Thoth - Topic moved to the Basilica forum, Thoth is major accident Options

[Guest_Thoth's daughter_*]

Hello Friends of Thoth
I am Thoth's daughter and need to inform you of an accident he was recently involved in.
I am know that Thoth has been greatly involved with his poems and writing and that this site has meant a great deal to him.
For those wishing to contact me please kindly do so at nicolaschwim@gmail.com
Regards, Daughter of Thoth

[Peterpan]

Thank you for letting us know, I will send you a mail.

Bev

[Maggie]

Hello again,

I just sent you an email. And again, it is with deep concern and admiration for Thoth that I wish to be informed about the outcome of his accident. You both will be in my thoughts.

Sincerely,

Peggy Carpenter Harwood

[Merlin]

Trusting all goes well with Thoth.

Speedy recovery is hoped.

Merlin

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

I also have sent you an email, let Walter know we are praying for a swift recovery.
Steve

[JLY]

Dear Daughter of Toth;

I wish your father a speedy recovery. He has been an inspiring light to this poetic family.

Warmest regards,
JLY

[Eisa]

Hi Nicola

I am so sorry to hear this news - I thought I hadn't seen Wally around for a while, I have missed his wonderful poetry. I wish him a speedy recovery, he will be in my thoughts.

Snow

[Larry]

Hello Nicola,

I'm sorry to hear about Wally's accident. I want you to know he is in my thoughts and prayers. May God be with you both.

Larry

[Cleo_Serapis]

Oh my, Nicola!

What sad news! I send my best regards and heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery to Wally. He's been an inspiration to all of us through his poetry and friendship.

Please do send me an email if you'd be so kind at either my Mosaic Musings email address or my generic email address.

Thanks for letting us know!
HUGS
Lori

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

To Wally's Family and friends here,
I sent this in an e-mail to them for her to read to Walter, I hope he hears and enjoys, and recovers soon. I will not post this elsewhere, as it was written for him.

For Walter Schwim

My distant friend with words of rhyme,
I hope you're better, get well with time.
our prayers are with you on the mend,
with words of rhyme my distant friend.

Hear now the sounds that I will say
each of us to the lord will pray.
Let healing bind your bodies wounds,
that I will say, hear now the sounds.

© Feb 22 2009
Stephen Pray

[Psyche]

Dear Nicola,

I've just sent you a message, better said, to you & your Dad.

Can't express how sorry I am to hear of the accident. Hope he's getting better by the hour. Here at MM your Dad's kindly collaboration and wonderful poetry is very much appreciated.

You take care too, Nicola, and my prayers go out for a speedy recovery.

Hugs, Sylvia (Psyche).

[Arnfinn]

Hi, Nicola,

This is terrible news.

I admire Wally as a person and for his literary talent.

I hope his health is improving.

Best wishes and kind regards.


John

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

An FYI for everyone in case you haven't heard. Last email I recieved from Nicola, Wally/Thoth's daughter was that he was conscious, able to communicate with grunts etc as he still had a trachea tube, still in a lot of pain from bruises and broken bones, but he is breathing on his own, his doctors say his brain is fine, and his kidneys are back to normal. He should be transfered to a hospital closer to his home soon, and then comes the final knitting of bones and therapy to help him get back on his feet. Nicola said that he has a laptop, but may not be capable of communicating with us yet. Hopefully we will see a posting form him soon. I say great going Wally, what a fighter.
Steve

[Peterpan]

Yes, Steve, things look good. Wally will have a long way still to go in ICU and high care. He has broken a lot of bones and is still on machines. But, according to Nicola and the doctors he is making good progress. He is obviously a fighter and as I said to Nicola he is resting now and mustering-up some great poetry...he certainly has given his family a great scare!

Bev

[Psyche]

G'mornin all,

Thank you, Steve & Bev, for giving us fresh news about our dearly admired Wally.
I can't find the right words to express my sorrow for this unfair & avoidable accident he's suffered, due to the indifference and/or callousness of certain people.

Nicola, if you read this thread, please forgive me for not writing again. I've been having personal troubles too (nothing compared to your's and your Dad's). Please transmit my 'get well soon' wshes to Wally. I believe everybody at MM is praying for his wellbeing, foremost in my mind is that he should not suffer so much pain as soon as possible.

