January

Our year has started with some terrible news. Claire rang us in Bali - as fireworks were heralding the New Year - to tell us that Rod had been badly injured in a very serious fall earlier in the day and was in the ICU in a grave condition!!

It took us another day and a half to get back to Canberra from Bali and see him in the ICU. ... so badly injured and in such a bad way. 

It's been 23 days now since the accident. Rod spent 16 days in the ICU before being moved to the Neuro Trauma ward 6 days ago. In addition to his brain bleeds, fractured sphenoid bone (right side, behind the eye and below the front part of the brain) and broken right wrist, Rod suffered a stroke on day 6 which caused more deterioration. Rod has been in a state of  "delirium" all this time and is on a feeding tube. The delirium and immobility are causing other complications too - congestion in the lungs and blood clots in the lungs and legs. The doctors are saying his responsiveness has improved this week and we are seeing tiny occasional improvements too. No one can say what the future holds for this gentle, clever, loving man and for those of us who love and care for him. We have been advised it is a "watch and wait" situation.

This is my own favourite picture of Rod, taken in March 2016 - at beautiful Rosedale - at one of the Lebang's fabulous lobster lunches, happy being together with his beautiful Maxie, among dear friends - and this friendly magpie.

.... and on the happy day he and Maxie were married, 57 years ago on the 23rd November 1967. 

I can't stop thinking about how Maxie would have felt knowing this has happened to Rod.

Claire has been at Rod's side most of the time he has been in the ICU and now in the Trauma Ward. He responds to her voice and touch whenever he is "awake", and she has been a tower of strength dealing with the uncertainty, confusion and grief - all the while dealing with complex medical issues and the kind of decision making that no one wants to be presented with. She really has been a superhero.

There have been some VERY hard days in the last three weeks, so much grief and worry, but we have had some moments of joy to treasure too. Davey arrived from London 10 days after the accident, when things were probably at their lowest point. He stayed 5 days and managed to cheer us all up despite his own shock and grief at seeing his dear Dad like this. Ollie and Angus got back from Japan a few days after Davey arrived too, making family strong again and better able to withstand this.

All these family pics look happy and carefree - but they're not. We're so happy we can be together and find strength and joy from being together at a time like this - supporting each other - but no one is feeling carefree despite those photo smiles.

Claire and Davey together again at the Torrens shops - maybe for the first time in 25 years or so??

Ros and Pete came up from Geelong for 3 nights last weekend..... more family moments to treasure around time spent with Rod and all the watching, waiting and worrying. We all felt better for being together.

Another unexpected joyous moment happened last Friday night when Ros, Pete Rob and I were able to see Angus perform with his band at a new live music venue in Civic - the Dissent Cafe and Bar. Body Shirt opened the night's line up and they were truly amazing! 

I took this shot of Angus smokin' up the drums from outside the venue. The Dissent Bar stage has a window backdrop.

and dear (tall) Ollie got this shot for me ........

Rod is so proud of his beautiful, smart and clever grandkids - and he means so much to them. Both Ollie and Angus and their superhero Mum Claire are so well set up to lead any kind of life they set their hearts to, as are Davey and Cath, Ivy and Eddie in London.  Rod, their Dad and Papa, is watching over them all!