We love you Paul Bailey

Finally...New Update!

2011-04-14T13:07:00.004-04:00

Hey PB supporters:

If you're not one of the lucky folks Paul has been phoning regularly to share a few of the many new jokes he has learned, you've probably been wondering what he's been up to lately. Paul has been working on learning Braille with the Commission for the Blind. He's mastered the alphabet, numbers and some short words. About a month ago, he began working with a trainer at the gym three days a week.

Paul and his amazing,unwavering childhood friend, Ryan Horner, flew out to Washington state this week to visit friends and attend a wedding. This is the first time Paul has traveled since he came home from Australia a year ago. He had a few trips planned that he cancelled, so this is a considerable feat and we are very excited for him!

Again, we want to thank you all for your generous donations which have helped us pay Paul's hospital and rehabilitation bills from Australia and here in the U.S. We continue to feel blessed and supported by all of your thoughts, prayers and actions. We also want to thank Paul's friends who continue to stay in touch with him regularly. We feel this is essential for his well-being and recovery.

Paul is looking forward to sharing his West Coast stories on the blog upon his return.

Much love,

The Baileys

Anniversary

2010-10-18T20:28:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow, October 19th, marks one year since Paul's accident.

As many of you know, Paul’s life changed forever while he was rock climbing at the Grampians Mountain Range in Australia. Paul was a very experienced, safe and avid rock climber. Climbing was not just a hobby; it was very much the essence of his life. He loved the physical and mental challenge, the continuous problem solving and the sense of accomplishment upon of reaching the top of the mountain. Something unforeseen happened while climbing on October 19th that caused Paul to fall over 50 feet. The efforts of Paul’s climbing mates, rescue crews and hospital staff saved Paul’s life.

In the United States, someone suffers a Traumatic Brain Injury every 21 seconds resulting in 50,000 deaths per year. Of those who survive, 5.3 million Americans struggle with subsequent disabilities. A traumatic brain injury can happen while driving a car, climbing a ladder, playing a sport, riding a bike, or from a random act of violence.

Every 21 seconds a life changes forever.

I have heard victims of Traumatic Brain Injury compare the experience to taking a million puzzle pieces and tossing them in the air. The pieces fall to the ground in a littered mess. Victims of TBI often have difficulty completing everyday tasks that you and I take for granted. They have trouble putting thoughts, words and memories together as they are often jumbled like puzzle pieces in their mind.

All of Paul’s supporters represent a piece of his recovery puzzle. Collectively with love, support and faith we will help Paul piece his life back together. Words cannot express how thankful we are to have such thoughtful, loving family and friends.

Considering the new obstacles Paul faces: cognitive impairments from the brain injury, Celiac Disease, wrist injuries, permanent blindness, and other afflictions, Paul is doing remarkably better than ever expected. He survived the crisis and is persisting through many surgeries and rehabilitation. Although Paul’s life is much changed, his memory and speech are outstanding; he loves to reminisce about good times in college and travels with friends. His mood and general outlook overall is also very positive.

His progress is a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.

From the words of Christopher Reeves, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”

Paul, you are our hero.

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

The Bailey's

9.20.10

2010-09-20T18:45:00.003-04:00

We are happy to share that we have so much progress to report!

On September 9, Paul had procedure called a Cranioplasty in which they placed a Titanium plate in his forehead. The surgery went well and even with a shaved head Paul is back to looking handsome as ever.

The gluten-free diet has resolved all of his stomach issues. A nephrologist found that the thirst hormone in Paul's pituitary gland was damaged from the accident and was causing extreme, excessive thirst. As a result, Paul was drinking too much fluid. A nasal spray was prescribed which regulates this hormone and since then Paul has been sleeping through the night without getting up to wee every hour!

On October 6, he will have another surgery to remove metal from his right wrist. He will have more physical and occupational therapies following this surgery.

With all of this good news, Paul has been in high spirits and energy. He has been calling friends, socializing, joking around and sleeping much less. He's been going outside again for short walks and went to lunch at PF Chang's - which has a gluten-free menu.

Our family continues to be grateful to all of you for your prayers, positive affirmations, donations, letters, gifts and phone calls. Homemade gluten-free cookies and cakes are much appreciated and still welcome!

The Baileys

8/15/10

2010-08-15T19:12:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since I've been able to update the blog. We unfortunately haven't had a lot of good news to share lately and we've all been busy taking care of Paul.

Paul has been struggling with persistant stomach issues for a few months now that have been very debilitating. It looks like he may be diagnosed with Celiac's Disease, but we are not completely sure yet. He's been eating gluten free for a few days now to see if his symptoms improve.

He has not been very motivated lately and has missed a lot of wrist therapy sessions. He sleeps a lot and is irritable at times. He also is very sensitive to noise and hasn't wanted to leave the house other than to go to medical appointments. He previously liked to go out to dinner and for ice cream so it's been disappointing for us to see this change in mood and behavior. He continually says he wants to call people back, but can't seem to find the energy do it regularly. Last weekend, Amanda and Will from Warren Wilson and Jeff stopped in for a visit - Paul was in great spirits then - he really enjoys when his friends visit. Kelsey is in town this week and Paul has been enjoying her cooking - he's been a little down since she is leaving tomorrow.

He is scheduled to have surgery to put in a Titanium plate in his forehead on September 9th. He also still has to another surgery on the right wrist. He has many upcoming medical appointments with different specialists - he has a long road ahead of him and we've hit some bumps in the road as of late, but we hope that everything will come together in time.

Please continue to call him or write letters. He greatly appreciates it!