And yes, as Bev says (apart from the scare to his family), he's surely dreaming up some wonderful poetry deep down in his mind. A great fighter, Wally..!

My prayers are with you & your Dad, Nicola, and all the family.
Take care,
Sylvia***

[Arnfinn]

Well, Sylv,

You've said it all.


Wally, will return.


We're all behind him.


John

[Thoth]

I only just found this thread.
I am humbled to tears by the concern you my sibling poets have shown for my well being during my ordeal.

I thank you all for the thoughts and prayers,
Wally

My other daughter Terry-leigh kept a diary during the crisis which explains what the family went through. My son Bryan and son-in-law Grant were both pillars of strength to Liz and the girls and to me during my recovery.

Here is what Terry-leigh wrote;

LETTER TO DAD from Terry-Leigh

Dear Dad,

I thought I would write this letter to you so one day when you are well again you can read it to understand how you changed all of our lives the day you had you accident.

It all happened on Saturday, 14 February 2009. Grant, I and the girls had just left Clamber Club when we received a phone call from Mom saying the she just had word that you had a car accident. You were ok, but had broken your leg.

You had been away from home for 2 weeks in the Salt Pans in the Northern Cape doing a shoot for Honda and you were on your way home. It was George, Linda and yourself in the car. The accident happened 30km outside Britstown near De Aar on the Saturday at about 13h00 in the afternoon.

We went straight to Mom, who was at book club at the time and picked her up. We had a funny feeling that the accident was a little more serious than a broken leg when no one from the hospital would let Mom speak to you, let alone a doctor. Eventually Grant managed to speak to the doctor at the Britstown hospital and was told it was serious. You had slipped into a coma and sustained serious injuries and head injuries.

Grant got hold of Bryan and packed their bags and we headed for your house. I also got to speak to a doctor and she said that you were critical and that Mom should come down. Grant had by this stage organized to have you airlifted to the nearest private hospital with the equipment to treat you, that being Kimberley, and Mom, Bryan and Grant left Johannesburg at 18h00 that evening to meet you in Kimberley. The girls and I stayed at your house that night with Gran and Aunty Audrey.

The weather down in Britstown was so bad that the aircraft that was supposed to have airlifted you to Kimberley had to be aborted and you had to endure a 3 hour road trip in a life support ambulance to Kimberley. Mom, Bryan and Grant arrived in Kimberley at 00h30 and you arrived at 01h30am and went straight for a CT scan.

After 2½ hours later (04h00) they were allowed to see you.

Grant describes it:

“I walked into ICU and when I saw you I was borderline fainting and had to leave the room to recompose myself. At that stage we had not yet spoken to a doctor and the night nurse painted a very gloomy picture. It was the first time we had any idea to the extent of your injuries. You were on a back board with neck and leg braces as well as tubes and pipes out of all parts of your body, and very very swollen, almost unrecognizable. You were very grey, bruised and covered in dry blood. An army of heart monitors, infusion pumps and ventilators surrounded you. It was a very horrible sight”.

Mom called me at 04h30 on the Sunday morning (15th February) to tell us what had been said. They were told that you were critical and that you had a broken back, broken leg, at least some ribs broken, your lungs were punctured and you had extensive head injuries – swelling and bleeding on the brain. All of us at home did not sleep that night while we waited for the news. After we heard the news, I cried in Aunty Audrey’s arms and her in mine while we tried to take it all in.

Mom, Grant and Bryan left the hospital and found a place to sit down to absorb all this in. They really thought that this was the end. After a while they went back to the hospital and saw the Neurosurgeon. He said that there was massive swelling on the brain but was unable to tell if there was bleeding. He said that you were critical and you were a very broken man and confirmed that all the ribs were fractured, the T12 in your back was crushed and your left leg very critically broken. After Mom, Bryan and Grant saw the Neurosurgeon they were a little more optimistic.

Later that Sunday morning Nicola flew up to be with us. We were all in a state of shock, we couldn’t believe that our Dad was lying in a Kimberley hospital fighting for his life. Later that Sunday afternoon, they took you into theatre to operate on your broken leg. They put in a pin which was screwed into your hip and to your knee and screwed your ankle together.


