I have a colleague at work who, when I start giving out and telling him about all the things I am going to do to make (not the world, but) Ireland a better place to live in, asks me, with a lovely smile on his face: ‘Reinhard, for how long have you been living here?’ – basically telling me, that having spent more than half of my life in the country, I still haven’t got a breeze of how things work here. But, apparently, writing to your T.D. is the way to do it. T.D.’s can get you your passport super fast (there is a special post box for them in the Dail), and a really famous but now slightly discredited T.D. in our constituency (he was Taoiseach at the time, and his daughter is a famous writer) managed to get the double-yellow lines removed in front of my very elderly mother-in-law within days, after we had tried unsuccessfully for weeks to find the person responsible for double yellow line removal in Dublin Corporation.

For those of you interested in inter-cultural studies, this is another of the many differences between Ireland and Germany: in Germany, people would not even know which constituency they live in, never mind being aware of who their local politicians are. (Thinking about my mother-in-law who sadly is no longer with us, there is another lovely story involving her, a German, and a roofer, which I will tell another time.)

Today, I posted my first letter in Irish. No, it was not me who translated the English version into Gaeilge, but two of Pádraig’s friends. (I am still working on my Irish – but my day will come too, one day). It’s Pat’s and my open letter to An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, T.D., which Pádraig would, not doubt, have written in Irish in the first place. The letter is now up on the website (www.caringforpadraig.org) and it’s also going to all of the four T.D.s of Dublin Central: Paschal Donohoe , T.D., Minister for European Affairs, Fine Gael; Joe Costello, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with responsibility for Trade and Development, Labour; Maureen O’Sullivan, T.D., Independent; Mary Lou McDonald, T.D., Sinn Féin. I will keep you posted on their replies.

Last week, Pádraig was measured for his custom-made wheel chair. It will take a few weeks for it to get ready, you will remember, but we can’t wait for it. As the weather is getting better and the first buts become visible, he is getting ready for the rose garden and his first walk in the park. We all hope that he’ll stay on course, becoming more alert and more mobile over the coming weeks. And at least for the time being, it looks like he is doing really well. Today, he was opening his eyes when we were with him, and he seems to have much more controlled movement in his ‘good’ eye. We have been told by his doctors that they will try to encourage him to also use the other eye a bit more.

We’ve heard about preparations going on for St Patrick’s Day but nothing concrete yet. Today it’s Rosenmontag, the main day of Carnival in Germany. People in Northern Germany are far too reserved to get involved in silly things like Karneval, Pappnasen, and Kamelle – they leave that to the people living in the Rhine region, mostly Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Mainz. It’ll be some job to get them out of their famous ‘coolness’ for St. Patrick’s day:)

Today’s German Music Tip
De Höhner, Viva Colonia (2007). Even if you don’t like it – this is “Kölle Alaaf”, people basically going crazy, just because – well, they don’t really need a reason.
What’s hot
Karneval
What’s cold
Aschermittwoch
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Rosenmontag

Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org
Upcoming events: http://www.caringforPadraig.org/events

I was going to look up what ‘normal’ means before writing tonight. Then I thought: no need to look it up – I know myself what normal is. It’s a state that on one hand gives you some security, because ‘normal’ doesn’t attract any attention, is not being laughed at, and is not pitied. ‘Normal’ gives you some respite, you blend in with the crowd.

But then, I did not really want to write about ‘normal’. I wanted to write a state that is the opposite to normal – but I couldn’t find a word to describe this state. Maybe ‘crazy’ , like rock stars? Or sick, like societal outcasts? Or ‘extraordinary’, like heroes? I want to find out more about non-normal lives because I feel that whatever I do, however much I pretend that life just goes on, that you go with the flow, none of what I am living through is ‘normal’. The strangest thing is when I am in ‘normal’ life situations acting ‘normal’, for split seconds even joining ‘normal’ life. I am beginning to realize that life will never ever be ‘normal’ again for me. And I am getting this feeling that my new non-normal life has just begun to emerge. And as much as I would like to know, I have no idea what it is going to be like.