Thanks for your continued love and support,

Tara

6/19/10

2010-06-19T12:24:00.006-04:00

Paul had surgery on his left wrist this week. He had a rough few days following the surgery due to side effects from the anesthesia, but is feeling better today. He is scheduled to have surgery on his right wrist in 6 weeks and then will have a titanium plate put in his head in July to replace where the forehead bone is missing. Overall, he is in good spirits. He has a specialist from the NJ Commission for the Blind that has been teaching him Braille and she says he is doing really well with it. He's been a bit bored lately. He hasn't been able to go to therapy in a while because he couldn't do much with his wrists. The surgeon hopes that these surgeries will increase his mobility and ability to tolerate therapy.

Paul's dog Bear has been with us for a while now. Paul enjoys having him around; however, their relationship has changed since his accident. The other day, Paul told me that he was thinking about sending Bear back to Washington with Joe. He said Bear doesn't acknowledge him or respond to him anymore. He understands that he's a dog and that he is unable to care for him right now, but he's worried that Bear may be happier there where he has the freedom to roam freely. It broke my heart to hear him say that, but Bear appears to have adjusted well to life in NJ. We just hired a dog walker so that he could get out while I am at work. My Mom is going to install a large fence in the backyard so that he has some room to run and we won't have to worry about him wondering into the road while hunting rabbits! Bear and Murphy, my parents dog, have become best buddies - I take them on frequent hikes which they love. I enjoy hiking with Bear, his sense of adventure and fearless spirit remind me a lot of Paul. I feel like Paul's by my side when I have Bear with me.

I hope to post some pictures on here soon. While Kelsey was visiting we took some great photos of Paul in front of the Rocky statue at the Art Museum in Philadelphia. Paul and I plan to attend his friend Kesi's 4th of July Party as long as he's feeling physically up to it; right now, he's really looking forward to spending time with his friends and I'm looking forward to taking him there. He really loves having visitors and reminiscing with friends, so please come when you can!

xo Tara

4.25.10

2010-04-25T11:14:00.003-04:00

Hello Everyone,

Paul and I just finished a big omelette breakfast. I just told him we would write this entry together because it's been ages since I've updated the blog. I'm trying to recall the date while Paul is singing along to the local classic rock radio station. Listening to classic rock and the Phillies games have become regular hobbies of his these days. I tell him that I have no idea what the date is and Paul states, April 25th, and tells me he wants me to check it to make sure it is right. "You can't write the wrong date," he says, so I check my phone and he's right on. I am glad someone knows what's going on! He also knows more of what is going on in the game than I do and he can't even see it. He knows the batting order and he updates me about what's happening play by play.

Paul has been going to therapy at Magee Rehab three days a week. In between his therapy, he has been going to various doctor appointments and has been entertaining many visitors. Paul is looking forward to his friend Joe bringing his dog Bear to NJ on May 5th. Paul has been in good spirits and has the same fun sense of humor, his memory is great and his main disibilities are his vision and wrists. He is still completely blind and has had various tests at Wills Eye in Philadelphia. We are waiting for another follow-up appointment from his last test. At this point, we do not know much about a prognosis.

Paul would like to thank everyone in Australia: the surgeons, nurses and therapists who helped him while he was going through a rough time. Paul is also thankful for everyone who has supported him through this experience: his friends and parents who stayed by his bedside in Australia and to all the friends and family who helped back at home.

Love,

Paul & Tara

Paul Bailey Jam - Asheville NC Benefit

2010-04-25T11:12:00.001-04:00

FRIENDS OF PAUL BAILEY PRESENT “THE PAUL BAILEY JAM” AT
PISGAH BREWERY FEATURING PIERCE EDENS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

4.23.2010

Asheville, NC – Friends of Paul Bailey will be hosting a benefit to help offset Paul’s recently incurred medical bills. Paul graduated from Warren Wilson College in 2006 and was active in the Western North Carolina climbing and outdoors community. He suffered a severe traumatic brain injury while rock climbing in Australia in October 2009. He was airlifted to a hospital in Melbourne where, over the course of six months, he underwent multiple surgeries and received physical therapy. While Paul was covered by traveler’s insurance, his coverage maxed out at $35,000 which will barely cover his first days in the hospital.

The Paul Bailey Jam will take place on Saturday, May 8th, 2010 at Pisgah Brewery at 150 Eastside Drive in Black Mountain, NC. The Paul Baliey Jam will feature performances by Firefly Revival, Juan Holiday and guests, The Ram and Benny Duo of the Trainwrecks, and Pierce Edens. Food will be provided by Hardcastle Hotdogs and
Laurey’s Catering & Gourmet To-Go. In addition to musical entertainment, there will be bocce ball, root ball and corn hole tournaments starting at 5:30pm, as well as a silent auction and raffle. Doors will open at 4:00 pm with a ticket price of $10 for the general public and $5 for Warren Wilson College students with student ID; this is an all ages event.

All proceeds will go to the Paul Bailey Recovery Fund of Marlton, NJ.

For more information regarding Paul’s accident and current condition, please visit
http://www.paulbaileyinfo.blogspot.com. For more information regarding the benefit and ways you can get involved, please contact:

Ellen Graves – 540.661.8553

Kathryn Skelley-Watts – 440.567.7147

3.23.2010

2010-03-23T10:54:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone,

Paul and my parents are home safely. He is currently at Magee Rehab in Philadelphia where he is receiving three hours of therapy per day: physical, occupational and speech. Paul has been improving a lot since he returned home. His appetite is exellent now and he has been asking for a Philly cheesesteak. He spent some time on the phone with a couple of friends last night (Joe Kennedy and Katherine). His long-term memory is excellent. He does not forget anyone and has enjoyed reminiscing with friends and family who have visited. He struggles at times with short term memory and word retrieval, but overall it is good as well. His wrists are very sore and still do not have much mobility, but he is working on that in therapy. We took him to see a neuro-opthamologist a few days ago. He will have a couple of studies completed to determine the damage to the optic nerves. He is still unable to see, but the doctor said his pupils did have movement in them which is a good sign and we should find out more about his visual prognosis in the next few weeks. We will also find out when he will be discharged from the Inptatient Rehab today. When he comes home he will likely go to a day program 3-5 days/week where he will continue his therapies.

