Last week was an important step in Callum’s recovery, as the medical team who had been caring for him at Queen Elizabeth hospital decided it was time for him to be transferred onto a neurology rehabilitation unit at Moseley Hall Hospital, 15 mins from the QE. Initially, when I heard this news I was anxious and unsure, thinking and expecting that Callum would be further along in his recovery before such a move was made. It took some time for me to come to realise that those making these decisions know exactly what they are doing, and what is best for Callum and when. The week before Callum had already been transferred to Moseley, only to be returned within hours of his arrival due to a newly discovered infection related to his tracheotomy. This was relatively minor in its implications for Callum, but the transfer and then return was stressful for all of us until the infection cleared up and he was back on the list for rehab again.

In the lead up to Callum’s departure from QE, the physio team had been making steady progress, with Callum consistently spending a couple of hours in a specially fitted chair. A tilting bed/table had also been introduced into the physiotherapy routine, which allowed him to be put into a nearly upright position. This, in turn, puts pressure on the soles of his feet, providing important neurological stimulation to his brain, and another facet to his recovery.

With the move to Moseley, comes change. A new team who will care for Callum, and new relationships to be made both with him and for the family that visit and support him. A key change is the continuity of those that will care for him. Whilst at the QE, both on Critical Care ward, and later in the Neurology ward, the nursing team that tended to him daily changed and circulated, sometimes on a daily basis, thus is the nature of shift patterns in an acute hospital. At Moseley, Callum has a dedicated team of therapists from various disciplines that will work with him throughout his stay, allowing a more meaningful and beneficial relationship to form between them, in which they will really get to know Callum, and so tailor a rehab plan specifically for him.

Currently, Callum is undergoing an initial assessment for 2 weeks, during which his team use a very structured approach to measure where he is in his recovery to act a baseline for further assessments to be compared to down the line. Once this is completed, specific goals will be set along with a clear plan on how to achieve them. The multidisciplinary team will all work together and intensively with Callum to guide him through his rehabilitation. He is still in the very early stages of that process, and even though his exposure to this new level of therapeutic support will be of great benefit to him, his progress will continue to be slow, slow but steady, building on iterative steps.

Within days of his transfer to Moseley, his new team had identified a shortening of his left calf muscle which had been missed during his stay at the QE. As we all know Callum is very long-limbed, which meant that as he moved in his bed his legs would move out of the position that the nursing team had placed him, allowing his left foot to hyperextend. This has happened for such a prolonged time that his left calf muscle had shortened. After discovering this, the physio team had a special splint made up for his leg and foot, which will be used for longer periods each day to gently lengthen his calf over the coming weeks and maybe months.

Another new approach being taken is the beginning stages of weaning him off his tracheotomy which he has been using to assist with his breathing since the early days. Various steps have been taken to start moving towards breathing through his mouth again including an initial test of blocking his tracheotomy for a short period to test his oxygen levels, as well as fitting a fenestrated pipe, which allows increased air to flow over his vocal cords. This will have the additional benefit of allowing him to swallow more effectively, and to begin to vocalise. There are other steps to take before he is deemed capable of breathing on his own, each point being carefully monitored to ensure that his O2 levels remain high.

Yesterday marked the 12 weeks since the accident, and in many ways, the time seems to have passed quickly when looking back, but there were periods of excruciating slowness, during that period. One of the greatest challenges for us to keep in mind and in view is Callum’s progress as a whole, rather than getting discouraged if there are times when his responsiveness doesn’t reach previous peaks. It’s a hard one to tackle, as the mind is so often caught in the present moment in time and doesn’t allow itself the luxury of an overview. Now that I do have that perspective I can see the facts of the matter, and that is that Callum has continued to improve throughout his stay, and the decision to move him onto Moseley is a universally positive one and one that will only greatly benefit his recovery.
Christmas is in 2 days, and it will be a very different occasion for many this year. I can only continue to thank you all for the continued support for Callum and our family as we all navigate through this testing time together. Without such love and compassion, this whole ordeal would have been recognisably impossible for us, so we thank you all. Please continue to send your love, prayers, well wishes, or whatever brand of positivity that you personally subscribe to, to Callum.

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Much Love,
Pete
xx