After a very long Sunday and many many tears, Grant and Bryan left Mom in Kimberley and drove home on the Monday (16th February). Brian and Shirley drove down to Kimberley to be with Mom while Nicola and I got ourselves ready to come down. Early on the Tuesday morning (17th February) Nicola, the girls and I drove down to Kimberley. The whole way down we were remembering all the things you told us and taught us for example the power lines and the kiwi fruit story. Although we were heartbroken, we laughed and laughed at the memories.

Nicola said that your spirit had been with her the whole time and you told her that you were waiting for us. We arrived in Kimberley at 12h00 and got settled in the guesthouse before seeing you. Mom then took me up to the hospital. I had dashing pains across my chest when we were walking down the corridor to ICU. I was very scared to see you. By that stage the nurses had taken away all the braces and cleaned you up and had already put a trachea in your throat.

I walked into ICU, washed my hands and turned to look at you. They had shaved your beard and mustache off so I had a hard time believing it was you. You had tubes and pipes all over and surrounded with machines all beeping. You were so swollen – I couldn’t see your eyes sockets because your face was so swollen, bruised and scrapped. I tried to speak to you but I couldn’t get the words out. This man lying here, the head of our family – the strong one, was now the weak one.

Nicola was very hesitant to see you that day as she was convinced that once she saw you, you would leave us. She finally plucked up the courage and went to see you.

It was very upsetting for all of us. That night we went to see you again and saw the Doctor. He told us that your kidneys were taking strain and you needed to go on a dialysis machine which was across the road in the other ICU ward. We all cried and cried that night!

The next day, Wednesday 18th February, you were moved across the road. Your body took a lot of strain with the move, but somehow you kept holding on, fighting for your life. You received so much blood, it was just not looking good. The doctors were waiting for you to wake up.

On the Thursday, 19th February, Mom, Nicola, the girls and I went to the McGregor museum – that’s what you would have wanted us to do since we were in a very historic town. That lunchtime Bryan and Slush arrived on your bike and Grant had driven down in Mom’s car so at least Mom could have a car down with her. Bryan and Grant went to see you and they couldn’t believe the improvement in you since the Monday. After that we all went to see the Big Hole.

On the Friday, 20th February, we all went up to see you with much optimism. But that optimism was soon dashed when the doctor spoke to us. He told us that you had slipped back into a coma, stage 3. We are stage 15 and stage 1 being the worst. It was very critical. Your injuries are: swelling on the brain, all your ribs fractured, four ribs completely broken away, the ribs then caused major puncturing in the lungs for which you had drains in. Both collar bones fractured, shoulder blade cracked, shattered femur and smashed ankle.

Dad, we said goodbye to you that morning. We told you that if you wanted to go we set you free. It was a horrible day waiting to see if you would fight or give up.

Nicola said that she saw an angel by your bedside when she was with you that day – maybe the angel of death. She asked this angel if he was here for you, and the angel replied that it was your choice.

Later that afternoon, Nicola wrote to her spiritual guide and she wrote back a long email, but the part Nicola read to us was about the Archangel Michael. She asked if Archangel Michael would cut the cord, whether it be the cord that binds you from the coma to earth, or the cord that binds you from the coma to heaven – whatever is best for you. Later, Gran told Nicola that she saw your spirit in Mom’s room that night. You stood there for a while and after Gran asked your spirit what you were doing here and to go back to your family and then your spirit disappeared.

On Saturday, 21st February, you woke up from your coma. It was truly a miracle. Something happened that Friday night and we hope in time you will remember and be able to share it with us.

From that Saturday you just kept getting better and better, slowly but surely. Grant, the girls and I left that Sunday feeling positive that you had come back to us.

On the Friday, 27th February, Grant, Bryan, the girls and myself were in the car again on our way down to Kimberley. We arrived just before 21h00 and Bryan and I went up to the hospital to see you. You were asleep but we couldn’t believe how better you looked since last week. The swelling had gone down quite considerably and we could now see you face and recognize you.

On the Saturday, 22nd February when we were up visiting you, you opened your one eye just a little and you seem to have acknowledged that I was there. It made me feel that everything was going to be ok.

Nicola and Mom stayed another week with you in Kimberley and all was looking good. The Neurosurgeon told Nicola that you did not sustain any brain damage. They weaned you off the life support units and put in another trachea to enable you to talk when you were not on the ventilator. Although you were still very drugged up, you were now officially off the critical list.

