A very BIG thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday for Cape Town’s show of strength. …Tom, it truly was such a perfect day! The sea was incredibly still, unbelievably clear and dazzling, and our group of 24 various shades of yellow were a beautiful collection of sunshine filled energy channeled entirely your way! It was a very special occasion and I have no doubt you felt our deep breaths back in Harare I will post some photos over the next couple of days. With so much love from Cape Town, …Tom and Sal, we breathe for you both x

Just a reminder for those of you who are in Cape Town this weekend and are able to join us for CT’s Show of Strength – we’ll be walking along the Seapoint promenade this Saturday morning, breathing deep ocean air breaths for Tom! Meeting at 08h15am at the playground adjacent to the Moullie Point Lighthouse – don’t forget to bring coffee/snacks for a breakfast picnic if you are able to join in afterwards!

Thanks,

Vics Wood

Parking is apparently next to the bowling greens. See you there!

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Whilst on the subject of the site’s popularity, herewith the total stats to date (since the site inception):

The site has been visited by 5807 individuals. These people have visited a total of 52 287 times, reading 138 278 pages, spending an average of 4 minutes each on the site on every visit. These are staggering… roll on the advertising

Today Sydney turned on a beautiful summer’s day in spring and we walked, with our friends, for beautiful Tom. It was such a lovely day and the bay sparkled. Not one single one of our friends knows Tom personally, but each one has been touched by his story and today they came with their kids and prams and scooters and bikes and walked and breathed and thought of you Tom and you Sal. Pictures coming soon…you will notice that once again Bob Marley (and groupies) was with us. He obviously thinks, as we do, that you are a legend Tom Soper. We send you all our love.

In fact there’s been a lot of activity in the few days Tom has been there. I will attempt to summarise progress as follows;

1. Since admission Tom has been attended to by a multi-disciplinary team comprising all the necessary physio and medical staff to make decisions on his treatment path. They have agreed that Tom should move out of the ICU ward, possibly as early as today.

2. Whilst I am assured they monitor his condition very closely, the reason for the move is two-fold – firstly to get him out of an ICU where infections etc. are always a risk, but more importantly (and I am paraphrasing here) for the psychological benefits associated with being taken out of a specialised ward where very sick patients reside. Tom’s condition is reportedly stable and his breathing has been going well, so they feel its time he saw the results of his improving condition by getting into an environment where the emphasis is recovery, not life-support.

3. The team have also decided to remove the trachae, but I am told the timing of this will depend on their observation of Tom over the next few days. They want to do this soon, but are also obviously careful not to get ahead of Tom’s strength levels. I’ll update you on this when more concrete plans are made.

4. Our experience since his accident tells us to expect setbacks here and there,  though perhaps I too am afflicted with an overly cautious mindset. This new positivity and energy (and dare I say optimism) from the Muelmed team is exhilarating no doubt for Tom, who is looking forward to getting into the gym

5. On the gym front: he was in a wheelchair yesterday and was wheeled to the gym to observe. His description of the experience was that it was “pretty impressive”.

Keep breathing for Tom. This movement may seem fast but I get the feeling that its appropriately so, and that he is being well looked after.

Hey Tom,

I thought I would post this on your site to show you the support and love you have from all corners of the world. We ran the Victoria Falls Marathon on the 23^rd August 2009 in your honour.  We wore red bands as you can see!!

“To be outstanding you have to stand out”

Vic Falls Marathon and Half Marathon 2009

Tom, all the best, thinking of you everyday – keep strong and positive –  we salute you  – regards Anika  xoxox

More Pics on Flikr panel on the right!

Close-up of the shirts John Mess had made in Brisbane

John or Sal will post details of how you can get hold of the logo design, or the shirts themselves, for events elsewhere. Tom LOVES the logo and the pics from Brisbane. Good work guys!

It was a long day due to a relatively late pickup by the cheerful and professional Netcare ambulance guys (1.45pm), but a day without hitches, and Tom is safely ensconced in ICU-C.

Leaving the Milpark OR Tambo Trauma Unit

A morning of normal routines at Milpark as James packed up his things. Breakfast, and physio as usual. Except a steady stream of hospital personnel passed by the bedside to say good-bye and wish him well. Some promised to visit him in Pretoria, and it was clear that these were not empty attempts at sentiment – I fully expect to see them there!

It was like when I was a smoker and I’d survive an 16 hour flight no problem. But as soon as the plane touched down and I could see the terminal, impatience won out and the minutes stretched unbearably slowly. So it was as we waited around at the appointed time for Tom’s chariot to the Capital.

Transferred to the stretcher Tom was all smiles and the ambulance team seemed very keen to make the transfer as comfortable and careful as possible. I think they put Tom at ease. He was all smiles as they loaded the ambulance.

Moving on out...

It needs to be said that Muelmed would not scoop the architectural awards in any decade, and the area (Arcadia) is probably best driven through on the way to Loftus, but I got a good feeling from the staff and the setup inside.

As I mentioned last week, Tom was admitted to ICU due to his continued (wall C-pap) ventilation and in order to monitor any stress from the journey. The ICU-C ward is only about 6 beds big, and each is partitioned from the next to allow more space and a little more privacy, without losing the proximity to nursing staff that is so important in his condition.

As opposed to Milpark Trauma, he does not have a dedicated nurse by his bedside, though he is the first bed away from the nursing station, and being an ICU they certainly seem equipped for the necessary vigilance and attention he needs right now.

Unpacked and with his TV and laptop set up (when his voice recovers some strength he’ll start being able to use his PC with voice commands), Tom was waiting when I left this evening for the Muelmed doctors’ visit. The multi-disciplinary rehab team will see him in the morning for a full assessment.

He is yearning to get some active rehab going. It will start slow, no doubt, but its wonderful that he’s in a place where this will be part of a specialised programme.

At this point I’m sure I’m not out of turn when I say a big thank you not only to Tom’s doctors at Milpark (who we have thanked personally already), but to his nursing staff, many of whom were wonderully supportive and informative as Tom and those around him tried to figure out what all the medical jargon meant.

The Milpark physio team (I only know Moira and Mae but Tom knows and appreciates you all) were fantastic – and always seemed so motivationally positive as they moved about the ward tending to their patients.

For as long as Tom is in the ICU ward, visiting hours are fairly stringent. I’m told they wont be too strict with them, but please be mindful of the regulations where possible. I know that Tom is looking forward to seeing those of you who can get out there to see him.

They are 30 minute sessions, at 11h15, 15h15 and 19h15. As with Milpark, a limit of two people by his bedside at a time.

Today’s journey was 60kms, but Tom has travelled an incredible distance to get to where he is today.