Tom

One of my dear friends' dads is in a critical but stable condition in the Alfred hospital at the moment....

On sunday he was doing the Ride Around the Bay and was involved in a bike crash, where he flew head first over his handle bars and landed on his head on the concrete. He fractured 5 vertebrae in his back and two in his neck. Due to the trauma to his body of fracturing the two vertebrae in his neck, he suffered a heart attack, and he was without oxygen for a number of minutes. Luckily someone nearby knew CPR and was able to get him breathing again until the ambulance came, at which point he was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital. So far he has been sedated, but yesterday they took him off sedation and are now waiting for him to wake up to see if there is any brain damage from the minutes without oxygen. He has little movement in his legs, and no movement in his arms due to swelling around the spinal chord, but luckily it looks like the spinal chord is not snapped, but the extent of the damage is uncertain.

Accidents like this to a fit, healthy and strong person really put life sharply into perspective don't they?

Juls, my love and thoughts are with your family, and please, if you're reading this and you believe in the power of prayer, pray for Tom. If not, keep your fingers crossed.