Hi Everyone – Thanks for your posts & your suggestions for ways to assist and entertain Chris. It’s great to know so many people have his interest at heart.

Chris was in good shape today & I took him outside for a stroll in a wheelchair. This was his first time outside since the stroke. We went a reasonable distance and Chris particularly enjoyed the (ahem) rather rapid downhill part – I asked him once what vehicle summed up his personality and his reply was  ‘Messerschmidt’, which is pretty fair.

Then I had lunch with him and shared his horror at the hospital food. A microwaved vege lasagne was the solution.

Indictators for Chris seem to be quite positive at the moment & we still notice a daily improvement – which, just over two weeks from the stroke, is a very good sign. But it is really a time for hard work and seeing what happens over time.

Thanks

Roy

Hi – We had a frustrating/hilarious episode last night with Chris when he made it clear that he wanted something – after may, many, many guesses (even some from those in neighbouring beds!) we worked out he wanted an electric toothbrush – he has always been quite fastidious about dental hygiene. John then played an interminable game of Snakes & Ladders with Chris – games look like they’ll be firmly on the menu for a while.

Today our friend Mark sorted Chris out with an iPod, which is great cos my attempt with a dilapidated Discman & scuzzy wrap-around headphones yesterday was a disaster. I had the Meat Puppets lined up but the debacle of the equipment removed any possible thrill before we got close. Mark fared much better with The Beach Boys.

Thanks for all the nice comments.

Roy

Hi All – Spent last night with Chris, Barbara & Liesha. Chris was in good shape and in a good mood. He brushed his teeth whilst Liesha annoyed him by issuing instructions.  Boredom is the big issue for him at the moment. We’re plotting music (Alec is putting together a playlist of faves) & DVDs & reading to him – but we wanna come up with more things he can do for himself for stimulation. We’ll try a Discman & an iPod tonight and see what works.

His bed is under a clock which looks a little tortuous to me (seems like there is a CK song in here somewhere too). We have to buy him slippers today (or ‘sleepers’ as the Jamaican (??) nurse pronounced it – which is much better). We’re also working out a fine dining menu for him with lots of vege food – however my plan to smuggle him an Epic caught the wrath of Barbara (and that’s something not taken lightly, if you’ll forgive the pun).

All the beats folks

Roy

Hi Everyone – Chris has moved from the hospital & is apparently in good spirits today in his new place of abode. I haven’t seen him yet as I have to work (well, ‘try to work’ may be more accurate), but I think I’m seeing him tonight so I’ll have fresh news tomorrow.

Hey me and the family and friends really appreciate that people haven’t been prying into what’s happening too much –  obviously this is a very private time for us. We understand that Chris is much loved & that people want to know the details, but strokes seem to be about waiting and seeing, and what few details there are are just for us at the moment.

Today I’ve been thinking a lot about cool moments with Chris – tracking vocals for the first Nothing album (he really did uh ‘blow my mind’); horribly drunk on Jamiesons’ in a freezing spa pool in Nelson with Stefan & Jol (The Nothing); a gig in Parua Bay where he made me cringe in front of the entire bar (with a point that is not open for discussion here); endless Beatle sessions; plus all the music & books & films & beer & dinners & times he’s pissed me off by calling me on my bullshit (which, funnily enough, I would always end up coming back for more of)  etc etc etc….. so it’s great to see from your comments that he’s connected with so many others over the years …….. yup, and here’s to all the good times yet to come with Mr Knox …..

…. everyone go and down yer favourite beverage with CK in mind (chink to all)!!

Hi All –

Chris has done some writing & exercises, and played a game with Liesha & friends today, but it’s mostly been a day of doctors – lots of tests and meetings. The good news is that we are now on to the next stage of Chris’ recovery and he will be moving from the hospital tomorrow.

It was nice to see a posting from Rolf de Heer this morning. Chris has been a fan since ‘Bad Boy Bubby’ & we’ve been raving to anyone within earshot about his films for months, Chris having recently purchased a box set – try ‘Ten Canoes’, or, my personal fave, ‘Dance Me to My Song’ …. gorgeous films!

Thanks again for all your comments!

Hiya – Chris is improving daily. Today he stood unassisted (but with nurses at the ready of course) for two minutes.

Barbara later laid out cards for him to play snap – after a few minutes she said ‘bit boring isn’t it’ and Chris agreed so Barbara laid out a Patience game which Chris has played correctly several times since.

I asked if he wanted another Disney cartoon & he gave me a grimace – so I asked if he wanted something a bit more stimulating (I now come prepared to the bedside with B’ s laptop loaded with stuff). He finally put headphones on (another first) and watched a Stan Brakhage clip with (what looked like) intense pleasure (heck maybe it was terror?!?).

Then Chris took out his journal & wrote many words – some of them even made sense. We can see he’s frustrated but he has a fantastic attitude towards relearning the skills that have been impaired by the stroke. Chris’ lifelong habit of learning is paying off in spades at this point.

