#SaolWalk   #PádraigsWalk

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We got up early and made it to Brewster Police Department for 9am. Together with about 16 old and new friends, Pádraig went, in his wheelchair, up the road and around the corner, for just over a mile, to the exact spot where the accident had happened at the exact time we got there, at 10am. Brewster Police Department pulled out all the stops and secured our walk with two squad cars, or: “Cruisers”, one at the back and one in the front, stopping traffic along the way. “We don’t want anybody to get hurt”, one officer said. Who could have disagreed? We had wondered how we’d get back to the Police HQ to collect our cars but shouldn’t have worried. We all got a ride in the ‘cruisers’.

At the spot – used to be close to the Bramble Inn, now the Spinnaker -, Cian, Neil and I had put down a plaque two years ago, when we had cycled from Boston to Brewster for the third anniversary of the accident. I had not expected to see that simple, plastic plaque ever again, but someone had stabilised it with a metal stand and repositioned it prominently beside the roadside in what almost looked like a small garden.

And then, at 10am, a jogger came along an stopped. It was Mary A. Foley who had done the exact run at exactly the same time, exactly five years ago. When she witnessed the accident and was the first to give Pádraig CPR (she is a nurse). Still cannot believe it.

One of our new friends invited us all to her house where we had a lovely breakfast in the best company you could imagine.

Quick stop at the Brewster Brewhouse for beer and pizza for Pádraig and his two friends who had been with him on the Cape five years ago. On to the house on the lake where they all had stayed, quick chat with the owner. On to see his wife and daughter in law. And then dinner at Gerardi’s Cafe where Pádraig had worked. Pádraig picked his favourite dishes and enjoyed the best Italian food on the Cape! The owner and staff were so welcoming, it was brilliant!

Don’t ask me about emotions. About how I felt. About what it all means or meant to  me.

#SaolWalk   #PádraigsWalk

iwww.CaringforPadraig.org

Our first day in Boston. We got up early. Packed out bags. Had a quick bit to eat. Got the car. Drove to the John W. McCormack State Office Building, home to the Attorney General’s Office. Pádraig was going to meet the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Bureau. When he got there, he met him, and a handful of other attorneys, victim support unit and First Assistant Attorney General.

The meeting lasted an hour. Pádraig and us learned that what is ‘usually done’ is not necessarily done. When a driver hits and almost kills a cyclist and leaves him with catastrophic brain injuries, what is usually done is: the driver is tested for substances, his mobile phone is examined, and his car is impounded. Evidence is secured. On State  Highways, State Police is called. – None of this happened following Pádraig’s accident. Instead, Pádraig was tested for substances in the hospital, his mobile phone and bicycle were impounded and examined. The driver got his car fixed that same afternoon.

There is no shadow of a doubt that the driver in Pádraig’s accident did not take the necessary caution.

There was a doubt in the mind of the Attorney General’s Office attorneys that what the driver did and, subsequently, the police was a criminal offence. So they decided that they could not prosecute.

In the USA, in Brewster, the Police is only answerable to the local mayor or the equivalent of City Council. There is no non-local oversight.

To me, this is the Wild West.

I felt outraged. I did not ask Pádraig how he felt about the meeting.

We drove to Brewster and visited Cape Cod Hospital where one of the nurses who had looked after him five years ago showed him his room and the sign we had sent to them as a small ‘thank you’. I don’t think anybody then had expected to see Pádraig back in the hospital for a visit.

Later in the afternoon, we went to see the family who put us up in Brewster while Pádraig was in hospital and we had a really lovely get-together with them. Pádraig met them for the first time. And he was delighted!

#SaolWalk   #PádraigsWalk

http://www.CaringforPadraig.org

I thought today would never come. I thought this was all way too complicated. I thought all our plans would just collapse and end up in a heap of rubble.

Too much thinking, too much thinking. Too much imagining all sorts of difficulties that might happen.

We went. Off to Boston and Cape Cod.

#SaolWalk   #PadraigsWalk

The waiting is over. Tomorrow (really: today) we’ll get up early, get ready, and make our way to the airport. It’ll be a long flight, the longest Pádraig has been on for five years.

There will be a few people who will be going with us, walking on the Cape, and walking in spirit. – If you want to join us on Wednesday and want to let us know, click here.

As it happens, a programme RTÉ’s Irish Language Channel TG4 did a few months ago, will be shown this Tuesday at 9.30 pm and, again, on Friday at 11.05 pm. It will also be available afterwards on TG4’s player.

From: Mail on Sunday TV Guide

I’m going to sleep now for a few hours. Starting tired is not ideal. I know. It’s exactly what happened five years ago. And we didn’t sleep (and eat) for a long time. I am so looking forward to spending this time with Pádraig. Preparing this trip was bordering on the insane. Everything took ages. Doing this in Europe is not easy. Going overseas is a whole different kettle of fish.

But tonight, it’s all looking good. And tomorrow, we’ll have a great and exciting day travelling. Sleep is completely overrated anyways.

#SaolWalk   #PadraigsWalk

Even if there were tons of things to prepare for Pádraig’s journey to Cape Cod,
it would probably be too late now to do that.

Thankfully, the most important items are sorted. We finally found a place that would rent us a wheelchair accessible car. We have accommodation in Boston and in Hyannis. We double-checked with Aer Lingus that they are expecting Pádraig and a large wheelchair.

I will try to contact a few more journalists tomorrow, both here in Ireland and in the USA and Boston/Cape Cod. We really do want to give Pádraig’s wish that drivers “share the road” as public as possible.

