Heading where?
I’ve commented a few times that I would tell the back story to why I am here and doing this blog…….so here goes.
The journey to being here on this blog start on 9th April 2006. Until then, life was not perfect (is it ever) but it was certainly heading in all the right directions. I was enjoying an excellent career as a professional firefighter, had been promoted through to the rank of Inspector, and was enjoying periods doing relief duties in country locations. I had a beautiful family, with my wife, two daughters and a son, all of whom I love immensely, and I was involved in a few other projects and had a good life map in my head.
Then while working on one of those country reliefs I received the phone call that every parent dreads. My son had been in an accident at home, he was at the hospital and details were sketchy, but it was serious.
Arrangements were made for me to be on the next available flight home, and thankfully I was surrounded by great work colleagues and a great organisation that swung into action to support me and my family. The flight and drive to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Childrens Hospital was the longest three and half hours of my life.
Most of this time was spent ringing back and forth to people who were at the hospital with my wife, and occasionally speaking to hospital staff who were doing their best to reassure me, but were painting a terrible picture. My wife was too shocked to talk to me (another indicator that things were not good). Samuel had experienced a near drowning accident in our backyard pool, it had taken 45 minutes for him to start breathing on his own and a bit longer than that for his heart to begin beating on it’s own, and things did not look good.
I arrived at the intensive care unit to find my son connected to so many machines all beeping and squaking, lines into what looked like every available vein, a team of Doctors and nurses around him along with my wife, family friends and my work chaplain. Getting the round up from everyone there it was apparent that things were very grim and there was a very good chance that Samuel was not going to make it through the night.
On the fourth day, it was time to switch machines off and see what was going to happen with him. When the breathing tubes were removed he continued to breath on his own. Five days later it was time to move him to a ward and begin intensive rehabilitation. Samuel spent a total of four months in hospital, but despite the best efforts of every member of the pre-hospital, hospital and rehab care teams Samuel was left with a severe hypoxic brain injury and severe disabilities.
Our family was then faced with a whole new experience of dealing with a severely disabled child, worrying about learning a whole range of medical techniques to care for him, and worrying about where the money was going to come from for purchasing the equipment we were going to need to be able to support his daily care and quality of life.
Thankfully, we were well supported, and a great deal of that story is to be found at the Samuel Morris Foundation website. The Foundation was set up because of the support we received and the knowledge that it was not available to many other families in similar circumstances.
Over time I have found that there are things I would like to share and or comment on, but it is not appropriate to do it at the Foundation site. I also wanted to be able to begin discussing the role of resilience in getting through events like those that have impacted my family. So this blog seemed like an appropriate channel.
I’m new at it, I’m on a steep learning curve about blogging, and building a readership etc etc. So your participation in reading this blog is greatly appreciated. I would also appreciate your comments, and any input you would like to have to this type of discussion, whether that is through guest posting, a partnership… just let me know.
Next post I am going to finish off the series on CHOICE, and then I am going to share a few stories about my journey beyond that day that changed life forever.
Michael, thank you for starting your blogging. I didn’t realise that you had taken Samuel off his breathing machine 4 days after his accident. Just shows you how the little guy has fought for life. Even thought we have never had the opportunity to meet, listening to your journey has given a huge insite into the thoughts and actions of parents who have found themselves in your predicament. I use your posts to enlighten people who are complacent about Water Safety and who have the attitude, that it won’t happen to them.
Samuel’s legacy will live on forever, so he will always be close to your hearts. Samuel has fought for life for a very good purpose and to stay with the family that has given him sooooo much. He will decide when he is ready to move on. It is obvious that Samuel has a very strong will and it shows in his fight.
Thank you for sharing your life with us all …….. I don’t know if I could be that strong, but your family surely gives me huge inspiration. Thoughts are with you all xx
Thanks Debbie, it is nice to know that Samuel has a legacy that helps/inspires others. He is a tough little man that has given me far more than I could ever give him. We appreciate your connection and sharing Samuels story to help make a difference to others.
[...] If you are a previous reader of this blog then you know the background.. if you are new then I encourage you to read my post on how did I get here. [...]
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Mick – this is a very brave and touching story. I have to agree with Mandy. It’s not easy being creative on a regular day – when faced with the kinds of challenges you and your family now face daily – it would seem finding your creative self would be so much more of a challenge. Thank you for being a beacon for the rest of us.
Thanks Elaine.. sometimes creativity is nowhere to be found…. and it is in scarce supply of late, but I appreciate your comment
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What a touching post. Your capacity to capacity to continue growing and creating in spite of such a difficult time is very moving, Mick. Resilience and the capacity to continue seeing the wonder and goodness in life is part choice, part faith (whatever that may mean for you). As for blogging, frankly, we’re all new at it. In this fast-paced society, full of supposed push-button solutions for every pain, blogging brings together people from all walks of life, from different time zones, occupations and generations. We can share experiences, like the extraordinary one you’ve given shared today. And somehow that process makes a difference, both to you, the sharer and to us, the reader. In a world that moves fast, here, we can choose to slow down and to share. Thanks for doing that.
Thanks Mandy, I appreciate the kind words.
[...] ongoing problems associated with them are such examples (see these articles for background…. how did I get here, real men can, and should, cry [...]