Nothing further away from an ordinary day. And it started – just like one…

The first indication that this was going to be different was when we had our weekly meeting with the physio. Today, the plan was to move Pádraig into the viva-la-Thekla. We were so happy not only that she had managed to get it for Pádraig, but that she had decided that we were going to help her moving him over from his bed into this miracle chair. We had been looking at the ‘pros’ doing it, I can tell you know that doing it is a very different kettle of fish. But it was great – so great, in fact, that I can’t wait to do this again. And the physio had such a sense of humour and was checking with Pádraig all the time whether what I was saying about him was actually true (loosing his anoraks, leaving his mobiles behind), that I was beginning to wonder which side she was on! Pádraig must also have enjoyed this, we are sure that he smiled on a few occasions!

Then, in the afternoon, it was visiting time. Three good friends from Ireland, two of them regular visitors, one of them for the first time in Hamburg. What a joy it was to have energetic voices full of life and excitement around! I think the whole ward lightened up! My God, there it was: fun, normality, life, laughter! Everybody so enjoyed this, it was something else.

I missed the session in Pádraig’s room which, according to rumours that run right around the hospital this afternoon, must have been something else. No – it was not a recording, it was a life session! And what a session it must have been. Pádraig moved in his viva-la-Thekla, he lifted his arm (you know better than I the way he dances) and really got going. Sure, all in the context and with the limitations of his current condition, but it must have been really great! For him, I think for that hour or two or three, he must have felt back in the place where he enjoys himself most: right  bank in the middle of the action, with his friends, a lot of energy, smiles, humour, fun, smiles, Lebensfreude.

It transformed the place and tonight, I can see Pádraig dancing! No doubt. There he is!

Today’s German Music Tip
Imca Marina, Viva España (1972). This was number 11 of the German “Hitparade” in 1972, during the German Wirtschaftswunder, when the Germans started to leave their towels on the deck chairs beside the pool on their way to breakfast at 8am.

What’s hot
Dancing
What’s cold
Staying in bed all day long
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Lebensfreude

“Gute deutsche Eiche”, my father used to say when he showed of our living room furniture that was build to last for the next, hhhhmmmm, thousand years. I used to be embarrassed when he did this and, of course, thought he was exaggerating like he always did. Well, he was right to say that it would last ‘forever’. It’s now in our German living room. As good as new. What a contrast to good auld IKEA.

Oak tree on the Schön-Klinik hospital grounds – photograph taken earlier today

I had to think about this today when we walked up to Pádraig. The hospital ground is full of huge, old, guts deutsche Eiche. Trees that have a long history in German folklore. Trees that I sheltered me during the summer thunderstorms when I was visiting my grandparents in the south of Germany. Trees that were used to build our living room furniture. Oak lasts forever.

We had our weekly meeting with Pádraig’s speech therapist who is trying to get him to breathe without the tracheostomy, which is: not through the pipe-cut in his throat, but – blocking up that valve – through his mouth and nose. Today, Pádraig tolerated the switch over from the valve to his throat really well. He was really relaxed and, like last week, made a few sounds, trying out his vocal chords. He has to get used to swallow again, so that the saliva goes down the right tube and not by his vocal chords into his wind pipe – he is already doing this quite well, but could do it more regularly. We were really really happy to see how well he managed the ‘speech valve’ for almost half an hour. Of course, we very much hope that he will continue to have this more often and for longer periods.

Thinking of our plans, of the plans one makes for life, of the things, like the oak and the oak furniture, that are supposed to go on and to last forever, I listened to a song by one of my favourite writers about the ‘inadequacy of human endeavour’. It’s similar to the saying I referred to some time ago: man makes plan and God laughs. Brecht says it in a different way:

Ja; mach nur einen Plan
sei nur ein großes Licht!
Und mach dann noch´nen zweiten Plan
gehn tun sie beide nicht.

Today, Meon Eile published ‘Tríd an Dorchadas – Pádraig Schäler‘, a short documentary about the Snámh. A good friend sent on the link. I kept watching it all afternoon, each time understanding a little more. But even with the ‘lingo’ you will get the spirit of this incredible adventure: 50 mad, young, energetic people defying what everybody would consider to be ‘good judgement’ and did something what no-one in their right mind would even be thinking of, never mind be doing. Aodhán estimates on the event’s Facebook site that the swimmers raised more than €37,000 for Pádraig. Don’t know what to say. Really. Unbelievable. Pure mad. – Seems there is a kind of friendship that is like ‘gute deutsche Eiche’, one that is incredibly strong, one that lasts forever, and gives you shelter when you need it? Oak!