Mom and Nicola came home after that week as Mom had already been down with you for three weeks and Mom had to come up to help me while Grant was in Germany. Bryan went down to Kimberley to be with you for that week. Every time he phoned, the news was just getting better and better. It was during this week that I got to see the photos of the car from your accident. I felt sick to the stomach and truly believe it was a miracle that you survived!

On the Tuesday, 10th March, Bryan signed all the forms for you to be transferred back to Johannesburg to Arwyp. At the last minute, the Orthopedic Surgeons decided to operate on your back before you could travel. With your back like it was (the T12 being crushed) the ambulance drive would be too risky, especially with all the pot holes in the road. They couldn’t put you in a brace because of your fractured ribs and they couldn’t fly you up because of your lungs not being 100% healed yet. We all cried and cried knowing that you were not coming back yet.

The doctors operated on your back on Wednesday night, 11th March. We all stayed up patiently waiting for news from Bryan that you were ok. Bryan called us at 23h45 to say that you were out of theatre and all went ok and that the doctors were very pleased. They had taken a bit of your hip bone and then built up the crushed T12. You didn’t even need to go on a ventilator as your lungs held up very well.

Bryan drove home on the Thursday, 12th March to come and fetch Mom and they drove back down to Kimberley on the Saturday, 14th March. Mom couldn’t believe the difference in you 4 weeks after the accident. Although you were still very drowsy and confused, you still acknowledged them and later that night you even had a conversation with Mom and Bryan. Mom was so chuffed. Mom and I kept in contact probably every couple of hours, Mom reporting everything to me.

Sunday, 15th March, you had a very bad day. You were in so much pain and you had to get more blood. I think in total you have received over nine pints of blood. That evening you seemed a little better. There is talk again that you will be able to get transferred up to Arwyp early next week and we pray that they will. You are so far away from us all!

Dad, you have always been here for us – you the strong one, now that you are the weak and broken one, we are all here for you. We made sure that there was always someone down in Kimberley with you by your bedside, whether you knew that or not.

We reached out to all our family and friends and you will not believe the amount of prayers, thoughts and support we have received from them all. People all praying that you will pull through and recover.

How you survived your accident is truly a miracle. Archangel Michael definitely cut your cord that tied you from that coma to earth and you returned to us.

Dad, it is going to be a very long road to recovery. You are doing so well. You will have hard days and good days and you will need a lot of patience and support, which you already have. You will probably be in hospital for sometime to come still.

Just know Dad, that your accident has pulled our family so close together. We were always a close family, but now we are so strong, so strong for you to get better again.

Its so strange Dad, that on Christmas Eve at the dinner table you were the one who said that we as a family have had nothing bad happen to us. Only 1½ months later, it was you who changed all that. And maybe for a good reason – to pull our family closer together.

Dad, each day we pray for you. We pray for your strength and health. We thank God that he gave you back to us so that we could spend more time with you. Your time on earth is not yet done!

Daddy we love you and are very proud of you!



DIARY OF WHEN YOU CAME HOME TO JOHANNESBURG


MONDAY, 16TH MARCH 2009

Today we got the news that you are definitely coming home. The ambulance was all set to leave at 12h30. Mom and Bryan were in Kimberley with you and said goodbye to you and left for Johannesburg in front of the ambulance.

You arrived at Arwyp at 20h00 where Mom and I were waiting for you. The nurse said that you had been very restless and irritated and hardly slept. It was a very long trip and you were very tired.

I said hello to you and you held my hand while you were still in the ambulance. I was shocked when I saw you as the last time I saw you, you were so swollen and bruised and now you are so thin and frail. You looked just like Papa, your father!

Mom and I helped the nurses get you settled in ICU and said goodnight.



TUESDAY, 17TH MARCH 2009

Grant and I visited you tonight and you looked much better and much more comfortable than last night.



WEDNESDAY, 18TH MARCH 2009

Tonight I rubbed cream on your hands, arms, legs and feet as your skin is so dry. I also rubbed your back which you seemed to really like.

Dad, I think I have cried every night for you. I try so hard to be positive and strong, but it is really hard – hard for all of us.