Thank you for all of your love and support,

Tara

Paul in the News

2010-03-11T17:57:00.004-05:00

Many thanks to Kevin Riordan from the Philadelphia Inquirer for taking an interest in Paul and writing about him! See the link to the story below:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/87313792.html

Paul's Homecoming March 16th

2010-03-10T18:08:00.003-05:00

It's finally official! Paul and my folks will be coming home on March 16th, next Tuesday!

After landing, Paul will be going to Jefferson Hospital for evaluation before transfering to Magee Rehab in Philadelphia for short-term in-patient rehabilitation services. I know everyone is excited to see Paul, but please contact someone in my family before showing up. Paul may not be able to tolerate a lot of visitors right away. I will keep you all posted on his progress.

Thanks!

Tara

3.9.10 Paul in the Philadelphia Inquirer

2010-03-09T17:21:00.003-05:00

Paul's story will be featured in this Thursday's Philadelphia Inquirer! We are honored to have so much support from the community. My parents and Paul hope to be back home on March 16th which is right around the corner! It's not finalized yet, but I should know for sure by tomorrow and will keep you posted.

Many thanks to everyone for all of your kind words, thoughts, prayers, efforts and donations. Paul will need all of your support and encouragement during his recovery process at home.

Tara

3/5/10

2010-03-05T12:19:00.002-05:00

Paul got his Peg (feeding) tube removed yesterday because he is eating well on his own now. He is officially medically cleared to fly back home and we are looking into flights for him and my parents. Our hope is that they will be back mid-March.

We got to see Paul and talk to my parents via Skype last Sunday night. He looks pretty good and was able to make small conversation with us before he left to work with the Occupational Therapist.

I will let you all know when we have a date!

Tara

We Love You Paul Bailey Beef & Beer Photos!!

2010-02-27T17:24:00.003-05:00

Click on the picture to view the photo album from the fundraiser. We will be uploading more soon!

We Love You Paul Bailey Beef & Beer 2010

Fundraiser Tonight!!!

2010-02-26T09:45:00.002-05:00

THE EVENT AT CAMDEN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL IS STILL ON FOR TONIGHT!!!

SEE YOU THEN!!!

TARA

2.23.2010

2010-02-23T21:52:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since the last update and I'm happy to report some good news. Paul has been making alot of progress lately. He has started to eat regularly and gained a healthy amount of weight. He was very underweight for a while due to his lack of appetite. The doctors will clamp off his feeding tube for a few days and see if he maintains his weight on his own.

His mood has also improved significantly, he has been pleasant and has been walking to the dining room for dinner and has been cooperative with his therapies.

I recieved this email from my Dad a few days ago and wanted to share with everyone:

Hi Tara,
This morning I made Paul a blueberry pancake breakfast. He ate 4 of them!! He also had a glass of juice. We walked to a kitchen that was outside of his building and he sat there while I prepared it. This morning when we arrived, the nurses said he had not eaten and was waiting for us to come and make the pancakes. (We had talked about it the day before).
Miss you and looking forward to coming home.
Love,
Dad

Hope to see many of you at the fundraiser this Friday!!

Tara

2.15.10

2010-02-15T19:24:00.004-05:00

My folks had an appointment with Dr. Rosenfeld, the main neurosurgeon, yesterday. He was away on vacation and not present for the previous meeting with the other specialists. Although Paul was cleared to fly by other surgeons, Dr. Rosenfeld
reported that he saw a small amount of air still present after his review of Paul's scan from Jan. 28. He recommended that Paul have another CT scan and MRI before flying to be safe. It looks like these scans will scheduled for the end of February.

We were not expecting this news and my parents were really hoping to be home by the 26th for the fundraiser.

On an up note Paul has had some very good days cooperating with therapies, having increased appetite and leaving his room to eat in the dining area.

The fundraiser is still on for February 26th at 7pm. Please buy your tickets ASAP. We will have tickets at the door, but would appreciate you purchasing them ahead of time!!

Much love,

Tara

Paul's Homecoming

2010-02-10T11:00:00.002-05:00

Paul has been medically cleared to fly back home! We are in the process of making plans for his flight home. I don't have anymore details at this time, but we are hoping he will be back by the end of the month.

Tara

We Love You Paul Bailey Beef & Beer

2010-02-08T11:12:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone,

If you plan on attending the event on February 26, please have your money in for tickets by the 23rd! We will have a limited number of tickets available at the door, but we hope that you will pay in advance so that we can get a head count on how many people will be attending. This will help us determine how much beer and food we need to provide.

Thanks!!

2.5.10

2010-02-05T19:32:00.002-05:00

Please buy your tickets by February 19th for the fundraiser. Make checks payable to Paul Bailey Recovery Fund!

1.28.10 1st Annual 'We Love You Paul Bailey' Fundraiser

2010-01-28T17:55:00.003-05:00

We will be holding a fundraiser at Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill, NJ on Friday, February 26,2010 from 7pm to midnight. The proceeds of this fundraiser will help offset the costs of Paul's increasing medical bills and the high cost of his medical transport home.