Today’s German Music Tip
Berthold Brecht, Lied von der Unzulänglichkeit des menschlichen Strebens (1928) – This version is sung by Brecht himself.

Der Mensch lebt durch den Kopf
der Kopf reicht ihm nicht aus
versuch es nur; von deinem Kopf
lebt höchstens eine Laus.
Denn für dieses Leben
ist der Mensch nicht schlau genug
niemals merkt er eben
allen Lug und Trug.

Ja; mach nur einen Plan
sei nur ein großes Licht!
Und mach dann noch´nen zweiten Plan
gehn tun sie beide nicht.
Denn für dieses Leben
ist der Mensch nicht schlecht genug:
doch sein höh´res Streben
ist ein schöner Zug.

Ja; renn nur nach dem Glück
doch renne nicht zu sehr!
Denn alle rennen nach dem Glück
Das Glück rennt hinterher.
Denn für dieses Leben
ist der Mensch nicht anspruchslos genug
drum ist all sein Streben
nur ein Selbstbetrug.

Der Mensch ist gar nicht gut
drum hau ihn auf den Hut
hast du ihn auf den Hut gehaut
dann wird er vielleicht gut.
Denn für dieses Leben
ist der Mensch nicht gut genug
darum haut ihn eben
ruhig auf den Hut.
What’s hot
Talk
What’s cold
Silence
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Triebfahrzeugführer (from a job advertisement with the Deutsche Bahn – there are four words hidden in this ‘job’, at least one you probably know from the you-know-don’t-mention-it-to-the-Germans!)

Telephone conferences. Meetings. Trying to stay on top of work. Emails. A long visit in the hospital. And: YES! VIVA la THEKLA! A break from the Giro d’Italia MOTOmed Viva 2 training machine. All ‘metrics’ really good. Some reaction to read-out-a-loud news stories from thejournal. A hand squeeze from Pádraig. Some music. A cream egg tasted (not eaten). Two to go. Still hidden in the lovely hand-knitted Easter hens which a good friend sent over to Pádraig. A smile? Not sure, but could have been a smile. A bit of movement in the right direction. Slow and steady.

Another. Ordinary. Day. One of so many.

The plan was to start working on the implementation of the 2nd edition of the ‘Good Friday Agreement’ today. The idea is to establish best practice, learn from people who are a step ahead of us here in Germany, get a mentor, talk to our friends in Ireland, set a date for the opening, and get going.

It’ll be a great, a really necessary, and such an important thing to do. I need to do something that has a positive outlook, a bright future, something that has meaning, makes sense, and is forward-looking. A goal we can achieve, even if it will take some time. Are you in?

Today’s German Music Tip
Demis Roussos, Goodbye my love – Goodbye Auf Wiederseh’n (1973). Keep in mind when you watch this clip that it’s from the Hitparade, the top 10, on German TV. And take note of all the young people in the audience… Just a bit more than 40 years ago.
What’s hot
Awareness
What’s cold
Formulare
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Gemütlichkeit

Today, we discovered the story, in Der Spiegel (http://img.ly/yDBm http://img.ly/yDBo http://img.ly/yDBp), of the young English girl who managed to increase the number of her followers on Twitter from 300 to 30,000 in just a couple of days. (It also got published in the English papers, among them the Daily Mail.) Der Spiegel reported on it, with a full page article headlined: “90 Zeichen Stuss”. The sad thing is that, if you think about it, what Gemma Worrall wrote is probably not that strange for someone who doesn’t read that much, hears about the President every day, lives in a country where the prime minister is not that much of a headliner, and the media are dominated by news from our neighbour across the big pond. To be honest, I thought about coming up with something like that tweet myself, get 30,000 followers, and then strike back at the ’empire’. What do you think? Just have to come up with the ‘killer tweet’:) Pádraig continued with his training today, his coaches getting better with the equipment – though the MOTOmed VIVA 2! has got an awful lot of programmes and settings. The way he is going at the moment, he’ll be more than ready for his wheelchair and the date in the rose garden whenever the wheelchair finally arrives. He really seems to enjoy the exercise, he is very relaxed and his oxygen levels are going up with the exercise. We are so happy that we are able to help and that he get more movement into his body. Nothing like it!

Oh, before I forget it: Late last week, I got a call on my mobile from someone saying he was calling from Limerick. He asked me was I Enda Kenny. I said ‘what’?  He said, ‘Yes, Enda Kenny. I found your number on the interweb’. – While this sounds like a joke, it’s not. I hang up:)

Today’s German Music Tip Werner Lämmerhirt, Manche Dinge die ändern sich nie (2008). It’s funny how names and things I hand’t thought about for decades (yes decades!) are coming back to me, preferably late in the evening or at night. Like Werner Lämmerhirt. One of our regular singer song writer finger pickers. (Though I would disagree with this song title – we will change even, and especially, the things “die ändern sich nie” – right?!)

