Haywood Hospital

Over the last week, Mark phoned and said he was feeling a bit down. I don't think that things have happened quickly enough for him!!

He is obviously frustrated that he hasn't been given his training plan. He has been assessed and whereas he had hoped to join the team for The Bimbel Solent Swim in the water, he now feels this may not be the case.

The Bimbel Solent Swim was made up of 4 swimmers last year, Mark, Carol, Sarah and myself. We had a great support team around us. This year we are adding two additional swimmers Rachel and Oliver.

Carol and I discussed the scenario if Mark was unable to swim. It is a daunting task in good health, so it would be very risky to take someone across who was not 100% fit. Mark understood the dilemma we would have and agreed that he would have to undertake a 5km swim prior to doing The Solent.

Having said that, we knew the possibility was high that Mark wouldn't be able to swim on the day. So there will be a major role for Mark to play in the crossing, depending on his abilities at that time. We wouldn't dream of crossing without him there.

Mark has become much more positive and his progress in the last week has included being able to get dressed himself and shave himself. He also has control of his bladder.  For approximately one to two minutes he was able to stand holding onto a rail, but with his weight on both legs. All of this is excellent news and just goes to show how much of a mammoth task, these simple things we take for granted can be.

He hasn't been sleeping too well and coupled with the physio he is now receiving he is very very tired!

The swelling on his brain has gone down considerably and when touched it feels very watery inside. Mark will behaving a titanium plate fitted at a later date! He said his forehead will then be ageless...no botox for Mark then!!

He still spends a lot of time in bed. But he has interacted with others on his ward who are zipping around in motorised wheelchairs. It's Marks aim to get into one of these as quickly as possible. Being mobile will bring him on, leaps and bounds!

The following photos are displayed with kind permission of Mark.

Looking Good Mark!

 

 Photos of the brain swelling which is now non existant

 

You can barely see the scar!

Out of Intensive Care

Mark was moved from intensive care and into the Neurology Ward. His Stroke (Triathlon Tremble!) was on the right side of his brain, so this has affected his left arm and leg. He is unable to move either voluntarily at the moment. His memory is unaffected and he understands everything that is said to him. His voice is slightly different, but this is probably due to the tracheostomy he has had taken out recently.

He is surprisingly talkative and hasn't lost his sense of humour. He is desperate to start rehabilitation, but at the moment he is still confined to bed. He can only drink thick syrupy drinks and has not had any proper food. There is a lot of building up to do.

The wound to his head is very swollen still, but the scar is very neat and tidy and will be covered by his hair.  He remains positive, and acknowledges he has a hard training plan ahead of him.

He is moving to Haywood Hospital today 7th April and is looking forward to starting his journey of recovery.

He has given permission for the following photographs to be published.

Mark!

Life doesn't always deal out what we expect. It can be harsh at times. When you think you have life running along smoothly, suddenly something can come along out of the blue and be so devastating that it's hard to comprehend why.

That is what happened to my friend and swimming buddy Mark. Over the years of swimming together, our friendship has grown. We consulted each other  over which swimming events we should enter and usually ended up doing them together!

Last year we had entered the River Jubilee 10k swim, then we attempted to cross The Solent as part of a small team called The Bimbel Solent Swim. It didn't quite go according to plan, but we did do double the distance. So this year we were going to do it again, but properly!

His achievements are fantastic and his fitness probably helped to save his life. For on the 13th March 2016, Mark was getting ready to go for a training run ahead of his first triathlon when he suffered a stroke. He suffered a bleed to the right side of his brain and spent the next two and a half weeks in intensive care.

We all were praying for his recovery, unaware of how much damage the stroke may have caused. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that Mark pulled through. He underwent brain surgery on the night of his stroke and the bleeding in his brain was stopped. He was kept in an induced coma for most of his time in the intensive care unit at Stoke University Hospital. An amazing team of highly professional staff looked after Mark and he was in the best Stroke Unit in the country. He was critical, but stable from that first night. But however he suffered further complications of temperature control and also a chest infection. Hence his long stay in the IC unit.

It was a great relief when Mark was moved to the Neuro Ward!

This blog aims to raise Stroke Awareness, also to raise funds for The Stroke Association.

The following photos were all taken prior to Marks Stroke, which he has affectionately called "Triathlon Tremble"!

 in Markeaton Park Lake with Radio Derby

Swimming The Solent...from Ryde, Isle of Wight to Stokes Bay on the mainland.

 Arriving at Stokes Bay, Gosport after swimming The Bimbel Solent Swim

 The team at Swim Britain, Blenheim Palace

 A 5k Swim at Eton Dorney

 Checking out The Thames on the bikes!

 The 10k River Jubilee Swim

 Showing off the medals after The River Jubilee 10k Swim

Mark had lost a significant amount of weight in recent years through diet and exercise, mainly swimming.