Tickets will be $25.00 and MUST be purchased in ADVANCE of the event. This includes food, DJ, beer and wine. There will also be a silent auction/raffle.

Please send checks with your name and number of tickets to:

Lauren Snyder
1100 Collings Avenue Apt. 3B
Haddon Township, NJ 08107

For information on how you can help or questions, please contact:

Joseph Bailey at 856.952.1045 or bailey@ccgmetamedia.com

or

Lauren Snyder at swimskip20@yahoo.com

If you cannot attend, but would like to donate, please send to:

Paul Bailey Recovery Fund
120 Dutch Rd
Marlton, NJ 08053

1.26.10

2010-01-26T19:54:00.007-05:00

It has been a while since the last update and this is due to a very slow recovery process that is normal with a brain injury. Paul returned to the rehab center following his surgery and has made some small, but significant improvements. His appetite was extremely poor, he lost a lot of weight and he had a serious infection; however, he has started to eat very small portions, his infection was treated and he continues to recieve nutrition through a feeding tube.

My Mom asked me to thank Kesi, Katherine and Denise for sending the music and chocolate peanut butter cookies. He was very excited about the cookies which made my parents happy because he hadn't been eating much. Due to his brain injury, he is unable to tolerate much noise or conversation, but he will listen to the music for short periods of time and enjoys it.

He has been recieving therapy from a specialist who teaches mobility to people with vision impairments. At this time, Paul cannot see and we do not know if his vision will return.

Paul will be having another brain scan this Thursday to determine the outcome of his surgery. It appears that it was a success at this time. On February 8, they will meet with the main neurosurgeon to determine when he will be cleared to return home. Once he is medically cleared to fly, we will be making plans for his flight home and services. We do not know exactly when this will be yet; however, we hope it will be late February or early March.

If you would like to send packages, my family is requesting that you hold off for now unless they are edible because they have a lot of things to carry back home.

We have set a date for a fundraiser which will be a Beef and Beer at Camden Catholic HS in Cherry Hill, NJ on February 26, 2010. I will be posting more information as I get it, but please save the date and attend if you can.

Today is Paul's birthday. Please continue to keep Paul and my family in your thoughts and prayers.

Much love,

Tara

1.8.10

2010-01-08T06:29:00.003-05:00

Paul had an eight hour surgery yesterday to repair the air leak in his brain. There were extensive injuries to the bones in his face and head at the time of the accident and some of the bone could not be recovered. The surgeons grafted, or placed new tissue, at the area of the leak. The tissue was taken from other parts of Paul's own body in the hopes it will grow new tissue with a good blood supply and ultimately repair the leak. The surgeons are pleased with the initial outcome. Now we will wait and hope that the grafting is successful.

Think good thoughts everyone!

Tara & Aunt Meg

12.28.09

2009-12-29T21:06:00.004-05:00

My parents met with the medical team yesterday. On January 6, Paul will have an MRI to check his optic nerve and to hopefully determine a visual prognosis. The following day, he will have surgery to repair the air leak in his brain. He has to have part of his skull removed and they will be removing some tissue from his thigh to fill the area in his brain. After the procedure, they have to wait for the muscle to shrink before they put the bone back in his head. The doctor has told my parents that he will be able to fly home three weeks after the operation and this is very good news.

Paul is still struggling with a diminished appetite. He does not want to eat much at all and is losing a lot of weight so they will be increasing his PEG tube feeds. He continues to progress with communication. He has been talking about his next surgery and acknowledges that it involves his head, but he does not ask why or what is being done. He is walking well and was able to shave independently with an electric razor. He can also brush his teeth, but still tires very easily and sleeps a lot. We are very please to have recieved this new timeline because we were previously told that it may be another two months before he could return home.

My folks want to again express their gratitude for all of the letters and support.

Tara

Week of 12.14.09

2009-12-19T19:52:00.003-05:00

Paul went back to the Alfred Hospital today to have his left arm cast removed and a CT scan done. My parents had a meeting with the Neurosurgeon who explained the CT scan results which revealed that Paul still has air in the front part of his brain.

My Mom has told me Paul has been very pleasant lately, sleeping well at night, and eating a bit better. My Dad brings him watermelon every morning and he loves it! Today he asked my Dad about how various sports teams were doing. He also talked to Ryan on the phone for a few minutes and that went very well.

On Friday, Paul went for another CTscan and to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist to determine how this air leak can be fixed. They are hoping to be able to do a procedure through his nose to fill this in. He will not be able to fly home until this is fixed.

My folks are very appreciative of all of the positive thoughts and email they have recieved. Keep it coming!

Tara

12.6.09

2009-12-06T13:34:00.000-05:00

I recieved this email from my mom last night:

HI Tara,
It is the weee hours of the night for you while I am writing this. I'd rather call you but since its so late I can't. The past 2 days have been great for Paul: He has been eating a decent amount of 2 of his meals each day, (along with the tastykakes that Jeff Duvilla sent him)!! They were a big hit with Paul. Butterscotch krimpets and peanut butter tandykakes!! He will eat about 1/2 of one cake after his meal. Then Dad asks him if he knows who sent them and he answers "Jeff". He also says "mmmm good". He has been out of his room and sitting in the lounge here a couple of times now. He stays for about 15 minutes then gets tired and asks to go back to his room. He usually falls right to sleep. It is so nice to see him wanting to do this:) He has been mentioning not being able to see even more often now. We tell him he cant see yet, and he is o.k. He is definitely the same Paul when it comes to shower time, when the nurses try to get him in there he says "no not today , maybe later or tomorrow. This week he will be getting his arm supports off!!! He will be thrilled after this happens.
Oh forgot to tell you , the other night when the nurse was helping him back in bed, he told her he really wanted to sleep in his tent!! He seem disappointed when she told him his tent was not here and that he had to sleep in the bed.
The other day he asked me if you were here....... it came out of no where, we had not mentioned your name. As I thought about it I realized that he has never yet asked us if anyone in particular was there.
The only thing he has done in the past is to acknowledge someone when they came in the room after they introduced themselves.

