This latest blog chapter has been written by my amazing wife, Laura, without whom I don't think I would have ever got through this ordeal. Her fast actions on the day this took place may well have saved my life. I honour her, I love her and I thank her for her bravery. In her own words, Laura recalls the day I collapsed and lost my memory. It's gripping, yet heart warming.
I was sitting on the sofa having just finished dinner, Dan was upstairs settling Jake. I heard his footsteps across the landing heading back to our bedroom then there was a loud bang!
Not sure what it was, I rushed up the stairs to see what had happened, when I turned into our bedroom there was Dan, face down on the floor at the end of our bed!
Now as some of you know I am not always the best in an emergency, with my initial response being a little random (like the time our car span in the ice while Dan was driving, I turned the music off so he could concentrate. Or the time I walked in our front door to find Dan passed out on the floor and I had to take my coat off before checking on him. He was fine by the way, that's a whole other story).
However, this time I snapped in to action, checking he was breathing, shaking him to try and bring him round while calling his name. He didn’t respond, but thankfully was still breathing, I phoned for an ambulance.
The operator I got through to was absolutely amazing and I wish I could thank her personally. She kept me calm and stayed on the phone until the ambulance arrived. She could hear the panic in my voice and somehow managed to talk me through all the checks, making sure he was still breathing. She asked if I could turn him over on to his side. Unfortunately I was unable to move him, as there was no room to roll Dan over and I was not strong enough.
Whilst waiting for the ambulance Jake woke up again and was crying. I wasn't sure if I should leave Dan alone. The lady on the phone assured me that Dan would be fine and I should go and get my son. Looking back now I am sure Jake could sense something was wrong with his Dad.
So, I stood in our bedroom holding Jake waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Then Dan came round and started asking where he was, he seemed so confused. He didn’t move, he simply lay on the floor while I tried to explain what was going on. I reassured him that the ambulance was on its way. I then saw flashing lights out of the bedroom window of the rapid response vehicle.
I know Dan has covered this part already so will skip ahead.
The ambulance pulled off and disappeared up the road. I closed the front door and stood there for a couple of seconds thinking, what do I do? I settled Jake back to sleep in his room. Returning back downstairs my mind was racing, WOW has this really just happened? Is Dan really in hospital again? Why did he collapse? I needed to get to the hospital so I rang some friends to see if they could come and babysit while I went to the hospital. While explaining to them what had happened I broke down in tears. They said they would come straight away to look after Jake.
I decided to ring Dan’s dad so he could get to the hospital and be with him as I knew it would take me longer to get there. His dad was actually on duty in the neighbouring town, he was a paramedic, he assured me he would leave work straight away and get there to be with Dan. Andy and Becca Herbert (the friends mentioned above) arrived pretty quickly, I briefly and calmly explained what had happened. They are shocked by my state as I was a picture of calm, which they weren’t expecting after my break down on the phone.
This becomes my state for the next few weeks as I stay strong for Dan and Jake.
We decide that Andy will babysit Jake, while Becca took me to the hospital. Upon arrival at the hospital I walk straight up to the desk where I ask the desk clerk, where can I find Daniel Waldron?
I am given access to the A & E ward and I’m led into a little cubicle. There I find Dan lying on a bed, and his dad standing next to him. I get a look from Dan’s dad that says ‘something's not right here.’
I can tell straight away that Dan doesn't recognise me, I feel it in my stomach, a horrible sick feeling, but I just look at him and smile, he is still the man I love even if he doesn't know it.
I stay for about an hour while the doctors discuss what they want to do. They inform us they will be keeping Dan in overnight so I decide to go home as there was nothing more I could do and I didn’t want to keep Andy and Becca out any longer.
It was a sleepless night, I never sleep well when in the bed on my own at the best of times, but I also felt this heavy weight of responsibility to hold my little family together.
Over the next few days I juggled looking after Jake and visiting Dan in the hospital.