Manche Dinge, die ändern sich nie Schon als kleiner Junge verspürte er den Drang zu etwas Großem um dann in seiner Fantasie zu oft blind vorzustoßen dann riss er sich Wunden und blutige Knie manche Dinge, die ändern sich nie Und war der Tag mal grau und fürchterlich, sucht er sein Heil im Dunkeln wo die Welt noch ihre Wärme hat, morgens ist er sturzbetrunken das ist auch so seine Art von Philosophie manche Dinge, die ändern sich nie

Ein jeder hat ‘nen Scherbenhaufen und den trägt er mit sich blind man lässt die Dinge einfach laufen wie sie sind Nur mit den Jahren fällt’s auch leichter, man gewöhnt sich eben dran dass das Glück nie ganz gereicht hat’ dann und wann Die Oma ist schon ganz nervös, die Bank kommt sie besuchen die schwatzen ihr dann ihr Häuschen ab, meinen, es käme wie gerufen denn im Heim wäre noch ein Platz frei für sie manche Dinge, die ändern sich nie

Und der Politiker im Wahlkampf tönt, er will sich jetzt darum kümmern und wie er auf die Pauke haut, da kann man sich nur wundern heute hat er seine Meinung, morgen scheißt er auf sie manche Dinge, die ändern sich nie Ein jeder hat ‘nen Scherbenhaufen … Und die Moral des Ganzen ist, ach, lass mich da nicht lügen dass wir stets die Dummen sind, wenn die da Oben uns betrügen sind wir nur die Bauern ihrer Schachpartie manche Dinge, die ändern sich nie

Doch zum Glück gibt’s noch was anderes, dass will ich nicht vergessen wenn der Frühling auf den Winter folgt, und Liebende sich küssen Mag sein es hat ’nen Hauch von Melancholie doch diese Dinge, nein, die ändern sich nie

Text u. Musik: Werner Lämmerhirt 1. Gitarre: FACFCF

What’s hot 30,000 followers and hitting back What’s cold Boring tweets (but how do you make them ‘attractive’?)The German word/phrase/verse of the day Stuss

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

This morning we went to a church we hadn’t been to for the Easter celebrations. You think the catholic church is universal. Well, next time you go to Germany, or even Hamburg, I’ll point you to the church to prove you wrong. It was packed and a completely different experience from the one we had at Christmas in our parish church, where we had been almost on our own. As part of the celebrations, a baby was to be christened. Leroy Kilian (before you ask: yes, the priest did have a hard time finding saint Leroy, which is why he always referred to baby Leroy Kilian during the ceremony.) The parents were a not-so-young-anymore couple who obviously had never assisted a christening before. When the priest asked them, what they wished for their child, they said “Na ja, die Taufe, nicht?” and were immediately corrected by the priest “Die Taufe Leroy Kilians”. At this stage, he was still sharing the microphone with the parents, so that all of us could clearly hear the parent’s answers. He then asked them whether they renounced evil (Widersagen Sie dem Bösen, um in der Freiheit der Kinder Gottes !eben zu können?) and they responded: “Ja sicher” to which the priest said “Ich widersage”. When he asked them whether they believed in God the Almighty… (Glauben Sie an Gott den Vater, den Allmächtigen, den Schöpfer von Himmel und Erde?) and they said: “Auf jeden Fall” – he lost his patience and told them to say “Ich glaube” or he would stop the whole ceremony altogether. That was also the end of him sharing his microphone with the parents…

The mass took an hour and a quarter in total, had a dozen altar boys and girls, a phenomenal organ performance, at least two dozens of holy songs, and would most definitely not have been possible in Ireland. But we shared with everybody the joy of the risen Christ, the joy of the resurrection and victory over death.

Later and back in the hospital, we were reading the news from some websites for Pádraig, as we do every day, including thejournal.ie, his and many young people’s favourite online news channel. We found “The week in quotes” (Our worst fears and a lack of editorial judgement: The week in quotes) and started to read the news out to him, starting with Sean Fitzpatrick who was found not guilty of providing unlawful financial assistance; second piece was on Garda whisteblower John Wilson who revealed that more serving members of the force may come forward with new revelations; and then – the third piece of news of the week:

Completely unexpected!