Pádraig was fine today. His two Irish visitors got a dispensation from the hospital to come in and see him before visiting time to say ‘good-bye’ to Pádraig. They were delighted when they both got a firm squeeze of their hands from Pádraig before they left. Sundays are quiet in the hospital, it feels like recovery time after a busy week with a full schedule of different therapies, all quiet exhausting. It is good to have a Ruhetag once a week on Sunday, to both recover from last and to get prepared for the next week.

There was no rest for the swimmers in Trinity today where D.U.S.C. had called upon swimmers to ‘swim a mile for Paddy’. And before I forget: thank you to all the organizers, and especially Jane.

This is an extract from what organizer Jane wrote to us afterwards:

We had swimmers young and old down! Five little guys and girls came from Tallaght swim team, 3 from Aerlingus and 3 from Atlantis who came down with their mums and dads after seeing the post on the swim Ireland website! One 9 year old from Atlantis had never swum more than 400m before and did the whole mile non stop!!

Today’s German Music Tip
Schwimmer, Gegen die Wand (2012). The music won’t be everybody’s cup of tea – I think you’ll need to turn it up to really enjoy it.
What’s hot
Miles
What’s cold
Kilometres
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Das ist sicher nicht jedermann’s Sache

Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org
Upcoming events: http://www.caringforPadraig.org/events

I spent this morning writing an open letter to our Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. I had read the Irish Times’ reports on the Fianna Gael’s Ardh Feis in the RDS yesterday. In his address to the Ard Fheis, he said that he was looking forward to the publication of the White Paper on Universal Health Insurance (UHI), which will outline how he will “tear down the barriers“ to access. “So for a change, when implemented, a new health service will be ready and waiting if you and your family need it.“ – I just felt this man should not let get away with such a statement. You can read the letter here. I emailed it to him and posted it. I also sent it on to a journalists and newspapers. You will have seen on http://www.caringforpadraig.org/similar-experiences/ that there are other young people like Pádraig, all of them in a similar situation regarding neuro-rehab. Why on earth does the State not look after its citizens when they most need being looked after? I just don’t get it.

Pádraig was good today. He had two lovely visitors from Dublin with him yesterday and today. It’s amazing what a difference the faces and voices from friends can make to the whole atmosphere in Pádraig’s room and on the whole ward. Saturday is a quiet day, not much is happening. – But…, I am not sure whether I mentioned before that Pádraig’s better hand and arm are on his right hand side. The left hand and arm had usually not been involved in much activity. However, tonight when I was leaving and when I took his left hand, he moved his left lower arm way up into the air. Another ‘first’, and we talked about it all evening.

I am not sure whether you have been in Germany and have seen the “Stolpersteine”, put into the ground to remember a person or a family taken from their home, deported and then killed by the nazis during the 2nd world war. Their purpose is to make you stop in your tracks, and to think.

Stop and think. What moved you when you got up this morning? Did you do today what you believe in? If today had been your last day, would you have been happy with it? Have you been kind and generous to others?

I am going to take an ‘early’ night tonight and stop right here.

Keep including Pádraig in your thoughts.

What do you say when words are not enough?

So many unbelievable things are happening. One is that we can, unfortunately I think sometimes, still listen to the Irish news from Hamburg.

Irish property developer Sean Dunne who filed for bankruptcy last year in the US with debts of $942 million (€690 million), and who has also been made bankrupt in Ireland, said he made a profit of €70 million selling 30 zoned acres at Woodtown in Rathfarnham, Dublin, in 2006 or 2007, according to today’s Irish Times. It was paid in “hard cash, brought in a suitcase,” he said. “You were joking about that? It was banked?” Nama’s lawyer Tom Curran asked. Mr Dunne said he didn’t know what he did with the money – he could have bought more property, given some to his wife, paid off debt or spent some on a holiday or a new car.

Pádraig is getting fitter. You wouldn’t think that someone in his still not-so-good condition could even train or being coached. But he is, both training and being coached. There is no way that he would have been able to go through physio, speech therapy, music therapy, a new approach in his respiratory therapy using an EzPAP (increasing the pressure in his airways to open up his lungs), followed by a few hours in the viva-la-Thekla – just a few weeks (day!) ago, as he did today. He held his head up high for a few seconds without any support, and did really well swallowing. There are so many people really doing more than their best to mobilize him, getting him to breathe better, to swallow, to connect back with his body. So many people believing in him, convinced that he will show us that a young, determined, and fit young man can produce miracles. Not the kind of one second apparitions, but the ones that take a bit of time to happen, and then stay with us forever.

