For Luca - please support a very brave 4 year old - Updated

dimitrispearljam

thanks

goldrush wrote:

This may be the coolest thing to happen so far. Luca is a mad Formula 1 fan and current World Champion Sebastian Vettel and his team mate Mark Webber have shown their support from Malaysia!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=259070710849675&set=a.248378231918923.57545.248375595252520&type=1&theater

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=259072647516148&set=a.248378231918923.57545.248375595252520&type=1&theater

goldrush

Luca was in theatre again today. Here's an update from his dad:

It has been a very busy day!!
Luca had a fair night sleep and woke early bright and ready to play...
One of the few mornings he wanted breakfast but was nil by mouth due to theatre so a few tears
Not helped by me losing a few brownie points last night by managing to accidently yank his feed tube out when it got caught in his wheelchair...! Ouch
After a few tears he was more concerned if the sticker on his face was ok...?

Luca had his dressings changed today and we have discussed the next steps for his left knee.
Fortunately the consultants are prepared to wait a month for the hole to grow together before we graft over.
Means he will have a constant vacuum dressing but a route that we wanted too. Still risk if it stops regenerating but worth the wait...

He was an absolute star in theatre and even sat there talking to me as I held the mask on his face to send him off... (Not easy!)

After a short sleep we managed to get him out for a cpl of hours to the Park. He is now tucked up in bed exhausted ready for another day out tomorrow...
No cheeky comments today just alot of 'I love you's' and 'Proud of you's'

The milestone for today is mine as I have just come home for the night while Sian stays with Luca...
I managed to go into his bedroom for the first time since he we found him near death on the bed in January...
I am signing off now as still holding back the tears

goldrush

Ok, apologies for the long time in between updates. Please check out Luca's Facebook or Twitter pages for more regular updates on how he's doing.

http://www.facebook.com/forluca1
http://www.twitter.com/for_luca

There is now a video on Youtube that has been put together of photos of Luca and the people that have offered their support. I should warn you that seeing some of the photos of Luca when he was healthy and then seeing him after his operations can be quite hard to watch.

http://youtu.be/mJsaoPDhjYI

Some of the more famous supporters that would be appreciated on this forum (as opposed to the Welsh celebrities and UK pop 'stars' that people here may not know) include:

Ewan McGregor
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.248378231918923.57545.248375595252520&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=311034482319964&set=a.248378231918923.57545.248375595252520&type=3&theater

Gene Simmons, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, Gilby Clarke, Joe Elliott and Glenn Hughes
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.248378231918923.57545.248375595252520&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=276094242480655&set=a.248378231918923.57545.248375595252520&type=3&theater

Even President Obama has got involved (kinda)
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4255364/President-Obama-snapped-for-sick-Brit-lad-Lucas-campaign.html

chime

Bump

goldrush

This is the first update I've posted about Luca in a long time but there is good news and I just wanted to share it for those who are not following him on Facebook.

His Dad posted this on Tuesday:

Such a simple moment will stay with me for years to come handsome...

It is Stage 1 of what I know will be 1000’s of Stages throughout your life... As my boss you asked me to try and explain how these are mapped out in front of you...

Today...
You stood up! (Not unaided. It took 2 people to hold you up in position)
My brain quickly asking why weren’t you running off after your brother who was swinging on the bars in front of you...
Why weren’t you smiling?
Why wasn’t the elation I had planned not as overwhelming as I thought?
Why did you just buckle and fall over when we let you go?
Why, Why, Why...

The answer is never simple when it comes to our life challenge Luca! Every stage is carefully planned to bring your body back to a level it can help you walk...

The facts...
Your muscles are so wasted and damaged you could not have supported your weight with all the will in the world...
Your hips have turned your knees out and are twisting your stance...
Your body has not been in an upright position for over a year... (it could not start in the seconds I wanted it to)
You will not walk unaided for a long time and will only wear your legs in physio sessions to train your body to stand

The reality...
I saw you stand up!
No matter how many people where holding you up and how many days, weeks and months it will take to move to Stage 2(walking)
I saw you stand up!!
I knelt in front of you eye to eye... You looking at me puzzled as I fought back the tears and urges to snap photos...
Just letting you get used to ‘Standing Up!’

Now the hardest part of this challenge starts Luca. The challenge to walk. I knew it would be tough and long but I think I was living in denial that you would stand and walk unaided from day 1...

So what next...
Luca you will start the long and very boring task of just ‘Standing Up’
With activities planned to keep you entertained we will train your body back to a stage where you can hold yourself up...
That will mean Stage 1 complete!

Stage 2... I do not know when this will be handsome...
Timings do not matter... We will get there and all the while I will hold the most wonderful memory in my mind!!

‘I SAW YOU STAND UP!’

I love you that little bit more tonight handsome...
I am so, so proud of you!
Your student, protégé and lifetime ambassador...
Dad xxx

He also posted this photo of Luca with his new legs yesterday:

goldrush

Oh, and another famous face has shown his support...

Diego Maradonna!!!