Completely unexpected was also the really nice fruit and cheese one of Pádraig’s could-not-be-nicer carers brought in to him today. We had tried to let him taste an Easter egg – but the fruit was definitely the healthier option. While Pádraig cannot eat (yet), we think he is well able to feel that there is something in his mouth. His tongue and his nose were definitely picking up these ‘goodies’. It’s all stimulating his senses.

He also went back on his exercise ‘bike’. We’re getting better at it and so is Pádraig! It’s amazing: you would think it to be exhausting – but it really seems to relax him, bring up his oxygen levels and keep his heart rate down. Of course, it only for about half an hour, it’s slow, and his legs are moved for him by the ‘bike’. What a difference that will make to his overall condition if we continue with it over the coming weeks!

We were looking at the coverage of the 1916 commemorations today at the GPO. The rising that laid the foundation of what is Ireland today. Those who gave their lives then had ideals, they really believed in a better future. So do we. And we will work hard with Pádraig and his friends to make it happen! A better future. Another Easter Rising!!

Today’s German Music Tip
Muenchenmedia Team, Oh, oh, Osterhas – They say, ‘viel Spass beim Mitsingen’ – not sure about the ‘Mitsinge’, not sure about the song really, but this being Easter…, we’ll be generous:)

What’s hot

What’s cold

The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Frohe Ostern!

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

Whether you are religious or not, catholic or not, the events of Easter, the ‘story’ of Easter, must be one of the most extraordinary ones you will ever hear. A few years ago, I was cycling home from Heuston Station, just before Easter. It was late. Cold. Dark. I was listening to music on my phone (were phones not made to make calls anyway?). The usual. Dylan, Stones, Young, Lindenberg, Bach. “Oh Haupt voll Blut und Wunden”, the passion. It made me think. Realize. Is the story of the passion the story of life? Are those three or four days, or maybe this whole week leading up to Easter Sunday, is this our life? Triumph on entering Jerusalem; a last big meal with our friends; the kiss of the traitor; the judge that believes but does not impose a just verdict; the long walk up to Golgotha, the help from strangers, friends, family; the suffering and the end; finally, the defeat of death. The victory of hope.

Pádraig had a bit of a setback today for a few minutes when he was moved into a new position. His oxygen levels went down quite low. This used to happen regularly, but it had not happened for quite some time. Luckily the staff (nurse and doctor) managed to get his breathing back up to normal without more than the routine intervention, more or less as ‘always’.

After that, we arranged the merry-Reck-MOTOmed for Pádraig, which “führt zur Ausschüttung von Glückshormonen” according to its manufacturers. In our case it simly führt zur Ausschüttung von ‘stress hormones’, in a good way. We are getting really better in adjusting the machine to Pádraig, and in getting him to do the exercises almost every day, but it is still a bit stressful, again: in a a good way. – My common sense tells me that this is really fantastic, he needs the movement, his legs need to be ‘coached’, his feet will need to realize that they are controlled by him. The more his blood circulates, the better and the sooner his brain will recover. We are so excited about this, it’s hard to explain.

When we told Pádraig that we were now going to lift his legs into the merry-Reck-MOTOMed, he started to move his feet! Once he got going, interestingly, his hear, temperature, and oxygen level did not go down – all the important parameter improved. Isn’t that marvelous? We remind ourselves all the time to take it very easy with Pádraig and we will stop the merry-Reck-MOTO Med as soon as he gets too stressed out.

Today’s German Music Tip
Bach, BWV 244-63 O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden

What’s hot
Hope, believe
What’s cold
Betrayal

The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Strandkorbgrenze

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

Today was one of these ordinary days, nothing really new, nothing  really changed – except that there was a of ‘good friday agreement’ meaning that we are going to create a place in Ireland for young people in a position similar to Pádraig’s.

Pádraig himself was well today, he sat out in the viva-la-thekla and we got him to train more with the motomed.

Good Friday brings so many memories of us being together in Spain walking the camino, attending one of the ‘pasos’.

I won’t disturb them and keep it short today.

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

We are organizing a special ‘camino’ for Pádraig over Easter. He is going to walk quite a distance over the coming days. From the comfort of his bed. I know, it sounds amazing and too good to be true but – as we have learned over the last weekend – mad and crazy things are happening that no one can really explain. The walk won’t be quite like the one we had in Spain over the past few years around Easter, but given the circumstances, it’s a close ‘second’, a runner-up.