After a really tough morning, he closed and opened his hand for Pat when she asks him to do so, he took her hand and lifted it up to his chest. This morning, this was another first, he held up his head for a few seconds when sitting out; this afternoon, he was still able to hold his head straight with very little support for a few minutes at a time.

Sometimes, words are not enough to describe how I feel. When things are going really well, the joy, the hope, the boost of energy. Sprachlos.

Today’s German Music Tip
Bläck Fööss, Männer (1989). This group is not everybody’s cup of tea, but the ‘a cappella’ version of this song, one of my all-time favorites, is not bad. The original version, by Herbert Grönemeyer (1984), is always worthwhile listening to! – Watch the keyboard player wearing boxing gloves:)

“Männer haben Muskeln,
Männer sind furchtbar stark,
Männer können alles,
Männer kriegen ‘nen Herzinfakt,
ohh Männer sind einsame Streiter
müssen durch jede Wand, müssen immer weiter.”

What could anybody add to this? 🙂

Today’s Second German Music Tip (special for our Irish friends:)
Bono (!) and Grönemeyer, Mensch (Rockgipfel Rostock 2007, parallel to the G8 meeting in Heiligendamm, in Northern Germany. Watch 4m30s: “Frau Merkel, halt Dein Versprechen, keep your promise”) – Both, Bono (!) and Grönemeyer, singing in German.

What’s hot
Fitness Coaches
What’s cold
Letting go
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Sprachlos

Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org
Upcoming events: http://www.caringforPadraig.org/events

Forget about Nazaré in Portugal, forget about Hawaii. According to Der Spiegel, Mullaghmore Head near Sligo is the best place on earth for surfers. Six degrees celsius cold water, heavy winds, and 15m high waves – it’s like surfing in the middle of a tsunami, according to one of Germany’s professional surfers.

For the past eight month, exactly, today, I have been looking at different kind of waves. I have learnt about heart monitors, oxygenation, the right heart rate, respiratory frequency, dangerous body temperature – most of it presented on monitors in steady forward moving waves.

Eight months ago, I was booking flights from Sanya, Southern China, via Shanghai and Detroit to Boston, in the middle of the night, not thinking, but wondering whether and when this nightmare I was having would end. Exactly 12 hours away from me, that was the time difference, a van had hit Pádraig, within minutes it was on Facebook, and Pat talked to a police officer while that officer was still on the scene. I left that hotel in the middle of the night and left on an 8am flight. 26 hours later I arrived in Boston and drove up to Hyannis. While traveling, I rang the hospital. They told me I could ring them any time of the day or night to find out how Pádraig was doing. When I entered Pádraig’s room, my heart broke. Pat was there and some of Pádraig’s friends. I knew I wasn’t going to wake up.

Today, we met Pádraig’s Speech Therapist. She told us all about tracheostomies, how they work, why patients need them, when and how they can be weaned off. We helped her to switch Pádraig over from his ordinary trachy front piece to a ‘speech’ valve which closed off the trachy opening and made him breathe through his mouth and nose again, also allowing him to make sounds. She and her colleague visit Pádraig three times a week and work with him to develop his swallowing capacities again, bit by bit, so that he will be able to get rid of the trachy eventually.

My eyes are filling up with tears, my throat is getting sore, my ears are ringing non-stop, my body aches like that of an old man, and my mind is refusing to take anything in. There are moments like this. I know they’ll pass. The world is still turning. The sun will still be shining in the morning. W. H. Auden’s request to “pack up the moon and dismantle the sun” was never taken on by anybody. Tomorrow, I’ll start training for the Hamburg Marathon. And I’ll make a deal with Pádraig.

Eight months. Waves have been my life ever since. Shooting up and tumbling down at an incredible nauseating speed. Pushing me ahead of them with all their force. Making me feel small, beaten, powerless. Teaching me humility. Pushing me under the water until I could hardly breathe. Making me gasp for air. Covering me from above so I didn’t know day from night.

