A picture is worth a thousand words. I have posted the photo I shot of the ambulance taking us to the plane that flew us home. A plane without a toilet mind you and probably about 4.5 ft. floor to ceiling clearance. Loud, but private. We have landed here in the states safely but not without its demands. The transition has taken quite a toll on Todd (he is exhausted, frankly I am as well) and then there are some major changes that begin to approach this week. The therapists and the doctors have restricted visitation for the time being (I estimate 2 weeks). Stimulus and over stimulus are major considerations in the development and rehabilitation of brain injury cases. Todd and I have already both been placed on a rigorous rehabilitation schedule to allow for a strong and important transition from hospital to rehabilitation. So take comfort in the fact that we are both closer to you and HOME, we have missed you, and we look forward to being reunited with you all. It without a doubt takes time for us both to recover from and adjust to this major and most intense transition.
His father was standing there as the ambulance pulled up to the hospital we had been in transfer mode for 2 days, it was a little emotional as I tried to hold back the tears when my feet stepped on Oakland terra firma (that is what sunglasses are for). We were up in northeastern Canada for our first fueling/toilet stop and it reminded me of the time Todd’s return flight from Germany had an engine fail and so they landed in Yellow Knife for a new plane to fly in and take them all home. Burr very cold and white. The second stop was in Rochester, Minnesota……there we were blessed with warm food. I was terrified of drinking water!
I know you must all be chomping at the bit to set your eyes on us both and see for yourself that we are indeed really home safe and sound. These next couple weeks are most critical in Todd’s medical and rehabilitation development. His medical team needs all his energy focused on his healing, medical assessments, and best of all rehabilitation. Once these things happen we are then relocated. Once we are relocated, very shortly, we should be allowed to receive a limited amount of visitors. I will keep you updated. This does not by any means underestimate the value, need, desire, and power of filling the room with love from our friends. We have a dedicated and truly wonderful medical team, which brings our family a great deal of comfort……and then we have all of you with your love and dedication to assure that we indeed make it through this demanding year of recovery. We love you all and we are so very very happy to be home after all this time, but with home comes a lot of new and unanswered questions. I ask for your patience over these next few weeks, to ensure Todd is safe and strong, and when the team lifts the restrictions it will still be limited numbers per visit.
So in case it is not clear. Todd and I have been placed on lock down……that is to say we go from therapy to periods of zero stimulus to therapy again. Todd and I want to see our friends but this period of restricted visitors is what is best for Todd. We have a long road ahead of us, this period is an important one. We thank you all for your love and understanding.
February 21, 2008 at 9:13 am
I don’t think I can say it loud enough or strongly enough or often enough but here goes: WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, that didn’t really do it. But, then again, maybe it did. love,Penny and Henry
February 21, 2008 at 9:29 am
Welcome Home!!!!
February 21, 2008 at 9:33 am
Alex – you are incredibly amazing and we look forward to meeting you sometime soon! As soon as you want, we have teams set up to support you and Todd for whatever you need. I’m sure Rebecca will be in touch!
Welcome Home!
Much love, Kathy & Shannon O’Hare
February 21, 2008 at 10:06 am
WELCOME HOME TODD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 21, 2008 at 10:06 am
Welcome Home!
February 21, 2008 at 10:09 am
Echoing Penny (as I often do)
WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOO!!
Can’t wait to see you both. Bounding off the walls, jumping up and down, hip hip hooraying and throwing my hat in the air!!!
PennyJ
February 21, 2008 at 10:14 am
holy shit! this is great news. I’m glad that you are both back. please keep us posted and give us a call sometime. love you both.
February 21, 2008 at 10:19 am
YAHOO!!!!!
Congratulations Todd and Alex!
Of course we understand and fully respect the need for no visitors now. Let us know when it’s OK and we’ll switch modes.
As Kathy said local support is ready to be turned on.
Love to you both!
