isn't the best at sharing his food. He sometimes eats like it's his last meal. I wonder if it has anything to do with being in a coma. "Food for thought", pardon the pun!
He also spoke about a Physical Therapist, who did a session with him, and how she explained what every muscle did while she was manipulating it. He was impressed with her dedication. He's like that himself, really. If you get him on the topic of something he enjoys; gardening, cooking, renovating, being a Quantity Surveyor, he can explain anything in 3D. He's incredibly descriptive, and always was. I remember hearing Brian laughing as he read "All Creatures Great & Small", and he would repeat the stories in such detail, that you really thought you were watching the Vet deliver a calf!
Recently, the family took a trip to Nottingham to box up Brian's house. The Letting Agent found two lovely girls to rent Campbell Grove. According to Dad, there was so much stuff in the house, that it was almost impossible to get everything boxed up in 3 days. Thanks to Ann, and Joan, Vijay, Arun, and Pam, it was all done. Special thanks to "big brother, John" for storing some of Brian's things until we can pick them up. We would have been lost without all of you. It was hard to imagine all of Brian's lovely things going into boxes. It was harder to imagine the house full of his belongings, but without him in it. Who's kidding who, it's all hard!
If you'd like to visit him, go for it. Prepare to cry with laughter (save the real tears for when you leave, because he senses everything). If you'd like to call him, his phone number is 087-655-4411. If you call from the US, he's 6 hours ahead, and the number is 011-353-87-6554411. If you're calling from the UK, the number will be 0044-87-655-4411. He would love a quick "hello". He's sure to tell you the same story a couple of times, but if you react like it's the first time around, he'll be thrilled with you!
Intense rehab is really good for Brian, but he does get lonely. To wake up 4 months after a night out, and not be able to see, or move, must be awful. Knowing that you all care for Brian so much, keeps him going, even through the tough times. In some ways, things haven't really become easier. We still need a little push now and then. My parents & brother's & sisters are simply amazing. But, they'll tell you themselves, they get days when it's easier to just stay in bed. But, Brian doesn't get that luxury, so they keep going. We have friends, and family that experience the highs and lows with us, and without all of you, this would be close to impossible. So "thank you".
I promise that the next update will be shortly behind this one.
Take good care of yourselves. We're grateful for you every day.
Much love, and gratitude,
Hogan Family; Brian, Phil, Siobhan, Grainne (me), Nevis, Brian (the hero), Jonathan, & last, but not least, Shane!
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P.S. One picture is of Brian and Jonathan taking a nap. We keep Brian on the inside, in case he decides to roll off! The other picture was taken in Ann & John's back yard, on a lovely, sunny, June day. It was a magic day, with lovely friends. XX