Tomorrow will be another day. Riding the wave. Staying on top. With Pádraig. Always.

Today’s German Music Tip
BAP, Wellenreiter (1982).

What’s hot
Riding waves
What’s cold
Being afraid
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Mensch, hast Du so was schon gesehen?

Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org
Upcoming events: http://www.caringforPadraig.org/events

He really liked the idea of having a parrot. He would sit on your finger or your arm, really tame. You could talk to him, and he would talk back at you. When you’d need a bit of private time, you could lock him up in a cage and do your own thing. Parrots don’t need to be brought out for a walk. They don’t have to be trained to do their business outside. They sounded like the ideal pet. There were several problems to be overcome on the way to become a proud owner of a parrot. Most had to do with money.

So, we needed to get smart about it, and improvise a little. Next time I went to Germany, I had to buy a cage – they were so much cheaper there. During one of my visits to see my mother, I managed to find a pet shop selling a parrot cage I could carry, just about, and the my rental car was big enough to accommodate. You can guess how long ago this was when I tell you that the airline had no problem taking the massive parrot cage in as part of my ordinary luggage allowance. These days, our national and not so national airlines wouldn’t even take budgie cages. The next major problem was the price of the parrot itself: it was massive.

Luckily, we found a brilliant pet shop in Wicklow, just off the N11 outside Bray. They sold cockatiels. While cockatiels are not quite of the same caliber as the African Grey Parrot, they only cost a fraction – they were so affordable, Pádraig decided to get a pair of them. Yes, he would become a breeder himself and get rich, selling cockatiels to his friends, neighbors, family, and on his webstore. There was no magic, what this guy in Wicklow could do, he could surely do in his sleep!

So one Saturday morning, we went off to Wicklow, and bought a pair of cockatiels. He called one of them Elvis – because of his fancy hair do. At home, the massive cage was ready to welcome it news tenants. The cockatiels came in boxes which was great for transport. Unfortunately, these boxes were too big to fit through the narrow flap of the cage. So we had to bring both the cage, and the boxes with the cockatiels into our back garden and as close as possible to one of the sheds – we didn’t want them to escape, you see.

(Are you still with us, with the story? I know it’s getting a bit long, but we are almost there.)

What happened next was what you probably expected all along. Pádraig’s worst nightmare. The cockatiels got frightened, when we opened the flap of the box, they charged out, first towards us, and then for the door of the shed, into the wild. Panicking, we charged after them shouting ‘Elvis! Elvis come back! ELVIIIIS! Where are you? Come back!’

Close to tears we were looking everywhere.

Then there was a know on garden door. When we opened it, two nice young lads, with a bright smile were standing there. One held Elvis in his hands. The other said, with a huge big smile, “Elvis has left the building”.

Needless to say, we made sure Elvis never left the building again. Also needless to say, that while they tried and did lay some eggs, those eggs never hatched, and Pádraig never got rich selling dozens of cockatiels. He had overcome all those insurmountable problems to get the cockatiels: cages, finance, transport, and dozens of small things (like convincing me that this whole venture was not an incredible act of madness). But as soon as the goal was reached, it lost its attractiveness almost immediately. Excitement threatened to turn into routine – and no self-respectable young person would be ready for that, when there are so many other things to be achieved, to be chased, to be explored. He was not quite ready yet for “Zieh’ die Schuh aus, bring den Müll raus”, all those ordinary, boring things adults have to do. He still isn’t.

Today, Pádraig kept his carers and doctors busy for the best part of an hour. Having had therapies in the morning, and having sat out for about four and a half hours, he was moved back into his bed. While he never really likes to be moved, today he showed his disapprovement. His oxygen levels went down to uncomfortable levels. Pádraig was really really lucky that the staff looking after him today and the Oberärztin know him so well. Instead of doing what less familiar carers would have done immediately, i.e. moving him back on to the ventilator, they calmly talked to him, threatened him a little (in a nice way), comforted him a lot, gave him confidence, made him feel safe – and managed to bring him back to normal levels of oxygen and a good heart rate. I arrived in the middle of it all, and just stood by the side of the room, admiring and in my heart thanking the people who with their professionalism and care, their knowledge, confidence, and persistence have made it their ‘business’ to give everything possible to Pádraig that could support his recovery.

