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Post by gazz on Apr 28, 2020 13:37:03 GMT
Just to let you know - and hopefully there may be more detail to follow - that my mate Rick is somehow still with us. While his family and friends - all of us - were grieving in anticipation of losing him imminently, his MRI scan was showing the doctors activity they did not expect to see - although he obviously remains in a critical condition. I have heard indirectly just now that he has opened his eyes, so am hoping against hope that turns out to be true (but not getting my expectations up too highly!). Will keep you posted, guys... Thanks for this update, Maccy. Hang in there, Rick, you really are proving to be the fighter that we've been told that you are.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Apr 28, 2020 13:44:22 GMT
Cheers, Gazz.
Could not imagine just under a week ago being still able now to write about him in the present tense. Hopefully, he can edge a greatest-ever victory in the deciding fifth game!
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Post by dudleyhatter on Apr 28, 2020 14:14:05 GMT
Everything is crossed here!
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Apr 28, 2020 18:44:20 GMT
Gracias, Duds.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on May 5, 2020 9:17:43 GMT
Dave Greenfield becomes the latest high-profile victim of Covid-19: www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52537293He was the quiet member of The Stranglers (and the only one, I think, not to have served time in prison!) - but his keyboard work had a huge role to play in giving the band its trademark sound. Really sad news. RIP.
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Post by gazz on May 5, 2020 9:53:17 GMT
Very sad news, Maccy.
RIP, Dave.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on May 5, 2020 11:45:08 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2020 12:41:25 GMT
Reminds me of a lad I used to play football with. Naturally gifted footballer and genuinely nice bloke but not the brightest light in the universe, he once ordered a pepper steak in a restaurant 'but without the pepper'.
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Post by dudleyhatter on May 5, 2020 14:35:01 GMT
Wait.... what! She's an american! Who would have thought it....
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Post by sandbachhatter on May 5, 2020 15:25:30 GMT
Clearly a mouth-breather.
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Post by gazz on May 5, 2020 16:26:37 GMT
Staggering!
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Post by hatter_in_macc on May 8, 2020 20:09:53 GMT
Miracles, it seems, can happen!
Just over a fortnight since we were about lose my squash buddy Rick, he has somehow managed to mount his greatest-ever comeback.
Still a long way to go for him, of course, but he will win. Here is the latest update from his daughter, on behalf of the family...
*****************************************************************************************************
RETURN OF THE JEDI - RICHARD vs COVID-19
I think it is high time we updated you all on Richard.
We just returned from Manchester Royal Infirmary where we were allowed 15 minutes at a 2 metre social distance outside the hospital to see and speak to Richard. (photos included) It took 5 medical staff and two big machines to bring him down, but it was definitely worth it.
At my last update we said we were waiting to see if he would wake up. He did - it took several more days before he began to slowly regain consciousness but he is now definitely awake and alive!
We have learned that he has one of the worst forms of 'Critical Illness Myopathy' possible - which causes severe weakness of pretty much all muscles in the body and he also has further weakness on his left side due to the 'COVID Stroke' he suffered.
This means that at the moment he is essentially paralysed in bed, awake and just about able to hold his head up. He is slowly regaining movement in his right arm and fingers but this is currently all he can move. The Drs & Nurses are now working to wean him off the ventilator and he managed a 12h stretch yesterday without the full ventilator support. We're looking at potentially a 24h stretch tomorrow. We hope that within the next two weeks, he will be able to be taken off the tracheostomy.
However, the biggest bonus is that Richard brain is definitely still alive and kicking and he has his full awareness and faculties, albeit with a little 'ICU Delerium' which will fade over time. He is working extremely hard to try and breathe for himself and to increase the movement in his limbs but is finding it massively frustrating not being able to speak and communicate whilst on the tracheostomy. He can speak a tiny bit each day when they deflate the cuff down on his trache, and we try and fit in everything he needs to say, but then they must reinflate again and he is left without a voice.
It is extremely difficult to see him this frustrated, with him being unable to move or communicate and yet be fully functioning in his mind. We feel completely helpless, being only able to offer our words of comfort from through a screen.
I must remind everyone that he is still weak and his reserves are low, he still remains in Critical Care, but he has made unbelievable progress so far and none of us could have imagined being where we are today if we look at where we were two weeks ago.
Today we dropped off a new iPad into the hospital which is set up with all Richard's accounts and pre-loaded with lots of entertainment for him. I have set up Voice Control so as soon as he is off the tracheostomy, he will be back in communication with the outside world himself. Until then, I've put on an app called 'TracheTools that speaks the most needed phrases at the touch of a button.
So this will be my final update for Richard vs COVID now - I am happy to confirm that he has made it through. Even if his body has been completely battered by this disease, his mind has not and now we begin the process of slowly building him back up.
This virus is a killer and Richard has been lucky to make it this far, so I will say it one final time, look after each other, hold your loves ones (theoretically) close and I hope to see you on the other side of all this mess.
Lots of love,
The Bowers
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Post by gazz on May 8, 2020 21:10:26 GMT
That is absolutely incredible news, Maccy, I have been waiting to hear the latest update and boy what an update it is!
Rick really must be made of Iron, mate, that's all I can say - the man is an inspiration to us all!
Thanks for the update, mate - please pass on our best wishes to Rick and his family.
Get in there, Rick!
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Post by sandbachhatter on May 8, 2020 22:53:30 GMT
Phenomenal news mate. So pleased for you and his family.
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Post by Epworth Hatter on May 8, 2020 23:22:27 GMT
That’s amazing! So, so pleased to hear the good news.
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