I know NSC is good at this kind of thing so I thought I'd share it.
Home - The Jim Mockford Fund
Basically, my Stepdad was injured in a horrific accident at work last October, and is now paralised from the neck down. He was welding on a tractor when the tire exploded, the explosion was so strong that it was heard 5 miles away, blew all the windows out of the workshop and even blew all the tea out of the teabags in the cupboard (no idea how this is possible). He cant remember anything about it but they think the axle from the tractor flew off and hit him full in the face, fracturing his skull. A fractured skull was the least of his worries though, as his spinal cord was so badly damaged that we were told that the absolute best case scenario would be that he could learn to breathe for himself again, which could take a year on the ventilator and he coud catch pnemuonia and die at any moment, and may then be able to leave intensive care and live in a specialist spinal institution. There was zero chance of him ever coming home, and the chances of him living more than a few more years were extremely low. He was so badly injured that they didn't even notice his leg was broken for 3 weeks because they were concentrating so much on trying to keep him alive. If it wasn't for the amazing staff at King's College Hospital, he wouldn't be here today at all.
It is now 8 months since the accident and Jim is in a specialist spinal unit in Stanmore, a 3 hour drive from my Mum's house in Heathfield, a journey which she makes at least twice a week. He learnt to breathe for himself again after 3 months, left intensive care after 4, and we are now hoping that we are going to eventually be able to get him home.
Jim is a very quiet and unassuming man, and the way he has kept fighting through these horrific last 8 months has been an inspiration to everyone who knows him. Had it been me in that situation, I would have given up. But he has never once questioned why this happened to him, or moaned about anything at all, he has stayed positive and is always laughing and joking with the nurses and his visitors. He cant do anything for himself, his only movement is a tiny bit in his legs and he can move his fingers a few centimetres at a time, which is fantastic as it means he has started learning to use an electric wheelchair. I say learning, following him around the unit watching the trail of distruction that follows him is quite entertaining. But he's getting better at it.
Anyway, in order to get Jim home we are pretty much going to have to knock down his and my mum's house and start again, in order to make all the adjustments needed for him to be able to live there. He is going to need 24 hour care and live in carers, and it is going to be a huge upheaval for everyone, especially my Mum. But to have any chance of getting him home we are going to need to raise an awful lot of money (you knew that was coming, didn't you!)
We are going to be holding various events to help us achieve this, and one of them is being held tomorrow in Burwash. It's called Riverdell Farm County Fayre, and involves live music, hog roast, bar, tractor rides, stalls, kids' quad bikes, vintage vehicles, novelty dog show and more. There will be an auction of promises at 2pm which includes holidays to South Africa and Grenada. Entry Pounds 10 per car, Pounds 2 per person on foot. It's really not my scene as I'm a bit of a city boy these days, but obviously I'm going to be there anyway. Please come along if you can. There is even a 'beat the keeper' competition for which I will be in goal for a lot of the time, do come up and say hello (maybe say your username first and if you're someone who I have offended recently I'll pretend I'm not me)
Full info here Incompatible Browser | Facebook
Jim has been home once for 4 hours since the accident a month or so ago, and half of Sussex seemed to come round to see him. If all goes well he is going to be coming to the Fayre tomorrow, as he can now sit up for a few hours at a time in his chair, as long as he is accompanied by his carers.
The story has been in the local press a bit recently, have a look at the link below.
This is Sussex | Man left paralysed by accident cannot return to house as it is now
All the proceeds from this fayre are going to go to the fund we have set up, which you can also donate to online if you cant make it. The website with more information about Jim and the whole situation is here Home - The Jim Mockford Fund The paypal link isn't up and working yet but will be shortly.
And just to be clear for anyone who vaguely knows me, Jim is not Cadiz Seagull, he is my real Dad who is alive and well in Sunny Spain!
Sorry to anyone who I have been a bit short with on here over the last few months, as you can imagine it hasn't been an easy time.
