Happy Birthday Champ!

5th of Jan, a day to celebrate our champion and my Hero’s birthday every year. Although today was not how we envisioned it to be less than a fortnight ago, it was still a great day.
After spending the night at the Ronald McDonald House I was up early and headed back to see Cory for his 15th Birthday, arriving at about 0640hrs I found both Cory and Shona sound asleep.
I sat there watching and waiting for them to awaken til around 0800hrs when the medical staff woke them. I can say that Cory was in a pretty sad mood, mostly from being woken I would guess.
After the medical staff had finished with him we drew back the curtain beside his bed to reveal a surprise that Merrin (one of the beautiful Nurses) had made on her break!!

As soon as that curtain came back his face instantly lit up with joy and that was the start of a great day!
We then were able to give Cory a birthday gift that he had really been wanting, but not before being interrupted by the second round of medical staff for the morning.

1030 rolls around and we are chatting away when “HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORY” is excitedly announced by Cory’s amazing Physio Nichola before blasting a party blower as she entered the room.
This was followed by amazing progress as Cory was able to move his left leg so much more that he had yesterday and even to the point where once I assisted him to get moving and maintained some weightlessness for his leg, he was able to raise it a substantial way off the bed! A major strain and effort for the champ, but such an achievement too!
Next goal is to get him sitting up on the edge of the bed, which we are aiming to start next Monday! Can’t wait!!
Nanna, Poppy, Aunty Sharna and our Princess Jeldi arrived just at the end of the session just in time to get more decorations up!

We had to then rush off to our first Family meeting where we were really introduced to our Spinal Rehab Team and we discussed a rough idea of what our short term future looks like. So some of you may have heard that we are looking at maybe 2 weeks here in PMH before being moved to FSH for 3months, it was cleared up today (thankfully) that we would not be changing hospitals and that we are most likely to be here at PMH for the next 10-12 weeks.
All while this was going on, one of Cory’s closest friends Cheyana and Legend Leon had arrived to spread some Birthday cheer!

What an awesome day with a total of 10 special visitors plus the and unfortunately or fortunately, which ever way you wish to look at it, we did not take so many photos with friends as we were too busy just enjoying the moments as life was intended.

We did get a few videos of the hilarious Captain Starlights as they performed a rap about wrapping as Cory unwrapped a gift from them.
He also recieved gifts from the Nursing Staff of Ward 5C and from LiveWire.
AMAZING

There was one person who he was most keen to see though and that was his lovely girlfriend Felicity. Thanks so much Felicity for being there for Cory and for us, your thoughtful presents and delightful presence today capped off the best Birthday possible today, Saved the best for last 🙂

Special thanks to the following people making a great 15th Birthday;

Jeldi
Nanna & Poppy
Gary and Felicity Mann
Aunty Sharna
Uncle Noel & Uncle Eli
Maddison, Chad and Maddi’s Mum
Leon & Cheyana
Lynette and Riley

and of course the amazing Staff of PMH, you guys absolutely rock!!!

There are many challenges we face ahead, there are many we face on a day to day basis and today was definitely not all beer and skittles. There was plenty of tears both the happy ones and the sad ones, but our Family, Extended and Friends plus the strength of the Community behind us with the hundreds of messages, will get Cory and us through this murky patch.

We are struggling with many things, some of which may seem trivial.

one of which is the desire to respond to every message and well wish, but we simply cannot do it, but we certainly do appreciate them and we would love for them to continue as they are very touching.

There is so much more I would love to write, but again it is 0100hrs (I’ve backdated the post to appear as the 5th….) and I really need to set this reclining chair from uncomfortable mode to almost comfortable mode and get some rest.

Much Love
The Crombies
#corycrombiecan

ps. I know I have forgotten so many people from today, with all the singing and well wishes from so many people, my deepest apologies 🙁