I am hoping we can find out more info. on when Paul can fly home soon. Kirsten said you need to make your flight arrangements soon. Have to get off now. Love Mom

12.5.09

2009-12-05T18:50:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone, I haven't heard any updates from my parents, but I want to share a note that I recieved from Paul's friend Amy who visited him last weekend:

Hi Tara,
I wanted to send you a note after visiting with Paul last weekend. I haven't had internet access this week but wanted you to know that I had a really promising visit with him on Sunday. I saw him for a bit on Saturday and he knew who I was and we had a brief conversation.

On Sunday night I visited him and we walked down the hall twice and he had extended moments of absolute clarity on what had happened and where we were. He is becoming more aware of the bandages on his arms and is frustrated that no one will remove them. But I think it is also a sign that he is becoming more aware of his body and injuries. I fed him some dinner and gave him a foot rub and he was awake and alert for about 1.5 hours. He made statements that expressed that he was aware of his state. For example, he would say after sitting up for a period of time, "I really feel like hell...my whole body hurts." Also, on our walks, which he was walking very quickly and had a lot of energy, he said "you have no idea what is going through my mind right now...all my thoughts are scattered."

There were also moments where he was truly Paul. He had a banana energy drink that tasted awful. I told him he should really drink it b/c he needs the energy and he said if I taste it and like it he would drink more. :) I didn't like it either.

I thought of you that night and how much you would like to be there with him and I just wanted to tell you this. I hope you get to see him over the holidays and I truly believe, though at times progree is slow, Paul will return to us.

Amy

12.1.09

2009-12-01T22:00:00.003-05:00

Friends and family:

I have some positive news to spread today. I am learning that this process, much like life, is filled with a lot of ups and downs. Paul is slowly coming out of the amnesia. He seems to be more and more aware every day. My Mom said he had a really good day yesterday. He was not agitated and sat outside with my parents for a short while. He gets tired very quickly, so he can only engage in talking or an activity for about five to ten minutes.

Since many people have been asking me to talk more about the minutiae or small details of Paul's abilities, I will tell you what I know. I was able to get some clarification on his walking ability today. He's been walking down the hall and back with only contact guard or guidance, he does not need physical assistance with walking. As I've mentioned before, some moments he is really alert and aware and others not so much. My Mom said he asked my Dad to take him to the bathroom yesterday and talked to him about the Phillies and the Eagles. He still thinks the Phillies are in the playoffs, but that makes sense as it was around that time that he had the accident. He also talks a lot like he's at work. He'll say things like, "How many kids do we have coming in today?" and he'll say to my parents, "You guys need to leave because I have to go to a team meeting."

A sad note is that he has started to ask about his vision. He knows he can't see, but he doesn't ask why yet. He just says things like, "Mom why are you working in the dark down here?" or "Give me my glasses" or "give me a flashlight, I know I have one in my bag over there" or "turn on the lights." When he does this, the staff told my parents to be honest with him and tell him he can't see right now. When they say that he does not ask why. He has also been perseverating on his arm casts and is difficult to redirect when it comes to this topic. He continuously asks when they will be taken off and at times gets really angry that they are there.

He was medicated last night in order to help him sleep and he seems to be improving with better sleep. He has also started to eat small amounts again.

Tara

11/30/09

2009-11-30T18:46:00.003-05:00

To all of our friends and family:

We appreciate all of your thoughts, prayers and kind words. My parents have told me that they have been getting emails that infer that Paul is doing a lot better than he actually is. They asked me to let everyone know that while Paul is making some progress, he has suffered very severe and devastating brain injuries. He may never be the same again. This does not mean we should give up hope, but I need to clarify that I have just been posting what my parents tell me, but I am not there and it is difficult to interpret all of it. Paul still cannot see and is still very disoriented. He has periods where he is oriented; however, that is variable. His friend Amy visited yesterday. I was told that he was alert when she came in and did recognize her voice, knew who she was and hugged her. He was only alert for about five minutes though and then he ran out of gas and went back to sleep.

Having said that, it will be quite some time before we know which of his injuries will be permanent and which may improve. I also want all to know that although he is in “rehab,” this means he is no longer in need of acute hospital care. He has not started the “rehab” process as he still has problems associated with severe traumatic brain injury that are preventing the process from starting such as extreme agitation and sleep/wake cycle disturbances. There is so much that is unknown right now and it is too soon to make any type of prognosis, so we just have to hang tight with what we know at this time and hope for a better future for Paul.

This is a very difficult time for our family and we appreciate all of your prayers and support.

Tara

11/26/09

2009-11-26T21:50:00.002-05:00

Paul has been at the rehab for about a week now. Not much progress has been made so far; they want to give him more time to come out of this PTA state before working with him. He has been sleeping alot and has not been very responsive. My parents met with the rehab team yesterday. They said it could be 18 months before we will know what his permanent functional status and cognitive abilities will be. The plan is for him to fly back to the States when he is medically cleared to leave. My parents will meet with the neurologist on or around December 15 to try to determine when this will be. There is not too much that we know for sure right now except that he has a long, difficult road ahead of him.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and thank you for all of your support.

Tara

New Email

2009-11-22T22:10:00.003-05:00

My parents are now set up with a new email address. They can be reached at:

kjbailey120@gmail.com

Please continue to send words of encouragement, thoughts and prayers.