There is a slow but steady increase in the number of people who will be joining us for our walk on Wednesday. With things like this, there’s always Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant that come to my mind:

If one person, just one person does it they may think he’s really sick and
They won’t take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony
They may think they’re both faggots and they won’t take either of them
And if three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in
Singing a bar of Alice’s Restaurant and walking out. They may think it’s an
Organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said
Fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice’s Restaurant and
Walking out. And friends they may thinks it’s a movement

And that’s what it is

The Germans tonight scored the latest game changing goal in the history of FIFA world cup.

I am too tired to write down’ anything that makes sense:)

Ask your friends around Boston to join us on Wednesday morning.

#SaolWalk   #PadraigsWalk

#SaolWalk   #PadraigsWalk

I have decided to take it easy. I’ll be difficult enough as it is. What will be will be. Sometimes the impossible happens all by itself. I have this feeling that Pádraig’s journey to Boston and the Cape will be one of these occasions. I don’t know about anybody else. But when he left from Hyannis airport the last time, I did not expect to return to the place with him. It’s a big journey for myself, but what a journey this will be for Pádraig!

Although we’ve been really busy getting ready for Monday and next week, Pádraig is still continuing with his own personal training. And he is getting better all the time. Here’s an example from today.

Pádraig was lying on his stomach on an exercise mat on the floor. The physio was using tiny electrical charges to stimulate and wake up the muscles on his back (you’ll see the wires in the video). Pádraig put is toes straight on the floor. He then straightens his leg and relaxes it, with his toes pointing downwards at the floor. That by itself is a difficult exercise. But then, the physio asks him to keep his legs straight up in the air parallel to the floor and pushes down his knees as hard as they can. And Pádraig doesn’t let them, until they ask him to relax and put his knees down softly on the matt. – Try it yourself, It’s a very hard exercise and you’ll need all your strength for it. Now try it not just once, but ten times.

Absolutely outstanding, I was floored just watching it.

PS: Watched a clip of the world’s longest running chat show, the Late Late Show, tonight with Ryan Tubridy and Christy Moore singing Lingo Politico. What a song and what a performance!

#SaolWalk   #PadraigsWalk

Five years ago today, I was getting ready to go to China the next day. First to Beijing and then on to Sanya on Hainan Island, in the South China Sea. I was going to give a presentation at a conference there. Pádraig was on Cape Cod, working in a Restaurant and a small country hotel. I was so looking forward to China – I was going to meet old friends and make new ones, do some really interesting work, and discover tons of exciting stuff about this really incredible country, its people and its culture.

Today, Pádraig had his usual physio session. there is a subtle but significant change happening in these sessions. It really seems that Pádraig’s pace of progress has at least slightly accelerated. He picks up exercises and new movements faster than he used to. There are observable and measurable changes at almost every session. Of course, this could be a short phase but if it is not, his progress will be more clearly visible and noticeable very soon.

This is Thursday, the day one or several of his friends call in to spend time with Pádraig and update him on what is going on in their world. Today was no different. How brilliant is that? Five years on, an his friends’ support and friendship is as strong as ever. Absolutely amazing and a real credit to them!

Finally, turns out it has all been a misunderstanding, again. And there has been an apology for this misunderstanding, again.

And then an email asking what time would suit us to have a meeting at the office of the Attorney General on Tuesday.

I wonder what is causing all this confusion and ‘misunderstanding’? The first thought that came to my mind was, and I am saying this with the greatest respect: if it is so difficult to arrange a meeting I can see the infinitely greater difficulties and potential misunderstandings around an investigation into how the police dealt with Pádraig’s catastrophic accident. To do these things properly you have to be organised and competent and determined; and have a strong sense of what is wrong and what is right. And then be brave enough to follow through.

Today was the longest day of the year. And to be honest, it felt like it:)

Five days to go.

Some weeks ago, I wrote to the Attorney General’s Office to ask for a meeting this coming Tuesday morning – Tuesday being the only day we’ll be in Boston. One of the attorney’s I had been in touch with before asked if we could have the meeting after the 29h as they would be away – if not, they would make sure we would meet, on Tuesday, with one of her colleagues who would also be familiar with this case.

Today, I asked for a time for our meeting on Tuesday.

A few minutes ago, I received a reply from that attorney apologising for the ‘misunderstanding’ but that they would not return until the 29th and could not arrange a meeting before that, contrary to what had been said before. They offered a phone call.

A bit more than a year ago, I wrote the email below to this attorney in the AG’s office.

I wonder what will happen when we turn up at the Office of the Attorney General on Tuesday morning anyway?

I wonder, will Pádraig get answers? Ever?

We keep planning that journey back to the Cape. Pádraig’s visit to the Attorney General, this day week. And Pádraig’s walk tomorrow week.

This will be a difficult and testing journey. And walk. For Pádraig and all of us walking with him.

I want people to know about this. Talk about it. Share it. Because –

accidents like the one that happened to Pádraig should not happen; if they happen they should be investigated thoroughly; that insurers will cover the damage their insured cause and the financial burden of care and rehabilitation will be carried by those who caused it.

Going public is not easy. But in my mind it’s the right thing to do. Pádraig agrees.

Looking at Pádraig’s recovery, nobody, absolutely nobody will ever talk about an intolerable life, about return on investment in sick people, about wasted resource, about better dying than living ‘like that’ ever again.

In my mind, that’s an achievement worth talking about.

This day next week Pádraig will be in Boston.

I must admit having slight trouble making statements like that because I know: anything could happen between now and then. Certainty seems a little yesterday-ish.

Check out: http://www.caringforPadraig.