You seem to be so confused and disorientated. I asked you what year you thought it was and you said 1978, but the other day you told the doctor that is was 2008. I seem to think that you may have suffered with short term memory loss as you seem to remember all of us, but not who you saw during the day. But I hope in time that will all come back to you. I just keep thanking the Lord that you are still here with us.



FRIDAY, 20TH MARCH 2009

Tonight I went up to see you alone. You are looking better and better each day. Russel also came up to see you. You were very emotional and got all chocked up many times during our visit. You seem to still be a bit confused as you kept telling us weird stories that the nurses are selling drugs and that the Chinese are trying to get into your bank account – its probably still the morphine trying to work out of your body.

When I told Russel about the accident, you told me that you remember that the car you were driving was white and that there were 4 of you. I told you that there was only 3 of you coming back home and you remembered that one of the guys flew back to Johannesburg a couple of days earlier. You asked me where you were and I told you that you were in the salt pans doing a photo shoot for Honda and you said you remember that. You remembered that you had your computer with you and asked about it. I told you that we had it and that your camera was not good and the lens was missing. I told you that Nicola managed to download your photos from the card and you said you didn’t take a lot of photos, which you didn’t as there were only a few photos on the card.

Dad, this is such a big improvement!

Just as I was leaving you said that you weren’t going to let the male nurse feed you, so I decided to stay and feed you myself.

You ate well and I left you to sleep.


SATURDAY, 21ST MARCH 2009

We went up to see you at both visiting hours. At 10h30 Mom and I went to see you. You had just had a bowl of oats and were looking good under the circumstances. You are still in a huge amount of pain.

It was Kaleigh’s sports day so I couldn’t stay long. Kaleigh misses you so much. We asked the nurse if it was possible for you to see her, but she wasn’t allowed in. But they did allow me to stand at the ICU door with Kaleigh so you could see her. You both blew kisses to each other and waved. Kaleigh thought this was the best thing ever and you just cried. I also took Tayla at the door so you could see her. Afterwards we got a million and one questions as to what all the pipes around your face and arms were for. Shame, if only she knew what you had looked like a few weeks ago!

We went to Kaleigh’s sports day. She runs just like me and probably not going to be an athlete in this life time. Afterwards we went to Tayla’s Clamber club as it was her graduation, and then back to the hospital to see you.

When we got there you had just finished a muffin and Mom was helping you drink some tea. At least you are eating now and building your strength. We didn’t stay too long as you were very tired and wanted to sleep.

We had a look at your x-rays. You should see what you leg looks like. There are screws holding your ankle together and a long rod that is screwed in your knee and your hip and there are bits of shattered bone floating around. Your ribs are looking good and you are definitely on the road to recovery, as long and as slow as that may be, at least you are getting there.



SUNDAY, 22ND MARCH 2009

Today I came up to see you in the afternoon. Earlier you asked Mom if I could come up and do your feet. So I came along with your foot file, exfoliating cream and foot balm and gave you a good foot rub.

While I was there you had a visit from Sue and Mike, and Mark. You are still very emotional and will probably be for some time while you work out things in your mind.

I spoke to you about a Power of Attorney for Mom to get into your account so that we may pay credit cards etc and get Mom some money.

I also got you to eat a little of your lunch. You don’t seem to be too sure on this eating to get stronger and asked Mark what he thought, and sorry to say, but he agreed with me. The more food you eat, the stronger you will become and the quicker you can get home.

Grant came up to see you in the evening, along with Danny and Bruce and Russel.

We all agree that you are definitely on the mend and looking better each day. You asked Grant to bring you up a calendar as you are a bit confused as to what day it is.

Dad, you are doing very well!



MONDAY, 23RD MARCH 2009

Tonight Grant, Bryan, Slush and myself came up to see you, but you were not looking good. You were very pale and had the oxygen mask on your face and were very tired.

We tried to get you to sign a Power of Attorney, but that didn’t work, so Mom will have to try something else.

Oz from Gearhouse also came to see you. He says everyone has been asking about you as HR hasn’t said anything. HR is probably just respecting your privacy. He said he would come and see you again when you were feeling better. You then told us all to leave and let you sleep.



TUESDAY, 24TH MARCH 2009

Mom found out today that you had caught a chest infection and now we know why you weren’t feeling well last night. At least you are on antibiotics to treat that.

