Well - we're nearing the halfway point to this year and i can honestly say 2025 has not been kind thus far.
On the plus side - he is alive, recovering, doesn't need a kidney transplant (was a real concern at one point) and his dominant, left hand is the one affected the least: he has lost one finger and a couple of finger tips on his left I think. Also - he has been left with a few toe stumps which means he should eventually be able to manage with ordinary footwear with an insert rather than the giant balance boots (currently he's in giant neoprene protective balance boots that fit over the bandages)
He's been able to go outside in the garden for short spells, when the weather was warm.
His hand exercises are going well - he is able to do more - though the sensitivity in his skin is making that hard work
He has more days now where he is engaged in the conversation and watching tv shows and just generally more involved. Overall he seems in relatively good spirits most times i see him. He has put up a decent show of being ok most of the time since he got out of intensive care, even when he was still on the high dependency ward, but it's less forced now i think. in the hospital it was almost a feverish humour - now a bit more like his usual dark humour
On the not so plus side - he's pretty much down to stumps on his right hand, with i think just one mostly intact finger, but that finger was bending wrong so the joint has been affected at some point.
- He's looking at probably a year of several reconstructive surgeries to deal with the damage to his nose, lips and palate.
He's still on heavy duty painkillers, antibiotics and other meds.
He's having to retrain the nerves in his skin because they're jangling at every change in temperature, or air flow or contact with new textures etc.
Eating and drinking is hard for him - and also just generally, most of the time he has to wear a napkin or tissue pressed against his mouth to stop from drooling
Talking takes effort and it is difficult sometimes to make out what he is saying so he's having to repeat himself a lot. It's strange being in his company and him not being that talkative.
graphic descriptions coming up so don't read if you're squeamish:
He's having a really bad time especially with his nose and mouth. There's still a little bit of necrotic material at the back of his nose but it's been coming out in pieces. He's lost most of his nose. at one point he started choking and it's because some necrotic cartilege had come away and gone down his throat.
graphic stuff over:
He's fought so hard, and made it so much further than any of the Doctors thought he would at the start of this. Now he's on the long road - a marathon not a sprint. I'm deeply proud of him.
