One second can change it all. Whatever life you were used to, whatever innocent dreams you had. — Today, it’s exactly 5 months, or 21 weeks and 6 days, or 153 days, or 3,672 hours, or 220,320 minutes, or 13,219,200 seconds that a 4.3-ton van hit Pádraig at around 10am on Rt. 6A in Brewster, MA. Doctors did not think he would survive. He did. He is still recovering and not fully awake yet. But he clearly has communicated with the people around him, still in a basic kind of way, but nonetheless he has communicated.

One second can change it all. When the world is your oyster there are only opportunities, stuff to be tried out, adventures to be had, people to be with, countries to visit, talks and discussions, fun and dance all night long.

One second can change it all. What is important to you now, what was important to you before. How everything is different from one moment to the next. When life past seems so innocent, and full of happiness.

One second can change it all. We are waiting, hoping, and praying for this second, this second in the future when happiness will be with us once again.

We have time.

131127 Conradh 180px-Conradh_na_Gaeilge_Baile_Átha_Cliath_2006_Kaihsu_Tai

Conradh na Gaeilge, Harcourt Street, Dublin

Today, Pádraig spent almost 2 hours in the morning and about 4 1/2 hours in the   evening off the assisted breathing / ventilator and on what the Germans call ‘Feuchte Nase’, i.e. what he had been on for a few months in Beaumont – only at only 2l of oxygen instead of the 4-5l from Beaumont. For the first time in a long time, his temperature was just above 37, heart at 80, oxygenation at 98 – all pretty normal. The two friends on a visit from Ireland might have reassured him that all is well. It is so good of them to have made the long journey from Dublin to Hamburg, to spend some time with Pádraig. Tonight, he opened both of his eyes and was quite responsive. We are planning to have a meeting with an Oberarzt to find out about what they are planning, and how they see Pádraig’s progress, for early next week.

Some of Pádraig’s friends are organizing a night for Pádraig in Conradh na Gaeilge, Harcourt Street, Dublin, on Friday, 06 December, 07:30. Check it out.

Today’s German Music Tip
Hannes Wader, Heute hier morgen dort (1982) (my favourite German folk song – there is a mixed German/English version available too)
Heute hier, morgen dort,
bin kaum da, muss ich fort,
hab’ mich niemals deswegen beklagt.
What’s hot
Keep going.
What’s cold
Being stuck with no way out.
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Staplerservice (as seen on a German truck offering fork-lift services)