Today, Elvis did not leave the building. He is going to hang in a little longer. And when he will leave, it will be through the front door, on his way to meet his date(s) in the rose garden. In the meantime, we are still waiting for more tips on how to properly celebrate Paddy’s Day in Hamburg, in Eilbek, in the Schön Klinik. Any ideas?

Today’s German Music Tip
Roger Cicero, Zieh die Schuh aus (2006). Unglaublich, how much German music there is. Just when I thought, it was going to get a bit difficult, someone really nice reminded me of Roger Cicero. This is good music, with even better lyrics – to bring you back down from your high-flying circus, down back to what really matters: take off your shoes and take out the garbage. Could anything be more romantic?

What’s hot
Persistence
What’s cold
Panic
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Unglaublich, was?

Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org
Upcoming events: http://www.caringforPadraig.org/events

There is this famous fable about some blind men touching different part of an elephant and each providing an account of what they ‘see’.

We’re getting ready for Paddy’s Day.

Have you seen the White House on 17th March?

Have you seen Haus 2 in the Schön-Klinik?

Any tips for ‘painting’ Haus 2 green?

There is a bit of a challenge going on here. As no official St Patrick’s Day Parade has been announced for 17th March, at least not that we’ve heard of, we really need to do something. Maybe it’s completely bunkers, but I thought about this picture of the White House on St Patrick’s Day. Haus 2 is – while not as elegant – as white as the White House. Can could we turn it green? Just for the day?

Pádraig’s ‘date’ in the rose garden is beginning to turn into a slightly larger affair. It’s beginning to sound like half the staff will take some time off on that wonderful spring day when Pádraig will be in the rose garden. We were considering whether St Patrick’s Day would work, but there is this thing about the roses – they most likely won’t be out by then, and then we still don’t know whether his wheelchair will be ready in time either.

The playlist seemed to have struck a cord – mmmhhh. It’ll be a bit of a job to get this all together, but sure, it’ll have to be done, right? It’ll be the most wonderful playlist ever. Lots of forward looking memories.

When I arrived today, Pádraig’s consultant told me that he had never moved his hand as well as today. Squeezing is easy, well…, but today he had also opened his hand a couple of times really well. And, some movement is showing up in his left arm and left hand too. It’s all slow, and small, and bescheiden. But it’s a movement. And whatever is small or big… it’s all a matter of perspective.

Today’s German Music Tip
Wolfgang Ziegler (und Wir), Gartenparty (1982). I had forgotten about them leather jackets with the really loong collars. It’s ‘a cappella’ and richtig gut!
What’s hot
Gardens
What’s cold
Deserts
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Einkaufsbummel

Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org
Upcoming events: http://www.caringforPadraig.org/events

Pádraig was fine today – he was sitting out in the Thekla, viva-la-Thekla, and, at least for the time being, he seems to be stable, no fever, no infections, great breathing. Hopefully that will give him the time and the energy to deal with his main injury. There are loads of people helping him, and we all do what we can to get him back into action.

Some time ago, I asked you to send in Pádraig’s favourite music. I am putting together a CD with the music and we’ll see what the music therapist can do with it. Here are the songs and their stories. By the way, what you wrote about Pádraig’s music, how he listened to it (nonstop), how he introduced it to you (you really didn’t have a choice), how he couldn’t believe that you had never listened to these brilliant lyrics before (a bit impatient and surprised at the ignorance surrounding him, in a nice way) – all of this sounds so familiar!

On Top of the World (Imagine Dragons)

Little Talks (Monsters and Men)
I remember well from last May when we finished our finals from college ‘Little Talks’ by Monsters and Men was the song Pádraig was always requesting.

Wagon wheel (Old Crow Medicine)
I remember Pádraig claiming ‘Wagon wheel’ by Old Crow Medicine to “probably”(!) be one of his favourite songs ever.