Michael
February 21, 2008 at 10:24 am
Welcome home Todd, things are better now you’re here.
February 21, 2008 at 10:28 am
Horrah! You’re home! On to the next adventure in this crazy life. I can already feel the energy. Holding friends and family at bay, ready to envelop you with healing… Take care!
February 21, 2008 at 10:47 am
There are no words! It’s simply a full body dance. Yipee yahoo. Will wait til the calm comes–ready to spring into action and at your service at your bekon call!! We LOVE you!!
Trista and Susie
February 21, 2008 at 10:50 am
Hey Todd, welcome back from your old haunt Exploratorium Exhibit Services! Ralf and I are here machining right now, along with Penny H, Alde, B, John Baldwin, Kua, & Dave, and we wish you all the best that rest can offer. Lots of other folks from all departments miss you too and are pulling for you.
Lots of love!
February 21, 2008 at 11:10 am
Great news! Welcome home!
February 21, 2008 at 11:12 am
Wooooooooooooooo
Can’t wait to see you all. What a great year it will be!!
We’re doing a little fund raiser here at the Explo http://www.pixelfacade.com/todd/
Limited seating
Great news , exciting, exciting!!!
Great big hugs,
Ben
February 21, 2008 at 11:26 am
RIGHT ON!
Welcome Home.
Thinking of you guys on every step of the path of healing.
Hugs and Kisses,
Don
February 21, 2008 at 11:49 am
I guess your SRL nudie calendar photo on my Todd altar is doing it’s healing thing. Next step (and I’m a patient man) is to come to Berkeley, pop open a bottle of dusty organic wine, and enjoy a Bardu style dinner.
Breathe deep.
Breathe steady.
h e a l t h y s e l f
xoxoxoxoxo Brian & Judy
February 21, 2008 at 12:00 pm
We’re SO glad you are back,
nearby again.
We’ll walk by and wave to your imagined window
until you’re ready to come out and play.
DD
February 21, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Welcome Home Todd & Alex !! Wow, what a surprise that you two are FINALLY back in the U.S. I am soooo happy for you both to be back closer to family & friends.
February 21, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Blessings, joy and jubilations!
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Just in time for the end of the Chinese New Year’s celebration.
Life is just so much better having you both home.
With loving hearts and minds.
I am here patiently waiting for the next phase to begin.
February 21, 2008 at 3:37 pm
wow.
(what Penny said in the first comment!)
February 21, 2008 at 5:12 pm
yay indeed! may todd’s recovery go full bore at home! and i hope you all will celebrate by attending the ATC Benefit for Todd Blair on Monday! Ken Goldberg hosts an evening of talks from Naut Humon, V. Vale, and Perry Hoberman. See the schedule of events on this blog or the SRL site ( http://srl.org ) as well as the ATC ( http://atc.berkeley.edu )site for details and latest updates
February 21, 2008 at 5:26 pm
a deep sigh released. a deep breath taken.
February 21, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Dear Todd,
I hope you are feeling better soon. I just got my stitches out and it did not hurt. I hope we can go camping with you again like the time we did with you.
Love,
Ruby and Ario
and Sabrina
so glad for this new phase, place
cannot wait to help – please let us know
February 21, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Arlo forgot to ask you:
Can we go rock climbing again with you?
🙂
February 21, 2008 at 6:12 pm
waving hi from across the street on my way to work 😉
February 21, 2008 at 6:17 pm
i sit here with tears in my eyes. i have been silently following your journey since the day of the accident and the first posting of this journal.
i have been praying for each of you for this day to arrive.
i am so happy that the next part of the journey may now begin.
welcome home todd and alex!
February 21, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Alex and Todd,
I am so happy you are back home. I have been following your blog and thank you so much Alex and your friends for posting updates so often.
I am really just so glad you have so much support and love around you. I am sending Todd and you love and prayers and hope that things get easier and easier and that Todd’s healing progresses steadily and at a good pace.
