First Aider

Mark did a first aid course today and passed with 100%.

Mark's Year 12 Formal at Old Parliament House

OOOOOHHH YUK~!

Mark lost the toe nail on his broken toe!

Poor Mark - not his year!

Mark has broken his big toe quite badly - on his left foot - Now he can't weight bare properly on either leg! It is very very swollen and he will lose that nail. He had only ever been to the drs 4 times in 17 years - but after this year he is now on first name basis with MANY dr's.

He opened a drawer too far and it fell on his toe.

My baby is 18

Hot chip rolls and birthday cake for lunch with Rebecca, Chris, Lucy, Sam, Jackson and Aleesha.
Some of his best mates before everyone else comes round. The weather has gone really cool but the fire bucket is incredibly warm. I am banished to the house!!!!

Rigal, Darren, Mark, Aleesha, Elen and Stewie.

My two little boys!!

Tomorrow I will only have one little boy - Max!

One of the bosses now!

Mark finally has his new Maccas shirt - his new position is assistant manager

Aleesha and Mark

Back in the driver's seat.........!

Mark is mobile again. He had to get both Dr and Physio clearance to drive but is only allowed to drive an auto for obvious reasons! His dad has given him his car - insured and registered, serviced and new tyres. Right at this moment he has gone to pick Stewie up from work, and it is raining (not much thank goodness) .......... now to see how good my nerves really are??!!!

Jill and the Task Master

Today Mark had his review with the skin graft surgeon, then afterwards we went up to ICU. When he left ICU in March and said thank you, they said that the best thanks would be to see him actually walk in there one day. So today was that day. They were all really excited to see him. His memories were very vague so it was good for him to see ICU. He recognised people by their voices and remebered things they had said. These people were amazing and saved his life.

This is Jill - the nurse Mark liked the most and wanted to trade me for her!!!! That was Marks bed directly in front of the nurses station just behind Jill.
This is Alecia the head of the ICU high dependency ward. Mark called her the Task Master because she made him get out of bed and sit in a chair for the first time and kept yelling at him to breath for the first few days. She was laughing at him today cause he would get upset at her and take a deep breath to stop her yelling at him - and she said 'see look at you standing there -it worked didn't it'.
They talked to him a lot about his memories and how he felt - if he had been anxious and what things he rememberd most. Alecia said it was great because when she talks to the nurses these are the things she tries to tell them so having him there was really good. It was good for Mark too - not so much for me - it was the worst time of my life -except it is over.

The parting words from all of them - 'we never want to see you back here again!' you don't often hear those words said meaning something nice - but they were nice words.

Leaps and Bounds

Mark has been practising guitar hero and can do it pretty good now.

Two of Marks surgeons

Mark with two out of three of the surgeons who operated on his face.

Two boys take off in two different ways!

I went to watch Sam in an athletics fun day. He had a great time and it is the first time I have been able to go to the kids new school.

Also ......... I had to put this pic in ........ Mark had his first little drive in the car (with me in it of course) He did very well and even surprised himself by how well he was able to steer and brake. Absolutley no problems! I will take him out for short goes everyday and slowly build him up a bit ..... then he can have a go all by himself! A taste of freedom again!

Look Ma.......no crutches!

Mark can now walk short distances without crutches, and doing fantastically.

The physios were all really impressed with him today. He has exercises to do to try to get his leg working properly but it is all down hill from here.

He even went to Maccas this afternoon for the first time with one of his mates and didn't take the crutches with him at all. He is very happy.

Mark is gone for the night!

Mark went to his dad's today and is having his first sleep over there. It feels very strange without him at home.

PS please note his unique method of carrying things! I have even caught him carrying his dinner plate like that!!!!

Imi

Imi came over tonight to visit for a couple of hours. Mark and Imi talk on the phone for HOURS every night and that has been for nearly two years now, (they aren't going out though!) she is a lovely girl.

PS...... please note Mark is OBVIOUSLY NOT gay - I can tell his hair isn't combed!!!!

Shorter Hair!

Rebecca cut Mark's hair today - he thinks now that it is shorter he won't have to comb it???!!!! Apparently NO BOYS OR MEN EVER comb their hair unless they are gay - WOW I never knew that!!

A visit and an outing

Two big events today so I had to include both - Jane from the AFP crash investigation team came to visit Mark. She was at the scene of the accident and in charge of all the police side of things. She also came down to Emergency to see how Mark was going at around 5am. She was telling us that after the ambulances had left the police were there until 4am. She said none of them had ever attended an accident in such incredibly bad weather and that when they shone their torches around, the road was covered with frogs. None of them had ever seen anything like it. She said the road was about 2inches under water and that the creek under the bridge was flooding and almost to the road. She was amazed to see how well Mark was going.

Also tonight Mark went out for the first time with his mates.

Kyle and Stewie took him to the movies to see Toy Story. It was a big Maccas night there were about 100 Maccas staff there and then they took him to watch them play futsal. I might add that I was a nervous wreck worrying about him, but here they are all safe and sound back home!

Introducing Mark to exercise!

And now the work begins..................!

A Huge Achievement

Today was the best day in over 14 weeks. Mark walked a few steps for the very first time. He has to wear a special brace on his wrist to use the crutches so his wrist won't bend incorrectly and break or give way and he has to not put weight through his hand mainly just balance with the right side crutch as he is unable to grasp the handle with his hand.

It was very hard for him but he did wonderfully and is allowed to use them up to 3 times a day for two weeks to go a very short distance and only at home. He also is not allowed to try to walk in the morning - he has to eat, drink and stand 5 times before practicing his steps.He has progressed with his leg far quicker than the estimated recovery time. He has another 4 weeks of hydro twice a week and then he will start gym work to build up his legs. Still a long way to go but today was very special. And yes I cried - buckets!!!