Time to Pretend (MGMT)
Also another one that comes to mind is ‘Time to Pretend’ by MGMT. In 1st year of college, we were talking one night about how much we both really liked the song and then one morning a while after this i awoke to see that I had a voice message from Pádraig consisting solely of this song being performed live at their concert!

Crossfire  (Brandon Flowers)
Ní Tú Mo Ghrá  (Mo Hat Mo Gheansaí)
I’m sure you’re well aware of these tunes Pádraig likes, but they are evocative of the year we spent in the Scéim together because he played them all the time. And I mean ALL. THE. TIME!!!!! Anyone in the Scéim would testify to that!

Trailing Skirts of God (Bell X1)
And of course Bell X 1, the upbeat rocky ones of course, but he pointedly sat me down and dissected the lyrics of ‘Trailing Skirts of God’ once, impressing on me how good the lyrics were.

Dream of Flying (Brian Crain)
We listened to this type of thing lying on the floor of the Sceim pondering life.

Starship (Nicki Minaj)
He was obsessed with this in San Diego and played it again and again and again. He got annoyed if anyone tried to change it.

Mexico (Mundy)
Also Mundy’s ‘Mexico’ always makes me laugh because it reminds me of when he told me that he went to Mexico because he liked the song so much.

The Great Defector (Bell X1)
I know some of these have already been mentioned – but Pádraig introduced me to Bell X1 – (Meaning, he asked me how could I NOT know who they were?!?! and then made sure I had listened to their best before leaving Dublin) – in particular the song ‘The Great Defector’, which he had on repeat. He even took the time to break down the lyrics and make sure I knew what a “cornetto” was since we don’t call them that in the States to ensure I understood just how great the lyrics truly are!

Day & Age (The Killers)
Also, The Killers’ ‘Day & Age’ album, which he was obsessed about while at UK back in the day.

Please let me know if there is anything missing!

Lachen, Laughing, keeps you sane in the most insane of times. As long as you are able to see the funny side of things, you are not lost. And, at least myself, can only have a good laugh in the company of friends. The better the friends around me, the better the laugh. Laughter liberates, laughter is intimate, laughter is trust and hope.

Crying and laughter are close neighbours.

This being Saturday, I spent some time following up on stories we had heard about over the past few months. We met some of the people in these stories, others we have not (yet) spoken too. But when I gathered them for their website, and wrote it up for a new web page, http://caringforpadraig.org/similar-experiences/, I was back on the emotional roller coaster: “Similar Experiences – Young People with Brain Injury denied adequate Care” is introducing three young people, Sara Walsh Delany, David Cahill, and Shane Grogan. Each of them was under 30 when, for different reasons, they suffered severe brain damage. What made me (quietly) furious was that none of them receive the treatment, care, and support from our health system they deserve and so desperately need. Their families and friends are fundraising so that they can receive the treatment they need. Of course, it is wonderful to see how their communities rally behind them, very similar to what Pádraig’s friends are doing for him, but would you not think it was the duty of the State to look after its most vulnerable citizens?

Lachen und Weinen. Weinen und Lachen.

Pádraig is maintaining his state of higher alertness. You could call it code yellow. He is moving his eyebrows, lifting his arm up to his neck, squeezing hands, reacting to stimuli. He was in the viva-la-Thekla for more than four hours, breathes mostly without oxygen support, and he was on the very selective Saturday list of the physio.

One of the nurses (also one of his dates for the rose garden) was wondering what Pádraig will wear on that date. – Any suggestions? Anybody? (There is still sufficient time

Swim a mile for Paddy – the most read article on http://www.swimireland.ie

to send/bring stuff he should be wearing to him:)

Today, Pádraig (Paddy) has been on Swim Ireland’s home page:
Swim a Mile for Paddy Facebook (general info), Doodle Poll (book your 30 minute slot), and Swim Ireland (Swim Ireland’s support for the event).

Today’s German Music Tip
Rosenstolz, Lachen (live 2007). Ein Wahnsinns-Lied mit einer unglaublichen Performance mit Anna – check it out: “Du musst lachen, komm steh’ wieder auf!”
What’s hot
Lachen
What’s cold
Weinen
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Schweigen kann ich nur mit Dir.

Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org
Upcoming events: http://www.caringforPadraig.org/events