Thanks,

Tara

New address

2009-11-18T22:34:00.003-05:00

Paul has been moved from the hospital and is now at the rehab center!

The address where he can now receive cards and packages is:

Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Center
1 Yarra Boulevard
Kew, VIC Australia
3101

Keep that support coming! Now is when he needs it the most!

- Kesi

11/17/09

2009-11-17T20:43:00.003-05:00

Paul is now eating a full soft diet. The therapist told my Dad he walked 200 meters; however, that sounds really far (I think it equals 600 feet) and my Dad was not completely sure he got that number right, but it sounds great! He is still in the same place cognitively, but he is supposed to be transferred to the rehab tomorrow where they will be working with him intensively. A couple of people have asked me about his vision and it has not returned yet. They still haven't made a diagnosis or prognosis with his sight. I've also had a few folks ask me about having a fundraiser or beef and beer. My family is going to plan something that will probably take place in January or February. We are currently working on this and I will keep everyone posted on this via the blog.

Tara

11/16/09

2009-11-16T23:12:00.002-05:00

Paul started drinking fluids through a straw and is able to eat small diced fruit. He is also sitting upright for short periods of time. He can correctly answer where he is (Australia), who he is, the general time of year and his birthday. He was not able to answer questions like "what do you wear on your feet?" and this may be due to the PTA. They plan to transfer him to a rehab center on Thursday where he will recieve intensive rehabilitation services. I will get the contact information there and add it to the blog ASAP.

Tara

11/12/09

2009-11-12T16:58:00.002-05:00

In the last post I mentioned that Paul had surgery to place the bone back on the front of his skull. I haven't had much to report because he has been sleeping a lot as a result of the sedatives and morphine that were used during the surgery.

He still has symptoms of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA). He is supposed to be evaluated by the rehab center today with the possibility of transferring there on Monday for a minimum of five weeks.

As far as his vision goes, one of the main doctors here thinks he has "Traumatic Optical Neuropathy" which is very rare and occurs in only 1% of brain injury patients. This has not been officially diagnosed yet, but if this is the case, there is a 50% chance of him getting his vision back. He is also scheduled to be seen by an Opthamologist today and after that they plan to do an MRI at some point.

Other than that, his brain scans look normal and good. He has the peg tube back in his stomach and the sodium is somewhat controlled now.

Thank you for your continued thoughts, prayers, kind deeds and good energy...

Tara

11/9/09

2009-11-09T21:24:00.002-05:00

Paul just got out of surgery where they successfully placed the bone back on the front of his skull. This was removed so that his brain would have room to swell. We are told that the surgery went well and he just returned to his room. My Dad said the MRI was not done yesterday, but we do not know why at this point. He was able to say who my Mom was by her voice yesterday. Other than that, no other news right now.

Tara

11/8/09

2009-11-08T19:59:00.002-05:00

Paul is having an MRI today to try to determine why he cannot see. His sodium was dangerously high so they had to remove the tube feeding, but I believe it is stable now. I hope to have more of an update by tomorrow.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers...

Tara

11/4/09

2009-11-04T22:35:00.003-05:00

Paul is awake now and has been frequently moving his arms and legs in the bed almost as if he were climbing. He has also begun to say words and sentences although what he says is not usually coherent.

Currently, his right eye is completely open, but his left remains closed. They do not think he can see right now, but they are hoping this is temporary and due to nerve damage.

Paul is experiencing symptoms related to "post-traumatic amnesia" which we are told include confusion, disorientation, agitation, restlessness, and repitition of words, ideas or actions. It sounds like he is repetitively moving his arms and legs and verbally focused on getting the casts off of his arms as he keeps saying, "I have to get these things off of my arms."

The doctors are anticipating that they will not be able to fly him home for about three months; however, they are beginning to discuss transferring him to a rehab center in Melbourne. We do not know when this will be yet. They are also planning to transfer him to a private room in the hospital to minimize noise which may agitate him in his current state. The doctors say this state of post-traumatic amnesia is normal and should subside at some point.

Tara

11/2/09

2009-11-02T14:46:00.002-05:00

Paul is now completely off the sedatives and is breathing on his own. The swelling in his brain has also gone down significantly, and he is occasionally opening one eye and yawning. His is still not fully alert and his responses are variable, but he is once again responding to simple commands and has even added an audible "Mmmhmm" in addition to nodding.
Although we still have to wait and pray for him to continue to improve, everyone is very pleased with the progress he's made so far.

Kesi

10/30/09

2009-10-30T16:40:00.004-04:00

The results of the brain scan were normal. I'm not quite sure exactly what that entails other than that normal sounds good. My parents are on their way over to the hospital now as it is morning in Melbourne. I don't have any other news a this time, but I will update everyone as soon as I do.

Tara

Update 10/29/09

2009-10-29T22:40:00.004-04:00

My mom said it's a bleak and rainy Friday afternoon in Melbourne. Everyone is a little down because Paul has had a few setbacks today. His response to stimuli is variable and therefore not consistent enough to move ahead at this time. He is not as alert and responsive as they would like him to be aftering removing a lot of the sedatives. The doctors are also concerned with his eyes because he is not responding appropriately when they examine them. He will be having a brain scan today and we will know the results in a few hours.

The medical team has instructed us that setbacks will happen and that we need to be patient at this time. I know this is a disappointment to all of us who love Paul and want to see him pull through this quickly, especially after all of the progress that he has made.

Have hope for a better day and send prayers, thoughts, and love his way today.

Love,

Tara

Update 10/28/09

2009-10-29T14:26:00.002-04:00

Friends and Family:

The medical team began to gradually remove both the sedation and the respirator recently. These weaning processes are both going well.