I managed to see you early this afternoon as we arranged for one of the attorneys at my new office to help you with the Power of Attorney. We put your thumb print on and the attorney witnessed it, but in the process we lost part of his stamp and have no idea where it went.

I stayed on a little while longer and the nurses moved you into another ICU ward and I helped you settle in. We had a very nice conversation about the kids etc.

You then commented on how bad everyone else looks and I laughed because they all look good compared to what you looked like a few weeks ago and tried to explain you to. After a while I had to go home to feed the girls and put them to bed.

Grant came up later on in the evening, along with Brian and Shirley, Russel and Mark. Grant arranged with the nurses that Mom could bring up your computer tomorrow so you can play with it. You also ate an ice cream that Shirley brought for you.

You are doing good Dad, keep it up.



WEDNESDAY, 25TH MARCH 2009

Today Mom brought you up your computer to play with. You remembered how to get onto the internet and remembered all your passwords for the internet banking. At least that is a relief, now we can pay your credit card and get Mom a little bit of money.

Mom said that you were doing very well today. I didn’t go up to the hospital today as I believe you had some other visitors.



THURSDAY, 26TH MARCH 2009

Today you underwent another leg operation. Hopefully the Orthopedic surgeons sorted your leg out and got rid of all the wondering pieces of bone. You went into theatre about 16h00 and got back to ICU at 18h15. I came up to see you an hour later.

You looked a bit pale, but good under the circumstances. You lost a lot of blood during the operation and had to receive another 3 pints of blood. You woke up a bit and spoke to me. I told you that Nicola had sent up a letter for you and you asked if I could read it to you which I did. You were very tired and just wanted to sleep because you were in a lot of pain. You had fallen asleep before I even left the room!




FRIDAY, 27TH MARCH 2009

Dad, it sounds like you are doing really well today. Mom phoned me after she saw you this morning. She said you were doing well, but your blood pressure was a bit low. The physiotherapist was going to try get up out of bed this after, but it turned out she didn’t as your blood pressure remained too low.

Grant and I came up to see you tonight. Uncle Rick, Aunty Lynn and Gail were visiting you to. At least the nurses let 3 of us by your bedside. Besides being in a lot of pain, you seemed to be much more with us. They moved your bed to the window and your view is so nice, overlooking the airport. Once they have got you up and sitting you will be able to see what's going on at the airport.

You asked me for a foot rub as you seem to be battling with circulation. Hopefully it won’t be long until the physio has got you up and exercising.



SATURDAY, 28TH MARCH 2009

We came up to see you in the afternoon. We cannot believe how each day you are getting better and better. You had lots of visitors who also cannot believe you are doing so well. I helped the nurse change your dressings on your leg. I cannot believe how long your cut is, probably up to 50 to 60 cm. But it is looking rather good.

The physio has even had you up today, although you cannot put any pressure on your broken leg.

I also had it out tonight with the nurses as the second tub of aqueous cream has gone missing. Funnily enough it was returned later in the evening.


SUNDAY, 29TH MARCH 2009

We came up to see you in the afternoon and I came up by myself in the evening. During the afternoon visit I managed to get Nicola on the phone so that you can speak to her because she misses you terribly.


TUESDAY, 31ST MARCH 2009

Today I believe you got a visit from Dr Kruger. She had said that she has been wanting to see you.

But the biggest thing today was that you were moved out of ICU into the Orthopedic ward on the 4th floor – closer to the door to coming home.

I bought the girls up to see you just before the evening visiting hours. Kaleigh was so excited to see you and you cried when you saw both of them, as you hadn’t seem them for about 7 weeks.

Dad, this is my last diary entry as you are definitely on the road to recovery. You just have to build your strength up to enable you to be home by Easter.

Daddy, we love you very much and are very proud of you!

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

Dear Wally, This is extraordinary, it made me cry all over again knowing what you have gone through. I guess the Lord has some extra plan for you just as he does for me, my understanding is he only gives that which we can endure. I don't understand why but I sure hope that I can endure as well as you seem to have done and are doing. My prayers are still with you, and luckily you have such a wonderful family just as I do to support you in your time of need. Take special care my friend, keep getting better.

Steve