Michael Schumacher hurt skiing

[vernon]

I was unaware that I was unable to make myself understood for some time. My vision was also impaired in a rather bizarre way and although I could recognise printed words my memory was so bad I could not understand a sentence. By the time I reached its end I had forgotten how it started.

I once had an experience similar to this after visiting a coffee shop in Amsterdam only that I thought that I was in Copenhagen at the time and was texting my friend in Latin.

 

[vernon]

A fellow local-ish cyclist, John Radford, is still in hospital having suffered life changing brain injuries on 31st July. His misfortune was covered in the local press and I'm surprised that he has not had any further mention in Cycle Chat since this one posted by Mcshroom on 1st August.

I've just received the following email from Ken Roberts of Huddersfield CTC about John Radford, Huddersfield CTC president, former CTC West Yorkshire president and secretary, CTC National Councillor, and of course experienced audax rider and event organiser, whom a lot of you will know:

"I'm afraid that I have some bad news to pass on about John Radford. You probably know that he returned early from the LEL ride because of a recurrence of his hot foot problem. Anyway,he was struck by a car in New Mill yesterday afternoon and was air-lifted to Leeds hospital where he is in a critical condition with severe head injuries.

That is all the news I have at present. The family will update me with developments which I will have posted onto Huddersfield CTC website. This will save both yourselves and the family from distressing phone calls, so please watch our website.

I understand that both the car driver and passenger have been arrested.

Last known (to me) news:

Nov 5th John can’t communicate but is being shown cycling magazines by his family. He is conscious and showing encouraging signs of progress.

Though still breathing through a tracheotomy tube and partially-paralysed down his right side, John is improving, slowly but surely.
His daughter Emma said: “Dad can turn a page for himself but it is a big strain.
“The other day, though, he licked his finger and turned a page and we were amazed.
“It was just something that he always used to do and we knew he was still with us.”
John, who is now on a specialist neurological ward at Leeds General Infirmary, is doing so well he is allowed limited visits from friends.
“Everybody who has seen him seems really surprised at how well he is.
“It is frustrating for us because his recovery is so slow.
“It would make our day if he could just give us a smile.”
Doctors have given no timescale on how quickly – or how much – John will recover.
But John’s fighting spirit and his fitness levels give cause for optimism.
“We just hope dad’s brain will continue to repair,” said Emma.
“We know age is not on his side but he is so fit for a man of his age and his lungs and heart haven’t failed him yet.”

Sat Nov 30th
Latest update on our John Radford is that he is continuing to very slowly improve and he has now had his tracheotomy removed.

Our thoughts are still very much with John and his family and we hope John continues to recover, at whatever pace he needs too.

Michael Shumacher's predicament is awful but, not personally knowing the man, it's at the bottom end of the scale of my emotional involvement/engagement unlike John Radford who I used to ride with several times a year on 100km audaxes and who always showed interest in my progress from tortoise to turbo tortoise on the rides that he organised. John's collision with a car, I know I know, is under criminal investigation as he was allegedly deliberately driven at by the driver of the car that hit him.

I hope that they both recover as many faculties as possible over their indeterminate recovery time.

 

[Cheddar George]

For a good insight into the effects of brain trauma i would recommend "The Crash Reel", a documentary film about snowboarder Kevin Pearce.

 

[PaulB]

I haven't a near-death experience to mention.

Light weight! You should have one; I heartily recommend them!

Actually, my father had a stroke about three years ago - he's completely recovered from it now - and he says he regards it as a life-affirming thing that he's glad he went through!

 

[PaulB]

Get real,welcome to the 21st century of youve got money you get better service simple

Not true. I can only speak of this country, like, but that is light years away from the truth.

 

[Adam4868]

Not true. I can only speak of this country, like, but that is light years away from the truth.

If you dont see the nhs being privatised by this current goverment youve a blinkered view............

 

[PaulB]

If you dont see the nhs being privatised by this current goverment youve a blinkered view............

I've worked all my life either IN the NHS or in associations attached TO the NHS so perhaps you'll accept my view is not as 'blinkered' as you claim. My wife's a senior nurse manager and has worked IN the NHS all her life so collectively, we see it from within. What's happening now is not 'privatisation' as such and this current government are not solely to blame. There has to be a certain amount of pragmatism to keep abreast of all the developments going on and the swingeing cuts literally putting people's lives at serious risk is no laughing matter. However, you claimed that if 'you've got money you get a better service simple' (!) is, and I maintain this, light years away from the truth. Unless you have some concrete evidence to support your assertion?

 

[asterix]

As far as my limited experience goes, I must say the food in private hospitals seems to be quite a lot better than in NHS ones. Maybe that's the service that was meant?

I did spend rather a long time in Hull Royal a while ago. It was in sad need of refurbishment although in my ward huge efforts were made to keep it spotless. The toilets leaked onto the floor. The food was ok but rather samey after a while. A fellow inmate was clearly a man of great wealth, you could tell by checking out his dressing gown, unnecessarily, because he would tell you first. However, he did say that although he had a full private health plan he preferred to use the NHS for the serious operation on his spine because despite the buildings' state their top-level staff were the best in their field. So, maybe for minor stuff go private but for life-or-death treatment you need the NHS. They certainly looked after me - once they discovered I wasn't merely bruised.

 

[swansonj]

As far as my limited experience goes, I must say the food in private hospitals seems to be quite a lot better than in NHS ones. Maybe that's the service that was meant?

When I broke my leg, the op to repair it, and the follow up appointments, were done by an orthopod on the NHS. When it came to taking the metalwork out, I used my company's BUPA (which I have no option about, they pay for it regardless) to have the same surgeon take it out privately, mainly so I could choose the day to suit my diary.

I have no doubt the quality of the surgical care was identical in the two instances, with the NHS version actually probably safer because of the greater backup if anything went wrong.

The bedside manner of the orthopod was, however, improved from truly, truly abysmal on the NHS to just about acceptable privately.

 

[PaulB]

I did spend rather a long time in Hull Royal a while ago. It was in sad need of refurbishment although in my ward huge efforts were made to keep it spotless. The toilets leaked onto the floor. The food was ok but rather samey after a while. A fellow inmate was clearly a man of great wealth, you could tell by checking out his dressing gown, unnecessarily, because he would tell you first. However, he did say that although he had a full private health plan he preferred to use the NHS for the serious operation on his spine because despite the buildings' state their top-level staff were the best in their field. So, maybe for minor stuff go private but for life-or-death treatment you need the NHS. They certainly looked after me - once they discovered I wasn't merely bruised.

Put these words in order...nail..hit..head..on. That view sums up my opinion on the situation in exactly the same way I see it myself. NHS hospitals on the whole..look a bit tatty superficially but where it counts - serious cases in the operating theatre - second to none. Private hospitals - look shiny on the outside but it's all superficial as if any iatrogenic insults are incurred, do they treat them there? No, they transfer the patient to where the REAL work's done - in the NHS! I think that sums it up precisely and that isn't anecdotal as the plural of anecdote isn't evidence; it is factual.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

My wife's been in and out of hospitals for years so probably has as much lay experience as anyone. She found that BUPA hospitals looked nice and the standard of care was excellent but she felt lonely in a single room and had the distinct impression that drugs were prescribed on a cost basis. She noticed that the swabs used were the cheapest quality etc.

The NHS never seemed to look at the financial aspect and expensive courses of treatment, tests, procedures etc were signed off easily. However the standard of care varied wildly and when it was bad it was awful, with the patient being treated as an inconvenience and left unattended for long periods.

 

[ComedyPilot]

As much as I wish MS all the best, I cannot fathom why there needs to be an investigation into his skiing crash?

 

[F70100]

The investigation may well be being carried out by the company that operates the ski lifts and pistes with a view to them making sure that they did all that they needed to do before (in terms of signage, warnings, access, etc) and during the incident, both to cover their backsides in case of being sued, and to have done everything reasonable to prevent a recurrence.

 

[thom]

As much as I wish MS all the best, I cannot fathom why there needs to be an investigation into his skiing crash?

It may well be the standard protocol for all people with this severity of concussion.

I wish him a speedy recovery.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Doesn't sound brilliant for Schumacher. He's still in a coma and he has a lung infection.