Currently, Paul is still on the respirator, but he is doing alot of the breathing on his own. They cannot remove the breathing tube completely until he is less sedated because sedation can reduce his respiratory drive. They also have to monitor the pressure in his head during the weaning process.

He continues to look better everyday and the swelling is coming down after all the reparative surgeries.

I should speak with my parents today and post more information this evening or tomorrow.

Thank you all for your love and support,

Tara

Update 10/27/09

2009-10-27T18:02:00.001-04:00

Friends and Family:

On behalf of my parents, I want to express their sincere gratitute for all of the heart-warming letters they have recieved at the hospital. They are very touched by the love and concern they have recieved from everyone. My mom reads the letters daily for hope and encouragement. Being so far away, it means so much to know that so many people are thinking of them at home. The hospital staff said Paul broke a record for the most letters recieved by a patient there. Keep them coming, they need all of your positive, uplifting thoughts and prayers!

Right now, they are on their way over to the hospital as it is early in the morning on Wednesday in Australia. They expect to recieve a lot of news today. The facial surgery reportedly went well yesterday; however, his blood pressure and the pressure in his head have increased as a result which was expected. They plan to remove the ventilator soon and start weaning him off sedatives. I will get more information hopefully later this evening.

Much love,

Tara

Update 10/26/09

2009-10-26T20:51:00.000-04:00

Friends and Family of Paul:

I spoke with my Dad and cousin Kirsten tonight, both reported that Paul is looking better everyday and making small positive signs of improvement. Last night, while friends and family were visiting, the physical therapist began calling his name and asked him to push her hand away as she had it placed against his foot. Paul is still in a very heavily sedated state, but was able to respond to this command by moving a bit and pushing her hand with his foot. My Dad reported that Paul's friend, Yael, told him she was going to make him a big breakfast and asked if he wanted bacon and eggs, to which he nodded his head slightly to say, "No." My mom also asked him if he knew she was there and he nodded slightly, "Yes."

Despite these signs of improvement, the medical team is still emphasizing that we do not know what Paul will be facing when he comes out of the induced coma. He is still in the very early stages and although these responses are considered very positive, they are minor. He is having a major surgery today to repair facial fractures. This may be completed today, but there is a possibility that it will require two surgeries. When he is stable after surgery, they plan to start weaning the sedatives. This will probably be at the end of this week and is a very slow process. They will have to monitor his pressures and if the pressure increases they may have to increase the sedatives.

I will continue to update this daily as I recieve information from my parents.

Thank you for your continued love and support,

Tara

Update 10/24/09

2009-10-25T10:01:00.000-04:00

Paul had surgery to repair his wrists yesterday. The surgeon said he had never seen wrists in such bad shape; the bones, like pieces of a broken mirror, were completely shattered into many small bits by the impact. The surgeon worked until 11pm to complete the surgery because he had to piece many tiny fragments back together again and reset the pieces with plates and pins. He remarked that Paul's wrists were a small sacrifice to his brain. If he had not covered his face with them, he probably would not be alive today.

Post surgery Paul has acquired a low-grade fever (99-100) which is most likely due to an infection in one of his wounds. This is still being evaluated. The pressure in his head was also up for a while, but has been brought back down to about 10. The doctor said this is not abnormal and could have been a result of all of the shifting around. The Orthopedic surgeon feels Paul will have a positive result and should have good mobility in his wrists again; however, he will require six months to a year of therapy. Paul is scheduled to also have surgery to repair bones in and around his face because the compression of the hit fractured many of them. This has to be done soon before they start to heal improperly; however, the medical team is waiting for him to stabilize first. He is still in the induced coma, which I believe he will not be weaned out of until he is stable and his surgeries are completed. My family has been very impressed by the medical team at Alfred Hospital where they have been providing world-class care, support and kindness. My family is more than grateful for the time that they spend explaining everything and for their overall dedication to providing top-notch care.

--Tara

News Article about Paul

2009-10-23T10:30:00.000-04:00

Here is the Link:

http://www.araratadvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/rock-climber-injured/1657345.aspx

Rock climber injured
23/10/2009 8:43:00 AM
ARARAT - An American rock climber was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital with two broken wrists and severe head injuries after he fell from a cliff face in the southern Grampians on Tuesday.
Two Ararat State Emergency Service crews were sent to assist with the rescue, but were not required due to the remoteness of the location and the Warrnambool based south west rescue helicopter was used to winch the man out.

Ararat SES controller Geoff Dunmore said the climber had been climbing at Mount Abrupt when his climbing protection ropes dislodged from the cliff face, causing him to fall backwards. Ropes still attached to the cliff face prevented him from plummeting to the ground, but when he swung towards the cliff face he broke both wrists trying to protect himself. He also received serious head injuries.

Two fellow climbers lowered the man to the ground and hiked an hour to the road to raise the alarm.

The new south-west emergency helicopter was called on to winch the man out and slashed many hours off what potentially could have been a lengthy carry-out operation by SES crews.

Mr Dunmore said it is estimated that the chopper only takes between 15 and 20 minutes to reach the Grampians area from its base in Warrnambool.

''If we had to go in it would take about an hour and then the carry-out would take about three to four hours,'' he said.

The MICA paramedic crew winched the man out of the area and then landed the chopper again, stabilising him before flying him to Melbourne for treatment.