Home - The Jim Mockford Fund
Basically, my Stepdad was injured in a horrific accident at work last October, and is now paralised from the neck down. He was welding on a tractor when the tire exploded, the explosion was so strong that it was heard 5 miles away, blew all the windows out of the workshop and even blew all the tea out of the teabags in the cupboard (no idea how this is possible). He cant remember anything about it but they think the axle from the tractor flew off and hit him full in the face, fracturing his skull. A fractured skull was the least of his worries though, as his spinal cord was so badly damaged that we were told that the absolute best case scenario would be that he could learn to breathe for himself again, which could take a year on the ventilator and he coud catch pnemuonia and die at any moment, and may then be able to leave intensive care and live in a specialist spinal institution. There was zero chance of him ever coming home, and the chances of him living more than a few more years were extremely low. He was so badly injured that they didn't even notice his leg was broken for 3 weeks because they were concentrating so much on trying to keep him alive. If it wasn't for the amazing staff at King's College Hospital, he wouldn't be here today at all.
It is now 8 months since the accident and Jim is in a specialist spinal unit in Stanmore, a 3 hour drive from my Mum's house in Heathfield, a journey which she makes at least twice a week. He learnt to breathe for himself again after 3 months, left intensive care after 4, and we are now hoping that we are going to eventually be able to get him home.
Jim is a very quiet and unassuming man, and the way he has kept fighting through these horrific last 8 months has been an inspiration to everyone who knows him. Had it been me in that situation, I would have given up. But he has never once questioned why this happened to him, or moaned about anything at all, he has stayed positive and is always laughing and joking with the nurses and his visitors. He cant do anything for himself, his only movement is a tiny bit in his legs and he can move his fingers a few centimetres at a time, which is fantastic as it means he has started learning to use an electric wheelchair. I say learning, following him around the unit watching the trail of distruction that follows him is quite entertaining. But he's getting better at it.
Anyway, in order to get Jim home we are pretty much going to have to knock down his and my mum's house and start again, in order to make all the adjustments needed for him to be able to live there. He is going to need 24 hour care and live in carers, and it is going to be a huge upheaval for everyone, especially my Mum. But to have any chance of getting him home we are going to need to raise an awful lot of money (you knew that was coming, didn't you!)
We are going to be holding various events to help us achieve this, and one of them is being held tomorrow in Burwash. It's called Riverdell Farm County Fayre, and involves live music, hog roast, bar, tractor rides, stalls, kids' quad bikes, vintage vehicles, novelty dog show and more. There will be an auction of promises at 2pm which includes holidays to South Africa and Grenada. Entry Pounds 10 per car, Pounds 2 per person on foot. It's really not my scene as I'm a bit of a city boy these days, but obviously I'm going to be there anyway. Please come along if you can. There is even a 'beat the keeper' competition for which I will be in goal for a lot of the time, do come up and say hello (maybe say your username first and if you're someone who I have offended recently I'll pretend I'm not me)
Full info here Incompatible Browser | Facebook
Jim has been home once for 4 hours since the accident a month or so ago, and half of Sussex seemed to come round to see him. If all goes well he is going to be coming to the Fayre tomorrow, as he can now sit up for a few hours at a time in his chair, as long as he is accompanied by his carers.
The story has been in the local press a bit recently, have a look at the link below.
This is Sussex | Man left paralysed by accident cannot return to house as it is now
All the proceeds from this fayre are going to go to the fund we have set up, which you can also donate to online if you cant make it. The website with more information about Jim and the whole situation is here Home - The Jim Mockford Fund The paypal link isn't up and working yet but will be shortly.
And just to be clear for anyone who vaguely knows me, Jim is not Cadiz Seagull, he is my real Dad who is alive and well in Sunny Spain!
Sorry to anyone who I have been a bit short with on here over the last few months, as you can imagine it hasn't been an easy time.
:guitar:
:vuvu2:
: :
:dance::mexican:
