There are so many things happening that I cannot explain and certainly do not understand. Literally hundreds of people get together to concerts with some of Ireland’s best musicians. The concerts are free, but nonetheless they part with thousands of euro of their hard-earned money anyway! A Bonnyman writes a song about a dream. People do the craziest things like swimming a mile when they had never even crossed a 25m pool. Sideways. Who in their right mind would go swimming in the Irish Sea and the North Atlantic? In April. Not just once. But 17 times. Around all-Ireland. In just two days! Who would go running all sorts of marathons when, let’s be honest, running after the bus nearly gives most of us a heart attack? Young people climb up Croag Patrick. On their bare feet! Friends go on pilgrimages in Ireland, France, Italy, and Bosnia! School children from Donegal to Dublin include Pádraig in their daily prayers! Which German hospital would adjust their visiting hours to Aer Lingus’ flight schedule? Which Irish group would have a solid following amongst the staff of a German neuro-ward? Which radio station, in their right mind, would report on the scandal that neuro-rehab is in Ireland, sandwiched between a report of the Irish President visiting the Queen of England and Oscar Pistorius talking for the first time in public about the death of Reeva Steenkamp, as happened today?

And the list goes on and will go on.

The Irish Government will provide better services, better early neuro-rehab, and better ongoing care for patients such as Pádraig. The US authorities and the public in the US will change their attitude towards cyclist. No doubt. – After all, how often do hard-neck insurance companies change their policies in favour of their customers because a previous clause was “ambiguous” – as Pádraig’s travel insurance did recently (though still denying him cover!).

Above all, I am sure that Pádraig will recover from his injury. Many of his friends have told me that when they think of him they see him dancing, at a concert, right in front of the stage. I know that before last year’s Trinity Ball he listened to the music of the group that was going to play, again, and again – until he could remember the words of all of the songs they were going to play.

Pádraig manages to move things. He just keeps at whatever he thinks is the right thing and doesn’t let loose until something moves, until things change. I am sure that all of you can think of (good and bad:) examples and times when he did this with you, or even to you. – I had this experience and know what I’m talking about!

So now, he is lying in his bed and has become the biggest mover ever. How does he do it?

Today, he was quite alert again. He didn’t let loose of his doctor’s hand until she had told him something straight away that she was going to tell him later in the day. Between his really awake periods, he now relaxes and goes into a deep sleep, with his heart down to 60, and his oxygen levels up to the high 90s – with no or very little oxygen added to his breathing. We can’t wait for his wheelchair to arrive, to be able to sit him out every day, and move around the place a little once we have established that it would be safe for him to do so. Given that he has the tracheostomy it might be difficult initially to do this without a nurse or doctor who could intervene quickly in case anything unexpected happened. But we can’t wait. It’ll be such a boost for Pádraig to see nature, to hear the birds singing, to feel fresh air on his skin, his face. He is also swallowing much more, even when he is very relaxed, which is a real good step towards using the speech valve on the trachea and towards getting rid of the trachea all together eventually. How nice it’ll be for him and for us to hear his voice again, for him to be able to smell the spring time, the dew in the morning, and the growing trees and bushes in the warm summer evenings.

Following the report in TheJournal.ie yesterday, there were tens of thousands of views and dozens of comments on their website (46,023 views and 79 comments at the last count) and many people also contacted us directly with offers of support and queries about how they might help their own loved ones in a similar situation.  – When will the Government finally wake up, when will they stop writing reports, when will they stop looking at sick people as an investment and, instead, care for them – as every citizen in need has a right to be cared for?

There is a German saying that ‘all beginnings are hard’ (or something like that). You’d probably agree with it, but then – think about it: there is nothing more exciting than driving for the first time; starting in college; getting new friends; finding new love; seeing new countries; being amazed by different cultures. What is happening to Pádraig is completely new to him. To us. To everyone around him. There has never been a beginning in my life before that has been so difficult, so heartbreaking, so desperate. So hard. But. There has never been so much energy, friendship, and love in my life before either. I must talk to Pádraig about that.

An article on the Irish Times website today reported about a “Swim event for young Irishman in coma after J1 incident” which might get into the Health Supplement tomorrow. I also believe that TG4 TV will be in TCD tonight talking to some of the swimmers. – There is still some time if you want to join the swim in the wild waters that “thank God” surround Ireland: 17 swims off every county with a coast over the coming weekend. Click here to find out about it, and here if you want to support one of the swimmers.

The Newstalk Lunchtime radio show also had a short report on Pádraig’s accident today at around 13:15 (we’ll get the recording off the web tomorrow, hopefully).

Today’s German Music Tip
Birdy, Fire Within (2013). This is the first song on Birdy’s new album ‘Fire Within’ and it is an exception here, because it’s all in English – yet, it won the recent German Music ‘Echo’ Award for best German Rock/Pop Group. The video is very ‘different’.

What’s hot
Beginnings
What’s cold
Endings
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Aller Anfang ist schwer (Discuss!)

Twitter: @forPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org