Here are two more links from ABC News:

Rock climber critically ill after fall

US tourist rescued after cliff fall

Update from Melbourne

2009-10-23T05:14:00.000-04:00

first of all, i want to thank everyone for all the love and support that has been shown. i went to the hospital twice today, and the second time, paul's parents were starting to get emails that had been sent to the hopsital. It really meant a lot to them to see all those people loving their son. So thanks to all ya'll. In terms of updates, today was a pretty good day for paul. His vitals are stable and have been for 24 hrs. The swelling in his brain is down from yesterday, and still falling, which is a good thing. Also, just looking at him today was encouraging. When i first saw him a couple days ago, he was super swollen, and today you can see the color coming back in his face, and the swelling leaving. He's starting to be recognizeable as the paul we know and love again. The neuro doctors have decided to start to wake him up. I had a vision of this being a quick process, a couple hours kinda thing, but turns out i'm wrong. By waking him up they mean, slowly cutting the meds back and checking his response to stimulus. It takes a couple days aparently. But i saw him move more today in the hour i spent there, than i had in the last three days. So it was really encouraging. I'll try to keep ya'll posted as much as i can. Again, thanks for all the love. Keep it coming. His parents really apprecitate it, as do all of us over here.
-Sarah

Picture greetings to Paul!

2009-10-22T22:55:00.000-04:00

Yael, who is over in Australia and is going to see Paul tomorrow (Australian tomorrow), had a wonderful idea:

They will be taking Paul out of the induced coma in a few days, and it would be great to have something nice for him to look at. So Yeal is going to get one of those digital picture frames and wants people to send some picture greetings to Paul. This can be anything: a picture of you, some sort of digital card, a picture of something he likes, etc. Be creative. But remember it's going to be sitting on a bedside table in a hospital, so be tasteful.

Try to do this quickly. In the next day or so. Email the picture directly to Yael and she will put it in the picture frame: ykgirard@gmail.com

Let's send some good cheer to PB!

Update from My Parents 10/22/09

2009-10-22T21:44:00.000-04:00

I spoke with my Dad this evening and recieved some updated information on Paul's fall and status:

My parents were able to speak with a police officer that was involved in the rescue. He reported that when the rescue arrived, Paul was alert and on a ledge of the mountain. He was able to state who he was and where he was from. He also reportedly scored a 14/15 on a cognition test; however, his condition did begin to rapidly deteriorate due to swelling in the brain. It took the crew about two hours to get him off the mountain and one hour to fly him to the hospital in Melbourne.

When he arrived at the hospital they performed surgery to help the swelling in the brain. They also had to do some surgery to repair some broken bones around his eye sockets. Both of his arms and wrists are broken because he pulled them in front of his face when he fell. This was a good step on his part because the damage could have been much worse if he did not. They are going to be repairing his wrist bones by putting in a plate or some type of screws in the near future.

The doctor reported that the first four days are when swelling will reach its peak so he will stay in the induced coma for at least this amount of time to help expedite healing. They also reported that they are trying to keep the pressure in the brain below 20 and he's been fluctuating between 8-10 and that is good news.

My parents were at the hospital last night and today and reported that Paul looked much better today than yesterday. My cousin, Kirsten, who is a permanent resident of Australia has also said that Paul has made significant positive changes in his appearance from one day to the next.

Right now, this is a waiting game, but the good news is that they are not concerned about his survival. He will definitely survive this, but we don't know what long term disabilities could result from the brain injury.

Thanks for all of your love and support for Paul and our family. We need all of it!

Tara

Share your stories and pictures of good times with Paul

2009-10-22T16:04:00.001-04:00

With Paul's many friends spread so far apart, several people have mentioned that they wished we had a way to share stories, pictures and video of Paul with one another. This site will continue to offer updates about Paul's condition and a place to donate to Paul's family, but rather than trying to keep in touch over facebook or other social sites, we have created a place online to share our stories with one another and be together as a community. It doesn't require any sort of log in, and its really easy.

Click here to check it out

Paul's Financial Situation

2009-10-22T12:35:00.000-04:00

Although Paul did have accidental insurance, it appears at this point that his coverage is maxed out at $35,000. It isn't clear at this point what type of expenses he will incur over the coming months but they will surely be far more substantial. Many of us love Paul so much because of his willingness to live his life plainly with intention and compassion. I've never known Paul to ask anyone for a donation or a hand out. But he isn't in a state to refuse so when he wakes up, he can give it all back to us if wants to be that stubborn.

There is not a lot of clarity regarding what the total costs will be. However, many of us may know someone who has undergone this type of treatment and it can be financially debilitating. Many of Paul's closest friends are akin to him in our need for a life that is based on taking care of those around you and having a really good time doing it. Therefore, most of us don't make a killing and don't have a lot to spare. What I'm trying to say is donate what you can. More importantly ask all of those people you love if they can lend a hand.

Thanks-

Paul's friends.

Paul's accident and status as of 10/21

2009-10-21T18:44:00.000-04:00

Paul took a significant fall while rock climbing and hit an overhanging rock landing on his face. He was knocked unconscious immediately and needed to be helivaced to Melbourne.

Paul fractured his skull and many of the bones in his face. The most recent surgery was to ease the inner cranial pressure and to allow his brain to respond to the trauma of the impact. They had to put Paul in a drug induced coma for the next several days to allow his brain to recover from the trauma.

There is little known about the extent of the trauma in his brain until he is removed from the drug induced coma. However, there were no bone fragments in his brain and no brain tissue needed to be removed during the surgery. His spine is intact and everything below his arms is not seriously injured. I want to emphasize that Paul’s baselines are stable currently and the coma he is in was induced by drugs.

His Parents are on their way to Melbourne and should be arriving shortly. Much more knowledge will be available after his parents are given access to his medical charts. They will be staying with Paul for the duration until he can be moved back to the U.S. Currently, Sara Gaskin Sam Haskett, and Paul’s cousin Kirsten are with him.