Today’s update from Danibelle:

Got to the hospital today and Russ was off the ventilator. Pretty bright and breezy for the morning visiting session albeit still frustrated at not being able to make himself understood.

Between visiting times, the medical staff had deflated the balloon in the tracheotomy device which restricts speech. While the medics said it takes a day or so to start making audible noises again, Russ typically was exceeding expectations and was able to mutter a few words when Alwyn arrived at 4pm. Also, typical of Russ, rather than restrict himself to a couple of monosyllabic words, he went the whole hog and, in response to Alwyn telling him some brief details of something, asked him to “elaborate”. Four blimming syllables!

Anyway, clearly exhausted after his efforts, he indicated to Alwyn that he was hot and wanted to rest. So, Alwyn duly obliged by removing his sheets (under which Russ is fully naked) and fanning him to cool him down. When I arrived, I did catch Alwyn telling Russ that when he can speak, he mustn’t tell anyone he was “fanning his bollocks for two hours”. He has since been nick-named “Chief Bollock Wallah”.

More tomorrow!