27th August 2008

Hello,

Deze keer wordt het een email in zowel Nederlands als Engels …

Tommy heeft een telefoon op de kamer. Jullie hem bereiken op volgend nummer 0032/9/332.73.40 – Jullie kunnen hem het beste bereiken na 18 uur. Gelieve er rekening mee te houden dat Tommy gaat slapen rond 20 uur – dus liefst geen telefoontjes meer na 20 uur.

Tommy has a phone in his room so for those who want to speak to Tommy directly here is his number: 0032/9/332.73.40 - The best time to reach him after 6 pm. Pls bare in mind that Tommy goes to bed around 8 pm – so pls no calls after 8 pm.  

Vorige vrijdag 22 augustus realizeerden Tommy, zijn familie en ikzelf dat het reeds zes maanden geleden is dat Tommy zijn hartstilstand heeft gehad. Alle doctors die Tommy hebben behandeld waren het erover eens dat het tijd en geduld zou vergen om Tommy beter te krijgen. Indien we kijken waar Tommy vandaag staat dan weten we allen dat de voorbije 6 maanden een tijd is geweest van verdriet, vragen, tranen maar ook een tijd van geluk, liefde en doorzetting. Het voorbije half jaar heeft ons geleerd dat het leven echt wel de moeite is om voor te vechten. 

Last Friday 22nd August Tommy, his family and myself realized that Tommy had his cardial arrest 6 months ago. 6 months … that really seems ages ago. The thing all doctors agreed on was that it would take a lot of time and patience to get Tommy better. If we look at Tommy and how he is doing today then the 6 months of sadness, loads of questions, tears but also happyness, love and positivity were really worth it and have tought each one of us that life is always worth fighting for.

Hier is een foto van het basketbal team van Laakdal waar Tommy vroeger basket speelde en met veel show zijn ‘O Neal’ moves showde …  

Here is a picture from Tommy’s basketball team in Laakdal where he used to show his “O’neal moves” ….

 

Na veel borden heerlijke spaghetti en chocomousse waarbij je de vingers aflikt, vond ik dat het tijd werd dat ik een foto van onze super buren Corry en Eddy op de blog zet ….

After loads of spaghetti sauce and chocolate mousse I thought it was about time to add a picture of our great neighbours Corry and Eddy …. 

   

Liefs,

By for now ….  Vicky & the kids

14th August 2008

Dear all,

Last weekend Tommy got spoilt by visits from collegues working for Siemens Germany and Belgium. On Saturday Ludwig and Burkhard visited us in Leupegem and joined us for a barbeque. Luckily we have very nice neighbours and one of them named Wim suggested to deal with the barbeque. A big thanks for Wim who made it less stressful for me as I never dealt with grilling meat on a barbeque. Ludwig and Burkhard, via this way Tommy would like to thank you both for the German beer, the Apfelwoi and just simply the fact they you drove all the way to our home to see him. We both enjoyed your company and hope to welcome you again one day …. 

Here is a nice souvenir …

On Sunday ….  Torsten, Dorin, Jona & Josi from Germany came to visit us together with Lieven, Marie, Simon and Caroline. We had a very nice afternoon catching up on the latest news and watching our six children play in our garden on the trampoline. Last time we saw Torsten and Dorin in Belgium was already two years ago so it was very nice to have them at our place again. Tommy remembers he last visited Torsten in October 2007.

Here is a nice picture of very nice people …

Pls know that everybody is always welcome at our place. If you happen to be in Belgium and would like to visit Tommy - I will try to do my best to make sure that Tommy can see you here in Leupegem or at the hospital in Ghent.

Kind regards,

   Vicky & the kids   

3rd August 2008

Dear all,

This is a personal message from Tommy …  

Like Willem from South Africa mentioned in his phone call last week: I have the chance to learn everything for the second time in this lifetime … I learned how to speak again, how to walk again, to shave myself, to brush my teeth, to drink and eat all by myself. Eventhough it is very hard at times I am very happy that I was given the chance to learn it all again and to still be here.

To give you an idea on how I spend my days now:

I get up at 7 am – take a shower all by myself - have breakfast and the first therapy which is neurology starts at 9 am. During those lessons we exercise my brain by having group discussions or by playing games like trivial pursuit. We also discuss the news and talk about interesting subjects.   

At 10 am Kine starts. There the purpose is to mobilise my muscles who have been in stress for a long time now. Tomorrow I will be botoxed again in order to decrease the stress in my upper leg.

From 11to 12 am I have 1 hour off where I read/listen to my audio book via my Daisy player. I already started listening to my first audio book The Alchemist and I receive weekly updated news on sports and worldtopics via cd-rom.

At noon lunch is served.

At 1 pm I have logo where they focus on my voice. The main goal is to strenghten my voice.   

From 2 to 3 pm I have an hour off.

At 3 pm there is another hour of kine on the agenda where we focus on walking and keeping the balance.

My day ends with one hour of Ergo. There I learn how to distinguish colours, how to brush my teeth, how to make my own sandwish, ….  The focus during this hour is to improve the ‘fine motorial functions’.

From 5 pm onwards I can welcome friends. Around 9pm I go to bed as I need to be fit for the next rehab day.

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To my dear Siemens colleagues & Junior’s group alumni from all over the world who have supported me by writing a message on the blog; sending a card, books or flowers, a big thank you from the bottom of my heart. All these gestures from your side give me the strength to move on and the will to fight.

Loads of things have happened in my mind/life and because of that I now have changed my look on life completely. I have realized that my family is the most important thing and without them I would not be where I am right now. I miss Siemens but most of all I miss you all … not only the professional side but also the personal relationship I had with each one of you. I am looking forward to the day I can start working again together with you in order to make Siemens stronger than before.

Hope to get more news from all of you via the blog.

Take care …  Tommy

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To my family and friends … Thank you for the many visits. I do appreciate the time we spend together in the afternoon after my therapy. Talking to you and having friends around me are a positive escape for me after a tough day of work. Also the weekends are very enjoyable for me and give me the energy to face a new week of therapy ahead.

Thank you for being there for me. It is in tough times that we discover who our real friends are. 

Hope to see you soon … Tommy

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A very special “thank you” to my Siemens colleague Jean-Lou Paquet who lives in Canada and who saved my life on 21st Feb 2008. Tabarnak estie de siboire de mon etolle  … without you I would not even be able write this email, nor to sit here next to my lovely wife Vicky. Both Vicky and I will cherish our friendship and the support we got from you, Kiki and little Kingston forever in our hearts.

Tommy