August 2012 Update

Well, Remy has shown some improvement in the past couple of weeks, that we are pleased of.  Since the last post many things have happened.  His EVD came out, EVD is an External Ventricular Drain.  It was actually accidentally knocked out but they were going to take it out the same day anyway.  The Neuro surgeon was nearby and checked out Remy right away and assured us that although it wasn't the preferred method of removal that he was doing fine.  Sometime after this he was moved to Toronto Sunnybrook Hospital by air ambulance.  Kerry, his mother, says that the flight team and medical personal were awesome, she was really impressed.  During his stay at Sunnybrook, Remy was having his Trach hood suctioned and he actually coughed so hard that it flew out of his through.  From what we're told it caused quite the stir and the Doctors and Nurses were like a beehive of activity on him and after they checked him out they left it out as Remy was breathing fine on his own anyway.  Strange how somethings happen, but the bottom line is that he's doing fine and in good hands.  Remy is improving steadily but he is dealing with a fever and the sweating that comes with it.  They found out that he had a UTI, Urinary Tract Infection, and he's being treated for that.  Once the fever and UTI is taken care of they'll be able to install a Shunt.  Why a Shunt?  Well the Doctors think he has Hydrocephalus and they need to relieve the pressure.

  Anyway, Remy's in good hands, his mom is at his side everyday and long into the night making sure he gets the best possible care.  My family is on hand too and visit him daily.  They're even reading books to him.  Hopefully when Remy wakes up he'll have a love for reading.  I did manage to read him from cover to cover the latest James Bond novel, Carte Blanche.  It wasn't written by Ian Fleming of course but it's still a good read.  I did manage to order Remy a couple of new books including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  I remember watching this in the theatre when I was a boy.  Remy loved the movie, all 3 hours of it, and watched it many times.  What I did not remember is that it is written by none other than Ian Fleming himself.  No wonder boys and men alike appreciate both James Bond and CCBB. Remy and his friend Alex are always in our thoughts and prayers.  Cheers Daddy Rej

Visiting REMy–Points to REMember

Hi all now that Remy is in the Neuro ward the visiting is a little bit different than it was while he was in ICU.  While stimulation for Remy is good, it has to be the right kind of stimulation.  Any stimulation should be the kind that promotes his recovery and does not cause him any anxiety which further cause him to “posture”.  Please keep in mind that sometimes the Nurses and staff need a little bit extra time on the tail end of the timings to finish up, so don’t be put off if the quiet time extends to 2:30 pm or the Nurses Report extends for an additional 30 minutes.

The sign on the door to the ward is pretty clear and a picture of it is below.  If may friends show up then I would ask you to respect the wishes of either his mother Kerry or me, Rej, his dad, and to keep the noise down and take turns of about 10 minutes or so each and rotate amongst yourselves so that you all get a good visit with Remy.  We have to keep in mind that there are other people in the ward that are trying to recover from the same thing as Remy and we should all be mindful of that.  Cheers Rej

Initial Posting on Remy's Injury

As you may be aware, Remy was involved in a vehicle accident just north of Lloydminster SK on Friday 13 July 2012, just before 9 pm.  He was turning left off of Highway 17 onto Township Road 514, when a vehicle approached from the rear and tried to pass and collided with him.  The results of the accident were that Remy sustained traumatic brain injury diagnosed as Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI) with additional damage to his corpus callosum and brain stem.  If you search online you'll find that this is very serious indeed.  There are also some good informative videos on YouTube that describe it in detail.

Remy was rushed to Lloydminster hospital and after he was stabilized they flew him to Royal University Hospital (RUH) for specialized care.  He stayed in ICU until last night and is now in the Neuro Ward at RUH.  He is being treated very well by all the Doctors and Nurses and staff at the hospital and we are thankful for all the great service he is receiving.

The first week was critical for his survival and recovery and he is stabilized enough now to be in the Neuro ward where they can continue to treat Remy and help encourage him to do things like breathing and other such things on his own.

Many thanks go out to my family and all of Remy's extended family and friends that are rallying alongside him for his recovery and the return of his vitality and zest for life same as it was before this tragedy that has befallen him.

His mother, Kerry, and I are awestruck with the amount of well wishes and prayers that have flooded in for him and the kindness and thoughtfulness that his wonderful friends have shown.  To his friends in Lloyd and the two young ladies who bused in overnight to spend 30 mins with him, many thanks.

The picture is of Remy and his sister Alanna swimming the horses at High Falls Water Park near Bracebridge ON.  We went there for my birthday in 2003.  It was alot of fun so we went back a year later and found out that it had turned into a bit of a nudist beach where clothing was opitional, needless to say it was a bit awkward.

Please keep Remy in your prayers and remember the kindness and smile that Remy shares with us.  I'll do my best to update this blog with meaningful updates, they may not be frequent but they will let you know of Remy's progress.  Cheers Rej, Remy's dad