You are one strong lady Alex- and Todd is just such a light being and a bad ass. My thoughts are with you and welcome back.
xo xo Laurel True
February 21, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Welcome Home!!!!
So very happy for you!!!!!
I will be sending nice quiet transition vibes out your way in the universe.
My heart is full of happiness.
love, Tiffany
February 21, 2008 at 11:45 pm
What great changes! I am so happy to hear that the healing can start from home now! Welcome home you guys! Its so amazing! All I want to know now is where do i send cool presents and when can i start sending them!?
love you guys!
deanna
February 22, 2008 at 8:31 am
What a great suprise!!!!!!!!!!!! After watching Todd’s progress from a distance, it is wonderful to know that he is back in the Bay Area. Love, Ken
February 22, 2008 at 10:41 am
And here is hoping that all our love and healing vibrations are doubly effective now that we have you back home! Rest and recover, regenerate and renew. All the cherry blossoms are for Todd and you!
February 22, 2008 at 3:27 pm
love, love, love!! Miss and love, love, love, love!!
February 22, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Wow. I’m so glad you guys are home and on to the next phase–along with some well-deserved rest, I hope. Like everyone else, I’m here to help whenever you’re ready–and I hope that’s soon.
Love from Suzanne and Stan and Sam
February 22, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Welcome home!!!
I know that it’s such a contradiction – you want to see lots of friends; but you’re, well, sequestered as it were.
Know that we are all still with you and sending you both lots of love and healing!!
Welcome home, welcome home, welcome home!
Love from Terre…..
February 22, 2008 at 8:06 pm
what wonderful news after a long wait! please keep us updated *frequently*! every tiny bit of news is so appreciated. here’s to hoping that the proximity of the healing vibes hastens the magic to reveal itself. :o)
February 23, 2008 at 1:45 am
Such great news!! Welcome home!
February 23, 2008 at 1:52 am
there’s no place like home there’s no place like home there’s no place like home…
even if it means delivery by way of that itsybitsy machine.
Congratulations to the two of you…
February 23, 2008 at 10:43 am
welcome home.
February 23, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I’m glad to hear you are home. Let us know if there is anything we can do to help.
February 24, 2008 at 11:14 am
I have been following this web sight daily.it is so amazing what we can do when we have such courage. be proud of yourself, and how you have traveled through this journey…much love and support… sunnie..
February 24, 2008 at 11:15 am
P.S. WELCOME HOME !!!
February 24, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Welcome home!
February 24, 2008 at 9:45 pm
So grateful, so grateful!
Welcome back friends.
February 24, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Welcome home Todd and Alex. My heart is with you…
February 25, 2008 at 10:03 am
Woweeee! Welcome to the good old US of A!! Can’t believe this day has finally arrived for you both. I’m heading to SF in mid-March, not sure if it lines up with when Todd can receive visitors, and I am only there for a day, but we’ll have to schedule a trip back for my entire family so we can visit you all. How does June sound?!? 😉
Welcome home Todd and Alex, your perserverance is amazing!!
February 25, 2008 at 12:25 pm
What fantastic news! Welcome home! I see the healing growing and flowering in our beautiful springtime bay area. Holding you both (and all your support crew) in love, light and delight.
February 26, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Hi Alex, Hi Todd. Welcome home. We have been thinking of you often, imagining you home and back where things are more familiar and, ideally, easier for you both. It will be good to have your family (and friends) closer and able to provide more support for you both. Rest well both of you and we look forward to when we too will be able to see you and give you hugs — I know, I know, join the queue!!
February 26, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Hey…
so glad to hear that you made it.
BACK TO CALIFORNIA…
YOU MADE IT….
You will see … breathing California air will change everything…
Rest well
Peace and Love
from Germany
Kristijan
February 28, 2008 at 5:50 pm
ALL MY LOVE AND WELCOME HOME! Glad you are home and sending all my best. I’m here should you ever need anything.