So yeah, today again it all looks good. Tomorrow we have the meeting with doctors. Roy

PS.Thanks again to all for your comments – and just to prove that we am reading them here are the lyrics for ‘Meat’

Lyrics & Chords to ‘Meat’ by Chris A. Knox from the album ‘Croaker’ as transcribed from memory by Sam Wallace at Auckland hospital on 21/06/09 who then e-mailed in the missing section – uh, and then possibly mangled in order by your’s truly (sorry Chris)

There’s this guy in a hole
and his arms are unjointed
and he sways….
There’s a gap where his eyes
used to stare disappointed
at the days…

Ch.
We don’t have
Much time to
Say all the things we have to say
But still we
Pay mind to
The flesh that’s destined for the clay

There’s a book that I read
Made from muscle and sinew from my side
Though the writing is poor
I’m compelled to continue where I lied

There’s a bone in my hand
Freshly wrenched from the manhole at my feet
And it writes from the book
Dripping words I untangle from the meat

There’s a song in my mouth
struggling hard to escape me while it may
But it’s viscous and raw
Too naive and unshapley to betray

Break:
And we don’t to waste our time
In case we’re past our peak and prime
And now must fall into decay….
So close your eyes and close your mind
Pretend with me that we have climbed
Out of the shadows of the grave….

Hi All – I’ve just been in with Chris & we played an early Mickey Mouse cartoon which Chris enjoyed. Then we tried to work out what music he liked – I scrolled through the ‘Imagine’ album but that got the thumbs down (!) and it was ‘Hey Bulldog’ (mono of course) that Chris glommed onto. He listened attentively through the entire track and bopped his head along to the beat. Then we went to ‘Across the Universe’ and it was kinda beautiful as Chris stared out over Auckland from his view on the 8th floor with Barbara beside him.

This afternoon I’ll try ‘Odessey & Oracle’ on him – Alec & Chris put me on to this rekkid & I’m in love with it! I’ve also been into an el-cheapo Cole Porter CD whose rolling tunes Chris may like.

Thanks again for all the comments that are coming in! I’m working my way through them with Chris, and John and Liesha read them regularly.

Press Release 20/06/09

“Chris Knox remains in a stable condition in Auckland hospital. This morning he is communicating with hand signs and the occasional word. He is generally in a good mood & enjoys the company of his family and friends.

“Chris is learning new ways of communicating and shows interest in the world around him. He also drew a cartoon likeness of himself. The other Tall Dwarf, Alec Bathgate, is here today and we watched ‘Miles Davis at Isle of Wight’ with Chris.

“We are due to have a meeting with doctors in the next few days to have Chris’ condition more fully explained to us and to get a clearer picture of the way forward. However, to me, as lay person, he seems to be improving daily.

“We’d again like to express our gratitude to all the people that have helped out and to those who have sent cards and have posted comments on the blog – you’ve been a source of great comfort to Barbara, Liesha and John and we read the new entries to Chris each day. We’ve also had a huge stream of visitors to the hospital who we’d like to thank for their patience & kindness.”

Roy Martyn

Hello – Ouch – a bit too much red wine last night. Still …. not too bad.

Today is Barbara’s birthday and, after a bit of prompting, Chris nailed the melody of “Happy Birthday”. It’s a nice tune and, well, Marilyn he ain’t! We had cake and liqueur stuffed dates with tea & coffee. Chris is in a good mood, and although we are learning to be VERY careful about being too optimistic I can’t help feeling that he’s improving.

We’ve got the digital download sorted as you can probably see – thanks very much to Simon & Stephen at Amplifier for settting it up, and to Russell for suggesting it.

We’ve had a few people ask how to stop getting an e-mail with each new comment. There should be a box to tick when you make a comment to de-select this option. I’ll have to find out how to disable that option for those of you that are already hooked in ….. sorry.

Chris has a pope-a-like in the bed beside him. Which is good as I’ve long thought that Chris should work on his spiritual side more and I was hoping that this terrible event would bring him closer to God.

Roy

Hiya – It’s morning we’re starting to settle into some sorta routine – it’s beginning to seem weirdly normal.

We come in when visiting hours start and spend the day hanging out in the Whanau room & taking turns pestering Chris. It’s like a funny little communal office with cellphones beeping, random discussions, scraps over laptop access and highly dodgy humour. Then we leave at 8ish and head off for a fantastic vege dinner and a couple of glasses of pinot & we debrief over the day’s events – and we talk through how upset we are, and how amazing people can be, and we give each other good-natured shit, and then we wander off and try to sleep – with wildly varying degrees of success. Then we meet up the next day and start again.

However Liesha just came in and told me that Chris is sitting up in a chair today and has written his name! I had a great visit with him and watched him start physio……. still haven’t managed to play him Miles though.

…. and then I come back in from work at 5pm to hear that Chris came down to the Whanau room! He was greeted by our friend Jonathan who decided to entertain Chris with ‘the human chair’ with Stefan (wonder-drummer & Pumice man). This resulted in a (possibly rather predictable) debacle & Jonathan writhing in pain with a broken ankle. Apparently he will be in a wheel chair for weeks and ……  well you’d laugh, as much as Chris did, if you knew Jonathan, who has a reputation for high-jinks.

Roy