This is not what you think it is.

It’s not Spain or Barbados or Sicily.

It’s the garden of the NRH where Pádraig and I went for a walk today.

Things are becoming a bit more normal. It guess that by the weekend, it’ll all have settled down, we’ll all have got used to each other, and Pádraig will have adapted to his new temporary environment. And the environment to him.

We were asked would he want to go home for the weekend to get a break from the hospital which was a great offer. It won’t happen this weekend, not just because the house is still a bit of a building site, but also because it’s probably a good idea for him to stay in one place for a while and get used to that before starting to move again.

Once his room will be ready though, it’ll also be time for him to test it over a weekend and than move in.

Pádraig had a good physio assessment session today. I had a real good talk with the social worker. And I’m looking forward to meeting the OT tomorrow.

They will look into the possibility of different types of therapies (just to check them out), to check on the wheelchair and possible improvements for it, and to look into vision and hearing tests.

Contact with the HSE has been established and there are quite a few people getting ready to present Pádraig’s case to the organisation. Imagine if it all worked out just fine! If all the worries would just disappear. If all our prayers were answered. If we could start living life. With ups and downs. But without constant worries. Without the feeling that everything, everything requires such huge efforts and makes you stay awake at night.

We are very lucky to be here – although the idea of being, again, in a hospital has absolutely no appeal whatsoever. But staff here is not just very nice but also very professional, and there is no doubt that they have a huge understanding and interest in helping us to get the support needed from the HSE.

One thing that is clear and has become even more obvious over the past few days is that there is no place like Ireland with people who deeply care, with people who go out of their way, with people who give their time and more, when others need that help and support.

I’ve a feeling of settling down again. Home.