We now have a series of weekly meetings. One with the physio and OT. One with the speech therapist. They are all really nice, incredibly nice. Doing their job, of course, but also having a real interest in supporting Pádraig on his ‘camino’. I think he is really lucky to have so many people around him that will do everything they can to make his recovery easier. They could not really be any more supportive. I know that none of this is easy. Not just for Pádraig, but also for the hospital staff. ‘Keeping the faith’, recognizing even the tiniest step forward, being enthusiastic about it, sharing this enthusiasm with Pádraig, passing on to him whatever positive energy there is, is very often a challenge. That’s what life is all about, right? A challenge, a constant struggle. At that, a struggle that, in the end, all of us are going to loose. Which is why we so much admire people who keep going nichtsdestotrotz!!

It does what it says on ‘the tin’: “Ausschüttung von Glückshormonen”

About three years ago, I started to think that life is just a longer version of the passion. It’s a constant struggle. It’s about not giving up. It’s about suffering. About experiencing the solidarity of friends, or of strangers during a time when you most need it and less expect it. It’s about the hope and victory on Easter Sunday. I don’t think you have to be a catholic, or even a Christian, to see some truth in this. Try it out. The longer you talk to any person, the better you get to know them, their families and their friends, the clearer the picture gets. They all have their own ‘cross to carry’,

Today’s German Music Tip
Musikantenbörse Garding – not a band, but an event. The most unlikely event in Garding, Germany’s second smallest ‘city’, has 8 weeks of music every summer. And they are looking for new musicians to join the fun. (Garding is 5 minutes from Tating, and about 1.5 hours from Hamburg, no the north sea cost.)

Since we should really be in Spain – here is our first Spanish song:
Joan Manuel Serrat, Mediterraneo (1974). This song has a long personal history for me, with many recuerdos – but it all changed, when an australian lady played it for her dying husband every afternoon in Beaumont. It must have meant so much to the two of them. Their lives, their memories, their dreams.

Finally, don’t forget that tomorrow is the last day to register for the Dublin Women’s Marathon!!!!!

What’s hot
Camino
What’s cold
Arrival

The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Nichtsdestotrotz…

Today was amazing

There was a bit of a delay, but today Pádraig had an opportunity to call you. Using his voice for the first time in a long time, it was not quite clear who he was calling, but it must have been in response to this shout of ‘Pádraig, Pádraig, Pádraig’ traveling on Sunday night from a very cold and dark beach in Bray all across the way to Hamburg.

We had made an appointment with his speech therapist for this morning. When she unblocked the tube, Pádraig struggled a bit with the new and probably irritating sensation in his throat. Once he got used to it a little, the therapist blocked the tube so that Pádraig had to breathe through his mouth and nose. Again, a whole new sensation after so many months. The amazing thing is that he was able to do this, struggling first, but then relaxing a bit and taking the air in through his mouth and nose, and breathing it out the same way. This is when we heard his voice, not articulating clearly, not ‘real’ speech, but it was as if he was trying to tell us something, as if he was trying to speak. Of course, we don’t know whether that was really the case, but that is how it sounded. It was amazing for us, and it must have been even more amazing for him. I think he was saying to all who went on this mad adventure over the weekend “you’re an amazing, crazy and mad bunch of people. I heard you on Sunday night!”

As if that was not enough, a really caring nurse asked the therapists today about how to use the exercise ‘bike’ – and then, she got him going on this gadget for about an hour. Some time this week, she’ll show us how it works.

And we got word that the super-dooper custom-made rocket don’t-stop-us-now-cause-we’re-having-a-good-time wheelchair will be beamed down to Eilbek from the universal special assembly station up in the solar orbit stelar system early next week. We can’t wait!

Remember the rose garden? Well, it won’t be long now!

The Dublin Women’s Mini Marathon will take place on 02 June, Bank Holiday Monday, and there will be a sizable contingent of Pádraig’s friends joining the marathon to raise funds. We’ll have more details on that soon. But in the meantime, please remember to sign up for the event, because the deadline for signing up is approaching soon: Friday, 18 April, is the last day! Sign up here. So far, 36 brave runners have signed up on the Facebook page – but in order to be allowed to run, you will also have to register on the race’s official website.

Today’s German Music Tip
Ape, Beck und Brinkmann, Endlich ein Liebeslied. Another band from my Heimat who gave their last concert in Dortmund in 1987… 

Was nützt den alles Weinen, unser Schreien, unser Klagen,
Wenn wir das, was wir zwar meinen, doch vor lauter Angst nicht sagen.
Jedes nicht gesagte Wort, jene Eiszeit der Gefühle,
Nimmt uns nur die Kraft für uns’re Träume, uns’re Ziele.

What’s hot
Voice and Exercise
What’s cold
Silence and lack of activity and challenge

The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Da fackeln wir nicht lange…

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