It’s great to have visitors around again this weekend. It was one of the things we were really afraid of when we moved Pádraig to Germany, that he would loose touch with what he values most: his friends. Of course, it would have been infinitely easier for them to see him on a regular basis in Dublin. It’s really so amazing how they are staying in touch and organise regular visits to him. Friends going abroad for longer periods stop by on the way or before they leave home – just to make sure to share their plans and big life changes with him. Others squeeze in a couple of days between work and study. I am sure they know, but it cannot said often enough, how important their effort to make the long and expensive trip to Hamburg is for Pádraig.

Pádraig still in his ‘old’ room, waiting for the transfer. Last week, we tried to find out what the move will mean for him and how it will affect his therapies, and were told to get in touch with the consultant on the other ward. He’ll be on holidays for another week and a bit, so we’ll have to wait and be patient.

From next week, we’ll start visiting a number of people and rehab facilities in Germany and Ireland to gather more information and support for An Saol, and the optimum treatment and therapies for people with severe TBI. We have a good idea of what we would like to do, but want to compare that with what is being done already and we want to get some feedback from experienced practitioners. It’ll be a busy two weeks, with some traveling. There will be one day where neither of the two of us will be here, but it’ll be ok, I’m sure.

On the road again tomorrow, bringing one of our daughters to Weeze – it’s not exactly around the corner and don’t ask why we’re doing it. It’s just one of those things that we didn’t manage to organise in a more straight forward way. It’ll be nice to talk (on the way down), and it’ll be nice to have time to think (on the way back up).

Today’s German Music Tip
Cro, Easy (2011). – It shows up my age, I suppose. It is not Udo Lindenberg anymore, not anymore for a long time. It’s German hiphop. And Cro is one of the absolute stars in that scene, with more than 40m youtube clicks on this song alone.
What’s hot
Visits
What’s cold
Isolation
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Mensch, das wär’ ja noch Schöner!